Patent Application
20090101642
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-273221, filed Oct. 19, 2007. The contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin fuel tank, a fuel inlet structure of the resin fuel tank, and a method for producing the resin fuel tank.
2. Discussion of the Background
A fuel tank molded entirely of a resin, and having a metallic level plate inserted in a fuel inlet thereof is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-198161. The contents of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-198161 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Meanwhile, mounting a metallic level plate in a fuel inlet made of a resin as in the publicly known example improves toughness against falling down, but requires a structure for preventing looseness or fuel leakage. The structure for preventing fuel leakage requires, in addition to a packing of a fuel cap, a dedicated seal to be provided between a level plate and an upstanding portion, as well as a pressing cap for fixing the level plate. This results in an increase in the number of components and complicated structure. Also, since the level plate is provided separately from the upstanding portion, precise positioning of the level plate is burdensome.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a fuel inlet structure of a resin fuel tank includes an upstanding portion and a fuel inlet. The upstanding portion is provided to the resin fuel tank molded by blow molding and stands upright in a cylindrical form. The fuel inlet is provided in the upstanding portion. The upstanding portion is formed by insert molding of a separate fuel inlet component in an integral manner during the blow molding of the tank. The fuel inlet component integrally includes a level plate portion extending downward below an upper surface of the tank.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a fuel inlet structure of a resin fuel tank includes a fuel inlet component which is connected to an upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The fuel inlet component includes a plate portion, an upstanding portion, and a level plate portion. The plate portion is connected to the upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The upstanding portion projects from the plate portion. A fuel inlet is provided in the upstanding portion. The level plate portion extends downward below the upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The fuel inlet component is connected to the upper surface of the resin fuel tank while the resin fuel tank is blow molded.
According to further aspect of the present invention, a resin fuel tank includes a fuel inlet component which is connected to an upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The fuel inlet component includes a plate portion, an upstanding portion, and a level plate portion. The plate portion is connected to the upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The upstanding portion projects from the plate portion. A fuel inlet is provided in the upstanding portion. The level plate portion extends downward below the upper surface of the resin fuel tank. The fuel inlet component is connected to the upper surface of the resin fuel tank while the resin fuel tank is blow molded.
According to further aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a resin fuel tank includes providing a fuel inlet component having a lower surface, a plate portion, an upstanding portion, and a level plate portion. The plate portion has an upper face and a lower face. The upstanding portion projects from the upper face of the plate portion. The fuel inlet is provided in the upstanding portion. The level plate portion projects from the lower face of the plate portion. A resin material is blow molded to stick to the lower surface of the fuel inlet component to form the resin fuel tank.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or identical elements throughout the various drawings.
Grips 6a of the handlebar 6 are located above the top of the tank cover 7, and extend long rearward to reach positions above the bank space between a front cylinder 3a and a rear cylinder 3b.
The vehicle body frame 4 includes: a head pipe 10 supporting the front wheel 1 with the front fork 5 in between; main pipes 11 extending rearward above the power unit 3 from the head pipe 10; center pipes 12 disposed vertically behind the power unit 3; down pipes 13 extending downward in front of the power unit 3 from the head pipe 10; and lower pipes 14 disposed in the front-rear direction below the power unit 3. These pipes are continuously connected with each other so as to form a loop in which the power unit 3 is supported. Seat rails 15 extend rearward, and substantially horizontally, each from a vicinity of the connecting portion of the main pipe 11 and the center pipe 12. Also, the vehicle body frame 4 is provided with back stays 16 connecting obliquely between the center pipes 12 and the seat rails 15.
The front fork 5 is rotatably supported by the head pipe 10. The main pipes 11 are connected at the front end portions thereof to the head pipe 10, while the down pipes 13 are connected at the upper end portions thereof to the head pipe 10. An air cleaner 17 is supported, behind the head pipe 10, and in vicinities of the front end portions of the main pipes 11. A first fuel tank 20 is supported, behind the air cleaner 17, by the intermediate portions, in the front-rear direction, of the main pipes 11, and by the front portions of the seat rails 15.
A second fuel tank 21 is supported by the seat rails 15 behind and below the first fuel tank 20. The second fuel tank 21 is housed in a space surrounded by the center pipes 12, the seat rails 15, and the back stays 16. The front portion of the second fuel tank 21 vertically overlaps a part of the first fuel tank 20.
Each center pipe 12 is provided with, at a shoulder portion in an upper portion thereof, a stay 22 projecting upward and rearward, the shoulder portion being in a vicinity of a part at which the center pipe 12 is bent forward to be connected with the main pipe 11. A cushion unit 23 constituting a rear suspension is supported, at the upper portion thereof, by the stay 22. The stay 22 is disposed to be offset to the left of the vehicle body. The cushion unit 23 is slanted downward and extends rearward on the left side of the vehicle body, and is supported, at the lower end portion thereof, by the intermediate portion of the rear arm 9.
The power unit 3 includes a water-cooled, four-cycle, V engine having the front cylinder 3a and the rear cylinder 3b. The first fuel tank 20 is located above the rear-bank cylinder 3b. A radiator 24 is supported by the down pipes 13. Reference numeral 25 denotes a pivot shaft, which is provided at the intermediate portions, in the vertical direction, of the center pipes 12.
