Compressed gas cylinder

• US 7,156,257 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: de la Serna, Pedro E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas; Frederick C.
• Application Number:
  US10/402,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20030226845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 222/3, 222/5, 222 80- 83, 222/83.5, 222/86, 222/88, 222/541.2, 222/541.4, 137 6825- 6828, 137/68.13, 137/68.19, 137/68.21, 137/68.23, 220/203.08, 220/261, 220/89.2, 280740-742, 280736-737
• US Class Current: 222/5
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/00 Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge pressurised apparatus for purposes other than storage, see the relevant subclasses such as A62C, B05B; associated with vehicles, see the appropriate subclass of classes B60 - B64; pressure vessels in general F16J12/00 ; autoclaves B01J3/04; tank vehicles B60P3/22; railway tank wagons for carrying fluent materials B61D5/00; accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04; liquefied gas stoves F24C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/06 Closures, e.g. cap, breakable member for autoclaves B01J3/03; closures for large containers in general B65D B65D90/54; for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0114 with interiorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0617 with one layer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0634 Materials for walls or layers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0636 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0643 Stainless steels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0646 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0648 Alloys or compositions of metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/069 Break point in the wall
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0314 breakable, e.g. with burst discs
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/032 pierceable
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2109 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/221 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/227 by adhesive means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/234 of closing end pieces, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/013 : Carbone dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 : Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/017 : Helium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/031 : Air
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/05 : Ultrapure fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 : Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 : High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/011 : Improving strength
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/021 : Avoiding over pressurising
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 : Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/02 : for medical applications
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0563 : Pneumatic applications
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/07 : for household use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0736 : Capsules, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0772 : Inflation devices, e.g. for rescue vests or tyres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1714 : Direct pressure causes disc to burst
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1729 : Dome shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1744 : Specific weakening point

Abstract

The present invention provides a compressed gas cylinder that is capable of storing a compressed fluid at high pressures. The cylinder of the present invention includes a body terminating in an inwardly domed cap. The dome included in the cap of the compressed gas cylinder of the present invention is formed such that the material near the tip of the dome is relatively thinner than the material near the base of the dome. The tip of the dome, therefore, creates a pierce region in the cap that can be pierced through the application of a relatively low pressure.

Claims

1. A container for storage and delivery of a compressed fluid, the container comprising:

a body configured to contain a desired amount of a compressed fluid; and

a dome structure disposed at an end of the body, the dome structure extending inwardly into a volume generally defined by the body and the dome structure and presenting a non-planar surface to the compressed fluid in the volume such that the compressed fluid in the volume exerts pressure on the dome structure in opposing directions, thereby placing the dome structure under compression before the dome structure is pierced, the dome structure having a tip which defines a pierce region, wherein the pierce region has a thinner wall than the remainder of the dome structure and is more easily penetrated than the remainder of the dome.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the body includes a first end and a second end and at least one of the first end and the second end includes the dome structure.

3. The container of claim 1, further comprising a cap in which the dome structure is provided, the cap and the body being configured such that the cap is attachable to the body.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the body and the pierce region comprise a metal selected from the group comprising an aluminum alloy, a titanium alloy, a stainless steel alloy, or carbon steel.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein the body and the cap comprise a metal selected from the group comprising an aluminum alloy, a titanium alloy, a stainless steel alloy, or carbon steel.