Fuel storage system for a vehicle including a bladder

Abstract

The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to the present invention comprises: - a fuel tank (4); - a support member (8) extending into the tank (4); - a plurality of inflatable bladders (6) extending into the tank (4), each of the inflatable bladders (6) being supported by and fixed to the support member (8). It includes the above components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel tank of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fuel storage system for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing such a fuel storage system for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The fuel stored in a vehicle's fuel tank mainly changes in temperature according to the outside air temperature. Especially when the vehicle is outdoors, such as during driving or parking, the temperature of the fuel can vary greatly depending on the climate to which the vehicle is exposed. When the temperature of the fuel stored in the tank rises, a certain amount of fuel evaporates. Since the tank defines a closed volume, when fuel evaporation gas is generated, the pressure in the gas phase rises inside the tank. When the pressure of the fuel evaporation gas rises, physical stress is applied to the tank wall, and if the increased pressure is not suppressed, it may lead to damage to the tank wall or at least the risk of explosion of the tank. U.S. Patent No. 2009 / 139994 A1 discloses a manufacturing method by which a fuel tank that can cause this pressure increase problem can be obtained.

[0003] For example, in the prior art of International Publication No. 2021 / 013940 A1 or Korean Patent No. 2004 0054880 A, it is known to dispose an expandable bladder inside the fuel tank. This bladder is connected to an intake and exhaust pipe that extends out of the fuel tank, enabling alternating supply of air to the bladder or discharge of a part of the air contained in the bladder. In this way, in response to a change in the amount of fuel evaporation gas in the tank, the bladder expands or contracts to change the volume for accommodating the fuel evaporation gas, thereby suppressing pressure fluctuations of the fuel evaporation gas.

[0004] Although such a bladder system configuration certainly reduces the risk of pressure peaking in the fuel tank, it does have some problems. Indeed, the bladder is relatively bulky, which may not fit into the usually complex shape of the fuel tank, or, conversely, may require modifying the shape of the fuel tank to accommodate a zone of a shape and size that can accommodate the bladder. For example, a 45 liter fuel tank would require a bladder of about 20 liters to achieve a significant effect, which means that a large enough space must be provided in the tank to accommodate the bladder. Furthermore, the bulk of the bladder complicates its insertion and fixation in the tank during the tank manufacturing process, which increases the cost and time required to manufacture the tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 2009 / 139994 A1 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2021 / 013940 A1 [Patent Document 3] Korean Patent No. 2004 0054880 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention aims to solve, inter alia, the problems identified in the prior art by suppressing the pressure build-up of fuel evaporative gases in the tank and avoiding or reducing the disadvantages caused by the prior art bladder and its bulkiness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention provides - A fuel tank; a support member extending into the tank; - A plurality of inflatable bladders extending into the tank, each of the inflatable bladders being supported by and fixed to a support member A vehicle fuel storage system including the above is targeted.

[0008] Thus, the prior art single bladder fuel storage system is replaced here by a fuel storage system including a plurality of bladders supported by a support member. The system according to the present invention includes a plurality of small capacity bladders with a total capacity unchanged, and it is understood that these can be easily arranged in the tank space without specially providing a zone for housing the bladders in the tank.

[0009] Furthermore, since each bladder is supported by a support member, the manufacture of the fuel storage system is significantly facilitated. In fact, the bladder can be pre - combined with the support member and then inserted into the parison, and the tank can be formed by molding. Thus, part of the manufacturing steps of the fuel storage system is simplified, and the manufacturing is facilitated by reducing the practical constraints.

[0010] Also, in one embodiment where the bladders are not interconnected, this fuel storage system, unlike the prior art systems, can continue to operate even if a problem occurs in any one of the bladders by arranging a plurality of bladders. Thus, the reliability of the fuel storage system is improved.

[0011] Advantageously, the bladder is made of polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), or in a multilayer form including polyethylene (PE), preferably high - density polyethylene (HDPE), and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

[0012] Preferably, the polyethylene is high - density polyethylene (HDPE), and the polyamide is polyamide 6, 11 or 12 (PA6, PA11 or PA12).

