Fuel Tank Shield Structure for Rear-Impact Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid vehicles face damage to the fuel tank during rear-end collisions due to the incompressible zone protecting the rear electric motor, which can cause structural damage and weight penalties from reinforced tanks.
Innovation Solution
A protective device with a rigid arc-shaped structural element and a deformable section is fixed to the vehicle's underside, distributing impact forces and dissipating energy to protect the fuel tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a fuel tank is positioned directly on the vehicle floor in the vulnerability zone, then space utilization is improved, but protection against external impacts and punctures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel tank is nested within a protective structure formed by the longitudinal beam and transverse member, creating a nested configuration where the fuel tank resides inside the protective cage formed by these structural elements, thereby protecting it while maintaining space efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The longitudinal beam and transverse member act as intermediary protective elements between external impact sources and the fuel tank, absorbing and distributing impact forces before they reach the fuel tank
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective structure is added around the fuel tank, then protection against external impacts is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal beam and transverse member serve multiple functions: they are structural components of the vehicle body, safety cage elements, and protective barriers for the fuel tank, thereby providing protection without adding dedicated protective components
Solution Approach 2:
The protective function is merged with the existing vehicle structural elements (longitudinal beam and transverse member), combining the safety cage function with fuel tank protection into a single integrated structure
3Ease of operation
If the fuel tank is positioned in the vulnerability zone, then accessibility and space efficiency are improved, but reliability under impact conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel tank is nested within the protective structure formed by the longitudinal beam and transverse member, allowing it to be positioned in the space-efficient vulnerability zone while being protected by the surrounding structural elements
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6A
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for protecting the fuel tank (3) of a motor vehicle in the event of a rear impact. The invention consists in the fact that said protection device comprises a first part forming a protective shield (71) having two opposite edges (711, 712) which are intended for securing the protective device to the underside of the vehicle, the protective shield (71) comprising at least one arch-shaped structural element (713) extending between the two edges (711, 712) of the protective shield (71), the device further comprising a controlled-deformation second part (722) extending along one (712) of the the securing edges of the protective shield (72). Application to vehicles with hybrid power units.