Toroidal pressure vessel
AssigneeThe Garrett Corporation
InventorBela Bunkoczy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A toroidal pressure vessel comprises two annular, complementarily formed axial sections which are intersecured along a duality of annular joint lines that circumscribe and are mutually offset along the axis of the toroid. The axial sections are formed by machining a pair of end portions removed from a length of thick-walled metal tubing.
Claims21
A toroidal pressure vessel having an axis and comprising first and second annular section that collectively define a hollow toroidal body and are intersecured along a duality of annular joint lines which circumscribe and are spaced apart along said axis, said vessel having, around its cross-sectional circumference, a nonuniform wall thickness configured to provide said vessel with essentially equal internal pressure-induced wall stress around its cross-sectional circumference.
A toroidal pressure vessel having an axis and comprising a duality of annular axial sections which abut and are intersecured along two annular joint lines each encircling said axis, each section having a radially inner periphery, a radially outer periphery, and a nonuniform cross-sectional thickness configured to provide said pressure vessel with essentially constant internal pressure-induced wall stress around its cross-sectional circumference, each of said annular axial sections being thickest at said radially inner periphery thereof and thinnest at said radially outer periphery thereof.
Pneumatic control apparatus comprising:
- (a) a pneumatically operable device;
- (b) a metal toroidal pressure vessel adapted to store high pressure gas usable to operate said device, said pressure vessel having an axis, a radially inner periphery, a radially outer periphery, and a nonuniform wall thickness around its cross-sectional circumference, said nonuniform wall thickness being thickest adjacent said radially inner periphery and thinnest adjacent said radially outer periphery, said pressure vessel including:
- (1) a first annular member defining an axial portion of a hollow toroidal body, said first annular member having axially offset radially inner and outer annular edge portions,
- (2) a second annular member defining the balance of said hollow toroidal body, said second annular member having axially offset radially inner and outer annular edge portions, said radially inner edge portions, and said radially outer edge portions, being in an abutting relationship around their peripheries, and
- (3) a duality of annular weld joints extending around the abutting peripheries of said radially inner and outer annular edge portions and interconnecting said first and second annular members;
- (d) supply conduit means, operatively interconnected between said pressure vessel and said device, for flowing a supply of motive gas to said device;
- and
- (d) pressure reduction means, operably interposed in said conduit means between said pressure vessel and said device, for providing a regulated flow of motive gas to said device at a predetermined pressure less than the pressure within said vessel.
A toroidal pressure vessel manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first annular member configured to define an axial portion of a hollow toroidal body having a radially inner periphery, a radially outer periphery, and a nonuniform wall thickness being at a maximum thickness adjacent said radially inner periphery and at a minimum thickness adjacent said radially outer periphery, said first annular member having axially offset radially inner and outer annular edge portions;
- (b) providing a second annular member configured to define the balance of said hollow toroidal body and having axially offset radially inner and outer annular edge portions;
- and
- (c) forming said hollow toroidal body by respectively intersecuring said radially inner edge portions and said radially outer edge portions of said first and second annular members.
A toroidal pressure vessel manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a length of thick-walled metal tubing;
- (b) removing a first axial portion of said tubing;
- (c) removing a second axial portion of said tubing;
- (d) configuring the removed first and second axial portions of said tubing to define complementary sections of a hollow toroid having a nonuniform, radially tapered wall thickness which is greatest around a radially central portion of said toroid;
- and
- (e) intersecuring said complementary sections to form said toroidal pressure vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.