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US 8,881,855 B2Granted
Lattice structure for a distensible fuel tank
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel Frank Cragel, Russell Randall Pearce, Patrick Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The distensible fuel tank includes a housing having an exterior surface and a lattice structure coupled to the exterior surface, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, at least two of the plurality of wall members having an unequal thickness.
Claims20
A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle comprising:
- a housing having an exterior surface;
- and
- a lattice structure coupled to the exterior surface, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, at least two of the plurality of wall members having an unequal thickness.
A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle comprising:
- a housing enclosing a fuel volume;
- and
- a lattice structure coupled to an exterior surface of the housing, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, each wall member including a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a compliance panel having a first and second section configured to fold about a crease line.
A distensible fuel tank for a vehicle comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a lattice structure coupled to an exterior surface of the housing, the lattice structure comprising a plurality of intersecting and conjoined wall members, each wall member including a plurality of panels arranged in a repeating pattern having a varying height, the panels including a compliance panel having a first section and a second section configured to fold about a crease line and an intersection panel coupled to the housing and arranged in a common plane with a structural panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.