TANK SHELL WITH MOUNTED COMPONENT ARRANGED LIQUID-TIGHT THEREON

Abstract

A tank shell as a component of a motorized vehicle tank, where the tank shell includes as wall components a barrier foil and injection-molding material injected thereon at least locally on at least one side, where the tank shell exhibits an aperture configured for the arrangement of a functional component configured with a space section located on an internal side of the tank shell, wherein in a rim region of the tank shell surrounding the aperture there is arranged a socket component which at least section-wise is formed from a material different from the materials of the wall components of the tank shell, where the socket component is connected positively and/or is firmly bonded with the rim region of the tank shell.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A tank shell as a component of a motorized vehicle tank, where the tank shell comprises as wall components a barrier foil and injection-molding material injected thereon at least locally on at least one side, where the tank shell; exhibits an aperture configured for the arrangement of a functional component configured with a space section located on an internal side of the tank shell, wherein in a rim region of the tank shell surrounding the aperture there is arranged a socket component, which at least section-wise is formed from a material differing from the materials of the wall components of the tank shell, where the socket component is connected positively and/or is firmly bonded with the rim region of the tank shell.

17. The tank shell according to claim 16, wherein the rim region of the tank shell exhibits a ramp encircling the aperture, which relative to a virtual aperture axis conceived as penetrating the aperture centrally proceeds both along the aperture axis and transversely to the aperture axis, where a section of the socket component overlaps the ramp radially when viewed axially along the aperture axis.

18. The tank shell according to claim 17, wherein the ramp is configured as a stepped ramp with a predominantly axially proceeding wall section and a predominantly radially proceeding bottom section.

19. The tank shell according to claim 17, wherein in a region of the ramp a sealing component is accommodated between the tank shell and the socket component.

20. The tank shell according to claim 19, wherein the sealing component abuts on at least one of the barrier foil and/the socket component.

21. The tank shell according to claim 17, wherein in a region of the ramp there is injected injection-molding material which connects the socket component with the tank shell.

22. The tank shell according to claim 17, wherein the ramp is part of a concave groove formation of the tank shell encircling the aperture.

23. The tank shell according to claim 22, wherein the concave groove formation exhibits a radially interior inner wall section which proceeds predominantly in the axial direction, where the ramp is situated radially outside the inner wall section.

24. The tank shell according to claim 23, wherein the inner wall section overtops the ramp axially towards the tank's external side.

25. The tank shell according to claim 23, wherein the inner wall section is free in whole or in part from the barrier foil.

26. The tank shell according to claim 23, wherein the inner wall section is configured as discontinuous in the circumferential direction about the aperture axis, where in discontinuities of the inner wall section there are arranged wall projections of the socket component.

27. The tank shell according to claim 16, wherein the socket component is connected with the rim region of the tank shell by means of crimping and/or riveting.

28. The tank shell according to the claim 26, wherein the socket component is connected with the rim region of the tank shell by means of crimping and/or riveting, and wherein the connection of the socket component with the rim region of the tank shell is formed by means of plastic deformation of wall projections of the socket component so as to produce a positive fit engagement that engages behind the tank shell.

29. A motorized vehicle tank with at least one tank shell according to claim 16.

30. A motorized vehicle with a motorized vehicle tank according to claim 29.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which forms a part hereof and wherein:

[0040] FIG. 1 A schematic perspective view of a motorized vehicle tank with an aperture in the upper tank shell and with a socket component, which in a rim region of the tank shell surrounding the aperture is connected with the tank shell only by positive jointing,

[0041] FIG. 2 An enlarged schematic perspective view of the tank shell region exhibiting the aperture with the rim region of the tank shell surrounding the aperture without the socket component,

[0042] FIG. 3 A schematic perspective view of just the socket component of FIG. 1 in its shape after mounting on the tank shell,

