Saddle fuel tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10197023-B2
Application number	US-201615354121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel tank mounted to a vehicle. Specifically, a saddle fuel tank comprising of a primary and secondary fuel compartment, each compartment having a module for mounting a fuel pump, fuel sensor and other accessories is disclosed. A first and second crimped opening formed on a top external wall and bottom internal wall, respectively of the saddle fuel tank may provide means for securely mounting a main and sub-side module to the fuel tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A saddle fuel tank comprising:
a main module mounted inside a first chamber, where a top end of the module includes a flange that is positioned within a crimped opening on an external side of a top wall of the saddle fuel tank; and
a sub-side module mounted inside a secondary chamber, the sub-side module including a flange that is positioned within a crimped region on an internal side of a bottom wall of the secondary chamber to secure the sub-side module.

2. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the crimped region on the bottom wall is positioned at the bottom wall at a position where there is no opening in the bottom wall.

3. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the main module includes a fuel pump.

4. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is one side of the saddle fuel tank and the second chamber is distinct from the first chamber and is an opposite side of the saddle fuel tank.

5. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the crimped opening includes an aperture and a first circular retaining ring disposed in a first pocket formed in the crimped opening, the first circular retaining ring having a plurality of equally spaced mechanical crimps, each mechanical crimp configured with a vertical upward lower portion and a curved top portion.

6. The saddle fuel tank of claim 5 , wherein the crimped region includes a recessed slot, a second circular retaining ring disposed in a second pocket formed in the crimped region, the second circular retaining ring having a plurality of equally spaced mechanical crimps, each mechanical crimp configured with a vertical upward lower portion and a curved top portion.

7. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the sub-side module includes a fuel pump, a fuel sensor, and a filter.

8. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is fluidly coupled to the second chamber via a fuel tubing having an inlet mounted on the sub-side module and an outlet coupled to the main module.

9. The saddle fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the fuel tubing delivers fuel from the second chamber into the first chamber using one or more pressurized fuel pumps.

10. The saddle fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein fuel is delivered into the saddle fuel tank via a fuel line having an outlet in the secondary chamber and an inlet positioned outside the saddle fuel tank.

11. A saddle fuel tank comprising:
a main module mounted inside a first chamber, where a top end of the module includes a flange that is positioned within a crimped opening on an external side of a top external wall of the saddle fuel tank; and
a sub-side module mounted inside a secondary chamber including a flange that is positioned within a crimped region on an internal side of a bottom wall of the secondary chamber to secure the sub-side module, wherein the crimped opening includes an aperture and a first circular retaining ring disposed in a first pocket formed in the crimped opening, and the crimped region includes a recessed slot and a second circular retaining ring disposed in a second pocket formed in the crimped region.

12. The saddle fuel tank of claim 11 , wherein the crimped region on the bottom wall is positioned at the bottom wall at a position where there is no opening in the bottom wall.

13. The saddle fuel tank of claim 11 , wherein the first chamber is one side of the saddle fuel tank and the second chamber is distinct from the first chamber and is an opposite side of the saddle fuel tank.

14. The saddle fuel tank of claim 13 , wherein the first circular retaining ring includes a plurality of equally spaced mechanical crimps, each mechanical crimp configured with a vertical upward lower portion and a curved top portion.

15. The saddle fuel tank of claim 14 , wherein the second circular retaining ring includes a plurality of equally spaced mechanical crimps, each mechanical crimp configured with a vertical upward lower portion and a curved top portion.

16. The saddle fuel tank of claim 15 , wherein the sub-side module includes a fuel pump, a fuel sensor, and a filter.

17. The saddle fuel tank of claim 16 , wherein the first chamber is fluidly coupled to the second chamber via a fuel tubing having an inlet mounted on the sub-side module and an outlet coupled to the main module.

18. The saddle fuel tank of claim 11 , wherein fuel is delivered into the saddle fuel tank via a fuel line having an outlet in the secondary chamber and an inlet positioned outside the saddle fuel tank.

19. A method of manufacturing a saddle fuel tank, including:
crimping a first retaining ring positioned in a pocket of an external side of a top surface of the saddle fuel tank shaped to fit with a flange on a top end of a main module; and
crimping a second retaining ring position in a pocket of an internal side of a bottom surface of the saddle fuel tank shaped to fit with a flange on a bottom end of a sub-side module.

20. The saddle fuel tank of claim 12 , further including a bottom locking ring positioned so that the flange of the sub-side module is positioned between the bottom locking ring and the crimped region.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pearce Russell Randall
• Bohr Scott A
• Aghili Mohammad R

Classifications

• F02D33/003

  Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus (control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845); Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge · CPC title

• F02M37/14

  the pumps being combined with other apparatus · CPC title

• F02M37/18

  characterised by provision of main and auxiliary pumps · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• F02M37/22

  Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system · CPC title