LU102191B1 - vehicle fuel tank - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle fuel tank includes a tank main body, a cartridge tank, a main outlet, an auxiliary outlet, and a fuel return. The deployment tank has a smaller volume than the tank main body and is connected to the tank main body. The auxiliary extraction and the fuel return are connected to the service tank, and the service tank is designed and capable of overflowing into the tank main body.

Description

] Applicant: Ludwig Lindermayer Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle fuel tank and method of fueling a vehicle.

In vehicles with internal combustion engines, additional devices such as heaters, boilers, cooking facilities, (heating) ovens or generators are often installed, which are also supplied from the fuel system of the vehicle engine. The fuel system of the vehicle engine is usually designed in such a way that more fuel is delivered to the vehicle or main engine than it needs. The excess fuel is returned to the vehicle's fuel tank (fuel return). The fuel conveyed to the vehicle engine is usually cleaned by one or more filters before it is burned, so that contamination cannot impair the function of the vehicle engine if the fuel quality is poor.

[0003] The additional devices usually also take the fuel required for operation from the vehicle fuel tank or the fuel line that leads to the vehicle engine. The additional devices often also have filters, which, however, are usually complicated to change and have a low filter capacity. If fuel of inferior quality with e.g. contaminants (solid and/or liquid) gets into the filters of the additional equipment, these quickly become clogged and the additional equipment fails or no longer works reliably. Expensive maintenance and a failure at the wrong time can be the result.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a more reliable fuel supply for additional devices.

This object is solved by the device and the method of the appended 191 independent claims.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle fuel tank includes a tank main body, a cartridge tank, a main outlet, an auxiliary outlet, and a fuel return. The deployment tank has a smaller volume than the tank main body and is connected to the tank main body. The auxiliary take-off and fuel return are connected to the service tank, and the service tank is designed and capable of overflowing into the tank main body. This can have the advantage that additional device(s) connected to the additional extraction removes fuel from the service tank, which is filled via the fuel return with cleaned fuel or fuel of a higher purity than in the main tank body. This protects, for example, the filters of the additional device(s) connected to the additional draw-off or the additional device(s) themselves and increases their availability.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the deployment tank is arranged in or on the tank main body. This can have the advantage that the vehicle fuel tank can be made compact.

[0008] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the service tank has a withdrawal sump and the additional withdrawal ends in the withdrawal sump. The extraction sump can be a depression in the base of the service tank, or a container into which the fuel return and additional extraction flow and which is intended to overflow into the service tank. This can have the advantage that fuel can be drawn more reliably from the service tank, even if the vehicle fuel tank is not level.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the cartridge tank is connected to the tank main body via a check device so that fuel cannot leak from the tank main body into the cartridge tank. This can have the advantage that fuel that has already been cleaned in the service tank can no longer be contaminated by uncleaned fuel from the main body of the tank, e.g.

LU SI when filling the tank main body or sloshing. The non-return device "9" can be realized by flap devices, membrane devices or other non-return devices known in the prior art.

[0010] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the service tank tapers to a lower end and the supplemental extraction is located in this area. This can have the advantage that fuel extraction is more reliable.

[0011] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the main extraction can take place at several points. This can have the advantage that fuel extraction via the main extraction is more reliable if, for example, the main body of the tank is not straight or level. This can be realized, for example, by an at least partially circular extraction or an extraction at several points and is also applicable to the additional extraction.

[0012] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the tank main body has a closable opening in the area of the non-return device. This can have the advantage that the non-return device is accessible.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle fuel tank includes a pump that connects the tank main body and deployment tank and is used for overflow. When the level of the service tank reaches a certain level, the pump pumps at least part of the fuel from the service tank into the tank main body, allowing overflow. This can have the advantage that the deployment tank can be located near the tank main body.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a fuel supply method for a vehicle includes the steps of: drawing fuel from a tank main body or a cartridge tank; Supplying the fuel to at least one consumer;

LU A . . . Co. . 'LU102191 Feeding a fuel return into a deployment tank connected to the tank main body. This can have the advantage that the service tank is filled with cleaned fuel.

