Gas tank structure

Abstract

To provide a gas tank structure capable of reducing a load on an adjacent gas tank when the gas tank expands and suppressing an influence on gas filling.SOLUTION: A gas tank structure 1 includes: a plurality of gas tanks 2 aligned in parallel in one direction in the state that adjacent gas tanks 2 are in contact with each other; a plurality of lid-like members 3 having a communication hole 36 provided to the plurality of gas tanks 2 on a one-to-one basis and mounted on the end part of each gas tank 2, which is communicated with the inside of the gas tank 2, and a through-hole 37 communicated with the communication hole 36 and extending in the juxtaposing direction of the gas tanks 2 respectively; a plurality of connection pipes 4, one end part of which is inserted into the through-hole 37 of one of the lid-like members 3 and the other end part of which is inserted into the through-hole 37 of the other of the lid-like members 3 so as to connect the adjacent lid-like members 3 together; and a seal member 7 provided at the two end parts of each connection pipe 4 for sealing between the connection pipe 4 and the lid-like member 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas tank structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an example of such a technical field is that described in Patent Document 1. In the gas tank structure described in Patent Document 1, multiple gas tanks that are not cylindrical are arranged side by side in one direction and are integrally wrapped with a sheet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3911015 Publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned gas tank structure, the gas tanks are arranged so that they come into contact with each other, so if one gas tank expands due to gas filling, it places a load on the adjacent gas tank. Also, if connecting pipes for filling hydrogen gas are connected to these gas tanks, the connecting pipes will move relative to each other due to the expansion of the gas tank, causing the connecting pipes to become misaligned, which may affect the filling of gas into the gas tank.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such technical problems, and aims to provide a gas tank structure that can reduce the load on adjacent gas tanks when the gas tank expands and suppress the impact on gas filling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The gas tank structure of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a plurality of gas tanks arranged side by side in one direction with adjacent gas tanks in contact with each other; a plurality of cover-shaped members provided one-to-one with the plurality of gas tanks and attached to the ends of each gas tank, each having a communication hole communicating with the interior of the gas tank and a through hole communicating with the communication hole and extending in the direction in which the gas tanks are arranged side by side; a plurality of connecting pipes, one end of which is inserted into the through hole of one cover-shaped member and the other end of which is inserted into the through hole of the other cover-shaped member so as to connect adjacent cover-shaped members; and sealing members provided at both ends of each connecting pipe, which seal between the connecting pipe and the cover-shaped member.

[0007] In the gas tank structure according to the present invention, a lid-shaped member is provided for each of the gas tanks in a one-to-one correspondence, and one end of a connecting pipe is inserted into a through-hole in one lid-shaped member and the other end is inserted into a through-hole in the other lid-shaped member to connect adjacent lid-shaped members. This allows adjacent lid-shaped members to be connected by independent connecting pipes. Therefore, when a load is applied to adjacent gas tanks due to expansion of a gas tank, adjacent gas tanks tend to move relative to each other, thereby reducing the load on the adjacent gas tanks when the gas tank expands. Furthermore, the connecting pipe can slide relative to the inserted lid-shaped member, thereby minimizing the impact on gas filling. Furthermore, since seal members are provided at both ends of each connecting pipe, the seal between the connecting pipe and the lid-shaped member can be maintained even when the connecting pipes slide relative to each other.

[0008] In the gas tank structure according to the present invention, it is preferable that a gap is provided between adjacent cover-shaped members, and the connecting pipe has a flange portion that fits into the gap. In this way, the flange portion can be used to limit the movement range (sliding range) of the connecting pipe, thereby preventing the connecting pipe from shifting out of position.

[0009] In the gas tank structure according to the present invention, it is preferable that a protrusion for restricting the position of the inserted connecting pipe is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the lid-shaped member that forms the through hole at a position facing the communication hole. In this way, the protrusion can be used to limit the movement range (sliding range) of the connecting pipe, thereby preventing the connecting pipe from shifting out of position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, the load on the adjacent gas tank when the gas tank expands can be reduced, and the impact on gas filling can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing a gas tank structure according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion D in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a gas tank structure according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a gas tank structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0013] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing a gas tank structure according to a first embodiment. In FIG. 1, the cross-sectional view on the right side is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in the plan view, and the cross-sectional view on the bottom side is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in the plan view. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 1. The gas tank structure 1 of this embodiment is a gas tank structure used in, for example, a fuel cell vehicle (not shown). The gas tank 2 is filled with high-pressure hydrogen gas. Note that the gas that can be filled into the tank is not limited to hydrogen gas, and may be various compressed gases such as CNG (compressed natural gas), or various liquefied gases such as LNG (liquefied natural gas) and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gas tank structure 1 of this embodiment mainly comprises a plurality of gas tanks 2, 5 arranged side by side in one direction, a lid-like member 3 provided one-to-one with the plurality of gas tanks 2, 5 and attached to the end of each gas tank 2, 5, and a plurality of connecting pipes 4 connecting adjacent lid-like members 3 to each other.

