FUEL TANK COUPLING ASSEMBLY
A fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank and a coupling assembly for coupling the fuel tank to the underbody of a vehicle. The fuel tank includes a tank body and a plurality of tabs extending from the tank body. Each tab has a tab opening. The coupling assembly includes at least one strap partially surrounding the fuel tank. The strap defines a strap opening. The coupling assembly further includes at least one fastener extending through the strap opening and the tab opening. Further, the coupling assembly includes a compression sleeve partially positioned in the tab opening. The compression sleeve defines a sleeve opening for receiving the fastener. The compression sleeve has a height that is greater than the height of each of the tabs in order to attenuate the transfer of tensile loads from the at least one strap to the tabs.
The present disclosure relates to a coupling assembly for coupling a fuel tank to a vehicle body.
BACKGROUNDSome vehicles include a fuel tank for storing fuel, such as gasoline. In cars, the fuel tank is typically coupled to the underbody of the vehicle. To do so, fasteners can be used to couple the fuel tank to the underbody of the vehicle.
SUMMARYIt is useful to maintain the fuel tank in a horizontal position relative to the underbody of the vehicle to enhance the structural integrity of the connection between the fuel tank and the vehicle body. The present disclosure describes a coupling assembly capable of coupling the fuel tank to the underbody of the vehicle while maintaining the fuel tank in a horizontal position relative to the floor pan of the vehicle. The fuel tank includes a tank body and a plurality of tabs extending from the tank body. Each tab has a tab opening. The coupling assembly includes at least one strap partially surrounding the fuel tank. The strap defines a strap opening. The coupling assembly further includes at least one fastener extending through the strap opening and the tab opening. Further, the coupling assembly includes a compression sleeve partially positioned in the tab opening. The compression sleeve defines a sleeve opening for receiving the fastener. The compression sleeve has a height that is greater than the height of each of the tabs in order to minimize transfer of tensile loads from the strap to the tabs. The arrangement of the coupling assembly allows the fuel tank to float vertically along the compression sleeves. The present disclosure also describes a vehicle including the coupling assembly described above.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers correspond to like or similar components throughout the several figures, and beginning with
The vehicle 10 may be a land vehicle, such as a car, or any other suitable vehicle, such as a boat. In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle 10 is a car and includes a plurality of wheels 16 coupled to the vehicle body 12. The vehicle body 12 includes an underbody 18 configured to face the road. The underbody 18 of the vehicle body 12 may be formed by a floor pan 20, which is made of a substantially rigid material, such as a metal or metal alloy. The floor pan 20 may be substantially flat.
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The fuel tank 14 further includes a plurality of grooves 34 extending along the bottom body wall 32, the front body wall 28, and the rear body wall 30. Although the drawings show two grooves 34, it is contemplated that the fuel tank 14 may have more or fewer grooves 34. Each groove 34 extends along the entire width BW of the bottom body wall 32, but only along a portion of the front body wall 28 and the rear body wall 30.
The fuel tank 14 further includes a plurality of tabs 36 at the end of (or at least near the end of) the grooves 34. Each tab 36 extends from the tank body 22 in the fore-aft direction F. In particular, the tabs 36 include front (or first) tabs 37A and rear (or second) tabs 37B. The front tabs 37A extend from the front body wall 28, and the rear tabs 37B extend from the rear body wall 30. In the depicted embodiment, the front tabs 37A are molded with the tank body 22, whereas the rear tabs 37B are welded to the tank body 22. Each front tab 37A includes a substantially planar front tab body 40 extending directly from the front body wall 28 away from the rear body wall 30. The substantially planar front tab body 40 is parallel to a horizontal plane P in order to help maintain the fuel tank 14 in a substantially horizontal position relative to the vehicle body 12. The rear tabs 37B include a connection portion 42 and a substantially planar rear tab body 44 coupled to the connection portion 42. The connection portion 42 is directly coupled (e.g., welded) to the fuel tank body 22 and extends from the fuel tank body 22 away from the bottom body wall 32. The rear tab body 44 extends perpendicularly from the connection portion 42 and is parallel to the horizontal plane P.
Although the drawings show two front tabs 37A and two rear tabs 37B, the fuel tank 14 may include more or fewer tabs 36. Regardless of the specific quantity, at least a portion of each tab 36 has a substantially planar shape in order to allow the fuel tank 14 to be positioned horizontally along a horizontal plane P (
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The coupling assembly 56 further includes a compression sleeve 66 in each tab opening 46A (and 46B) for managing the vertical tensile loads V (
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The compression sleeve 66 additionally includes a first rim 76 and a second rim 78 extending outwardly (i.e., away from the sleeve opening 74) from the sleeve body 68. The first rim 76 extends from a first sleeve end 80 of the sleeve body 68, and the second rim 78 extends from a second sleeve end 82 of the sleeve body 68. The second sleeve end 82 is opposite the first sleeve end 80 of the sleeve body 68.
