Boss assembly, gas storage vessel, and method of manufacturing the boss assembly

Abstract

The boss assembly, which is provided to be coupled to an opening of a liner along the longitudinal axis of the liner of a gas storage container, includes a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet extending along the axis, a second gas inlet / outlet connected to the body and arranged on the axis to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet, and a flange member made of a resin material having a flange coupling portion provided to be coupled to the liner, and the body is provided with a concave-convex coupling portion including an arc-shaped interlocking groove and an interlocking rib on which the flange member is formed and inserted into the interlocking groove to engage with it.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a boss assembly to be coupled to a liner, a gas storage container including the same, and a method for manufacturing the boss assembly, and more particularly to a boss assembly, a gas storage container, and a method for manufacturing the boss assembly, which are involved in a structure to prevent gas from leaking out of the liner when the boss assembly is coupled to the liner. [Background technology]

[0002] Gas storage vessels are cylindrical containers that store gases and are used in a variety of fields requiring gases, such as the fuel cell system of a hydrogen vehicle. A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack that generates electrical energy, a fuel supply system that supplies hydrogen as fuel to the fuel cell stack, an air supply system that supplies oxygen from the air as an oxidant necessary for the electrochemical reaction to the fuel cell stack, and a management system that controls the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack. Specifically, the gas storage vessel in the hydrogen supply system stores compressed hydrogen at a pressure of over 700 bar. This stored compressed hydrogen is released into a high-pressure line by turning on / off a high-pressure regulator attached to the inlet of the gas storage vessel, and then depressurized via a start valve and hydrogen supply valve before being supplied to the fuel cell stack.

[0003] In this case, gases such as hydrogen have low storage density, so it is efficient to store them at high pressure in a gas storage container. In particular, hydrogen vehicles have limited space for gas storage containers, so the storage pressure must be maintained at high pressure. However, since there is a risk of explosion due to high pressure, it is very important to ensure the safety of the gas storage container. For this reason, various types of reinforcing materials are used for the liner that forms the main body of the gas storage container to withstand the high pressure of hydrogen.

[0004] Meanwhile, the boss assembly, which forms the hydrogen inlet and outlet of the liner, is manufactured separately from the liner and then attached to it. Conventionally, hydrogen gas tightness has been maintained by inserting sealing components such as O-rings or backup rings between the boss assembly and the liner. However, this method requires the sealing components to be manufactured separately from the main component, the boss assembly, and then assembled, which complicates the process and increases labor and costs. Furthermore, under extreme conditions, the sealing performance of the sealing components inevitably deteriorates over time, requiring periodic part replacement. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a boss assembly having a simple structure that prevents high-pressure gas inside a liner from leaking out, and a gas storage container including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a boss assembly for coupling to an opening of a liner along a longitudinal axis of the liner of a gas storage container includes a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet extending along the axis, and a resin flange member coupled to the body and having a second gas inlet / outlet disposed on the axis to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet, and a flange coupling portion for coupling to the liner, the boss assembly including an arc-shaped engaging groove formed in the body and an engaging rib formed in the flange member and inserted into the engaging groove to engage with the engaging groove, thereby providing a boss assembly with improved dissimilar joining strength between the body and flange member, which are made of different materials, and thus providing a gas storage container that prevents gas leakage.

[0007] In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the engagement groove may have a dove tail shape, in which the width expands along the depth direction of the body, thereby increasing the coupling strength between the body and the flange member.

[0008] In addition, the side angle of the cross-sectional shape of the engagement groove may extend at an angle ranging from 20 degrees to 40 degrees relative to the axis in the depth direction, thereby increasing the bonding strength between the main body and the flange member and preventing the occurrence of an area where the resin does not diffuse during injection molding of the resin.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a gas storage container comprising: a liner having an opening on one side along a longitudinal axis; and a boss assembly adapted to be coupled to the opening of the liner, the boss assembly including: a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet extending along the axis; and a resin flange member coupled to the body, the resin flange member having a second gas inlet / outlet disposed on the axis to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet, and a flange coupling portion adapted to be coupled to the liner, the body having an arc-shaped engaging groove and an engaging rib formed on the flange member and inserted into the engaging groove. This provides a boss assembly with improved dissimilar joining strength between the body and flange member, which are made of different materials, and thus provides a gas storage container that prevents gas leakage.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a boss assembly adapted to be coupled to an opening of a liner along the longitudinal axis of the liner of a gas storage container includes the steps of: forming a body by processing metal and having a first gas inlet / outlet port extending along the axis; preheating the body to a temperature range of 140 to 160 degrees Celsius and inserting the body into an injection space within a mold; and injecting resin into the injection space of the mold to form a flange member coupled to the body and having a second gas inlet / outlet port disposed on the axis so as to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet. This provides a boss assembly with improved bonding strength between the body and flange member, which are made of different materials, and a gas storage container that prevents gas leakage.

