Fuel tank with reinforcing material on the outer wall

Abstract

A fuel tank (10) made of plastic material for an automobile, comprising a shell (12) having two zones (14, 16) that form an internal volume (20) of the tank (10), the shell having an outer peripheral wall (22) including the joint surface (18), and a reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) that is basically inside the tank (10) and extends from the joint surface (18) toward the inside of the tank (10), the reinforcing element (24) being fixed at a first fixing point (26) on a first inner surface (28) of the outer peripheral wall (22) and fixed at a second fixing point (30) which is inside the tank (10) or on a second inner surface of the outer peripheral wall (22). The first portion (34) of the reinforcing element (24) is fixed to the joint surface (18) at the level of the first fixing point (26).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel tank made of a plastic material for a motor vehicle, particularly a gasoline tank, comprising a reinforcing element on its outer peripheral wall, and a method for manufacturing such a tank.

Background Art

[0002] Fuel tanks are exposed to an internal pressure that tends to cause deformation of their walls. Generally, a tank does not have a very large spread in terms of height, and reinforcing elements that can connect the upper and lower walls of the tank are used to enable each wall to withstand the internal pressure. An example of such a reinforcing element for the upper and lower walls of a fuel tank is described in US Patent No. 9,027,781. It is obvious that for taller tanks, it is necessary to further reinforce the outer peripheral wall between the lower wall and the upper wall.

[0003] Fuel tanks with a reinforcing element on the outer peripheral wall are already known from International Publication No. 2012 / 139961. The tank is manufactured by blow molding in a way that requires inserting parts of the reinforcing element into the parison and fixing them to the parison by welding or riveting at two opposite positions of the parison. After the parison is formed, an opening is provided in the wall of the tank, and a support is formed by connecting the parts through this opening. In this way, a fuel tank with a reinforcing element fixed to the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the tank is obtained. This method is quite complex to implement and also requires making an opening in the wall of the tank, which may eventually cause a defect in the airtightness of the tank.

[0004] To more easily manufacture plastic fuel tanks with internal components fixed to the walls, U.S. Patent No. 4,952,347 proposes inserting components, held by insert elements, into a parison, with the insert elements sandwiched between two cavities of the mold and within the inner outer surface of the parison, so that a portion of the insert elements protrudes outside the parison. This fixes the components at the tank's joint when the mold is closed. After molding, the outer surface of the insert elements is cut off. Such a method is unthinkable in the manufacture of fuel tanks, especially gasoline tanks, because the walls of this type of tank must be impeding to fuel vapors and must have a reasonable permeability to fuel vapors. This is also true at the joint level. However, in tanks of current technology, the cut zone of the insert elements becomes one of the sources of leakage.

[0005] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-79121 describes a plastic tank made from parisons, comprising a separation plate fixed to the joint surface of the tank. Also, French Patent Application Publication No. 3053936 describes a multi-shell fuel tank in which components can be inserted into a space formed between two shells. The outer shell is composed of at least two coquilles, and the components are fixed to the outer shell at the level of the joint surface of those coquilles. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9027781 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2012 / 139961 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 4952347 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-79121 [Patent Document 5] French Patent Application Publication No. 3053936 Specification [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a fuel tank made of plastic material with a reinforced outer wall that does not have the aforementioned drawbacks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] Therefore, the present invention relates to a fuel tank made of plastic material for an automobile, - A shell made from a parison, having two zones whose boundaries are defined by joint surfaces and which form the internal volume of a tank for containing fuel, and having an outer periphery wall with joint surfaces, - It is basically located inside the tank and is a reinforcing element of the outer wall that extends from the joint surface toward the inside of the tank, fixed on one side at a first fixing point on the first inner surface of the outer wall, and on the other side at a second fixing point • Inside the tank, or • One or more fixed points on the second inner surface of the outer wall. The reinforcing element of the outer wall fixed at the second fixed point and This applies to tanks equipped with [specific features / equipment]. In the tank according to the present invention, the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer wall is fixed to the joint surface at the level of the first fixing point.

