Rotational Molded DEF Tank Fill Spout with Bonded Support Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road vehicles' diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks face leakage issues due to loose couplings, especially in cold temperatures, and mechanical cleaning of fill spouts can introduce debris, compromising the integrity of the tank.
Innovation Solution
A support ring is bonded to the fill spout during the rotational molding process, providing structural support and maintaining the fill spout's dimensions, thus securing the hose and eliminating the need for mechanical cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fill spout is formed without a support ring in rotational molding, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the fill spout dimensions become unstable and couplings loosen in cold temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The fill spout is segmented into two functional components: a polymeric fill spout body and a separate support ring. This segmentation allows the support ring to provide structural stability while the polymeric material provides sealing and integration, resolving the contradiction between coupling security and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill spout uses a composite structure combining polymeric material and a support ring (likely metal or rigid plastic). This composite approach provides both the dimensional stability needed for secure couplings in cold temperatures and the manufacturing flexibility of rotational molding.
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cleaning is performed on the fill spout, then debris is removed, but the process introduces additional debris and compromises tank integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring is installed in the mold cavity before the polymeric material is injected. This preliminary action ensures that the fill spout opening is properly formed and any potential debris pathways are eliminated during the molding process itself, avoiding the need for subsequent mechanical cleaning that would introduce more debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of debris in the fill spout is converted into a benefit by using the support ring installation process itself to define and clean the opening. The support ring acts as a mold insert that ensures the opening is free of debris without requiring separate cleaning operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the support ring is not bonded during rotational molding, then the manufacturing process is faster, but the fill spout dimensions become unstable under temperature variations
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring installation and polymeric material injection are merged into a single rotational molding operation. The support ring is positioned in the mold cavity, and the polymeric material is injected around it in the same cycle, creating a bonded assembly that provides dimensional stability without extending the manufacturing cycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces DEF leakage and debris collection, enhancing the reliability of the DEF tank by maintaining a secure coupling and well-defined opening, even under temperature variations.
Implementation Method 1
flowing a liquid polymeric material within the rotational mold such that the liquid polymeric material enters the cavity, directly contacts the support ring, and bonds to the support ring as the liquid polymeric material hardens
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a fluid storage tank assembly for an off-road vehicle includes disposing a support ring (62) within a cavity of a rotational mold, in which the cavity is shaped to form a fill spout (52) of the fluid storage tank assembly. The method further includes flowing a liquid polymeric material (64) within the rotational mold such that the liquid polymeric material enters the cavity, directly contacts the support ring (62), and bonds to the support ring (62) as the liquid polymeric material (64) hardens.