PLASTIC FUEL TANK

• US 20100237080A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Company KG (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Company KG (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Gebert, Klaus, Wagner, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/562
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03177 made of non-metallic material, e.g. plastics, or of a combination of non-metallic and metallic material B60K15/03006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03059 Fuel tanks with double shells or more

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic fuel tank (1) for motor vehicles having at least one tank wall (2) surrounding at least one fuel volume, wherein the tank wall (2) is provided at least in a certain area or certain areas with means for increasing flexural rigidity in the form of two-dimensionally extended reinforcing layers (3) connected materially and/or positively thereto (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. Plastic fuel tank for motor vehicles having at least one tank wall surrounding at least one fuel volume, characterized in that the tank wall is provided at least in a certain area or certain areas with means for increasing flexural rigidity in the form of two-dimensionally extended reinforcing layers connected materially and/or positively thereto.

2. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that sheets and/or strips of thermoplastic which extend approximately parallel to the tank wall to be reinforced are provided as reinforcing layers.

3. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing layers are attached to the tank wall to be reinforced at a distance from the latter, at least in a certain area or certain areas, with the aid of spacers.

4. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the area to be reinforced, the tank wall is provided with projections, knobs or dome-shaped bulges which are riveted, welded or latched to a reinforcing layer.

5. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing layer is provided with projections, knobs or dome-shaped bulges which are welded, riveted or latched to the tank wall.

6. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing layer is connected to the tank wall via an intermediate layer.

7. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 6, characterized in that a corrugated sheet-like structure made of thermoplastic, the peaks of which are each welded and/or adhesively bonded to the tank wall and to the reinforcing layer, is provided as the intermediate layer.

8. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing layer is provided with apertures/

9. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one reinforcing layer is provided on the inside and/or the outside of the tank wall.

10. Plastic fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the said tank has means for operational venting and for refuel venting, a device for operational venting comprising at least one operational venting valve with a pressure-holding function, by means of which the volume of the plastic fuel tank can be kept within a predetermined differential pressure range relative to the ambient pressure.