Other

Fts Co., Ltd.

Teijiro Goto

Takashi Ishikawa

Takuya Ishikawa

Tomoyasu Arase

Katsuyuki Miura

Koji Sugiura

Yojiro Iriyama

Tatsutoshi Takashima

The present invention is directed to an opening structure of a fuel tank having a fuel tank wall made of plastic layers including at least an outer layer, an inner layer and an intermediate layer, with an opening portion formed to be integral with the fuel tank wall. The opening structure includes a cylindrical portion extended from the fuel tank wall outward thereof to form the opening portion, an overlapping portion extended from an end of the cylindrical portion to enlarge the diameter of the opening portion and bent at a bent portion to form an outer surface parallel with an opening end surface of the opening portion, and a compressed portion with at least a portion of the overlapping portion compressed in a direction perpendicular to the opening end surface of the opening portion. The opening structure further includes an annular member disposed around the opening portion to be in contact with the overlapping portion and the cylindrical portion, and at least a recessed portion for receiving therein a part of the outer layer to be integrally connected with the opening portion. The annular member has a step portion formed inward of the annular member in a radial direction thereof to contact with at least the compressed portion.

Opening structure of a fuel tank

A lower wall partially defining a fuel storing chamber of a fuel tank curves upward in accordance a decrease in an amount of fuel stored in the fuel storing chamber. The volume of a gaseous space in the fuel storing chamber is reduced, in comparison with a fuel tank in which a lower wall does not deform, by an amount corresponding to a reduction of the volume of the fuel storing chamber achieved by the curvature of the lower wall. An amount of fuel not discharged from the fuel storing chamber via a fuel passage but remaining near a peripheral end portion of the lower wall of the fuel storing chamber due to the upward curvature of the lower wall is discharged via a residual fuel discharging pipe, so that the residual fuel amount of the fuel storing chamber is minimized.

Fuel tank and vehicle equipped with the same

According to the invention, a fuel tank for storing a fuel therein is provided. The fuel tank comprises a pair of spaced deformable thin walls and a deformable connecting wall extending between peripheral edges of the thin walls. The connecting wall and the thin walls define a fuel chamber therein. The thin walls and the connecting wall are connected with each other to cause the connecting wall to expand inwardly when the thin walls expand outwardly.

Fuel tank

Growing community of inventors

Toyota, Japan

Teijiro Goto