Blast resistant and blast directing container and assemblies

Abstract

Blast resistant and blast directing container assemblies for receiving explosive articles and preventing or minimizing damage in the event of an explosion. The container assembly comprises a container of blast resistant material and a blast mitigating material located within the container. The container is collapsible for storage when empty. The container assemblies have utility in aircraft, where weight is an important consideration, as cargo holders or containment devices in the passenger cabin. They also are useful as transport devices for hazardous materials such as gunpowder and explosives, e.g., bombs and grenades.

1 . A blast resistant container assembly for receiving an explosive, said container assembly comprising:
 a. a container of blast resistant material, said container being collapsible for storage when empty; and   b. blast mitigating material located within the container.   
   
   
       2 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein the container comprises a plurality of faces, each face being connected to another face at least one common edge with a fibrous material, said fibrous material functioning as a hinge between said faces. 
   
   
       3 . The container assembly of  claim 2  wherein the fibrous material comprises at least one fibrous layer, said fibrous layer comprising at least one network of high strength fibers having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d. 
   
   
       4 . The container assembly of  claim 3  wherein at least about 50 weight percent of said fibers are substantially continuous, parallel lengths of fiber substantially perpendicular to said edge. 
   
   
       5 . The container assembly of  claim 4  wherein the network of fibers is in a resin matrix. 
   
   
       6 . The container assembly of  claim 4  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The container assembly of  claim 4  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       8 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       10 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein the container comprises a plurality of bands which are oriented relative to one another when assembled to substantially enclose a volume and to form a container wall, said bands being foldable for storage when disassembled, at least one of said bands comprising blast resistant material. 
   
   
       11 . The container assembly of  claim 10  wherein said bands are at least three in number and comprise a first inner band nested within a second band which is nested within a third band, said bands forming a container wall having a thickness substantially equivalent to the sum of the thicknesses of at least two of the bands. 
   
   
       12 . The container assembly of  claim 11  wherein each of said bands is substantially polygonal in cross-section, and wherein at least one of the bands comprises a plurality of substantially rectangular surfaces in series, said surfaces numbering at least one more than the number of sides of the polygon of the cross-section of the band, and wherein said band comprising said surfaces is nested within another said band. 
   
   
       13 . The container assembly of  claim 11  wherein said first inner band includes a foldable flap on each side thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The container assembly of  claim 11  wherein each of said first, second, and third bands is a tube having a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axes of said first, second, and third bands are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
   
   
       15 . The container assembly of  claim 11  wherein each of said bands comprises a plurality of faces, each face being connected to another face at least one common edge with a fibrous material, said fibrous material functioning as a hinge between said faces. 
   
   
       16 . The container assembly of  claim 15  wherein the fibrous material comprises at least one fibrous layer, said fibrous layer comprising at least one network of high strength fibers having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d. 
   
   
       17 . The container assembly of  claim 16  wherein at least about 50 weight percent of said fibers are substantially continuous, parallel lengths of fiber perpendicular to said edge. 
   
   
       18 . The container assembly of  claim 17  wherein the network of fibers is in a resin matrix. 
   
   
       19 . The container assembly of  claim 15  wherein the faces of at least one band are rigid. 
   
   
       20 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein the blast resistant material comprises at least one fibrous layer, said fibrous layer comprising at least one network of fibers, at least about 50 weight percent of said fibers being substantially continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       21 . The container assembly of  claim 20  wherein at least about 75 weight percent of said fibers are substantially continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       22 . The container assembly of  claim 20  wherein substantially all of the fibers are continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       23 . The container assembly of  claim 20  wherein the fiber comprises a high strength fiber having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d. 
   
   
       24 . The container assembly of  claim 22  wherein said high strength fibers are selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyolefin fibers, aramid fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, liquid copolyester fibers, polyamide fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       25 . The container assembly of  claim 23  wherein said fibers are polyolefin fibers. 
   
   
       26 . The container assembly of  claim 23  wherein said fibers are aramid fibers. 
   
   
       27 . The container assembly of  claim 23  wherein the network of fibers is in a resin matrix. 
   
   
       28 . The container assembly of  claim 27  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       29 . The container assembly of  claim 27  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       30 . The container assembly of  claim 23  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       31 . The container assembly of  claim 23  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       32 . A blast resistant container assembly for receiving an explosive, said container assembly comprising:
 a. at least three seamless bands of a blast resistant material comprising high strength fibers having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d, said bands being nested one within the other when assembled with their longitudinal axes at right angles to one another to substantially enclose a volume and to form a container wall having a thickness substantially equivalent to the sum of the thicknesses of at least two of the bands, said bands being collapsible for storage when disassembled; and   b. an aqueous foam located within the inner band and having a density in the range of from about 0.01 to about 0.10 g/cm 3 .   
   