The compression sleeve 66 is made of a substantially rigid material (e.g., rigid metal) capable of withstanding the vertical tensile loads V (
With reference to
To couple the fuel tank 14 to the vehicle body 12 using the coupling assembly 56, one sleeve body 68 is positioned in each tab opening 46A (and 46B). Then, the threaded shaft 52 of one fastener 48 is inserted through the strap opening 64 (of each strap 58), the sleeve opening 74, and the pan openings 21. A washer 89 can be positioned between the head 50 of the fastener 48 and the strap 58 to help distribute the loads along the strap 58. The head 50 is disposed outside the sleeve opening 74, and the threaded shaft 52 is partly disposed inside the sleeve opening 74. Then, one nut 54 is coupled and tightened to each threaded shaft 52 to secure the fastener 48 to the underbody 18 of the vehicle body 12. At this juncture, the first rim 76 of the compression sleeve 66 is in contact with (and pressed against) the floor pan 20, and the second rim 78 is in contact with (and pressed against) the strap 58.
While the best modes for carrying out the teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this disclosure relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the teachings within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body including a floor pan, wherein the floor pan includes at least one pan opening;
- a fuel tank coupled to the floor pan, wherein the fuel tank includes a tank body and a plurality of tabs extending from the tank body, wherein each of the tabs defines a tab opening and has a height;
- a coupling assembly coupling the fuel tank to the floor pan, wherein the coupling assembly includes: at least one strap partially surrounding the fuel tank, wherein the at least one strap defines a strap opening; at least one fastener extending through the strap opening, and the tab opening in order to couple the strap to the fuel tank; a compression sleeve partially positioned in the tab opening, wherein the compression sleeve defines a sleeve opening, and the at least one fastener extends through the sleeve opening and the at least one pan opening in order to couple the fuel tank to the floor pan; and
- wherein the compression sleeve has a height that is greater than the height of each of the tabs in order to attenuate transfer of tensile loads from the at least one strap to the tabs.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the compression sleeve includes a sleeve body, a first rim coupled to the sleeve body, and a second rim coupled to the sleeve body, the first rim contacts the floor pan, and the second rim contacts the at least one strap.
3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the sleeve body defines a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end opposite the first sleeve end, the first rim extends from the first sleeve end, and the second rim extends from the second sleeve end.
4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the at least one fastener includes a head and a threaded shaft coupled to the head, the head is disposed outside the sleeve opening, and the threaded shaft is partly disposed inside the sleeve opening.
5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the threaded shaft has an external diameter, the sleeve opening has a maximum diameter, and the maximum diameter is greater than the external diameter.
6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the sleeve body has an oblong shape.
7. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a nut threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft, wherein the nut is in contact with the floor pan in order to secure the at least one fastener to the floor pan.
8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tank body includes a front body wall, a rear body wall opposite the front body wall, and a bottom body wall interconnecting the front body wall and the rear body wall, the plurality of tabs includes front tabs and rear tabs, the front tabs extend from the front body wall, and the rear tabs extend from the rear body wall.
9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the at least one strap includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion is coupled to one of the front tabs, and the second end portion is coupled to one of the rear tabs.
10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the fuel tank defines at least one groove extending along an entire width of the bottom body wall, and the at least one strap is at least partially disposed in the at least one groove.
11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is positioned horizontally along a horizontal plane, and each of the tabs has a substantially planar shape that is parallel to the horizontal plane.
12. A fuel tank assembly, comprising:
- a fuel tank including a tank body and a plurality of tabs extending from the tank body, wherein each of the tabs defines a tab opening and has a height;
- at least one strap partially surrounding the fuel tank, wherein the at least one strap defines a strap opening;
- at least one fastener extending through the strap opening and the tab opening in order to couple the strap to the fuel tank;
- a compression sleeve partially positioned in the tab opening, wherein the compression sleeve defines a sleeve opening, and the at least one fastener extends through the sleeve opening; and
- wherein the compression sleeve has a height that is greater than the height of each of the tabs in order to attenuate transfer of tensile loads from the at least one strap to the tabs.
13. The fuel tank assembly of claim 12, wherein the compression sleeve includes a sleeve body, a first rim coupled to the sleeve body, and a second rim coupled to the sleeve body, the first rim is configured to contact a floor pan, and the second rim contacts the at least one strap.
14. The fuel tank assembly of claim 13, wherein the sleeve body defines a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end opposite the first sleeve end, the first rim extends from the first sleeve end, and the second rim extends from the second sleeve end.
15. The fuel tank assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one fastener includes a head and a threaded shaft coupled to the head, the head is disposed outside the sleeve opening and the threaded shaft is partly disposed inside the sleeve opening.
16. The fuel tank assembly of claim 15, wherein the threaded shaft has an external diameter, the sleeve opening has a maximum diameter, and the maximum diameter is greater than the external diameter.
17. The fuel tank assembly of claim 16, wherein the sleeve body has an oblong shape.
18. The fuel tank assembly of claim 16, further comprising a nut threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft.
19. The fuel tank assembly of claim 12, wherein the tank body includes a front body wall, a rear body wall opposite the front body wall, and a bottom body wall interconnecting the front body wall and the rear body wall, the plurality of tabs includes front tabs and rear tabs, the front tabs extend from the front body wall, and the rear tabs extend from the rear body wall.
20. The fuel tank assembly of claim 12, wherein the fuel tank is positioned horizontally along a horizontal plane, and the each of the tabs have a substantially planar shape that is parallel to the horizontal plane.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 13, 2014
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2016
Inventors: Jeffrey S. Basista (Milford, MI), Philip A. Yaccarino (Troy, MI)
Application Number: 14/512,665