Tank recess

• US 9,643,486 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Jakobs, Werner, Pulczynski, Rafal, Brandt, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B
• Application Number:
  US14/700,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20150246609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 296 9722, 220 862
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/02 of sheet metal by folding, e.g. connecting edges of a sheet to form a cylinder
• 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 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0451 Sealing means in the closure cap
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0474 Arrangement of fuel filler pipes in relation to vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/048 Arrangements for sealing the fuel inlet during filling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0487 Means to shield vehicle bodywork from fuel, e.g. during filling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0553 Details concerning the inlet box or bowl in the vehicle car body panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49915 Overedge assembling of seated part

Abstract

A tank recess for motor vehicles comprising a recess body having a device for fastening to a vehicle body opening from outside and having a tank feed line sealing portion, characterized in that the recess body has a fold-over sealing edge on the base portion, such that a flange on an inner metal plate of the vehicle body opening is encompassed by the fold-over sealing edge, such that in the installed position the sealing edge is able to be placed sealingly around the flange of the vehicle body opening.

Claims

1. A fuel tank recess body for a motor vehicle including an outer plate and an inner plate, said fuel tank recess body comprising:

a first region adapted to be fastened to the outer plate;

a base portion including a sealing edge configured to fold over a flange of the inner plate.

2. The tank recess body of claim 1, wherein the flange is formed from a connecting part that is fastened to the inner plate.

3. The tank recess body of claim 1, wherein the flange is formed integrally with the inner plate.

4. The tank recess body of claim 1, wherein the tank recess body is located in a vehicle body opening of the motor vehicle.

6. The tank recess body of claim 1, wherein the first region is rigid and the base portion is flexible.

7. The tank recess body of claim 1, wherein the sealing edge is foldable between a stretched installed position and a final sealed position.

8. The tank recess body of claim 1 wherein the base portion is a flexible base portion connected to the first region and the sealing edge is configured to fold over a flange of the inner plate when the tank recess body is placed between the outer and inner plates, thereby holding the tank recess body in place.

9. The tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the sealing edge is foldable between a stretched installed position and a final sealed position.

10. The fuel tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the first region is rigid.

11. The fuel tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the base portion further includes a tank feed line seal adapted to seal against a tank feed line.

12. The fuel tank recess body of claim 11, wherein the tank feed line seal is tubular.

13. The tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the flange is formed from a connecting part that is fastened to the inner plate.

14. The tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the flange is formed integrally with the inner plate.

15. The tank recess body of claim 8, wherein the tank recess body is located in a vehicle body opening of the motor vehicle.

5. A fuel tank recess body located in a body opening of a motor vehicle including an outer plate and an inner plate, said fuel tank recess body comprising:

a first region fastened to the outer plate;

a base portion including a sealing edge folded over a flange of the inner plate; and

a tank feed line seal configured to receive a tank feed line.

16. A fuel tank recess, mountable within a motor vehicle having an outer plate and an inner plate, for providing access to a fuel tank feed line, said fuel tank recess comprising:

a tank recess body including a rigid first region adapted to be fastened to the outer plate and a flexible base portion connected to the first region, the base portion having a tubular tank feed line seal, adapted to seal against the tank feed line, and a fold-over sealing edge; and

a flange mounted on the inner plate for receiving the fold-over sealing edge whereby, when the tank recess body is placed between the outer and inner plates, the fold-over sealing edge is configured to fold over the flange, thereby holding the tank recess body in place.