Plastic tank with a pot-like installation body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364794-B2
Application number	US-202017011621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2020
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a plastic tank, particularly a plastic fuel tank, with a pot-like installation body arranged on the inside of the tank, as well as a method for producing the same. According to the present disclosure, a ring body is provided which is arranged on an end portion of the installation body, wherein the ring body is engaged in an undercut section in the tank wall, and the installation body is engaged in the ring body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for installing an installation body in a plastic tank, the method comprising the steps of:
introducing of an undercut section in a tank wall on the inside of the tank;
providing a ring body having retaining ribs and the installation body partially assembled with the rind body;
positioning the retaining ribs of the ring body in the undercut section; and
pressing the installation body into the ring body, wherein the installation body is snapped into the ring body such that the installation body is fully assembled with the rind body, and the ring body into the undercut section.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the ring body engages in the undercut section, a section of the ring body carrying the retaining ribs is spread open, and the retaining ribs are pressed into the undercuts of the undercut section.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the installation body engages in the ring body, engaging protrusions formed on a cylindrical wall section of the installation body, which is introduced into the ring body, and engages in openings in a complementary wall section of the ring body.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut section in the tank wall is produced from the outside in the course of molding the tank in a blow mold.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the undercut section is produced by sliders arranged in the blow mold.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the undercut section is produced by a molded part placed in the blow mold.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the installation body is a tank module and the plastic tank is a fuel tank.

8. A method for installing an installation body in a plastic tank, the method comprising the steps of:
forming an undercut section on a tank wall;
arranging a ring body on an end of the installation body to define a pre-installation configuration such that the installation body is partially assembled with the ring body;
setting up an intermediate position by locating a bottom-side end of the ring body partially assembled with the installation body in the undercut section on the tank wall; and
inserting the bottom-side end of the ring body into the undercut section by pushing the installation body into the ring body to define an installed configuration such that the installation body is fully assembled with the ring body.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the undercut section on the tank wall includes the steps of locating a molded part between a blow mold and an outer side of the tank wall, and engulfing the molded part by a part of the tank wall during a blow molding process.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the undercut section on the tank wall includes the step of laterally arranging sliders in a blow mold relative to a recessed area formed in the tank wall, and moving the sliders toward one another.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the undercut section is formed to protrude toward an inner side of the tank.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of arranging a ring body on an end of the installation body includes the step of inserting a section of the end of the installation body in a space formed in an interior of the ring body for holding together in a frictionally engaged manner.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the bottom-side end of the ring body is formed with at least one retaining rib so that the retaining rib is pressed into the undercut section.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a first diameter d defined by a circumcircle of the retaining ribs is smaller than a second diameter D defined by an inside circle of undercut parts formed in the undercut section.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein in the step of inserting the bottom-side end of the ring body into the undercut section by pushing the installation body into the ring body, an area of the retaining ribs is spread open and the retaining ribs are securely fastened into the undercut section.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein engaging protrusions formed on a cylindrical wall of the installation body is securely engaged with openings formed in complementary wall of the ring body.

Assignees

• Ti Automotive Tech Ct Gmbh

Inventors

• Ehler Alex
• Boecker Albert J
• Gmünd Patrick
• Grauer Peter
• Michaelis Gerrit
• Olbrich Matthias B
• Chehade Ahmad
• Haouala Moez

Classifications

• B60K2015/03467

  by clip or snap fit fittings · CPC title

• B60K2015/03493

  made of plastics · CPC title

• B60K15/03177 Primary

  made of non-metallic material, e.g. plastics, or of a combination of non-metallic and metallic material (B60K15/03006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29D22/003

  Containers for packaging, storing or transporting, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, barrels, tanks · CPC title

• B29C49/54

  for undercut articles · CPC title