Toroidal (i.e., Doughnut Shaped) Patents (Class 220/566)
  • Patent number: 11493173
    Abstract: A tank is used in the containment, transport, and/or storage of fluids, e.g., one or more liquids and/or gases. In one embodiment, the tank includes a plurality of segments collectively defining an interior chamber that retains the fluid(s), each of which includes opposing ends defining beveled mating surfaces. The tank also includes a plurality of endcaps positioned between, and in engagement with, adjacent segments, as well as a plurality of webs that include a series of first webs having a first configuration and a series of second webs having a second, different configuration. The first webs are positioned within the plurality of segments between the ends thereof, and the second webs are positioned within the endcaps. In an alternate embodiment, the tank is devoid of the endcaps, and instead, includes segments defining beveled mating surfaces that intersect at junctures to define four corner sections of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Altair Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Regu Ramoo, Thomas Lamb
  • Patent number: 8991641
    Abstract: A toroidal pressure vessel having extremely high pressure resistance has laminated latitudinal reinforcing fiber layers to improve a strength in a latitudinal direction of the pressure vessel. Moreover, putting reinforcing fibers constituting those laminated latitudinal reinforcing fiber layers in continuity enables further improvement of strength in the latitudinal direction of the pressure vessel, for example compared with a case where the reinforcing fibers are divided for each layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Shikibo Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ozawa, Nozomu Kawasetsu, Kentaro Shindo, Mitsuru Kondo, Akira Fukushima, Masayasu Ishibashi, Takeshi Tanamura, Kazuo Nakajima, Hiroshi Sakai, Tetsuro Hirokawa
  • Patent number: 8807358
    Abstract: An in-bottle aerator for mixing the oxygen in the air with wine as the wine is poured from its bottle. The aerator has at least one air ingress channel extending from one end of the aerator to the other allowing air into the bottle to displace wine exiting the bottle. Air mixing channels draw air from outside the bottle and direct that air to lateral channels that intersect a central flow channel extending from one end of the bottle to another. The air mixing and air ingress channels are preferably arranged to allow the user to pour and aerate wine at the same time and with the bottle in any orientation about its axis. The aerator may be a separately formed component that can be inserted into the bottle by the bottle manufacturer, by a wine bottler or by an enduser. Alternatively, the aerator may be wholly or partly formed as part of the neck of the bottle. A completely and integrally formed aerator may be formed a part of a plastic wine bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Mars Aerator LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Devoy, Brian Whalen
  • Patent number: 8640910
    Abstract: A pressure container comprising a plastic container core (2) for storing a fluid under pressure, a support sheath (3) surrounding the plastic container core (2), a connection piece (4) formed at the plastic container core (2) and having an opening (5) for filling in and discharging the fluid from the plastic container core (2), a connection body (6) arranged radially outside the connection piece (4) and having a bore (7), a valve body (8) having a fluid duct (9) for conducting the fluid in and out through the opening (5) in the connection piece (4), wherein the valve body (8) is arranged in the opening (5) of the connection piece (4) and in the bore (7) of the connection body (6), wherein the connection body (4) has at least one radially inside annular groove (12) and a second seal (13) is arranged in the at least one radially inside annular groove (12), so that the second seal (13) rests radially outside on the connection piece (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Pavel Novak, Andreas Zieger, Alexander Schaerfl
  • Publication number: 20130098919
    Abstract: Subject of the invention is pressure tank, especially three-bottoms tank, creating beneficially toroidal tank, comprising connected bottoms, equipped with connector pipes for installation, brackets for fastening the tank and cover, type plate, equipment equipment cover, inner bottom, inner shell, divider and is characterized by that the outer, upper bottom (1) together with outer, lower bottom (2) create outer tank shell, whereas inner bottom (4) is connected with the inner shell (3), creating the central, inner part (S) of the tank, and connector pipes (9, 9a, 9b and 14) and flow connectors (15, 15a) have on their length two zones: zone A with walls of increased thickness and zone B—with walls of reduced thickness, beneficially on the whole circumference of connector, whereas the wall thickness in zone B is between 0.5 up to 1.7 of the thickness of tank elements when the wall thickness is between 0.01 up to 2.9 mm and 0.3 up to 1.4 for walls thick above 2.90 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIGAZ SP. Z O.O.