[0009] Therefore, considering the risk of evaporation loss, it might seem that using the inside of the joint surface as a fixing point in a fuel tank should be avoided. However, we propose a fuel tank in which the reinforcing elements of the outer wall are fixed to the joint surface. In the tank according to the present invention, the risk of evaporation loss is suppressed by fixing the reinforcing elements to the inner surface of the outer wall. In other words, in the tank according to the present invention, the reinforcing elements are completely enclosed by the inner surface of the outer wall, and the outer wall is not interrupted at the level of the joint surface. The first part of the reinforcing element of the outer wall is enclosed by the outer wall, thereby reducing leakage. This type of fixing has the special advantage that the joint surface constitutes a robust zone with double the thickness of the tank wall. In the manufacture of this tank, there is no need to create openings in the wall after molding. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous from the viewpoint of gas permeability.

[0010] In the fuel tank described in this invention, the shell generally consists of multiple layers, comprising at least one structural layer and one barrier layer, with the at least one barrier layer typically surrounded by at least two structural layers. In this tank, the barrier layer forms the contour of the first part of the reinforcing element. The structural layer is a layer of polymer material, conventionally polyethylene or polyamide, which provides mechanical strength to the multilayer structure. The barrier layer is a layer of polymer material, conventionally a copolymer of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), which provides extremely low gas permeability.

[0011] Therefore, reinforcing elements are placed at particularly vulnerable joint surfaces. This is because the joint surfaces of multi-layer walls are weaker than those of single-layer walls. In fact, in multi-layer walls, only the structural layers contribute to mechanical strength. Furthermore, the formation of joint surfaces in multi-layer walls is extremely delicate, as the integrity of each layer must be maintained during compression when closing the mold. For this reason, fixing reinforcing elements of the outer wall to the joint surfaces of a tank with multi-layer walls was counterintuitive.

[0012] The present invention is particularly advantageous when the tank is relatively tall, such as when the tank height exceeds 200 mm, preferably 300 mm.

[0013] "Fuel" refers to fuel that conforms to the EN228 standard and consists of a mixture of light hydrocarbons, mainly C7H16.

[0014] In this invention, "inside" refers to an element located within the internal volume of the tank that is in contact with the fuel contained in the tank. The reason why the internal reinforcing elements of the tank according to this invention are described as "basically inside the tank" is that, with the exception of the parts located within the joint surface, the majority of them are located within the internal volume of the tank. Furthermore, "one or more points on the second inner surface of the outer peripheral wall" refers to one or more fixing points on the outer peripheral wall.

[0015] The joint surface is the welding line on the outer perimeter of the two zones of the parison that form the tank wall. This line corresponds to the closing position of the mold. The parison is compressed by the mold at the joint surface level. Then, at the first fixing point level, the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer wall is overmolded onto the joint surface.

[0016] The present invention is particularly advantageous when the fuel is gasoline.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a fuel tank made of plastic material for an automobile, - A shell made from a parison, having two zones whose boundaries are defined by joint surfaces and which form the internal volume of a tank for containing fuel, and having an outer periphery wall with joint surfaces, - Essentially located inside the tank, extending inward from the joint surface, this is a reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall, fixed on one side at a first fixing point on the first inner surface of the outer perimeter wall, and on the other side at a second fixing point which is inside the tank. Fuel tanks equipped with [specific features / equipment] are also included. In the tank according to the invention, the first part of the reinforcing element of the outer peripheral wall is fixed to the joining surface at the level of the first fixing point, and the shell of the fuel tank further comprises a first wall and a second wall that are positioned in a substantially opposite manner with respect to the outer peripheral wall. The second fixing point inside the tank is located at the level of the support part that extends between the first wall and the second wall. The support part is fixed to at least one of the walls. [[ID=​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Advantageously, the reinforcing elements of the outer wall are provided with a fracture zone to allow the reinforcing material to deform or break upon impact. The fracture zone may consist of localized thinning of the reinforcing material or a hole drilled in the reinforcing material. Upon impact, the failure of the tank wall is avoided by the fracture zone breaking.