[0043] FIG. 4 A schematic longitudinal section view through the rim region of the tank shell of FIG. 1 along a sectional plane containing the aperture axis,

[0044] FIG. 5 A schematic perspective view of a second invention embodiment of a tank shell of the present application,

[0045] FIG. 6 A schematic perspective view of the second embodiment of a socket component for connecting with the tank shell of FIG. 5,

[0046] FIG. 7 A schematic longitudinal section view through the rim region of the second invention embodiment of the tank shell with socket component connected with it along a sectional plane containing the aperture axis, and

[0047] FIG. 8 A schematic longitudinal section view through the rim region of a third invention embodiment of a tank shell with a functional component accommodated at the socket component, once again along a sectional plane containing the aperture axis.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, in FIG. 1, a schematically depicted tank for gasoline or premium fuel is denoted generally by 10. The tank 10 comprises a first invention embodiment of an upper tank shell 12 and a lower tank shell 14, which are jointed with each other approximately at the middle of the height of tank 10 along the respective encircling joint flanges 12a or 14a. The jointing of the tank shells 12 and 14 at their respective flanges 12a or 14a can take place through various types of welding methods, for example by means of mirror welding, infrared welding, ultrasound welding, laser welding, and the like.

[0049] On the tank's external side 12b of the upper tank shell 12 there is discernible a depression 16, in which a tie rod extends inside the tank 10 up to the bottom of the tank 10 in order to prevent in a manner which is known per se the tank 10 deforming when excess pressure forms inside the tank 10 against the atmospheric pressure of the external environment U. Such excess pressure can form, for example, in hybrid vehicles when they are propelled only electrically for a prolonged period and no fuel is extracted from inside the tank 10. The aforementioned pressure difference can arise through evaporation of fuel inside the tank 10.

[0050] The upper tank shell 12 exhibits on its upper side an aperture 18 which in the depicted example is circular and which penetrates completely through the tank shell 12. A virtual aperture axis conceived as penetrating centrally through the aperture 18 is denoted by OA. In the rim region 20 of the tank shell 12 surrounding the aperture 18 there is arranged an annular socket component 22, which in the depicted first embodiment is connected with the tank shell 12 only positively.

[0051] For the sake of improved clarity, the aperture 18 and the rim region 20 surrounding it of the first embodiment will first be described by reference to FIG. 2.

[0052] The area of the tank shell 12 surrounding the aperture 18 is formed on the external side 12b by outer injection-molding material 13.

[0053] The rim region 20 exhibits a stepped ramp 24 encircling the aperture 18, which is bounded radially inward towards the aperture axis OA by a crenellated inner wall section 26. The ramp 24 and the inner wall section 26 form a groove formation 28, which surrounds the aperture 18 and is curved concavely in the radial direction towards the aperture axis OA when viewed from outside.

[0054] The stepped ramp 24 exhibits a wall section 24a proceeding predominantly along the aperture axis OA and a bottom section 24b proceeding predominantly transversely and/or preferably radially to the aperture axis OA.

[0055] In the bottom section 24b, preferably in the entire bottom section 24b and further preferably only in the latter, there is situated a barrier foil 30 exposed towards the external environment U of the tank 10. Inwards towards the tank volume, the barrier foil 30 is covered in the bottom section 24b also by an inner injection-molding material 32.

[0056] The tank shell 12 is therefore formed radially outside the ramp 24, in the depicted embodiment example radially outside the bottom section 24b, by a sandwich structure, according to which a central barrier foil 30 is embedded between an injected outer injection-molding material 13 and an injected inner injection-molding material 32.

[0057] The barrier foil 30 is preferably a multilayer foil with a central layer made from EVOH or also from PVOH, to which a connective layer made from a polyolefin is affixed on both sides, in each case under interposition of an adhesion promoting layer, for instance made from LDPE or LLDPE. Preferably, the connective layer is made from HDPE, although this does not necessarily have to be the case. The outer injection-molding material 13 and the inner injection-molding material 32 are preferably identical and each comprise polyethylene, in order to achieve the best possible binding to the barrier foil 30 by means of the latter's outer HDPE connective layer.

