JP2008049961A - Tank mounting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide structure for loading a tank capable of maintaining assembling condition of the tank and piping in the stable condition and facilitated in loading of the tank on a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of high-pressure tanks 10 are housed in a unit case 21 opened in the top thereof, and a valve 10a is fitted to the high-pressure tank 10 and a supply pipe 36 and a filling pipe 37 are connected to the valve 10a, and the high-pressure tank 10 is fixed to the unit case 21 by a tank band 31 to form a tank unit 11. The tank unit 11 is arranged in a predetermined fitting position in the bottom of the vehicle, and assembled in the bottom of the vehicle by fitting bolts 44. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tank mounting structure for mounting a tank such as a high-pressure gas tank on a vehicle.

  Generally, a vehicle equipped with a drive source such as a fuel cell or a gas engine is equipped with a plurality of high-pressure gas tanks filled with gas to be supplied to the drive source. In order to mount this type of high-pressure gas tank on a vehicle, first install pipes and valves on the tank, check for gas leaks, and then place it at a predetermined position on the bottom of the vehicle with a dedicated jig. It was fixed to the vehicle by the structural member.

Further, after the tank is attached, an under cover for protection from a stepping stone during traveling is attached so as to cover the periphery of the tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-370550 A

  By the way, as described above, in the mounting structure in which the tank is mounted on the vehicle after the piping members such as piping and valves are assembled to the tank, the tank and the piping member are separated until they are mounted on the vehicle and fixed. Become unstable. Further, after the tank is mounted on the vehicle, it is necessary to attach an under cover for protecting the tank to the vehicle.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a tank mounting structure capable of facilitating mounting on a vehicle while maintaining the assembled state of the tank and piping members in a stable state. It is an object.

  In order to achieve the above object, the tank mounting structure of the present invention is a tank mounting structure in which a plurality of tanks are mounted on the bottom of a vehicle, and each tank is stored in a case having a storage space. A tank unit to which a piping member is attached is assembled to the bottom of the vehicle.

  According to this configuration, each tank is housed in a case, and piping members such as pipes and valves can be attached and assembled as a unit as a tank unit so that it can be assembled to the bottom of the vehicle. Simplification can be achieved. Moreover, by unitizing, it can mount in a vehicle in the state which stabilized the assembly state of piping members, such as a tank and piping attached to the tank or a tank.

  Furthermore, since the tank is covered with the case, it is possible to eliminate the need to attach an under cover for protecting the tank to the vehicle after the tank is mounted on the vehicle.

  The case may be opened only on the upper side, which is the attachment side to the bottom of the vehicle.

  According to this configuration, the case can be reduced in weight by opening and opening the upper side, and interference with the case of piping members such as piping and valves attached to the tank can be suppressed. .

  The tank may be fastened by a tank band formed in a band shape and fixed to the case.

  According to this configuration, the tank can be fixed to the case satisfactorily and easily, and the attachment state of the tank and the piping member can be further stabilized.

  One end of the tank may be slidably supported in the axial direction of the tank by a support portion provided in the case, and the other end may be fastened and fixed to the case.

  According to this configuration, the tank can be fixed to the case satisfactorily and easily, and the attachment state of the tank and the piping member can be further stabilized. In addition, expansion and contraction in the axial direction of the tank can be absorbed by the support portion.

  In this case, the tank may be fixed with its outer peripheral surface spaced from the bottom surface of the case.

  According to this configuration, since the space is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the tank and the bottom surface of the case, the expansion and contraction in the radial direction of the tank can be absorbed in the space.

  The tank unit is fixed to the bottom of the vehicle by fixing the case with a bolt, or by fixing both ends of a band-shaped fixing band passed to the bottom of the case to the bottom of the vehicle. It may be assembled to.

  According to this structure, a tank unit can be assembled | attached to the bottom part of a vehicle favorably and easily.

  According to the tank mounting structure of the present invention, it is possible to facilitate mounting on a vehicle while maintaining the assembled state of the tank and the piping member in a stable state.

  Embodiments of a tank mounting structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell that generates electric power upon receiving a reaction gas will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a tank unit mounted on the vehicle, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tank unit.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle S includes a chassis 1 constituting a bottom surface and a body 2 provided above the chassis 1. The vehicle S is on the front side in the traveling direction. A fuel cell 3, a PCU (Power Control Unit) 4 and a traction motor 5 are installed on the front side of the vehicle S.

  The fuel cell 3 has a fuel cell stack that constitutes a power generation unit by stacking a required number of cells that receive a supply of a reaction gas, a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, and generate power by an electrochemical reaction. The cell constituting the stack is composed of an electrolyte membrane and MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) composed of a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides thereof, and a pair of separators sandwiching the MEA.

