A fuel tank built-in column structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a column structure built into a fuel tank, so the column structure comprises a column body and a column end, the column body and the column end are respectively composed of two materials, the column end wraps the column body, the two materials are connected by a rubber coating process, one material is used for both ends of the column, and is used for connecting the column with the inner wall of the fuel tank. The selected material needs to match the material of the inner wall of the fuel tank. Polyethylene (PE) material or modified polyethylene (PE) material is selected as the two end faces of the column, and the material is called material one; the column body is selected from one of polyphthalamide (PPA), polyoxymethylene (POM), modified polyoxymethylene, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and metal materials. The present invention provides a column structure design scheme for the interior of a fuel tank. The column is generally used inside a high-pressure fuel tank to improve the overall strength of the fuel tank, improve the mechanical properties of the fuel tank, and the column itself has a certain flexibility under tension and compression.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a column structure, in particular to a column structure built into a fuel tank, and belongs to the technical field of fuel tank structural components. Background Art

[0002] Due to its special working conditions, when the internal space of the high-pressure fuel tank is closed and experiences a large temperature difference, due to the volatility of the fuel itself, a large range of pressure changes will be generated inside the tank, forming a positive or negative pressure far higher than that of ordinary fuel tanks. If it is not controlled, the tank will be over-deformed or even ruptured. For traditional plastic fuel tanks, it is difficult to withstand such a large pressure, and adding columns inside the tank can improve the strength of the tank, thereby limiting the deformation of the tank and ensuring its normal working performance.

[0003] The purpose of using the pillars is to increase the strength of the fuel tank and limit deformation. However, if the overall structural strength is too high, the fuel tank will easily crack when experiencing long-term fatigue or severe impact. Therefore, when designing the pillar structure, the strength of the rod cannot be simply increased.

[0004] The current high-pressure fuel tank column structure generally fails to take into account the above two points, and problems such as stress concentration are prone to occur at the end flange, which makes the main structure design of the column quite difficult. Technicians in this field have been trying new solutions to solve this problem, but there has been no proper technical solution to this problem. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention is aimed at the technical problems existing in the prior art, and provides a built-in column structure of the fuel tank. The technical solution is cleverly designed and compact in structure. The design uses two materials to make the column, one material is used for the end to be welded to the inner surface of the fuel tank, and one material is used for the main body to have high strength, which limits the deformation of the fuel tank, and at the same time, under continuous large stress or severe impact, ensures that the rod breaks to avoid leakage of the fuel tank. In addition, the two materials adopt the rubber coating process, and the two ends of the middle main body adopt the arc-shaped structure design, so that the column has a certain toughness when it is subjected to huge tension, thereby ensuring that the fuel tank can withstand pressure alternation for a long time and avoid failure.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: a fuel tank built-in pillar structure, characterized in that the pillar structure includes a pillar body and a pillar end, the pillar body and the pillar end are respectively composed of two materials, and the pillar end wraps the pillar body. The first material constituting the pillar end is a material that is easy to weld with the inner wall of the fuel tank, and the second material constituting the pillar body is an engineering plastic or metal with relatively high strength. The pillar end wraps the pillar body. In this way, it can be ensured that the pillar is well connected to the inner wall of the fuel tank, and at the same time, the pillar itself has sufficient strength to limit the deformation of the fuel tank.

[0007] As an improvement of the present invention, the two materials are connected by a rubber coating process, and one material is used for the two ends of the column for connecting the column to the inner wall of the oil tank. The selected material needs to match the material of the inner wall of the oil tank. Polyethylene (PE) material or modified polyethylene (PE) material is selected as the two end faces of the column, and this material is called material one; the middle main part of the column needs to use a material with higher strength, and has strong creep resistance under high temperature, oil immersion, and alternating pressure, thereby improving the overall strength of the oil tank and limiting its deformation under internal pressure. One of polyphthalamide (PPA), polyoxymethylene (POM), modified polyoxymethylene (POM+glass fiber), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and metal material is selected, and this material is called material two.

[0008] As an improvement of the present invention, the column end and the column body are both hollow through structures, that is, the center of the entire column has a through hole. The column end has a circular through hole like the middle main body, that is, the connection surface with the inside of the fuel tank is annular, so the entire column is a vertical through structure. The center of the column has a through hole, that is, the column end and the column body are both hollow through, which is conducive to significantly reducing the weight of the column while ensuring good strength, so that it can reduce the weight of the final fuel tank assembly and reduce material costs.

