VEHICLE

• US 20120080250A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/07 of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03315 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0633 the fuel tank is arranged below the rear seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0634 the fuel tank is arranged below the vehicle floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0675 allowing deflection movements of the tank in case of a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/152 Front or rear frames
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/20 Floors or bottom sub-units sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006

Abstract

An object is to provide a vehicle in which the configuration of a frame supporting a tank is effectively used. In order to achieve such an object, the vehicle includes a tank supported by a pair of side frames and cross frames which traverse the side frames, wherein a displacement suppression target on a vehicle floor is supported by the cross frames, the displacement suppression target having a relative displacement during an action of an external force on the vehicle, needed to be suppressed. The tank is preferably suspended on the cross frames. In addition, the displacement suppression target is preferably attached to the cross frames on which the tank is suspended.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a tank supported by a pair of side frames and cross frames which traverse the side frames,

wherein a displacement suppression target on a vehicle floor is supported by the cross frames, the displacement suppression target having a relative displacement during an action of an external force on the vehicle, needed to be suppressed, and

wherein a plurality of the tanks are disposed and arranged in a direction of vehicle travel.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tank is suspended on the cross frame.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the displacement suppression target is attached to a cross frame on which the tank is suspended.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a front tank disposed on a side of the direction of vehicle travel has a weight relatively heavier compared to those of other tanks.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein a rear seat of the vehicle is integrated with the front tank.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the displacement suppression target other than the rear seat is integrated with at least any of the tanks other than the front tank.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein a distance between the rear seat and the displacement suppression target other than the rear seat is greater than a distance between the front tank and a tank with which the displacement suppression target is integrated.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tank is installed transversely so that the tank fits between the pair of side frames.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a fuel cell on which a fuel cell system is mounted, and the vehicle has a hydrogen tank mounted thereon as the tank.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein a constituent component of the fuel cell system is disposed at a position off the central axis of the tank.

4. (canceled)