Fuel tank mounting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8979131-B2
Application number	US-201313923626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2013
Priority date	Jul 16, 2012
Publication date	Mar 17, 2015
Grant date	Mar 17, 2015

Abstract

A fuel tank mounting system for a motor vehicle including an end plate, a sleeve, a fuel tank bracket, and a pin for coupling the fuel tank to a frame of the motor vehicle while allowing the fuel tank bracket to move axially with respect to the pin and to rotate about the pin to reduce stress on at least one fuel tank mount used to couple the fuel tank to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tank mounting system comprising: an end plate having a first opening, the first opening having a first axis; a tank bracket having a second opening, the second opening having a second axis; a sleeve disposed in the first opening and the second opening, the sleeve having a third opening, the third opening having a third axis, the tank bracket and end plate resting on the sleeve, and the tank bracket being movable relative to the third axis; and a pin disposed in the third opening, the pin being coupled to the sleeve.

2. The fuel tank mounting system of claim 1 wherein the first axis, second axis and third axis are congruent.

3. The fuel tank mounting system of claim 1 wherein the tank bracket is movable along the third axis.

4. The fuel tank mounting system of claim 1 wherein the tank bracket is rotatable about the third axis.

5. The fuel tank mounting system of claim 4 wherein the sleeve is coupled to a threaded portion of the pin.

6. The fuel tank mounting system of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is coupled to a threaded portion of the pin.

7. A method of mounting a fuel tank to a motor vehicle comprising: providing a tank bracket having a first opening, the first opening having a first axis, the tank bracket being coupled to the fuel tank; placing the tank bracket proximate to a frame of the motor vehicle; inserting a sleeve into the first opening, the sleeve having a second opening, the second opening having a second axis, and the tank bracket being movable relative to the second axis; inserting a pin into the second opening; and fixing the pin to at least one of the frame and the sleeve.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: providing a first fuel tank mount; and coupling the fuel tank to the frame using the first fuel tank mount.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: providing a second fuel tank mount; and coupling the fuel tank to the frame using the second fuel tank mount.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the tank bracket is coupled to a third frame member of the frame, the first fuel tank mount is coupled to a first frame member of the frame, and the second fuel tank mount is coupled to a second frame member of the frame.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the pin is inserted into the second opening and the first axis and second axis are congruent.

12. A motor vehicle comprising: a frame; a prime mover coupled to the frame; a fuel tank fluidly connected to the prime mover; a sleeve having a first opening, the first opening having a first axis; a tank bracket coupled to the fuel tank, the tank bracket having a second opening, the second opening having a second axis; a pin disposed in the first opening and the second opening, the pin having a third axis, the pin coupling the tank bracket to the frame, and the tank bracket being movable relative to the second axis.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12 wherein the first axis, second axis and third axis are congruent.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 12 wherein the tank bracket is movable along the second axis.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 12 wherein the tank bracket is rotatable about the second axis.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a first fuel tank mount coupled to the fuel tank and the frame.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 16 further comprising a second fuel tank mount coupled to the fuel tank and the frame.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 17 wherein the first fuel tank mount and second fuel tank mount are isolation mounts.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 12 further comprising an end plate, the end plate being coupled to the sleeve and wherein the end plate inhibits movement of the tank bracket along the first axis.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 19 wherein the pin is coupled to the sleeve using threads.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Schwark Travis
• Greene James L

Classifications

• B21D53/88

  other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards · CPC title

• B60K2015/0638

  the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60K15/067 Primary

  Mounting of tanks · CPC title

• B60Y2200/415

  Wheel loaders · CPC title

• B60K15/07 Primary

  of gas tanks · CPC title