Fuel Tank for a Motor Vehicle, in Particular for a Motorcycle, and Method for Producing a Fuel Tank

Abstract

A fuel tank for a motor vehicle, a method for producing the fuel tank, and a single-track motor vehicle including the fuel tank, where the fuel tank includes at least two parts that are joined together where the parts delimit a receiving chamber for receiving a fuel. At least one of the two parts is produced by a co-injection moulding process.

Claims

1. A fuel tank for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first part body; and a second part body; wherein the first and second part bodies are connected to one another, wherein a receiving space for receiving a fuel is defined by the connected first and second part bodies, and wherein at least one of the first and second part bodies is produced by a multiple component injection molding method.

2. The fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second part bodies which is produced by the multiple component injection molding method has a first injection molded element and a second injection molded element which are connected directly to one another and which are formed from different materials.

3. The fuel tank according to claim 2, wherein the first and second injection molded elements are connected directly to one another in a positively locking manner and/or in an integrally joined manner.

4. The fuel tank according to claim 2, wherein the first injection molded element has, or consists of, a thermoplastic and wherein the second injection molded element has, or consists of, a thermoplastic elastomer.

5. The fuel tank according to claim 2, wherein the first injection molded element has, or consists of, a polyamide.

6. The fuel tank according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the first and second part bodies which is produced by the multiple component injection molding method is configured as a fuel tank upper shell, wherein the first injection molded element forms a main body of the fuel tank upper shell, and wherein the second injection molded element is configured as a flat surface element.

7. The fuel tank according to claim 1 further comprising a fastening apparatus which has a first injection molded element and a second injection molded element, wherein the fastening apparatus is configured on the first part body and/or on the second part body.

8. The fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second part bodies has a substrate which is overmolded in an in-mold method.

9. A single track motor vehicle, comprising the fuel tank according to claim 1.

10. The single track motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the single track motor vehicle is a motorcycle.

11. A method for producing a fuel tank for a motor vehicle, comprising the acts of: configuring of a first part body and a second part body by injection molding, wherein at least one of the first and second part bodies is produced by a multiple component injection molding method; and connecting the first and second part bodies such that, after the connecting, the first and second part bodies define a receiving space for receiving a fuel.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the connecting takes place by a welding method.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein in the multiple component injection molding method, a first injection molded element and a second injection molded element are connected directly to one another.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first injection molded element has, or consists of, a thermoplastic and wherein the second injection molded element has, or consists of, a thermoplastic elastomer.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the multiple component injection molding method is an overmolding method.

16. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the act of overmolding a substrate in an in-mold method on at least one of the first and second part bodies.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIGS. 1 and 2 show diagrammatic illustrations of a fuel tank in accordance with one exemplary embodiment.

[0036] FIGS. 3 and 4 show diagrammatic illustrations of a fastening apparatus of a fuel tank in accordance with one exemplary embodiment.

[0037] FIGS. 5 and 6 show diagrammatic illustrations of a fuel tank in accordance with a further exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In the exemplary embodiments and Figures, identical or identically acting constituent parts can be provided in each case with the same designations. The elements which are shown and their proportions among one another are fundamentally not to be considered as being true to scale. Rather, individual elements can be shown in a manner which is dimensioned exaggeratedly in terms of thickness or size for improved presentability and/or for improved understanding.

[0039] FIGS. 1 and 2 show diagrammatic illustrations of a fuel tank 1 in accordance with one exemplary embodiment, FIG. 1 showing merely a first part body 2 of the fuel tank 1 in a perspective view. FIG. 2 shows the complete fuel tank 1 in a diagrammatic side view.

[0040] The fuel tank 1 has two part bodies 2, 3 which are connected to one another and delimit a receiving space for receiving fuel. The two part bodies 2, 3 are produced in each case by way of an injection molding method and are connected to one another by way of a welding method. In particular, the two part bodies 2, 3 are produced in each case by way of a multiple component injection molding method.