[0011] Furthermore, the metal may include aluminum, and the resin may include PA6 (Polyamide 6). This makes it possible to provide a gas storage container with excellent physical and chemical properties.

[0012] In addition, the temperature range to which the body is preheated may be set to be lower than the melting point of the resin by 40 to 30% of the melting point, thereby increasing the bonding strength between the body and the flange member and preventing gas leakage when the flange member is formed by injection molding the resin.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing a boss assembly adapted to be coupled to an opening of a liner along a longitudinal axis of the liner of a gas storage container includes: a mold having an injection space; a heater; and a controller configured to control the heater to preheat a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet port extending along the axis to a temperature range of 140 to 160 degrees Celsius, to load the preheated body into the injection space within the mold, and to inject resin into the injection space of the mold to form a flange member coupled to the body and having a second gas inlet / outlet port disposed on the axis to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet. This makes it possible to manufacture a boss assembly having improved bonding strength between the body and flange member made of different materials, and a gas storage container that is prevented from leaking gas. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a boss assembly that prevents gas from leaking between a liner and a boss assembly with a simple structure, and a gas storage container including the same. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gas storage container.

[0016] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gas storage container taken along the axial direction.

[0017] [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the underside of the main body of the boss assembly.

[0018] [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a recess showing a concave-convex coupling portion.

[0019] [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a manufacturing device for a boss assembly.

[0020] [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a boss assembly by a manufacturing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described with reference to the drawings are not mutually exclusive unless otherwise specified, and multiple embodiments may be selectively combined within a single device. Such combinations of multiple embodiments may be arbitrarily selected and applied by a person skilled in the art of the present invention to embody the concept of the present invention.

[0022] If there are terms including ordinal numbers such as "first component" and "second component" in the embodiments, such terms are used to describe various components, and the terms are used to distinguish one component from another, but the meanings of these components are not limited by the terms. The terms used in the embodiments are applied to describe the embodiments and do not limit the present invention.

[0023] Furthermore, when the expression "at least one" of a plurality of components appears in this specification, this expression refers not only to the entire plurality of components, but also to each of the plurality of components excluding the rest, or to a combination thereof.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gas storage container.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gas storage container taken along the axial direction.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the underside of the main body of the boss assembly.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the gas storage container 1 has a long cylindrical shape centered on a predetermined longitudinal axis. The gas storage container 1 has a storage space therein capable of storing gas, and an opening 1100 communicating with the storage space is formed on one side. In this embodiment, the opening 1100 in the gas storage container 1 is located on the longitudinal axis, but the opening 1100 does not necessarily have to be positioned on the axis. Gas can be introduced into or discharged from the storage space through the opening 1100. The fields to which the gas storage container 1 is applied and the type of gas stored in the gas storage container 1 are not limited. As an example, the gas storage container 1 can be applied to a hydrogen vehicle and can be configured to store high-pressure hydrogen of at least 700 bar.

[0028] The gas storage container 1 includes a liner 1000. The liner 1000 is the body or main body of the gas storage container 1, and the storage space and opening 1100 of the gas storage container 1 are provided in the liner 1000. The liner 1000 is required to have various properties such as durability, impact resistance, and fire resistance, and to satisfy these properties, the liner 1000 can be made of various materials. For example, the liner 1000 can be made of metal materials such as aluminum or steel. Alternatively, the liner 1000 can be made of metal materials and its outer surface can be reinforced with a glass fiber composite material. Alternatively, as in this embodiment, the liner 1000 can be made of a non-metallic material such as high-density plastic. Non-metallic liners 1000 are relatively light in weight and are therefore suitable for gas storage containers 1 installed in hydrogen vehicles.

