US20020030358A1 - Fuel tank for automobile - Google Patents
Fuel tank for automobile Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020030358A1 US20020030358A1 US09/770,130 US77013001A US2002030358A1 US 20020030358 A1 US20020030358 A1 US 20020030358A1 US 77013001 A US77013001 A US 77013001A US 2002030358 A1 US2002030358 A1 US 2002030358A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- aperture
- flange
- tank
- flanges
- fluid
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
- B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
- B60K15/063—Arrangement of tanks
- B60K15/067—Mounting of tanks
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
- B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
Definitions
- the invention relates to a fluid tank mounting assembly for a motor vehicle, and in particular to an improved assembly wherein the tank is directly and securely attached to the vehicle body without the need for intermediate brackets, while simultaneously ensuring an excellent seal between two halves of the tank.
- a metal fluid tank for a motor vehicle such as a fuel tank, is commonly comprised of two shells or halves that are joined together at a flange in a fluid-tight manner.
- the top half may be directly welded to the vehicle body at several sheet metal tabs.
- this type of attachment has various disadvantages.
- the sheet-metal tabs can bend or tear way, and their welded connection to the container is subject to corrosion.
- the flange has apertures for inserting screw bolts there through.
- Brackets or mounting members are attached to the floor panel of the vehicle, and are formed with through-apertures at positions aligned with the apertures of the flange, with nuts secured in alignment with the through-apertures. Bolts are subsequently threaded into the nuts, whereby the tank is fixedly mounted, in a suspended manner, onto the mounting members.
- This approach involves the welding of additional parts, namely the mounting members, which increases the manufacturing cost.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid tank mounting assembly for a motor vehicle, which achieves direct attachment of the tank to the vehicle body while simultaneously ensuring an adequate seal between the two tank halves.
- a fluid tank assembly comprises a first tank half having an upper edge flange with an expanded section or ledge extending outwards, with the ledge having an aperture.
- a second mating tank half similarly has a lower edge flange and extending ledge with an aperture that is smaller in diameter than the upper aperture.
- the extending ledge of the lower edge flange has a raised edge or lip surrounding the second aperture so as to form an annular groove between the lip and the inner edge of the upper aperture when the surfaces of the mating flanges and ledges are in contact and the apertures are coaxial.
- the two flange and ledge surfaces are normally welded or otherwise secured together.
- a sealing member is disposed in the annular groove so that a fluid seal is created between the flanges about the annular groove. This sealing connection overcomes a sealing problem in the bolt region that would otherwise typically be present in this region, and therefore extends the service life of the fluid tank.
- Means of combining the joining of two tank halves with the attachment of the tank flange to the vehicle body frame can also be achieved by inserting a bolt through the flange apertures and into a corresponding aperture in the vehicle body.
- An elastic piece is placed between the edge flanges and the body of the vehicle, in order to protect the weld seam at the flange edges.
- the elastic piece may also serve as a vibration isolator. such that an annular groove or gap 12 is formed between the lip 11 and the inner edge of the upper aperture 7 .
- the cross-section of the annular groove 12 has the shape of a quarter circle as seen in cross-section (FIG. 2). It should be appreciated that while the apertures 7 , 8 are shown as having a circular shape, they be of any suitable shape.
- a sealing member or filler material is disposed in the annular groove 12 so that a fluid seal is created between the flanges 1 , 2 about the annular groove 12 .
- the filler material may underfill or overfill the annular groove 12 provided that an adequate seal about the groove is provided.
- the filler material is in the form of a binding material such as weld stock, solder or a suitable adhesive.
- the filler material may be a resilient 0 ring seal or the like, which is sandwiched between the lip 11 and the inner edge of the upper aperture 7 or otherwise suitably held in place in a sealing condition.
- the tank is mounted to the vehicle body 17 preferably by a threaded connecting bolt 14 that has a head 15 in which the tank rests.
- the bolt 14 is screwed into a threaded aperture 16 in a part 17 of the body of the vehicle.
- a nut (not shown) may replace the threaded aperture 16 .
- a rivet or other suitable type fastener may replace the bolt 14 .
- the bolt 14 or suitable fastener passes through a bearing washer 18 located on the exposed side of the lower flange 4 for uniformly distributing the stress that occurs when the bolt 14 is tightly clamped.
