High-pressure tank mounting structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538159-B2
Application number	US-201816020317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Aug 9, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A high-pressure tank mounting structure includes: a case disposed beneath a floor of a vehicle cabin and having a bottom wall, a peripheral wall and a top wall; and a plurality of high-pressure tanks accommodated so as to be lined up within the case, wherein a first hydrogen collection portion that is recessed upwardly is formed at a back surface of the top wall of the case, and a hydrogen sensing sensor is disposed at the first hydrogen collection portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high-pressure tank mounting structure comprising:
a case disposed beneath a floor of a vehicle cabin and having a bottom wall, a peripheral wall and a top wall; and
a plurality of high-pressure tanks accommodated so as to be lined up within the case,
wherein a first hydrogen collection portion that is recessed upwardly is formed at a back surface of the top wall of the case, and
wherein a hydrogen sensing sensor is disposed at the first hydrogen collection portion.

2. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 1 , further comprising a discharging mechanism discharging, to an exterior of the case, hydrogen that has been accumulated at the first hydrogen collection portion.

3. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 2 , wherein the discharging mechanism comprises:
a discharge hole ( 83 ) that communicates an interior of the case with the exterior of the case;
a shutter that opens and closes the discharge hole; and
a control section that controls opening and closing of the shutter in accordance with output of the hydrogen sensing sensor.

4. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein the first hydrogen collection portion is positioned at a vehicle longitudinal direction central portion and a vehicle transverse direction central portion of the top wall.

5. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein a guide portion, which is inclined downwardly toward an outer edge portion of the top wall, is formed at at least one of a front side, a rear side, a right side and a left side of the first hydrogen collection portion.

6. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 5 , wherein a second hydrogen collection portion, which is recessed upwardly and is positioned further toward a vehicle lower side than the first hydrogen collection portion, is formed at a back surface of an outer peripheral portion of the top wall.

7. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein guide portions, which are inclined downwardly toward outer edge portions of the top wall, are formed at all of a front side, a rear side, a right side and a left side of the first hydrogen collection portion.

8. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 7 , wherein a second hydrogen collection portion, which is recessed upwardly and is positioned further toward a vehicle lower side than the first hydrogen collection portion, is formed at a back surface of an outer peripheral portion of the top wall.

9. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the first hydrogen collection portion is positioned at a vehicle transverse direction central portion of the top wall,
a guide portion, which is inclined downwardly toward an outer edge portion of the top wall, is formed at a front side or a rear side of the first hydrogen collection portion, and
as seen in a vehicle plan view, the first hydrogen collection portion and the guide portion are configured to overlap a tunnel portion of a floor panel that structures a floor portion of the vehicle cabin.

10. The high-pressure tank mounting structure of claim 9 , wherein a second hydrogen collection portion, which is recessed upwardly and is positioned further toward a vehicle lower side than the first hydrogen collection portion, is formed at a back surface of an outer peripheral portion of the top wall.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kataoka Chiaki
• Kinoshita Shinsuke
• Sawai Osamu

Classifications

• B60K2015/0321

  characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof · CPC title

• F17C2205/013

  Two or more vessels · CPC title

• B60K2015/0358

  the venting is actuated by specific signals or positions of particular parts · CPC title

• F17C1/00 Primary

  Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge (pressurised apparatus for purposes other than storage, see the relevant subclasses such as A62C, B05B; associated with vehicles, see the appropriate subclass of classes B60 - B64; pressure vessels in general F16J12/00 {; autoclaves B01J3/04; tank vehicles B60P3/22; railway tank wagons for carrying fluent materials B61D5/00; accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04; liquefied gas stoves F24C3/00}) · CPC title

• B60K2015/03118

  Multiple tanks, i.e. two or more separate tanks · CPC title