Fuel Tank Protection Assembly With Integrated Rear-Impact Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle fuel tank protection systems are inadequate in preventing damage during rear impacts while meeting regulatory requirements, and they do not efficiently integrate with existing vehicle designs to reduce costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A protection assembly is integrated into the vehicle floor, comprising a tubular protective member, fixing reinforcements, and a support structure that connects to the fuel vapor tank and dust filter, forming a monolithic assembly to absorb impact energy and prevent contact between the spare wheel/LPG tank and the fuel tank, while also supporting the fuel vapor tank and dust filter without additional parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate protection assembly is added to protect the fuel tank, then protection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and assembly cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protection assembly with the support structure for fuel vapor tank and dust filter into a single integrated unit. The protective tube, fixing reinforcements, support, and connecting elements form a monolithic assembly that simultaneously provides impact protection and structural support, eliminating the need for separate protection components and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection assembly serves multiple functions: it protects the fuel tank from rear impact, supports the fuel vapor tank, supports the dust filter, and provides structural anchoring points. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing both complexity and assembly steps.
2Reliability
If additional protection components are added, then impact protection is improved, but vehicle mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection assembly simultaneously provides impact protection and structural support for multiple components (fuel vapor tank, dust filter). By making the protection structure multi-functional, the patent avoids adding dedicated support brackets or mounting structures that would increase mass, as the same protective tube and support elements serve dual purposes.
3Ease of manufacture
If a monolithic assembly is used, then assembly cost and complexity are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
While the final assembly is monolithic, the design incorporates standardized interfaces and modular sub-components (protective tube, fixing reinforcements, support, connecting elements) that can be manufactured separately with standard tolerances and then joined through welding. This segmentation approach allows each component to be manufactured independently with conventional precision levels, while the final welded assembly achieves the required monolithic integrity.
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 effectively reduces the risk of fuel tank deformation and potential fires during rear impacts, enhances vehicle compactness, and minimizes mass by integrating the support for the fuel vapor tank and dust filter within the protection assembly, thereby improving overall protection and reducing design and assembly costs.
Implementation Method 1
The protective tube forms a shock limiter designed to limit the impact of the spare wheel or LPG tank on the fuel tank in the event of an impact to the rear of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
The fixing reinforcements are preferably fixed by welding to the protection tube and the connecting elements are fixed by welding respectively to the support and to the protection tube
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 2
AI summary
A motor vehicle comprising a floor extending along a longitudinal axis (X), including a protective assembly (30) fixed to the lower surface of the vehicle floor. The protective assembly (30) includes: - a tubular protective element (31) extending along a transverse axis (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X), - two fixing reinforcements (32) attached at their free ends to the protective element (31), and including a fixing interface (32a) for fixing by screws to the lower surface of the vehicle floor, - a support (33) configured to support both a fuel vapor tank (8) connected to the fuel tank, and a particulate filter (9), and - at least one connecting element (35) extending along a vertical axis (Z) perpendicular to the transverse axis (Y) and to the longitudinal axis (X) connecting the support (33) to the protective element (31).