- a spacer 20 is provided between the ledge 5 of the upper edge flange 3 and the vehicle body part 17 .
- the spacer 20 has an inner aperture 21 through which the bolt 14 passes.
- the spacer 20 is designed to cover the filler material in the annular groove 12 and protect it from damage.
- the spacer 20 is formed of a resilient material so that the spacer 20 will conform to the shape of the filler material. It should also be appreciated that the spacer 20 may act as a cap for sealably retaining an O-ring seal used as the filler material.
- the material and thickness of the spacer 20 can be adjusted to structural and mechanical requirements.
- the spacer 20 may also serve to dampen vibrations encountered during driving on rough terrain. If employed as a dampener, the spacer 20 should preferably have portions passing through the flanges 3 , 4 and the vehicle part 17 in order to better isolate the tank from the vehicle.
- the elastic piece 20 has a hook 22 that extends over the edge seam 10 , to protect the seam 10 from damage.
- the hook 22 also permits the elastic piece to be placed on and retained to the tank before mounting the tank to the vehicle.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The invention relates to a fluid tank mounting assembly for a motor vehicle, and in particular to an improved assembly wherein the tank is directly and securely attached to the vehicle body without the need for intermediate brackets, while simultaneously ensuring an excellent seal between two halves of the tank.
- A metal fluid tank for a motor vehicle, such as a fuel tank, is commonly comprised of two shells or halves that are joined together at a flange in a fluid-tight manner. The top half may be directly welded to the vehicle body at several sheet metal tabs. Unfortunately, this type of attachment has various disadvantages. For example, the sheet-metal tabs can bend or tear way, and their welded connection to the container is subject to corrosion.
- A different approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,373. In this disclosure, the flange has apertures for inserting screw bolts there through. Brackets or mounting members are attached to the floor panel of the vehicle, and are formed with through-apertures at positions aligned with the apertures of the flange, with nuts secured in alignment with the through-apertures. Bolts are subsequently threaded into the nuts, whereby the tank is fixedly mounted, in a suspended manner, onto the mounting members. This approach involves the welding of additional parts, namely the mounting members, which increases the manufacturing cost.
- A simpler approach, involving the direct attachment of the tank flange to the vehicle body with a bolt, has been tried unsuccessfully. In practice, the seal between the two tank halves deteriorates over time at the aperture in the flange, in part due to the large distance from the edge seam to the apertures of the tank halves. In the case that the tank is a fuel tank, this sealing deterioration around the bolt aperture leads to undesirable fuel leakage or fuel vapor emissions, which is also unacceptable in light of more stringent government emission regulations.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid tank mounting assembly for a motor vehicle, which achieves direct attachment of the tank to the vehicle body while simultaneously ensuring an adequate seal between the two tank halves.
- Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
- A fluid tank assembly comprises a first tank half having an upper edge flange with an expanded section or ledge extending outwards, with the ledge having an aperture. A second mating tank half similarly has a lower edge flange and extending ledge with an aperture that is smaller in diameter than the upper aperture. The extending ledge of the lower edge flange has a raised edge or lip surrounding the second aperture so as to form an annular groove between the lip and the inner edge of the upper aperture when the surfaces of the mating flanges and ledges are in contact and the apertures are coaxial. The two flange and ledge surfaces are normally welded or otherwise secured together. A sealing member is disposed in the annular groove so that a fluid seal is created between the flanges about the annular groove. This sealing connection overcomes a sealing problem in the bolt region that would otherwise typically be present in this region, and therefore extends the service life of the fluid tank.
