Molded tanks formed of multiple materials
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAdrian Carpinisan, Toni A. Rosa
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Abstract
A method of forming a molded tank configured to hold fluid in a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes providing a tank shell having a first material and creating a composite shell using a skeleton structure having a second material onto the tank shell, the second material different than the first material. The second material has a maximum operating temperature that is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the first material. Other examples methods of forming molded tanks and tanks configured to hold fluid in vehicles are also disclosed.
Claims20
A tank configured to hold fluid in a vehicle, the tank comprising:
- a tank shell including an interior side and an exterior side opposing the interior side, the tank shell defining at least one void extending from one of the interior side or the exterior side towards the other one of the interior side or the exterior side, the void including an opening at the one of the interior side or the exterior side and a base portion opposing the opening, wherein the base portion is larger than the opening, the interior side of the tank shell defining a reservoir configured to hold fluid in the vehicle;
- and
- a skeleton structure overmolded onto and disposed on one of the interior side or the exterior side of the tank shell and into the at least on void of the tank shell via the opening;
- wherein the tank shell is formed of a first material and the skeleton structure is formed of a second material different than the first material, and wherein the second material has a maximum operating temperature that is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the first material.
A method of forming a molded tank, the molded tank configured to hold fluid in a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a tank shell having a first material, the tank shell including an interior side and an exterior side opposing the interior side, the tank shell defining at least one void extending from one of the interior side or the exterior side towards the other one of the interior side or the exterior side, the void including an opening at the one of the interior side or the exterior side and a base portion opposing the opening, wherein the base portion is larger than the opening;
- and
- creating a composite shell using a skeleton structure having a second material onto the tank shell, including disposing the skeleton structure onto on one of the interior side or the exterior side of the tank shell and into the at least on void of the tank shell via the opening, the second material different than the first material;
- wherein the second material has a maximum operating temperature that is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the first material.
A method of forming a molded tank, the molded tank configured to hold fluid in a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a tank shell having high-density polyethylene, the tank shell including an interior side and an exterior side opposing the interior side, the tank shell defining at least one void extending from one of the interior side or the exterior side towards the other one of the interior side or the exterior side, the void including an opening at the one of the interior side or the exterior side and a base portion opposing the opening, wherein the base portion is larger than the opening;
- and
- overmolding a skeleton structure having polybutylene terephthalate or nylon onto an interior side or an exterior side of the tank shell and into the at least on void of the tank shell via the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.