JP2023167833A - Protective member for high-pressure tank - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a protective member for a high-pressure tank capable of being attached to a high-pressure tank simply and shortening a cycle time.SOLUTION: A protection member 10 for a high-pressure tank is attached to a high-pressure tank 1 having a liner 2 and mouthpieces 3, 4, and has a body part 11, and an elastic part 12 with spring properties. The elastic part 12 is configured to be fixed to the liner 2 and the mouthpieces 3, 4 by elastic force generated from each of the mouthpieces 3 and 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a high-pressure tank protection member that is attached to a high-pressure tank having a liner and a cap.

As this type of protection member for a high-pressure tank, one provided at both ends in the axial direction of a high-pressure tank having a liner, a cap, and a reinforcing layer is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2019-124429 Publication

The high-pressure tank protection member described in Patent Document 1 is made of a porous impact-absorbing resin such as urethane rubber. This high-pressure tank protection member is joined to reinforcing layers formed at both ends of the high-pressure tank in the axial direction by a joining means such as an adhesive. At the time of joining, an adhesion process and a pressing process, such as pressing the high-pressure tank protection member against the reinforcing layer for a relatively long period of time, occur in order to ensure adhesive strength. In these processes, in order to bring a high-pressure tank protective member formed in a similar spherical shape into close contact with a high-pressure tank whose ends are formed in a substantially spherical shape, alignment is required to align the mutual axes. That equipment is required. Furthermore, a jig and equipment are required to press the high-pressure tank protection member against both ends of the high-pressure tank for a long period of time. The protective member for a high-pressure tank described in Patent Document 1 requires a relatively long time in the adhesion process and the pressing process, resulting in so-called in-process hand holding, and it takes a long time for one cycle from the start of the process to the completion of one product. There is a problem in that the cycle time, which represents the time it actually takes, becomes longer.

The present invention was made to solve such problems, and provides a high-pressure tank protection member that can be easily attached to a high-pressure tank and shorten cycle time. That is the issue.

A high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention is a high-pressure tank protection member that is attached to a high-pressure tank having a liner and a cap, and has an elastic portion with spring properties, and the elastic portion starts from the cap. The liner is fixed to the liner and the cap by an elastic force generated in the liner.

The high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention has an elastic portion with spring properties, and the elastic portion is fixed to the liner and the cap by the elastic force generated starting from the cap. can be easily installed. As a result, the cycle time of the high-pressure tank protection member is shortened.

According to the high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention, it is possible to easily attach the high-pressure tank protection member to the high-pressure tank, and to provide a high-pressure tank protection member that can shorten cycle time.

1(a) is a side view of the high-pressure tank, and FIG. 1(b) is a front view of the high-pressure tank. FIG. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a high-pressure tank to which a high-pressure tank protection member according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached. It is a figure of the protection member for high pressure tanks of embodiment of this invention, FIG.3(a) shows a side view, and FIG.3(b) shows a front view. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. 3(b) of the high-pressure tank protection member according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment operation of the high-pressure tank protection member according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 5(a) shows a state before the high-pressure tank protection member is attached to the high-pressure tank; ) shows a state in which the inclined part of the elastic part is in contact with the mouthpiece while the high-pressure tank protection member is being attached to the high-pressure tank, and FIG. 5(c) shows the high-pressure tank protection member being attached to the high-pressure tank. A state in which the contact part of the elastic part is in contact with the cap is shown in the middle, and FIG. 5(d) shows a state in which the high-pressure tank protection member is attached to the high-pressure tank. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a high-pressure tank protection member according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 6A shows an insert structure and FIG. 6B shows a C-ring mounting structure.

A high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to an embodiment to which the high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 2, the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment is attached to both ends of the high-pressure tank 1 in the axial direction. It has a function of absorbing shocks acting on the high pressure tank 1 and protecting the high pressure tank 1 from the shocks. The high-pressure tank 1 includes a liner 2, caps 3 and 4, a reinforcing layer 5, and a high-pressure tank protection member 10. The high-pressure tank 1 has a property that does not allow gas to permeate, that is, a so-called gas barrier property, and is configured to be filled with high-pressure gas such as hydrogen.

