JPH11348839A - Vehicle having roof storing fuel tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To know beforehand hindrance of a cover for fuel tanks carried on the roof of a vehicle if the cover would interfere with a low railroad bridge or the like when the vehicle passes through the railroad bridge. SOLUTION: A bus 1 having a roof 2 carrying thereon fuel tanks 3, includes a fuel tank cover 7 for covering the fuel tanks 3, and a wind deflector 9 provided on the roof 2 of the bus 1 in front of the cover 7, and having a height which is gradually increased from the front part to the rear part thereof, and which is higher, in its rearmost part, than the height of the upper surface of the fuel tank cover 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, CNG buses, fuel cell buses, and the like have been proposed as low-emission vehicles, especially for vehicles such as buses.

In a CNG bus and a fuel cell bus, it is necessary to attach a fuel tank filled with CNG and hydrogen to the bus, respectively. However, in a low-floor bus where an elderly person can easily get on and off, there is no space for installing a fuel tank below the floor. The fuel tank will be installed on the roof of the bus.

[0004] For this reason, an example of a conventionally proposed fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle will be described with reference to a perspective view of FIG. 3 showing a main part thereof. A plurality of cylinder-shaped fuel tanks 3 are mounted horizontally, and the plurality of fuel tanks 3 are collectively covered with a fuel tank cover 4. In order to reduce air resistance, an inclined front portion of the fuel tank cover 4 is provided. The surface is provided.

[0005] Separately, a destination indicator 6 is attached to the upper half of the window 5 at the forefront of the side surface of the bus 1.

[0006]

The fuel tank rooftop type bus shown in FIG. 3 is higher than the general bus by the height of the fuel tank cover 4, so that it passes under a lower guard or the like. When doing so, there is a possibility that the fuel tank cover 4 or the fuel tank 3 may hit the guard, and there is a problem that the ventilation hole cannot be provided on the roof 2.

Further, if the destination indicator 6 is attached to the upper half of the window 5, the upper half of the window 5 will be blocked, and the view cannot be made. There was also a problem that the habitability of the house deteriorated.

The present invention solves such a problem, and when passing under a low guard or the like, when the fuel tank cover interferes with the guard, it is known in advance, and a ventilation device can be installed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle in which a window is not blocked by a destination indicator.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel tank mounted on a roof of a vehicle, a fuel tank cover for covering the fuel tank, and a roof for the vehicle provided in front of the fuel tank cover. A wind deflector provided on the front, wherein the front portion is lower, the rear portion is gradually higher, and the rear portion is higher than the height of the upper surface of the fuel tank cover. If the wind deflector does not touch the guard, the fuel tank cover can pass without hitting the guard, and if the wind deflector touches the guard, stop when the wind deflector does not touch the guard. If the fuel tank is retracted, the fuel tank cover will not hit the guard and be damaged.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle according to the first aspect, wherein a ventilation device for a vehicle cabin is provided in a space between the wind deflector and the vehicle roof. According to this, a ventilation device can be provided by utilizing the space between the wind deflector and the roof of the vehicle, and it becomes possible to perform ventilation in the vehicle cabin.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle according to the first aspect, wherein a destination indicator is provided on a side surface of the wind deflector, and the side surface of the wind deflector is used. Thus, a destination indicator can be provided, and it is not necessary to cover the upper half of the window.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an example of the embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of cylinder-shaped fuel tanks 3 are mounted horizontally from a position slightly closer to the rear from the front to the rear, and the plurality of fuel tanks 3 are collectively covered with a fuel tank cover 7. The front surface of the fuel tank cover 7 is separated from the wind deflector 9 by a partition plate 8.

A wind deflector 9 is provided on the roof 2 in front of the location where the fuel tank cover 7 is provided.
Is attached. The upper surface of the wind deflector 9 is formed in a curved shape in which the front portion is low and the rear portion is gradually higher, and the front portion corresponds to the upper surface of the roof 2, and the rear portion corresponds to the height of the upper surface of the fuel tank cover 7. It is slightly higher than that.

A ventilation device 10 such as a rolling fan is provided in a space between the wind deflector 9 and the upper surface of the roof 2. The ventilation device 10 sucks air outside the vehicle or exhausts air inside the vehicle compartment of the bus 1. By using an exhaust or intake port (not shown) provided at an appropriate position such as a side surface of the wind deflector 9 on the other side, ventilation of the bus 1 into the vehicle compartment can be performed.

A destination indicator 11 is mounted on the front side of the wind deflector 9. Therefore, the frontmost window 12 on the side surface of the bus 1 has the same size as a general window.

The fuel tank roof-mounted bus 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 described above is operated to reach below a lower guard or the like, and the fuel tank cover 7 of the bus 1 safely passes without hitting the guard. If you are not sure whether you can do it, proceed slowly.

Since the rear end of the wind deflector 9 is slightly higher than the height of the upper surface of the fuel tank cover 7, if the fuel tank cover 7 does not contact the guard,
Since the fuel tank cover 7 can safely pass through without being hit by the guard and without being damaged, it proceeds as it is.

If the fuel tank cover 7 comes into contact with the guard, if it stops and retreats, only the wind deflector 9 will be damaged, and the fuel tank cover 7 and the fuel tank 3 will not be damaged. become.

Further, during normal running, the wind deflector 9 can reduce the air resistance of the fuel tank cover 7, and the ventilation device 10 utilizes the space between the wind deflector 9 and the upper surface of the roof 2. Is provided, it is possible to ventilate the interior of the bus 1, particularly the driver's seat, and improve the appearance of the vehicle.

Further, since the destination indicator 11 is provided using the side surface of the wind deflector 9, the window 12 on the side surface of the bus 1 can be structured without the destination indicator 11.

[0022]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the wind deflector reduces the air resistance of the fuel tank cover and passes under a low guard or the like, it can be determined whether or not the wind deflector can pass through the fuel tank cover. There is an effect that safety can be maintained without damaging the cover and the fuel tank.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to ventilate the interior of the vehicle, and the appearance of the vehicle is improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the destination indicator is provided using the side surface of the wind deflector, so that the window on the side of the vehicle can be structured without the destination indicator.
It has the effect of increasing the productivity by securing the view and improving the livability, eliminating the need to change the window structure to other windows.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of an example of a conventional fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bus (vehicle) 2 Roof 3 Fuel tank 7 Fuel tank cover 9 Wind deflector 10 Ventilation device 11 Destination indicator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A fuel tank mounted on a roof of a vehicle, a fuel tank cover covering the fuel tank, and provided on the roof of the vehicle in front of the fuel tank cover, with a lower front portion and a lower rear portion. A wind deflector having a height and a rear end higher than the height of the upper surface of the fuel tank cover. 2. The fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a ventilation device for a vehicle cabin is provided in a space between the wind deflector and the vehicle roof. 3. The fuel tank roof-mounted vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a destination indicator is provided on a side surface of the wind deflector.