JP3415113B2 - Baffle plate for vehicle fuel tank - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a baffle plate of a vehicular fuel tank for partitioning a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle into a plurality of small chambers. 2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4, a fuel tank 1 mounted on a vehicle includes a tank body 2 in which a pair of end plates 2b are sealed at both ends of a cylindrical portion 2a. A baffle plate 3 that partitions the inside of the main body 2 into a plurality of small chambers is provided. The baffle plate 3 protects a float such as a fuel gauge (not shown) installed in the tank main body 2 by preventing a rapid flow of fuel due to sudden start, sudden braking or sudden turning during running of the vehicle. It is used to reduce the flow noise of the fuel in the tank body 2. The baffle plate 3 is made by drawing a steel plate with the same mold as the end plate 2b, and prevents a sudden flow of fuel. Therefore, the baffle plate 3 has a predetermined shape capable of resisting the impact of the flowing fuel. Rigidity is required, and in order to ensure the rigidity, the concave portion 3d for reinforcement is formed by additional processing after drawing. Further, the baffle plate 3 is formed with a hole 3a communicating with a plurality of small chambers and a cutout 3b, so that fuel stored between the plurality of small chambers can move between the small chambers. On the other hand, a flange 3c is formed on the peripheral edge of the baffle plate 3 so as to be in close contact with the inner wall of the tank body 2, and the baffle plate 3 is spot-welded to a predetermined position of the tank body 2 so that the baffle plate 3 Is fixed at the position. However, in the conventional baffle plate 3, a notch 3b communicating with a plurality of small chambers is formed by cutting a part of a peripheral edge together with a part of a flange 3c. Therefore, the portion where the flange 3c is notched is not welded to the tank body 2, and there is a problem that the joining strength at that portion is reduced. Further, since the reinforcing recess 3d is formed separately and independently of the flange 3c, the flat plate portion existing between the flange 3c and the reinforcing recess 3d is bent by the flow impact of the fuel, and the rapid flow of the fuel is effectively prevented. There was also a problem that could not be prevented.
In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to increase the thickness of the baffle plate 3 to reinforce the notched portion of the flange 3a from the periphery and to suppress the deflection in the flat plate portion. There is a problem that the weight of the fuel tank 1 is increased only by causing the fuel tank 1 to increase the unit price of the fuel tank 1. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a baffle plate for a fuel tank for a vehicle which can reduce the thickness thereof while securing necessary rigidity. [0004] The invention according to claim 1 is:
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a baffle plate 16, which partitions the inside of the tank body 14 into a plurality of small chambers 15, 15, 15 in which a pair of end plates 14 b, 14 b are sealed at both ends of the cylindrical portion 14 a. 16 and the cylindrical portion 14
This is an improvement of a baffle plate of a fuel tank for a vehicle having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of a, a flange 16a welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 14a, and a recess 16b for reinforcement. The characteristic configuration is that the flange 16a is formed on the entire periphery and the concave groove 1 communicating the plurality of small chambers 15, 15, 15 is formed.
6c is formed on the flange 16a following the reinforcing recess 16b. In the baffle plate according to the first aspect, since fuel flows through the concave groove 16c, a part of the flange is not cut off by the notch formed in the prior art, and the cylinder which has been cut off in the conventional case is also used. Spot welding with the portion 14a becomes possible, and the joining strength with the tank body 2 at that portion is improved. Further, a groove 1 through which fuel flows.
6c is continuous with the reinforcing recess 16b, so that the flange 1
6a and the reinforcing recess 16b are reinforced by the concave groove 16c, so that the baffle plate 1 including the flange 16a is formed.
6 The overall strength is improved. Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 2, a fuel tank 1 is mounted on a chassis frame 11 of a truck 10 which is a vehicle.
2 is attached by a pair of attachment bands 13 and 13.
The fuel tank 12 includes a tank body 14 for storing fuel, and a baffle plate 16 for dividing the inside of the tank body 14 into a plurality of small chambers 15. As shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a tubular portion 14a formed in a square tubular shape, and the tubular portion 14a
2 to close the openings at both ends and seal the inside of the cylindrical portion 14a.
And an end plate 14b (only one is shown in the figure). In this example, the number of the baffle plates 16 is two.
4 is partitioned into three small chambers 15 (FIG. 2). The end plate 14b is formed by drawing a steel plate together with a reinforcing projection 14c and a first flange 14d all around its periphery.
4a is formed toward and corresponding to both ends of the opening 4a. On the other hand, the baffle plate 16 has a second surface having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 14a on the entire peripheral edge thereof.
The flange 16a is formed by drawing a steel plate. As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of baffle plates 16 is a pair of mounting bands 1 for fixing to the vehicle 10.
