Tank-mounted structure

Abstract

To provide a tank mounting structure capable of suppressing distortion of the frame.SOLUTION: The tank mounting structure comprises: a plurality of tanks; a frame on which the plurality of tanks is mounted in a state of being aligned in a width direction; and a plurality of mounting structure bodies that is fixed to both end portions of the frame in an axial direction and support each tank. The tank comprises: a first mouthpiece arranged on one side in the axial direction; and a second mouthpiece arranged on the other side. The mounting structure body comprises: a first mounting structure body attached to the first mouthpiece; and a second mounting structure body attached to the second mouthpiece. The first mouthpiece is fixed to the frame via the mounting structure body. The second mouthpiece is supported by the frame via the mounting structure body and is movable in the axial direction by expansion or contraction of the tank. The first mouthpieces of neighboring tanks are alternately fixed to the end portions of the frame in the axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a structure for mounting a tank.

Background Art

[0002] A tank filled with high-pressure hydrogen gas or the like is mounted on a predetermined frame and transported. As a fixing structure of the tank in the frame, for example, a tank fixing structure using a neck mount disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] It is known that a tank expands and contracts due to gas filling and discharging. When fixing the tank to the frame, usually, one end (fixed end) in the axial direction of the tank is fixed to the frame, and the other end (slide end) is supported by the frame so as to be movable due to the expansion and contraction of the tank. Thereby, the tank can be filled and discharged with gas while being fixed to the frame.

[0005] By the way, a plurality of tanks are mounted on one frame. Usually, the tanks are arranged side by side in the width direction of the frame, and the fixed ends of the tanks are biased and fixed to one side in the axial direction of the frame. Therefore, due to the expansion and contraction of the tanks accompanying gas filling and discharging, the frame concentrates and receives the load from the fixed end, and there is a risk that the frame is distorted.

[0006] Therefore, the main object of the present disclosure is to provide a tank mounting structure capable of suppressing distortion of the frame.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] This disclosure provides a tank mounting structure as one embodiment for solving the above problems, comprising: a plurality of tanks; a frame on which the plurality of tanks are mounted in a line in the width direction; and a plurality of mounting structures fixed to both ends of the frame in the axial direction and supporting each tank, wherein each tank has a first opening on one side in the axial direction and a second opening on the other side, and the mounting structure comprises a first mounting structure attached to the first opening and a second mounting structure attached to the second opening, the first opening is fixed to the frame via the mounting structure, the second opening is supported by the frame via the mounting structure and is movable in the axial direction due to the expansion or contraction of the tank, and the first openings of adjacent tanks are fixed alternately to both ends of the frame in the axial direction.

[0008] In the tank mounting structure described above, the first nozzles of all tanks may be fixed alternately to both ends of the frame in the axial direction. The mounting structure may also be a neck-mount structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the tank mounting structure of this disclosure, frame distortion can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of the tank mounting structure 100. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the tank-mounted structure 100 as observed from direction II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the tank-mounted structure 100 cut along line III-III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how tank 10 expands or contracts. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of a conventional tank mounting structure 200. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The tank mounting structure of this disclosure will be described using a tank mounting structure 100, which is one embodiment. Figure 1 shows a plan view of the tank mounting structure 100. Figure 2 shows a side view of the tank mounting structure 100 observed from direction II in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the tank mounting structure 100 cut along line III-III in Figure 1. Here, the x direction in Figure 1 is the width direction (width direction of the tank), and the y direction is the axial direction (axis direction of the center of the tank).

[0012] The tank mounting structure 100 comprises a plurality of tanks 10, a frame 20 on which the plurality of tanks 10 are mounted in a line in the width direction, and a plurality of mounting structures 30 fixed to both axial ends of the frame 20 and supporting each tank.

[0013] <Tank 10> Tank 10 is a high-pressure gas tank capable of being filled with gas at high pressure. The type of gas is not particularly limited. For example, fuel gases used in fuel cells (such as hydrogen or reformed gas) can be used.

[0014] The tank 10 comprises a hollow cylindrical tank body 11 and nozzles 12 positioned at both axial ends of the tank body 11. Of the tank body 11, the cylindrical body is the part with the largest outer diameter and extends in the axial direction. The shoulder is the part that connects the body and the nozzle 12, and is formed so that its outer diameter decreases towards the outside in the axial direction. The nozzle 12 is a cylindrical member having a smaller outer diameter than the body. Here, the nozzle 12 positioned at one end in the axial direction is called the first nozzle 12a, and the nozzle 12 positioned at the other end is called the second nozzle 12b.

