Deformation inhibiting device for fuel tank, and fuel tank device incorporating the deformation inhibiting device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fuel tank device comprising:
- a fuel tank including a top wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an opening formed in the top wall portion; and
a deformation inhibiting device configured to be disposed within the fuel tank, wherein the deformation inhibiting device comprises a plurality of strut members;
wherein each strut member includes a bottom support portion and a top support portion configured to support the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion, respectively, of the fuel tank when the strut member is positioned within the fuel tank;
wherein the deformation inhibiting device is configured to transition between a first state for arrangement within the fuel tank and a second state for insertion into the fuel tank via the opening;
wherein when the deformation inhibiting device is in the first state, the top support portions of the plurality of strut members extend to a first diameter that is larger than a diameter of the opening of the fuel tank; and
wherein when the deformation inhibiting device is in the second state, the top support portions of the plurality of strut members extend to a second diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the opening of the fuel tank.
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Abstract
A deformation inhibiting device for inhibiting deformation of a fuel tank includes a strut member. The strut member includes a bottom support portion and a top support portion configured to support a bottom wall portion and a top wall portion, respectively, of the fuel tank when the strut member is disposed within the fuel tank. The strut member is deformable or movable between an arrangement state for arrangement within the fuel tank and an insertion enabled state configured to be inserted into the fuel tank via the opening.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A fuel tank device comprising:
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a fuel tank including a top wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an opening formed in the top wall portion; and a deformation inhibiting device configured to be disposed within the fuel tank, wherein the deformation inhibiting device comprises a plurality of strut members; wherein each strut member includes a bottom support portion and a top support portion configured to support the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion, respectively, of the fuel tank when the strut member is positioned within the fuel tank; wherein the deformation inhibiting device is configured to transition between a first state for arrangement within the fuel tank and a second state for insertion into the fuel tank via the opening; wherein when the deformation inhibiting device is in the first state, the top support portions of the plurality of strut members extend to a first diameter that is larger than a diameter of the opening of the fuel tank; and wherein when the deformation inhibiting device is in the second state, the top support portions of the plurality of strut members extend to a second diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the opening of the fuel tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fuel tank device comprising:
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a fuel tank having a top wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an opening formed in the top wall portion; a cover member configured to cover the opening of the fuel tank; and a deformation inhibiting device including a longitudinal axis and configured to inhibit deformation of a fuel tank along the longitudinal axis when the deformation inhibiting device is disposed within the fuel tank, the deformation inhibiting device comprising; a strut member including a bottom support portion and a top support portion configured to support the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion, respectively, of the fuel tank when the deformation inhibiting device is disposed within the fuel tank; wherein the too support portion of the strut member is configured to shift radially inward toward the longitudinal axis for insertion of the deformation inhibiting device into the fuel tank via the opening; and wherein the cover member includes a restricting portion configured to axially overlap with at least a portion of the strut member when the cover member is coupled to the opening to restrict a radially inward shift of the strut member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A deformation inhibiting device for inhibiting deformation of a fuel tank having a top wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and an opening formed in the top wall portion, the deformation inhibiting device comprising:
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a strut device configured to selectively transition between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein; the strut device in the first configuration is configured to be inserted from an outer side of the fuel tank into the fuel tank via the opening; the first configuration is configured to transition to the second configuration after insertion of the strut device into the fuel tank; the strut device in the second configuration within the fuel tank is interposed between the top wall portion and the bottom wall portion of the fuel tank; the strut device comprises a plurality of strut members; the deformation inhibiting device further comprises a joint plate coupling the plurality of strut members to each other; each of the strut members includes a top support portion and a bottom support portion configured to face the top wall portion and the bottom wall portion, respectively, of the fuel tank in a vertical direction when the strut device is inserted into the fuel tank and has the second configuration; the plurality of strut members are joined to each other by the joint plate at the bottom support portions; the joint plate is configured to contact the bottom wall portion of the fuel tank and is sized to be capable of being inserted into the opening of the fuel tank; each of the plurality of strut members is configured to change the position of the top support member relative to the joint plate; the plurality of strut members are elastically deformable to move the top support portions toward and away from each other; in the first configuration, the plurality of strut members are deformed to move the top support portions toward each other; and in the second configuration, the plurality of strut members are released from the elastic deformation.
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Specification