[0015] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, in the method for supplying fuel, the at least one consumer comprises an internal combustion engine and at least one additional device. In this case, a return flow of fuel from the internal combustion engine is routed into the service tank and fuel for supplying the additional device is taken from the service tank. This can have the advantage that the additional device is supplied with the cleaned fuel located in the service tank.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, fuel is pumped from the deployment tank into the tank main body upon reaching a certain level. This can have the advantage that the deployment tank and the main tank body can be spatially separated.

[0017] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a fuel return of the accessory device is routed into the service tank. This can have the benefit of directing excess cleaned fuel back into the service tank.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the deployment tank overflows into the tank main body. This can have the advantage that gradually any contaminated fuel in the tank main body is also cleaned.

[0019] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the fuel removed for the additional device from the service tank passes through at least one additional filter before it is fed to the additional device. This can have the advantage that the additional device is further protected.

[0020] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the fuel is taken from a plurality of locations from the tank main body and/or the deployment tank.

LUS ; ; ; .__LU102191 men. This can have the advantage that a fuel supply is ensured regardless of the position.

[0021] The additional device itself can also have a fuel return or an additional return, which can then also be routed into or connected to the service tank or the tank main body.

[0022] The aforementioned advantages and/or features of the invention do not have to be present in all embodiments at the same time, but can be combined with one another as desired to form new embodiments. In particular, the features of the device claims can be incorporated into the method claims and/or combined with them and vice versa. Brief description of the figures

[0023] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, taken together with the accompanying drawings. In the figures is:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present application.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the present application. 1[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of the present application.

[0028] First of all, it should be noted that in the variously described exemplary embodiments, the same parts are provided with the same reference numbers or the same component designations, with the information contained in the entire description

LU S nen disclosures can be transferred mutatis mutandis to the same parts with the same reference numbers or 92191 the same component designations. The position information selected in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., also refers to the figure directly described and shown and these position information are to be transferred to the new position in the event of a change of position. The claimed method is given in connection with the following description of the embodiments.

Detailed description of the embodiments

[0029] Referring initially to Figure 1, there is disclosed a schematic vehicle fuel tank 10 according to a first embodiment. The vehicle fuel tank 10 includes a tank main body 20 and a cartridge tank 30 arranged on the tank main body 20 . A main extraction 40 is provided and suitable for fuel to be able to be extracted from the main tank body 20 . This fuel is then fed to a main engine and typically cleaned by at least one filter (not shown) prior to combustion in the main engine. Furthermore, more fuel is usually delivered to the main engine than it needs, so that a fuel return is necessary in order to return the excess fuel to the vehicle fuel tank 10 .

[0030] This recirculation of the fuel takes place via the return line 60 into the service tank 30. The level 110 of fuel rises here as a result of the continuous return of the fuel removed from the tank main body 20 and cleaned. When the fuel level 110 reaches the overflow 80, the fuel overflows into the tank main body 20, and a fuel level 100 in the tank main body 20 is allowed to rise. An optional check device 85 prevents fuel from entering the deployment tank 30 from the main tank body 20 . This can happen, for example, due to sloshing when the tank is moved or when the tank main body 20 is being filled (filling neck not shown). In the area of the non-return device

A closable opening 90 can optionally be arranged in the device 85 so that the 9219 check device 85 can be serviced.

The fuel from the return line of the main engine, which has been cleaned by the filtering mentioned above, passes through the return line 60 into the service tank 30. If the fuel in the main tank body 20 is contaminated, the degree of purity of the fuel in the service tank 30 that is being filled is therefore higher than in the service tank Main tank body 20. The fuel in the service tank 30 can be supplied to one or more additional devices via an additional extraction point 50.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the present application in which a vehicle fuel tank 10 is similar to the above embodiment. What differs in the embodiment shown is that the service tank 30 includes a taper 120 in which the additional withdrawal 50 ends and no non-return device 85 is provided on the overflow 80 .