[0029] The gas storage container 1 includes a boss assembly 2000. The boss assembly 2000 forms a gas inlet / outlet for the gas storage container 1 and is connected to the liner 1000 so as to communicate with an opening 1100 provided on the longitudinal axis of the liner 1000. The gas storage container 1 is manufactured by heat-sealing the boss assembly 2000 to the liner 1000, and then reinforcing the outer surfaces of both the boss assembly 2000 and the liner 1000 with a carbon fiber 3000 composite material. The boss assembly 2000 is manufactured as a separate part from the liner 1000 and then connected to it, and requires a sealing structure to prevent leakage of high-pressure hydrogen from the liner 1000.

[0030] The boss assembly (2000) comprises a main body (2100) and a flange member (2200) connected to the main body (2100). The main body (2100) and flange member (2200) are made of different materials and are bonded together to form the boss assembly (2000). The main body (2100) comprises a metal material, such as aluminum. The flange member (2200) comprises a resin material, such as PA6 (Polyamide 6). PA6 is a material that contains the amide group (NHCO), characteristic of polyamides, in its molecular chain and is produced through ring-opening polymerization using caprolactam. PA6 is characterized by excellent mechanical strength, heat resistance, chemical resistance, oil resistance, moldability, and abrasion resistance.

[0031] In this embodiment, the materials of the main body 2100 and the flange member 2200 are merely examples of applicable metals or resins, and different types of metals or resins may be used depending on the design method. A detailed description of the boss assembly 2000 and a description of manufacturing the boss assembly 2000 using different types of materials will be provided later.

[0032] The boss assembly 2000 is disposed above the liner 1000 so as to cover the opening 1100 of the liner 1000. The lower surface of the flange member 2200 of the boss assembly 2000 is heat-sealed to a region 1200 of the upper surface of the liner 1000, thereby joining the boss assembly 2000 to the liner 1000. The liner 1000 of this embodiment contains the same PA6 material as the flange member 2200, and can be heat-sealed to the flange member 2200. With the boss assembly 2000 and liner 1000 joined in this manner, the outer peripheries of the boss assembly 2000 and liner 1000 are surrounded by carbon fiber 3000, thereby reinforcing the strength of the gas storage container 1. The material of the liner (1000) is not limited to PA6, and it can be made of the same resin as the material of the flange member (2200), and even if it is different, it can be made of a material with similar physical and chemical properties to the flange member (2200).

[0033] The boss assembly (2000) includes a main body (2100) made of a metal material and a flange member (2200) made of PA6 material joined to the main body (2100). The main body (2100) and the flange member (2200) are arranged along the longitudinal axis (hereinafter referred to as the "axis") of the liner (1000). The main body (2100) and the flange member (2200) have the shape of a body of revolution formed by rotating around the axis.

[0034] The main body (2100) has a first gas inlet / outlet (2110) extending along its axis. The first gas inlet / outlet (2110) has a thread (2120) for screw connection in one region of its inner surface so that an external pipe or plug connected to the first gas inlet / outlet (2110) can be screwed to the first gas inlet / outlet (2110). The lower surface (FIG. 4) of the main body (2100), i.e., the plate surface facing the liner (1000) from the main body (2100) and facing the upper plate surface of the flange member (2200), has a disk shape with the first gas inlet / outlet (2110) formed in its center.

[0035] The flange member (2200) has a second gas inlet / outlet port (2210) extending along the axis. The second gas inlet / outlet port (2210) communicates with the first gas inlet / outlet port (2110) and the opening (1100) of the liner (1000) to form an inlet / outlet for the gas storage container (1). The upper plate surface of the flange member (2200) contacts the lower surface of the main body (2100). The outer diameter (outermost periphery) of the flange member (2200) along the radial direction of the axis is larger than the outer diameter of the main body (2100). The flange member (2200) has a disk shape centered on the second gas inlet / outlet port (2210) and includes a flange connection portion (2220) formed on the lower surface of the disk. The flange connection portion (2220) is heat-sealed to the upper side of the liner (1000) that forms the opening (1100), thereby connecting the boss assembly (2000) to the liner (1000).

[0036] The boss assembly 2000 is required to maintain airtightness to prevent the leakage of high-pressure gas. Therefore, the main body 2100 and the flange member 2200 need to be firmly connected to maintain airtightness, rather than simply being supported by each other. To this end, the boss assembly 2000 includes concave-convex joints 2300 formed on the main body 2100 and the flange member 2200. In addition, during the manufacturing of the boss assembly 2000, a method of preheating the main body 2100 can be applied to improve the bonding strength between the main body 2100 and the flange member 2200, which will be described later.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a recess showing a concave-convex coupling portion.