[0015] As shown in the AA cross-sectional view of Figure 1, the gas tank structure 1 of this embodiment uses two types of irregularly shaped tanks (gas tank 2 and gas tank 5). The gas tanks 2 are flat tanks with a roughly elliptical cross-section, and there are a relatively large number of them. These multiple gas tanks 2 are aligned in one direction with adjacent gas tanks in contact with each other, more specifically with the wide walls of the flat tanks in contact with each other.

[0016] On the other hand, the gas tanks 5 are semicircular tanks, and are paired on the left and right. The pair of gas tanks 5 are arranged at both ends of the gas tanks 2 in the juxtaposition direction, with the diameter wall of the tank in contact with the wide wall of the adjacent gas tank 2. These gas tanks 2 and 5 are integrated by being wrapped around a sheet member 6 made of a composite material such as CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics).

[0017] In the following description, the gas tank 2 and the lid-like member 3 attached thereto will be taken as examples. The gas tank 5 and the lid-like member attached thereto have different shapes from the gas tank 2 and the lid-like member 3, respectively, but have the same structure, so description thereof will be omitted.

[0018] Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing portion D in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in Fig. 3. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the gas tank 2 has a liner 21, which is a hollow container having a storage space for storing high-pressure hydrogen gas, and a first reinforcing layer 22 and a second reinforcing layer 23 that cover the outer peripheral surface of the liner 21. The liner 21 is formed from a resin material that has gas barrier properties against hydrogen gas. The first reinforcing layer 22 and the second reinforcing layer 23 have the function of reinforcing the liner 21 and improving the mechanical strength, such as rigidity and pressure resistance, of the gas tank 2, and are formed, for example, by wrapping a fiber-reinforced resin multiple times around the outer peripheral surface of the liner 21 using a filament winding (FW) method.

[0019] The lid-shaped member 3 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, and is attached to the opening of the gas tank 2 so as to close the opening. Specifically, the lid-shaped member 3 has an insertion portion 31 that is inserted into the opening of the gas tank 2, and a protrusion portion 32 that is formed integrally with the insertion portion 31 and protrudes from the gas tank 2.

[0020] The inserted portion 31 is formed with an elliptical cross section to correspond to the gas tank 2, and is held by the liner 21, the first reinforcing layer 22, and the second reinforcing layer 23 when inserted into the end of the gas tank 2. A circumferential groove 33 is formed in the outer peripheral wall of the end of the inserted portion 31. An O-ring 34 that seals between the lid-like member 3 and the gas tank 2 is fitted into the circumferential groove 33. A backup ring 35 that is positioned outside the gas tank 2 relative to the O-ring 34 is further fitted into the circumferential groove 33. The O-ring 34 and the backup ring 35 are then positioned in close contact with each other in the circumferential groove 33. Meanwhile, the protruding portion 32 is formed in a block shape and stands upright from the inserted portion 31.

[0021] The lid-shaped member 3 also has a communication hole 36 that communicates with the interior of the gas tank 2, and a through-hole 37 that communicates with the communication hole 36 and extends in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side. The communication hole 36 extends along the axial direction of the gas tank 2, and is formed over the entire length of the inserted portion 31 and over a portion of the protruding portion 32. The through-hole 37 extends in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the gas tank 2) so as to form a T-shape with the communication hole 36, and penetrates the protruding portion 32.

[0022] The connecting pipe 4 is formed, for example, from a resin material, with a circular cross section, and has an end that can be inserted into the through-hole 37 of the cover-shaped member 3. As shown in FIG. 3 , the connecting pipe 4 is disposed between adjacent cover-shaped members 3, with one end inserted into the through-hole 37 of one cover-shaped member 3 and the other end inserted into the through-hole 37 of the other cover-shaped member 3. A sealing member 7 that seals between the connecting pipe 4 and the cover-shaped member 3 is provided at each end of the connecting pipe 4. More specifically, a groove 41 is provided in the outer peripheral wall of each end of the connecting pipe 4. A sealing member 7 that seals between the outer peripheral wall of the connecting pipe 4 and the inner peripheral wall of the cover-shaped member 3 is fitted into each groove 41. The sealing member 7 may be, for example, an O-ring.

[0023] 3, adjacent cover-like members 3 are arranged with a gap 8 therebetween in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side. Correspondingly, the connecting pipe 4 has a flange portion 42 that fits into the gap 8. The flange portion 42 is arranged, for example, at the center position of the connecting pipe 4 in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side, and has an annular shape that protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the connecting pipe 4.

[0024] Here, the reason for providing the flange portion 42 on the connecting pipe 4 will be explained.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3 , when adjacent cover-shaped members 3 are connected to each other by connecting pipes 4, the connecting pipes 4 inserted into the through-holes 37 of the cover-shaped members 3 may move (e.g., slide) within the through-holes 37 due to the pressure of hydrogen gas or the like. Such sliding may cause problems, such as the end faces of adjacent connecting pipes 4 coming too close to each other, hindering the flow of hydrogen gas into the through-holes 37, the end faces of adjacent connecting pipes 4 coming into contact with each other and blocking the through-holes 37, or the connecting pipes 4 coming out of the through-holes 37. Therefore, by providing flanges 42 on the connecting pipes 4 and fitting the flanges 42 into the gaps 8 between adjacent cover-shaped members 3, the sliding range (movement range) of the connecting pipes 4 can be limited, and misalignment of the connecting pipes 4 can be suppressed. As a result, the above-mentioned problems can be prevented.

