Tank holding structure for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle tank holding part structure which can inhibit twisting of tank bands and a tank when an impulsive load is input.SOLUTION: A tank holding part structure holds a substantially cylindrical tank 10 disposed below a floor panel of a vehicle body. The tank holding part structure includes: a plurality of tank bands 15; and a plurality of connection members. The tank bands 15 are disposed at multiple positions spaced apart from each other in an axial direction of the tank 10 and restrain an outer surface of the tank 10. Each connection member extends along the axial direction of the tank 10 and connects the adjacent tank bands 15 at an outer periphery part of the tank 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tank holding structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles that run on gas fuel such as hydrogen gas are known. In some cases, a substantially cylindrical tank for storing the gas fuel is disposed below the floor panel of this type of vehicle. In this case, the tank is firmly fixed to the frame or the like of the vehicle body by various holding means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The tank holding structure described in Patent Document 1 has tank bands wound around the tank at multiple locations spaced apart in the axial direction, and the outer circumferential surface of the tank is restrained by each tank band. In this state, the tank bands are each fixed to the vehicle frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7237103 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The tank holding structure described in Patent Document 1 has multiple tank bands fixed to the vehicle frame while restraining the outer periphery of the tank, thereby suppressing displacement and vibration of the tank while the vehicle is in motion. However, when a large impact load is applied to the vehicle, the tank holding structure described in Patent Document 1 may cause twisting in the fixing parts of each tank band depending on the direction and position of the load. In particular, with this tank holding structure, because the multiple tank bands are individually fixed to the vehicle frame, it is possible that torsional stress may be concentrated in some of the tank bands.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a tank holding structure for a vehicle that can suppress twisting of the tank band and the tank when an impact load is applied, which will further improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is, a vehicle tank holding portion structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle tank holding portion structure that holds an approximately cylindrical tank (e.g., tank 10 in the embodiment) that is arranged below a floor panel of the vehicle body (e.g., floor panel 2 in the embodiment), and is characterized by comprising a plurality of tank bands (e.g., tank band 15 in the embodiment) that are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the tank and each of which restrains the outer peripheral surface of the tank, and a plurality of connecting members (e.g., first connecting member 20A, second connecting member 20B, third connecting member 20C in the embodiment) that extend along the axial direction of the tank and connect adjacent tank bands to each other on the outer periphery of the tank.

[0008] In this tank holding structure, multiple tank bands that restrain the outer circumferential surface of the tank are interconnected by multiple connecting members. Therefore, when an impact load is applied to the vehicle, the multiple connecting members mutually suppress twisting of each tank band. In other words, when a torsional load acts on one part of the tank band due to the impact load, the torsional load is distributed to multiple locations on the other tank bands via the multiple connecting members. As a result, torsional stress is suppressed from concentrating on one part of the tank band. Furthermore, in this configuration, since the multiple tank bands are connected by the connecting members at multiple locations around the periphery of the tank, twisting of the tank bands and the tank can be suppressed over a wide area around the periphery of the tank.

[0009] The tank band is formed by connecting a plurality of band element pieces (e.g., band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c in the embodiment) arranged along the outer circumferential direction of the tank in a ring shape, and the plurality of connecting members may include a first connecting member (e.g., first connecting member 20A in the embodiment) that connects the connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands to each other.

[0010] In this case, the first connecting member connects the connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands, which suppresses twisting of each tank band and increases the rigidity of the connecting ends of the band element pieces. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, deformation of the connecting ends of the band element pieces during normal use is also suppressed.

[0011] The connecting portion of the band element pieces comprises a first fixed piece (e.g., first fixed piece 16 in the embodiment) fixed to one of the band element pieces, a second fixed piece (e.g., second fixed piece 17 in the embodiment) fixed to another of the band element pieces, and a spring function part (e.g., guide rod 18 and compression spring 19 in the embodiment) that connects the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece with spring elasticity, and the first connecting member may connect at least either the first fixed pieces or the second fixed pieces of adjacent tank bands at the connecting portion of at least some of the band element pieces.

[0012] In this case, the band element pieces of the tank band are connected to each other via the spring function part, which allows the spring function part to tolerate expansion and contraction of the tank due to heat, changes in content volume, etc. Also, at least one of the first fixing pieces and the second fixing pieces of adjacent tank bands is connected by the first connecting member, which suppresses twisting of each tank band and efficiently increases the rigidity of the connecting ends of the band element pieces (the first fixing pieces and the second fixing pieces).