[0024] Other features resulting from the optional selection of fuel tanks, either individually or in combination, are as follows:

[0025] - The second fixing point is one or more points on the second inner surface located within the joint surface. In this embodiment, the second portion of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall is fixed to the joint surface at the level of the second fixing point. Therefore, a relatively simple reinforcing element is used that has the function of connecting at least two points on the inner surface of the outer perimeter wall of the tank. The second fixing point has the same advantages as the first fixing point in terms of fixing.

[0026] If the second fixing point comprises two points on the second inner surface, the two points are advantageously distributed on either side of a straight line in the plane of the joint surface, connecting the first fixing point to a point on the second inner surface opposite with respect to the internal volume of the tank, and the two points are each positioned on opposite sides with respect to the straight line. Advantageously, one of the points of the second fixed point lies on a straight line.

[0027] The reinforcing elements of the outer wall can take the form of a straight beam. Alternatively, the reinforcing elements of the outer wall can also take the form of an elbow. In one embodiment, the reinforcing element of the outer wall may take the shape of a fork that is at least bifurcated. In this case, the second fixing point comprises fixing points distributed around a straight line, and the reinforcing element of the outer wall has as many second parts as there are branches.

[0028] - The fuel tank shell further comprises a first wall and a second wall positioned substantially opposite each other with respect to the outer perimeter wall, and a second fixing point inside the tank is located at the level of a support component extending between the first wall and the second wall, the support component being fixed to at least one of those walls, the support component may be an internal reinforcing member of the first and second walls, an anti-sway baffle plate, or a support component provided inside the tank to provide the second fixing point. In this embodiment, the length of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall is shortened to only the distance from the first fixing point to the support component, which is advantageous in terms of the strength of the reinforcing element against internal pressure. Furthermore, when the reinforcing elements of the outer walls are fixed to support components that have another function in the tank, such as baffle plates or reinforcements for the first and second walls, the size and material usage of such outer wall reinforcing elements can be reduced. Furthermore, since the support components are fixed to the first and / or second walls of the parison before the mold is closed, the installation of such periphery wall reinforcement elements is straightforward. The support components to which the periphery wall reinforcement elements are fixed help to hold their first portion in a position facing the portion of the parison for forming the joint surface before the mold is closed. Advantageously, the support components are fixed to both the first and second walls, as is common with internal reinforcements of first and second walls, which are typically welded to the first and second walls. Advantageously, the reinforcing elements and support components of the outer wall are manufactured as a single integrated part, such as by being molded together. Advantageously, rigidity-enhancing ribs are placed at the joints between the reinforcing elements of the outer wall and the support components. In one embodiment, the first wall and the second wall are substantially perpendicular to the outer perimeter wall. In another embodiment, the first wall and the second wall are parallel to the plane of the joint surface.

[0029] - The support components are internal reinforcements for the first and second walls. Therefore, reinforcement measures are implemented collectively for the outer wall, the first wall, and the second wall. In one embodiment, internal reinforcing members of the first and second walls act as support components for at least two reinforcing elements of the outer wall. In one embodiment, the first fixing points of the two reinforcing elements of the outer wall are aligned.

[0030] The internal reinforcing elements of the first and second walls may be in the shape of pillars, cylinders, or preferably cylindrical columns, or in the shape of drums or grippers. The grippers may have a recess in the center and preferably have reinforcing ribs on part of the wall. The walls of the grippers may be flat or curved. The reinforcing elements of the first and second walls described above may preferably have two parts at their two ends that are overmolded with a material that can be welded to the first and second walls of the tank. The internal reinforcing elements of the first and second walls may preferably consist of a core mainly composed of polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphthalamide (PPA), polyketone (PK), polyamide (PA), or metal, and two parts that are overmolded with high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The internal reinforcing elements of the first and second walls may preferably have mechanically weak zones that can cause the elements to break when the tank is subjected to strong stress due to the force applied to the reinforcing elements. This mechanically vulnerable zone takes the form of a more vulnerable cross-section, such as at least one cut or thinning of the wall. The internal reinforcing elements of the first and second walls may have a hollow section, more specifically in the center of the reinforcing element.

