JPS6139627Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to a fuel tank support structure for an automobile, and in particular, a tunnel is formed in the widthwise center of the floor panel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, protruding upward and having an open bottom surface. The present invention relates to a fuel tank support structure for an automobile in which the fuel tank is disposed within a tunnel.

In general, in automobiles, especially passenger cars, the fuel tank is located behind the seat at the rear end of the passenger space, but this limits the use of space at the rear of the vehicle by the space for the fuel tank.

In order to solve these problems, in vehicles such as rear-engine/rear-drive vehicles or front-engine/front-drive vehicles in which the propeller shaft does not run vertically below the floor panel of the vehicle, A tunnel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed in the center that projects upward from the floor panel surface and is open at the bottom, and the fuel tank is placed within the tunnel to make effective use of the space at the rear of the vehicle. At the same time, it is conceivable to shorten the overall length of the vehicle and reduce the vehicle weight.

In the case of the above-mentioned automobiles, the fuel tank must be supported from below by a plate that closes the opening at the bottom of the tunnel, or it must be supported within the tunnel by means such as hanging from a tank band. When suspending a fuel tank using a tank band, it is usually possible to hang the tank band at several points in the longitudinal direction of the fuel tank and support the tank, but the installation work is troublesome and requires a lot of work. There are disadvantages of low efficiency and high costs.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a support structure for a fuel tank in which the fuel tank can be supported by a single mounting band.

This idea includes a tunnel that protrudes upward from the floor panel surface at the center in the width direction of the floor panel, has an open bottom, and is shaped to accommodate a fuel tank inside; and a band receiving surface formed in the longitudinal direction of the fuel tank; and a mounting band whose both ends are fixed at two places spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel at the upper part of one side in the width direction of the inner surface of the tunnel; The tank is arranged so that the band receiving surface is in close contact with the side surface opposite to both ends of the band in the tunnel, and the mounting band is diagonally crossed across the front and rear surfaces of the fuel tank and is attached to the band receiving surface so that the fuel The above objective is achieved by supporting the tank.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an automobile in which the fuel tank support structure according to the present invention is implemented, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line - in the figure, and a perspective view showing the fuel tank and tank band of the same embodiment.

As shown in the figure, this embodiment has a shape in which the floor panel 1 of a rear engine/rear drive type automobile has a shape that projects upward in the widthwise center and has an opening at the bottom and can accommodate a fuel tank 2 inside. a band receiving surface 4 formed diagonally on the lower surface of the fuel tank 2 and in the longitudinal direction of the fuel tank 2; both ends of which are located at the upper part of one widthwise side of the inner surface of the tunnel, at the front and rear of the tunnel 3; Mounting band 5 fixed at two locations spaced apart in the direction
and; the fuel tank 2 is arranged so that the band receiving surface 5 is in contact with the side surface opposite to both ends of the mounting band 5 in the tunnel 3, and the mounting band 5 is arranged so that the mounting band 5 is attached to the side surface of the fuel tank 3. The band extends diagonally across the front and rear surfaces and extends over the band receiving surface 4 to support the fuel tank 2.

The fuel tank 2 is formed by welding an upper tank 2A and a lower tank 2B, each having a substantially triangular cross section, and the seam portion 6 is located at the front and rear end surfaces of the substantially square shape of the fuel tank 2, along one diagonal line of the square. It is located above the fuel tank and is configured to be located on a pair of corners in the front-rear direction of the fuel tank.

The band receiving surface 4 is slightly larger than the mounting band 5 so as to be substantially orthogonal to the diagonal line, adjacent to and below the seam portion 6 at the lower corner when the fuel tank 2 is viewed from the front and rear directions. It is formed with a width.

Furthermore, the mounting band 5 has a length larger than the length of the fuel tank 2 at a corner 3A of the tunnel 3 at a position opposite to the band receiving surface 4, that is, at the upper side of the tunnel 3 on the opposite side from the band receiving surface 4. Both ends of the brackets 7 are tightened and fixed by bolts 8 and nuts 9, respectively, to a pair of front and rear brackets 7 that are mounted apart from each other in the front and rear direction. Number 1 in the diagram
0 indicates a buffer material disposed between the upper surface of the fuel tank 2, the side surface opposite to the band receiving surface 4, and the inner surface of the tunnel 3.

The fuel tank 2 is attached to the tunnel 3 with an attachment band 5 as shown in FIG.
will be supported within.

Here, reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1 is a dash panel, 1
2 indicates a back panel, and 13 indicates an inlet pipe.

In this embodiment, since the fuel tank is supported by one mounting band, not only the efficiency of the fuel tank assembly work is improved, but also the seam of the fuel tank 2 is attached to the upper part of the band receiving surface 4. Part 6
This arrangement facilitates positioning when assembling the fuel tank 2, and since the seam portion 6 is engaged with the mounting band 5, the fuel tank 2 is stably supported. be.

In the above embodiment, the fuel tank 2 includes an upper tank 2A and a lower tank 2B each having a substantially triangular cross section.
However, the present invention can also be applied to fuel tanks of other shapes.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to support the fuel tank in the tunnel with a single mounting band, which has the advantage of improving the workability of installing the fuel tank and reducing costs. It has a good effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the main parts of an automobile in which the fuel tank support structure according to the present invention is implemented, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the same embodiment. It is a perspective view showing a fuel tank and a support band. M...Car, 1...Floor panel, 2...Fuel tank, 3...Tunnel, 4...Band receiving surface,
5...Mounting band, 6...Seam part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a tunnel in the center of the width direction of the floor panel that protrudes upward from the floor panel surface, has an open bottom surface, and is shaped to accommodate a fuel tank inside; diagonally on the bottom surface of the fuel tank;
and a band receiving surface formed in the longitudinal direction of the fuel tank; and a mounting band whose both ends are fixed to two places spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel at the upper part of one side in the width direction of the inner surface of the tunnel; The fuel tank is arranged such that the band receiving surface is in contact with a side surface opposite to both ends of the band in the tunnel, and the mounting band diagonally crosses the front and rear surfaces of the fuel tank and the band An automobile fuel tank support structure that supports a fuel tank by being hung on a receiving surface.