[0038] 1 to 4, the concave-convex coupling portion 2300 includes a plurality of interlocking grooves 2310 formed in an arc shape around the axis on the lower surface of the main body 2100, and a plurality of interlocking ribs 2320 formed on the upper surface of the flange member 2200 and inserted into the interlocking grooves 2310. In this embodiment, the concave-convex coupling portion 2300 includes four interlocking grooves 2310 and four corresponding interlocking ribs 2320, but the number, spacing, and spacing of the interlocking grooves 2310 and interlocking ribs 2320 are not limited to this embodiment. For example, only one interlocking groove 2310 and one interlocking rib 2320 may be provided. When the concave-convex coupling portion (2300) includes a plurality of interlocking grooves (2310), the plurality of interlocking grooves (2310) are arranged concentrically (see FIG. 4).

[0039] The lower surface of the main body 2100 on which the interlocking grooves 2310 are formed is not flat, but has a curved surface in some areas. Therefore, the recessed direction of at least some of the interlocking grooves 2310 is different from the recessed direction of the rest of the interlocking grooves 2310. This serves to disperse external force acting on the boss assembly 2000 to separate the main body 2100 and the flange member 2200.

[0040] The cross-sectional shape of the interlocking groove (2310) has a dovetail shape, with its width expanding in the depth direction of the main body (2100), i.e., in the recessed direction. When the boss assembly (2000) is cut along its axis, the cross-section of the interlocking groove (2310) has the shape of an inverted trapezoid. The cross-section of the interlocking groove (2310) consists of an inner corner (2311) in the depth direction of the main body (2100), an inlet (2312) formed by the underside of the main body (2100), and two side corners (2313) connecting the inner corner (2311) and the inlet (2312). The width of the inner corner (2311) is longer than the width of the inlet (2312). This provides a stronger connection between the main body (2100) and the flange member (2200).

[0041] The interlocking rib (2320) is configured to be engaged with the interlocking groove (2310), and therefore is prepared to correspond to the shape of the interlocking groove (2310), the number of each part, and the position where it is arranged.

[0042] The numerical values ​​of each portion of the engaging groove 2310 are subject to design changes and are not limited to specific values. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the maximum length of the boss assembly 2000 along the axis is 10.8 cm (hereafter, units are cm) and the maximum diameter of the boss assembly 2000 along the radial direction of the axis is 20.9 cm, the width of the inner corner 2311 is 4.44 cm, the width of the inlet 2312 is 2.66 cm, and the distance between the inner corner 2311 and the inlet 2312 is 1.54 cm. The space between the inner corner 2311 and the side corner 2313, or the space between the inlet 2312 and the side corner 2313, may be rounded, for example, with a curvature of 0.3 cm.

[0043] The angle between the inner angle 2311 and the lateral angle 2313 is set in the range of 50 to 70 degrees. That is, the angle of the lateral angle 2313 relative to the axis is set in the range of 20 to 40 degrees. If the angle of the lateral angle 2313 relative to the axis is less than 20 degrees, the strength of the connection by the concave-convex joint 2300 decreases. On the other hand, if the angle of the lateral angle 2313 relative to the axis is greater than 40 degrees, there is a possibility that an area will be left uncovered by the injected resin during the injection process for manufacturing the boss assembly 2000, as will be described later. The above angle range satisfies both the requirements for the strength of the connection by the concave-convex joint 2300 and the accuracy of the injection molding of the flange member 2200.

[0044] A method for manufacturing the boss assembly (2000) according to this embodiment will now be described.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a manufacturing device for a boss assembly.

[0046] 1 and 5, the manufacturing apparatus 100 for manufacturing the boss assembly 2000 includes a forging device 110, a heat treatment device 120, a processing device 130, a surface treatment device 140, and an injection device 150. In addition to the devices described in this embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 100 may also include various subordinate devices and equipment required for the process.

[0047] The forging device 110 forges the aluminum material to form the body 2100. The forging device 110 forges the cylindrical aluminum material using a press.

[0048] The heat treatment device 120 performs heat treatment on the forged body 2100. For example, the heat treatment device 120 performs solution treatment to maintain the body 2100 in a solid solution state at a temperature range of 500 to 525 degrees Celsius, water quenching to rapidly cool the body 2100 using water, and aging treatment to leave the body 2100 at a temperature range of 150 to 180 degrees Celsius for 3 to 8.5 hours.

