Fiber-reinforced pressure container

Claim 1

A pressure container, comprising: an outside shell including (i) a central, cylindrical portion having first and second axial ends, (ii) first and second domed end portions located axially outward of and closing the first and second axial ends of the cylindrical portion, and (iii) first and second transition portions, the first transition portion axially extending between the first axial end of the cylindrical portion and the first domed end portion, and the second transition portion axially extending between the second axial end of the cylindrical portion and the second domed end portion; and a reinforcing section including (i) a cylindrical inner layer hving a substantially uniform radial width, and first and second open axial ends coplanar with the first and second axial ends, respectively, of the cylindrical portion, and (ii) a cylindrical outer layer radially positioned between and against the inner layer and the outside shell, and having first and second chamfered, axial end edges, said first and second chamfered edges slanting radially and axially outward, beyond the first and second axial ends, respectively, of the inner layer of the reinforcing section to reinforce the first and second transition portions of the outside shell.

Claim 8

A method of producing a pressure container comprising the steps of: winding carbon fiber thread impregnated with thermosetting resin in at least one layer on a cylindrical mandril to form a tubular, cylindrical package, curing the said resin by heating it and withdrawing the mandril from the said package of thread and thermoset resin, positioning and pressing into place bowl-like mold members of fragile material on the ends of the said package composed of resin and thread, said mold members having outer dome-like faces answering to the desired shape of domed ends of the eventual container to be produced, said mold members further having annular rims with inner annular faces adapted to fit on the ends of said package, said rims further having outer annular faces that are chamfered to correspond to two frusto-cones decreasing in diameter towards the middle of the package and being greater in diameter than an outer cylindrical face of said package, forming a layer of resin precursor adapted to cure as an elastomeric resin on said outer face of said package so as to cover same and said chamfered annular faces of said mold members, curing said resin precursors to form said elastomeric resin, forming further wall structure of said container by winding a thread impregnated with thermosetting resin on an outer face of said elastomer in coils that are adjacent to each other and form at least two layers, and disintegrating said mold members into fragments and removing such fragments from the interior of the container through openings in the wall thereof.

Claim 9

A method of producing a pressure container comprising the steps of: winding carbon fiber thread impregnated with thermosetting resin in at least one layer on a cylindrical mandril to form a tubular, cylindrical package, curing the said resin by heating it and withdrawing the mandril from the said package of thread and thermoset resin, positioning and pressing into place bowl-like mold members of fragile material on the ends of the said package composed of resin and thread, said mold members having outer dome-like faces answering to the desired shape of domed ends of the eventual container to be produced, said mold members further having annular rims with inner annular faces adapted to fit on the ends of said package, said rims further having outer annular faces that are chamfered to correspond to two frusto-cones decreasing in diameter towards the middle of the package and being greater in diameter than an outer cylindrical face of said package, forming a layer of resin precursor adapted to cure as an elastomeric resin on said outer face of said package so as to cover same and said chamfered annular faces of said mold members, curing said resin precursors to form said elastomeric resin, forming further wall structure of said container by winding a thread impregnated with thermosetting resin on an outer face of said elastomer in coils that are adjacent to each other and form at least two layers, and disintegrating said mold members into fragments and removing such fragments from the interior of the container through openings in the wall thereof.