[0013] 4. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the first connecting member is formed integrally with at least one of the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece.

[0014] In this case, since the first connecting member is formed integrally with at least one of the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece, it is possible to improve the torsional rigidity of each tank band and the rigidity of the connecting ends of the band element pieces while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0015] The first connecting member may include a band fixing wall (e.g., band fixing wall 20Aa in the embodiment) that is overlapped and fixed to the outer surface of each band element piece of an adjacent tank band, and an upright wall (e.g., upright wall 20Ab in the embodiment) that stands radially outward from the band fixing wall of the tank, and the spring function component may be connected to the upright wall.

[0016] In this case, the upright wall that rises radially outward from the band fixing wall of the first connecting member can efficiently absorb the expansion and contraction load of the spring function component that acts between the band element pieces. Furthermore, because the first connecting member has a band fixing wall that follows the outer surface of the band element piece and an upright wall that is approximately perpendicular to the band fixing wall, it can further increase rigidity against torsional loads. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, twisting of the tank band and the tank can be more reliably suppressed.

[0017] The plurality of connecting members may include a second connecting member (for example, the second connecting member 20B in the embodiment) that connects the portions of the band element pieces of the adjacent tank bands other than the connecting ends to each other.

[0018] In this case, adjacent tank bands have their connecting ends connected to each other by the first connecting member, and the portions of the band element pieces other than the connecting ends connected to each other by the second connecting member. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to increase the rigidity of a wider area around the circumference of multiple tank bands.

[0019] The second connecting member may be formed by a plate-like member that roughly conforms to the outer peripheral surface of the tank, and a lightening hole (for example, lightening hole 20Ba in the embodiment) may be formed between adjacent tank bands in a position of the second connecting member that does not overlap with the tank band.

[0020] In this case, the plate-shaped second connecting member having the lightening hole can increase the torsional rigidity of the adjacent tank band while suppressing an increase in weight. Also, the plate-shaped second connecting member having the lightening hole formed therein can maintain high torsional rigidity due to the two sides sandwiching the lightening hole.

[0021] The multiple connecting members may include a pair of third connecting members (e.g., third connecting member 20C in the embodiment) that connect the portions of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands other than the connecting ends and are respectively fixed to a first body frame (e.g., front cross member 4 in the embodiment) and a second body frame (e.g., rear cross member 5 in the embodiment) that are arranged at a distance in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the tank.

[0022] In this case, adjacent tank bands are connected to each other by a pair of third connecting members, one of which is fixed to the first body frame and the other of which is fixed to the second body frame. This increases the torsional rigidity of adjacent tank bands by the pair of third connecting members, and also secures the tank band and tank to the first and second body frames by the same third connecting members.

[0023] The tank holding portion structure of a vehicle as described in claim 8, characterized in that the connecting portions of the band element pieces equipped with the spring functional parts are respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides of the pair of third connecting members.

[0024] In this case, when the tank expands or contracts due to heat or other factors, the upper and lower spring functional components of the third connecting member fixed to the body frames (first body frame and second body frame) will expand and contract, respectively. This allows the multiple tank bands to expand and contract more evenly around the periphery, making it less likely that the center of the tank will move significantly up and down. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the tank can be stably positioned below the floor panel.

[0025] The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle as described in claim 8, characterized in that the connecting members other than the pair of third connecting members are arranged only on the side of the center point (e.g., center point o in the embodiment) of the tank with respect to a straight line (e.g., straight line L1 in the embodiment) connecting the vertical ends of the band fixing portions (e.g., band fixing portions 30 in the embodiment) of the pair of third connecting members.

