Fuel tank

Abstract

Fuel tank for a motor vehicle having a tank housing ( 1 ) that encapsulates a fuel space ( 2 ) divided by means of a number of lateral stiffening partitioning wall ( 4, 5 ) into fuel chambers ( 8, 9 ). These communicate with each other via openings ( 10 - 15 ) in the partitioning walls. The tank exhibits an outlet member ( 116 ) with a chosen position in one of the fuel chambers where the opening is delimited all around by means of an opening edge ( 26 ) which is arranged within the partitioning wall with a distance to the bottom of the tank. In one or more of the openings between the fuel chambers, a back valve ( 22 ) is arranged. By means of the clack valve, flow is permitted to the fuel chamber ( 7 ) with the outlet member ( 16 ), but in the opposite direction the flow is completely or partially prevented by means of which, in case of a sloping of the tank in its longitudinal direction, fuel is retained in the fuel chamber in which the outlet member is positioned.

1 . A fuel tank for motor vehicles comprising: 
 a tank housing encapsulating a fuel space divided by at least one lateral stiffening partition wall into a plurality of fuel chambers, said fuel chambers being in fluid communication via a plurality of partition wall openings;    an outlet member positioned in one of the fuel chambers; and    a clack valve arranged at one of said openings between the fuel chambers thereby establishing a valved opening, said valved opening being circumferentially delimited by an opening edge configured in the partition wall and positioned at a distance from a bottom of the tank, said clack valve being arranged to permit flow to the fuel chamber having the outlet member and to at least partially prevent flow in an opposite direction so that when the tank is inclined relative to a longitudinal direction thereof, fuel is retained in the fuel chamber with the outlet member.    
   
   
       2 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a bi-directional flow opening arranged at a height above the bottom of the tank above said valved opening.    
   
   
       3 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least two partition walls, one of which has a lower opening provided with a clack valve and with the outlet member being positioned in an outer chamber delimited by a partition wall with a clack valve.    
   
   
       4 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least two partition walls, both of which have a lower opening provided with a clack valve arranged to permit flow from an outer chamber to a middle chamber in which the outlet member is positioned.    
   
   
       5 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a filling member of the tank being connected to the tank housing at one of the outer chambers.    
   
   
       6 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 three partitioning walls wherein lower openings in the partition walls are provided with clack valves which are arranged to allow flow from the outer chambers to the chamber where the outlet member is positioned.    
   
   
       7 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 four partitioning walls in which a lower opening in each is provided with a clack valve arranged to allow flow to the chamber where the outer member is positioned.    
   
   
       8 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 said filling member of the tank being connected to the tank housing in middle chamber.    
   
   
       9 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each partitioning wall is arranged with two openings that permit bi-directional flow.  
   
   
       10 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a lower opening is provided with a clack valve and three other openings permit flow in both directions and are positioned at different heights.  
   
   
       11 . The fuel tank as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tank is attached to a frame of the vehicle by fastening devices so that the tank comprises at least two partitioning walls, each having fastening devices that extend around the tank at positions that include at least two of the partitioning walls.