Unibody fuel tank system
AssigneeNavistar International Transportation Corp.
InventorDan T. Logan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel tank system includes a fuel tank defined by an external wrapper or skin within which fuel tank reinforcing support structures are incorporated, the fuel tank support structures further incorporating a tank mounting system for producing simplified mounting of the fuel tank system to a desired portion of a frame rail of a vehicle. The unibody construction produces an enhanced, significantly elevated level of ground clearance for the fuel tank system, the clearance being defined by the bottom wall surface of the fuel tank of the system.
Claims8
A unibody fuel tank system comprising a fuel tank defining a fuel chamber and incorporating an internal reinforcing support system for the tank therein, the support system also incorporating an engagement system for directly mounting the fuel tank system to a frame rail of a vehicle;
- said internal reinforcing support system comprises a pair of planar spaced apart baffles disposed perpendicularly from a first connection to a tank wall and extending across an interior of said tank to a second connection with said tank wall;
- each planar baffle includes a peripheral flange;
- said peripheral flange includes at least one substantially planar portion;
- and
- said substantially planar portion of said peripheral flange is reinforced by a secondary reinforcing flange, the reinforcing flange lying along and being fixed to an inwardly directed surface of said substantially planar portion of said peripheral flange.
A unibody fuel tank system comprising a fuel tank defining a fuel chamber and incorporating an internal reinforcing support system for the tank therein, the support system also incorporating an engagement system for directly mounting the fuel tank system to a frame rail of a vehicle;
- said internal reinforcing support system comprises a pair of planar spaced apart baffles disposed perpendicularly from a first connection to a tank wall and extending across an interior of said tank to a second connection with said tank wall;
- said planar baffles each include a plurality of throughport, an upper edge having a notch therein and a lower edge having a notch therein;
- each planar baffle includes a peripheral flange;
- said peripheral flange includes at least one substantially planar portion;
- and
- said substantially planar portion of said peripheral flange is reinforced by a secondary reinforcing flange, the reinforcing flange lying along and being fixed to an inwardly directed surface of said substantially planar portion of said peripheral flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.