[0013] Advantageously, the multilayer includes an adhesive layer disposed between a polyethylene (PE) layer, preferably a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) layer, and an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) layer.

[0014] In this way, various materials can be selected to achieve the bladder, and desired characteristics such as low cost, mechanical durability, or fuel impermeability can be imparted to the bladder.

[0015] Advantageously, the maximum capacity of each bladder is 5 to 15 liters.

[0016] Advantageously, the maximum capacity of each bladder is different.

[0017] Advantageously, the shape of each bladder is different.

[0018] Advantageously, the sum of the maximum capacities of the bladders is 25 to 35 liters, preferably 30 liters.

[0019] In this way, according to the specifications to which the fuel storage system and the tank should conform, the size of the bladder can be easily determined. In other words, it is possible to easily adapt the shape and capacity of the bladder to the structure of the fuel tank to obtain a predetermined total bladder capacity, which demonstrates the flexibility of use of the present invention.

[0020] Advantageously, the bladder is configured to deform in two opposite directions when expanding or contracting. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bladder is configured to deform along the vertical Z-axis when the storage system is equipped on a vehicle on a horizontal ground.

[0021] Thus, the degree of freedom in positioning the bladder within the tank is increased. If the bladder were configured to deform in only one direction, it would be necessary to provide a large clearance in this direction for the bladder, but this is not necessary in a configuration where it deforms in two opposite directions.

[0022] Advantageously, at least one of the bladders comprises connecting means configured to receive accessories.

[0023] Thus, additional functions in the fuel storage system can be imparted to the bladders, eliminating the need to provide elements designed separately for such functions. This suppresses the bulkiness of the tank and simplifies the design of the fuel storage system.

[0024] Advantageously, each bladder comprises a valve configured to alternately enable or avoid expansion and contraction.

[0025] Thus, it becomes possible to use bladders adaptable to the pressure within the tank.

[0026] Advantageously, the fuel storage system - includes nodes, - a supply section connecting the nodes to the internal space of each of the bladders, - and an outlet section connecting the nodes to the outlet of the tank and includes an air circuit.

[0027] In this way, the bladders operate with a single air circuit, simplifying their use. Also, since only one opening for the entry and exit of air into the bladder needs to be provided in the tank, the placement of the bladders within the tank is also simplified.

[0028] Preferably, the outlet of the tank leads to a filter located outside the tank, such as an activated carbon filter or a canister.

[0029] Thus, even if fuel evaporation gas enters the bladder and mixes with the air contained therein, the fuel evaporation gas is not discharged into the atmosphere but is captured by the filter.

[0030] Advantageously, the support member includes bladder fixing means, and preferably the bladder fixing means is selected from clip fixing, sliding type fixing, and welding.

[0031] In this way, the bladder is securely fixed to the support member, and the fixing means can be realized by simple and inexpensive means.

[0032] Advantageously, the support member is fixed to at least one wall of the tank or at least one support extending inside the tank.

[0033] In this way, by being able to choose a method of fixing the support member inside the tank, the degree of freedom in positioning the support member in the tank is increased.

[0034] Advantageously, the fuel storage system includes a phase change material having a melting point of 18 to 40 °C and further includes at least one heat storage member extending inside the tank. The phase change material is preferably calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl2·6H2O), octadecane (C 18 H 38 ), cyclohexanol (C6H 12 O), or a glycerin derivative.

[0035] At least one heat storage member absorbs heat especially when the fuel reaches a temperature close to the melting point of the phase change material. In fact, since the melting reaction is an endothermic reaction, it consumes the heat of the fuel. Thus, at least one heat storage member suppresses the temperature rise of the fuel, that is, suppresses the generation of fuel evaporation gas in the tank. By suppressing the generation of fuel evaporation gas in this way, the size of the bladder can be determined so that the total volume becomes smaller, and thus, inconveniences related to the total volume of the bladder, such as restrictions based on the effective volume of the tank, can be reduced. It is understood that the synergistic effect of at least one heat storage member and the bladder exceeds the effect obtained when at least one heat storage member and the bladder are separated.

