Impact elements for a mounting system for a pressure vessel
View Patent ↗A storage system for a vehicle is disclosed. The storage system includes a pressure vessel, a plurality of mounting systems disposed on each end of the pressure vessel, each mounting system having a vessel shell having an end coupled to the end of the pressure vessel, a mounting shell having a first end coupled to the vehicle and a second end coupled to another end of the vessel shell, and an impact element formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell having a yield strength less than a yield strength of the vessel shell and the mounting shell, a clamping element for coupling the vessel shell to the pressure vessel, and a coupling means for coupling the vessel shell and the mounting shell together through the impact element.
1. A mounting system comprising:
a vessel shell having an end coupled to a first body;
a mounting shell having an end coupled to another end of said vessel shell and another end coupled to a second body; and
an impact element formed in one of said vessel shell and said mounting shell having a yield strength less than said vessel shell and said mounting shell.
2. A storage system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a pressure vessel;
a mounting system disposed on an end of said pressure vessel, said mounting system further comprising a vessel shell having an end coupled to the end of said pressure vessel, a mounting shell having a first end coupled to the vehicle and a second end coupled to another end of the vessel shell, and an impact element formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell having a yield strength less than a yield strength of the vessel shell and the mounting shell;
a clamping element for coupling the vessel shell to the pressure vessel; and
a coupling means disposed adjacent the impact element for coupling the vessel shell and the mounting shell together.
3. The storage system according to claim 2 , further comprising a second mounting system disposed on another end of said pressure vessel having an end coupled to the other end of said pressure vessel, a mounting shell having a first end coupled to the vehicle and a second end coupled to another end of the vessel shell, and an impact element formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell having a yield strength less than a yield strength of the vessel shell and the mounting shell.
4. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein each of the vessel shell and the mounting shell is formed from one of a polymeric material and a metal.
5. The storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the polymeric material is a fiber-reinforced polymer.
6. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the impact element is formed from one of a fiber-reinforced polymer and a ductile metal.
7. The storage system according to claim 6 , wherein fibers of the fiber-reinforced polymer are disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said pressure vessel.
8. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the impact element is formed across an aperture formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell.
9. The storage system according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of impact elements formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell.
10. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of impact elements is formed in the vessel shell.
11. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of impact elements is formed in the mounting shell.
12. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein said clamping element is a ring adapted to frictionally engage the vessel shell to couple the vessel shell to said pressure vessel.
13. The storage system according to claim 12 , wherein said clamping element includes a beveled edge abutting a beveled edge formed on the vessel shell.
14. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the vessel shell and the mounting shell is one of an arc, a semicircle, or a circle.
15. The storage system of claim 2 , further comprising a flange formed on the first end of the mounting shell for coupling the mounting shell to the vehicle.
16. The storage system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell includes one of a unidirectional layer formed from a moldable material, a plurality of beads, a plurality of fins, and webs adapted to militate against a buckling of the at least one vessel shell and mounting shell.
17. A storage system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a pressure vessel;
a pair of mounting systems disposed on an end of said pressure vessel, each mounting system further comprising a vessel shell having an end coupled to the end of said pressure vessel, a mounting shell having a first end coupled to the vehicle and a second end coupled to another end of the vessel shell, and a plurality of impact elements formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell having a yield strength less than a yield strength of the vessel shell and the mounting shell;
another pair of mounting systems disposed on another end of said pressure vessel, each mounting system having a vessel shell having an end coupled to the end of said pressure vessel, a mounting shell having a first end coupled to the vehicle and a second end coupled to another end of the vessel shell, and a plurality of impact elements formed in one of the vessel shell and the mounting shell having a yield strength less than a yield strength of the vessel shell and the mounting shell;
a clamping element for coupling the vessel shell to the pressure vessel; and
a coupling means disposed adjacent the impact element for coupling the vessel shell and the mounting shell together.
18. The storage system according to claim 17 , wherein each of the vessel shell and the mounting shell is formed from one of a fiber-reinforced polymer and a metal.
19. The storage system according to claim 17 , wherein the impact elements are formed from one of a fiber-reinforced polymer, wherein fibers of the fiber-reinforced polymer are disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said pressure vessel.
20. The storage system according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of impact elements is formed in the vessel shell.