# US 11,110,792 B2 · Plastic vehicle tank with connecting element having an improved breaking effect > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,792 B2 - Document ID: US11110792B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/467,804 - Filed: 2017-12-22 - Published: 2020-11-05 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23 - Assignees: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research - Applicants: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research - Inventors: Jean-Francois Coing; Philippe Convain; Laurent Duez; Pierre De Keyzer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110792B2 ## CPC - 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)} - B60K 2015/03493: {made of plastics} - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract A plastic vehicle tank defining an interior volume provided to contain liquid and comprising: a. an upper wall; b. a lower wall; c. at least one connecting element joining the upper wall to the lower wall of the plastic vehicle tank, said at least one connecting element being located inside the interior volume provided to contain a liquid, and comprising a structure made of continuous fibers embedded in a matrix. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plastic vehicle tank defining an interior volume provided to contain a liquid and comprising: an upper wall; a lower wall; at least one connecting element joining the upper wall to the lower wall of the plastic vehicle tank, said at least one connecting element being located inside the interior volume provided to contain a liquid, and comprising a structure made of continuous fibers embedded in a matrix, and wherein the structure of the at least one connecting element has a tensile Young and/or a flexural modulus in at least a first direction that is 1.1 to 5 times higher than the tensile Young and/or flexural modulus of the structure in at least a second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the matrix of the structure is in thermoplastic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers are glass fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers of the structure are oriented in a single direction in the matrix. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers of the structure are oriented in at least a first direction and a second direction in the matrix. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 5, wherein the continuous fibers oriented in the first direction in the matrix are of the same chemical composition as the continuous fibers oriented in the second direction in the matrix. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 5, wherein the continuous fibers oriented in the first direction in the matrix are of different nature than the continuous fibers oriented in the second direction in the matrix. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the continuous fibers are woven. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the structure is made of at least two layers of continuous fibers superposed in at least one direction in the matrix. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the matrix of the structure is made in the same material as the plastic vehicle tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting element comprises spaced apart end faces, and wherein at least one of the tank walls comprises a recess for receiving one of the end faces of the connecting element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 11, wherein the recess is integrally made with the at least one of the tank wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting element comprises spaced apart end faces, and wherein the structure comprises a first extremity and a second extremity, each of said first and second extremities being encapsulated within the end faces of the connecting element, preferably the end faces of the connecting element are made by injection moulding of thermoplastic material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 13, wherein each of said first and second extremities comprises at least one orifice, wherein the end faces are made of thermoplastic material, and wherein said thermoplastic material passes through the at least one orifice. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein said structure is encapsulated in or coated with a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the structure has a Z-shape profile, L-shape profile, U-shape profile, cylindrical shape profile or hemispherical shape profile. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The plastic vehicle tank according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises at least one bent portion. ### Claim 18 A plastic vehicle tank defining an interior volume provided to contain a liquid and comprising: an upper wall; a lower wall; at least one connecting element joining the upper wall to the lower wall of the plastic vehicle tank, said at least one connecting element being located inside the interior volume provided to contain a liquid, and comprising a structure made of continuous fibers embedded in a matrix, and wherein the continuous fibers of the structure are oriented in at least a first direction and a second direction in the matrix.