3, 13 (FIG. 2) are inserted into the cylindrical portion 14a with an interval corresponding to the mounting position, and the second flange 16a is spot-welded to the cylindrical portion 14a and fixed. Second flange 1
6a is a mounting position of the pair of mounting bands 13 and 13 so that the portion is welded to the baffle plate 1.
6 to prevent the fuel tank 12 from being deformed when the mounting bands 13 are fastened. In addition,
A supply pipe 17 for supplying fuel into the tank and a discharge pipe (not shown) for supplying fuel to the engine are separately provided in the cylindrical portion 14a, and the fuel tank 12 is completed. As shown in FIG. 1, the baffle plate 16
When a steel plate is drawn, a reinforcing recess 16b is formed in the center along with the second flange 16a. Further, a plurality of grooves 16 communicating the plurality of small chambers 15 during the processing.
c is formed on the flange 16a following the reinforcing recess 16b. In this embodiment, four grooves 16c are provided on the flange 16a at the lower edge, and
a and three on each side flange 16a.
The book is formed. The air in the tank body 14 flows through the three concave grooves 16c formed on the flange 16a at the upper edge, and the fuel within the tank body 14 flows through the four concave grooves 16c formed on the flange 16a at the lower edge. Are now available. The two grooves 16c formed on the flanges 16a on both side edges respectively have the grooves 16c.
When the liquid level of the fuel is lower than c, the air in the tank body 14 flows, and when the liquid level of the fuel is higher than the concave groove 16c, the fuel in the tank body 14 flows and flows into each small chamber 15. It is configured such that the stored fuel has an even liquid level. The baffle plate 16 allows the fuel tank 1
2 can suppress the flow of fuel in the tank body 14 due to sudden start, sudden braking, or sudden turning during traveling. The baffle plate 1 configured as described above
In 6, since the fuel flows through the concave groove 16c, a part of the flange is not cut off by the notch formed conventionally, and spot welding with the cylindrical portion 14a can be performed also on the part which was notched conventionally, The joint strength with the tank body 14 at that portion can be improved. Further, since the groove 16c through which the fuel flows is continuous with the reinforcing recess 16b, the groove 1c is formed between the flange 16a and the reinforcing recess 16b.
As a result, the strength of the entire baffle plate 16 including the flange 16a is improved. For this reason, in the baffle plate 16 of the present invention, the same strength as the conventional baffle plate in which the concave groove 16c is not formed can be ensured even if the plate thickness is reduced, and the fuel tank can be reduced if the plate thickness is reduced. 12 can be reduced in weight as compared with the related art. In the above-described embodiment, the baffle plate 16 to be inserted into the tank body 14 formed in the shape of a rectangular tube has been described.
As shown in the figure, the fuel tank may be used for a so-called dar-shaped fuel tank in which each side is curved with a predetermined diameter. Further, in the above-described embodiment, although the hole for communicating the small chamber formed conventionally is not particularly provided, the concave groove 16 is not provided.
If the amount of fuel flow is insufficient with only c, a hole for fuel flow may be separately formed in the baffle plate. As described above, according to the present invention, the flange is formed on the entire periphery and the groove communicating with the plurality of small chambers is formed on the flange, so that the fuel flows through the groove. So
A part of the flange is not cut off by the notch that was formed conventionally, spot welding with the cylindrical part is possible even at the part that was notched conventionally, and the joint strength with the tank body at that part is improved In addition, since the groove through which the fuel flows is made continuous with the reinforcing recess, the space between the flange and the reinforcing recess is reinforced by the groove, so that the strength of the entire baffle plate including the flange can be improved. . As a result, in the baffle plate of the present invention, the same strength as that of the conventional baffle plate that does not form a concave groove can be secured even if the plate thickness is reduced compared to the conventional one. The weight can be reduced more than before.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the relationship between an end plate, a tubular portion, and a baffle plate according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle equipped with the fuel tank. FIG. 3 is a plan view of another baffle plate of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1 including a conventional baffle plate. [Description of Signs] 12 Fuel tank 14 Tank body 14a Cylindrical portion 14b End plate 15 Small chamber 16 Baffle plate 16a Flange 16b Reinforcement concave portion 16c Groove

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] A plurality of small chambers (15) are formed in a tank body (14) in which a pair of end plates (14b, 14b) are sealed at both ends of a cylindrical portion (14a). Baffle plate (16,1)
6), wherein a flange (16) having an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (14a) on the periphery thereof is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (14a).
a) and a baffle plate of a vehicle fuel tank in which a reinforcing recess (16b) is formed, wherein the flange (16a) is formed on the entire periphery and communicates with the plurality of small chambers (15, 15, 15). A baffle plate for a vehicular fuel tank, wherein a concave groove (16c) is formed in the flange (16a) so as to be continuous with the reinforcing concave portion (16b).