The liner 2 is a cylindrical hollow container, and is composed of a cylinder part 2a and a pair of dome parts 2b, and is integrally molded from engineering plastic with high mechanical strength such as polyamide resin (PA). ing.

The cylinder portion 2a is formed in a cylindrical shape, and both ends thereof are integrally formed with each dome portion 2b. Each dome portion 2b is hollow and has a substantially hemispherical shape, and a cap mounting portion 2c having a recess of a predetermined depth centered on the axis of the liner 2 is formed at the longitudinal end along the axis of the liner 2. ing.

In addition, a through hole 2d centered on the axis of the liner 2 is formed in the center of each cap mounting portion 2c, and a cap 3 is inserted into each through hole 2d, so that the liner 2 and the cap 3 are fitted into each other. configured to match. The axis of this through-hole 2d coincides with the axis of the liner 2, and the through-hole 2d functions as a positioning hole when attaching the cap 3 to the dome portion 2b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cap 3 includes a mounting portion 3a that is attached to the cap mounting portion 2c of the liner 2, a cap body portion 3b that protrudes outward in the axial direction of the dome portion 2b from the mounting portion 3a, and a cap body. It has a flange part 3c that has the same axis as the part 3b and projects outward in the radial direction at the end of the mouthpiece body part 3b. The cap 3 is made of a metal material. The mounting portion 3a is formed in a truncated conical shape, and is configured to come into contact with the cap mounting portion 2c when the liner 2 and the cap 3 are fitted together.

A valve connection hole 3d having an axis that coincides with the axis of the cap 3 is formed to penetrate through the cap body portion 3b. The base body 3b is configured to be connected to a valve. High pressure gas is configured to flow between the inside and outside of the high pressure tank 1 via this valve connection hole 3d. The attachment portion 3a is attached to the base attachment portion 2c of the dome portion 2b.

The cap 4 is formed similarly to the cap 3, but only the valve connection hole 3d of the cap 3 is different. Similar to the cap 3, the cap 4 has a mounting portion attached to the cap mounting portion 2c of the liner 2, a cap body projecting from the mounting portion to the outside of the dome portion 2b, and a cap body having the same axis as the cap body. It has a flange portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the mouthpiece body. Like the cap 3, the cap 4 is also made of a metal material.

Unlike the cap 3, the cap body of the cap 4 is formed with a bottomed hole whose axis coincides with the axis of the cap 4, and the through hole 2d of the liner 2 is formed in the bottomed hole of the cap body. Blocked by a hole. The base body is configured to be screwed to the piping. Like the cap 3, the cap body functions as a rotation support portion that supports a rotation shaft that rotates the liner 2 in cooperation with the cap body when the liner 2 rotates about the axis.

As shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 2, the reinforcing layer 5 consists of a layer that covers the outer peripheral surface of the liner 2, and is formed by laminating fiber-reinforced resin on the outer peripheral surface of the liner 2. has been done.

The fiber-reinforced resin is made of a plastic such as an epoxy resin, and is made of a composite material such as CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics), which contains fibers inside to improve mechanical strength. Examples of the fiber include carbon fiber, glass fiber, and aramid fiber. The reinforcing layer 5 is formed, for example, by a FW device that continuously winds a fiber bundle around the outer peripheral surface of the liner 2, and a hardening process is performed after the fiber bundle is wound.

The high-pressure tank protection member 10 is comprised of a main body part 11 and an elastic part 12, as shown in FIGS. 3(a), 3(b), and 4. The high-pressure tank protection member 10 absorbs the impact acting on the high-pressure tank 1 and is integrally formed of a material such as resin that has elasticity.

The main body part 11 has a curved part 21 and a conical part 22. The inside of the curved portion 21 is formed with the same curved surface as the substantially hemispherical curved surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the dome portion 2b of the liner 2. When the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, the inner curved surface of the curved portion 21 and the curved surface of the dome portion 2b are configured to be in close contact with each other. The curved portion 21 has a predetermined thickness, and its outer peripheral surface is formed into a substantially hemispherical shape similar to the dome portion 2b. Therefore, when the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, it projects from the dome portion 2b in the radial direction.

The conical portion 22 is formed integrally with the curved portion 21 in a conical shape, and has a concave portion 22 a that is recessed from the inner curved surface of the curved portion 21 toward the outer circumferential surface of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 . Therefore, when the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, as shown in FIG. The structure is such that a space is formed between them.

