Baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank and a tank for incorporating same

• US 6,220,287 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Wolf, Lance Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/497,776
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 137/574, 137/262, 220/563, 220/501, 220/553, 220/734, 251/127
• US Class Current: 137/574
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/402 Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/4021 Tank construction; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/52 Anti-slosh devices vehicle fuel tanks with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation B60K15/077
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86212 Plural compartments formed by baffles

Abstract

There is provided a baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank adapted for containing fluids, and a tank for incorporating same. The baffle includes an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank, and a baffle body extending from the attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank. A smoothly curved corrugation is provided for operably connecting the attachment portion and the baffle body. The baffle body can also include a plurality of ribs extending from a proximal edge of each baffle to a distal edge. A plurality of baffles are operably attached at different peripheral locations on an inner sidewall of the tank of the present invention in order to reduce slosh.

Claims

1. A baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank adapted for containing fluids, the baffle comprising:

an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank;

a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank, wherein the baffle body is semi-circular in shape; and

a smoothly curved corrugation operably connecting said attachment portion and said baffle body such that said baffle body is permitted to flex relative to said attachment portion in response to movement of fluid within the tank, thereby suppressing slosh within the tank.

2. A baffle according to claim 1 wherein the baffle is one continuous member.

4. A baffle according to claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is S-shaped.

5. A baffle according to claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is U-shaped.

3. A baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank adapted for containing fluids, the baffle comprising:

an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank;

a doubler extending along at least a portion of the attachment portion;

a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank; and

a smoothly curved corrugation operably connecting said attachment portion and said baffle body such that said baffle body is permitted to flex relative to said attachment portion in response to movement of fluid within the tank, thereby suppressing slosh within the tank.

6. A baffle according to claim 3 wherein the baffle is one continuous member.

7. A baffle according to claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is S-shaped.

8. A baffle according to claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is U-shaped.

9. A baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank adapted for containing fluids, the baffle comprising:

an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank;

a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank, wherein the baffle body has a proximal edge, a distal edge opposite the proximal edge, and a plurality of ribs extending from the proximal edge to the distal edge; and

a smoothly curved corrugation operably connecting said attachment portion and said baffle body such that said baffle body is permitted to flex relative to said attachment portion in response to movement of fluid within the tank, thereby suppressing slosh within the tank.

10. A baffle according to claim 9 wherein the baffle is one continuous member.

11. A baffle according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is S-shaped.

12. A baffle according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is U-shaped.

13. A baffle for suppressing slosh in a tank adapted for containing fluids, the baffle comprising:

an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank; and

a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank, wherein said baffle body has a proximal edge, a distal edge opposite the proximal edge, and a plurality of ribs extending from the proximal edge to the distal edge.

14. A baffle according to claim 13 further comprising a smoothly curved corrugation operably connecting the attachment portion and the baffle body such that the baffle body is permitted to flex relative to the attachment portion in response to movement of fluid within the tank, thereby suppressing slosh within the tank.

15. A baffle according to claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is S-shaped.

16. A baffle according to claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation is U-shaped.

17. A baffle according to claim 13 wherein said baffle body is semi-circular in shape.

18. A baffle according to claim 13 further comprising a doubler extending along at least a portion of the attachment portion.

19. A baffle according to claim 13 wherein the baffle is one continuous member.

20. A tank adapted to contain fluids, the tank comprising:

at least one sidewall that at least partially defines an internal cavity for housing the fluids; and

a plurality of baffles operably attached to said at least one sidewall and extending into the internal cavity defined thereby, wherein each baffle extends along only a portion of a perimeter of said at least one sidewall, wherein said plurality of baffles comprise first and second baffles disposed at first and second heights, respectively, within the tank with first and second heights being different, and wherein said first and second baffles are disposed at different peripheral locations within the tank,

wherein each baffle comprises an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank, and a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank, and

wherein each baffle further comprises a smoothly curved corrugation operably connecting said attachment portion and said baffle body such that said baffle body is permitted to flex relative to said attachment portion in response to movement of fluid within the tank, thereby suppressing slosh within the tank.

21. A tank according to claim 20 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation of each baffle is S-shaped.

22. A tank according to claim 20 wherein at least a portion of the smoothly curved corrugation of each baffle is U-shaped.

23. A tank according to claim 20 wherein each baffle body is semicircular in shape.

24. A tank according to claim 20 wherein each baffle further comprises a doubler extending along at least a portion of the attachment portion.

25. A tank according to claim 20 wherein each baffle is one continuous member.

26. A tank adapted to contain fluids, the tank comprising:

at least one sidewall that at least partially defines an internal cavity for housing the fluids; and

a plurality of baffles operably attached to said at least one sidewall and extending into the internal cavity defined thereby, wherein each baffle extends along only a portion of a perimeter of said at least one sidewall, wherein said plurality of baffles comprise first and second baffles disposed at first and second heights, respectively, within the tank with first and second heights being different, and wherein said first and second baffles are disposed at different peripheral locations within the tank,

wherein each baffle comprises an attachment portion adapted to connect the baffle to an inner sidewall of the tank, and a baffle body extending from said attachment portion and adapted to protrude into the tank, and

wherein said baffle body has a proximal edge, a distal edge opposite the proximal edge, and a plurality of ribs extending from the proximal edge to the distal edge.

27. A tank according to claim 26 wherein each baffle is one continuous member.