[0026] In this case, the pair of third connecting members are supported with high rigidity by the body frames (first body frame and second body frame). The distance between the line connecting the band fixing portions of the pair of third connecting members and the center point of the tank is relatively greater than the distance between the line connecting the band fixing portions of the pair of third connecting members and the center point of the tank. In this configuration, connecting members other than the third connecting members are arranged only on the side where the distance from the line connecting the band fixing portions of the pair of third connecting members is greater. This minimizes the weight increase due to the addition of connecting members, while efficiently suppressing twisting of the multiple tank bands and the tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] In the vehicle tank holding structure according to the present invention, the tank bands that restrain the outer circumferential surface of the tank are interconnected by the connecting members, so that twisting of the tank bands and the tank when an impact load is applied can be efficiently suppressed. Therefore, when the vehicle tank holding structure according to the present invention is adopted, traffic safety can be further improved and it can contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a lower portion of a vehicle employing a tank holding portion structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a lower portion of a vehicle employing a tank holding portion structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the lower part of the vehicle employing the tank holding portion structure of the embodiment. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are side views showing the behavior of the tank holding portion of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the terms "front, back," "up, down," and "left" refer to directions relative to the forward direction of the vehicle unless otherwise specified. In addition, the drawings include an arrow FR pointing forward of the vehicle, an arrow UP pointing upward of the vehicle, and an arrow LH pointing to the left side of the vehicle.

[0030] Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the lower part of a vehicle 1 employing the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower part of the vehicle 1 employing the same holding portion structure as seen from the front side, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower part of the vehicle 1 employing the same holding portion structure as seen from the rear side. As shown in FIG. 1, a floor panel 2 is disposed below a vehicle 1. The floor panel 2 is formed with a tank storage groove 3 whose lower surface is recessed upward. The tank storage groove 3 is a groove into which the main portion of a tank 10 is stored from below, and has a generally uniform cross-sectional shape extending along the vehicle width direction. The front-to-rear width of the tank storage groove 3 is set wider than the maximum outer diameter of the tank 10. The tank storage groove 3 has a front wall 3f and a rear wall 3r that stand vertically upward, and a top wall 3t that connects the upper ends of the front wall 3f and the rear wall 3r. A front inclined portion 3sf is provided between the top wall 3t and the front wall 3f, sloping downward and forward from the top wall 3t toward the front wall 3f, and a rear inclined portion 3sr is provided between the top wall 3t and the rear wall 3r, sloping downward and rearward from the top wall 3t toward the rear wall 3r.

[0031] The vehicle 1 of this embodiment may be, for example, a gas-fueled vehicle that runs on gas fuel such as natural gas or hydrogen gas, or a fuel cell vehicle that runs on electricity generated by fuel gas. The tank 10 is filled with high-pressure liquefied fuel or gas. The tank 10 is a substantially cylindrical fuel container with both axial ends sealed. The tank 10 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 10a and end walls 10b that close both axial ends.

[0032] The floor panel 2 is mounted on side sills (not shown) located below both sides of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1. A front cross member 4 and a rear cross member 5 are located in front of and behind a tank storage groove 3 in the floor panel 2. The front cross member 4 and the rear cross member 5 extend along the vehicle width direction, with both ends connected to the left and right side sills. The tank 10 is located below the tank storage groove 3 so that its axial direction is along the vehicle width direction, with its front end fixed to the front cross member 4 and its rear end fixed to the rear cross member 5. The front end of the tank 10 is fixed to the front cross member 4 via a thick lower plate 6 that covers the bottom of the tank 10. In this embodiment, the front cross member 4 constitutes a first vehicle body frame, and the rear cross member 5 constitutes a second vehicle body frame.

[0033] The tank holding portion of this embodiment includes a pair of tank bands 15 that are wrapped around the outer peripheral surface of the tank 10 (the outer surface of the peripheral wall 10a) and restrain the outer peripheral surface of the tank 10, and a first connecting member 20A, a second connecting member 20B, and a third connecting member 20C that interconnect the pair of tank bands 15. The first connecting member 20A, the second connecting member 20B, and the third connecting member 20C extend along the axial direction of the tank 10 and constitute connecting members that interconnect the left and right tank bands 15. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the left and right tank bands 15 are arranged at two positions (two locations) spaced apart in the axial direction of the tank 10. The left and right tank bands 15 are arranged, for example, at positions that are symmetrical with respect to a midpoint line that passes through the middle of the axial direction of the tank 10.

[0034] Each tank band 15 is formed by three (or more) band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c connected in an annular shape and arranged along the circumferential direction of the tank 10. One band element piece 15a is arranged within a circumferential angle of approximately 90° on the front side of the tank 10, and another band element piece 15b is arranged within a circumferential angle of approximately 90° above the front of the tank 10. The remaining band element piece 15c is arranged within a circumferential angle of approximately 180° on the remaining part of the periphery of the tank 10. These band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c are formed from metal plates with a substantially constant width. The ends (connecting ends) of adjacent band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c are butted together, and the butted ends are connected by a connecting portion.

