Solvay Automotive, Inc.

Robert D Seizert

James R Osborne

Glenn T VanVolkom

Mark Nulman

Donald L Crites

William S Aseltine

A locking member for use in a fuel tank assembly of the type having a pressurizable tank with an aperture and having a plurality of retaining lugs transversely extending along the periphery of the tank aperture. A fuel sender assembly has a first portion disposed within the aperture and a second portion having a plate-like shoulder in a mating contact with an external tank surface. A seal element is disposed between the tank and the fuel sender assembly in an annular groove or other seal arrangement provided in the external tank surface intermediate the aperture and the retaining lugs. The locking member comprises a locking ring having an aperture through which a portion of the fuel sender assembly extends, the locking ring having a generally planar lower surface in a mating contact with an upper surface of the plate-like shoulder of the fuel sender assembly and having a plurality of tabs corresponding to the plurality of retaining lugs. The locking ring preferably has at least one upwardly projecting protrusion placed around the circumference of the locking ring. The protrusions enhance structural integrity of the locking ring. The tabs have a locking surface, for lockingly engaging the retaining lugs, and a flange section surrounding the retaining lugs for inhibiting permanent deformation thereof due to increased fluid pressure within the tank.

Fuel sender locking ring

A process for treating a container comprised of a normally solid, polymer surface with a sulfur-containing compound is carried out by contacting the surface at a temperature of about 120.degree. to about 140.degree. F. with a sulfur-containing compound. Subsequently, the surface is contacted with a neutralizing agent. The process is conducted for a such a period of time and with such concentrations of the sulfur-containing compound and the neutralizing agent that the container has average permeability to unleaded gasoline having octane number of 93 of not greater than about 0.021 g/hr. The surface, after the treatment, comprises about 700 to about 1800 micrograms of sulfur per square inch of the surface and it is penetrated by the sulfur-containing compound to an average depth of at least about 15 microns.

High sulfur level plastic container sulfonation process and article

A process for treating a container having a normally solid, polymer surface with a sulfur-containing compound is carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a first sulfonation treatment is conducted by: (i) contacting the surface at a temperature of about 115.degree. to about 140.degree. F. with a first sulfur-containing compound; and, (ii) washing the surface with an aqueous liquid. Optionally, in the first stage, after the surface is contacted with the first sulfur-containing compound, but before it is washed with the aqueous liquid, the surface may be contacted with a first neutralizing agent. In the second stage, a second sulfonation treatment is conducted by contacting the surface with a second sulfur-containing compound, a second neutralizing agent and washing the surface with an aqueous liquid. The second sulfur-containing compound and the second neutralizing agent may be the same as or different than the first sulfur-containing compound and the optional first neutralizing agent, respectively. The second sulfonation treatment is conducted in substantially the same manner as the first sulfonation treatment. The process is conducted for such a period of time and with such concentrations of the first and second sulfur-containing compounds, the optional first neutralizing agent and the second neutralizing agent, that the container has average permeability to unleaded gasoline of not greater than about 0.021 g/hr. The surface, after the two stage process is completed, comprises about 200 to about 1500 micrograms of sulfur per square inch of the surface and it is penetrated by the sulfur-containing compound to an average depth of at least about 10 microns.

Two stage process for sulfonating plastic containers

A locking member for use in a fuel tank assembly of the type having a pressurizable tank with an aperture and having a plurality of retaining lugs transversely extending along the periphery of the tank aperture. A fuel sender assembly having a first portion disposed within the aperture and a second portion having a plate-like shoulder in mating contact with an external tank surface. A seal element is disposed between the tank and the fuel sender assembly in an annular groove provided in the external tank surface intermediate the aperture and the retaining lugs. The locking member comprising a locking ring having an aperture through which a portion of the fuel sender assembly extends, the locking ring having a generally planar lower surface in mating contact with an upper surface of the plate-like shoulder of the fuel sender assembly and having a plurality of lug supports corresponding to the plurality of retaining lugs. The lug supports having locking nubs for lockingly engaging the retaining lugs and a flange section surrounding the retaining lugs for inhibiting permanent deformation thereof due to greater fluid pressure within the tank.

A parison forming device is disclosed for forming hollow polymer extrudes of variable wall thickness in either the circumferential or longitudinal directions, or in any combination thereof. The parison forming device consists of a die-head assembly and mandrel assembly, concentrically arranged, creating an annual opening. The inner or outer circumferential perimeter of the annular opening may be selectively modified at specific radial locations through radially displaceable slides positioned about the annular opening. The slides, attached to either the die-head assembly or mandrel assembly, may be actuated during parison formation via hydraulic or other methods so as to provide suitable wall thickness profiles for later finished polymer products.

Apparatus and method for forming hollow parisons of variable wall

An improved thermoplastic airbag for application in motor vehicle occupant restraint systems is disclosed. The blow molded thermoplastic airbag includes at least one reinforcement insert encapsulated at a preselected area on the exterior surface of the airbag. The reinforcement insert providing supplemental support during inflation of the airbag.

Blow molded airbag with fabric reinforcements

An improved plastic fuel tank for motor vehicle applications is disclosed. The blow molded plastic fuel tank has at least one reinforcement insert encapsulated at a preselected area on the exterior surface of the fuel tank. The reinforcement insert provides supplemental support, elasticity and fire resistance, or a combination thereof.

Fabric reinforcement for plastic fuel tanks

A locking member is disclosed for use in a fuel tank assembly of the type having a pressurizable tank with an aperture and having a plurality of retaining lugs transversely extending along the periphery of the tank aperture. A fuel sender assembly having a first portion disposed within the aperture and a second portion having a plate-like shoulder in mating contact with an external tank surface. A seal element is disposed between the tank and the fuel sender assembly in an annular groove provided in the external tank surface intermediate the aperture and the retaining lugs. The locking member comprising a locking ring having an aperture through which a portion of the fuel sender assembly extends, the locking ring having a generally planar lower surface in mating contact with an upper surface of the plate-like shoulder of the fuel sender assembly and having a plurality of tabs corresponding to the plurality of retaining lugs. The tabs having a locking surface for lockingly engaging the retaining lugs and a flange section surrounding the retaining lugs for inhibiting permanent deformation thereof due to greater fluid pressure within the tank.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Robert D Seizert