Tank fixing structure

Abstract

To provide a tank fixing structure which achieves improvement of tank protection performance when a load is input.SOLUTION: A tank fixing structure fixes a tank 1 to a frame 2 of a vehicle through a bracket 3. The bracket 3 includes: an attachment member 31 fixed to a side surface of the frame 2; a movable member 32 on which the tank 1 is mounted; a hinge 33 which connects the movable member 32 to a lower part of the attachment member 31 in a swingable manner; and an attitude holding member 34 which is disposed between the attachment member 31 and the movable member 32 and makes the movable member 32 immovable. In the attitude holding member 34, an attachment part 5 attached to the attachment member 31 or an attachment part 6 attached to the movable member 32 can be separated when receiving a predetermined load or a larger load.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tank fixing structure.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes that "in a vehicle equipped with an LPG engine, an LPG fuel tank is positioned and supported at a predetermined position of an L-shaped bracket, and the vertical wall of the L-shaped bracket is attached so as to overlap the side surface of the frame."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above Patent Document 1, when the LPG fuel tank hits the vehicle frame due to being pushed by other members during a collision, a load is input to the LPG fuel tank.

[0005] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a tank fixing structure that improves the protection performance of the tank when a load is input.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a tank fixing structure for fixing a tank to a vehicle frame via a bracket, wherein the bracket comprises a mounting member fixed to the side surface of the frame, a movable member on which the tank is mounted, a hinge that pivotably connects the movable member to the lower part of the mounting member, and a posture-holding member that is installed between the mounting member and the movable member to immobilize the movable member, wherein the posture-holding member is configured such that the mounting portion to the mounting member or the mounting portion to the movable member is separated when subjected to a load exceeding a predetermined amount.

[0007] In this configuration, if a load exceeding a predetermined amount is applied to the attachment portion to the mounting member or the attachment portion to the movable member via the tank and the movable member during a vehicle collision, the attachment portion will be severed, causing the free end of the movable member to pivot downward around the hinge. This prevents the tank mounted on the movable member from being crushed between it and the frame, and also reduces the load on the tank.

[0008] By the way, it is preferable that the mounting member is inclined in a side view with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle so that its upper part approaches the tank, the upper part of the posture-holding member is attached to the upper part of the mounting member, and the lower part of the posture-holding member is attached to the middle part of the movable member, so that the posture-holding member is in a position along the vertical direction of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a tank fixing structure can be provided that improves the protective performance of the tank during a collision. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing one embodiment of the tank fixing structure according to the present invention. [Figure 2]This is a side view showing the first stage when a load is applied. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the second stage when a load is applied. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The best embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] Figures 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle is equipped with a fuel tank 1, which is fixed to the vehicle's frame 2 via a bracket 3.

[0013] Note that fuel tank 1 is just one example of a tank; for example, in the case of a hydrogen vehicle, it would be a hydrogen tank; in the case of a vehicle equipped with an LPG engine, it would be an LPG fuel tank; in the case of a vehicle equipped with a gasoline engine, it would be a gasoline fuel tank; and in the case of a vehicle equipped with a diesel engine, it would be a diesel fuel tank.

[0014] Specifically, the fuel tank 1 is cylindrical in shape with both ends closed, and valves 11 are provided on both end faces. Although not shown in detail, the valve 11 is configured with a small-diameter pipe 11a located in the center, with a large-diameter disc portion on the free end side.

[0015] Frame 2 is, for example, the left side member of a pair of side members that run along the front-rear direction in the ladder frame of a vehicle, and is formed in a rectangular tubular shape. The fuel tank 1 is installed on the left side of this left side member of frame 2.

[0016] The bracket 3 is on which the fuel tank 1 is mounted, and in this embodiment, one bracket 3 is provided on one end and one on the other end in the longitudinal direction of the fuel tank 1.

[0017] This bracket 3 is configured to include a mounting member 31, a movable member 32, a hinge 33, a posture holding member 34, and the like.

[0018] The mounting member 31 is, for example, a straight circular pipe and is attached to the side surface of the frame 2 via a spacer 4.

[0019] The spacer 4 is used to incline the mounting member 31 at a predetermined angle with respect to the left side surface of the frame 2.

[0020] Specifically, the spacer 4 is formed in a right-angled triangle and is arranged upside down in such a form that its base is upward and its hypotenuse faces the fuel tank 1. As a result, the mounting member 31 attached to the hypotenuse of the spacer 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle (see α in FIG. 1) with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle in side view so that its upper part approaches the fuel tank 1.