As shown in FIG. 4, the elastic portion 12 includes a base end portion 31 that is integral with the conical portion 22 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10, an inclined portion 32, a contact portion 33, and a bent portion 34. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the conical part 22 of the main body part 11 projects from the conical part 22 of the main body part 11 toward the axial direction of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 at four locations at equal intervals on the circumference, as shown in FIG. 3(b). It is formed of. The elastic portion 12 has a function of fixing the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to the dome portion 2b of the liner 2. Note that the predetermined width and thickness of the elastic portion 12 are appropriately selected based on data such as set specifications such as the size, structure, and material of the high-pressure tank 1 and the high-pressure tank protection member 10, and experimental values.

The elastic part 12 has a spring property and can restore its original shape even if it is deformed by the action of an external force.The elastic part 12 generates a pressing force by the elastic force, so that the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the dome part 2b of the liner 2. Configured to be fixed. The elastic part 12 may be made of the same material as the main body part 11 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10, or may be made of a different material from the main body part 11. In this embodiment, the elastic portions 12 are formed at four locations, but may be formed at two or more locations.

The elastic part 12 is arranged in the base body so that the inner wall surface of the contact part 33 facing the axis of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base body 3b of the base 3. The inner wall surface of the contact portion 33 is curved so that the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the contact portion 33 is slightly smaller than the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the contact portion 3b. Note that the radius of the outer circumferential surface of the base body 3b and the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the abutment part 33 have the same center. Therefore, by slightly reducing the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the contact part 33, when the high pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the liner 2, the contact part 33 is deformed so as to expand in the radial direction. The high-pressure tank protection member 10 is pressed and fixed in the radial direction of the liner 2 by the restoring force that tries to return to its original state.

The elastic portion 12 presses and fixes the high-pressure tank protection member 10 in the radial direction by abutting the inner wall surface of the contact portion 33 with the outer circumferential surface of the mouthpiece body portion 3b. In addition, the elastic portion 12 allows the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to be moved in the axial direction of the liner 2 by abutting the base end portion of the bent portion 34 with the inner wall surface of the flange portion 3c of the cap 3 on the cap body portion 3b side. It is fixed by pressure.

Next, the attachment operation for attaching the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to the liner 2 will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 5(a), first, the opening portion of the curved portion 21 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is moved toward the high-pressure tank 1 in the axial direction of the high-pressure tank 1 as indicated by the arrow. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(b), each inclined part 32 of the elastic part 12 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral part of the flange part 3c of the base 3, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is moved toward the high-pressure tank 1. When pushed in, each inclined portion 32 of the elastic portion 12 expands radially outward.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(c), each inclined portion 32 of the elastic portion 12 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the flange portion 3c of the base 3, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is moved toward the high-pressure tank 1. When pushed in the direction of the arrow, each inclined portion 32 of the elastic portion 12 further spreads outward in the radial direction, and the contact portion 33 contacts the outer peripheral portion of the flange portion 3c of the base 3.

Then, when the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is further pushed toward the high-pressure tank 1, the contact portion 33 of the elastic portion 12 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the cap body portion 3b of the cap 3, as shown in FIG. 5(d). The contact portion 33 is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the mouthpiece main body portion 3b due to the elastic force. At the same time, the base end portion of the bent portion 34 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the flange portion 3c of the cap 3 on the cap body portion 3b side, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is fixed in the axial direction of the liner 2. The high-pressure tank protection member 10 is pressed and fixed to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by a pressing force generated by an elastic force generated from the cap 3 as a starting point. That is, the high-pressure tank protection member 10 can be easily attached to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by elastic fitting.

The effects of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the embodiment configured as above will be explained with reference to the drawings.
A high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment is attached to a high-pressure tank 1 having a liner 2 and caps 3 and 4, and has a main body portion 11 and an elastic portion 12 having spring properties. 12 is configured to be fixed to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by elastic forces generated from the caps 3 and 4, respectively.