[0009] As an improvement of the present invention, the two end faces of the column end are used to connect with the inner wall of the oil tank, and the connection method is welding. The column end faces are designed to have a pitted structure, and the normal column is inserted into the hot melt blank during the production process. Alternatively, welding is adopted, and the column end faces are provided with a plurality of welding bosses. During the production process, hot plate welding is adopted, and the column end faces are first processed to a molten state, and then the column is welded to the oil tank blank.

[0010] As an improvement of the present invention, the middle part of the column body adopts a hollow cylindrical structure, and the two ends are provided with an outward-expanding arc structure, so that the junction of the two materials has a gentle slope, which effectively avoids stress concentration compared to right-angle corners. The wrapped part of the column end on the column body completely fits the outer wall of the outward-expanding arc structure at both ends of the column body; the end of the wrapped part of the column end has an outward-turned arc chamfer. When the column is subjected to force, when the column end and the column body are in conflict, the impact force of the connecting end of the two can be reduced, avoiding failure at the connection between the two materials. Compared with the design of a simple hollow cylinder, the two ends of the hollow column body are designed with outward-expanding arc features, which have better toughness and greater deformability in structure. In addition, the slope of the junction is gentle, which effectively avoids stress concentration compared to the 90° corner of the normal column body rubber-coated flange.

[0011] As an improvement of the present invention, the end of the column has a step when the end surface for connection transitions to the wrapped portion to ensure that the end surface is large enough for connection with the fuel tank blank.

[0012] As an improvement of the present invention, the portion of the column end that wraps the column body is provided with a reinforcing rib structure, and the reinforcing ribs are arranged circumferentially around the column end. When the column is subjected to tension, the portion of the column end that wraps the column body and the outwardly expanded arc portion of the column body counteract each other, and when the outwardly expanded arc of the column body is compressed to deform to a certain degree of flexibility, the reinforcing ribs on the outside of the column end can limit the deformation of the end material, thereby preventing the column from being overstretched when the pressure is high, and even the two materials of the end and the body from falling off, thereby causing the overall failure of the fuel tank.

[0013] As an improvement of the present invention, the inner circle of the end of the column has a step to prevent the column body from moving up and down. There is a gap between the step and the lower end of the column body. This gap allows the column to have a certain flexibility when subjected to alternating pressure, and the column body 3 has a certain movement space in the axial direction of the column.

[0014] As an improvement of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end face of the column is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body of the column. As for the main body, the cross-sectional area of ​​the arc-shaped top is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle part of the main body because of the outward expansion feature. This avoids failure at the connection between the column and the oil tank, or even leakage.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1) The overall structural design of the technical solution is compact and ingenious. The column design of the solution adopts two materials, which ensures the strength of the column while being well connected with the inner wall of the oil tank. 2) In the solution, the two ends of the main part of the column adopt an outward-expanding arc structure, which makes the column have a certain flexibility when pulling or pressing. The pillar design of the present invention enables the fuel tank to withstand long-term pressure changes while having good impact resistance; 3) In this scheme, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end face of the pillar is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body of the pillar. For the main body, the cross-sectional area of ​​the arc-shaped top is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle part of the main body due to its outward expansion feature, thereby avoiding failure at the connection between the pillar and the fuel tank, or even leakage; 4) In this scheme, the part of the pillar end that wraps the pillar body is provided with a reinforcing rib structure, and the reinforcing ribs are circumferentially arranged around the end of the pillar. When the pillar is subjected to tension, the part of the pillar end that wraps the pillar body and the outward expansion arc-shaped part of the pillar body counteract each other. When the outward expansion arc of the pillar body is compressed to deform and make it have a certain flexibility, the reinforcing ribs on the outside of the end of the pillar can limit the deformation of the end material, thereby avoiding excessive stretching of the pillar when the pressure is large, or even the two materials of the end and the main body falling off, thereby causing the overall failure of the fuel tank. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance of the column;

[0017] Figure 2A The cross-sectional structure diagram of the column is shown in Figure 2.

