Vehicle fluid handling systems
AssigneeAgility Fuel Systems LLC
InventorsTodd F. Sloan, Chris Forsberg, Joseph Anthony Leduc, Tobiah R. Halter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid system for a vehicle is provided. The fluid system is configured to couple to a chassis of the vehicle. A frame assembly of the fluid system is configured to couple with the chassis directly or with another component that is coupled, directly or indirectly, with the chassis. A cowling of the fluid system can enclose a fuel pressure vessel and an auxiliary fluid vessel. The auxiliary fluid vessel is configured to be placed in fluid communication with the component powered or operated by the fluid therein.
Claims20
A vehicle fluid storage system, comprising:
- a cowling sized to fit between a cab of a tractor unit and a semi-trailer of a heavy duty truck;
- a frame assembly disposed within the cowling, a lower portion of the frame assembly configured to couple with a chassis of a heavy duty truck by one or more brackets such that the cowling and the contents thereof are removably mountable above the chassis;
- a fuel pressure vessel coupled with the frame assembly;
- an auxiliary fluid pressure vessel coupled with the frame assembly and disposed within the cowling;
- wherein the vehicle fluid storage system supplies combustible fuel from within the cowling to a combustion chamber of an engine and supplies non-fuel auxiliary fluid from within the cowling above the one or more brackets to an auxiliary component of a heavy duty truck.
A vehicle fluid storage system, comprising:
- a frame assembly configured to couple with a chassis of a vehicle;
- a first compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel pressure vessel and a second CNG fuel pressure vessel, each of the first and second CNG fuel pressure vessels coupled with the frame assembly;
- a cowling disposed around the frame assembly and the first and second CNG fuel pressure vessels;
- and
- an auxiliary fluid pressure vessel coupled with the frame assembly and disposed within the cowling, the auxiliary fluid pressure vessel nested in between the first and second CNG fuel pressure vessels, wherein an entire outer periphery of the auxiliary fluid pressure vessel is located between a first vertical plane and a second vertical plane, the first vertical plane intersecting a central longitudinal axis of the first CNG fuel pressure vessel and a central longitudinal axis of the second CNG fuel pressure vessel and the second vertical plane intersecting an outer periphery of the first CNG fuel pressure vessel and an outer periphery of the second CNG fuel pressure vessel;
- and
- a fluid output connection in fluid communication with the auxiliary fluid pressure vessel and fluidly isolated from the first and second CNG fuel pressure vessels;
- wherein the vehicle fluid storage system is configured to supply CNG fuel from within the cowling to a combustion chamber of an engine and to supply a non-fuel auxiliary fluid from the auxiliary fluid pressure vessel disposed within the cowling to an auxiliary component of a vehicle through the fluid output connection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.