Movable Fuel Tank Cage for Crash Energy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fuel tank systems in heavy trucks are vulnerable to damage and spillage during collisions due to their exposed location, leading to increased risks of fire and explosion, as they are not designed to move away from the vehicle's frame during impact events.
Innovation Solution
A revised fuel tank mounting system that includes a support structure with movable components, allowing the fuel tanks to be pushed or moved downwardly and laterally by impact energy, positioning them out of the impact path or under the vehicle's chassis for protection, combined with energy-absorbing features and secure routing of fuel lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the fuel tank is mounted on the outside of the frame rails for easy access and installation, then the ease of manufacture and operation is improved, but the reliability and safety deteriorate due to exposure to crushing during crash events
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel tank mounting system transitions from a static rigid attachment to a dynamic movable system. The fuel tank is positioned within a cage structure that allows it to move relative to the frame rails during crash events, enabling the system to adapt to impact forces and protect the tank from crushing while maintaining installation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is divided into separate functional components: the frame rails, the cage structure, and the movable fuel tank. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the frame rails provide structural support, the cage provides protection and guidance, and the fuel tank can move independently to avoid impact zones during crashes.
2Device complexity
If the fuel tank is positioned in a fixed location on the vehicle frame, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the tank cannot move away from impact paths during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates controlled movement capability within a relatively simple cage structure. The cage provides guidance and constraints while allowing the fuel tank to move passively in response to crash forces, achieving crash protection without requiring complex active control systems or multiple actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel tank utilizes the crash impact forces themselves to move it away from danger zones. The system does not require external power sources, sensors, or active control mechanisms - the impact energy directly drives the protective movement, simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If energy-absorbing structures are added around the fuel tank to protect it during crash, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cage structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for mounting the fuel tank, acts as a protective barrier during crash events, guides the movement of the fuel tank, and potentially absorbs impact energy. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure and protection structure are merged into a single integrated cage assembly. Rather than having separate mounting brackets and separate protective barriers, the cage combines both functions, simplifying the support structure while providing comprehensive protection and mounting capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel tank system which has a revised mounting system and a revised location for the fuel system and fuel tanks to improve crashworthiness of the vehicle by reducing the occurrence of tank failure, fuel spillage, fire and/or explosion during and after a collision or similar event, while still providing a sufficient range for the vehicle. The fuel tanks are protected from damage from the side, bottom and between the tanks. The fuel tank mounting system also allows the energy associated with an event to be managed, such as by allowing the fuel tanks to be pushed or moved downwardly and/or laterally by the energy of the impact of a collision or similar event to a position in which the fuel tank is either out of the path of the impact or protected by the chassis or frame of the vehicle.