Flange for sealing an opening of a fuel container of a motor vehicle

• US 7,808,784 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Graf, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US12/065,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03427 for heating fuel, e.g. to avoiding freezing

Abstract

A flange (3) for sealing an opening (1) of a fuel container (2) of a motor vehicle maintains an electronic component (9) which is arranged on the external side (5) on a carrier (12). The carrier (12) is embodied as a single piece and has a heat-conducting element (13) which can penetrate the wall (4) of a flange (3). The heat-conducting element (13) dissipates the heat which is produced by the electronic component (9) to the inside (7) of the fuel container (2).

Claims

1. A flange for sealing an opening of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, the fuel tank containing fuel, the flange comprising a wall having an external side to be arranged on an external side of the fuel tank, and an internal side of the wall facing an interior of the fuel tank in the designated installation position, wherein at least one electronic component is arranged in a region separated from the fuel, and wherein at least one heat-conducting element extends from the at least one electronic component to the interior of the fuel tank.

2. The flange according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element and an electric contact extending through the wall are designed as different components.

3. The flange according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element protrudes over the internal side.

4. The flange according to claim 1, wherein a housing which engages over the heat-conducting element is arranged on the internal side and wherein the housing has a connection for a fuel line.

5. The flange according to claim 4, wherein the housing is designed as a guide for fuel flowing against it and has an opening pointing into the fuel tank.

6. The flange according to claim 4, wherein the housing is sealed in relation to the flange, and wherein a further connection is arranged on the external side of the flange and is connected to the housing.

7. The flange according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is arranged on a printed circuit board, and wherein the heat-conducting element is formed integrally with a carrier of the printed circuit board.

8. The flange according to claim 4, wherein a protective housing which covers the electronic component is arranged on the external side opposite the housing arranged on the internal side, or wherein the electronic component is covered by a casting compound.

9. The flange according to claim 1, wherein the wall is manufactured from plastic and the heat-conducting element is manufactured from metal.

10. The flange according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element protrudes away from the internal side in a stirrup-shaped manner and is fixed at its free end in the plastic of the wall.

11. A method for sealing an opening of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, the fuel tank containing fuel, the method comprising the steps of:

arranging a wall having an external side on an external side of the fuel tank,

arranging an internal side of the wall facing an interior of the fuel tank in the designated installation position,

arranging at least one electronic component in a region separated from the fuel, and

arranging at least one heat-conducting element to extend from the at least one electronic component to the interior of the fuel tank.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the heat-conducting element and an electric contact extending through the wall are designed as different components.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the heat-conducting element protrudes over the internal side.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of arranging a housing which engages over the heat-conducting element on the internal side, and wherein the housing has a connection for a fuel line.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the housing is designed as a guide for fuel flowing against it and has an opening pointing into the fuel tank.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the housing is sealed in relation to the flange, and wherein a further connection is arranged on the external side of the flange and is connected to the housing.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the electronic component is arranged on a printed circuit board, and wherein the heat-conducting element is formed integrally with a carrier of the printed circuit board.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein a protective housing which covers the electronic component is arranged on the external side opposite the housing arranged on the internal side, or wherein the electronic component is covered by a casting compound.