Fuel tank and filler packet for dispersing ballistic shock

Abstract

An improved tank design incorporates a new shock dispersing filler packet insert. This filler packet is formed from a sheet of foil and exhibits in its unformed shape an expanded foil center and an unexpanded denser border. All of the edges of the foil sheet are then folded inwardly and the filler insert is finally rolled and secured to produce a cylindrical packet having a dense core. Once the fuel tank is filled with these packets, the ballistic shock is dissipated by the distributed dense portions within the tank.

1 . A filler packet for a fuel tank for dispersing ballistic shock comprising: 
 a fuel permeable body portion formed from a sheet of metal foil material, said sheet being first expanded into a mesh and then formed into said body portion; and    a dense portion exhibiting a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state from which said body portion is formed.    
   
   
       2 . The filler packet of  claim 1  wherein said body portion comprises said sheet of metal foil formed into a packet, wherein edges of said sheet are positioned inwardly of said packet.  
   
   
       3 . The filler packet of  claim 1  wherein said filler packet is formed from a sheet of metal foil material, wherein said sheet of metal foil material comprises an expanded center region and an unexpanded border region defined thereon, wherein said border region exhibits a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state used to form said center region, and wherein said center region is formed to provide said body portion of said filler packet and said border region is positioned within said packet interior to provide said dense portion of said filler packet.  
   
   
       4 . The filler packet of  claim 1  wherein said dense portion of said packet comprises a member positioned within said packet.  
   
   
       5 . The filler packet of  claim 1  wherein said filler packet is thermally conductive.  
   
   
       6 . The filler packet of  claim 5  wherein said body portion comprises said sheet of metal foil formed into a packet, wherein edges of said sheet are positioned inwardly of said packet.  
   
   
       7 . The filler packet of  claim 6  wherein said filler packet is formed from a sheet of metal foil material, wherein said sheet of metal foil material comprises an expanded center region and an unexpanded border region defined thereon, wherein said border region exhibits a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state used to form said center region, and wherein said center region is formed to provide said body portion of said filler packet and said border region is positioned within said packet interior to provide said dense portion of said filler packet.  
   
   
       8 . The filler packet of  claim 5  wherein said dense portion of said packet comprises a member positioned within said packet.  
   
   
       9 . The filler packet of  claim 3  wherein said border region defined on said sheet of metal foil material comprises a plurality of layers of metal foil sheet material.  
   
   
       10 . The filler packet of  claim 1  further comprising means for securing said filler packet.  
   
   
       11 . A fuel tank for dispersing ballistic shock comprising: 
 an enclosure for containing fuel;    a plurality of filler packets for dispersing ballistic shock positioned within said enclosure;    wherein said filler packets each comprise: 
 a fuel permeable body portion formed from a sheet of metal foil material, said sheet being first expanded into a mesh and then formed into said body portion; and  
 a dense portion exhibiting a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state from which said body portion is formed.  
   
   
   
       12 . The fuel tank of  claim 11  wherein said body portion of each of said respective filler packets comprises said sheet of metal foil formed into a packet, wherein edges of said sheet are positioned inwardly of said packet.  
   
   
       13 . The fuel tank of  claim 11  wherein each of said respective filler packets is formed from a sheet of metal foil material, wherein said sheet of metal foil material comprises an expanded center region and an unexpanded border region defined thereon, wherein said border region exhibits a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state used to form said center region, and wherein said center region is formed to provide said body portion of said respective filler packet and said border region is positioned within said respective packet interior to provide said dense portion of said filler packet.  
   
   
       14 . The fuel tank of  claim 11  wherein said dense portion of said filler packets comprises a member positioned within said packet  
   
   
       15 . The fuel tank of  claim 11  wherein said filler packets are thermally conductive.  
   
   
       16 . The tank of  claim 15  wherein said body portion of said respective filler packets comprises said sheet of metal foil formed into a packet, wherein edges of said sheet are positioned inwardly of said packet.  
   
   
       17 . The fuel tank of  claim 16  wherein each of said filler packets is formed from a sheet of metal foil material, wherein said sheet of metal foil material comprises an expanded center region and an unexpanded border region defined thereon, wherein said border region exhibits a higher density than said sheet of metal foil material in its unexpanded state used to form said center region, and wherein said center region is formed to provide said body portion of said respective filler packet and said border region is positioned within said respective packet interior to provide said dense portion of said filler packet.  
   
   
       18 . The fuel tank of  claim 15  wherein said dense portion of said filler packets comprises a member positioned within said packet.  
   
   
       19 . The fuel tank of  claim 13  wherein said border region defined on said sheet of metal foil material further comprises a plurality of layers of metal foil sheet material.  
   
   
       20 . The fuel tank of  claim 11  further comprising means for securing each of said filler packets.