Motor vehicle fuel tank and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle comprising:
- a hollow plastic tank body having a bottom and a top which expands and collapses relative to the bottom in respective ones of a pressure cycle and a vacuum cycle in the tank body, a plastic strut in the hollow tank body having an upper foot fusion bonded to the top of the tank body and a lower foot fusion bonded to the bottom of the tank body, and a coupling means on the plastic strut operable to support the upper foot on the lower foot for relative linear translation parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut in an expansion direction from a height (H) of the strut and in an opposite collapse direction from the height (H) of the strut against a resisting force in each direction and to effectively stop translation of the upper foot relative to the lower foot in the expansion direction at an expanded height (H1) of the strut and in the collapse direction at a collapsed height (H2) of the strut so that the plastic strut resists expansion and collapse of the top of tank body relative to the bottom of the tank body above and below the height (H) of the strut and reinforces the top of tank body against further expansion and further collapse relative to the bottom of the tank body at respective ones of its expanded height (H1) and collapsed height (H2).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plastic fuel tank including a hollow plastic tank body and a variable length plastic strut in the hollow tank body. A pair of flat plastic sheets are vacuum formed at a forming temperature in upper and lower mold cavities to the shape of upper and lower plastic shells. The plastic strut includes an upper foot, a lower foot, and a coupling means operable to support the upper foot on the lower foot for back and forth linear translation against a controlled resistance. With the mold cavities separated, the plastic strut is interposed between the upper and lower shells. The mold cavities are closed to form the hollow tank body by fusion bonding the upper and lower shells at respective attachment flanges on each. When the tank body thereafter cures and shrinks, the plastic strut is squeezed between the upper and lower shells against the controlled resistance of the coupling means to fusion bond the upper and lower feet of the strut to the shells. The strut expands and collapses during pressure and vacuum cycles in the tank body. The coupling means limits linear collapse and expansion of the strut to prevent excessive collapse and expansion of the tank body.
116 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle comprising:
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a hollow plastic tank body having a bottom and a top which expands and collapses relative to the bottom in respective ones of a pressure cycle and a vacuum cycle in the tank body, a plastic strut in the hollow tank body having an upper foot fusion bonded to the top of the tank body and a lower foot fusion bonded to the bottom of the tank body, and a coupling means on the plastic strut operable to support the upper foot on the lower foot for relative linear translation parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut in an expansion direction from a height (H) of the strut and in an opposite collapse direction from the height (H) of the strut against a resisting force in each direction and to effectively stop translation of the upper foot relative to the lower foot in the expansion direction at an expanded height (H1) of the strut and in the collapse direction at a collapsed height (H2) of the strut so that the plastic strut resists expansion and collapse of the top of tank body relative to the bottom of the tank body above and below the height (H) of the strut and reinforces the top of tank body against further expansion and further collapse relative to the bottom of the tank body at respective ones of its expanded height (H1) and collapsed height (H2). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
a tubular plastic shank, a lower plastic base integral with the tubular plastic shank having an annular flange thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut constituting the lower foot of the plastic strut, and an upper plastic base integral with the tubular plastic shank having an annular flange thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut constituting the upper foot of the plastic strut.
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3. The plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle recited in claim 2 wherein the coupling means comprises:
a resiliently flexible plastic lobe integral with each of the tubular plastic shank and the upper plastic base of the plastic strut.
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4. The plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle recited in claim 1 wherein the plastic strut comprises:
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a tubular plastic shank having an upper shank portion and a separate lower shank portion, a lower plastic base integral with the lower shank portion of the tubular plastic shank having an annular flange thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut constituting the lower foot of the plastic strut, and an upper plastic base integral with the upper shank portion of the tubular plastic shank having an annular surface thereon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the plastic strut constituting the upper foot of the plastic strut.
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5. The plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle recited in claim 4 wherein the coupling means comprises:
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a cylindrical pilot on an end of a first one of the upper shank portion and the lower shank portion, a tubular guide on an end of a second one of the upper shank portion and the lower shank portion slidably receiving the cylindrical pilot with an interference fit therebetween so that friction between the cylindrical pilot and the guide resists relative linear translation between the upper foot and the lower foot in the expansion direction and in the collapse direction, and a stop means operable to stop sliding movement of the pilot relative to the guide at the expanded height of the plastic strut and at the collapsed height of the plastic strut.
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6. The plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle recited in claim 5 wherein the stop means comprises:
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a pin rigidly connected to a first one of the pilot and the guide, a cage rigidly connected to a second one of the pilot and the guide operable to intercept the pin at the expanded height of the plastic strut, a first abutment rigidly connected to the pilot, and a second abutment rigidly connected to the guide operable to intercept the first abutment at the collapsed height of the plastic strut.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMagna Steyr Fuel Systems Gesmbh (M Unicar, Inc.)
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Original AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
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InventorsGutierrez, Carlos A., Pachciarz, Mahlon Richard, Stack, Gary Francis
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Primary Examiner(s)MOY, JOSEPH MAN
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Application NumberUS09/533,333Time in Patent Office663 DaysField of Search220/4.14, 220/564, 220/562, 220/4.13US Class Current220/562CPC Class CodesB29C 2791/006 Using vacuumB29C 51/12 of articles having inserts ...B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoform...B29L 2031/7172 Fuel tanks, jerry cansB60K 15/03177 made of non-metallic materi...B60K 2015/03032 Manufacturing of fuel tanksB60K 2015/03453 for fixing or mounting part...