[0015] The base 12 has a communication hole that communicates with the inside of the tank 10, and the opening of the communication hole is sealed by the lid 13. By fixing the lid 13 to the base 12, the tank 10 can be sealed. The lid 13 may be provided with a valve mechanism for filling and discharging gas. The valve mechanism may be provided in at least one of the lids 13. Usually, the lid 13 arranged on the first base 12a is provided with a valve mechanism. This is because, as will be described later, the first base 12a is fixed to the frame 20.

[0016] The tank 10 is manufactured, for example, as follows. First, the surface of a liner having a hollow cylindrical shape is covered with a fiber layer to form a tank intermediate body. Next, the base 12 is arranged at the small-diameter end of the tank intermediate body, and the tank 10 is sealed with the lid 13. Thereby, the tank 10 is manufactured. The liner is formed of a resin material such as nylon. The fiber layer is formed of a fiber-reinforced resin such as carbon fiber. Usually, the fiber layer is formed by knitting a fiber bundle formed by bundling a plurality of fiber-reinforced resins into a single bundle on the surface of the liner. The fiber layer can be formed, for example, using a braiding method.

[0017] <Frame 20> The frame 20 mounts a plurality of tanks 10 arranged side by side in the width direction. The frame 20 has a rectangular shape, and columns are arranged on each side. Here, the columns arranged at both axial ends are respectively referred to as columns 21 and 22.

[0018] The frame 20 shown in FIG. 1 is a simple one, and the frame 20 used for the tank mounting structure 100 is not limited to this. For example, a frame that can be stacked in the height direction may be used. Also, the number of tanks 10 that can be mounted on the frame 20 is not particularly limited. FIG. 1 shows a frame 20 that can mount four tanks 10.

[0019] <Mounting structure 30> The mount structure 30 is a member that is fixed to both axial ends (columns 21 and 22) of the frame 20 and supports each tank 10. Specifically, the mount structure 30 supports the base 12 of the tank 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mount structure 30 consists of a neck block 31 and a neck mount 32. That is, the mount structure 30 is a neck mount structure. Since the detailed structure of the neck mount structure is known, the description thereof is omitted here. For example, Patent Document 1 can be referred to.

[0020] The neck block 31 is a member that is attached to the base 12 and has a hole through which the base 12 passes. The neck mount 32 is a member that connects the neck block 31 and the frame 20. The neck block 31 and the neck mount 32 are fixed, for example, by screws or the like. Also, the neck mount 32 and the frame 20 (columns 21 and 22) are fixed, for example, by screws or the like.

[0021] Here, the mount structure 30 attached to the first base 12a is referred to as the first mount structure 30a, and the mount structure 30 attached to the second base 12b is referred to as the second mount structure 30b. Therefore, the mount structure 30 has the first mount structure 30a and the second mount structure 30b. Also, the first mount structure 30a has a first neck block 31a and a first neck mount 32a. The second mount structure 30b has a second neck block 31b and a second neck mount 32b.

[0022] The first nozzle 12a is fixed to the frame 20 via the mounting structure 30a. Specifically, the first nozzle 12a and the first neck block 31a are fixed together, for example, by screws. This fixes the position of the first nozzle 12a and prevents it from moving. In other words, the first nozzle 12a can be said to be a fixed end in the tank 10. On the other hand, the second nozzle 12b is only supported by the frame 20 via the second mounting structure 30b and is not fixed. Therefore, the second nozzle 12b can move axially through the hole in the second neck block 31b due to the expansion or contraction of the tank 10. In other words, the second nozzle 12b can be said to be a movable end (sliding end) in the tank 10.

[0023] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the expansion and contraction of the tank 10. The upper diagram in Figure 4 shows the contracted tank 10, and the lower diagram shows the expanded tank 10. As shown in Figure 4, the first nozzle 12a is fixed to the first neck block 31a, so its position does not move even when the tank 10 expands or contracts. On the other hand, the second nozzle 12b is not fixed to the second neck block 31b, so it can slide through the hole in the second neck block 31b as the tank 10 expands or contracts. In this way, by making one end of the tank 10 a fixed end and the other a sliding end, it is possible to expand or contract the tank 10 in conjunction with gas filling or release.