   
       33 . A blast resistant container assembly for receiving an explosive, said container assembly comprising:
 a. at least three bands of material, a first inner band being nested within a second band which is nested within a third band, said bands being oriented relative to one another to substantially enclose a volume and to form a container wall having a thickness substantially equivalent to the sum of the thicknesses of at least two of the bands; and   b. blast mitigating material located within the inner band.   
   
   
       34 . The container assembly of  claim 33  wherein each of said first, second, and third bands is a tube having a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axes of said first, second, and third bands are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
   
   
       35 . The container assembly of  claim 33  wherein at lest one of the bands comprises at least one fibrous layer, said fibrous layer comprising at least one network of fibers, at least about 50 weight percent of said fibers being substantially continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       36 . The container assembly of  claim 35  wherein at least about 75 weight percent of said fibers are substantially continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       37 . The container assembly of  claim 35  wherein substantially all of the fibers are continuous lengths of fiber that encircle the enclosed volume. 
   
   
       38 . The container assembly of  claim 35  wherein the fiber comprises a high strength fiber having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d. 
   
   
       39 . The container assembly of  claim 38  wherein said high strength fibers are selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyolefin fibers, aramid fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, liquid copolyester fibers, polyamide fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       40 . The container assembly of  claim 38  wherein said fibers are polyolefin fibers. 
   
   
       41 . The container assembly of  claim 38  wherein said fibers are aramid fibers. 
   
   
       42 . The container assembly of  claim 38  wherein the network of fibers is in a resin matrix. 
   
   
       43 . The container assembly of  claim 42  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       44 . The container assembly of  claim 42  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       45 . The container assembly of  claim 33  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       46 . The container assembly of  claim 33  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       47 . A blast directing container assembly for receiving an explosive, said container assembly comprising:
 a. at least one closed band of blast resistant material, said band having two open sides, said material comprising a network of high strength fibers, at least about 50 weight percent of said fibers comprising continuous lengths in the direction of the band; and   b. blast mitigating material located within the band.   
   
   
       48 . The container assembly of  claim 47  further comprising at least one additional band coaxial with the first band and within which the first band is nested. 
   
   
       49 . The container assembly of  claim 48  wherein the nested bands together form a rigid tube. 
   
   
       50 . The container assembly of  claim 49  wherein each of the bands is collapsible for storage when disassembled and empty. 
   
   
       51 . The container assembly of  claim 47  wherein the band is collapsible for storage when empty. 
   
   
       52 . The container assembly of  claim 47  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       53 . The container assembly of  claim 47  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam. 
   
   
       54 . A blast resistant container assembly for receiving an explosive, said container assembly comprising:
 a. a container having an access opening;   b. blast mitigating material located within the container; and   c. at least one band of a blast resistant material, said band sliding over said container in a first direction to encircle the container and at least partially cover said access opening and in a second direction to at least partially expose said access opening.   
   
   
       55 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein at least about 50 percent of the surface area of said access opening is covered. 
   
   
       56 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein at least about 80 percent of the surface area of said access opening is covered. 
   
   
       57 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein substantially all of the surface area of said access opening is covered. 
   
   
       58 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein said container further includes a door for said access opening, said band at least partially covering said door when said door is closed over said access opening. 
   
   
       59 . The container assembly of  claim 58  wherein at least about 20 percent of the surface area of said door is covered. 
   
   
       60 . The container assembly of  claim 58  wherein at least about 40 percent of the surface area of said door is covered. 
   
   
       61 . The container assembly of  claim 58  wherein at least about 60 percent of the surface area of said door is covered. 
   
   
       62 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein the band material comprises at least one fibrous layer, said fibrous layer comprising at least one network of fibers, said fibers comprising a high strength fiber having a tenacity of at least about 10 g/d and a tensile modulus of at least about 200 g/d. 
   
   
       63 . The container assembly of  claim 62  wherein the network of fibers is in a resin matrix. 
   
   
       64 . The container assembly of  claim 63  wherein said band is collapsible for storage when empty. 
   
   
       65 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein said blast mitigating material is selected from the group consisting of polymeric foams, particulates, condensable gases, heat sink materials, foamed glass, microballoons, balloons, bladders, hollow spheres, wicking fibers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       66 . The container assembly of  claim 54  wherein said blast mitigating material comprises an aqueous foam.