Compressible baffle for a fuel tank
AssigneeAeromotive, Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Matusek, Shawn D. Wessol
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A baffle for use in a fuel tank has a sidewall and an interior space. The sidewall is formed of a flexible material so as to be radially compressible. The compressibility of the sidewall allows the baffle to be inserted through a hole which is smaller in diameter than the uncompressed diameter of the baffle. The baffle is preferably also longitudinally compressible so that it can be mounted in fuel tanks of varying depths.
Claims34
A baffle for mounting in a fuel tank having a top wall and a bottom wall with an access hole formed through said top wall, said baffle comprising:
- a) a sidewall having an initial sidewall diameter larger than the access hole in the top wall of the tank;
- b) an interior space within said sidewall;
- and
- c) a floor closing a lower end of said sidewall and having an initial floor diameter larger than the access hole in the top wall of the tank;
- wherein
- d) said floor and said sidewall are both formed from flexible materials so as to be radially compressible from their said initial diameters to respective compressed diameters smaller than the access hole such that said baffle is insertable into the tank through the access hole in the top wall of the tank.
A baffle for mounting in a fuel tank having a top wall and a bottom wall with an access hole formed through said top wall, said baffle comprising:
- a) a sidewall having a core of flexible foam material, said sidewall having an initial diameter in a relaxed state larger than the access hole in the top wall of the tank;
- and
- b) an interior space within said sidewall;
- wherein
- c) said sidewall is radially compressible from said initial diameter to a compressed diameter smaller than the access hole such that said baffle is insertable into the tank through the access hole, an expansive force of said foam material urging said sidewall back toward its initial diameter upon insertion into the tank.
A baffle for mounting in a fuel tank, said baffle having a sidewall, a floor extending generally transverse to said sidewall and an interior space within said sidewall, said sidewall formed of a flexible material longitudinally compressible from a first length in a relaxed state to a shorter, second length;
- and biasing means for biasing said sidewall toward its first length and wherein said baffle is sufficiently radially compressible along its entire length, including across the floor thereof, to fit through a hole which is smaller in diameter than an outside diameter of said baffle in its radially uncompressed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.