Modular transportable tank system and method of assembly
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65D-088/08
B65D-088/52
B65D-090/02
B65D-090/20
E04H-007/06
출원번호
US-0886082
(2013-05-02)
등록번호
US-9403639
(2016-08-02)
발명자
/ 주소
Bleile, Leonard
Solomon, Gregory J.
출원인 / 주소
STRAD ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
대리인 / 주소
Parlee McLaws LLP (CGY)
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
20
초록▼
Arcuate, lightweight composite panels, which are transportable on flatbed trucks, are interconnected onsite for forming a temporary fluid tank. A shaped groove along one end of the panel and a shaped tongue along an opposing end of the panel permit a panel to be lifted vertically above and offset an
Arcuate, lightweight composite panels, which are transportable on flatbed trucks, are interconnected onsite for forming a temporary fluid tank. A shaped groove along one end of the panel and a shaped tongue along an opposing end of the panel permit a panel to be lifted vertically above and offset another of the panels and then slid axially together, with the tongue of one panel engaged in the groove of the adjacent panel. If the ground on which the tank is to be assembled is uneven, the panels can be misaligned vertically along the interconnected tongue and groove to accommodate the unevenness of the ground. Where the tank does not engage the ground about the entire bottom edge, a liner can be placed inside the tank and connected to the tank using a hook and loop fastening system.
대표청구항▼
1. A transportable tank system comprising: three or more arcuate panels, each panel havingfirst and second opposing and parallel ends and having a bottom edge and a top edge extending therebetween;a male connector having a T-shaped tongue comprising a neck portion extending outwardly and generally c
1. A transportable tank system comprising: three or more arcuate panels, each panel havingfirst and second opposing and parallel ends and having a bottom edge and a top edge extending therebetween;a male connector having a T-shaped tongue comprising a neck portion extending outwardly and generally circumferentially from the second end of the panel, and a mushroom head portion being generally perpendicular to the neck portion forming an inside dovetail groove and an outside dovetail groove;a female connector having a generally T-shaped groove extending along the first end and shaped to receive the T-shaped tongue, the T-shaped groove comprising opposing and parallel fingers having complementary inside and outside dovetail-shaped portions adjacent the first panel end, wherein the three or more arcuate panels are arranged in a perimeter on a surface with the first and second ends oriented substantially vertically therefrom and a perimeter of the tank system is formed by circumferentially locking the panels by slidably engaging the T-shaped tongue of the male connector of one panel within the T-shaped groove of the panel adjacent thereto, engagement of the T-shaped tongue within the T-shaped groove forming a uniform gap along a perimeter of a tongue-and-groove joint formed therebetween when not in tension for allowing adjacent interconnected panels to have a hinged movement within a constrained arc radius relative to one another, and the male connector's dovetail grooves drive the female connector's dovetail-shaped portions towards each other into a gripping arrangement with the neck portion under circumferential loading; anda liner fit to the perimeter of the tank system. 2. The tank system of claim 1 wherein each arcuate panel of the three or more panels comprises: at least an inner skin; anda core structurally bonded to the inner skin. 3. The system of claim 2 further comprises; an outer skin for sandwiching the core between the inner skin and the outer skin. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the inner and outer skins are formed of glass reinforced fiber polymer. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the three or more arcuate panels further comprises shaped panel ends along the first and second ends, the male and female connectors being replaceably fastened to the shaped panel ends. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the shaped panel ends comprise a structural member extending therealong and having a rectangular cross-section, and the male and female connectors further comprise a rectangular recess extending therealong and bounded by parallel flanges, the rectangular recess opposing the male and female connectors' respective tongue or groove, the rectangular recess for receiving the shaped panels end's rectangular cross-section therein. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein when the rectangular panel ends are fit within the rectangular recesses, each of the male and female connectors are secured to the panel end's structural member thereto using fasteners extending through the flanges and panel end. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the uniform gap formed between the male connector and the female connector permits a swing movement of the three or more panels within the constrained arc radius during assembly. 9. The system of claim 1 wherein, when engaged, the tongue and the groove are slidably axially moveable relative to one another so as to permit each panel of the three or more arcuate panels to be misaligned vertically relative to adjacent panels of the three or more panels. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the three or more panels further comprises: an upper stiffening rib extending circumferentially from the first end to the second end adjacent the top edge of the panel; anda lower stiffening rib extending circumferentially from the first end to the second end adjacent the bottom edge of the panel. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the upper and lower stiffening ribs are foam covered with glass reinforced fiber polymer. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the foam core further comprises glass reinforced fiber polymer shear webs. 13. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the panels further comprise two or more lifting engagement means spaced along at least the top edge, equidistant from a center of gravity of the panel so that when lifted therefrom, the panel hangs vertically for parallel alignment of the elongate female connector of one panel with the elongate male connector of an adjacent panel. 14. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a male guide temporarily attachable to an upper end of the male connector for guiding the shaped groove of a female connector to engage with the male connector on an adjacent arcuate panel. 15. The system of claim 14 when a last of the three or more arcuate panels is assembled, further comprising: a female guide temporarily attachable to an upper end of the female connector of an adjacent panel, for guiding the shaped tongue of the male connector of last panel into the shaped groove of the female connector on the adjacent arcuate panel. 16. The system of claim 14 wherein the male guide is a right rectangular pyramidal-shaped member, an apex projecting upwardly from the panel when temporarily connected thereto. 17. The system of claim 15 wherein the female guide is a rectangular funnel-shaped member having an open side contiguous with the shaped groove for accepting the shaped tongue and male connector therein. 18. A transportable, arcuate panel for use with like panels for constructing a tank fit with a liner for containing fluid therein, the arcuate panel comprising: first and second opposing ends and a bottom edge and a top edge extending therebetween;at least an inner skin extending between the first and second ends;a core structurally bonded to the inner skin;a male connector having a T-shaped tongue comprising a neck portion extending outwardly and generally circumferentially from the second end of the panel, and a mushroom head portion being generally perpendicular to the neck portion forming an inside dovetail groove and an outside dovetail groove; anda female connector having a generally T-shaped groove extending along the first end and shaped to receive the T-shaped tongue, the T-shaped groove comprising opposing and parallel fingers having complementary inside and outside dovetail-shaped portions, whereinthe head portion mates with the T-shaped groove so as to circumferentially lock the T-shaped tongue into the T-shaped groove when engaged therein and neck portion;the T-shaped groove on the female connector and the T-shaped tongue of the male connector are adapted to engage between adjacent like panels and form a uniform gap along a perimeter of a tongue-and-groove joint formed therebetween when not in tension for allowing adjacent interconnected panels to have a hinged movement within a constrained arc radius relative to one another, and the male connector's dovetail grooves drive the female connector's dovetail-shaped portions towards each other into a gripping arrangement with the neck portion under circumferential loading. 19. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 further comprising an outer skin, the core being sandwiched between the inner and outer skins. 20. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 19 wherein the inner and outer skins are formed of glass reinforced fiber polymer. 21. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 further comprising shaped panel ends which protrude from the first and second ends generally circumferentially, the male and female connectors being replaceably fastened thereto. 22. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 21 wherein the shaped panel ends comprise a structural member extending therealong and having a rectangular cross-section and the male and female connectors further comprise a rectangular recess extending therealong and bounded by parallel flanges, opposing the tongue or groove, the rectangular recess receiving the rectangular panel ends therein. 23. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 22 wherein when the rectangular panel ends are fit within the rectangular recess, each of the male and female connectors secured to the panel end's structural member using fasteners extending through the flanges and panel end. 24. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 further comprising an upper stiffening rib extending circumferentially from end to end at the top of the panel and a lower stiffening rib extending circumferentially from end to end at the bottom of the panel. 25. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 wherein the foam core further comprises glass reinforced fiber polymer shear webs. 26. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 further comprising two or more lifting engagement means spaced long about the panel, equidistant from a center of gravity of the panel, so that when lifted therefrom, the panel is balanced about the center of gravity. 27. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 26 further comprising reinforcements for supporting the lifting engagement means therein under lifting loads. 28. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 27 wherein the reinforcements are stainless steel plates embedded within the arcuate panel. 29. The transportable arcuate panel of claim 18 wherein the panel is stackable with like panels on a surface for storage or transport.
Clarke ; Jr. Herbert H. (800 Garden St. Santa Barbara CA 93101) Reefman William E. (2420 Calle Soria Santa Barbara CA 93109), Self-arcing tank segments.
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