  In the fuel cell stack constituting the fuel cell 3, hydrogen gas that is a fuel gas and air as an oxidizing gas are caused to flow on both sides via the MEA, and the hydrogen gas and oxygen in the air pass through the MEA. It generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction.

  The electric power generated by the fuel cell 3 is supplied to the traction motor 5 via the PCU 4. The PCU 4 includes an inverter, a DC-DC converter, and the like that are disposed between the fuel cell 3 and the traction motor 5. When the traction motor 5 is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the wheels 6 and the vehicle S travels.

  A tank unit 11 having a plurality of high-pressure tanks 10 filled with hydrogen gas, which is a fuel gas, at a high pressure (for example, 70 MPa) is installed at the bottom of the vehicle S on the rear side. The high-pressure tanks 10 of these tank units 11 are connected to the fuel cell 3 by a supply pipe 12 for supplying fuel gas, and hydrogen gas in the high-pressure tank 10 is supplied to the fuel cell 3 by the supply pipe 12.

  Although not shown in the figure, the vehicle S is connected to the fuel cell 3 to supply, for example, air as an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell 3, and the air is supplied to the fuel cell 3 provided in the supply tube. An air compressor, a humidifier for humidifying the air to be fed, an exhaust pipe for discharging air off-gas (oxidation off-gas) discharged from the fuel cell 3, a hydrogen pump for circulating the hydrogen off-gas from the fuel cell 3, and the like are also mounted.

  Next, the structure of the tank unit 11 mounted on the vehicle S will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tank unit 11 has a unit case (case) 21 formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and a storage space 21 a formed inside the unit case 21. Inside, a high-pressure tank (tank) 10 is arranged and stored in parallel. The unit case 21 is formed in a box shape having an opening 22 on the upper side, and is integrally formed with, for example, a resin such as hard plastic.

  On the bottom surface 21 </ b> A of the unit case 21, a support member 23 made of a material that can follow a change in the outer diameter of the high-pressure tank 10, such as metal or urethane, is provided. In the support member 23, storage grooves 23 a formed in an arc shape in cross section in accordance with the outer diameter of the high-pressure tank 10 are arranged in parallel by the number of stored high-pressure tanks 10. As a result, the high-pressure tanks 10 are aligned and stored in the unit case 21 in a state of being fitted and held in the storage groove 23a.

  The plurality of high-pressure tanks 10 housed in the unit case 21 are fixed to the unit case 21 by a plurality of tank bands 31. The tank band 31 is formed, for example, by forming a flexible metal plate or the like into a band shape, and both ends of the tank band 31 are detachably engaged with an engagement portion 32 provided on an inner wall portion that forms the storage space 21 a of the unit case 21. It is supposed to be combined.

  A band fixing nut 33 is embedded between the storage grooves 23a. Further, a hole (not shown) is formed in the tank band 31 at a position corresponding to the band fixing nut 33, and a fastening bolt 35 is inserted into the hole via a piece (not shown). A fastening bolt 35 is screwed into the band fixing nut 33.

  Then, by screwing the fastening bolt 35 into the fixing nut 33, the tank band 31 is pulled toward the bottom of the unit case 21 between the high-pressure tanks 10. As a result, tension is applied to the tank band 31 by the fastening bolt 35 screwed into the band fixing nut 33, and each high-pressure tank 10 in the unit case 21 is fixed to the bottom of the unit case 21 by the tank band 31.

  In this way, the high-pressure tank 10 fixed to the unit case 21 has a valve 10a attached to a cap portion on one end side, and a supply pipe 36 and a filling pipe 37 are connected to the valve 10a. A pipe joint 38 is provided at the end of the supply pipe 36, and the supply pipe 36 is connected to the supply pipe 12 of the vehicle S by the pipe joint 38. Further, the filling pipe 37 is provided with a supply port 39 at the end thereof, and this supply port 39 is installed at a gas supply port (not shown) of the vehicle S, and from the supply port 39 into each high-pressure tank 10. It can be filled with hydrogen gas.

  The unit case 21 is formed with a flange 41 projecting outward on the entire periphery of the opening 22. In the flange portion 41, two stay portions 42 are formed for each side of the unit case 21, and through holes 43 are formed in these stay portions 42.

  Then, a mounting bolt (bolt) 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 43 of the stay portion 42 from below, and by screwing the mounting bolt 44 into a nut portion (not shown) provided in the chassis 1 of the vehicle S, The tank unit 11 is fixed to the bottom side of the chassis 1 of the vehicle S.