[0031] - The reinforcing elements of the outer perimeter wall are made of the same material as the inner layer of the outer perimeter wall, at least in their first portion. This allows the reinforcing elements of the outer perimeter wall to be fixed to the inner layer of the outer perimeter wall by welding within the joint surface. In this embodiment, the heat from the portion of the parison placed in contact with the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall melts the surface portion of the first portion, thereby fixing the first portion within the joint surface. In this embodiment, the first portion is made of, for example, polyethylene or polyamide, depending on the material of the inner layer of the outer perimeter wall. Advantageously, if the second fixed point is one or more points on the second inner surface, then each of its or their second portions has the same characteristics. Alternatively, the reinforcing elements of the outer wall are made of a different material from the inner layer of the outer wall. Materials such as polyamide and polyacetal are particularly advantageous due to their excellent tensile strength. In this embodiment, the first portion has through holes, and fastening is performed by riveting, that is, by riveting which results in excellent mechanical fastening by fusing the two inner layers of the shell at the joint surface through the holes. Advantageously, the ribs form the periphery of the through-hole. This is because air can be trapped in the through-hole during molding, which is undesirable for fusion. The ribs around the periphery of the through-hole prevent air from being trapped in the through-hole. The ribs can also be linear. The ribs can be located around the first part. Preferably, the rib has a height of about 1 mm and a width of about 0.7 mm relative to the flat surface of the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer wall. "Rib width" refers to the smaller dimension of the rib measured in a plane parallel to the surface of the first portion. Advantageously, if the second fixed point is one or more points on the second inner surface, then each of its or their second portions has the same characteristics.

[0032] - The first portion has ribs and / or recesses on its surface. The ribs facilitate fusion by fusing with the inner layer of the outer wall, and the recesses allow for mechanical fastening. Advantageously, the recess is a through hole, allowing for fastening by riveting. Preferably, the rib forms the periphery of the recess. Preferably, the first portion comprises ribs, and more preferably, ribs and recesses. Preferably, the rib has a height of about 1 mm and a width of about 0.7 mm relative to the flat surface of the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall. Advantageously, if the second fixed point is one or more points on the second inner surface, then that, or any of those second parts, all have the same characteristics.

[0033] - The tank shell has grooves around the first fixing points. Grooves located near the overmolded zones of the reinforcing elements allow for localized deflection of the tank shell, thereby dissipating energy that may be generated by impact. In fact, the presence of reinforcing elements may create vulnerabilities in the tank wall around them, making those zones more vulnerable during impact. The groove preferably extends along a straight line parallel to the length of the first portion. The length of the first portion is its dimension in a plane parallel to the joint surface and is its radial dimension with respect to the central axis of the tank.

[0034] - The first portion has a length of at least 10 mm, preferably 15 mm, and a width of at least 20 mm, preferably 30 mm. These dimensions allow for effective fastening of the reinforcing material to the outer wall. Advantageously, if the second fixed point is one or more points on the second inner surface, then each of its or their second portions has the same characteristics.

[0035] The present invention is a method for manufacturing a tank as described above, - Steps include attaching the reinforcing elements of the outer wall to the insertion device, - A step of introducing a molten parison and the outer wall reinforcing elements attached to the aforementioned insertion device into a mold having a cavity, wherein each zone of the parison is positioned facing the cavity, the outer wall reinforcing elements are surrounded by the parison, and the first portion of the outer wall reinforcing elements is positioned facing the inner portion of the outer periphery of the cavity of the mold, - The step of moving the mold to an intermediate closed position so that the reinforcing elements of the outer wall are held between the cavities, - The step of removing the insertion device, - A step of bringing the mold to its final closed position, wherein the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer wall is tightened by the inner portion of the outer periphery of the mold cavity, and the parison is pressed against the mold cavity using pressurized gas to perform the final blow of the parison, - The step of removing the tank from the mold and Manufacturing methods that include this are also covered.