[0036] Advantageously, the fuel storage system further includes at least one spacer member fixed to the support member, which is configured such that the tank and the support member do not come into contact during the manufacture of the fuel storage system.

[0037] In this way, the risk of damage to the support member during the tank manufacturing is avoided. In fact, the tank manufacturing is usually carried out by a parison molding process, in which the parison is heated to a sufficiently high temperature until it becomes soft. The hot parison can heat the support member and cause unintentional deformation of parts of it. Such deformations can impair the mechanical strength of the support member and even impede the operation of the bladder, so that it is preferable to protect the support member with a spacer member.

[0038] Advantageously, each bladder comprises a protective shell surrounding said bladder.

[0039] In this way, the risk of damage to the bladder during the tank manufacturing is avoided. In fact, as mentioned above, the manufacturing of the tank is usually carried out by a parison moulding process, in which the parison is heated to a sufficiently high temperature until it becomes soft. The hot parison heats the bladder and, taking into account that the bladder is usually about one millimetre thick, may cause unintentional deformation of parts of it. Such deformations may impair the mechanical strength of the support members and even impair the operation of the bladder, so that it is preferable to protect the bladder with a protective shell. Furthermore, the protective shell protects the bladder from rippling of the fuel that may occur in the tank during rapid acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle.

[0040] According to the invention, at least the following steps are performed: - placing a parison into an open mold; - placing a support member and a plurality of inflatable bladders on an insertion rod or robotic arm, each of the inflatable bladders being supported by and secured to the support member; - inserting a support member and a bladder supported by an insertion rod or a robotic arm into the parison; - pre-blowing a parison and directly or indirectly contacting the parison with a support member; - removing the insertion rod or the robotic arm; - closing the mould; - A step of blow molding a parison to obtain a tank for accommodating a support member and a bladder A method for manufacturing a fuel storage system for a vehicle, which preferably sequentially performs steps consisting of

[0041] As described above, by supporting the bladder by the support member, the manufacturing of the fuel storage system is significantly facilitated. At the beginning of the process, the bladder is pre-combined with the support member, and then the whole is inserted into a hot parison and molded to form a tank. Some manufacturing steps of the fuel storage system are simplified, and the manufacturing is facilitated by reducing the practical constraints. In particular, the fixing work to be performed inside the hot parison or the molded tank is reduced, which corresponds to a configuration in which the internal space of the parison or the tank is difficult to access, and thus the handling of the support member and the bladder becomes complicated.

[0042] Advantageously, at least one spacer member is fixed to the support member before the insertion step, and the spacer member is configured to avoid direct contact between the parison and the support member in a partial closing step of the mold.

[0043] Advantageously, each bladder is equipped with a protective shell surrounding the bladder before the insertion step, and each protective shell is configured to avoid direct contact between the parison and the bladder in the insertion step and a partial closing step of the mold.

[0044] The present invention will be more easily understood by reading the following description given by way of example only with reference to the following drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0045]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the vehicle fuel storage system 2 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the fuel storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] The fuel storage system 2 includes a fuel tank 4, typically made of a plastic material, configured to store fuel that the vehicle uses, particularly for propulsion. The tank 4 defines an internal volume, which is filled with liquid and gaseous fuel at a rate depending on the conditions of pressure and temperature inside the tank 4. Usually, the tank includes a filling pipe for filling the tank with fuel, a ventilation pipe for discharging fuel evaporation gas under certain conditions, and an injection pipe for sending fuel to the vehicle engine. These three pipes are also well known in the prior art, so they are not shown on each drawing and will not be further described below.

[0048] The fuel storage system 2 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders 6 extending into the tank 4, which are supported by a support member 8 extending entirely within the tank 4. The support member 8 supporting the bladders 6 is shown in detail in FIG. 3.

[0049] Each bladder 6 includes an elastically deformable wall that expands and contracts without undergoing plastic deformation. Here, the bladder is made of polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), or made in a multilayer form including polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). Preferably, the polyethylene is high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the polyamide is polyamide 6, 11, or 12 (PA6, PA11, or PA12), and the multilayer includes an adhesive layer disposed between the high-density polyethylene layer and the ethylene vinyl alcohol layer.