[0035] The connecting portion connecting the band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c to each other includes a first fixed piece 16 fixed to an end of one band element piece, a second fixed piece 17 fixed to an end of another band element piece, and a guide rod 18 and a compression spring 19 that connect the first fixed piece 16 and the second fixed piece 17 with spring elasticity. One end of the guide rod 18 is connected to the second fixed piece 17, and the other end passes through the first fixed piece 16 and holds the end of the compression spring 19. The compression spring 19 is compressed and displaced in accordance with an increase in the distance between the mutually abutting band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c, and a spring reaction force acts between the abutting band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c in accordance with the compressive displacement. In this embodiment, the guide rod 18 and the compression spring 19 constitute a spring function part.

[0036] The first fixing pieces 16 are individually provided on one end side of each of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c of the left and right tank bands 15. The first fixing pieces 16 include a band fixing wall 16a that is fixed to and overlaps the outer surface of the end of the corresponding band element piece, and an upstanding wall 16b that stands out from the end of the band fixing wall 16a toward the radially outer side of the tank 10. The band fixing wall 16a and the upstanding wall 16b have a substantially L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the tank 10.

[0037] The second fixing piece 17, which is disposed at the connecting portion on the other end side (lower side) of the lower rear band element piece 15c, is provided individually for each of the left and right tank bands 15. Although a detailed description of the second fixing piece 17 provided in this portion will be omitted, it has a band fixing wall and an upright wall (both of which are not designated by reference numerals) similar to those of the first fixing piece 16 described above.

[0038] On the other hand, the second fixing piece 17 arranged at the connecting portion on the other end side (upper side) of the front band element piece 15a and the second fixing piece 17 arranged at the connecting portion on the other end side (rear side) of the upper band element piece 15b are not provided individually for each of the left and right tank bands 15, but are formed integrally with the first connecting member 20A that connects the left and right tank bands 15. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first connecting member 20A includes a band fixing wall 20Aa that is fixed to and overlaps the outer surfaces of the corresponding band element pieces 15a, 15b of the left and right tank bands 15, and an upright wall 20Ab that stands from the band fixing wall 20Aa to the radially outer side of the tank 10. The band fixing wall 20Aa and the upright wall 20Ab have a substantially L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the tank 10. The substantially L-shaped cross section formed by the band fixing wall 20Aa and the standing wall 20Ab extends continuously along the axial direction of the tank 10 so as to straddle the corresponding band element pieces of the left and right tank bands 15.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first connecting member 20A is formed integrally with each of the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15. However, the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 and the first connecting member 20A may be formed as separate members, and the first connecting member 20A may be fixed to the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 by welding or the like. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 are connected to each other by the first connecting member 20A, but the first fixed pieces 16 of the left and right tank bands 15 may also be connected to each other by the first connecting member 20A. Furthermore, the first fixed pieces 16 and the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 may also be connected to each other by the first connecting member 20A, respectively. In these cases, the first fixed pieces 16 may be formed as an integral part with the first connecting member 20A, or they may be formed as separate parts and fixed together by welding or the like.

[0040] Here, the connecting portion between the front band element piece 15a and the upper band element piece 15b of the left and right tank bands 15 and the connecting portion between the upper band element piece 15b and the rear lower band element piece 15c are arranged opposite the front and rear corners of the tank accommodating groove 3 of the floor panel 2, as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the connecting portion on the front upper side is arranged to face the front inclined portion 3sf in the tank accommodating groove 3, and the connecting portion on the rear upper side is arranged to face the rear inclined portion 3sr in the tank accommodating groove 3. This prevents the first fixing piece 16, the second fixing piece 17, the guide rod 18, the compression spring 19, etc. of each connecting portion from interfering with the floor panel 2 (tank accommodating groove 3).

