FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WITH INFLATABLE ELEMENT AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Fuel tank assembly (10) comprising: a fuel tank (14) having a first part (18) pointing in a first direction, a second part (20) pointing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a rear part (22) extending between the first part (18) and the second part (20) and pointing in a rear direction transverse to the first and second directions; and an airbag assembly (16) connected to the first part (18), the second part (20) and the rear part (22), the airbag assembly (16) including an inflatable member (30), tabs (58) being spaced along the inflatable member (30), the tabs (58) being connected to the first part (18), the second part (20) and the rear part (22).

Description

BACKGROUNDMotor vehicles are subject to various standardized tests including those in accordance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) as regulated by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). One of these standards that regulates the integrity of the fuel system is FMVSS 301. Specifically, FMVSS 301 defines the fuel exit requests for rear end impacts up to 50 mph. Some vehicles, for example police vehicles, may be tested at rear impacts up to 70 mph.Forces resulting from the rear impact may cause the vehicle to deform, including in areas around the fuel tank. Vehicle structures may include structural reinforcements and / or shields to absorb these forces and / or deflect them away from the fuel tank. These additional components may disadvantageously add construction and material costs, complexity, and weight to the vehicle. Thus, there remains a way to design a fuel tank assembly that meets the test requirements like that of the FMVSS 301 test, while reducing the complexity and weight of structural reinforcements and / or shields around the fuel tank assembly.Additionally, for some vehicles, such as police vehicles and SUVs, additional reinforcements and structural barriers may be added to the vehicle in an effort to protect the fuel tank from damage or leakage, e.g., through breakdown, especially at higher speeds, e.g., at speeds above 70 mph. These reinforcements and structural barriers can result in increased cost and weight. Thus, there is a possibility to design a fuel tank that absorbs such impacts while reducing additional structural reinforcements or shields and associated additional costs and weight.The documents KR 10 2006 0 061 967 A, KR 10 2007 0 003 408 A, EP 1 380 460 B1 and DE 10 2011 108 545 A1 describe airbags for protecting fuel tanks. It is an object of the present invention to provide advantageous fuel tank arrangements and a corresponding system. This object is achieved by the subject matters of the independent claims. The dependent claims contain advantageous further developments.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle including a fuel tank assembly with an airbag assembly in an uninflated position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the vehicle with the airbag assembly in an inflated position. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fuel tank assembly with the airbag assembly in the inflated position as viewed from a rear of the vehicle. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fuel tank assembly with the airbag assembly in the inflated position as viewed from a front of the vehicle. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the fuel tank assembly showing the airbag assembly and a fuel tank. FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an impact absorption system of the vehicle.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to the figures, wherein like numerals identify like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-2 show a fuel tank assembly 10 for a vehicle 12 that includes a fuel tank 14 and an airbag assembly 16 connected to the fuel tank 14. The fuel tank 14 includes a first portion 18 facing a first direction and a second portion 20 facing a second direction opposite the first direction. The fuel tank 14 includes a rear portion 22 extending between the first portion 18 and the second portion 20 and facing in a rear direction transverse to the first and second directions. The airbag assembly 16 is connected to the first portion 18, the second portion 20, and the rear portion 22 of the fuel tank 14, as shown in FIGS. 1-5.Referring to FIGS. 1-2, during an impact of the vehicle 12, the airbag assembly 16 may be selectively inflated according to the direction of the impact as set forth below. For example, as set forth below, the airbag assembly 16 may be inflated during a rear impact (labeled "F" in FIG. 2 ) and / or side impact of the vehicle 12 such that the airbag assembly 16 extends along the first portion 18, the second portion 20, and the rear portion 22 of the fuel tank 14, as shown in FIGS. 2-4. In this situation, the airbag assembly 16 may deflect debris from the fuel tank 14, which may reduce the likelihood of damage to the fuel tank 14. Moreover, the airbag assembly 16 may prevent underbody components from deforming into and contacting the fuel tank 14 during the vehicle impact, which may reduce the likelihood of damage to the fuel tank 14. The airbag assembly 16 may allow for reduction or elimination of other reinforcing components, e.g., reinforcing structures and shields, around the fuel tank 14, thereby reducing development time and cost.The airbag assembly 16 may be a component of an impact absorption system 24. The impact absorption system 24 may include an inflator 26 in communication with the airbag assembly 16. Specifically, for example, as detailed below, the impact