[0050] To enable the bladder 6 to expand and contract, the fuel storage system 2 includes an air circuit 10 that is connected on the one hand to the bladder 6 and on the other hand to an air supply system (not shown) located outside the tank 4. By means of the air circuit 10, it is alternately possible to fill the bladder 6 with air so that the bladder occupies a larger total volume within the tank 4, and to discharge a part of the air contained in the bladder 6 so that it occupies a smaller total volume within the tank 4. The bladder is configured to deform in two opposite directions, i.e., vertically, in the configuration of the fuel storage system 2 of FIG. 2, during expansion or contraction.

[0051] The air circuit 10 includes a node 12, a supply section 14 connecting the node 12 to the internal space of each bladder 6, and an outlet section 16 connecting the node to the outlet of the tank 4. The outlet of the tank 4 leads to a filter 17 located outside the tank 4, such as an activated carbon filter or a canister, and then to the outside of the fuel storage system 2.

[0052] Here, the node 12 forms merely a fluid connection between the supply section 14 and the outlet section 16, but it is also possible to assume that this is formed by a four-way valve.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, each bladder 6 is provided with a valve 18 configured to alternately enable or avoid inflation and deflation. The valve 18 of each bladder is provided on its supply section 14. The valve 18 can operate or stop each bladder 6 at any time. In other words, when the valve 18 is closed, the air contained within the bladder 6 equipped with this valve remains trapped within the bladder 6 unless the valve 18 is opened.

[0054] Here, there are three bladders 6, but other numbers, such as two, or four or more, may be assumed, and this number can be selected according to the volume and shape of the tank 4. The maximum capacity of each bladder 6 is different or the same, and here it is 5 to 15 liters, and the total of the maximum capacities of each bladder is, here, 25 to 35 liters, for example 30 liters. The maximum capacity of each bladder and the total of the maximum capacities of each bladder are also selected according to the volume and shape of the tank, and the proposed numerical ranges are suitable for a certain type of automotive tank.

[0055] At least one of the bladders 6 is provided with connecting means 20 configured to receive accessories, and the accessories can be active or passive types regardless of their function in the fuel storage system 2.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows the details of the support member 8. The support member 8 has an overall die - cut shape and its contour can be adapted to the structure of the tank 4 and each element within it. For this purpose, the support member has recesses 22 that allow the passage of the struts 24 forming the internal reinforcement elements of the tank 4 and further enable fixing to at least one strut 24.

[0057] The support member 8 includes a first fixing means 26 configured to cooperate with a second fixing means 28 provided on the bladder 6 in order to securely fix the bladder 6 to the support member 8. Here, the first and second fixing means 26, 28 form a sliding connection implemented by a male part provided on the support member 8 and a female part provided on the bladder 6. As a modified embodiment, the first and second fixing means may be realized in the form of clip fastening or welding. In the case of welding, the first and second fixing means are formed by a surface suitable for welding the bladder to the support member.

[0058] The support member 8 includes a notch 30 configured to receive the end of the supply section 14 and a part of the valve 18 so that they are deformed by the support member 8 and their functions are not impaired.

[0059] The support member 8 includes a pedestal 32 arranged to fixedly receive the node 12 of the air circuit 10. Thereby, the movement of the air circuit 10 in the tank 4, which may cause damage to the air circuit or detachment of the supply section 14 from the bladder 6, for example due to fuel sloshing, can be reduced.

[0060] The fuel storage system 2 optionally includes at least one heat storage member 34 configured to extend into the tank 4 and here is fixed to the bottom wall inside the tank 4 to perform heat exchange with the fuel.