Conventionally, a protective member for a high-pressure tank has been joined to a reinforcing layer of a high-pressure tank using a joining means such as an adhesive, which requires work steps such as an adhesion process and a pressing process. In the bonding process, jigs and equipment are required to press the high-pressure tank protection member against both ends of the high-pressure tank for a relatively long period of time in order to increase the bonding strength. Further, both ends of the high-pressure tank are formed in a substantially spherical shape, and the high-pressure tank protection member is also formed in a similar spherical shape in order to adhere to the spherical shape. As a result, alignment has become necessary to align the axes of the high-pressure tank and the high-pressure tank protection member, and equipment for this has become necessary. Conventionally, protective members for high-pressure tanks have had the problem of requiring a relatively long time in the adhesion process and the pressing process, resulting in a long cycle time.

The high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment has an elastic part 12 with spring properties, and the elastic part 12 is pressed and fixed to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by the elastic force generated from the cap 3. Therefore, the high-pressure tank protection member 10 can be easily attached to the high-pressure tank 1. As a result, the problems of the conventional bonding process and pressing process are solved, and the cycle time of the high-pressure tank protection member is shortened.

Furthermore, in the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment, the elastic portion 12 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is quickly burned out due to burnout or the like in a high-temperature environment. As a result, the pressing and fixing of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by the elastic portion 12 is released. Therefore, in a high-temperature environment, the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is quickly removed from the high-pressure tank, and the heat source is removed from the high-pressure tank, so that it is possible to suppress the occurrence of thermal damage to the reinforcing layer.

The high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment has been described as having an integral structure in which the main body portion 11 and the elastic portion 12 are integrated. However, the high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention may have a structure other than this integral structure.

Hereinafter, a high-pressure tank protection member 10A according to a modification of this embodiment configured with another structure will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 6(a), the high-pressure tank protection member 10A includes a main body portion 11A and an elastic portion 12A, similar to the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment. The main body portion 11A includes a curved portion 21A, a conical portion 22A, and an insert portion 23. The inside of the curved portion 21A is formed of the same curved surface as the substantially hemispherical curved surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the dome portion 2b of the liner 2. When the high-pressure tank protection member 10A is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, the inner curved surface of the curved portion 21A and the curved surface of the dome portion 2b are configured to be in close contact with each other. The curved portion 21A has a predetermined thickness, and its outer peripheral surface is formed into a substantially hemispherical shape similar to the dome portion 2b. Therefore, when the high-pressure tank protection member 10A is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, it protrudes from the dome portion 2b in the radial direction.

Similar to the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment, the conical portion 22A is integrally formed in a conical shape with the curved portion 21A, and extends from the inner curved surface of the curved portion 21A to the outer peripheral surface of the high-pressure tank protection member 10. It has a concave portion 22a that is concave toward the base. Therefore, when the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is attached to the high-pressure tank 1, it is separated from the dome portion 2b, and a space is formed between the recessed portion 22a of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 and the dome portion 2b. It is configured as follows. The insert portion 23 is provided at the radially inner edge portion of the conical portion 22A, and is configured such that the insert portion 41a of the elastic portion 12A is integrally molded with the conical portion 22A during molding of the high pressure tank protection member 10A. It is configured.

The elastic portion 12A has high mechanical strength and is formed separately from the main body portion 11A using a resin material having elasticity or a metal material such as spring steel. The elastic portion 12A includes a base end portion 41 insert-molded in the insert portion 23 of the main body portion 11A, an inclined portion 42 similar to the elastic portion 12 according to the embodiment, an abutment portion 43, and a bent portion 44. It is configured. The elastic portion 12A has a predetermined width and thickness, and protrudes from the conical portion 22A of the main body portion 11A toward the axial direction of the high-pressure tank protection member 10A, and is formed into a conical shape by insert molding at four locations at equal intervals on the circumference. It is attached to the section 22A.

Similar to the elastic part 12 according to the embodiment, the elastic part 12A generates a pressing force by elastic force that can restore the original shape even if it is deformed by the action of an external force, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10A is attached to the dome part of the liner 2. It is configured to be pressed and fixed to 2b.