absorption system 24 may detect an impact of the vehicle 12 and trigger inflation of the airbag assembly 16 in response to the detected impact. Additionally, the impact absorption system 24 may detect the type of impact, e.g., based on the direction, the amount, etc., and trigger inflation of the airbag assembly 16 in response to the type of impact.Referring to FIGS. 1-2, and as set forth above, the inflator 26 may be spaced apart from the fuel tank assembly 10 and installed in front of the fuel tank 14 toward a front portion (not shown) of the vehicle 12. The inflator 26 may be concealed to limit or prevent environmental exposure, e.g., by ingress of water, salt mist, dust, etc. The inflator 26 may be mounted to a bracket (not shown) and the bracket may be mounted to a structural member (not shown) of the vehicle 12.The inflator 26, when activated by the impact absorption system 24, is configured to inflate an inflatable member 30 of the airbag assembly 16 to a predetermined pressure. More specifically, the inflator 26, when activated by the impact absorption system 24, may be configured to inflate the inflatable member 30 to a pressure of 10-20 pounds per square inch.Referring to FIGS. 1-2 and 4, the impact absorption system 24 may include a fill tube 32 extending from the inflator 26 to the airbag assembly 16. The inflator 26 may include one or more ports 34, e.g., two ports 34, as shown in the figures, that are in communication with the airbag assembly 16 via the fill tube 32. The fill tube 32 may include a first end 36 secured to the port 34 of the inflator 26 and a second end 38 spaced from the first end 36 and secured to the inflatable member 30. The impact absorption system 24 may include one or more fill tubes 32, e.g., two fill tubes 32, as shown in the figures. The inflatable member 30 may include any suitable number of connection points 40 spaced apart to receive the second end 38 of the fill tube 32.The fill tube 32 may be formed of any suitable high strength flexible material. For example, the fill tube 32 may be made of nitrile rubber, nylon, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), etc.The inflator 26 may be, for example, a cold inflator that, when activated, ignites a pyrotechnic charge that creates an opening to deliver the pressurized inflation medium into the airbag assembly 16 via the fill tube 32. Alternatively, the inflator 26 may be of any suitable type, for example a hybrid inflator.Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the fuel tank assembly 10 may be received adjacent the structural member of the vehicle 12. The fuel tank assembly 10 may be secured to the structural member with one or more straps 42. The straps 42 may be disposed, i.e., interposed, between the fuel tank 14 and the airbag assembly 16.As set forth above, the fuel tank 14 includes the first portion 18 facing the first direction and the second portion 20 facing the second direction opposite the first direction. Referring specifically to FIGS. 1-2, the first portion 18 may face a left side 44 of the vehicle 12 and the second portion 20 may face a right side 46 of the vehicle 12. The rear portion 22 may face a rear end 48 of the vehicle 12. The fuel tank 14 may include a front portion 50 facing in a front direction opposite to the rear direction. The front portion 50 may face the front of the vehicle 12.As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the fuel tank 14 may include an uppermost portion 52 that extends between the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and the front portion 50. The top portion 52 faces upward in a direction transverse to the first direction, the second direction, the rear direction, and the front direction.Referring to FIG. 5, the fuel tank 14 may include at least one flange 54 extending along the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14. For example, the fuel tank 14 may include a plurality of flanges 54 spaced apart from each other along the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14. The fuel tank 14 may include any suitable number of flanges 54, i.e., one or more.The flange 54 may define an opening 56. As set forth below, the airbag assembly 16 may include a tab 58 that is held in engagement with the opening 56 of the flange 54 by a fastener 72. The fastener 72 may be, for example, any suitable type of fastener, such as a threaded bolt, rivet, etc.The fuel tank 14 may be formed of any suitable material, e.g., metal such as steel, aluminum, etc. Alternatively, the fuel tank 14 may be formed of a engineering plastic, e.g., high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The fuel tank 14 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, e.g., rectangular (FIGS. 1-5 ), square, oval, circular, etc. The fuel tank 14 may have any suitable three-dimensional shape, e.g., the shape of a cube, an elongated cube, a cylinder, a ball, etc. The fuel tank 14 may include two separate halves that are separately formed, for example, in a stamping process and then joined together, e.g., by welding, brazing, etc.The fuel tank 14 may be of any suitable type to store any suitable fuel or energy source. For example, the fuel tank 14 may store petrochemical fuels such as gasoline, diesel, etc. As another example, the fuel tank 14 may include a rechargeable battery, a fuel cell, a hydrogen tank, a natural gas tank, etc.The airbag assembly 16 may include one or more inflatable members 30 inflatable by the inflation medium. The airbag assembly 16 shown in the figures includes an inflatable member 30, but the airbag assembly 16 may include any suitable number of inflatable members 30.The inflatable member 30 may extend continuously across one or more