[0036] The present invention will be better understood by referring to the attached drawings and reading the following description, which is provided only as an example. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] This is a partial perspective view of a fuel tank according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the reinforcing elements of the outer wall are visible through the tank. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tank shell. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tank at the joint surface level, without showing the reinforcing elements of the outer wall. [Figure 4] This figure shows four consecutive steps in a method for manufacturing a fuel tank according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of a portion of the joint surface of a tank according to the present invention, in which a portion of the reinforcing element of the outer wall is visible through the surface. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the joint surface of the tank and a portion of the reinforcing elements of the outer wall. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a top view of a portion of the reinforcing elements of the outer wall. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of a portion of the joint surface of a tank according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a part of the reinforcing element of the outer wall in Figure 6 is visible through the viewer. [Figure 9] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing elements of the outer wall. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] Figures 1 and 2 show a fuel tank according to one embodiment of the present invention, represented collectively by reference numeral 10. In other drawings, elements similar to those in the previously shown drawings are given the same reference numerals. Tank 10 is a tank made of plastic material for an automobile. The tank has a shell 12 having two zones 14, 16, whose boundaries are defined by a joint surface 18 and which form the internal volume 20 of tank 10. The internal volume 20 is for storing fuel. The shell 12 has an outer periphery wall 22 with a joint surface 18.

[0039] The tank 10 is further equipped with reinforcing elements 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22, essentially inside the tank 10. The reinforcing elements 24 extend from the joint surface 18 toward the interior of the tank 10. The reinforcing elements 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22 are fixed at first fixing points 26 on the first inner surface 28 of the outer perimeter wall 22. The reinforcing elements 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22 are also fixed at second fixing points 30 shown in Figure 1.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the second fixing point 30 is located inside the tank 10.

[0041] In another embodiment, the second fixing point 30 in Figure 3, which schematically shows a cross-section of the tank at the joint surface level, includes multiple points on the second inner surface 32 of the outer wall 22. Figure 3 shows a straight line d located in the plane of the joint surface, connecting the first fixing point 26 to a point 33 on the second inner surface 32 opposite to the first fixing point 26 with respect to the internal volume 20 of the tank 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the second fixing point 30 comprises two points distributed on either side of the straight line d. These two points are positioned opposite each other with respect to the straight line d.

[0042] In the tank 10 according to the present invention, the first portion 34 of the reinforcing element 24 of the outer periphery wall 22 is fixed within the joint surface 18 at the level of the first fixing point 26.

[0043] As can be seen from Figure 6 and other figures, the reinforcing element 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22 is entirely surrounded by the outer perimeter wall 22. The outer perimeter wall 22 is not interrupted at the level of the joint surface 18. The first portion 34 of the reinforcing element 24 of the outer perimeter wall is surrounded by the outer perimeter wall. The shell 12 is composed of multiple layers (not shown), comprising at least one structural layer and one barrier layer. The barrier layer forms the contour of the first portion 34 of the reinforcing element 24.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer perimeter wall 22 is approximately vertical, and the plane of the joint surface 18 is perpendicular to the outer perimeter wall 22.

[0045] As can be clearly seen in Figure 6, at the outer edge 36 of the joint surface 18, the two zones 14 and 16 of the shell 12 that form the joint surface 18 are closer together, resulting in a more compact appearance at the end 36 of the joint surface 18 compared to the rest of the joint surface. This local proximity of the two zones 14 and 16 allows for a reduction in the distance between the respective barrier layers of the two zones 14 and 16.

[0046] Figure 1 shows that the shell 22 of the tank 10 further comprises a first wall 36 and a second wall 38 positioned substantially opposite each other with respect to the outer perimeter wall 22. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the second fixing point 30 is inside the tank 10, located at the level of the support component 40, and extends between the first wall 36 and the second wall 38. The support component 40 is fixed to at least one of the walls 36, 38. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the support component 40 is an internal reinforcement of the first wall 36 and the second wall 38, and the internal reinforcement 40 of the first wall 36 and the second wall 38 is fixed to the first wall 36 and the second wall 38.