[0041] The second connecting member 20B connects the lower rear band element pieces 15c of the left and right tank bands 15 to each other except for their connecting ends. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second connecting member 20B is connected to the left and right band element pieces 15c at a position facing the rear of the vehicle below the upper connecting ends. The second connecting member 20B is formed of a metal plate-like member that roughly conforms to the outer peripheral surface of the tank 10. The second connecting member 20B is formed with a width (width in the axial direction of the tank 10) that spans the outer surfaces of the left and right band element pieces 15c. In addition, a roughly rectangular lightening hole 20Ba is formed in the second connecting member 20B between the left and right band element pieces 15c (between the left and right tank bands 15) at a position that does not overlap with the band element piece 15c. The lightening hole 20Ba penetrates the rectangular plate-like second connecting member 20B in the thickness direction. Beam portions (sides) extending along the axial direction of the tank 10 remain above and below the lightening hole 20Ba of the second connecting member 20B so as to connect the left and right band element pieces 15c.

[0042] Two third connecting members 20C are provided, one at the front and one at the rear of the left and right tank bands 15. The front third connecting member 20C interconnects the front band element pieces 15a of the left and right tank bands 15 except for their connecting ends, and is fixed to the front cross member 4 via the lower plate 6. The rear third connecting member 20C interconnects the rear lower band element pieces 15c of the left and right tank bands 15 except for their connecting ends, and is directly fixed to the rear cross member 5. In this embodiment, each of the front and rear third connecting members 20C has a substantially V-shaped cross section in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the tank 10. The substantially V-shaped cross section of each third connecting member 20C extends continuously along the axial direction. Because the substantially V-shaped cross section extends along the axial direction, the third connecting member 20C has increased rigidity in the bending and torsional directions.

[0043] The front and rear third connecting members 20C have one side of their substantially V-shaped cross sections fixed by welding or the like to the outer surfaces of the left and right tank bands 15. In this embodiment, this side of the third connecting members 20C fixed to the outer surfaces of the left and right tank bands 15 constitutes the band fixing portion 30 of the third connecting members 20C.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, the front and rear third connecting members 20C are fixed to the front cross member 4 and the rear cross member 5 so as to be lower than the center point o of the tank 10 (the center point of the peripheral wall 10a of the tank 10) when the tank 10 is held (restrained) by the left and right tank bands 15. Therefore, the center point o of the tank 10 installed on the vehicle body via the tank holding portion of this embodiment is positioned above the straight line L1 connecting the upper ends of the front and rear third connecting members 20C.

[0045] In the tank holding section structure of this embodiment, when the front and rear third connecting members 20C are fixed to the vehicle body as described above, the connecting portions of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c equipped with spring function parts (guide rod 18 and compression spring 19) are disposed above and below the front and rear third connecting members 20C, respectively. Specifically, the connecting portion between the front band element piece 15a and the upper band element piece 15b and the connecting portion between the upper band element piece 15b and the lower rear band element piece 15c are both disposed above the front and rear third connecting members 20C. In addition, the connecting portion between the lower rear band element piece 15c and the front band element piece 15a is disposed below the front and rear third connecting members 20C. Therefore, when the tank 10 expands or contracts radially due to the influence of heat or the like, the action of the spring function parts (guide rod 18 and compression spring 19) causes each tank band 15 to expand or contract approximately uniformly around its periphery.

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing the deformation behavior of the tank holding portion of this embodiment. Figure 4(a) shows the state of the tank 10 before it is expanded and deformed, and Figure 4(b) shows the state of the tank 10 after it is expanded and deformed. The symbol o' in Figure 4(b) is the center point of the tank 10 when it is expanded and deformed. In the holding portion of the tank 10 of this embodiment, the connecting portions of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c are respectively arranged above and below the front and rear third connecting members 20C, so that as described above, when the tank 10 expands and deforms, each tank band 15 expands and contracts approximately evenly around the periphery. Therefore, the tank 10 does not expand and contract only in the upward direction, and the amount of movement of the center point o' of the tank 10 when the tank 10 expands is kept small, as shown in Figure 4(b).

[0047] Furthermore, in the tank holding portion of this embodiment, the connecting members (first connecting member 20A and second connecting member 20B) other than the front and rear third connecting members 20C are arranged only on the side of the center point o of the tank 10 with respect to the straight line L1 connecting the upper ends of the band fixing portions 30 of the front and rear third connecting members 20C. In other words, no other connecting members are arranged below the band fixing portions 30 of the front and rear third connecting members 20C.

