Undercover Fixation for Fuel Cell Vehicle Hydrogen Tank
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell vehicles with hydrogen tanks positioned in the underfloor center tunnel, the undercover cannot be directly fixed to the floor, leading to increased fixation pitch, potential flapping, and decreased attachment strength due to the hydrogen tank's presence, affecting aerodynamic, noise, and vibration performance.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell vehicle design featuring a floor with a projecting portion that allows the hydrogen tank to be fixed underneath, and an undercover with side fixation protrusions that project upward to be secured to the floor, either directly or via a belt member, thereby reducing the fixation pitch and enhancing attachment strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the hydrogen tank is arranged in the center tunnel of the underfloor, then the fuel cell vehicle can be provided with a compact layout, but the undercover cannot be fixed directly to the floor, leading to increased fixation pitch and decreased attachment strength
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is divided into a first region (without projecting portion) and a second region (with projecting portion). The undercover is fixed in both regions, with the fixation pitch being smaller in the second region where the projecting portion is provided. This segmentation allows the hydrogen tank to be arranged compactly in the center tunnel while maintaining strong attachment in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
A projecting portion is added to the floor in the width direction, creating a three-dimensional structure that allows the undercover to be fixed both in front of and behind the hydrogen tank with reduced fixation pitch. This dimensional addition enables the undercover to bypass the hydrogen tank obstruction and achieve proper fixation points.
2Volume of moving object
If the fixation pitch of the undercover is increased due to the hydrogen tank arrangement, then the hydrogen tank can be accommodated in the center tunnel, but flapping in the undercover may be generated and attachment strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is segmented into regions with different fixation requirements. The second region includes a projecting portion that enables the undercover to be fixed at multiple points (front and rear of the hydrogen tank), reducing the effective fixation pitch and preventing flapping while accommodating the hydrogen tank in the center tunnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The projecting portion acts as an intermediary structure that provides additional fixation points for the undercover. It mediates between the hydrogen tank arrangement and the undercover fixation requirements, allowing the undercover to be securely attached at multiple locations despite the presence of the hydrogen tank in the center tunnel.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell vehicle mounted with a fuel gas tank in an underfloor of the vehicle. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a floor that has a projecting portion projecting upward in a height direction of the vehicle and extending along a front and rear direction of the vehicle; a fuel gas tank arranged under the projecting portion in the height direction of the vehicle and fixed to the floor; and an undercover arranged under the fuel gas tank in the height direction of the vehicle. The undercover has a fixation protruded portion that projects upward in the height direction of the vehicle in a side of the fuel gas tank in a width direction of the vehicle, and being fixed to the floor by the fixation protruded portion.