[0058] Each tank shell 12 and 14 is created in the depicted example through forming, in particular thermoforming, of the barrier foil 30 in the shape of the tank shell 12 or 14 respectively and by injecting the outer injection-molding material 13 and of the inner injection-molding material 32 onto the external side or onto the internal side respectively of the formed barrier foil 30.

[0059] FIG. 3 depicts in a schematic perspective view the socket component 22 of the first embodiment. It comprises a coupling region 34 lying radially completely outside in the depicted embodiment example, with gripping formations 36 projecting axially towards the external side of the tank shell 12. The gripping formations 36 serve for mechanical positive connection with a functional component not shown in FIG. 3, for example an extracting module for extracting fuel from the tank 10.

[0060] Since the socket component 22 is arranged concentrically to the ramp 24 and to the rim region 20 of the tank shell 16, the aperture axis OA can also serve for describing the socket component 22.

[0061] In order to achieve especially high dimensional stability and bending stiffness about an arbitrary bending axis orthogonal to the aperture axis OA, the socket component 22 is preferably configured section-wise offset and comprises a radially outer rim 38 extending predominantly transversely to the aperture axis, from which rim 38 a predominantly axially extending stepped section 40 projects towards the tank's volume. To this stepped section 40 there is attached a carrier section 42 which again extends radially inward transversely to the aperture axis OA, from which carrier section 42 a large number of wall projections 44 protrude predominantly axially towards the tank volume. On the side of the carrier section 42 facing towards the tank shell 12 there fits a sealing component 46 in the shape of an O-ring.

[0062] The free longitudinal ends 44a of the wall projections 44 are deformed radially outward from the aperture axis OA away, in order to clamp the socket component 22 positively to the tank shell 12.

[0063] The connection of the socket component 22 to the tank shell 12 is more clearly discernible in the schematic longitudinal section view of FIG. 4.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cutout of the rim region 20 of the tank shell 12 in schematic longitudinal section, such that the internal side 12c of the tank shell 12 and the space region 48 situated on the internal side 12c are also visible, which at the tank 10 constitute part of the inner region and/or tank volume respectively of the tank 10.

[0065] FIG. 4 depicts how crenellations 26a of the discontinuously configured inner wall section 26 are arranged alternately with wall projections 44 in the circumferential direction. The wall projections 44 are, therefore, configured interlaced with the crenellations 26a of the inner wall section 26.

[0066] The wall projections 44 embrace with their free longitudinal ends 44a the bottom section 24b of the ramp 24, such that the free longitudinal ends 44a extend radially away from the aperture axis OA and clamp the socket component 22 positively to the tank shell 12.

[0067] The barrier foil 30 is situated radially outside the rim section 20 and still in the region of the wall section 24a sandwich-like between the outer injection-molding material 13 and the inner injection-molding material 32. The outer injection-molding material 13 forms an outer tank wall structure 15 and the inner injection-molding material forms an inner tank wall structure 33. Their respective thicknesses are quantitatively greater than the thickness of the barrier foil 30.

[0068] In the bottom section 24b, the barrier foil 30 is exposed towards the external environment U of the tank shell 12 and/or towards the carrier section 42 of the socket component 22, respectively. On its exposed surface 30a, which forms a sealing region as aforementioned, there abuts the sealing component 46. On the side axially opposite to the free surface 30a of the barrier foil 30 in the bottom section 24b, the sealing component 46 abuts on the side of the carrier section 42 that faces axially towards the inner space region 48. The clear axial height between the carrier section 42 and the bottom section 24b is smaller than the axial dimension of the unstressed sealing component 46, such that the latter is prestressed in the axial direction when installed at the aforementioned regions and thus can deploy its sealing effect.