[0041] The part bodies 2, 3 have in each case one first injection molded element 5 which consists of polyamide in the exemplary embodiment which is shown, and a plurality of second injection molded elements 6 which consist of a thermoplastic elastomer in the exemplary embodiment which is shown. The part bodies 2, 3 are produced, in particular, in each case in a two-component injection molding method. The injection molding method can be, for example, an overmolding method, in the case of which the second injection molded elements 6 are connected in each case in a positively locking and/or integrally joined manner to the first injection molded element 5, by way of which the main body of the first and second part body 2, 3 is formed.

[0042] In the exemplary embodiment which is shown, the first part body 2 which forms the tank upper shell of the fuel tank 1 has a left hand side 21, a right hand side 23 and a tank spine 22 which is arranged in between. Here, in each case one second injection molded element 6 is provided both in the region of the left hand side 21, in the region of the tank spine 22 and in the region of the right hand side 23.

[0043] The tank lower shell of the fuel tank 1, which tank lower shell is formed by way of the second part body 3, also has a plurality of second injection molded elements 6 which are embedded into the injection molded element 5 which forms the main body of the tank lower shell. The second injection molded elements 6 can serve, for example, as protector surfaces, such as knee pads or posterior pads. Furthermore, the second injection molded elements 6 can have a surface with rubber studs which is particularly grippy.

[0044] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a fastening apparatus 8 of a fuel tank 1 in a perspective view and in a sectional view, respectively. In particular, the section in FIG. 4 is depicted along A-A from FIG. 3.

[0045] The fastening apparatus 8 can be configured on the first part body 2 and/or on the second part body 3 of the fuel tank. The fastening apparatus 8 is produced by way of a two-component injection molding method, and has a first injection molded element 5 which can be a part region of the first part body 2 or the second part body 3, and two second injection molded elements 6 which are connected to the first injection molded element 5 in a positively locking and integrally joined manner. The second injection molded elements 6 in each case have a hollow-cylindrical shape, and preferably consist of a thermoplastic elastomer. The first injection molded element 5 preferably consists of a thermoplastic, such as of polyamide.

[0046] In each case one connecting element for fastening the fuel tank 1 to a further body can be guided through the second injection molded elements 6. Force and vibration decoupling between the fuel tank 1 and the further body, to which the fuel tank is fastened, can be achieved in a particularly inexpensive manner by way of the fastening apparatus 8.

[0047] FIGS. 5 and 6 show diagrammatic views of a fuel tank 1 in accordance with a further exemplary embodiment. The fuel tank 1 once again has two part bodies 2, 3 which are connected to one another and delimit a receiving space for receiving fuel, at least one of the two part bodies 2, 3 being produced by way of a multiple component injection molding method. For example, at least one of the two part bodies 2, 3 has a first injection molded element and a second injection molded element (not shown) which is connected directly to the first injection molded element, which injection molded elements are produced by way of a two-component injection molding method and preferably in each case have a different material or consist of different materials.

[0048] Furthermore, the two part bodies 2, 3 in each case have a plurality of substrates 7 which are overmolded by way of an in-mold method. The substrates can be, for example, films, such as films with a logo, an emblem and/or a graphic (in particular, multiple-color) design.

[0049] The features which are described in the exemplary embodiments which are shown can also be combined with one another in accordance with further exemplary embodiments. As an alternative or in addition, the exemplary embodiments which are shown in the Figures can have further features in accordance with the embodiments of the general description.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0050] 1 Fuel tank [0051] 2 First part body [0052] 3 Second part body [0053] 5 First injection molded element [0054] 6 Second injection molded element [0055] 7 Substrate [0056] 8 Fastening apparatus [0057] 21 Left hand side of the tank upper shell [0058] 22 Tank spine of the tank upper shell [0059] 23 Right hand side of the tank upper shell

[0060] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.