portions of the fuel tank 14, i.e., the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14, in an inflated position. The inflatable member 30 may further extend over a left front corner 74 to connect the first portion 18 and the front portion 50, and / or a right front corner 76 to connect the second portion 20 and the front portion 50, and / or a left rear corner 78 to connect the first portion 18 and the rear portion 22, and / or a right rear corner 80 to connect the second portion 20 and the rear portion 22, as shown in FIGS. 3-4.Alternatively, in the configuration where the airbag assembly 16 includes more than one inflatable member 30, each inflatable member 30 may extend over one or more portions of the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14. These individual inflatable members 30 may be fluidly connected to each other or inflatable independently of each other by the inflator 26.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the airbag assembly 16 may include an inflatable member 30 and an outer cover 60 on the inflatable member 30. The outer cover 60 houses the inflatable member 30 when the inflatable member 30 is in an uninflated position. In the uninflated position, the inflatable member 30 may be folded, rolled, or otherwise stored within the outer cover 60, for example. The outer cover 60 may include a tear seam (not shown) that may provide an inflation direction for the inflatable member 30 to inflate. The inflatable member 30 may tear the tear seam when the inflatable member 30 is inflated from the uninflated position to the inflated position. When the tear seam breaks, the inflatable member 30 may be released outside the outer cover 60, as shown in FIGS. 2-4.The outer cover 60 may be formed of any suitable material. In particular, the outer cover 60 may be configured to protect, i.e., in size, shape, material, etc., the inflatable member 30 from driving conditions when the inflatable member 30 is in the uninflated position. The outer cover 60 may be formed of, for example, nylon, polyester, etc.Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the inflatable member 30 may be formed of an auxetic material. For example, the auxetic material may include auxetic yarns that may be combined with other yarns and fibers to optimize performance, e.g., puncture resistance, tear strength, of the auxetic material. As another example, the inflatable member 30 may be formed of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) material. For example, the fibers of the UHMWPE material can be oriented in a particular pattern to optimize the performance, e.g., puncture resistance and tear strength, of the UHMWPE material.The inflatable member 30 may be unvented to maintain the inflation medium within the inflatable member 30 for a period of time, for example, longer than one second.As set forth above, in the inflated position, the airbag assembly 16 extends over at least the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14. Alternatively, the airbag assembly 16 may be connected to another component of the fuel tank 14.For example, the airbag assembly 16 may include tabs 58 connected to and spaced along the inflatable member 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The tabs 58 may extend through the outer cover 60. The tabs 58 may be connected to the inflatable member 30 in any suitable manner, e.g., by stitching, gluing, and / or adhesive, etc. The tabs 58 may be connected to, for example, the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14. As another example, the tabs 58 of the inflatable member 30 may be connected to the top portion 52 of the fuel tank 14. In this configuration, in the inflated position, the inflatable member 30 may extend over the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14.In particular, the top portion 52 may support the airbag assembly 16 about a perimeter 62 of the top portion 52. In such a configuration, the inflatable member 30 of the airbag assembly 16 may be inflated from the uninflated position to the inflated position during a vehicle impact. In this inflated position, the inflatable member 30 may extend from the top portion 52 across the first portion 18, the second portion 20, the rear portion 22, and / or the front portion 50 of the fuel tank 14.FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of the impact absorption system 24 including an impact sensing system 64, the inflator 26, and the airbag assembly 16. The impact sensing system 64 may include at least one sensor 66 for sensing an impact of the vehicle 12 and a controller 68 communicating with the sensor 66 and the inflator 26 for activating the inflator 26, e.g., for providing a stimulus to a pyrotechnic charge of the inflator 26 when the sensor 66 senses an impact of the vehicle 12. Alternatively or additionally to detecting an impact, the impact sensing system 64 may be configured to sense an impact prior to the impact, i.e., pre-crash sensing. The sensor 66 may be of any suitable type, e.g., using radar, LiDAR, and / or a vision system. The vision system may include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors and / or CMOS image sensors, etc.The controller 68 may be a microprocessor-based controller. The sensor 66 is in communication with the controller 68 to communicate data to the controller 68. Based on the data transmitted from the sensor 66, the controller 68 instructs the inflator 26 to activate. The impact sensing system 64 may command the inflator 26 to activate upon either a front impact, a rear impact, or a side impact of the vehicle.The controller 68 and the sensor 66 may be connected to a communication bus 70, such as a controller area network (CAN) bus, of the vehicle 12. The controller 68 may use information from the communication bus 70 to control activation of the inflator 26. The inflator 26 may be connected to the controller 68 as shown in FIG. 6 or directly connected to the communication bus 70.During operation under normal operating conditions of the vehicle 12, the airbag assembly 16 is in the uninflated position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. When the sensor 66 detects an impact of the vehicle 12, the impact sensing system 64 actuates the inflator 26 to inflate the inflatable member 30 of the airbag assembly 16 with the inflation medium from the uninflated position to the inflated position. In particular, based on the type of impact detected by the impact detection system 64, the impact detection system 64 inflates the inflatable member 30 to the inflated position as shown in FIGS. 2-4.

Claims

A fuel tank assembly (10) comprising: a fuel tank (14) having a first portion (18) facing in a first direction, a second portion (20) facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a rear portion (22) extending between the first portion (18) and the second portion (20) and facing in a rear direction transverse to the first and second directions; and an airbag assembly (16) connected to the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22), the airbag assembly (16) including an inflatable member (30), wherein the inflatable member (30) is spaced along tabs (58), the tabs (58) being connected to the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22).The fuel tank assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank (14) includes a front portion (50) facing in a front direction opposite the rear direction, and the airbag assembly (16) is connected to the front portion (50).The fuel tank assembly (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) extending continuously across the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22).The fuel tank assembly (10) of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) formed of an auxetic material.The fuel tank assembly (10) of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) formed of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene material.The fuel tank assembly (10) of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fuel tank (14) includes at least one flange (54) extending along the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22), the tabs (58) being connected to the flange (54).The fuel tank assembly (10) of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) and an outer cover (60) on the inflatable member (30).The fuel tank assembly (10) of claim 7, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes tabs (58) connected to and spaced along the inflatable member (30) and extending through the outer cover (60), the tabs (58) being connected to the first part (18), the second part (20), and the rear part (22).A system (24) comprising: a fuel tank (14) having a first portion (18) facing in a first direction, a second portion (20) facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a rear portion (22) extending between the first portion (18) and the second portion (20) and facing in a rear direction transverse to the first and second directions; an airbag assembly (16) connected to the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22); and a gas generator (26) in communication with the airbag assembly (16), the airbag assembly (16) including an inflatable member (30), and tabs (58) spaced along the inflatable member (30), the tabs (58) being connected to the first part (18), the second part (20), and the rear part (22).The system (24) of claim 9, wherein the inflator (26) is spaced from the fuel tank (14).The system (24) of claim 9 or 10, further comprising an impact sensing system (64) in communication with the inflator (26).The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the inflator (26) is configured to inflate the airbag assembly (16) to a pressure of 10-20 pounds per inch.The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the airbag assembly (16) is unvented.The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the fuel tank (14) includes a front portion (50) facing in a front direction opposite the rear direction, and the airbag assembly (16) is connected to the front portion (50).The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 14, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) extending continuously across the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22).The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 15, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) formed of an auxiliary material.The system (24) of any of claims 9 to 15, wherein the airbag assembly (16) includes an inflatable member (30) formed of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene material.A fuel tank assembly (10) comprising: a fuel tank (14) having a first portion (18) facing in a first direction, a second portion (20) facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a rear portion (22) extending between the first portion (18) and the second portion (22) and facing in a rear direction transverse to the first and second directions; and an airbag assembly (16) supported by the fuel tank (14) and inflatable to an inflated position extending across the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22), the airbag assembly (16) including an inflatable member (30), the inflatable member (30) being spaced along tabs (58), the tabs (58) being connected to the first portion (18), the second portion (20), and the rear portion (22).

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