FUEL TANK WITH FILLER NECK

Abstract

A fuel tank for a motor vehicle. The fuel tank includes a tank having an external casing having an opening and a forming zone in a region about the opening, the forming zone having a first forming zone region that is deformed in comparison to a shape of the external casing surrounding the forming zone and a second forming zone region on a periphery of the opening that is deformed greater than the deformation in the first forming zone region. The fuel tank also includes a filler neck for filling the tank, the filler neck leading into an opening of the external casing and being welded to the external casing by way of a weld seam that is accessible from outside the tank, the filler neck in the region of the opening being deformed greater than the deformation than the deformation of the second forming zone region.

Claims

1. A fuel tank for a motor vehicle, the fuel tank comprising: a tank having an external casing having an opening and a forming zone in a region about the opening, the forming zone having a first forming zone region that is deformed in comparison to a shape of the external casing surrounding the forming zone and a second forming zone region on a periphery of the opening that is deformed greater than the deformation in the first forming zone region; and a filler neck for filling the tank, the filler neck leading into an opening of the external casing and welded to the external casing via a weld seam that is accessible from outside the tank, wherein the filler neck, in the region of the opening, is deformed greater than the deformation than the deformation of the second forming zone region.

2. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the second forming zone region is deformed by a flange.

3. The fuel tank of claim 2, wherein the filler neck in the region of the flange periphery is welded to the external casing by way of a weld seam that is accessible from outside the tank.

4. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the forming zone, in comparison to a shape of the external casing surrounding the forming zone, is deformed towards an interior of the tank.

5. The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the forming zone, on the periphery of the opening, comprises an inwardly directed flange.

6. The fuel tank of claim 5, wherein the periphery of the filler neck, in the region of the inwardly directed flange, is welded to the external casing by way of a weld seam that is accessible from outside the tank.

7. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the forming zone substantially forms a plane which, in comparison to a convex shape of the external casing surrounding the forming zone, is deformed towards the interior of the tank.

8. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the forming zone substantially forms a plane which, in comparison to a convex shape of the external casing surrounding the forming zone, is deformed towards the exterior of the tank

9. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the external casing substantially has a cuboid shape with radiused longitudinal edge regions.

10. The fuel tank of claim 9, wherein the forming zone is configured in a radiused longitudinal edge region.

11. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the second forming zone region forms a flange having ends that extend parallel to the filler neck towards the interior of the tank.

12. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the second forming zone region forms a flange having ends that extend parallel to the filler neck towards the exterior of the tank.

13. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the filler neck, on an end thereof that lies outside the external casing, has a closure region.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0012] Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description hereinbelow.

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional illustration of a fuel tank in the region of the filler neck, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the fuel tank of FIG. 1, in a section on a normal plane to the longitudinal extent of the tank at the central axis of the filler neck.

DESCRIPTION

[0015] A fuel tank according to the invention in the region of the filler neck is illustrated in a three-dimensional manner in FIG. 1, and the region about the filler neck is illustrated in a section in FIG. 2.

[0016] The tank of the fuel tank has an external casing 1 which substantially has the shape of a cuboid with radiused longitudinal edge regions 6. A forming zone 3 is configured in one of the radiused longitudinal edge regions 6.

[0017] The forming zone 3 in comparison to the shape of the external casing 1 surrounding the forming zone 3 is deformed towards the interior of the tank. The forming zone 3 substantially forms a plane which in comparison to the convex shape of the external casing 1 surrounding the forming zone 3, specifically in comparison to the remaining shape of the longitudinal edge region 6, is deformed towards the interior of the tank. The forming zone 3 can be inwardly offset in comparison to the surrounding shape of the external casing 1, in particular in comparison to the remaining shape of the longitudinal edge region 6, and/or form a concavity towards the interior.

[0018] A filler neck 2 for filling the tank leads into an opening of the external casing 1, the latter preferably being disposed in the center of the forming zone 3.

[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the forming zone 3 on the periphery of the opening is even more heavily formed/deformed towards the interior, in particular flanged 4 towards the interior, thus having an inward flange 4 which forms the periphery of the opening for the filler neck 2. The filler neck 2 in the region of the even more heavily formed/deformed, in particular flanged 4, periphery of the opening is welded to the external casing 1 by way of a weld seam 5 that is accessible from the outside, thus from the exterior of the tank, and circumferentially encircles the opening.

[0020] The ends of the external casing 1 that form the inward flange 4 extend parallel to the filler neck 2 towards the inside, thus towards the interior of the tank. The filler neck 2 on the end thereof that lies outside the external casing 1 has an external thread 7, in particular for closing the filler neck 2 with a cap.

[0021] In accordance with one or more embodiments, the required geometry at the interface, specifically the forming zone 3, is thus implemented directly by way of the existing components of the tank, specifically by way of the external casing 1 of the tank, by means of forming said existing components. The forming may have various geometries. No additional material is used in the process. Only external welding of the filler neck 2 to the external casing 1 is additionally performed, thus the application of a weld seam 5. The inward flange 4 into the interior of the tank ensures positive positioning of the filler neck 2, thus also an improved distribution of force in terms of the statutory drop test.

[0022] The terms coupled, attached, or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

[0023] Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0024] 1 External casing [0025] 2 Filler neck [0026] 3 Forming zone [0027] 4 Inward flange [0028] 5 Weld seam [0029] 6 Longitudinal edge region [0030] 7 External thread