[0026] The flange portion 42 is not structured to prevent the connecting pipe 4 from sliding, but is configured to allow a certain range of sliding in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side when the gas tanks 2 expand due to hydrogen gas filling, etc. Therefore, the width of the flange portion 42 in the direction in which the gas tanks 2 are arranged side by side is set smaller than the width of the gap 8 to match the range in which sliding is allowed.

[0027] In the gas tank structure 1 configured as described above, when hydrogen gas is filled into the gas tank 2, the hydrogen gas flows into the gas tank 2 through the through hole 37 of the lid-shaped member 3 and the connecting pipe 4 inserted into the through hole 37, and further through the communicating hole 36 that communicates with the through hole 37.

[0028] In the gas tank structure 1 according to this embodiment, the cover-shaped members 3 are provided one-to-one with respect to the plurality of gas tanks 2, 5. One end of the connecting pipe 4 is inserted into the through-hole 37 of one cover-shaped member 3, and the other end is inserted into the through-hole 37 of the other cover-shaped member 3, connecting the adjacent cover-shaped members 3. As a result, the adjacent cover-shaped members 3 are connected to each other by independent connecting pipes 4. Therefore, when a load is applied to the adjacent gas tanks 2, 5 due to expansion of the gas tanks 2, 5, the adjacent gas tanks 2, 5 tend to move relative to each other, thereby reducing the load on the adjacent gas tanks 2, 5. Furthermore, since the connecting pipes 4 can slide relative to the inserted cover-shaped member, the impact on gas filling can be minimized. Furthermore, since seal members 7 are provided at both ends of each connecting pipe 4, the sealing between the connecting pipes 4 and the cover-shaped members 3 can be maintained even when the connecting pipes 4 slide relative to each other.

[0029] Furthermore, a gap 8 is provided between adjacent cover-like members 3, and the connecting pipe 4 has a flange portion 42 that fits into the gap 8, so that the flange portion 42 can be used to prevent the connecting pipe 4 from shifting position and also to regulate the insertion depth of the connecting pipe 4. In other words, the flange portion 42 can be used to prevent the connecting pipe 4 from being inserted excessively into the through hole 37 of the cover-like member 3.

[0030] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of the gas tank structure will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. The gas tank structure 1A of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that a protrusion 38 is provided on the lid-shaped member 3 instead of the flange portion 42 of the connecting pipe 4. The other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0031] Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a gas tank structure according to a second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the connecting pipe 4 does not have a flange 42. The inner circumferential wall of the lid-shaped member 3 is provided with a protrusion 38 that regulates the position of the connecting pipe 4 inserted into the through hole 37. The protrusion 38 is located on the inner circumferential wall of the lid-shaped member 3 that forms the through hole 37, at a position facing the communication hole 36, and is provided over, for example, the upper half of the inner circumferential wall.

[0032] According to the gas tank structure 1A of this embodiment, in addition to being able to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above, by utilizing the protrusion 38 provided on the inner peripheral wall of the lid-shaped member 3 to regulate the position of the connecting pipe 4, it is possible to prevent the connecting pipe 4 from shifting in position and to suppress excessive insertion of the connecting pipe 4. Furthermore, since the protrusion 38 is disposed at a position on the inner peripheral wall of the lid-shaped member 3 facing the communication hole 36, it is possible to prevent the connecting pipe 4 from blocking the communication hole 36.

[0033] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1, 1A: gas tank structure, 2, 5: gas tank, 3: lid-shaped member, 4: connecting pipe, 6: sheet member, 7: sealing member, 8: gap, 21: liner, 22: first reinforcing layer, 23: second reinforcing layer, 31: inserted portion, 32: protruding portion, 33: circumferential groove, 34: O-ring, 35: backup ring, 36: communication hole, 37: through hole, 38: protruding portion, 41: recessed groove, 42: flange portion

Claims

1. A gas tank structure, A plurality of gas tanks arranged side by side in one direction with adjacent gas tanks in contact with each other; a plurality of lid-like members provided one-to-one with the plurality of gas tanks, attached to the ends of the respective gas tanks, each having a communication hole communicating with the interior of the gas tank and a through-hole communicating with the communication hole and extending in the direction in which the gas tanks are arranged side by side; a plurality of connecting pipes, one end of which is inserted into the through-hole of one of the cover-shaped members and the other end of which is inserted into the through-hole of the other cover-shaped member so as to connect adjacent cover-shaped members; a sealing member provided at each end of each connecting pipe to seal between the connecting pipe and the lid-like member; A gas tank structure comprising:

2. A gap is provided between adjacent cover-like members, The gas tank structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting pipe has a flange portion that fits into the gap.

3. 2. The gas tank structure according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion for regulating the position of the connecting pipe to be inserted is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the lid-shaped member that forms the through hole, at a position facing the communicating hole.

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