Fuel Tank Air Vent Slit Design for Parison Wrapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of air vent holes in fuel tank manufacturing leads to a complicated structure and process, with potential blockage issues that can decrease fixing strength, making it difficult to form a parison around the neck portion reliably.
Innovation Solution
A fuel tank design featuring a built-in component with a slit on the shoulder portion as an air vent path, where the slit has a narrowing cross-sectional shape and is arranged on both sides of the neck portion, allowing efficient air discharge and preventing parison entry before venting is complete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air vent holes are formed in the neck portion and shoulder portion, then air can be discharged during molding, but the structure of the built-in component becomes complex and the manufacturing process becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The air vent path is segmented into multiple slits distributed on the shoulder portion surface rather than using a single complex hole structure. This segmentation allows effective air discharge while maintaining a simple overall component structure, as each slit is a simple linear feature that does not complicate the built-in component design
Solution Approach 2:
The air vent path transitions from a three-dimensional hole (cylindrical or complex shape) to a two-dimensional slit configuration on the surface. This dimensional change simplifies the structure by using surface features rather than volumetric features, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining air discharge functionality
2Reliability
If air vent holes are formed, then air can be discharged, but the holes are filled with parison before air venting is completed, blocking the air venting paths
Solution Approach 1:
The slit geometry is designed with non-uniform width along its length, creating different local properties: a wider opening at one end for easy air access and a narrower section further along to prevent parison intrusion. This local quality variation ensures that the slit remains open for air discharge while being resistant to blockage by the parison material
Solution Approach 2:
The narrowed section of the slit acts as an intermediary barrier that allows air to pass through while preventing the parison from entering and blocking the entire air vent path. This intermediate constriction serves as a gate that selectively permits gas flow while blocking material intrusion
3Strength
If the air around the neck portion is not sufficiently discharged, then the structure remains simple, but it becomes difficult to form the parison around the neck portion, decreasing the fixing strength
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple slits are provided on the shoulder portion surface, creating excess air discharge pathways. This partial distribution of venting capability across multiple locations ensures sufficient air discharge to enable complete parison formation around the neck portion, achieving the necessary fixing strength without requiring any single slit to be overly complex
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
This simplifies the structure and manufacturing process, ensuring reliable formation of the parison around the neck portion and maintaining fixing strength by preventing air vent path blockages.
Implementation Method 1
blowing air from outside a parison to cause the parison wrap around the neck portion during molding of the tank body
Implementation Method 2
a slit extending in one direction only is formed on a surface of the shoulder portion as an air vent path, the slit has a cross-sectional shape such that a width thereof becomes narrower in a depth direction
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel tank includes a built-in component having a head portion, a neck portion, and a shoulder portion, the built-in component being anchored to a tank body by blowing air from outside a parison to cause the parison wrap around the neck portion during molding of the tank body. A slit extending in one direction only is formed on a surface of the shoulder portion as an air vent path.