Spherical Or Oblate Container Patents (Class 220/560.09)
  • Patent number: 10060998
    Abstract: An arrangement for setting the spatial profile of a magnetic field in a working volume of a main field magnet (2), in particular a superconducting main field magnet, of a magnetic resonance installation. The main field magnet is arranged in a cryostat (1) and the spatial profile is set by a passive shim apparatus (3) with magnetic field forming elements which are arranged within the cryostat during operation and which have cryogenic temperatures. The magnetic resonance installation contains a room temperature tube (4), in which the sample volume is situated during operation. The passive shim apparatus is introduced into or removed from the cold region of the cryostat via a vacuum lock (5), without needing to ventilate the cold region of the cryostat. This provides a relatively simple, cost effective, and time-efficient method to carry out a stable field homogenization using a passive shim apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Bruker BioSpin GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Wikus, Volker Niemann, Wolfgang Frantz, Michael Dumm, Michael Wagenknecht, Steffen Bonn
  • Patent number: 8998023
    Abstract: A spherical object formed of several joint parts and a method for producing a spherical object formed of several joint parts, where the spherical object includes at least twenty pieces of hexagonal panel type elements and at least twelve pieces of pentagonal panel type elements. The radius of curvature of each panel type element is shaped in such a way that, when assembled, the elements make up a hollow spherical object with a radius of not less than 1.5 meters. Each panel type element is additionally provided with an attachment and handling cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Vaasaball LNG Products Oy
    Inventor: Juha Ari Niemi
  • Patent number: 8875931
    Abstract: A composite sandwich shell edge joint includes an outboard buildup pad, an inboard buildup pad spaced-apart and adjacent to the outboard buildup pad, an outboard face sheet extending from the outboard buildup pad, an inboard face sheet extending from the inboard buildup pad, bridging plies connecting the outboard buildup pad and the inboard buildup pad and at least one barrel nut installed in the buildup pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael Leslie Hand, Douglas A. McCarville
  • Patent number: 8826690
    Abstract: Tray having a container receiving space and a stepped outer sidewall including a lower step and an upper step, a cooling unit providing cooled air to the space and having a housing with a stepped base that includes a lower step and an upper step, the cooling unit venting exhaust from an end distal to the base, a plurality of containers each having a perimeter flange and, when the container is inserted into the space, portions of the flange are seated on the respective lower steps of the tray and the stepped base of the housing, and a cover configured to sealingly contact the upper steps when the cover is in a closed position, the cover shielding the containers from the exhaust, and being movably attached to the housing and movable along the housing in a range that includes the closed position at which the cover contacts the upper steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Maher Pidarow
  • Patent number: 8783501
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for constructing a cryogenic storage tank (700) having a welded inner tank (702), an outer shell (704) surrounding the welded inner tank (702), a concrete foundation (728) comprising a raised portion (752), a plurality of cellular glass blocks (734) positioned directly on top of the raised portion (752) of the concrete foundation (728), a leveling course of concrete (736) poured on top of the uppermost layer of the plurality of cellular glass blocks (734), and a mounting apparatus (718) affixed to the concrete foundation (728), where the welded inner tank (702) is positioned on top of the leveling course of concrete (736) and the outer shell (704) is affixed to the mounting apparatus (718) at locations around the periphery of the outer shell (704).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Avijit Mookerjee
  • Publication number: 20140117163
    Abstract: A cryogenic tank includes a shell having an interior side, an exterior side, and an internal volume that is bounded by the interior side. The shell has a shape that includes at least two elongated lobes that are defined by partial cylinders that intersect each other. The partial cylinders extend lengths along central longitudinal axes that are offset from each other. The lobes include opposite domes that extend at opposite ends of the length of the corresponding partial cylinder. The cryogenic tank includes an internal reinforcement frame having a web of elongate frame members extending within the internal volume. The frame members extend along the interior side of the shell such that lengths of the frame members extend along paths that follow the profile of the interior side of the shell. The internal reinforcement frame is configured to distribute loads exerted on the shell along at least three different directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Edward Simpson
  • Publication number: 20140061202
    Abstract: A warm bore cylinder assembly having an outer wall, an inner wall, and a plurality of braces is provided. The outer wall is configured to define an inner exterior portion of a cryostat assembly. The outer wall is generally cylindrical, is made of a conductive material, and has an outer wall thickness. The inner wall is disposed radially inwardly of the outer wall. The inner wall is generally cylindrical, is made of a conductive material, and has an inner wall thickness. The braces extend along an axial direction defined by the outer wall and the inner wall. The plurality of braces are interposed between and join the outer wall and inner wall. The plurality of braces define openings disposed between adjacent braces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jean-Baptiste Mathieu, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Kenneth William Rohling, Minfeng Xu, Seung-Kyun Lee
  • Patent number: 8651313
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for storing fluid in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a storage vessel includes at least two concentrically arranged storage tanks, which includes a first storage tank and a second storage tank. The first storage tank surrounds the second storage tank, such that the first storage tank is configured to protect the second storage tank from external environmental conditions. The storage vessel also includes a storage compartment positioned adjacent to the two storage tanks. In one embodiment, the storage vessel may be an underwater cryogenic storage vessel that stores liquid oxygen used as a reactant in a fuel cell and liquid carbon dioxide, which is an effluent of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Edwin C. Cady, Daniel A. Watts, Gary D. Grayson