The rear arm 9 is vertically swingably supported, at the front end portion thereof, by the pivot shaft 25 provided at the intermediate portions, in the vertical direction, of the center pipes 12. The rear arm 9 supports, only at the right side of the rear end portion thereof, the rear wheel 2, like a cantilever.
The drive system of the rear wheel 2 is a shaft drive system. The rotational output of the power unit 3 is transmitted via a shaft drive mechanism 27 to a gear box 28 formed in a left portion of the rear end portion of the rear arm 9, so that the rear wheel 2 rotates.
Next, the first fuel tank 20 will be described.
The main body 30 includes, in the upper portion thereof, a flat portion 32 and a back face portion 33 slanted downward, and includes, in the lower portion thereof, a bottom portion 34 slanted downward substantially as a whole.
A cylindrical upstanding portion 35 is formed integrally at the center of the flat portion 32. The upstanding portion 35 has a male thread 36 formed therearound, and has the upper end portion opened to serve as an opening portion 37 of a fuel inlet (see
A breather portion 38 is provided on the right side of the front portion of the flat portion 32, and has a breather tube 39 projecting to the left of the vehicle body. A nozzle 40 projecting rearward is integrally formed behind the breather portion 38, and to the right of the upstanding portion 35. The nozzle 40 is an air bleed hole and communicates with the second fuel tank 21 via an unillustrated tube.
A mounting hole 41 for mounting a fuel sensor (not illustrated) is provided in the left side of the front portion of the flat portion 32 and has a mounting seat 42 provided therearound, on which the unillustrated fuel sensor is mounted.
The main body 30 has a pipe 43 formed to project rearward at the rear end portion thereof, and connected with the second fuel tank 21 with an unillustrated hose so as to allow the fuel in the first fuel tank 20 to be dropped into the second fuel tank 21.
As shown in
The fuel inlet component 51 is formed by injection molding or the like using polyethylene resin or the like in advance separately from the fuel tank. A plate portion 52 forming a part of the flat portion 32 is integrally formed on the side surface of the fuel inlet component 51, and extends substantially horizontally. A part, located below the plate portion 52, of the fuel inlet component 51 forms a level plate portion 53 extending downward while being tapered downward. A lower opening 54 is formed in the lower end portion of the level plate portion 53 so as to communicate with the inside of the first fuel tank 20.
A cylindrical member 55 made of an appropriate metal such as iron is integrated on the inner circumferential side of the fuel inlet component 51 by insert molding. The cylindrical member 55 has a cylindrical shape being tapered downward, and upper and lower opening edges thereof are rolled outward to form opening portions 56, 57. The opening portions 56 and 57 bite into the thick wall of the fuel inlet component 51, thereby reinforcing the integration of the fuel inlet component 51 and the cylindrical member 55. The cylindrical member 55 is exposed at the intermediate portion thereof on the inner circumferential surface of the fuel inlet component 51.
The fuel inlet component 51 has a hole penetrating therethrough in the axial direction thereof. The hole forms a fuel inlet 58 and the upper end portion of the hole forms the opening portion 37 of the fuel inlet.
A part, below the plate portion 52, of the fuel inlet component 51 is integrated with an upper wall 60 of the first fuel tank 20. The upper wall 60 underlies the plate portion 52 and forms the flat portion 32 together with the plate portion 52. A part of the upper wall 60 forms an outer level plate portion 61 overlapping the outer side of the level plate portion 53. The level plate portion 53 and the outer level plate portion 61 are integrated to form a level plate 70.
A lower opening 62 is formed in the lower end portion of the outer level plate portion 61. The lower opening 62 is closed immediately after the blow molding, and the closed part is cut off together with a bottom portion, which is also closed, of the fuel inlet component 51, so that the lower openings 54 and 62 are simultaneously formed.
As shown in
On the outer circumferential side of the inner cylindrical portion 67, a packing 68 is disposed in a region surrounded by the ceiling portion 66 and the outer cylindrical portion 64, so that the opening portion 56 of the cylindrical member 55 is in contact with the packing 68 for sealing. In this way, a gap between the ceiling portion 66 and the upper end of the upstanding portion 35 is sealed. Reference numeral 69 denotes a vent hole.
As shown in
At the same time, the upper wall 60 overlaps the lower side of the plate portion 52 so as to be tightly integrated with the lower side. At this time, the mounting hole 41 (see
Subsequently, the effect of this embodiment will be described. In
This eliminates the need for positioning each time, as in the case of a separate level plate being inserted into and attached to a fuel inlet having been molded. As a result, simple and precise positioning is achieved.
Also, since the fuel inlet component 51, separately formed in advance, and the main body 30 are integrally molded, any special fixing member or seal is unnecessary to be provided for the level plate 70. As in the conventional case, only the packing 69 provided between the upstanding portion 35 and the fuel cap 50 suffice for sealing, leading to reduction in the number of components, and to a simple structure.
In addition, the cylindrical member 55 made of a metal is integrated, by insert molding, in only the part, above the plate portion 52, of the fuel inlet component 51 corresponding to the upstanding portion 35. Accordingly, the toughness against falling down is improved, as well as the integration by the insert molding prevents looseness from occurring.
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-273221 | Oct 2007 | JP | national |