[0049] The processing device (130) includes a polishing device, a three-dimensional measuring device, a shape and illuminance measuring device, etc., and processes the surface of the body (2100) to the required detailed values ​​and shape of the body (2100).

[0050] The surface treatment device 140 performs a surface treatment on the processed main body 2100. The surface treatment device 140 includes, for example, an anodization process equipment. The surface treatment device 140 performs, for example, a pretreatment process in which the main body 2100 is alternately immersed in a basic solution and an acidic solution and then rinsed with water, a TTN electropolymerization process in which the main body 2100 is immersed in a mixed solution of triazine thiol sodium (TTN) and sulfuric acid and electrolyzed, and a drying process in which the main body 2100 is washed and dried.

[0051] The injection unit (150) manufactures the boss assembly (2000) by using PA6 to create a flange member (2200) that is bonded to the body (2100).

[0052] The injection unit 150 includes a mold 151. The mold 151 is a metal mold with a space corresponding to the outer shape of the boss assembly 2000. With the main body 2100 accommodated in the space, liquid PA6 is injected and spreads to produce a flange member 2200 connected to the main body 2100. The shape or format of the mold 151 is not limited, and for example, the mold 151 may include a first mold frame fixed to the ground and a second mold frame movable relative to the first mold frame. After the first and second mold frames come into contact to form a space, PA6 is injected, and once the PA6 has solidified, the second mold frame can be moved to separate the boss assembly 2000 from the mold 151.

[0053] The injection device 150 includes an injection unit 152. The injection unit 152 includes a storage tank for storing liquid PA6, a flow pipe connecting the storage tank and the mold, and a pump for pumping the PA6 in the storage tank through the flow pipe to the mold. The injection unit 152 injects a required amount of PA6 into the space within the mold 151 under the control of the control unit 154.

[0054] The injection device (150) includes a heater (153). The heater (153) preheats the main body (2100) to a predetermined temperature range before it is inserted into the mold (151). The heater (153) is also provided in the injection section (152) and the mold (151) to preheat the mold (151) to a controlled temperature. The temperature range to which the heater (153) preheats the main body (2100) will be described later.

[0055] The injection device 150 includes a control unit 154. The control unit 154 is implemented as a hardware circuit such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, or chipset, and commands and controls the overall operation of the injection device 150, including driving the heater 153 and the injection unit 152.

[0056] A specific method for manufacturing the boss assembly (2000) by the manufacturing device (100) will be described below.

[0057] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the method by which the manufacturing device manufactures the boss assembly.

[0058] 1 to 6, in step 210, the manufacturing apparatus 100 processes metal, for example, aluminum, to form a body 2100. Step 210 is performed by the forging apparatus 110, heat treatment apparatus 120, processing apparatus 130, and surface treatment apparatus 140, which are subordinate apparatuses of the manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0059] In step 220, the manufacturing equipment (100) controls the heater (153) to preheat the body (2100) to a temperature range of 140 to 160 degrees Celsius. The processes from step 220 onwards are carried out by the injection device (150), one of the lower-level devices of the manufacturing equipment (100).

[0060] In step 230, the manufacturing device 100 loads the preheated body 2100 into the injection space in the mold 151. At this time, the manufacturing device 100 controls the heater 153 to preheat the mold 151 to a temperature range of, for example, 80 to 90 degrees Celsius.

[0061] In step 240, the manufacturing device 100 injects a resin, for example, PA6, into the injection space in the mold 151 to form a flange member 2200.

[0062] In step 250, the manufacturing device 100 separates the boss assembly 2000 from the mold 151.

[0063] As a result, the manufacturing apparatus (100) can manufacture the boss assembly (2000) in which the main body (2100) and the flange member (2200) are joined together by dissimilar bonding.

[0064] The main body (2100) can be made of various metal materials other than aluminum, and the flange member (2200) can be made of various resins other than PA6, such as PA66, PA12, PA13, PA63, and PA6C, among other engineering plastics. However, the preheating temperature range in step 220 is set to a temperature 40-30% lower than the melting point of the resin that is the material of the flange member (2200) to be bonded to the main body (2100). When resin is injected into the injection cavity in the mold (151), the metal material of the inserted main body (2100) affects the solidification of the resin in the injection cavity (especially aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity). This ultimately affects the strength of the bond between the main body (2100) and the flange member (2200). Taking this into consideration, the body (2100) is preheated to a temperature range that takes into account the melting point of the resin, and then loaded into the mold (151) and the resin is injected, thereby ensuring the strength of the above bond.