  Next, a case where a plurality of high-pressure tanks 10 are mounted on the vehicle S will be described. First, the high-pressure tanks 10 are fitted in the respective storage grooves 23 a of the unit case 21, thereby holding the high-pressure tanks 10 in the storage space 21 a of the unit case 21.

  In this state, a valve 10a is attached to the cap portion on one end side of each high-pressure tank 10, and a supply pipe 36 and a filling pipe 37 are connected to the valve 10a. The valve 10 a may be attached to the high-pressure tank 10 before the high-pressure tank 10 is stored in the storage space 21 a of the unit case 21.

  Next, both end portions of the tank band 31 are engaged with the engaging portion 32, and the fastening bolt 35 is inserted into the hole portion of the tank band 31 via a piece (not shown). Screwed into the band fixing nut 33, the high pressure tanks 10 are fastened by the tank band 31 and fixed to the bottom of the unit case 21.

  In this way, after the plurality of high-pressure tanks 10 are accommodated in the unit case 21 and the piping process is performed to assemble the tank unit 11, the tank unit 11 is disposed at a predetermined mounting position on the bottom of the vehicle S, and the flange The part 41 is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the chassis 1.

  In this state, the mounting bolt 44 is inserted into the insertion hole 43 of the stay portion 42, the mounting bolt 44 is screwed into the nut portion of the chassis 1 of the vehicle S, and the tank unit 11 is placed on the bottom surface side of the chassis 1 of the vehicle S. Fix it. Thereafter, the supply pipe 36 is connected to the supply pipe 12 of the vehicle S by the pipe joint 38, and the supply port 39 of the filling pipe 37 is installed at the gas supply port of the vehicle S.

  As described above, according to the tank mounting structure according to the present embodiment, each high-pressure tank 10 is accommodated in the unit case 21 and piping members such as the valve 10a, the supply pipe 36, and the filling pipe 37 are attached to the tank. Since the unit 11 can be assembled to the bottom of the vehicle S in a united state, the mounting of the high-pressure tank 10 on the vehicle S can be facilitated.

  Moreover, by unitizing, it can mount in the vehicle S in the state which the assembly state of the high pressure tank 10 and the piping member was stabilized, and the improvement of mounting workability | operativity can be aimed at. Further, since the high-pressure tank 10 is covered by the unit case 21, it is possible to eliminate the need to attach a protective under cover for the high-pressure tank 10 to the vehicle S after the high-pressure tank 10 is mounted on the vehicle S.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to facilitate mounting on the vehicle S while maintaining the assembled state of the high-pressure tank 10 and the piping member in a stable state. Further, by opening the upper side of the unit case 21 as the opening 22, the unit case 21 can be reduced in weight, and the valve 10a, the supply pipe 36, or the filling pipe attached to the high-pressure tank 10 can be achieved. Interference with the unit case 21 of piping members such as 37 can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, since the high-pressure tank 10 is fastened and fixed to the unit case 21 by the tank band 31 formed in a band shape, the high-pressure tank 10 can be fixed to the unit case 21 in a good and easy manner. It is possible to further stabilize the attachment state.

  Further, since the tank unit 11 is assembled to the vehicle S by fixing the unit case 21 to the bottom of the vehicle S with the mounting bolts 44, the tank unit 11 can be assembled to the bottom of the vehicle S satisfactorily and easily. .

  In the above embodiment, the storage groove 23a is formed in the support member 23 arranged on the bottom surface of the unit case 21, but the storage groove similar to the storage groove 23a is formed on the bottom surface of the unit case 21. Also good.

  In the above embodiment, the high-pressure tank 10 is fixed to the unit case 21 by the tank band 31, but the structure for fixing the high-pressure tank 10 to the unit case 21 is not limited to the tank band 31. For example, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a structure for fixing the high-pressure tank 10 to the unit case 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the unit case 21 is provided with a support portion 51 on one end side of the bottom surface 21 </ b> A, and one end side of the high-pressure tank 10 is supported by the support portion 51. The support part 51 has a recess provided at one end of the high-pressure tank 10 to which a base part to which the valve 10 a is attached can be fitted. The base part of the high-pressure tank 10 is inserted into the recess part of the support part 51. The one end side of the high-pressure tank 10 is supported by being slidably fitted in the axial direction of the 10 and around the axis.

  A bolt hole 52 is formed in the wall of the unit case 21 on the other end side of the bottom surface 21 </ b> A, and a fixing bolt 53 is inserted into the bolt hole 52 from the outside of the unit case 21. The fixing bolt 53 is screwed into a screw hole 10 b formed on the other end side of the high-pressure tank 10.

