Vehicle tank mounting assembly
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsCraig Michael Mathie, Michael Jon Veenstra, Joseph Michael Conrad, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mounting assembly for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a chassis with a first frame rail and a second frame rail extending longitudinally. The mounting assembly has a bracket with a concave region to receive and attach to a compressed gas tank to move the compressed gas tank away from an external force applied to an outer surface of the tank and in a first direction towards and beneath the first frame rail. The bracket has a first end region connected to the first frame rail to position the tank on an outboard side of the first frame rail.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis with a first frame rail and a second frame rail, each frame rail extending longitudinally;
- and
- a mounting assembly having a bracket with a concave region to receive and attach to a compressed gas tank to move the compressed gas tank away from an external force applied to an outer surface of the tank and in a first direction towards and beneath the first frame rail, the bracket having a first end region connected to the first frame rail to position the tank on an outboard side of the first frame rail.
A mounting assembly for a compressed gas fuel tank, the mounting assembly comprising:
- an outer frame supporting the compressed gas fuel tank, the outer frame defining a recessed area to receive at least a portion of the compressed gas fuel tank therein;
- a hinge connected to the outer frame to rotatably connect the outer frame to a longitudinal frame rail of a vehicle chassis and support the compressed gas fuel tank on an outboard side thereof such that the recessed area is positioned between the outer frame and the frame rail;
- and
- a locking element connected to the outer frame, the locking element maintaining a position of the outer frame relative to the hinge in a first state, and releasing the hinge in a second state such that the outer frame and tank rotate away from an external force applied to an outer surface of the tank and in a first direction towards and beneath the frame rail.
A mounting assembly for a compressed gas fuel tank, the mounting assembly comprising:
- a bracket extending from a first end region to a second end region, the first end region to connect to a longitudinal frame rail of a vehicle chassis to support the compressed gas fuel tank on an outboard side thereof, the bracket defining a concave region positioned between the first and second end regions, the concave region sized to receive the compressed gas fuel tank and extend about at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the tank;
- wherein the mounting assembly plastically deforms without fracture to move the compressed gas fuel tank away from an external force applied to an outer surface of the tank and in a first direction towards and beneath the frame rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.