[0061] The heat storage member 34 includes a phase change material housed in an enclosure that does not permeate this material and the fuel, thereby preventing mass exchange between the fuel and the heat storage member 34. On the other hand, the enclosure of the heat storage member 34 is thermally conductive, allowing heat exchange between the fuel and the phase change material. The melting point of the phase change material is 18 - 40 °C. As an example, the phase change material is selected from calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl2·6H2O), octadecane (C 18 H 38 ), cyclohexanol (C6H 12 O), glycerin derivatives. More preferably, the melting point of the phase change material is 20 - 30 °C, that is, close to the temperature change range of the fuel.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 6, the fuel storage system 2 further includes at least one spacer member 36 fixed to the support member 8, which is configured such that the tank and the support member do not come into contact during the manufacture of the fuel storage system 2. Referring to FIG. 7, each bladder 6 includes a protective shell 38 surrounding the bladder 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the fuel storage system 2 includes a single protective shell 38 common to all bladders 6. According to a modified embodiment, the fuel storage system includes the same number of protective shells as the bladders. The functions of the spacer member and the protective shell 38 will be described in detail later.

[0063] For example, when the temperature of the fuel rises, such as when the outside air temperature exceeds the temperature of the fuel, a part of the fuel evaporates and fuel evaporation gas is generated in the tank 4. Since the tank 4 defines a closed volume, when the amount of fuel evaporation gas increases, the pressure in the gas phase in the tank rises. Hereinafter, how the fuel storage system 2 according to the present invention suppresses this pressure increase will be described.

[0064] The bladder 6 is compressed by the action of the pressure in the gas phase in the tank 4. Since the wall of the bladder 6 is deformable, the stress applied to this wall is balanced, and due to this balance, a part of the air contained in the bladder 6 is discharged from the air circuit 10 of the bladder with the valve 18 open. Thus, the volume of these bladders 6 occupying the inside of the tank 4 decreases while the volume occupied by the fuel evaporation gas increases, and as a result, the pressure of the fuel evaporation gas decreases. For example, when the outside air temperature is lower than the temperature of the fuel and as a result the temperature of the fuel decreases, a part of the fuel evaporation gas condenses. Then, the amount of fuel evaporation gas in the tank 4 decreases and the pressure of the fuel evaporation gas decreases. The stress applied to the wall of the bladder 6 is balanced again, and due to this balance, the bladder 6 is filled from the air circuit 10, and the volume of the bladder 6 occupying the inside of the tank 4 increases.

[0065] When there is at least one heat storage member 34, this member has a heat capacity capable of absorbing part of the heat of the fuel. When the temperature of the heat storage member 34 reaches the melting point of the phase change material, this material begins to melt. The melting reaction is an endothermic reaction, and the phase change material absorbs heat from the fuel and reacts, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the fuel. In other words, by suppressing the temperature rise of the fuel, the pressure rise of the fuel evaporation gas in the tank is suppressed.

[0066] Constraints can also be provided on the bladder so that it expands or contracts according to a specific flow rate.

[0067] Hereinafter, a manufacturing method of the fuel storage system 2 will be described. Each step shown below is sequentially performed.

[0068] First, a molten parison is placed into an open mold. The parison is for forming the wall of the tank 4. The mold has a shape that matches the shape to be imparted to the tank 4. The parison is usually made of polyethylene.

[0069] A support member 8 that supports the inflatable bladder 6 is set on the insertion rod or the robotic arm. Optionally at this stage, a mechanism configured to prevent premature deployment or premature inflation of the bladder can be provided on the support member.

[0070] Before the next insertion step, at least one spacer member 36 is fixed on the support member 8, and the bladder 6 is equipped with a protective shell 38.

[0071] The support member 8 and the bladder 6 supported by the insertion rod or the robotic arm are inserted into the parison. If the mechanism described in the previous paragraph exists, at this stage, for example, the insertion rod or the robotic arm is used to operate this mechanism to open the bladder so as not to interfere with its deployment or inflation hereafter.

[0072] The parison is pre-blow molded and brought into direct or indirect contact with the support member. After this pre-blow molding, the support member 8 and the bladder 6 are held in position by the pre-blown parison on the one hand and the insertion rod or robot arm on the other hand. The support member 8 and the bladder 6 are each protected from the parison by the spacer member 36 and the protective shell 38. For this purpose, the spacer member 36 and the protective shell 38 are made of a material having a melting point higher than that of the parison material, so that the parison slides against the spacer member 36 and the protective shell 38 without damaging the support member 8 and the bladder 6. The spacer member 36 and the protective shell 38 are here made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphthalamide (PPA), or a thermoplastic material having a melting point higher than that of the parison material. These materials have a melting point higher than that of the polyethylene forming the parison.

