Patent ID: 7503594

Claim:
A thermally expansive closed three dimensional structure operable at a selected temperature range comprising: a plurality of substantially rigid walls; at least one deformable metal wall with respect to said rigid walls at said selected temperature range, said at least one deformable metal wall having a deformed orientation and a non-deformed orientation; a sealed void space internal to said structure, said void space impinging upon at least one of said deformable metal walls with respect to said rigid walls; and a fluid sealed within said void space, said fluid being selected to function as a perfect gas within said selected temperature range, wherein said fluid is present within said void space when said at least one deformable metal wall is in the non-deformed orientation, wherein in the deformed orientation said fluid contacts said at least one deformable metal wall and wherein said at least one deformable metal wall has a surface that makes up part of a seal upon engaging a rigid inner wall.