  • Patent number: 8490820
    Abstract: An apparatus for production testing. According to one aspect, the apparatus is modular and suitable for transport and assembly in the field. The apparatus comprises a platform and one or more pressure vessels. The platform includes a mounting bracket for the pressure vessel and the mounting bracket includes a guide mechanism. The guide mechanism allows the pressure vessel to be lowered into the mounting bracket and coupled to the platform for example using a load sling on a helicopter. According to another aspect, the pressure vessels comprise spherical containers and the spherical containers are configured to be heliportable to a field site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Nabors Canada
    Inventor: Larry James Heighington
  • Patent number: 8403169
    Abstract: A tank for cryogenic liquids, which is intended for installation in motor vehicles and which consists of an outer container and of an inner container suspended in the latter in tension or compression struts. In order to take the contrasting requirements in motor vehicles into account in an optimum way, between the outer container and inner container abutments and supporting faces are additionally provided, which can be spaced apart from one another when the vehicle is at a standstill and can be brought to bear when the vehicle is driving. The abutments inside the outer container Co.-operate with supporting faces on the inner container and can be displaced by means of an actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Hafellner, Michael Pichler, Andreas Zieger, Günther Krainz
  • Publication number: 20120247999
    Abstract: Provided is a cryopreservation device which is small-sized and light-weight and has a low price, and also which is easy to get a cryocane in and out of. The cryopreservation device is configured to include first rotation lid 13 rotatably mounted on upper opening of container body 11, second rotation lid 14 rotatably provided on circular opening provided on the first rotation lid, through-hole for getting a cryocane in and out of provided on the second rotation lid, tubular body 15 provided in a protruding manner upward from the second rotation lid, lifting device 16 arranged inside the tubular body, cane gripper 17 provided on the lifting device, and door 18 provided on the tubular body, wherein any of cryocanes held at a center portion to the periphery of the container body on the cryocane holder can be gripped by rotating the first rotation lid with respect to the upper opening and by rotating the second rotation lid with respect to the first rotation lid to adjust the position of the through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: TAIYO NIPPON SANSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sayaka Nishio, Hidetoshi Oota, Mamoru Fujita
  • Patent number: 7721513
    Abstract: A construction for a multi-layered vacuum super insulated cryogenic tank and a method for making the same is disclosed. The cryogenic tank uses an inner tank that is wrapped with multiple layers of radiation shielding and is suspended within a frame by one or more suspension members. The frame is enclosed within a fluid tight outer tank that fits snuggly against the frame. An ultra-high vacuum is created between the inner and outer tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Immel, Martin Stadie
  • Patent number: 7541078
    Abstract: A structure has an inner, load bearing member and a surrounding, concentric over-wrap. The inner member is composed of a carbon composite and the over-wrap is composed of a non-carbon composite. The inner member has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion and the over-wrap has a positive coefficient of thermal expansion that is an order of magnitude greater than that of the inner member. When subjected to cryogenic temperatures, the over-wrap will shrink and apply a compressive force against the inner member, to resist the creation of microcracks in the inner member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Brandon J. Arritt, Christopher Paul
  • Publication number: 20090020537
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for unloading natural gas (NG), including gasifying liquid and/or compressed NG using the latent heat of water and propane, and/or storing liquid or compressed NG gas in a storage cavern system that utilizes a buffer layer to prevent hydrating the NG gas, the storage cavern system being configured such that the NG may be forced out of a first storage chamber by increasing the amount of brine in a second chamber to displace a buffer fluid located therein such that the displace buffer fluid enters the first storage chamber and displaces the NG, as well as the processes for compressing, chilling and/or liquefying quantities of LNG and transporting those volumes to markets for redelivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Charles M. Darling IV, A. Bruce Murray
  • Patent number: 7344045
    Abstract: A double-walled vacuum-insulated container for holding a cryogenic fluid comprises a support structure for supporting an inner vessel within an outer vessel. The container has an elongated horizontal axis. A conduit extending between the inner and outer vessels has a wall thickness that allows the conduit to carry a substantial portion of axial loads acting on the inner vessel in a direction parallel to the horizontal axis. The support structure further comprises a non-metallic support spanning between the inner and outer vessels, with the non-metallic support capable of transferring substantially all radial loads transverse to said horizontal axis. The non-metallic support is also fixedly attached to the inner and outer vessels so that it is capable of supporting a substantial portion of the axial loads so that the non-metallic support and the conduit cooperate to provide support in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory C. Harper, Justin Gish
  • Patent number: 7147124
    Abstract: Containers suitable for storing pressurized fluids at cryogenic temperatures of ?62° C. (?80° F.) and colder are provided and comprise a self-supporting liner and load-bearing composite overwrap, whereby means are provided for substantially preventing failure of the container during temperature changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Moses Minta, Ronald R. Bowen
  • Patent number: 6716503
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for reinforcement of thin wall hollow thermoplastic storage vessels with one or more wraps of continuous fibers. This method requires thermal bonding between the reinforcement fibers and the outer surface of the thermoplastic storage vessel while the interior cavity of the storage vessel is being pressurized. The fiber wraps can also be oriented in spatial directions further resisting internal stress on the storage vessel walls when put in service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: ADC Acquisition Company
    Inventor: David E. Hauber