[0018] Figure 2B A schematic diagram of a structure designed for the end face of a column;

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of another structure designed for the end face of the column;

[0020] Figure 4A Schematic diagram of the specific structure of the junction of two materials of the column;

[0021] Figure 4B The figure is a detailed schematic diagram of the joint;

[0022] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the placement structure of the column in the mailbox;

[0023] In the figure: 1, column, 2, column end, 3, column body, 4, outward arc structure, 5, through hole, 6, wrapped part, 7, end face, 8, pitting structure, 9, boss, 11, slope, 12, arc chamfer, 13, step, 14, reinforcing rib structure, 15, gap, 16, fuel tank, DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to deepen the understanding of the present invention, the present embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Example 1: See Figure 1A fuel tank built-in pillar structure, so the pillar 1 includes a pillar body 3 and a pillar end 2, the pillar body 3 and the pillar end 2 are respectively composed of two materials, and the pillar end 2 wraps the pillar body 3. The two materials are connected by using a rubber coating process. One material is used to wrap the two ends of the column and is used to connect the column to the inner wall of the oil tank. The selected material needs to match the material of the inner wall of the oil tank. Polyethylene (PE) material or modified polyethylene (PE) material is selected as the two end faces of the column, and this material is called material one; the middle body part of the column needs to use a material with higher strength, and has strong creep resistance under high temperature, oil immersion, and pressure alternation, so as to improve the overall strength of the oil tank and limit its deformation under internal pressure. The column body is selected from one of polyphthalamide (PPA), polyoxymethylene (POM), modified polyoxymethylene (POM+glass fiber), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and metal materials, and this material is called material two; that is, the material one constituting the column end 1 is a material that is easy to weld with the inner wall of the oil tank, and the material two constituting the column body 3 is an engineering plastic or metal with higher strength. The column end 2 wraps the column body 3. In this way, it can be ensured that the column 1 is well connected to the inner wall of the fuel tank, and at the same time, the column 1 itself has sufficient strength to limit the deformation of the fuel tank.

[0026] Example 2: See Figure 2A As an improvement of the present invention, the column end 2 and the column body 3 are both hollow through structures, that is, the center of the entire column has a through hole 5, and the end of the column has a circular through hole like the middle main body, that is, the connecting surface with the inside of the oil tank is a circular ring, so the entire column is a vertically through structure. Figure 2A The cross-sectional structure of the column 1 is specifically shown, and it can be clearly seen that the center of the column 1 has a through hole 5, that is, the column end 2 and the column body 3 are both hollow and through, which is conducive to significantly reducing the weight of the column 1 while ensuring good strength, so that the weight of the final fuel tank assembly can be reduced and the material cost can be reduced. The rest of the structure and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0027] Example 3: See Figure 2A, the two ends of the column body 3 have an outward-expanding arc-shaped structure 4, and the wrapped part 6 of the column end 2 on the column body 3 completely fits the outer wall of the outward-expanding arc-shaped structure 4 at both ends of the column body 3. The above-mentioned outward-expanding arc-shaped structure 4 has a larger diameter than the middle part under the condition of the same wall thickness, so that the two ends of the column body 3 have a certain amount of deformation when under pressure, thereby improving the overall flexibility of the column 1. Specifically, when the oil tank is subjected to a high internal pressure, the expansion of the inner wall of the oil tank will generate a pulling force on the column 1, and the pulling force acts on the column body 3 through the column end 2. The column end 2 has a tendency to move to both sides, and its wrapped part 6 will compress the outward-expanding arc-shaped structure 4 of the column body 3. When it has a certain flexibility, the oil tank avoids damage due to excessive strength and oil leakage when it is deformed under pressure. The rest of the structure and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1. The rest of the structure and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0028] Example 4: See Figure 2B The end surface 7 of the column end 2 is used to connect with the inner wall of the oil tank. Figure 2B A specific structural example of the end face 7 is shown, and the end face 7 is uniformly distributed with a certain density of pitted structures 8. When the column 1 is connected to the inner wall of the oil tank, the two adopt a welding process, and the end face 7 of the column 1 is cold inserted into the oil tank blank to form a connection effect. After the oil tank is cooled and finalized, the connection effect is strengthened. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end face 7 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the column body 3, and due to the existence of the outward-expanding arc structure 4, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the column body 3 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the middle part of the column body 3.