[0033] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present application in which a vehicle fuel tank 10 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. Here, the service tank 30 has an extraction sump 70 in which the additional extraction 50 ends. Furthermore, the overflow 80 does not include a non-return device 85 and the main extraction 40 is designed as a multiple extraction 45, so that the fuel can be extracted from the tank main body 20 more safely and independently of the position of the tank main body 20 in space.

Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the present application, in which the use tank 30 is arranged in the tank main body 20 (position and size purely as an example). When the fuel level 110 in the cartridge tank 30 reaches the overflow 80 , the fuel overflows into the tank main body 20 .

The aforementioned advantages and features of the invention do not have to be present in all embodiments at the same time, but can be combined with one another as desired. The exemplary embodiments show possible embodiment variants, it being noted at this point that the invention is not limited to the embodiment variants of the same that are specifically shown, but rather

LU SO various combinations of the individual design variants are also possible with each other 191 and this possibility of variation is within the ability of the person skilled in the art working in this technical field due to the teaching on technical action through the present invention.

The scope of protection is determined by the claims. However, the description and drawings should be used to interpret the claims. Individual features or combinations of features from the different exemplary embodiments shown and described can represent independent inventive solutions. The task on which the independent inventive solutions are based can be found in the description.

LUS reference number list 1108191 10 vehicle fuel tank 20 main tank body 30 service tank 40 main outlet 45 multiple outlet 50 additional outlet 60 recirculation 70 outlet sump 80 overflow 85 non-return device 90 closable opening 100 full level tank main body 110 full level service tank 120 taper

Claims (15)

TO LU102191 Title: Vehicle Fuel Tank Applicant: Ludwig Lindermayer Claims A vehicle fuel tank (10) comprising a tank main body (20), a service tank (30), a main outlet (40), an auxiliary outlet (50) and a fuel return (60), the service tank having a smaller volume than the tank main body and having is connected to the tank main body, and wherein the additional extraction and the fuel return are connected to the service tank, and the service tank is intended and adapted to overflow into the tank main body. 2. Vehicle fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge tank (30) is arranged on or in the tank main body (20). 3. A vehicle fuel tank according to claim 1 or 2, in which the service tank (30) has a bleed sump (70) and the additional bleed ends in the bleed sump. 4. A vehicle fuel tank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cartridge tank (30) is connected to the tank main body (20) via a check device (85) so that liquid cannot leak from the tank main body into the cartridge tank. 5. A vehicle fuel tank according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service tank tapers to a lower end (120) and the supplemental tap (50) is located in that area. 6. Vehicle fuel tank according to one of the preceding claims, in which the main extraction (40) can be extracted from several points (45). 7. Vehicle fuel tank according to one of claims 4 to 6, in which the tank main body (20) has a closable opening (90) in the area of the check device (85). 8. A vehicle fuel tank according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pump connecting the tank main body (20) and deployment tank (30) and used for overflow. 9. A method of fueling a vehicle, comprising the steps of: - drawing fuel from a tank main body (20) or deployment tank (30); - Supplying the fuel to at least one consumer; - Supplying a fuel return to a deployment tank (30) connected to the tank main body (20). 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one consumer comprises an internal combustion engine and at least one additional device, and wherein a fuel return of the internal combustion engine is conducted into the service tank and fuel for supplying the additional device is taken from the service tank. 11. A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10, in which fuel is pumped from the feed tank (30) into the tank main body (20) when a certain level is reached. 12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, in which a fuel return of the additional device is conducted into the service tank (30). 13. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the service tank (30) overflows into the tank main body (20). 14. The method as claimed in one of claims 9 to 13, in which the fuel taken from the feed tank (30) for the additional device passes through at least one additional filter before it is fed to the additional device. . . . . LU102191 15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the fuel is taken from a plurality of locations from the tank main body and/or the deployment tank.