Explosion-resistant fuel tank device

Claim 2

An explosion-resistant fuel tank suitable for use in a vehicle, the fuel tank comprising: (a) a container suitable for holding a liquid fuel therein; (b) an explosion resistant insert comprising at least one compressible, resilient structure comprising a plurality of cells for containing liquid fuel, the compressible structure decreasing in volume from a first volume to a reduced second volume when subjected to a compressive force, the reduced second volume being no more than about 75% of the first volume, compression of the structure forcing liquid fuel out of the structure, the structure being sufficiently resilient that when the compressive force is released the structure returns to its first volume for soaking up additional liquid fuel, the insert being inside the container; and (c) means for compressing the compressible structure to the reduced second volume such that liquid fuel passes out of the compressible structure.

Claim 3

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure is formed of a non-combustible material that is compatible with the liquid fuel.

Claim 4

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure is non-wicking.

Claim 5

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure comprises cells with equivalent cross-sectional diameters of no more than about 0.005 inch.

Claim 6

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure is formed of a heat-shrinkable material, wherein the surface of the compressible structure, when heated to a temperature above about 150° C., shrinks to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuel.

Claim 7

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure comprises a sponge with interconnecting open pores.

Claim 8

The fuel tank of claim 6 wherein the sponge has pore sizes of no more than about 0.005 inch.

Claim 9

The fuel tank of claim 6 wherein the sponge comprises a heat-shrinkable material, wherein at least a portion of the sponge, when heated to a temperature above about 150° C., shrinks to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuels.

Claim 10

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compressible structure is substantially incompressible along at least one of its dimensions.

Claim 11

The fuel tank of claim 9 wherein the incompressible dimension of the structure, when the fuel tank is installed in a vehicle, is substantially in line with the usual direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claim 12

The fuel tank of claim 9 wherein the compressible structure comprises an elongated honeycomb structure having tubular cells oriented side by side, wherein the honeycomb structure is substantially incompressible along the longitudinal axes of the tubular cells.

Claim 13

The fuel tank of claim 11 wherein the tubular cells have equivalent cross-sectional diameters of less than about 0.005 inch.

Claim 14

The fuel tank of claim 11 wherein the honeycomb structure is formed of a heat-shrinkable material, wherein the ends of the tubular cells, when heated to a temperature above about 150° C., shrink to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuel, thereby retaining the liquid fuel within the honeycomb structure.

Claim 15

The fuel tank of claim 11 wherein the walls of the tubular cells are perforated so that the cells are in liquid communication with adjacent cells through their walls.

Claim 16

The fuel tank of claim 1 wherein the compression means comprise at least one inflatable bag placed inside the container and proximate to the compressible structure, and means for inflating the bag such that compressive forces are applied on the compressible structure.

Claim 17

The fuel tank of claim 15 comprising at least two inflatable bags inside the container, wherein the compressible structure is situated between the bags.

Claim 18

The fuel tank of claim 1 further comprising a flexible bladder having an inlet and an outlet, the compressible structure being inside the bladder and both being inside the container.

Claim 19

The fuel tank of claim 17 wherein the compression means comprise means biasing the pressures at the outlet and the outside of the bladder.

Claim 20

The fuel tank of claim 17 wherein the compressible structure substantially fills the inside of the bladder.

Claim 21

The fuel tank of claim 17 wherein the compressible structure is capable of swelling to a volume larger than the volume of the bladder, for soaking up additional fuel, when the compressible structure is released from the bladder.

Claim 22

The fuel tank of claim 17 wherein the bladder is formed of a non-combustible material compatible with the liquid fuel.

Claim 23

The fuel tank of claim 17 wherein the bladder is formed of a rupture resistant material.

