Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Richard A. Bennett · Robert L. Benoit · Bernard I. Rachowitz · Glenn L. Spacht ·
Assignee(s)	TechMatics, Inc. ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Salzman & Levy ·
Primary Examiner	Stephen Castellano ·
Application Number	US8835573
Filing date	04/09/1997
Issue date	11/09/1999
Predicted expiration date	04/09/2017
U.S. Classifications	220/613  · 220/916  ·
International Classifications	B65D 632  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	220916;610;611;614;240;789;795;804;803;582;581;89.1;612;613 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

A pressure vessel, or pressurizable canister is described herein. The canister has a hollow, thin-walled, cylindrical, metal shell. The preferred metal is aluminum, because light weight is a consideration for the vessel. Two end caps are mechanically sealed to the respective distal ends of the metal shell tube by the process of electromagnetic pulse forming. The two end caps are made of a high strength, ductile thermoplastic. The preferred plastic is DELRIN.RTM., which is fabricated from an acetal resin. The plastic end caps are injection molded, and can include reinforcing threads. The end caps are each cylindrically shaped, and have at least one circumferential recess to accommodate the metal of the shell tube as it deforms about the end caps. The tube shrinks into the recess of the end caps, and forms a mechanical seal therewith. An O-ring seal is disposed within at least one circumferential recess of each end cap, to further the ability of the mechanical seal to hold a pressure of at least approximately 300 psi.

Independent Claims | See all claims (14)

1. 1. A pressure vessel, comprising a pressurizable canister, said canister including a hollow, thin-walled, light weight cylindrical, metal shell, said metal shell being formed about two distally disposed end caps comprising a top end cap and a bottom end cap, respectively, said metal shell being mechanically sealed to each respective end cap by a process of electromagnetic pulse forming, said respective end caps comprising a high strength, ductile thermoplastic that will withstand the electromagnetic deforming forces induced in the mechanical sealing, whereby a mechanical bond is established between said metal shell and of said end caps wherein the material of said tube and said end caps become integrally and directly bonded one to the other with no intervening material therebetween.