- Means of combining the joining of two tank halves with the attachment of the tank flange to the vehicle body frame can also be achieved by inserting a bolt through the flange apertures and into a corresponding aperture in the vehicle body. An elastic piece is placed between the edge flanges and the body of the vehicle, in order to protect the weld seam at the flange edges. The elastic piece may also serve as a vibration isolator. such that an annular groove or
gap 12 is formed between thelip 11 and the inner edge of theupper aperture 7. The cross-section of theannular groove 12 has the shape of a quarter circle as seen in cross-section (FIG. 2). It should be appreciated that while theapertures - A sealing member or filler material is disposed in the
annular groove 12 so that a fluid seal is created between theflanges annular groove 12. The filler material may underfill or overfill theannular groove 12 provided that an adequate seal about the groove is provided. Preferably, the filler material is in the form of a binding material such as weld stock, solder or a suitable adhesive. Alternatively, the filler material may be a resilient 0ring seal or the like, which is sandwiched between thelip 11 and the inner edge of theupper aperture 7 or otherwise suitably held in place in a sealing condition. - The tank is mounted to the
vehicle body 17 preferably by a threaded connectingbolt 14 that has ahead 15 in which the tank rests. Thebolt 14 is screwed into a threadedaperture 16 in apart 17 of the body of the vehicle. Alternatively, a nut (not shown) may replace the threadedaperture 16. Also, a rivet or other suitable type fastener may replace thebolt 14. Preferably, thebolt 14 or suitable fastener passes through abearing washer 18 located on the exposed side of thelower flange 4 for uniformly distributing the stress that occurs when thebolt 14 is tightly clamped. - A
spacer 20 is provided between theledge 5 of theupper edge flange 3 and thevehicle body part 17. Thespacer 20 has aninner aperture 21 through which thebolt 14 passes. Thespacer 20 is designed to cover the filler material in theannular groove 12 and protect it from damage. For example, if theannular groove 12 is otherwise left unprotected, salt spray or other corrosive materials encountered during normal driving may cause corrosion damage to the seal formed by the filler material in theannular groove 20. Preferable, thespacer 20 is formed of a resilient material so that thespacer 20 will conform to the shape of the filler material. It should also be appreciated that thespacer 20 may act as a cap for sealably retaining an O-ring seal used as the filler material. The material and thickness of thespacer 20 can be adjusted to structural and mechanical requirements. Thespacer 20 may also serve to dampen vibrations encountered during driving on rough terrain. If employed as a dampener, thespacer 20 should preferably have portions passing through theflanges vehicle part 17 in order to better isolate the tank from the vehicle. - In another embodiment, the
elastic piece 20 has ahook 22 that extends over theedge seam 10, to protect theseam 10 from damage. Thehook 22 also permits the elastic piece to be placed on and retained to the tank before mounting the tank to the vehicle.
Claims (11)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
ATGM50/2000 | 2000-01-26 | ||
AT50/2000U | 2000-01-26 | ||
AT0005000U AT4282U1 (en) | 2000-01-26 | 2000-01-26 | FUEL TANK FOR MOTOR VEHICLES |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20020030358A1 true US20020030358A1 (en) | 2002-03-14 |
US6435557B1 US6435557B1 (en) | 2002-08-20 |
Family
ID=3480182
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/770,130 Expired - Fee Related US6435557B1 (en) | 2000-01-26 | 2001-01-26 | Fuel tank for automobile |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US6435557B1 (en) |
AT (1) | AT4282U1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2332278A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE10101738B4 (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN103998274A (en) * | 2012-01-05 | 2014-08-20 | 考特克斯·特克斯罗恩有限公司及两合公司 | Fluid container for a motor vehicle |
US20160327174A1 (en) * | 2015-05-05 | 2016-11-10 | Audi Ag | Solenoid valve device for a motor vehicle |
CN110228771A (en) * | 2018-03-05 | 2019-09-13 | 永恒力股份公司 | Vehicle with hydraulic fluid tank |
JPWO2020251001A1 (en) * | 2019-06-12 | 2020-12-17 | ||