[0029] Figure 3 Another specific structure example of the end face 7 is shown. The end face 7 is evenly distributed with bosses 9 in the circumferential direction. The end face 7 is connected to the inner wall of the fuel tank by welding. The welding process is used during production and manufacturing, and hot plate welding is limited. That is, the bosses 9 are preheated to a molten state, and the fuel oil presses the end face 7 and the fuel tank blank to form a connection effect. After the fuel tank is cooled and finalized, the connection effect is strengthened. The remaining structures and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0030] Embodiment 5: Figure 4AThe detailed view of the structural features of the column 1 at the junction of two materials is shown, wherein the column end 2 has a step at the end face 7 for connection when transitioning to the wrapping part 6 to ensure that the end face 7 is large enough for connection with the tank blank. Due to the outward-expanding arc structure 4 at both ends of the column body 3, the junction of the two materials has a gentle slope 11, which effectively avoids stress concentration compared to a right-angle corner. The end of the wrapping part 6 of the column end 2 has an outward-turned arc chamfer 12. When the column 1 is subjected to force, when the column end 2 and the column body 3 are in conflict, the impact force at the connection end of the two can be reduced to avoid failure at the connection of the two materials. A reinforcing rib structure 14 is arranged on the outer circumference of the column end 2 to enhance the strength of the column end wrapping portion 6. When the column is subjected to force inside the oil tank, the direct force-bearing portion is the column end 2. When the oil tank is deformed and the column end 2 is pulled, the wrapping portion 6 of the column end and the outwardly expanded arc structure 4 of the column body are squeezed and resisted against each other. The reinforcing rib structure 14 can make only the outwardly expanded arc structure 4 partially deformed, preventing both from deforming at the same time and falling off, causing failure. The remaining structures and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0031] Embodiment 6: Figure 4B It is shown that the inner circle of the column end 2 has a step 13 to prevent the column body 3 from moving up and down, and there is a gap 15 between the step 13 and the lower end of the column body 3. This gap 15 makes the column have a certain flexibility when subjected to alternating pressure, and the column body 3 has a certain movement space in the axial direction of the column. The rest of the structure and advantages are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0032] Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the arrangement of the column 1 in the fuel tank 16 is shown, which is only for showing the arrangement of the column 1 inside the fuel tank 16, that is, the upper and lower surfaces of the column 1 are respectively connected to the upper and lower inner surfaces of the fuel tank 16. The specific size specifications of the column 1 and the arrangement position of the column 1 are determined according to the specific shape and structural characteristics of the fuel tank 16.

[0033] The present invention can also combine at least one of the technical features described in Examples 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 with Example 1 to form a new implementation manner.

[0034] It should be noted that the above embodiments are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention, and equivalent changes or substitutions made on the basis of the above technical solutions all fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel tank built-in column structure, characterized in that: Therefore, the column structure includes a column body and a column end, the column body and the column end are respectively made of two materials, the column end wraps the column body, the middle part of the column body adopts a hollow cylindrical structure, and both ends are provided with an outward-expanding arc structure, so that the junction of the two materials has a gentle slope, and the part of the column end wrapped around the column body is completely in contact with the outer wall of the outward-expanding arc structure at both ends of the column body; the end of the wrapped part of the column end has an outward-turned arc chamfer, and the inner circle of the column end has a step to prevent the column body from moving up and down, and there is a gap between the step and the lower end of the column body; The two materials are connected by a rubber coating process. One material is used for both ends of the column and is used to connect the column to the inner wall of the oil tank. The material used needs to match the material of the inner wall of the oil tank. Polyethylene (PE) material or modified polyethylene (PE) material is selected as the two end faces of the column. This material is called material one; the main body of the column adopts one of polyphthalamide (PPA), polyoxymethylene (POM), modified polyoxymethylene, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and metal materials. This material is called material two.

2. The fuel tank built-in column structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The column end and the column body are both hollow through structures, that is, there is a through hole in the center of the entire column, that is, the end of the column has a circular through hole like the middle main body part, the connecting surface inside the oil tank is a circular ring, and the entire column is set as a vertical through structure.

3. The fuel tank built-in column structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two end faces of the column end are used to connect with the inner wall of the oil tank by welding. The column end faces are designed as pitted structures, or are welded. The column end faces are provided with a plurality of welding bosses.

4. The fuel tank built-in column structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The end of the column has a step when the end surface for connection transitions to the wrapped part, so as to ensure that the end surface is large enough to be connected to the fuel tank blank.

5. The fuel tank built-in column structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The portion of the column end that wraps around the column body is provided with a reinforcing rib structure, and the reinforcing ribs are circumferentially arranged around the column end.

6. The fuel tank built-in column structure according to claim 1, 4 or 5, characterized in that: The cross-sectional area of ​​the end face of the column is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body of the column.

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