The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 2024
Filed:
Mar. 08, 2022
The United States of America, As Represented BY the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US);
Philip J. Dudt, North Bethesda, MD (US);
The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
Exemplary practice of the present invention provides a pressure-resistant buoyancy device. An entangled mass of fibers, including shape memory alloy fibers, is positioned inside a three-dimensional enclosure. When inside the enclosure the entangled fibrous mass is attributed with austenitic-phase shape memory, such as by heating. The entangled fibrous mass, thus endowed, exerts an outwardly directed force against the interior wall of the enclosure, thereby structurally reinforcing the buoyancy device and mechanically counteracting an inwardly directed force exerted by ambient fluid upon the buoyancy device, such as by water at greater depths. Exemplary inventive practice affords a buoyancy device that has a light, thin-walled, economical design and yet is highly effective in resisting external pressure. Some inventive embodiments implement an auxetic foam material and/or a fibrous magnetic material, in addition to a fibrous shape memory alloy material.