JP2002332927A - Flame-resistant material for resin fuel tank, and flame- resistant structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect a resin fuel tank from flames. SOLUTION: Flame-resistant material 2 mainly comprising carbon fibers is installed on flame-resistant parts of the resin fuel tank 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a resin fuel tank,
For example, the present invention relates to a fire-resistant material and a fire-resistant structure of a resin fuel tank for an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, metal fuel tanks mounted on automobiles are often used.

[0003]

The conventional metal fuel tank is heavier and more susceptible to corrosion than a resin fuel tank.
There are drawbacks such as a low degree of freedom in shape.

Therefore, when this fuel tank is formed of a resin, the fuel tank is made lighter than a metal fuel tank, and is not corroded and has flexibility in responding to a shape change by resin molding. Therefore, in order to form a fuel tank with a resin, it is necessary to use an expensive heat-resistant resin that can withstand high temperatures that does not soften or cause perforation during a fire test.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flame resistant material and a flame resistant structure for a resin fuel tank which prevents the resin fuel tank from being fired and facilitates the realization of the resin fuel tank. It is.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flame-retardant resin fuel tank formed of carbon fiber in a mat shape. Material.

A second aspect of the present invention is a flame-retardant material for a resin fuel tank formed by mixing carbon fibers and a resin and molding the mixture into a predetermined shape along the fuel tank.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flame-retardant flame-retardant resin fuel tank in which a refractory material formed in a mat shape by carbon fibers is attached to a necessary outer surface of the resin fuel tank. Structure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a refractory material formed by mixing a carbon fiber and a resin into a predetermined shape along a fuel tank is attached to a necessary outer surface of a resin fuel tank. It is a flame resistant structure of a resin fuel tank which is a feature.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third or fourth aspect, there is provided a flame resistant structure for a resin fuel tank in which a flame resistant material is attached to at least an upper corner of the resin tank. .

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment, in which a fuel tank 1 is formed into a predetermined shape from a resin material.

On the side surface 1a and the upper surface 1b of the resin fuel tank 1, a fire-resistant material 2 formed along the surfaces is disposed. The reason why the refractory material 2 is disposed on the side surface 1a and the upper surface 1b of the fuel tank 1 is that the bottom plate forming the lower surface 1c of the fuel tank 1 is cooled by the fuel (gasoline) in the fuel tank 1. This is because no perforation occurs on the lower surface 1c side within the flame resistance test time even without the flame resistant material. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the side piece 2a of the refractory material 2 is formed so as to cover the side surface 1a above a position slightly above the lower surface 1c of the fuel tank 1.
The upper piece 2b is formed so as to cover the entire upper surface 1b of the fuel tank 1, and the side piece 2a and the upper piece 2b are integrally formed.

The flame-retardant material 2 is mainly composed of carbon fiber. For example, a mat-like material in which a large number of carbon fibers and a resin are mixed is manufactured, and the mat-like material is heated to form a molding machine. Thereby, it is formed into a predetermined shape along the outer shape of the fuel tank. In addition, resin fibers or resin powder is used as the resin. As the resin, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon and the like are used.

When the carbon fiber and the resin are mixed as described above, the mixing ratio is set as desired in consideration of the molding strength, the flame resistance, and the like. It is desirable to set it to 50%.

The refractory material 2 may be formed only of carbon fibers without mixing with the resin as described above.
For example, a large number of carbon fibers may be laminated, entangled by needle processing and formed into a mat shape to form the refractory flame material 2, which may be arranged along the outer surface of the fuel tank 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a method for attaching the refractory flame material 2 to the fuel tank 1 is a method for bonding the refractory flame material 2 to the fuel tank 1 with an adhesive 3, or a method shown in FIG. As shown in the second embodiment, a resin-made perforated clamp 4 is welded to the outer surface of the fuel tank 1, and the refractory material 2 is fixed to the clamp 4 with a fixing member 5 such as a screw or a clip. You may make it attach it.

As described above, the fire resistant material 2 was attached to the resin fuel tank 1 and a fire resistance test was conducted. As a result, the flame ran from the lower surface 1c of the fuel tank 1 to the upper side and crawled upward. Since the lower surface 1c of the fuel tank 1 is cooled by the fuel (gasoline) in the fuel tank 1, the temperature rise of the fuel tank 1 due to heat is slow, and
Since the side surface 1a and the upper surface 1b are covered with a fire-resistant material 2 mainly composed of carbon fiber having high heat resistance and heat insulation properties,
The flame did not come into contact with the resin fuel tank 1 and no holes were made in the fuel tank within the fire resistance test time.

Further, since the carbon fibers forming the refractory material 2 have a lower heat storage property than the glass fibers and the ceramic fibers, if the heating is stopped after heating, the carbon fibers are quickly adapted to the atmospheric temperature and rapidly cooled. Therefore, after being released from the flame after the fire test time, the refractory material 2 is rapidly cooled,
The resin tank 1 was not perforated.

Therefore, the flame-resistant material 2 has a function as an insulator for protecting the resin fuel tank 1 from the flame.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refractory material 2 is provided on the side surface 1a and the upper surface 1a of the fuel tank 1.
It may be provided on the entire surface of b, or may be provided partially on a portion required for the flame resistance. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the refractory flame material 2 may be attached only to the upper corner 1d of the resin fuel tank 1. That is, it may be provided only on the side surface and the upper surface of the upper corner portion 1d in the fuel tank.

[0022]

As described above, by attaching the flame-resistant material to the outer surface of the portion of the resin fuel tank required for flame resistance, it is possible to prevent the flame from contacting the resin fuel tank at that portion. Therefore, the fuel tank can be formed of an inexpensive resin such as polyethylene without using an expensive heat-resistant resin such as polyester or nylon that can withstand high temperatures. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to the spread of resin fuel tanks that are lighter and have better moldability than metal tanks.

In particular, by forming the flame-retardant material using carbon fiber as a main material, the heat resistance of the flame-retardant material was high and the time required for perforating the fuel tank was increased in the fire resistance test. Moreover, after the heating was completed, it was rapidly cooled in accordance with the atmospheric temperature, and it was found that the flame resistance was high.

Further, in the case where carbon fiber and resin are mixed as the flame-resistant material, the flame-resistant material can be easily formed into a desired shape along the outer surface of the resin fuel tank by resin molding.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Resin fuel tank 1a Side surface of resin fuel tank 1b Upper surface of resin fuel tank 1c Lower surface of resin fuel tank 1d Corner part of resin fuel tank 2 Fire resistant material 2a Side piece of fire resistant material 2b Fire resistant material Upper part of

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Teijiro Goto 2-26 Konosu-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Horie Metal Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Takashi Nakajima 2-26 Konosu-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Horie Metal Industry F term in reference (reference) 3D038 CA08 CA11 CA15 CC20 CD07 3E062 AA07 AB03 AC02 JA03 JA04 JB01 JC02 JD04

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A flame-retardant material for a resin fuel tank, which is formed in a mat shape from carbon fibers. 2. A flame-retardant material for a resin fuel tank formed by mixing carbon fibers and a resin into a predetermined shape along the fuel tank. 3. A flame-retardant structure for a resin fuel tank, wherein a refractory material formed in a mat shape by carbon fibers is attached to a required outer surface of the resin fuel tank. 4. A fire-resistant material for a resin fuel tank, wherein a refractory material formed by mixing carbon fiber and resin into a predetermined shape along the fuel tank is attached to a required outer surface of the resin fuel tank. Flame structure. 5. A flame resistant structure for a resin fuel tank according to claim 3, wherein a flame resistant material is attached only to the upper corner portion of the resin tank.