[0073] The insertion rod or robot arm is removed, so that from then on only the parison and the mold hold the support member 8 and the bladder 6 in position. At this stage, the support member 8 can be fixed to the parison, for example by welding, in which case the support member includes at least one welding zone enabling the support member to be welded to the parison.

[0074] The mold is closed to blow mold the parison and obtain a tank 4 that houses the support member 8 and the bladder 6. Thus, the tank 4 is obtained by the blow molding method.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0075] 2 Fuel storage system 4 Tank 6 Bladder 8 Support member 10 Air circuit 12 Node 14 Supply section 16 Outlet section 17 Filter 18 Valve 20 Connecting means 22 Recess 24 Support 26 First fixing means 28 Second fixing means 30 Notch 32 Pedestal 34 Heat storage member 36 Spacer member 38 Protection shell

Claims

1. - A fuel tank (4), - A support member (8) extending into the tank (4), - A plurality of inflatable bladders (6) extending into the tank (4), each of the inflatable bladders (6) being supported by and fixed to the support member (8), the plurality of inflatable bladders comprising a vehicle fuel storage system (2).

2. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the bladder (6) is made of polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), or made in a multi-layer form including polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

3. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the maximum capacity of each bladder (6) is 5 to 15 liters.

4. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the total of the maximum capacities of each of the bladders (6) is 25 to 35 liters, preferably 30 liters.

5. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bladder (6) is configured to deform in two opposite directions when inflated or deflated.

6. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the bladders is provided with connecting means (20) configured to receive accessories.

7. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each bladder (6) is provided with a valve (18) configured to enable or avoid alternating inflation and deflation.

8. - A node (12), - A supply section (14) connecting the node (12) to the internal space of each of the bladders (6), - An outlet section (16) connecting the node (12) to the outlet of the tank (4) comprising an air circuit (10) and including the vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the outlet of the tank (4) leads to a filter (17) located outside the tank (4), such as an activated carbon filter or a canister.

10. The support member (8) includes bladder fixing means (26, 28), and preferably the bladder fixing means (26, 28) is selected from clip fastening, sliding type fixing, and welding. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The support member (8) is fixed to at least one wall of the tank (4) or at least one support column (24) extending inside the tank (4). The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. It contains a phase change material with a melting point of 18 to 40 °C, and further includes at least one heat storage member (34) extending into the tank. The phase change material is preferably selected from calcium chloride hexahydrate (CaCl 2 .6H 2 O), octadecane (C 18 H 38 ), cyclohexanol (C 6 H 12 O), and glycerin derivatives. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising at least one spacer member (36) fixed to the support member (8), which is configured such that the tank (4) and the support member (8) do not contact each other during the manufacture of the fuel storage system (2).

14. Each bladder (6) is provided with a protective shell (38) surrounding the bladder (6). The vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. At least the following steps, namely - The step of placing the parison into an open mold, - The step of setting the support member (8) and a plurality of inflatable bladders (6) on an insertion rod or a robot arm, wherein each of the inflatable bladders (6) is supported by and fixed to the support member (8), - The step of inserting the support member (8) and the bladder (6) supported by the insertion rod or the robot arm into the parison, - The step of pre-blow molding the parison and bringing the parison and the support member (8) into direct or indirect contact, - The step of removing the insertion rod or the robot arm, - The step of closing the mold, - The step of blow molding the parison to obtain a tank (4) that houses the support member (8) and the bladder (6) A method for manufacturing a vehicle fuel storage system (2), which comprises performing the steps.

16. Before the insertion step, at least one spacer member (36) is fixed to the support member (8), and the spacer member (36) is configured to avoid direct contact between the parison and the support member (8) in the insertion step and the partial closing step of the mold. A method for manufacturing a vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to claim 15.

17. Before the insertion step, a protective shell (38) surrounding the bladder (6) is provided for each bladder (6), and each protective shell (38) is configured to avoid direct contact between the parison and the bladder (6) in the insertion step and the partial closing step of the mold. A method for manufacturing a vehicle fuel storage system (2) according to claim 15 or 16.

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