Self-Sealing Bladder With Elastomeric Threads For Rapid Puncture Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional self-sealing fuel tanks are slow to seal punctures, unable to effectively seal larger caliber penetrations, and are stiff, heavy, and difficult to install, leading to fuel leakage and increased risk of environmental contamination and fire.
Innovation Solution
The development of self-sealing bladders with multiple layers, including a central sealant area sandwiched between barrier and sealant-impermeable layers, where elastomeric threads maintain compression and allow for rapid migration of sealant material to punctures, utilizing localized reservoirs to distribute the sealant and ensure quick sealing of larger wounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional self-sealing bladders use natural rubber to seal punctures, then sealing capability is provided, but sealing time is excessive (2 minutes or more) and larger caliber penetrations cannot be sealed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads sealant material into the bladder wall structure before penetration occurs. The sealant is held in reservoirs and passageways within the bladder wall, ready to be deployed immediately upon penetration, eliminating the delay associated with natural rubber swelling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and delivery mechanism of the sealant material. Instead of relying on the gradual swelling of natural rubber, the system uses a pre-positioned sealant that can be rapidly deployed through controlled release mechanisms, changing the sealing process from a slow chemical absorption process to a rapid mechanical deployment process.
2Reliability
If conventional self-sealing bladders use natural rubber, then sealing function is achieved, but the bladder becomes stiff, heavy, and difficult to install
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thick natural rubber with thin film structures that maintain flexibility. The bladder wall is constructed with multiple thin layers including barrier layers and sealant-impermeable layers, creating a flexible yet functional self-sealing system that is easier to install and handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures combining multiple thin layers (barrier layers, sealant-impermeable layers, elastomeric threads) to achieve the sealing function without requiring thick natural rubber. This composite approach provides both the necessary sealing capability and the flexibility for easy installation.
3Reliability
If conventional self-sealing bladders use thick natural rubber layers, then sealing capability is provided, but the bladder wall becomes thick and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sealing function into separate components: barrier layers for containment, sealant-impermeable layers for structural integrity, elastomeric threads for compression, and localized reservoirs for sealant storage. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, achieving sealing capability without requiring thick uniform rubber layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin film structures for the barrier layers and sealant-impermeable layers, replacing thick natural rubber with multiple thin functional layers that collectively provide the sealing capability while significantly reducing overall weight.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides rapid sealing of punctures, ability to seal larger wounds, reduced weight and installation ease, and increased fuel capacity by allowing for a thinner bladder wall, effectively preventing fuel loss and enhancing safety.
Implementation Method 1
elastomeric threads configured to keep the bladder wall in a state of compression
Implementation Method 2
the sealant material is automatically forced to migrate to a damaged (e.g., perforated) area of the bladder due to elastomeric threads configured to keep the bladder wall in a state of compression
Data Source
AI summary
A self-sealing bladder may automatically seal a puncture wound formed in a bladder wall thereof, such as due to being perforated by a projectile. Self-sealing bladders may be used in containers, such as fuel tanks, in order to prevent loss of fuel or other fluid from the container. Self-sealing bladders may contain a sealant material contained within one or more localized reservoirs formed within the bladder wall, the sealant material being pressurized within the bladder wall such that a localized reduction in pressure due to a perforation in the bladder wall causes the sealant material to migrate to the perforated site, whereupon the sealant material hardens, thereby sealing the wound. The localized reservoirs may include one or more channels and/or connecting layers extending therefrom and in fluid communication therewith, to facilitate migration of the sealant material away from the localized reservoirs and towards the perforated portion of the bladder wall.