[0048] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, in the tank holding section structure of this embodiment, the left and right tank bands 15 that restrain the outer peripheral surface of the tank 10 are connected to each other by multiple connecting members (first connecting member 20A, second connecting member 20B, and third connecting member 20C). Therefore, when an impact load is input to the vehicle 1, twisting of each tank band 15 is mutually suppressed via the multiple connecting members (first connecting member 20A, second connecting member 20B, and third connecting member 20C). Specifically, when an impact load is input to the vehicle 1 and a torsional load acts on a part of the tank band 15, the torsional load is distributed to multiple parts of the other tank bands 15 via multiple connecting members (first connecting member 20A, second connecting member 20B, and third connecting member 20C).As a result, torsional stress is not concentrated on one part of the tank band 15, and twisting of each tank band 15 is suppressed.

[0049] Furthermore, in the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment, the left and right tank bands 15 are connected at multiple points around the tank 10 by connecting members (first connecting member 20A, second connecting member 20B, and third connecting member 20C), so that twisting of the tank bands 15 and the tank 10 can be suppressed over a wide area around the tank 10. Therefore, when the tank holding structure of this embodiment is adopted, it is possible to efficiently suppress twisting of the tank band 15 and the tank 10 when an impact load is input. Therefore, when the tank holding structure of this embodiment is adopted, it is possible to further improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0050] Furthermore, in the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment, each tank band 15 is composed of multiple band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c, and some connecting ends of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c of the two tank bands 15 are connected by the first connecting member 20A. Therefore, twisting of the left and right tank bands 15 is suppressed by the first connecting member 20A, and the rigidity of the connecting ends of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c is increased by the first connecting member 20A. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, not only is twisting of the left and right tank bands 15 suppressed when an impact load is applied, but deformation of the connecting ends of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c during normal use can also be suppressed.

[0051] Furthermore, in the tank holder structure of this embodiment, the connecting portion of each band element piece 15a, 15b, 15c includes a first fixed piece 16 fixed to one band element piece, a second fixed piece 17 fixed to another band element piece, and spring function parts (a guide rod 18 and a compression spring 19) connecting the first fixed piece 16 and the second fixed piece 17. The second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 are connected to each other by a first connecting member 20A. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the function of the spring function parts (the guide rod 18 and the compression spring 19) can accommodate expansion and contraction of the tank 10 due to heat, changes in content volume, etc., and twisting of each tank band 15 can be suppressed and the rigidity of the second fixed pieces 17 of the band element pieces 15a, 15b can be efficiently increased. When the first fixed pieces 16 of the left and right tank bands 15 are connected to each other by the first connecting member 20A, it is possible to efficiently increase the rigidity of the second fixed piece 17. When the first fixed pieces 16 and the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 are connected to each other by the first connecting member 20A, it is possible to efficiently increase the rigidity of both the first fixed piece 16 and the second fixed piece 17.

[0052] Furthermore, in the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment, the first connecting member 20A that connects the second fixed pieces 17 of the left and right tank bands 15 together is integrally constructed (formed integrally) with the second fixed pieces 17. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to improve the torsional rigidity of each tank band 15 and the rigidity of the connecting ends of the band element pieces 15a, 15b while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. The same effect can be obtained even when the first connecting member 20A is integrally formed with the first fixed piece 16.

[0053] Furthermore, in the tank holding section structure of this embodiment, the first connecting member 20A includes a band fixing wall 20Aa that is fixed to and overlaps the outer surfaces of the band element pieces 15a, 15b of the left and right tank bands 15, and an upright wall 20Ab that stands outward in the radial direction of the tank from the band fixing wall 20Aa. A spring function component (guide rod 18) disposed at the connecting portion of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c is connected to the upright wall 20Ab. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the upright wall 20Ab that stands outward in the radial direction from the band fixing wall 20Aa of the first connecting member 20A can efficiently withstand the expansion and contraction load of the spring function component acting between the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c. Furthermore, the first connecting member 20A has a band fixing wall 20Aa that fits along the outer surfaces of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and an upright wall 20Ab that is substantially perpendicular to the band fixing wall 20Aa, thereby further increasing rigidity against torsional loads. Therefore, when the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment is adopted, twisting of the tank band 15 and the tank 10 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0054] Furthermore, the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment includes, in addition to the first connecting member 20A, a second connecting member 20B that interconnects the portions other than the connecting ends of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c of the left and right tank bands 15. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to increase the rigidity of a wider area around the periphery of the left and right tank bands 15. In particular, when the second connecting member 20B is installed in the center of the rear side of the tank 10, as in this embodiment, the rear of the tank 10 can be protected by the second connecting member 20B when an impact load is input from the rear of the vehicle, for example.