[0069] Because of the sealing effect between the barrier foil 30 and the purely metallic carrier section 42 provided by the sealing component 46, the crenellations 26a of the inner wall section 26 injected onto the radially inner end of the bottom region 24b can consist solely of injection-molding material, preferably of the inner injection-molding material 32. They do not have to exhibit a barrier foil 30, since in the present case there is no dependence on a sealing effect provided by the crenellations 26a.

[0070] The free surface 30a of the barrier foil 30 can be formed by the HDPE connective layer. It can also, however, be melted away or removed in some other way, such that the sealing component 46 can also abut directly on the central barrier layer, preferably made from EVOH, of the barrier foil 30.

[0071] With the radially outer rim 38, which preferably extends in the radial direction, the socket component 22 can abut on the external side 12b of the tank shell 12 such that the wall projections 44 with their free longitudinal ends 44a can be crimped against the material elasticity of the ramp 24 and thus can clamp the socket component 22 with stabilizing prestressing free from play to the tank shell 12. For further freedom from play, the stepped section 40 abuts preferably radially on a part-region of the wall section 24a of the ramp.

[0072] FIG. 5 depicts a second embodiment of the tank shell 112 in accordance with the perspective of FIG. 2. The associated socket component 122 of the second embodiment is depicted in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 shows a further schematic longitudinal section view of the second embodiment of the tank shell 112 in accordance with the schematic longitudinal section view of FIG. 4.

[0073] The second embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7 shall be elucidated hereunder only in so far as it differs from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, to whose elucidation otherwise reference is made also for elucidating the second embodiment. Identical and functionally identical components and component sections as in the first embodiment are labelled in the second embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7 with identical reference labels, but increased numerically by 100.

[0074] In contrast to the first embodiment, the inner wall section 126 of the ramp 128 of the second embodiment is configured as continuous in the circumferential direction around the aperture axis OA, as a continuous inner wall ring. Preferably the inner wall section exhibits along the entire circumference a constant axial dimension. As can be discerned first and foremost in the context of FIG. 7, the barrier foil 130 of the second embodiment extends not only over the bottom section 124b of the ramp 124 but also along the inner wall section 126 up to the latter's axial end. The inner wall section 126 forms, therefore, an axial collar 150 bordering the aperture 118, which by means of the barrier foil 130 prevents over its entire length migration of hydrocarbons through the inner wall section 126.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows the socket component 122 of the second embodiment in isolation. The socket component 122 is configured for combined firm bonding and positive connection with the tank shell 112. To this end, the stepped section 140 is configured as significantly axially longer than in the first embodiment.

[0076] In order to stabilize the shape of the socket component 122, at the longitudinal end of the stepped section 140 situated axially remotely from the gripping formations 136 there is configured an encircling radial projection 152 formed radially inwards.

[0077] Furthermore there are configured in the stepped section 140 breaches 154, which in the operational state are penetrated by injection-molding material. A plurality of breaches 154 are configured in the circumferential direction, preferably equidistant, encircling the aperture axis OA.

[0078] The stepped section 140 with the breaches 154 and the encircling radial projection 152 form an anchor section 155 and thus a lifting-off safeguard against lifting of the socket component 122 off the tank shell 112 in the lifting direction A.

[0079] As the longitudinal section view of FIG. 7 shows, because of the barrier foil 130 reaching up to the axial end of the inner wall section 126, the second embodiment no longer requires a separate sealing component.

[0080] The socket component 122 with its radial projection 152 is placed on the outwardly facing surface 130a of the barrier foil 130 in the region of the bottom section 124b. The groove formation 128, which when viewed axially from outside in the radial direction is concavely curved, is filled with outer injection-molding material 13, whereby the breaches 154 and the radial projection 152 are secured positively against lifting in the lifting direction A and whereby surface sections of the socket component 122, which are wetted solely by the outer injection-molding material 113, are firmly bonded with the tank shell 112.