  At this time, the outer peripheral surface 10A of the high-pressure tank 10 is fixed so that the outer peripheral surface 10A (the outer peripheral surface 10A of at least the cylindrical portion of the high-pressure tank 10) is separated from the bottom surface 21A of the unit case 21. And a bottom surface 21 </ b> A of the unit case 21, a predetermined space R is formed.

  According to this fixing structure, one end side of the high-pressure tank 10 is supported by the support portion 51, and the other end side is fixed by screwing the fixing bolt 53 inserted into the bolt hole 52 into the screw hole 10 b of the high-pressure tank 10. As a result, the high-pressure tank 10 can be easily fixed in the unit case 21 and the assembly workability can be further improved.

  Furthermore, since the high-pressure tank 10 is supported by the support portion 51 so as to be slidable in the axial direction on one end side, the expansion and contraction in the axial direction of the high-pressure tank 10 can be absorbed by the support portion 51. Further, since the space R is formed between the outer peripheral surface 10A of the high-pressure tank 10 and the bottom surface 21A of the unit case 21, the expansion and contraction in the radial direction of the high-pressure tank 10 can be absorbed in the space R.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the tank unit 11 is directly fixed to the vehicle S by the mounting bolt 44, but the structure for fixing the tank unit 11 to the vehicle S is not limited to that directly fixed by the mounting bolt 44.

  For example, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the structure for fixing the tank unit 11 to the vehicle S. As shown in FIG. 5, in the tank unit 11, a plurality of fixed bands 61 are arranged at intervals so as to pass the bottom surface side of the unit case 21. These fixed bands 61 are formed by, for example, a flexible metal plate or the like in a band shape, and both ends thereof are attachment portions 64 in which insertion holes 63 into which fastening bolts 62 can be inserted are formed.

  Note that the stay portion 42 having the insertion hole 43 is not formed in the unit case 21 of the tank unit 11 attached to the vehicle S by this fixing structure.

  In this fixing structure, the fixing band 61 is passed through the back side of the unit case 21, the fastening bolt 62 is inserted into the insertion hole 63 of the mounting portion 64 of the fixing band 61, and the fastening bolt 62 is connected to the chassis 1 of the vehicle S. By fastening to the nut portion, the tank unit 11 can be easily fixed to the rear surface side of the chassis 1 of the vehicle S by the fixing band 61, and further assembling workability can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, a fuel cell vehicle that supplies hydrogen gas from the high-pressure tank 10 to the fuel cell 3 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a vehicle that supplies fuel gas from a high-pressure tank to a driving source such as a gas engine. Of course.

1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle in which a tank mounting structure of the present embodiment is adopted. It is a perspective view which shows the tank unit mounted in a vehicle. It is sectional drawing of the direction orthogonal to the high pressure tank of a tank unit. It is sectional drawing of the direction in alignment with the high pressure tank which shows the other example of the fixing structure of the tank to a unit case. It is a perspective view which shows the other example of the fixing structure to the vehicle of a tank unit.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... High pressure tank (tank), 10a ... Valve (pipe member), 11 ... Tank unit, 21 ... Unit case (case), 21a ... Storage space, 31 ... Tank band, 36 ... Supply pipe (pipe member), 37 ... Filling pipe (pipe member), 44 ... mounting bolt (bolt), 51 ... support part, 61 ... fixing band, S ... vehicle.

Claims (7)

A tank mounting structure in which a plurality of tanks are mounted on the bottom of the vehicle,
A tank mounting structure in which a tank unit in which the tank is stored in a case having a storage space and a piping member is attached to each tank is assembled to the bottom of the vehicle. The tank mounting structure according to claim 1,
The case has a tank mounting structure in which only an upper side which is an attachment side to the bottom of the vehicle is opened. The tank mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2,
A tank mounting structure in which the tank is fixed to the case by being fastened by a tank band formed in a band shape. The tank mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2,
A tank mounting structure in which one end side of the tank is slidably supported in an axial direction of the tank by a support portion provided in the case, and the other end side is fastened and fixed to the case. The tank mounting structure according to claim 4,
The tank mounting structure in which the outer peripheral surface of the tank is fixed away from the bottom surface of the case. A tank mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The tank unit is a tank mounting structure that is assembled to the vehicle by fixing the case to the bottom of the vehicle with a bolt. The tank mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The tank unit is a tank mounting structure that is assembled to the vehicle by fixing both ends of a band-shaped fixing band passed to the bottom surface side of the case to the bottom of the vehicle.

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