Mechanical fuse to seal pipes upon unintended rupture
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North American, Inc.
InventorAndrea Leigh Lubawy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a mechanical fuse to seal pipes upon unintended rupture. When a pressure difference between a first pressure and a second pressure in a pipe is below a pressure threshold, a first spring retains a flap in a first position allowing gaseous fuel to flow from a first portion to a second portion and when the pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is not below the pressure threshold the flap moves to a second position preventing the gaseous fuel from flowing from the first portion to the second portion.
Claims19
A mechanical fuse to prevent an unexpected leakage of a gaseous fuel in an automobile comprising:
- a pipe including
- an outer wall,
- an inner wall defining a hollow cavity which allows the gaseous fuel to flow through the pipe,
- a first portion having a first pressure, and
- a second portion having a second pressure, wherein the gaseous fuel flows from the first portion to the second portion;
- a first hinge located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- a first spring located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- and
- a first flap located in the hollow cavity and connected to the first hinge and the first spring, the first flap including:
- a first edge comprising a malleable material, and
- a first hinged portion opposite the first edge and connected to the first hinge,
- wherein when a pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is below a pressure threshold, the first spring retains the first flap in a first position allowing the gaseous fuel to flow from the first portion to the second portion and when the pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is not below the pressure threshold the first flap moves to a second position preventing the gaseous fuel from flowing from the first portion to the second portion.
A mechanical fuse to prevent an unexpected leakage of a gaseous fuel in an automobile comprising:
- a pipe including
- an outer wall,
- an inner wall defining a hollow cavity which allows the gaseous fuel to flow through the pipe,
- a first portion having a first pressure, and
- a second portion having a second pressure, wherein the gaseous fuel flows from the first portion to the second portion;
- a first hinge located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- a first spring located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- a first flap located in the hollow cavity and connected to the first hinge and the first spring, the first flap comprising
- a first edge comprising a first malleable material,
- a first hinged portion opposite the first edge and connected to the first hinge, and
- a material resistant to hydrogen embrittlement;
- a second hinge located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- a second spring located in the hollow cavity and attached to the inner wall;
- and
- a second flap located in the hollow cavity and connected to the second spring, the second flap comprising
- a second edge comprising a second malleable material,
- a second hinged portion opposite the second edge and connected to the second hinge, and
- the material resistant to hydrogen embrittlement,
- wherein when a pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is below the pressure threshold, the first spring retains the first flap in the first position and the second spring retains the second flap in the first position allowing the gaseous fuel to flow from the first portion to the second portion and when the pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is not below the pressure threshold the first flap and the second flap move to the second position, the first flap and the second flap cooperate with each other to prevent the gaseous fuel from flowing from the first portion to the second portion, and the first pressure aids in maintaining the first flap and the second flap in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.