Tailgate fuel storage system
AssigneeAgility Fuel Systems LLC
InventorsTodd Sloan, Chris Forsberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for fuel storage and transportation are provided. A support assembly for supporting a plurality of fuel containers may comprise a plurality of end support members, and a plurality of side support members that are detachably coupled to the plurality of end support members. The plurality of fuel containers may be configured to be located on a plurality of different planes when supported by the support assembly, in a manner that permits the support assembly to accommodate a plurality of tailgates of different shapes and/or dimensions.
Claims23
A support assembly for supporting a stacked arrangement of fuel containers and coupling to a tailgate of a vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of end support members configured to be oriented vertically when applied to the tailgate of the vehicle, the plurality of end support members comprising:
- a first elongate end support member having a forward facing side and a rearward facing side;
- a second elongate end support member having a forward facing side and a rearward facing side;
- the forward facing side of the second elongate end support member being directly coupled to the rearward facing side of the first elongate end support member,
- the second elongate end support member being shorter than the first elongate end support member such that an upper end of the second elongate end support member is disposed below an upper end of the first elongate end support member and a lower end of the second elongate end support member is disposed above a lower end of the first elongate end support member;
- a first fuel container supported by a first neck support bracket coupled to the rearward facing side of the first elongate end support member above the upper end of the second elongate end support member;
- a second fuel container supported by a second neck support bracket coupled to the rearward facing side of the second elongate end support member;
- a plurality of side support members that are coupled to the plurality of end support members, the plurality of side support members comprising a first side support member coupled to at least one of the first elongate end support member and the second elongate end support member and a second side support member coupled to at least one of the first elongate end support member and the second elongate end support member below the first side support member, the plurality of end support members and the plurality of side support members defining a rectangular frame structure;
- wherein central axes of the first and second fuel containers are located on different planes, the first side support member and the second side support member being disposed different distances from the forward facing side of the first elongate end support member in a manner that forms a recess in a middle portion of the support assembly adjacent one or more of the fuel containers, the recess being configured to accommodate a shape of the tailgate.
A support assembly for supporting a stacked arrangement of fuel containers and coupling to a tailgate of a vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of end support members comprising a first end support member, a second end support member, a third end support member, and a fourth end support member, wherein the first end support member is directly coupled to the second end support member along the entire length of the second end support member, and the third end support member is coupled to the fourth end support member;
- a plurality of side support members that are coupled to the plurality of end support members, the plurality of end support members and the plurality of side support members defining a rectangular frame that is oriented vertically when applied to the tailgate of the vehicle;
- wherein the first and third end support members comprise rearward facing sides configured to support a first set of fuel containers and the second and fourth end support members comprise rearward facing sides configured to support a second set of fuel containers, the second set of fuel containers being disposed in a middle portion of the support assembly;
- wherein the first set of fuel containers comprises central axes located on a first plane and the second set of fuel containers comprises central axes located on a second plane;
- and
- wherein the first plane and the second plane are offset in a manner that forms a recess adjacent the second set of fuel containers that is configured to accommodate a shape of the tailgate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.