High performance fuel tank
AssigneeNextreme, LLC
InventorScott A. W. Muirhead
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel tank and method of making the same having three polymeric sheet members arranged in a stacked relationship to define a first volume and a second volume. The first volume being separate from said second volume to provide a number of advantages, such as a barrier to prevent puncture, minimize vapor release, aid in cooling, define a reserve cavity, minimize fluid movement, and the like.
Claims44
A fluid container for storing a fluid comprising:
- a first sheet member;
- a second sheet member;
- and
- a third sheet member coupled between said first sheet member and said second sheet member, said first sheet member and said third sheet member together defining a first volume, said second sheet member and said third sheet member together defining a second volume, said first volume being fluidly isolated from said second volume.
A fuel tank for containing a fuel, said fuel tank comprising:
- a first polymeric sheet;
- a second polymeric sheet;
- and
- a third polymeric sheet coupled between said first polymeric sheet and said second polymeric sheet, said first polymeric sheet and said third polymeric sheet together defining a first volume, said second polymeric sheet and said third polymeric sheet together defining a second volume, said first volume being isolated from said second volume.
A fuel tank comprising:
- at least three extruded polymeric sheets arranged to define a first tank section and a second tank section, said at least three extruded polymeric sheets being thermoformed;
- and
- an aperture formed in one of said at least three extruded polymeric sheets to provide access to said first tank section via said second tank section.
A fuel tank having three co-extruded thermoformed polymeric sheets, said fuel tank comprising:
- a first fuel tank section having a wall operable to contain a fuel, said first fuel tank section having a first hydrocarbon barrier layer interfacially fused to an inside surface of said wall and a second hydrocarbon barrier layer interfacially fused to an outside surface of said wall;
- and
- a second fuel tank section having a wall operable to contain escaping fuel vapors.
A method of manufacturing a fuel tank, said method comprising:
- thermoforming a first polymeric sheet to a predetermined shape;
- thermoforming a second polymeric sheet to a predetermined shape;
- thermoforming a third polymeric sheet to a predetermined shape;
- coupling said first polymeric sheet to said second polymeric sheet to form a two sheet subassembly having a first volume;
- and
- coupling said third polymeric sheet to said two sheet subassembly to form a three sheet subassembly having a second volume, said second volume being separate from said first volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.