IP Library › Granted Patent US 12698867
Granted Patent B2
US 12698867 · App. 18/647,945 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Tank comprising inner and outer enclosures and at least one tubular interface in two parts passing through the inner and outer enclosures

Inventors: Nicolas Toureille (Toulouse, FR); Chloé Mesic (Toulouse, FR); Laure Moretti (Toulouse, FR); Denis Espinassou (Bouguenais, FR)
Assignees: Airbus Operations SAS; CETIM (Centre Technique des Industries Mécaniques)
F17C13/04F17C2201/0109F17C2203/0629F17C2209/228F17C2221/012
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698867
App. No.
18/647,945
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tank comprising an outer enclosure, an inner enclosure positioned in the outer enclosure and at least one tubular interface passing through the outer and inner enclosures and linked to the outer enclosure by a first link and to the inner enclosure by a second link, the tubular interface comprising at least two sections placed end-to-end and at least one joining system linking the sections pairwise, a first section being linked to the outer enclosure by the first link, a second section being linked to the inner enclosure by the second link.

Claims (21)

1 . A tank comprising:

an outer enclosure separating an outside zone and an intermediate zone,

an inner enclosure positioned in the outer enclosure and separating an inside zone and the intermediate zone,

at least one link system linking the outer and inner enclosures, the at least one link system comprising a tubular interface passing through the outer and inner enclosures, the tubular interface having a first end emerging in the outside zone and a second end emerging in the inside zone,

a first link linking the tubular interface and the outer enclosure,

a second link linking the tubular interface and the inner enclosure,

wherein the tubular interface comprises at least two sections including a first section and a second section placed end-to-end and at least one joining system linking the at least two sections pairwise, the first section being linked to the outer enclosure by the first link and the second section being linked to the inner enclosure by the second link,

wherein the at least one joining system comprises a first flange ring secured to the first section, a second flange ring secured to the second section and at least one link element keeping the first and second flange rings pressed against one another,

wherein the tubular interface has an axis of revolution and wherein the first and second flange rings are oriented toward the axis of revolution of the tubular interface, and

wherein the at least one joining system comprises a plurality of link elements passing through at least the first and second flange rings.

2 . The tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first section comprises the first end of the tubular interface, and/or the second section comprises the second end of the tubular interface.

3 . The tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first section and the first flange ring are produced in a single piece, and/or the second section and the second flange ring are produced in a single piece.

4 . The tank as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one joining system comprises at least one crown ring pressed against at least one of the first and second flange rings.

5 . The tank as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one joining system comprises first and second crown rings between which the first and second flange rings are positioned.

6 . The tank as claimed in claim 1 , the link elements configured to be installed from a single end of the tubular interface.

7 . The tank as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one joining system comprises first and second crown rings between which the first and second flange rings are positioned,

wherein the first crown ring is closest to the first end of the tubular interface,

wherein, for each link element, each of the first and second crown rings comprises a through-hole, each through-hole being smooth for the first crown ring and fitted with a tapped insert for the second crown ring, and

wherein each link element is a screw configured to be screwed into the tapped insert of the second crown ring.

8 . The tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first link comprises two L-shaped flanges positioned on either side of the outer enclosure, each flange including a first wing pressed against the outer enclosure and linked thereto and a second wing pressed against the tubular interface and linked thereto, such that the flanges of the first link are accessible from the outside zone, and

wherein the second link comprises two L-shaped flanges positioned on either side of the inner enclosure, each flange including a first wing pressed against the inner enclosure and linked thereto and a second wing pressed against the tubular interface and linked thereto.