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:
Mar. 18, 2008
Filed:
Sep. 23, 2004
Gregory C. Harper, Vancouver, CA;
Justin Gish, Mobile, AL (US);
Gregory C. Harper, Vancouver, CA;
Justin Gish, Mobile, AL (US);
Westport Power Inc., Vancouver, BC, CA;
Abstract
A double-walled vacuum-insulated container for holding a cryogenic fluid comprises a support structure for supporting an inner vessel within an outer vessel. The container has an elongated horizontal axis. A conduit extending between the inner and outer vessels has a wall thickness that allows the conduit to carry a substantial portion of axial loads acting on the inner vessel in a direction parallel to the horizontal axis. The support structure further comprises a non-metallic support spanning between the inner and outer vessels, with the non-metallic support capable of transferring substantially all radial loads transverse to said horizontal axis. The non-metallic support is also fixedly attached to the inner and outer vessels so that it is capable of supporting a substantial portion of the axial loads so that the non-metallic support and the conduit cooperate to provide support in the axial direction.