Chassis Tank as Load-Bearing Frame Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional frame support structures for commercial vehicles, particularly semitrailer tractors, face issues with stress due to dynamic excitation and high costs associated with lateral fuel tank installation, which affects the vehicle's stability and assembly efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A frame support structure that integrates a tank device as a load-bearing component, capable of absorbing and transmitting longitudinal and transverse forces, supporting the driver's cab, and acting as a damper for wheel suspension forces, while also serving as a substructure for the engine and transmission units, utilizing hollow plate sections and reinforcing elements to enhance rigidity and capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If fuel tanks are attached laterally to the outside of the side members, then the tanks can be easily assembled and accessed, but the frame support structure is subjected to considerable eccentric stress during dynamic excitation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidstress resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the fuel tank assembly into the longitudinal support structures themselves, merging the tank function with the frame structure. The longitudinal support structures are designed to accommodate and support the fuel tanks as integral components, eliminating the need for separate lateral attachment while maintaining assembly ease and significantly improving stress resistance by centralizing the load path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If fuel tanks have a capacity of up to 600 liters, then the fuel storage capacity is sufficient for long operations, but the tanks occupy a relatively large amount of space and have considerable weight when filled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel capacityVSAvoidspace occupation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the vehicle chassis by integrating fuel tanks into the longitudinal support structures. This allows the tanks to be distributed along the length of the vehicle rather than concentrated in a lateral position, efficiently utilizing available space within the frame structure and reducing the vehicle's overall width while maintaining large fuel capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2684777B1Chassis structure with integrated tank device
Publication Date: 2017.05.10 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP2684777B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2684777B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2684777B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a frame structure (1) for a commercial vehicle, in particular a truck, preferably a semi-trailer truck. The frame support structure (1) comprises a first longitudinal support structure (10) and a second longitudinal support structure (20), which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction (QR) of the frame support structure (1), and at least one tank unit (T) for fluid storage, which is designed, for example, as a fuel tank unit and/or as an air tank unit. The tank unit (T) is designed as a load-bearing part of the frame support structure (1).