    Inventor: Grzegorz Jarzynski
  • Patent number: 8322551
    Abstract: A storage tank containment system including a cubic-shaped tank having an outer shell having cylindrical walls for the efficient storage and transportation of large quantities of fluid, for example, liquid and compressed natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Altair Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Regu Ramoo, Mohan Parthasarathy, Thomas Lamb
  • Publication number: 20090152872
    Abstract: The invention relates to the formation of cyclones to produce electrical power that is environmentally-friendly, clean, inexhaustible and abundant to the extent that current consumption is insignificant. The invention makes use of the acceleration imparted by the Earth to the fluid that passes transversely through the latitudes, directing same to the closest pole. The invention comprises a duct which can be straight, in the form of a doughnut (toroid) or have any geometrical shape, when level in one of the hemispheres, the fluid is directed towards the pole and the Equator in the case of the straight duct and rotated in the direction of rotation of the Earth in the case of the doughnut. The initial movement is forced and subsequently accelerated and sustained by the rotational movement of the Earth. As a result of said movement, the fluid drives the turbines which produce electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Fradique Lee Duarte
  • Patent number: 7487619
    Abstract: A blending of geometrical shapes combine the best features of a pipe tank (standpipe) and a common multi-legged elevated tank. The bowl of an elevated tank has been designed as the top section of a standpipe or tube tank. This type design provides the near constant pressure and volume that a true elevated tank provides and a large volume of water for emergency purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Inventor: Roy D. Glenn
  • Patent number: 7475791
    Abstract: An improved underground water storage tank having a joined-doughnut (multiple-torus) configuration, preferably a double torus although single, triple, quadruple and other toroidal configurations are possible. The concept entails a lateral merger of two or more toroidal tank sections in a multi-compartment double, triple, or greater-toroidal configuration with one or more cylindrical access ports traversing the tank orthogonally at the area of merger or along the perimeter. The tanks may be unitary as formed by rotational-molding or blow-molding. The laterally-joined torus sections increase the structural strength of the tank so that the need for reinforcing ribs or internal supports is substantially eliminated. The strength of the torus-configuration allows the tank to be buried below the frost line, and the elimination of molded ribs avoids trapped fluid or so that nearly all tank capacity can be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventor: Lee Jaslow
  • Patent number: 6659303
    Abstract: The tank for storing gas at high pressure, such as a tank for a vehicle running on gas, comprises a confinement volume accessible via coupling means and defined by a duct disposed in a spiral coil so that the substantially rectilinear main portions of the duct bear against one another. The forces exerted by the pressure of the gas on the main portions of a turn of the duct are then compensated by the forces exerted on the adjacent turns of the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventor: Patrick Garceau
  • Publication number: 20010004902
    Abstract: The tank for storing gas at high pressure, such as a tank for a vehicle running on gas, comprises a confinement volume accessible via coupling means and defined by a duct disposed in a spiral coil so that the substantially rectilinear main portions of the duct bear against one another. The forces exerted by the pressure of the gas on the main portions of a turn of the duct are then compensated by the forces exerted on the adjacent turns of the duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventor: Patrick Garceau
  • Patent number: 6176386
    Abstract: A wheel-shaped pressure-resistant vessel for storing gaseous, liquid or liquefied fuel and which has a substantially rigid shape. Specifically, the vessel contains a substantially continuous shell of a fiber-reinforced resin. The shell has a central opening, an inner lining and an axial reinforcement member. The shell has a substantial mechanical equilibrium shape such that the axial member is situated in a central opening. The axial member contains an inner member and two end plates, with each of the end plates fixing the shell to the inner member. Further, the axial member is attached, through both end plates, to the shell such that outer surfaces of the shell are pulled towards each other, thus reinforcing the vessel and maintaining the vessel, even while it is pressurized, in its wheel-like shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Lightweight Constructions Group B.V.
    Inventors: Adriaan Beukers, Theo De Jong
  • Patent number: 5119959
    Abstract: A high pressure vessel assembly includes a central pivot tank and coaxial or concentrically disposed tanks for liquid or gas storage with or without gaseous phase cooling. The pivot tank comprises a cylindrically shaped wall having torus-shaped ends and is surrounded by an annularly shaped internal tank having internal and external walls with the former being joined to the pivot tank by bands adjacent the tank ends to provide an intermediate chamber. A larger diameter external tank likewise of annular configuration, surrounds the internal tank and is also joined thereto in a manner providing an intermediate chamber. A fitting projecting from the ends of all three tanks at one end of the assembly permits filling or emptying of the respective tanks while a separate discharge pipe projecting from the internal and external tank ends communicates with the two chambers to carry away any fluid leaking from the juxtaposed peripheral walls of the tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Inventor: Lazarevic Bogdan
  • Patent number: 5111856
    Abstract: A liquid and gas tank is provided for operation, in particular, in satellites subject to low acceleration, that utilizes a separation force produced by surface tension to collect liquid in a privileged zone of the tank without allowing gas to escape via the privileged zone. The tank includes an outer first shell element having a curvilinear shape, and having at one end a surface portion S of radius of curvature r which is concave on a side that contacts liquid. The tank also includes an inner second shell element fixed to the first element, being convex in shape on a side that contacts liquid, and curvilinear in shape and including a surface portion S' having a part which is slightly inclined relative to the surface portion S in the privileged zone forming a narrowest zone between the surface portions S and S', the surface portion S' having a radius of curvature r' which is less than the radius of curvature r, wherein liquid is urged into the narrowest zone due to a capillary effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Societe Europeenne de Propulsion
    Inventor: Denis L. Baralle