IP Library Granted Patent US 10,181,064
Granted Patent B2
US 10,181,064 · App. 15/356,198 · Granted Jan 15, 2019

Composite pressure tank identification and tracking

Inventors: Mark Leavitt (Laguna Hills, CA); Mark Warner (Foothill Ranch, CA); David Rea (Irvine, CA); Ketan Patel (Yorba Linda, CA); Yongkui Wen (Lake Forest, CA)
Assignee: Quantum Fuel Systems LLC
G06K7/10366F17C1/08F17C13/003F17C13/02G06K7/10376F17C2201/0109F17C2201/056F17C2203/011F17C2203/0604F17C2203/066F17C2203/0607F17C2203/0619F17C2203/0663F17C2205/0305F17C2205/058F17C2221/012F17C2221/033F17C2223/0123F17C2223/036F17C2250/0486F17C2270/0168F17C2270/0745G06K2017/0045Y02E60/321
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,181,064
App. No.
15/356,198
Filed
Nov 18, 2016
Granted
Jan 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2686
USPC
340/10.1
Abstract

A device, a system, and methods for tracking conductive composite pressurized gaseous storage tanks. The system including anchoring an RFID device in a non-conductive blind boss, wherein the anchor material has a low dielectric and has minimal reflection of RF energy.

Claims (43)

1. A tracking system for conductive material pressurized composite tanks, the system comprising:

a conductive pressurized tank vessel ( 100 ) comprising;

an interior volumetric space ( 133 );

a plastic, blind boss ( 150 ) with a closed distal end ( 155 ) and an open proximal end ( 160 ) wherein the closed distal end is affixed to the tank vessel;

a cavity ( 164 ) in the blind boss surrounded by an annular wall ( 162 );

an anchor material ( 200 ) affixed within the cavity of the blind boss; and,

an RFID device affixed within the anchor material.

2. The tracking system of claim 1 further comprising:

data stored in memory in the RFID device;

an RFID reader in signal communication with the RFID device; and,

whereby information stored in the memory of the RFID device is read.

3. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blind boss further compromises a roughened internal annular wall ( 162 ).

4. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the blind boss is threaded on its internal annular wall.

5. The tracking system of claim 1 further comprising an insert able end sleeve ( 500 ) affixed to the internal annular wall partially within the cavity; and,

whereby the sleeve effectively reduces the diameter of the open proximal end of the blind boss.

6. The tracking system of claim 2 wherein the RFID reader provides the information read from the RFID device to a network ( 1100 ).

7. An asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, the system comprising:

a pressurized tank vessel ( 100 ) with an interior volumetric space ( 133 );

a plastic, non-carbon, blind boss ( 150 ) affixed at its closed distal end to the tank vessel having an open proximal end ( 160 ) and a cavity ( 164 ) surrounded by an internal annular wall ( 162 );

an anchor material ( 200 ) affixed within the cavity of the blind boss;

an RFID device affixed within the anchor material; and,

an RFID reader ( 1000 ) in signal communications with the RFID device.

8. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 7 wherein the RFID reader is in signal communications with a server ( 1120 ) via a network ( 1100 ) and provides the data collected from the RFID device to the server.

9. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 8 wherein the RFID reader is in signal communications with the RFID device at a distance of up to about 5 meters.

10. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 8 wherein the RFID reader is in signal communications with the RFID device at a distance of up to about 10 meters.

11. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 8 wherein the RFID reader is in signal communications with the RFID device at a distance of up to about 15 meters.

12. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 11 wherein the server parses the data provided and provides at least some of that data to a remote computing device ( 1300 ).

13. The asset management system for conductive pressurized tanks, of claim 10 further comprising:

an input devices 1200 which contemporaneously with the RFID reader 1000 collect other data including but not limited to one or more of a jpeg, mpeg, geographical location, temperature, vehicle ID, date and time; and,

said input device provides said other data to the server via the network.

14. A tracking system for conductive material pressurized composite tanks, the system comprising:

a pressurized tank vessel ( 100 ) comprising;

a plastic liner ( 120 ) surrounded by a conductive wrapping region ( 130 );

an interior volumetric space ( 133 );

a plastic, blind boss ( 150 ) with a closed distal end ( 155 ) and an open proximal end ( 160 ) wherein the closed distal end is affixed to one of the tank vessel and liner;

a cavity ( 164 ) in the blind boss surrounded by an annular wall ( 162 );

an anchor material ( 200 ) affixed within the cavity of the blind boss; and,

an RFID device affixed within the anchor material.

15. The tracking system of claim 14 further comprising:

data stored in memory in the RFID device;

an RFID reader in signal communication with the RFID device; and,

whereby information stored in the memory of the RFID device is read.

16. The tracking system of claim 15 , wherein the anchor material has a low-dielectric.

Assignments (1)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2022
From: QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS LLC
To: FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 061968/0526 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14523128 · Oct 24, 2014
Related Publication 20180032769A1 · Feb 1, 2018