[0047] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the reinforcing element 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22 and the internal reinforcing members 40 of the first wall 36 and the second wall 38 are manufactured as a single unit. They are manufactured by integral molding. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a rigidity-enhancing rib 42 is placed at the joint between the reinforcing element 24 of the outer perimeter wall and the support component 40.

[0048] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the first wall 36 and the second wall 38 are substantially perpendicular to the outer peripheral wall 22 and parallel to the plane of the joint surface 18.

[0049] Furthermore, the internal reinforcing members 40 of the first wall 36 and the second wall 38 shown in Figure 4 function as support components for the two reinforcing elements 24 of the outer wall, and the first fixing points 26 of the two reinforcing elements 24 of the outer wall are aligned.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the reinforcing element 24 of the outer perimeter wall 22 is manufactured from the same material as the inner layer of the outer perimeter wall 22. In particular, as seen in Figures 6 and 9, the first portion 34 has ribs 44 and recesses 46 on its surface. The ribs 44, which are fused to the inner layer of the outer perimeter wall 22, promote fusion, and the recesses 46 enable mechanical fastening. In the figures, the recesses 46 are through holes that also allow for fastening by riveting, and the ribs 44 form the periphery of the through holes. This is because air may be trapped in the through holes 46 during molding, which is unfavorable for welding, and the ribs on the periphery of the through holes prevent air from being trapped in the through holes. As seen in Figure 9, the first portion 34 of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall also includes linear ribs 44 arranged around the first portion 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 44 have a height h of about 1 mm and a width l1 of about 0.7 mm relative to the flat surface of the first portion of the reinforcing element of the outer perimeter wall. The width l1 and height h are shown in Figure 6.

[0051] As can be seen in Figure 8, the shell 12 of the tank 10 has a groove 48 near the first fixing point 26. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the groove 48 extends along a straight line parallel to the length L of the first portion 34.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first portion 34 has a length L of at least 10 mm, preferably 15 mm, and a width l2 of at least 20 mm, preferably 30 mm.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, the shell 12 is made from a parison 50. In this embodiment, the parison 50 is cylindrical.

[0054] In the embodiment of the manufacturing method according to the present invention, schematically shown in Figure 4, two reinforcing elements 24 of the outer periphery wall, fixed to the internal reinforcing members 40 of the first and second walls, are introduced into the parison 50. In this embodiment, a mold 52 having cavities 54 is used. Each cavity 54 is equipped with a jig structure 56 that moves translationally within a recess 58.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the following steps are performed.

[0056] Prior to the steps shown in Figure 4a, there is a step of attaching the assembly of the reinforcing element 24 and the internal reinforcing material 40 to the insertion device 60, The step of introducing the molten parison 50 and the outer periphery wall reinforcing element attached to the aforementioned insertion device 60 into the mold 52 is to ensure that each zone 14, 16 of the parison 50 is positioned facing the cavity 54, the outer periphery wall reinforcing element 24 is surrounded by the parison 50, and furthermore, the first portion 34 of the outer periphery wall reinforcing element 24 is positioned facing the inner portion of the outer periphery portion 62 of the mold cavity 54 (as shown in Figure 4a). The step (shown in Figure 4b) involves bringing the cavity 54 closer to the parison 50, and further using the jig structure 56 to bring the molten parison 50 closer to the free ends of the internal reinforcing members 40 of the first and second walls, thereby welding the respective free ends of the internal reinforcing members 40 to zones 14 and 16 of the parison 50. The step of moving the mold 52 to the intermediate closed position (shown in Figure 4b), after which the reinforcing element 24 of the outer peripheral wall 22 is held between the cavities 54, and then removing the insertion tool 60 (in Figures 4c and 4d, the insertion tool 60 is no longer present, but its outline is shown where it previously occupied), The step of bringing the mold 52 to the final closed position is to ensure that the first portion 34 of the reinforcing element 24 of the outer peripheral wall 22 is tightened by the inner portion of the outer peripheral portion 62 of the cavity 54 of the mold 52 (as shown in Figure 4c), The final blow of the parison (50) is performed by pressing the parison 50 against the cavity 54 of the mold 52 using pressurized gas (in Figure 4d, the blow is represented by an arrow pointing toward the mold 52).