US20220281314A1 (en) * | 2019-11-22 | 2022-09-08 | Fnss Savunma Sistemleri A.S. | New-generation fuel tank connection |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2879122B1 (en) | 2004-12-15 | 2008-10-03 | Inergy Automotive Systems Res | PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAVING IMPROVED FLOWING RESISTANCE |
US8672983B2 (en) * | 2006-09-18 | 2014-03-18 | Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. | Orthopedic plate system |
US20080142524A1 (en) * | 2006-12-13 | 2008-06-19 | International Truck Intellectual Property Company, Llc | Bracketless windshield washer tank mounting |
JP6381191B2 (en) * | 2013-09-11 | 2018-08-29 | 三菱重工業株式会社 | Dam for fuel tank |
JP2017019470A (en) * | 2015-07-15 | 2017-01-26 | キャタピラー エス エー アール エル | Synthetic resin tank |
DE102017222250B4 (en) * | 2017-12-08 | 2023-09-21 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Fuel tank for a motor vehicle, in particular for a motorcycle, and method for producing a fuel tank |
Family Cites Families (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2439306A (en) * | 1944-10-02 | 1948-04-06 | Clarence D Laidley | Gasket |
US2566777A (en) * | 1948-05-15 | 1951-09-04 | Schmidt Thur | Tank seam |
US3661046A (en) * | 1970-11-09 | 1972-05-09 | Illinois Tool Works | Combination screw |
US4131980A (en) * | 1977-09-07 | 1979-01-02 | Zinnbauer Frederick W | Method of making a tank |
JPS57191130A (en) | 1981-05-22 | 1982-11-24 | Nissan Motor Co Ltd | Mounting construction of fuel tank for vehicle |
FR2514728B1 (en) * | 1981-10-16 | 1985-10-04 | Peugeot | DEVICE FOR FIXING A TANK ON A CARRIER STRUCTURE |
DE3423954C1 (en) * | 1984-06-29 | 1986-01-02 | Daimler-Benz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart | Fuel tank arrangement in the rear area of a motor vehicle |
IT8553491V0 (en) * | 1985-06-11 | 1985-06-11 | Italiana Serrature Torino | FUEL TANK FOR VEHICLES IN PLASTIC MATERIAL |
JPS6318327U (en) | 1986-07-21 | 1988-02-06 | ||
DE4209959A1 (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 1993-09-30 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag | Use of a gas and liquid-tight welding process |
US5405167A (en) * | 1994-01-21 | 1995-04-11 | Hyundai Motor Company | Combined subframe and fuel tank for use in automobiles |
DE19740471C1 (en) * | 1997-09-15 | 1999-02-25 | Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag | Modular motor vehicle fuel tank |
DE19810934C2 (en) | 1998-03-13 | 2001-04-26 | Daimler Chrysler Ag | Device for fastening a fuel tank |
FR2785576B1 (en) | 1998-11-05 | 2001-01-26 | Peugeot | DEVICE FOR FIXING A FUEL TANK OF A MOTOR VEHICLE |
-
2000
- 2000-01-26 AT AT0005000U patent/AT4282U1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2001
- 2001-01-16 DE DE10101738A patent/DE10101738B4/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-01-26 CA CA002332278A patent/CA2332278A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-01-26 US US09/770,130 patent/US6435557B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN103998274A (en) * | 2012-01-05 | 2014-08-20 | 考特克斯·特克斯罗恩有限公司及两合公司 | Fluid container for a motor vehicle |
US20150144642A1 (en) * | 2012-01-05 | 2015-05-28 | Kautex Textron Gmbh & Co. Kg | Fluid container for a motor vehicle |
US9975422B2 (en) * | 2012-01-05 | 2018-05-22 | Kautex Textron Gmbh & Co. Kg | Fluid container for a motor vehicle |
US20160327174A1 (en) * | 2015-05-05 | 2016-11-10 | Audi Ag | Solenoid valve device for a motor vehicle |
US10451191B2 (en) * | 2015-05-05 | 2019-10-22 | Audi Ag | Solenoid valve device for a motor vehicle |
CN110228771A (en) * | 2018-03-05 | 2019-09-13 | 永恒力股份公司 | Vehicle with hydraulic fluid tank |
JPWO2020251001A1 (en) * | 2019-06-12 | 2020-12-17 | ||
WO2020251001A1 (en) * | 2019-06-12 | 2020-12-17 | 日本製鉄株式会社 | Fuel tank |
JP7307367B2 (en) | 2019-06-12 | 2023-07-12 | 日本製鉄株式会社 | fuel tank |
US20220281314A1 (en) * | 2019-11-22 | 2022-09-08 | Fnss Savunma Sistemleri A.S. | New-generation fuel tank connection |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE10101738A1 (en) | 2001-09-27 |
DE10101738B4 (en) | 2010-05-12 |
AT4282U1 (en) | 2001-05-25 |
CA2332278A1 (en) | 2001-07-26 |
US6435557B1 (en) | 2002-08-20 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TESMA MOTOREN UN GETRIEBETECHNIK GES. M.B.H., AUST Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PALVOELGYI, SANDOR;REEL/FRAME:011643/0793 Effective date: 20010125 |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20140820 |