Like the elastic part 12 according to the embodiment, the elastic part 12A is configured such that the inner wall surface of the contact part 43 facing the axis of the high-pressure tank protection member 10A is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cap body part 3b of the cap 3. The inner wall surface of the contact portion 43 is curved so that the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the contact portion 43 is slightly smaller than the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the base body portion 3b. Note that the radius of the outer circumferential surface of the base body 3b and the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the abutment part 33 have the same center. Therefore, by slightly reducing the radius of curvature of the inner wall surface of the contact part 43, when the high pressure tank protection member 10A is attached to the liner 2, the contact part 43 is deformed so as to expand in the radial direction. The high-pressure tank protection member 10A is pressed and fixed in the radial direction of the liner 2 by the restoring force that tries to return to its original state.

Like the elastic part 12 according to the embodiment, the elastic part 12A presses and fixes the high-pressure tank protection member 10 in the radial direction by abutting the inner wall surface of the contact part 43 with the outer peripheral surface of the mouthpiece body part 3b. . In addition, the elastic portion 12A allows the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to be moved in the axial direction of the liner 2 by bringing the base end portion of the bent portion 44 into contact with the inner wall surface of the flange portion 3c of the cap 3 on the cap body portion 3b side. It is fixed by pressure.

The high-pressure tank protection member 10A according to the modification of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the elastic part 12 according to the embodiment. That is, the elastic part 12A has a spring property, and the elastic part 12A is fixed to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by the elastic force generated from the cap 3, so that the high-pressure tank protection member 10A is attached to the high-pressure tank 1. can be easily installed. As a result, the problems of the conventional bonding process and pressing process are solved, and the cycle time of the high-pressure tank protection member is shortened.

Furthermore, in the high-pressure tank protection member 10A according to the modification of the present embodiment, the elastic portion 12A may be formed of a metal material, for example, a low melting point metal or a bimetal, or a resin material. A similar effect can be obtained. That is, in a high-temperature environment, the elastic portion 12 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10A melts or deforms early, and the pressure and fixation of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 to the liner 2 and the caps 3 and 4 by the elastic portion 12 is released. be able to. As a result, in a high-temperature environment, the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is quickly removed from the high-pressure tank, and the heat source is separated from the high-pressure tank, thereby achieving the effect of suppressing the occurrence of thermal damage to the reinforcing layer. .

In the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment, the contact portion 33 of the elastic portion 12 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the mouthpiece body portion 3b of the mouthpiece 3, and the contact portion 33 contacts the outer circumference of the mouthpiece body portion 3b due to the elastic force. It consists of a structure that can be pressed against a surface. Furthermore, in the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment, the base end portion of the bent portion 34 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the flange portion 3c of the cap 3 on the cap body portion 3b side, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is A case has been described in which the liner 2 is configured to be fixed in the axial direction. However, the high-pressure tank protection member according to the present invention may have a structure other than this fixed structure.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the base body 3b of the base 3 is formed into a cylindrical shape without a flange, and a groove 52 into which the C-ring 51 is mounted is formed in the cylindrical portion. Then, the elastic part 12 of the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is inserted into the cylindrical part of the base body part 3b, and the high-pressure tank protection member 10 is fixed to the cylindrical part by the pressing force of the contact part 33 of the elastic part 12. The structure is such that a C ring 51 is fitted into a groove 52 to prevent the high pressure tank protection member 10 from coming off in the axial direction and to fix it. This configuration also provides the same effect as the high-pressure tank protection member 10 according to the present embodiment, that is, the effect that the cycle time of the high-pressure tank protection member is shortened.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various designs can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. Changes can be made.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... High pressure tank, 2... Liner, 2a... Cylinder part, 2b... Dome part, 2c... Cap attachment part, 2d... Through hole, 3, 3A, 4... Cap, 3a... Mounting part, 3b, 3e... Cap body part, 3c... Flange part, 3d... Valve connection hole, 5... Reinforcement layer, 10, 10A... For high pressure tank Protective member, 11, 11A... Body part, 12, 12A... Elastic part, 21, 21A... Curved part, 22, 22A... Cone part, 22a... Concave part, 23... Insert part, 31, 41... Base end part, 32, 42... Inclined part, 33, 43... Contact part, 34, 44... Bent part, 41a... Insert part, 51 ...C ring, 52...groove

Claims (1)

A high-pressure tank protection member that is attached to a high-pressure tank having a liner and a cap,
It has an elastic part with spring properties,
A protection member for a high-pressure tank, wherein the elastic portion is fixed to the liner and the cap by an elastic force generated starting from the cap.

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