Abstract A vehicular fuel tank assembly comprising a steel outer container and a pliable inner member such as a liner or diaphragm having a plurality of circular folds in a substantially horizontal wall portion thereof to permit the center of the wall to collapse telescopically and vertically relative to the bottom of the container as fuel is exhausted from the tank assembly. This telescopic collapse provides volumetric variation in the fuel storage area and further provides variable anti-slosh baffling for the unused fuel. A control valve regulates air flow into and out of the exhausted space between the container and the internal member. Fuel gaging is accomplished by monitoring the displacement of the collapsible internal member portion relative to the container. The container is mounted on the vehicle to permit limited damped longitudinal displacement under abnormally high acceleration load conditions.
Inventors
👤 W Pringle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-29 05:56
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K15/00; B60K15/03; B60K15/03177
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A fuel tank assembly comprising a fixed outer container, an internal member having a displaceable portion dividing the container into fuel and air storage sections of reciprocally variable volumes, said internal member comprising a diaphragm portion extending substantially horizontally across the interior of the container and having a plurality of circular folds to permit the center thereof to be displaced vertically within the container in accordance with the fuel quantity in said fuel storage section, said circular folds defining at the center of said internal member a substantially flat unfolded area having an elongated and recessed track formed therein, and gaging means on the container for monitoring the position of the displaceable portion, said gaging means comprising a fixed portion mounted on said container within said air storage section and a pivotal lever arm extending from said fixed portion toward said elongated track, bearing means on the end of said lever and in engagement with said track, said lever being pivotally connected to said fixed portion and oriented so that the bearing means rides along said track as said internal member moves vertically within said container, said lever and said fixed portion being mechanically and electrically interrelated so as to produce an electrical output signal of a variable character representing the vertical position of said center of said internal member within said container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A fuel tank assembly comprising a fixed outer container, an internal member having a displaceable portion dividing the container into fuel and air storage sections of reciprocally variable volumes, said internal member comprising a diaphragm portion extending substantially horizontally across the interior of the container and having a plurality of circular folds to permit the center thereof to be displaced vertically within the container in accordance with the fuel quantity in said fuel storage section, said circular folds defining at the center of said internal member a substantially flat unfolded area having an elongated and recessed track formed therein, and gaging means on the container for monitoring the position of the displaceable portion, said gaging means comprising a fixed portion mounted on said container within said air storage section and a pivotal lever arm extending from said fixed portion toward said elongated track, bearing means on the end of said lever and in engagement with said track, said lever being pivotally connected to said fixed portion and oriented so that the bearing means rides along said track as said internal member moves vertically within said container, said lever and said fixed portion being mechanically and electrically interrelated so as to produce an electrical output signal of a variable character representing the vertical position of said center of said internal member within said container.