[0021] The reason for inclining the mounting member 31 in this way is to prevent the fuel tank 1 from being sandwiched between the frames 2 and crushed by guiding the fuel tank 1 to be displaced obliquely downward when the object 10 for the collision test in FIG. 1 collides with the fuel tank 1 of the vehicle in a vehicle collision test or the like.

[0022] The movable member 32 is, for example, a circular pipe bent in a V shape in side view and has a horizontal portion 32a and an inclined portion 32b. The inner angle formed by the horizontal portion 32a and the inclined portion 32b in the movable member 32 is set to an obtuse angle.

[0023] In this movable member 32, the fuel tank 1 is mounted on the horizontal portion 32a via a plate-shaped support 32c. The angle (see β in FIG. 1) formed by the inclined portion 32b and the mounting member 31 of the movable member 32 is appropriately set according to the diameter dimension of the fuel tank 1.

[0024] The support column 32c is provided on the horizontal section 32a, and this support column 32c is provided with a U-shaped groove 32d that opens upward. The small-diameter pipes 11a of the valves 11 at both ends of the fuel tank 1 are fitted into this groove 32d.

[0025] The hinge 33 pivotably connects the movable member 32 to the mounting member 31, with one end attached to the free end (upper part) of the inclined portion 32b of the movable member 32, and the other end attached to the lower part of the mounting member 31.

[0026] The posture-holding member 34 is installed between the mounting member 31 and the movable member 32 to fix the posture of the movable member 32, and is, for example, in the form of a strip-shaped plate.

[0027] The posture-holding member 34 is positioned to follow the vertical direction, and its upper part is attached to the upper part of the mounting member 31, and its lower part is attached to the middle part of the movable member 32, that is, the connecting part between the horizontal part 32a and the inclined part 32b, by fastening members 5 and 6, such as screws or bolts.

[0028] Furthermore, the mounting configuration of the upper and lower parts of the posture-holding member 34 can be changed to a configuration in which they are joined by welding, for example, instead of fastening members 5 and 6.

[0029] Furthermore, in the posture-holding member 34, the attachment portion (fastening member 5) to the mounting member 31 or the attachment portion (fastening member 6) to the movable member 32 is configured to be separated by shear or the like when a load exceeding a predetermined level is applied. In other words, the shear strength of the fastening members 5 and 6 is set to be less than or equal to the aforementioned load.

[0030] Next, we will explain the operation of the tank fixing structure described above when a load is applied.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, for example, when another vehicle (or object 10 for crash testing) collides with the left side of the vehicle, the load F1 input to the fuel tank 1 is converted into a load F2 that pushes the movable member 32 of the bracket 3 downwards due to the inclination of the mounting member 31 of the bracket 3, as shown in Figure 2.

[0032] If the load F2 exceeds a predetermined value, the attachment portion (fastening member 6) to the movable member 32 in the posture-holding member 34 will be severed by shear or the like, causing the movable member 32 of the bracket 3 to rotate counterclockwise around the hinge 33 as shown in Figure 2.

[0033] This prevents the fuel tank 1 from being damaged, such as by being crushed, and also reduces the load on the fuel tank 1.

[0034] As described above, according to embodiments to which the present invention is applied, the protective performance of the fuel tank 1 is improved.

[0035] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims and equivalents thereof.

[0036] (1) In the above embodiment, an example is given in which the bracket 3 is formed from a pipe or the like, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, although not shown, the mounting member 31 and the movable member 32 of the bracket 3 can be made from flat plates.

[0037] (2) In the above embodiment, an example is given in which frame 2 is the left side member of the ladder frame, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0038] For example, although not shown in the diagram, it is possible to configure the frame 2 as the right side member of the ladder frame and install the fuel tank 1 on the right side of this right side member, or to configure the frame 2 as the rear cross member of the vehicle's ladder frame and install the fuel tank 1 behind this rear cross member. [Industrial applicability]

[0039] The present invention can be suitably used, for example, in a structure for fixing tanks such as fuel tanks mounted on vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Fuel tank 2 frames 3 brackets 31 Mounting components 32 Movable members 32a Horizontal part 32b Slope 32c strut 32d groove 33 Hinge 34 Posture-holding member 4 Spacers 5. Upper fastening member (mounting part) 6. Lower fastening member (mounting part) 10. Objects for crash testing

Claims

[Claim 1] A tank fixing structure that secures the tank to the vehicle frame via a bracket, The bracket comprises a mounting member fixed to the side of the frame, a movable member on which the tank is mounted, a hinge that pivotably connects the movable member to the lower part of the mounting member, and a posture-holding member that is installed between the mounting member and the movable member to immobilize the movable member. A tank fixing structure characterized in that the attachment portion to the mounting member or the attachment portion to the movable member in the attitude holding member is configured to be separated when subjected to a load exceeding a predetermined amount.

Images