[0024] Furthermore, the second nozzle 12b may be formed to be longer in the axial direction than the first nozzle 12a. This is to ensure the range of motion of the second nozzle 12b, as shown in Figure 4.

[0025] <Tank-mounted structure 100> As shown in Figure 1, the tank mounting structure 100 has multiple tanks 10 mounted on a frame 20, arranged in the width direction. Note the orientation of the tanks 10; adjacent tanks 10 have opposite axial orientations. In other words, the first nozzles 12a of adjacent tanks 10 are fixed alternately to both axial ends (columns 21 and 22) of the frame 20. Further rephrasing, at both ends (columns 21 and 22) of the frame 20, the first mounting structures 30a and second mounting structures 30b are arranged alternately in the width direction. In the tank mounting structure 100, the first ends 13a of all tanks 10 are fixed alternately to both axial ends (columns 21 and 22) of the frame 20. This arrangement of the tanks 10 suppresses distortion of the frame 20. The reason for this is explained below.

[0026] Figure 5 shows a plan view of a conventional tank mounting structure 200. The only difference between the tank mounting structure 100 and the conventional tank mounting structure 200 is the arrangement of the tank 10. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for each component of the tank mounting structure 200 as for the tank mounting structure 100.

[0027] As shown in Figure 5, in the conventional tank mounting structure 200, all the tanks are oriented in the same direction. In other words, the first nozzle 12a of all the tanks 10 is fixed to one axial end (column 21) of the frame 20 via the mounting structure 30a. When the tanks 10 are filled with gas, they expand, but as mentioned above, only the sliding end (second nozzle 12b) moves, so the load due to expansion is borne by the fixed end, specifically the fixing part between the first mounting structure 30a and the column 21. Consequently, in the tank mounting structure 200, since the first nozzle 12a of all the tanks 10 are fixed to the same column 21, the load is concentrated on the column 21. Therefore, in the conventional tank mounting structure 200, the frame 20 (especially the column 21) becomes distorted.

[0028] On the other hand, in the tank mounting structure 100, adjacent tanks 10 are arranged in an alternating pattern. As a result, the first mounting bracket 12a (or mounting structure 30a), which is the fixed end, is evenly distributed on both columns 21 and 22, so that the load due to the expansion of the tanks 10 is distributed and applied to columns 21 and 22. Therefore, the tank mounting structure 100 can suppress distortion of the frame 20.

[0029] <Supplement> The tank mounting structure 100 used a neck mount structure as a suitable mounting structure 30. However, the type of mounting structure 30 is not limited to this. For example, a known structure that simply fixes a frame 20 and a first nozzle 12a may be used for the first mounting structure 30a. Also, a known structure using a damper and a spring may be used for the second mounting structure 30b.

[0030] Based on the above, the tank mounting structure of the present disclosure has been described using one embodiment. According to the tank mounting structure of the present disclosure, frame distortion can be suppressed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 10 tanks 11 Tank body 12 nozzles 12a First nozzle 12b Second nozzle 13 Lid 20 frames 21, 22 pillars 30 Mounting Structures 30a First Mount Structure 30b Second Mount Structure 31 Neck Block 31a First neck block 31b Second neck block 32 Neck Mount 32a First Neck Mount 32b Second neck mount 100 Tank-equipped structure

Claims

[Claim 1] Multiple tanks, A frame on which multiple tanks are mounted in a line in the width direction, The frame comprises a plurality of mounting structures fixed to both ends in the axial direction and supporting each of the tanks, The tank comprises a first nozzle located on one side in the axial direction and a second nozzle located on the other side. The aforementioned mounting structure comprises a first mounting structure attached to the first socket and a second mounting structure attached to the second socket. The first socket is fixed to the frame via the first mounting structure. The second nozzle is supported on the frame via the second mounting structure and is movable in the axial direction due to the expansion or contraction of the tank. The first nozzles of the adjacent tanks are fixed alternately to both axial ends of the frame, The first nozzles of all the tanks are fixed alternately to both axial ends of the frame, The first mounting structure comprises a first neck block and a first neck mount, The second mounting structure comprises a second neck block and a second neck mount, The first neck block is provided with a hole through which the first mouthpiece passes, The second neck block is provided with a hole through which the second mouthpiece passes, The first mouthpiece and the first neck block are fixed together. The second nozzle and the second neck block are not fixed together, and the second nozzle is movable axially through a hole in the second neck block in accordance with the expansion or contraction of the tank. Tank-mounted structure.

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