Fuel tank for motorcycle

• US 4,401,309 A
• Filed: 12/29/1980
• Issued: 08/30/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Kenji, Kato, Shohei, Terai, Yasuharu, Horino, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILL, MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US06/221,053
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5 R, 280/5 A-5 H, 105/360, 410/68, 220/5 A, 220/DIG. 29, 29/421, 29/428
• US Class Current: 280/835
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 35/00 Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K ; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/29 Welded seam

Abstract

A fuel tank for a motorcycle. The tank is made of an inner member and an outer member which form between them an inverted U-shaped space for containing fuel. The members are continuously joined to form the space by a welded seam. The members are joined at a seam which is located at both of their edges, except where an extension of one projects beyond the edge of the other to form a rear stay. The edge of said other member at the extension is welded directly to the extension, rather than to its edge. A rib can be formed integrally with the extension to reinforce it.

Claims

1. In a tank of the type having an outer member and an inner member, said outer and inner members being U-shaped and joined at their edges to form a closed U-shaped fuel space, the improvement comprising a rearwardly extending portion of said outer member forming a flange, a rearwardly extending portion of said inner member forming a rear stay with an uppermost flat portion, said flange extending rearwardly for a lesser distance than said rear stay, said flange and said uppermost flat portion being continuously joined together, with a part of said rear stay extending rearwardly beyond said flange.

2. A tank according to claim 1 in which said rear stay includes at least one rib extending downward from said flat portion to reinforce said stay.

3. A tank according to claim 2 in which a plurality of said ribs is provided.

4. A tank according to claim 3 in which said flat portion stay forms an inverted U-shaped structure.

5. A tank according to claim 1 in which said stay has an aperture to receive a holding member by which the tank can be attached to a neighboring structure.

6. A tank according to claim 5 in which said rear stay includes at least one rib extending downward from said flat portion to reinforce said stay.

7. A tank according to claim 6 in which a plurality of said ribs is provided.

8. A tank according to claim 5 further including a holding member attached to said flat portion.