[0055] Furthermore, in the tank holding portion structure of this embodiment, the second connecting member 20B is formed from a plate-like member that roughly follows the outer circumferential surface of the tank 10, and a lightening hole 20Ba is formed in the second connecting member 20B between the left and right tank bands 15 at a position that does not overlap with the tank band 15. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the plate-like second connecting member 20B having the lightening hole 20Ba can increase the torsional rigidity of the left and right tank bands 15 while suppressing an increase in weight. Furthermore, in this configuration, high rigidity against torsion can be maintained by the upper and lower edge portions of the plate-shaped second connecting member 20B that sandwich the lightening hole 20Ba between them, thereby effectively suppressing twisting of the left and right tank bands 15.

[0056] The tank holding section structure of this embodiment also includes a front third connecting member 20C fixed to the front cross member 4 (first body frame), and a rear third connecting member 20C fixed to the rear cross member 5 (second body frame). The front and rear third connecting members 20C are connected to portions of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, 15c of the left and right tank bands 15 other than the connecting ends. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the torsional rigidity of the left and right tank bands 15 can be increased by the front and rear third connecting members 20C, and the tank bands 15 and the tank 10 can be firmly fixed to the front cross member 4 and the rear cross member 5 by the same front and rear third connecting members 20C.

[0057] In addition, in the tank holder structure of this embodiment, the connecting portions of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c, which have spring function components (guide rod 18 and compression spring 19), are located above and below the front and rear third connecting members 20C, respectively. Therefore, when the tank 10 expands or contracts due to heat or other factors, the spring function components (compression spring 19) expand and contract above and below the front and rear third connecting members 20C, which are fixed to the vehicle frame (front cross member 4 and rear cross member 5). This allows the left and right tank bands 15 to expand and contract more evenly around the periphery. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the center point o of the tank 10 is less likely to move significantly up and down. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the tank 10 can be stably positioned below the floor panel 2.

[0058] Furthermore, in the tank holding section structure of this embodiment, the first connecting member 20A and the second connecting member 20B are positioned above the center point o of the tank 10 and above the front and rear third connecting members 20C. The first connecting member 20A and the second connecting member 20B (connecting members other than the third connecting member 20C) are positioned only on the side of the center point o of the tank 10 with respect to the line L1 connecting the upper ends of the band fixing portions 30 of the front and rear third connecting members 20C. In this case, the front and rear third connecting members are supported with high rigidity by the body frame (the front cross member 4 and the rear cross member 5), so the support rigidity of the tank band 15 at the band fixing portions 30 is also high. Furthermore, the distance between the portion of the circumferential region of the tank band 15 closer to the center point o of the tank 10 and the line L1 is relatively greater than the portion opposite the center point o. Therefore, twisting is more likely to occur in the region of the circumferential region of the tank band 15 above the line L1. In this configuration, connecting members other than the third connecting member 20C (the first connecting member 20A and the second connecting member 20B) are arranged only on the side where the distance from the straight line L1 connecting the upper ends of the band fixing portions 30 of the front and rear third connecting members 20C is large, which makes it possible to efficiently suppress twisting in areas of the circumferential region of the tank band 15 where twisting is likely to occur. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, twisting of the left and right tank bands 15 and the tank 10 can be efficiently suppressed while minimizing the increase in weight due to the addition of connecting members.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, two tank bands 15 are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the tank 10, but the number of tank bands 15 arranged around the periphery of the tank 10 is not limited to this. The number of tank bands 15 may be three or more. In this case, it is desirable that the connecting member be connected to all of the tank bands.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the guide rod 18 and the compression spring 19 are used as spring functional parts disposed at the connecting portions of the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c, but the configuration of the spring functional parts is not limited to this. The spring functional parts may have any structure as long as they can apply a reaction force to the band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c when a tensile load acts between adjacent band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c. The spring used in the spring functional component is not limited to a metal coil spring, but may be a plate-shaped metal spring, a rubber elastic member, or the like.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the left and right tank bands 15 are each composed of three band element pieces 15a, 15b, and 15c, but the number of band element pieces that make up the tank band 15 is not limited to three. The number of band element pieces may be two, four, or more.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the substantially cylindrical tank 10 is disposed below the floor panel 2 of the vehicle with its axial direction aligned with the vehicle width direction, but the arrangement of the tank 10 below the floor panel 2 is not limited to this. The tank 10 may be disposed, for example, with its axial direction facing the front-rear direction of the vehicle or facing obliquely with respect to the vehicle width direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 2...Floor panel 4...Front cross member (first body frame) 5...Rear cross member (second body frame) 10. Tank 15...Tank Band 15a, 15b, 15c...Band element pieces 16...First fixed piece 17...Second fixed piece 18...Guide rod (spring function part) 19...Compression spring (spring function part) 20A...First connecting member (connecting member) 20Aa...Band fixing wall 20Ab…Standing wall 20B...Second connecting member (connecting member) 20Ba...Lightening hole 20C...Third connecting member (connecting member) 30...Band fixing part L1: Straight line connecting the ends o…Center point of tank