[0057] Subsequently, a step (not shown in Figure 4) is performed to remove the tank from the mold 52.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 10 tanks 12 shells 14, 16 Zones of the shell defined by the joint surface 18 Joint surface 20 Tank internal volume 22 Outer wall 24. Reinforcement elements of the outer wall 26. First fixed point 28 First inner surface 30 Second fixed point 32 Second inner surface 33. The point opposite the first fixed point 34. The first part of the reinforcement element 36. The First Wall 38. The Second Wall 40 Support components, reinforcements for the first and second walls 42 Rigidity-enhancing ribs 44 Ribs 46 recess 48 Groove 50 parisons 52 molds 54 Cavity 56. Jig Structure 58 recess 60 Insertion devices 62 Outer area d straight line 11 Rib width h Rib height L Length of the first part l2 Width of the first part

Claims

1. A fuel tank (10) made of plastic material for an automobile, - A shell (12) made from a parison (50), having two zones (14, 16) whose boundaries are defined by a joint surface (18) and which form the internal volume (20) of a tank (10) for containing fuel, and a shell (12) having an outer peripheral wall (22) having the joint surface (18), - A reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) that is basically located inside the tank (10) and extends from the joint surface (18) toward the interior of the tank (10), and is fixed on one side at a first fixing point (26) on the first inner surface (28) of the outer peripheral wall (22), and on the other side at a second fixing point (30) which is inside the tank (10) and In a fuel tank (10) equipped with, The first portion (34) of the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is fixed within the joint surface (18) at the level of the first fixing point (26), and The fuel tank (10) is characterized in that the shell (12) of the fuel tank (10) further comprises a first wall (36) and a second wall (38) positioned substantially opposite to each other with respect to the outer peripheral wall (22), and the second fixing point (30) inside the tank (10) is located at the level of a support component (40) extending between the first wall (36) and the second wall (38) and is fixed to at least one of the walls (36, 38).

2. The fuel tank (10) according to claim 1, wherein the support component (40) is a support component provided inside the tank (10) to provide internal reinforcing material for the first wall (36) and the second wall (38), an anti-sway baffle plate, or the second fixing point (30).

3. The fuel tank (10) according to claim 2, wherein the support component (40) is an internal reinforcing material for the first wall (36) and the second wall (38).

4. The fuel tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reinforcing element (40) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is made of the same material as the inner layer material of the outer peripheral wall (22) for at least its first portion (34).

5. The fuel tank (10) according to claim 4, wherein the first portion (34) has ribs (44) and / or recesses (46) on its surface.

6. The fuel tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shell (12) of the tank (10) has a groove (48) around the first fixing point (26).

7. The fuel tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first portion (34) has a length (L) of at least 10 mm, preferably 15 mm, and a width (l2) of at least 20 mm, preferably 30 mm.

8. A method for manufacturing a tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, - The step of attaching the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) to the insertion device (60), - A step of introducing the molten parison (50) and the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) attached to the insertion device (60) into a mold (52) having a cavity (54), wherein each zone (14, 16) of the parison (50) is positioned facing the cavity (54), the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is surrounded by the parison (50), and further, the first portion (34) of the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is positioned facing the inner portion of the outer peripheral portion (62) of the cavity (54) of the mold (52), - The step of moving the mold (52) to an intermediate closed position such that the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is held between the cavities (54), - The step of removing the insertion device (60), - A step of bringing the mold (52) to the final closed position, wherein the first portion (34) of the reinforcing element (24) of the outer peripheral wall (22) is tightened by the inner portion of the outer peripheral portion (62) of the cavity (54) of the mold (52), and the parison (50) is pressed against the cavity (54) of the mold (52) using pressurized gas to perform the final blow of the parison (50), - A step of removing the tank (10) from the mold (52) and A manufacturing method that includes [details omitted].

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