[0065] For example, if the resin is PA6, the melting point of PA6 is 225 degrees Celsius. 40% of 225 degrees Celsius is 90 degrees, and 30% is 68 degrees, so the temperature range to which the main body (2100) is preheated is (225-90) = 135 degrees to (225-68) = 157 degrees, which is roughly in the range of 140 degrees to 160 degrees.

[0066] For example, if the resin is PA66, the melting point of PA66 is 260 degrees Celsius. 40% of 260 degrees Celsius is 104 degrees, and 30% is 78 degrees, so the temperature range to which the main body (2100) is preheated is (260-104) = 156 degrees to (260-78) = 182 degrees, which is roughly in the range of 160 degrees to 180 degrees.

[0067] For example, if the resin is PA12, the melting point of PA12 is 180 degrees Celsius. 40% of 180 degrees Celsius is 72 degrees, and 30% is 54 degrees, so the temperature range to which the main body (2100) is preheated is (180-72) = 108 degrees to (180-54) = 126 degrees, which is roughly between 110 degrees and 130 degrees.

[0068] The same principle can be used to determine the preheat temperature range of the body (2100) when using different types of engineering plastics.

[0069] Meanwhile, when producing a flange member (2200) using PA6, consider preheating temperatures of 130°C, 150°C, 180°C, and 200°C for comparison. There are no visible differences in appearance in any of the four cases after production is complete. However, after approximately 24 hours, differences emerge for each preheating temperature. When the preheating temperature is 130°C, the flange member (2200) peels off from the main body (2100). When the preheating temperature is 180°C or 200°C, the shrinkage of PA6 reduces the adhesion of the flange member (2200) to the main body (2100), causing hydrogen leakage. When the preheating temperature is 150°C, the main body (2100) and flange member (2200) maintain their normal adhesion, and no hydrogen leakage occurs.

[0070] In this way, the manufacturing apparatus (100) can manufacture a boss assembly (2000) with enhanced adhesive strength between the main body (2100) and the flange member (2200) by controlling the preheating temperature range of the main body (2100) depending on the material of the flange member (2200).

Claims

1. 1. A boss assembly adapted to be coupled to an opening in a gas storage vessel liner along a longitudinal axis of the liner, comprising: a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet port extending along the axis; a second gas inlet / outlet port connected to the main body and arranged on the axis so as to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet port; and a flange member made of a resin material having a flange connecting portion provided to be connected to the liner, a boss assembly provided with a concave-convex joint portion including an interlocking groove formed in an arc shape on the main body and an interlocking rib formed on the flange member and inserted into the interlocking groove to interlock with it;

2. 2. The boss assembly according to claim 1, wherein the engaging groove has a cross-sectional shape of a dove tail shape whose width expands along the depth direction of the body.

3. 3. The boss assembly of claim 2, wherein the lateral angles of the cross-sectional shape of the engaging groove extend at an angle in the range of between 20 degrees and 40 degrees relative to the depth axis.

4. In a gas storage container, a liner having an opening on one side along a longitudinal axis; a boss assembly adapted to couple to the opening in the liner; The boss assembly is a metal body having a first gas inlet / outlet port extending along the axis; a second gas inlet / outlet port connected to the main body and arranged on the axis so as to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet port; and a flange member made of a resin material having a flange connecting portion provided to be connected to the liner, The gas storage container is provided with a concave-convex joint including an arc-shaped engaging groove formed on the body and an engaging rib formed on the flange member and inserted into the engaging groove to engage with it.

5. 1. A method of manufacturing a boss assembly adapted to be coupled to an opening in a gas storage vessel liner along a longitudinal axis of the liner, comprising: machining a metal to form a body having a first gas port extending along said axis; preheating the body to a temperature range of 140 to 160 degrees Celsius and inserting the body into an injection cavity in a mold; forming a flange member joined to the main body by injecting resin into the injection space of the mold, the flange member having a second gas inlet / outlet port disposed on the axis so as to communicate with the first gas inlet / outlet port.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal comprises aluminum and the resin comprises PA6 (polyamide 6).

7. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature range to which the body is preheated is set to a temperature within a range of 40 to 30% of the melting point of the resin.

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