Trunk mounted fuel tank assembly

• US 20040160052A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Rich, Gregory E., Marsala, Vincent J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,886,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/834
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/01 Arrangement of fuel conduits chassis frame forming fluid conduit means B62D21/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/067 Mounting of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0638 the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle

Abstract

A trunk mounted fuel tank assembly comprising a cradle, a fuel tank, and at least one retention strap is disclosed. The cradle includes a back portion and bottom portion with a fuel feed passage that is placed over a surface of a trunk. The fuel tank includes a fuel line that is placed about the back portion and bottom portion of the cradle. The fuel line extends through the fuel feed passage and a passage in the surface of the trunk. The at least one retention strap includes a first leg and a second leg that is placed over a top portion of the fuel tank for retaining the fuel tank to the cradle.

Claims

1. A trunk mounted fuel tank assembly, comprising:

a cradle including a back portion and bottom a portion, wherein the bottom portion includes a fuel feed passage that is placed over a passage in the surface of a trunk;

a fuel tank including a fuel line, wherein the fuel line extends through the fuel feed passage and the passage in the surface of the trunk; and

at least one retention strap including a first leg and a second leg, wherein said second leg engages a top portion of the fuel tank for retaining the fuel tank to the cradle.

2. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the cradle includes a first flange that extends from the back portion that permits fastening of the cradle to the surface of the trunk by a first fastener, wherein the cradle includes a second flange that extends from the bottom portion of the cradle and includes a second fastener passage.

3. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 2, wherein the second leg is connected to the back portion of the cradle, wherein the first leg includes a first fastener passage that permits a second fastener to extend through the first and second fastener passages that connect the at least one retention strap to the cradle and surface of the trunk.

4. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and second fasteners are bolts.

5. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the second leg includes a t-section that matingly cooperates with a second leg reception passage located on the back portion of the cradle.

6. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 5, wherein the t-section includes a head portion and a neck portion that cooperates with a mouth portion and a throat portion of the second leg reception passage, respectively, wherein the neck portion and the throat portion have a smaller width than the head portion and the mouth portion.

7. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 2, wherein the first flange includes a key passage and an integral wedge portion.

8. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 7, wherein the first fastener is a welded stud including a key portion and a wedge-receiving portion that extends from the surface of the trunk matingly extends through the key passage during a blind installation of the cradle, wherein the wedge-receiving portion guides the stud about a channel of the key passage that extends through the wedge portion.

9. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank includes an enclosure that encapsulates an outer surface of the fuel tank, wherein the enclosure terminates near a fuel line interface, wherein the fuel line interface extends through the surface of the trunk and out to the underbody of the vehicle.

10. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein the enclosure comprises a blow-molded high-density polyethylene that conforms to the outer surface of the fuel tank.

11. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein the fuel line interface includes at least a pump within the fuel tank, a sealant, and a fuel line.

12. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 11, wherein the sealant is intermediately located between the enclosure and the bottom portion about the fuel feed passage, wherein the sealant comprises rubber.

13. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein the fuel line interface includes an integral forward flow check valve, wherein the fuel line and a quick connect supply line are intermediately connected by the forward flow check valve arrangement that comprises a body with sealing threads, a threaded weld nut, and fuel line connections, wherein the forward flow check valve arrangement pierces the outer surface of the fuel tank and may be sealed by a weld about a bottom perimeter of the threaded weld nut.

14. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 13, wherein the weld nut is located over a recessed boss that elevates the outer surface of the fuel tank about the forward flow check valve arrangement at a height.

15. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the cradle and at least one retention strap comprise stamped steel.

16. A trunk mounted fuel tank assembly, comprising:

a cradle including a back portion and a bottom portion with a fuel feed passage that is placed over a surface of a trunk, wherein the cradle includes a first flange including a key passage and an integral wedge portion that extends from the back portion of the cradle and permits fastening of the cradle to the surface of the trunk by a welded stud including a key portion and a wedge-receiving portion that extends from the surface of the trunk, wherein the wedge-receiving portion guides the stud about a channel of the key passage that extends through the wedge portion, wherein the cradle includes a second flange that extends from the bottom portion of the cradle and includes a first fastener passage;

a fuel tank including a fuel line that is placed about the back portion and bottom portion of the cradle, wherein the fuel line extends through the fuel feed passage and a passage in the surface of the trunk, wherein the fuel tank includes an enclosure comprising a blow-molded high-density polyethylene that conforms to and encapsulates an outer surface of the fuel tank, wherein the enclosure terminates near a fuel line interface that extends through the surface of the trunk and out to the underbody of the vehicle; and

at least one retention strap including a first leg and a second leg that is placed over a top portion of the fuel tank for retaining the fuel tank to the cradle, wherein the second leg is connected to the back portion of the cradle, wherein the first leg includes a second fastener passage that permits a bolt to extend through the first and second fastener passage that connects the at least one retention strap to the cradle and surface of the trunk, wherein the cradle and at least one retention strap comprises stamped steel.

17. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 16, wherein the second leg includes a t-section that matingly cooperates with a second leg reception passage located on the back portion, wherein the t-section includes a head portion and a neck portion that cooperates with a mouth portion and throat portion of the second leg reception passage, respectively, wherein the neck portion and the throat portion have a smaller width than the head portion and the mouth portion.

18. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 16, wherein the fuel line interface includes at least a pump within the fuel tank, a sealant, and a fuel line, wherein the sealant is intermediately located between the enclosure and the bottom portion about the fuel feed passage, wherein the sealant comprises rubber.

19. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 16, wherein the fuel line interface includes an integral forward flow check valve arrangement, wherein the fuel line and a quick connect supply line are intermediately connected by the forward flow check valve arrangement that comprises

a body with sealing threads,

a threaded weld nut, and

fuel line connections, wherein the forward flow check valve arrangement pierces the outer surface of the fuel tank and may be sealed by a weld about a bottom perimeter of the threaded weld nut, wherein the weld nut is located over a recessed boss that elevates the outer surface of the fuel tank about the forward flow check valve arrangement at a height.

20. A trunk mounted fuel tank assembly, comprising:

means for maintaining a fuel tank;

mean for retaining the fuel tank;

blind installation means;

fuel tank rigidifying and liquid loss drainage means; and

fuel line protection means.

21. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 20, wherein the means for maintaining a fuel tank is a cradle comprising stamped steel.

22. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 20, wherein the means for retaining the fuel tank is at least one retention strap comprising stamped steel.

23. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 21, wherein the blind installation means is a flange including a key passage and an integral wedge portion that extends from a back portion of the cradle.

24. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 20, wherein the fuel tank rigidifying and liquid loss drainage means is an enclosure that encapsulates an outer surface of the fuel tank.

25. The trunk mounted fuel tank assembly of claim 20, wherein the fuel line protection means is a recessed boss that elevates the outer surface of the fuel tank about a forward flow check valve arrangement at a height.