[0081] As FIG. 7 further shows, the ramp 124 is formed in several steps, for example two steps, such that the ramp 124 of the second embodiment is radially wider than the ramp 24 of the first embodiment. Once again the radially outer rim 138 of the socket component 122 abuts on the external side 112b of the tank shell 112.

[0082] The axially end-side rim of the inner wall section 126 overtops axially the external side 112b of the tank shell 112, in particular the section located radially immediately outside the socket component 122. An excellent permeation barrier can thereby be achieved in the rim region 120 around the aperture 118.

[0083] FIG. 8 depicts a third embodiment of the invention's tank shell in a schematic longitudinal section view along a sectional plane containing the aperture axis OA. The perspective of FIG. 8 therefore corresponds essentially to the perspective of FIGS. 4 and 7.

[0084] The third embodiment of FIG. 8 is similar to the second embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7, since the socket component 222 of the third embodiment also is firmly bonded and connected positively with the tank shell 212.

[0085] The third embodiment shall be described hereunder only in so far as it differs from the preceding embodiments, to whose description reference is made expressly also for elucidating the third embodiment. Identical and functionally identical components and component sections as in the first two embodiments are labelled with identical reference labels, but in the numerical range from 200 to 299.

[0086] The socket component 222 of the third embodiment exhibits breaches 252 also, which are penetrated through by outer injection-molding material 213. The socket component 222, however, does not exhibit a radial projection at the axial end situated remotely from the gripping formations 236, i.e. the anchor section 255 is formed solely by the stepped section 240 with its breaches 252. Consequently, the anchor section is radially short and can be inserted in a likewise radially short groove formation 228.

[0087] The inner wall section 226 exhibits an encircling plateau section 226a, which proceeds transversely, especially preferably orthogonally, to the aperture axis OA. On the side of the plateau section 226a which is located axially nearer to the space region 248 on the internal side 212c of the tank shell 212 there extends an axially interior inner wall part-section 226b and on the side of the plateau section 226a which is located axially nearer to the external environment U of the tank shell 212 there extends an axially exterior inner wall part-section 226c. The plateau section 226a proceeds radially between the axially interior inner wall part-section 226b and the axially exterior inner wall part-section 226c. The inner wall part-sections 226b and 226c are arranged radially offset relative to one another.

[0088] In the third embodiment of FIG. 8 there is arranged at the socket component 222 a functional component 260, for example an extracting module for extracting fuel from the tank volume. The functional component in FIG. 8 is multi-part.

[0089] In order to seal the rim region 220 against the functional component 260 also, there is arranged a sealing component 262, once again for example an O-ring, between the rim region 220 and the functional component 260. In the embodiment example of FIG. 8, the sealing component 262 is arranged in a region which axially towards the tank volume and/or towards the space region 248 respectively is bounded by the plateau section 226a, which radially inwards is bounded by the axially exterior inner wall part-section 226c, which radially outwards is bounded by the outer injection-molding material 213 and/or the outer tank wall structure 215 respectively, and which axially towards the external environment is bounded by a section of the functional component 260. The aforementioned radial boundaries can be dispensed with on one side or on both radial sides. It is, however, important that the sealing component 262 is arranged between the functional component 260 and the tank shell 212 with sufficient contact pressure onto the aforementioned components. Once again, in order to achieve the best possible permeation protection the sealing component 262 abuts on an exposed surface 230a of the barrier foil 230 which forms a sealing region as aforementioned.

[0090] Despite the stepped configuration of the inner wall section 226, the rim region 220 of the tank shell 212 exhibits an axially long collar 250 bordering the aperture 218, since on the internal side of the tank shell 212 there is injected by injection molding a collar section 226d which extends the axially exterior inner wall part-section 226c axially inwards.

[0091] While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, and equivalences thereof, can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined to form yet other embodiments of the invention of this application. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.