Vehicle fuel tank system for improved crashworthiness

A fuel tank system for a vehicle, the fuel tank system comprising:

• at least one fuel tank provided proximate frame rail members of the vehicle, the at least one fuel tank having a top wall positioned proximate a drive shaft of the vehicle, a first portion of the at least one fuel tank extending between an extension of a vertical axis of each of the frame rail members and a second portion of the at least one fuel tank extending beyond the vertical axis of each of the frame rail members;
• a support structure having mounting members which are mounted to the frame rail members, the support structure provides impact protection to the at least one fuel tank;
• a plate provided proximate a bottom wall of the at least one fuel tank, wherein the plate protects the at least one fuel tank from being crushed or punctured and serves as a skid plate if ground contact is made;
• a support member extending between a respective mounting member and the plate, the support member configured to fail during an impact;
• and
• wherein a lateral force applied during the impact to the at least one fuel tank or the support structure will be partially translated to a vertical force and a lateral force, causing the at least one fuel tank to be moved in a direction which is both lateral to the direction of a longitudinal axis of the frame rail members and perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the frame rail members, allowing the at least one fuel tank to be moved vertically and laterally by the energy of the impact to a position in which the fuel tanks are out of the path of the impact or protected by a chassis of the vehicle.

A fuel tank system for use with a motor vehicle, the fuel tank system comprising:

• a fuel tank provided proximate frame rail members of the motor vehicle, at least a first portion of the fuel tank extending between an extension of a vertical axis of each of the frame rail members and a second portion of the fuel tank extending beyond the vertical axis of each of the frame rail members, the fuel tank having a top wall positioned proximate a drive shaft of the vehicle;
• a support structure having mounting members which are mounted to the frame rail members and which position the fuel tank proximate the frame rail members, the support structure protects the fuel tank during an impact;
• and
• a plate is provided proximate a bottom wall of the fuel tank, a support member extends between a respective mounting member and the plate, the support member is configured to fail during the impact, allowing the fuel tank to be moved vertically and laterally of a longitudinal axis of the frame rail members by the energy of the impact to a position in which the fuel tank is substantially out of the path of the impact or protected by the chassis of the vehicle.