Fuel container

Abstract

A fuel container having a multi-layer structure, to be used as a fuel tank of an automotive vehicle. The fuel container includes at least one fuel permeation preventing layer whose main component is a first barrier-functional resin, and base material layers whose main component is a thermoplastic resin is secured to the fuel permeation preventing layer. In the above-mentioned base material layers, at least one base material layer is a barrier-functional base material layer which contains a second barrier-functional resin homogeneous with the first barrier-functional resin.

1 . A fuel container having a multi-layer structure, comprising: 
 at least one fuel permeation preventing layer whose main component is a first barrier-functional resin; and    at least one base material layer whose main component is a thermoplastic resin, the at least one base material layer being secured to the fuel permeation preventing layer, at least one layer of the at least one base material layer containing a second barrier-functional resin homogeneous with the first barrier-functional resin to form a barrier-functional base material layer, the second barrier-functional resin being lamina-like and dispersed in the thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       2 . A fuel container having a multi-layer structure, comprising: 
 at least one fuel permeation preventing layer whose main component is a first barrier-functional resin;    at least one base material layer whose main component is a thermoplastic resin, the at least one base material layer being secured to the fuel permeation preventing layer; and    at least one barrier-functional base material layer whose main component is a thermoplastic resin, the at least one barrier-functional base material layer being secured to the fuel permeation preventing layer, the barrier-functional base material layer containing a second barrier-functional resin which is homogeneous with the first barrier-functional resin, the second barrier-functional resin being lamina-like and dispersed in the thermoplastic resin of the at least one barrier-functional base material layer.    
   
   
       3 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the barrier-functional base material layer is disposed outside of the fuel permeation preventing layer.  
   
   
       4 . A fuel container as claimed in Clam  2 , wherein the barrier-functional base material layer is disposed inside of the fuel permeation preventing layer.  
   
   
       5 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the base material layer serves as an innermost layer of the fuel container.  
   
   
       6 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the base material layer serves as an outermost layer of the fuel container.  
   
   
       7 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic resin as the main component of the base material layer is olefin resin, wherein each of the first and second barrier-functional resins is at least one of vinyl alcohol resin and vinyl alcohol-based copolymer resin.  
   
   
       8 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the olefin resin as the main component of the base material layer is polyethylene, wherein each of the first and second barrier-functional resins is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin and a mixture of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and polyvinyl alcohol resin.  
   
   
       9 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the lamina-like second barrier-functional resin has a maximum length of not less than 5 mm.  
   
   
       10 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the lamina-like second barrier-functional resin has a maximum thickness of not less than 10 μm.  
   
   
       11 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the barrier-functional base material layer contains the second barrier-functional resin in an amount ranging from 2 to 12 mass %.  
   
   
       12 . A fuel container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the fuel container is produced by blow-molding a parison of a multi-layer structure.  
   
   
       13 . A method of producing a fuel container having a multi-layer structure, comprising: 
 extruding a parison having a multi-layer structure and including at least one fuel permeation preventing layer whose main component is a first barrier-functional resin, and at least one base material layer whose main component is a thermoplastic resin, the at least one base material layer being secured to the fuel permeation preventing layer, at least one layer of the at least one base material containing a second barrier-functional resin homogeneous with the first barrier-functional resin to form a barrier-functional base material layer, the second barrier-functional resin being lamina-like and dispersed in the thermoplastic resin;    putting the parison in a blow mold so as to form a pinch-off area; and    expanding the parison in the blow mold with pressured air.