Shock and/or impact-resistant pressure vessels having elastomeric coatings are provided. The pressure vessels of the invention are significantly lighter than conventional air tanks having the same capacity, while enhancing safety in military and undersea environments. Methods for protecting pressure vessels from ballistic, blast wave, and mechanical impacts, while also providing corrosion protection, are also provided.

An apparatus for transferring gas to a gas vessel is provided. The apparatus includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to interrogate an RFID tag associated with the gas vessel for RFID information. The apparatus includes a gas input port configured to be in removably connected to gas supply, a gas output port configured to be removably connected to the gas vessel and a processor configured to: determine at least one gas vessel characteristic associated with the RFID information, control a flow of gas from the gas input port to the gas output port based at least in part on the at least one gas vessel characteristic, determine at least one filling criterion based at least in part on the RFID information, determine whether the at least one filling criterion is met, and trigger at least one action if the at least one filling criterion is not met.

This disclosure relates to modular locking connectors that enable discrete and fully separate components to be easily, quickly, and interchangeably connected together to result in a fully functional buoyancy compensator device. These separate components may include shoulders, waistbands, back panels, bladders or other buoyancy chambers, pockets including those for ballasting weights, and accessories such as knives, lights, signaling devices and the like.

This disclosure relates to tank wedge connectors to support cylindrical objects, for example to support scuba tanks, particularly designed for use in underwater operations on swimming and diving gear. An embodiment of the tank wedge connectors includes arranging the tank wedge connectors in an opposing pair, forming a cradle. Another embodiment of the disclosed tank wedge connectors includes a rail component which the wedge connectors can slide on to separate and expand, with one of the rails including detents for the wedges to be positioned and fixed at a desired spacing. A third embodiment of these tank wedge connectors includes being mounted to a flexible surface which allows the connectors to conform to cylindrical objects of varying radii.

This disclosure relates to a modular cord connector that enables two cords to connect together and release. An embodiment of this cord connector disclosure is designed for use on cords integral to a gas release on buoyancy compensator devices. The preferred embodiment of this cord connector, shown for use on a buoyancy compensator device, includes modular male and female portions which include a T-shaped post on the male portion and a pathway with detents configured to retain the male portion when engaged with the female portion.

A pressure vessel comprising a pipe closed at each end with a novel plug/compression cap, the plug at one end of the pipe having a port for connection to a pressure regulating device.

An apparatus for feeding gas mixtures to a compressor comprising a tubular mixing pipe connected with the compressor intake, first and second gas intake devices injecting into the mixing pipe gas received from a Helium source and an Oxygen source respectively, two sensors measuring the Oxygen percentage of the gas mixture, a first servo-controlled throttling valve interposed between the first gas intake device and the Helium source, a second servo-controlled throttling valve interposed between the second gas intake device and the Oxygen source, and a control unit configured to manage the throttling valves depending on the Oxygen percentages of the gas mixture measured by the sensors. The apparatus includes first and second auxiliary pressure regulators, electrically connected with the control unit, interposed respectively between the first servo-controlled valve and a manual regulator of the Helium source and between the second servo-controlled valve and a manual regulator of the Oxygen source.

A gas cylinder refilling system has at least one bar code reader disposed inside the gas refilling chamber and a gas control line for connecting a gas cylinder to a gas source inside the gas refilling chamber, the gas control line having a valve. There is a microprocessor (MPC) connected to a data storage unit, to the bar code reader and to the valve, and being configured to analyze information from the bar code reader such that when the information read by the bar code reader matches stored data in the data storage unit, the microprocessor signals the valve to feed gas to the cylinder.

Nitrox-mixtures production machine comprising: a molecular separator, which is structured so as to receive at inlet a flow of air and to provide at outlet an intermediate Nitrox mixture with high oxygen percentage; a low-pressure compressor, which is adapted to feed an airflow at inlet of the molecular separator; a mixing manifold, which communicates with the molecular separator so as to receive said intermediate Nitrox mixture, and is structured so as to mix the intermediate Nitrox mixture with fresh air coming from the outside, in order to provide at outlet a final Nitrox mixture with predefined composition; at least one oxygen sensor, which is adapted to measure the oxygen percentage present in said final Nitrox mixture; at least one pressure sensor, which is adapted to measure the air pressure in the molecular separator; and an electronic control device, which is connected to said at least one oxygen sensor and is adapted to regulate the flowrate of the airflow that is sucked in by the low-pressure compressor based on the signals coming from said at least one oxygen sensor and said at least one pressure sensor.

Nitrox-mixtures production machine comprising: a molecular separator, which is structured so as to receive at inlet a flow of air and to provide at outlet an intermediate Nitrox mixture with high oxygen percentage; a low-pressure compressor, which is adapted to feed an airflow at inlet of the molecular separator; a mixing manifold, which communicates with the molecular separator so as to receive said intermediate Nitrox mixture, and is structured so as to mix the intermediate Nitrox mixture with fresh air coming from the outside, in order to provide at outlet a final Nitrox mixture with predefined composition; at least one oxygen sensor, which is adapted to measure the oxygen percentage present in said final Nitrox mixture; and an electronic control device, which is connected to said at least one oxygen sensor and is adapted to regulate the flowrate of the airflow that the low-pressure compressor feeds at inlet of the molecular separator based on the signals coming from said at least one oxygen sensor.