Plastic Fuel Tank Welded Steel Reinforcement for Embedded Component Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid vehicle tanks made of plastic face challenges in securely fastening components with embedded parts that cannot be welded, posing safety risks due to potential deformation and release of the embedded portion.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a strengthening element welded to the tank wall surrounding the embedded component, which is made of a harder material than the tank, to prevent deformation and ensure secure fixation, especially using a ring-shaped element that is chemically compatible or incompatible with the plastic material to enhance the fastening resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If component coating or riveting technique is used to fix components to the tank wall, then the component can be attached to the plastic tank wall, but the fixation strength is insufficient and the embedded portion may be released under stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple materials and fastening methods: plastic tank wall, metal strengthening element (stainless steel or aluminum alloy), and embedded component portion. The strengthening element is welded to the tank wall to create a composite structure that distributes stress and prevents release of the embedded portion, resolving the insufficiency of single-method fastening
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is divided into distinct functional segments: the embedded portion of the component inserted into the tank wall, the strengthening element welded to the tank wall surrounding the embedded portion, and the main body of the component. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally while working together as a unified fastening system
2Strength
If the embedded portion is made of material chemically incompatible with the plastic tank wall, then the component can be securely clamped in the wall, but the clamping region may deform and release the component under stress
Solution Approach 1:
The strengthening element acts as an intermediary between the embedded component portion and the plastic tank wall. It is welded to the tank wall to withstand the stress that would otherwise deform the clamping region and release the component. The strengthening element transfers and distributes the mechanical loads, preventing deformation while allowing the chemically incompatible material to maintain strong clamping
Solution Approach 2:
The strengthening element is strategically positioned only in the clamping region where stress concentration occurs, rather than throughout the entire component or tank wall. This localized reinforcement provides structural stability exactly where needed without adding unnecessary weight or complexity elsewhere, addressing the deformation issue specifically in the critical clamping zone
3Reliability
If a strengthening element welded to the tank wall is added to prevent deformation, then the fixation reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strengthening element is designed as a thin-walled cylindrical structure with wall thickness between 0.5mm and 2mm. This thin-film approach provides the necessary structural reinforcement to prevent deformation and improve fastening reliability, while minimizing the added mass and structural complexity compared to bulky reinforcement methods
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 strengthening element provides a robust and secure fastening solution, preventing the release of the embedded component and enhancing the mechanical resistance and leak-tightness of the tank, particularly in high-security applications like fuel tanks.
Implementation Method 1
the tank comprising at least one strengthening element welded to the tank wall to withstand the stress of the plastic material of the tank wall in a region surrounding the embedded portion of the component
Implementation Method 2
the embedded portion has an external surface a part of which is chemically incompatible with the plastic material of the wall
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid vehicle tank (1) having a wall made of a plastic material, the tank (1) comprising a component (3, 5) affixed to the wall, the component (3, 5) having a portion (10) embedded in the wall, the embedded portion (10) having an external surface (21) a part of which is chemically incompatible with the plastic material of the wall, wherein the tank (1) also comprises a strengthening element welded to the wall over the embedded portion (10) of the component (3, 5).