Fuel tank manufacturing method and fuel tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016347-A1
Application number	US-201514798789-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a fuel tank includes: passing a hollow molten resin projection, that projects-out in a wall-thickness direction and is formed at a molten resin sheet that becomes a tank structural member structuring a tank main body, through a mounting hole of a part-to-be-mounted that is placed on the molten resin sheet; and pressurizing the molten resin projection from an inner side, and causing at least a portion of the molten resin projection to jut-out to a peripheral portion of the mounting hole of the part-to-be-mounted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing a fuel tank, comprising:
passing a hollow molten resin projection, that projects-out in a wall-thickness direction and is formed at a molten resin sheet that becomes a tank structural member structuring a tank main body, through a mounting hole of a part-to-be-mounted that is placed on the molten resin sheet; and pressurizing the molten resin projection from an inner side, and causing at least a portion of the molten resin projection to jut-out to a peripheral portion of the mounting hole of the part-to-be-mounted.

2 . The method of manufacturing a fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein
a projecting member, that projects-out from a mold surface at which the molten resin sheet is placed and that forms the molten resin projection at the molten resin sheet, is provided at a molding die for molding the tank structural member, an elastic body, that expands due to supply of a non-compressible fluid and pressurizes the molten resin projection from an inner side, is provided at the projecting member, the molten resin projection is formed by the projecting member at the molten resin sheet that is placed along the mold surface, and the elastic body is expanded due to supply of the fluid, and pressurizes the molten resin projection from the inner side.

3 . The method of manufacturing a fuel tank of claim 2 , wherein the elastic body covers the projecting member, and the fluid is supplied through a flow path that is provided at the projecting member.

4 . The method of manufacturing a fuel tank of claim 3 , wherein a concave portion, that is continuous or discontinuous in a peripheral direction, is formed in at least one of an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of the elastic body.

5 . A fuel tank comprising:
a tank main body that is formed of resin and can accommodate fuel; a protrusion that is formed at the tank main body, projects-out in a wall-thickness direction of the tank main body, and is formed in a shape of a tube whose interior is hollow, whose top portion is closed-off, and that passes-through a mounting hole of a part-to-be-mounted; and an overhanging portion that is structured to include a first overhanging portion that is formed at a portion of the protrusion which portion has passed-through the mounting hole, that juts-out to a peripheral portion of the mounting hole of the part-to-be-mounted, and that, together with a general portion of the tank main body, nips the peripheral portion of the mounting hole of the part-to-be-mounted, and a second overhanging portion that is disposed so as to be apart from the first overhanging portion in a projecting direction of the protrusion.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kimura Miki
• Ogata Shingo

Classifications

• B29C69/02 Primary

  of moulding techniques only · CPC title

• B29C49/20

  of articles having inserts or reinforcements {; Handling of inserts or reinforcements} · CPC title

• B29C49/0208

  joining several separate preforms while blow-moulding, e.g. two cylindrical preforms welded together during blowing · CPC title

• B29C49/0047 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29L2031/7172

  Fuel tanks, jerry cans · CPC title