Fuel tank assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9676274-B2
Application number	US-201514607409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 28, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A fuel tank for a transport refrigeration system is provided. The fuel tank includes an elongate tank body. The elongated tank body has a first end wall; a second end wall; a sidewall extending between the first and second end walls; and an interior space defined by the sidewall and the first and second end walls. The fuel tank further includes a fuel tank vent configured to vent air outside of the fuel tank; a fuel outlet fitting; a fuel discharge tube fitting; and a fuel pickup tube fitting. The entire tank body can be made of a plastic.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel tank, comprising:
an elongate tank body, including:
a longitudinal axis;
a first end wall;
a second end wall;
a sidewall extending between the first and second end walls; and
an interior space defined by the sidewall and the first and second end walls;

first and second baffles protruding into the interior space and extending along the longitudinal axis of the tank body;
first and second baffle recesses formed on an outer surface of the tank body at locations corresponding to the first and second baffles, respectively; and
a fuel tank vent configured to vent air outside the fuel tank,
wherein the entire tank body is made of a plastic,
wherein the first baffle recess defines a first opening on the outer surface of the tank, and the second baffle recess defines a second opening on the outer surface of the tank; each of the first and second openings has a first end located in a vicinity of a first strap recess and a second end located in a vicinity of a second strap recess; the first and second openings being oriented generally parallel with each other.

2. The fuel tank of claim 1 , further comprising a continuous linear reinforcing region formed on each of the first and second end walls and through a center of the respective first and second end walls.

3. The fuel tank of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing region is a pinch seal formed during a molding process.

4. The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank passes a 30-feet drop test under a US Department of Transportation standard.

5. The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank passes a flame test under an Economic Commission for Europe standard.

6. The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the entire tank body and the baffles are made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and form a continuous one piece housing.

7. The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the entire tank body is made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and form a continuous one piece housing.

8. The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein each of the two baffles has a first end wall, a second end wall and two sidewalls extending between the first and second end walls; the two baffles are oriented such that in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tank body, the sidewalls of the first baffle and the sidewalls of the second baffle are not parallel to each other.

9. A fuel tank assembly, comprising:
a fuel tank, comprising:
an elongate tank body, comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a first end wall;
a second end wall;
a sidewall extending between the first and second end walls; and
an interior space defined by the sidewall and the first and second end walls;

first and second baffles protruding into the interior space and extending along the longitudinal axis of the tank body;
first and second baffle recesses formed on an outer surface of the tank body at locations corresponding to the first and second baffles, respectively; and
a fuel tank vent configured to vent air outside of the fuel tank; and

a mounting assembly configured to mount the fuel tank to a chassis,
wherein the entire tank body is made of a plastic, and
wherein the first baffle recess defines a first opening on the outer surface of the tank, and the second baffle recess defines a second opening on the outer surface of the tank; each of the first and second openings has a first end located in a vicinity of a first strap recess and a second end located in a vicinity of a second strap recess; the first and second openings being oriented generally parallel with each other.

10. The fuel tank assembly of claim 7 , wherein the fuel tank further comprises a continuous linear reinforcing region formed on each of the first and second end walls and through a center of the respective first and second end walls.

11. The fuel tank assembly of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing region is a pinch seal formed during a molding process.

12. The fuel tank assembly of claim 7 , wherein the entire tank body is made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and form a continuous one piece housing.

13. A method of making a fuel tank, comprising:
fabricating a fuel tank by a molding process, comprising
molding an elongate tank body, including:
molding a first end wall;
molding a second end wall;
molding a sidewall extending between the first and second end walls;
forming first and second baffles protruding into an interior space enclosed by the sidewall and the first and second end walls of tank body and extending along a longitudinal axis of the tank body, such that two baffle recesses are formed on an outer surface of tank body at locations corresponding to the first and second baffles, respectively, each of the; and

molding a fuel tank vent configured to vent with atmosphere,

wherein the first baffle recess defines a first opening on the outer surface of the tank, and the second baffle recess defines a second opening on the outer surface of the tank; each of the first and second openings has a first end located in a vicinity of a first strap recess and a second end located in a vicinity of a second strap recess; the first and second openings being oriented generally parallel with each other, and
wherein the entire tank body is made of a plastic.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein molding an elongate tank body includes blow molding the tank body.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein molding an elongate tank body includes rotational molding the tank body.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein molding an elongate tank body further includes molding a continuous linear reinforcing region formed on each of the first and second end walls and through a center of the respective first and second end walls.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the reinforcing region is a pinch seal formed in the molding process.

Assignees

• Thermo King Corp

Inventors

• Pearce Scott Phillip
• P Sunil Kumar
• Kime Mary Elizabeth

Classifications

• B29C49/00

  Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29C51/267

  Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould (B29C49/0691 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Y2200/148

  Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles · 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

• B60K2015/03032

  Manufacturing of fuel tanks · CPC title