Claims

1. A tank holding structure for a vehicle that holds a substantially cylindrical tank disposed below a floor panel of a vehicle body, a plurality of tank bands arranged at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the tank, each of which restrains an outer peripheral surface of the tank; a plurality of connecting members extending along the axial direction of the tank and connecting adjacent tank bands to each other at an outer periphery of the tank; a vehicle body frame including a first vehicle body frame and a second vehicle body frame arranged apart from each other in a direction intersecting an axial direction of the tank; a lower plate covering the lower part of the tank; Equipped with one of the plurality of connecting members is fixed to the body frame via the body frame or the lower plate, and the other is disposed at a distance from the body frame and the lower plate; The tank band is formed by connecting a plurality of band element pieces in an annular shape, the band element pieces being arranged along the outer circumferential direction of the tank, the plurality of connecting members include a first connecting member that connects connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands to each other, The connecting portion of the band element piece is a first fixed piece fixed to one of the band element pieces; a second fixed piece fixed to another one of the band element pieces; a spring function component that connects the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece with spring elasticity, The first connecting member connects at least one of the first fixing pieces and the second fixing pieces of the adjacent tank bands at connecting portions of at least some of the band element pieces, A tank holding portion structure for a vehicle, characterized in that the plurality of connecting members include a second connecting member that connects portions other than the connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands to each other.

2. 2. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting member is formed integrally with at least one of the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece.

3. The first connecting member is a band fixing wall that is overlapped and fixed to the outer surface of each of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands; an upright wall that stands from the band fixing wall toward the radially outer side of the tank, 3. The tank holding structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the spring functioning component is connected to the upright wall.

4. the second connecting member is formed by a plate-like member that substantially conforms to the outer circumferential surface of the tank, 2. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second connecting member has a lightening hole formed between adjacent tank bands at a position where the second connecting member does not overlap the tank band.

5. 2. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of connecting members mutually connect portions other than the connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands, and include a pair of third connecting members fixed to the first body frame and the second body frame, respectively.

6. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the connecting portions of the band element pieces having the spring functional parts are respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides of the pair of third connecting members.

7. The tank holding portion structure for a vehicle as described in claim 5, characterized in that the connecting members other than the pair of third connecting members are arranged only on the center point side of the tank with respect to a straight line connecting the upper and lower ends of the band fixing portions of the pair of third connecting members.

8. A tank holding structure for a vehicle that holds a substantially cylindrical tank disposed below a floor panel of a vehicle body, a plurality of tank bands arranged at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the tank, each of which restrains an outer peripheral surface of the tank; a plurality of connecting members extending along the axial direction of the tank and connecting adjacent tank bands to each other at the outer periphery of the tank; The tank band is formed by connecting a plurality of band element pieces in an annular shape, the band element pieces being arranged along the outer circumferential direction of the tank, the plurality of connecting members include a first connecting member that connects connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands to each other, The connecting portion of the band element piece is a first fixed piece fixed to one of the band element pieces; a second fixed piece fixed to another one of the band element pieces; a spring function component that connects the first fixed piece and the second fixed piece with spring elasticity, The first connecting member connects at least one of the first fixing pieces and the second fixing pieces of the adjacent tank bands at connecting portions of at least some of the band element pieces, A tank holding portion structure for a vehicle, characterized in that the plurality of connecting members include a second connecting member that connects portions other than the connecting ends of the band element pieces of adjacent tank bands to each other.

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