Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Patrick Sullivan

Russell Randall Pearce

Scott Alan Bohr

Daniel Frank Cragel

Timothy DeBastos

Christopher Kragh

Michael Igor Kluzner

William Euliss

James Michael Kerns

Aed M Dudar

Robert Roy Jentz

Daniel A Gabor

John Michael Kacewicz

Russ William Ferguson

Chad Michael Olson

A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle, comprising a housing and a compliance structure coupled to the housing, the compliance structure including a support element coupled to a first side of a structural element and a reinforcing element coupled to a second opposing side of the structural element.

Compliance structure for a distensible fuel tank

A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The distensible fuel tank includes a housing and a compliance structure coupled to the housing, the compliance structure including a base element coupled to a side of a structural element.

A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The distensible fuel tank includes a housing having an exterior surface and a lattice structure coupled to the exterior surface, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, at least two of the plurality of wall members having an unequal thickness.

Lattice structure for a distensible fuel tank

A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The distensible fuel tank includes a housing enclosing a lattice structure substantially spanning a portion of an interior defined by the housing, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, at least two of the wall members having an unequal thickness.

A method and system for fuel vapor control in a hybrid vehicle (HEV). The HEV fuel vapor recovery system includes a fuel tank isolation valve, which is normally closed to isolate storage of refueling from storage of diurnal vapors. The method for fuel vapor control includes selectively actuating the fuel tank isolation valve during interrelated routines for refueling, fuel vapor purging, and emission system leak detection diagnostics to improve regulation of pressure and vacuum the HEV fuel vapor recovery system.

Method and system for fuel vapor control

A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The fuel tank may include a housing enclosing a lattice structure including at least two intersecting wall members, each wall member including a plurality of panels arranged in a repeating pattern, the plurality of panels having planar sides including a compliance panel having a first and second section configured to fold about a crease line. In this way, multi-directional compliance of the fuel tank can be achieved, while increasing structural integrity.

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Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Patrick Sullivan