Claim 24

An explosion-resistant fuel tank suitable for use in a vehicle, the fuel tank comprising: (a) a container suitable for holding a liquid fuel therein; (b) an explosion resistant insert comprising at least one compressible, resilient structure comprising a plurality of cells for containing liquid fuel, the compressible structure decreasing in volume from a first volume to a reduced second volume when subject to a compressive force, the reduced second volume being no more than about 75% of the first volume, compression of the structure forcing the liquid fuel out of the structure, the structure being sufficiently resilient that when the compressive force is released the structure returns to its first volume for soaking up additional liquid fuel, the compressible structure being non-wicking, and comprising cells with equivalent cross-sectional diameters of no more than about 0.005 inch, the compressible structure being formed of a non-combustible, heat shrinkable material compatible with the liquid fuel, such that the surface of the compressible structure, when heated to a temperature above about 150° C., shrinks to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuel, the insert being inside the container; and (c) means for compressing the compressible structure to the reduced second volume such that the liquid fuel passes out of the compressible structure.

Claim 25

An explosion-resistant fuel tank suitable for use in a vehicle, the fuel tank comprising: (a) a container suitable for holding a liquid fuel therein; (b) an explosion resistant insert comprising at least one compressible, resilient structure comprising a plurality of cells for containing liquid fuel, the compressible structure decreasing in volume from a first volume to a reduced second volume when subject to a compressive force, the reduced second volume being no more than about 75% of the first volume, compression of the structure forcing the liquid fuel out of the structure, the structure being sufficiently resilient that when the compressive force is released the structure returns to its first volume for soaking up additional liquid fuel, the compressible structure being non-wicking, and comprising cells with equivalent cross-sectional diameters of no more than about 0.005 inch, the compressible structure being formed of a non-combustible, heat shrinkable material compatible with the liquid fuel, such that the surface of the compressible structure, when heated to a temperature above about 150° C., shrinks to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuel, the insert being inside the container; and (c) means for compressing the compressible structure to the reduced second volume such that the liquid fuel passes out of the compressible structure.

Claim 26

The fuel tank of claim 23 wherein the compressible structure is a sponge with interconnecting open pores, the pores having equivalent cross-sectional diameters of no more than about 0.005 inch.

Claim 27

The fuel tank of claim 24 further comprising a flexible bladder inside the container, the bladder having an inlet and an outlet, the bladder being formed of a rupture resistant, non-combustible material compatible with the liquid fuel, the sponge being inside the bladder and substantially filling the bladder, the sponge capable of swelling to a volume larger than the volume of the bladder when released from the bladder, for soaking up additional liquid fuel; and wherein the compression means comprise means biasing the pressures at the outlet and the outside of the bladder.

Claim 28

A vehicle equipped with the fuel tank of claim 25.

Claim 29

The fuel tank of claim 23 wherein the compressible structure is an elongated honeycomb structure having elongated tubular cells oriented side by side for containing a liquid fuel, the honeycomb structure being substantially incompressible along the longitudinal axes of the tubular cells, wherein when the fuel tank is installed in a vehicle, the incompressible dimension of the honeycomb structure is substantially in line with the usual direction of travel of the vehicle, the tubular cells of the honeycomb structure having equivalent cross-sectional diameters of no more than about 0.005 inch, the ends of the tubular cells when heated to a temperature above about 150° C. shrink to become substantially impervious to the liquid fuel, thereby retaining the liquid fuel within the honeycomb structure, the walls of the tubular cells being perforated such that the cells are in liquid communication with adjacent cells through their walls.

Claim 30

The fuel tank of claim 27 wherein the compression means comprise at least two inflatable bags placed inside the container and proximate to the honeycomb structure, with the honeycomb structure situated between the bags, and means for inflating the bags such that compressive forces are applied on the honeycomb structure, wherein the directions of the forces are substantially transverse to the substantially incompressible dimension of the honeycomb structure.

Claim 31

A vehicle equipped with the fuel tank of claim 28.

Claim 32

The fuel tank of claim 27 further comprising a flexible bladder inside the container, the bladder having an inlet and an outlet, the bladder being formed of a rupture resistant, non-combustible material compatible with the liquid fuel, the honeycomb structure being inside the bladder and substantially filling the bladder, the honeycomb structure capable of swelling to a volume larger than the volume of the bladder when released from the bladder, for soaking up additional liquid fuel; wherein the compression means comprise means biasing tne pressures at the outlet and the outside of the bladder.

Claim 33

A fuel tank equipped with the fuel tank of claim 30.