JP4499522B2 - Vehicle fuel tank arrangement structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a fuel tank arrangement structure of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional fuel tank arrangement structure of a vehicle, a fuel tank is arranged below a driver's seat (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 2605671

Patent Document 1 will be described below. In addition, about the code | symbol, what was described in the gazette was used.
In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1, the engine 2 is disposed slightly behind the center of the vehicle body frame 1 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the transmission 3 is disposed on the vehicle body front side of the engine 2. 3 further describes that the transfer 4 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle body, and the fuel tank 11 is disposed on the side of the transmission 3 and the transfer 4 and immediately below the cross members 12 and 13 to which the driver's seat 9 is attached. ing.

  Since the fuel tank 11 described above is sandwiched between the transmission 3 and the vehicle body frame 1 in the vehicle width direction, when a large capacity of the fuel tank 11 is to be secured, there is a relatively large space before and after the fuel tank 11. Therefore, it is conceivable to extend the fuel tank 11 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However, since the fuel tank 11 is arranged on the left side of the center of the vehicle body, when the fuel tank 11 is extended in the vehicle front-rear direction to increase the capacity, the left and right and front and rear sides of the vehicle body depend on the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 11. The weight balance of is likely to change. Therefore, it is desired to achieve both expansion of the fuel tank capacity and suppression of change in the vehicle body weight balance.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the fuel tank arrangement structure of a vehicle so as to increase the capacity of the fuel tank and to suppress changes in the vehicle body weight balance due to the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor serving as a cabin space between a front frame that supports a front wheel suspension and includes a front wheel steering member, and a seat frame that supports a seat disposed behind the front frame. In the vehicle in which the engine and the fuel tank are disposed below the seat frame, the fuel tank is disposed extending in the vehicle width direction in front of the engine and along the seat frame, and the fuel tank is disposed in the front tank. A half tank and a rear tank half joined to the front tank half, and the front tank half is provided with a bulge that bulges forward in the center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. The bulging portion is arranged between the left and right sheets .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor serving as a cabin space between a front frame that supports a front wheel suspension and includes a front wheel steering member, and a seat frame that supports a seat disposed behind the front frame. In a vehicle in which an engine and a fuel tank are disposed below the seat frame, the engine is disposed so as to straddle the left and right seats below the seats provided on the left and right respectively, and the fuel tank The front and rear sides of the fuel tank are extended in the vehicle width direction so as to straddle the left and right seats in plan view along the seat frame, and the left and right ends of the fuel tank are along the front edge of the sheet disposed below the left and right seat, the center in the vehicle width direction of the fuel tank is bulged toward the front of the vehicle integrally bulges Formed, the bulge portion, characterized in that arranged between the left and right seat.

In the invention according to claim 3, in the front tank half, a front bracket is attached to the front via a reinforcing plate, and in the rear tank half, an upper bracket is attached to the upper surface via a reinforcing plate. It is characterized by.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the fuel filler opening of the fuel tank is located on the lower outside of the driver seat in the vehicle width direction and is covered with an open / close lid.

In the invention according to claim 1, since the fuel tank is disposed in front of the engine and extending in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame, the space between the engine and the cabin located in front of the engine is habitable. However, the front and rear width of the fuel tank is reduced because there is a restriction on taking the front and rear width into consideration, but the fuel tank can be made long in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame. Capacity can be expanded. Further, it is possible to place the fuel tank in the vehicle width central, also the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is changed, it is possible to suppress the lateral and change in weight balance of the front and rear of the vehicle body.

Further, the center of the fuel tank in the vehicle width direction is bulged forward of the vehicle to form a bulging portion, and the bulging portion is disposed between the left and right seats, so that the capacity of the fuel tank can be further increased. It is possible to extend the travelable distance with one refueling. Further, when the left and right seats are supported by the seat frame, the bulging portion is positioned between the left and right seats, and the bulging portion does not interfere with the occupant's feet.

In the invention according to claim 2, since the fuel tank is disposed in front of the engine and extending in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame, the space between the engine and the cabin located in front of the engine is habitable. However, the front and rear width of the fuel tank is reduced because there is a restriction on taking the front and rear width into consideration, but the fuel tank can be made long in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame. Capacity can be expanded. In addition, the fuel tank can be arranged at substantially the center of the vehicle width, and even if the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank changes, changes in the weight balance between the left and right and front and rear of the vehicle body can be suppressed.

Further, the center of the fuel tank in the vehicle width direction is bulged forward of the vehicle to form a bulging portion, and the bulging portion is disposed between the left and right seats, so that the capacity of the fuel tank can be further increased. It is possible to extend the travelable distance with one refueling. Further, when the left and right seats are supported by the seat frame, the bulging portion is positioned between the left and right seats, and the bulging portion does not interfere with the occupant's feet.

In the invention according to claim 3, in the front tank half, a front bracket is attached to the front surface via a reinforcing plate, and in the rear tank half, an upper bracket is attached to the upper surface via a reinforcing plate.

  In the invention according to claim 4, since the fuel filler opening of the fuel tank is located on the lower outside of the driver seat in the vehicle width direction and is covered with the opening / closing lid, it is easy for the driver to get on or get off the vehicle. In addition, the lid can be opened and closed, and the usability of the vehicle can be improved.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle that employs a fuel tank arrangement structure according to the present invention. A vehicle 10 includes a body frame 11 that includes a front frame 12, a center frame 13, and a rear frame 14. A front wheel suspension (not shown) for suspending the front wheel 16 and a steering member (steering shaft 17, a handle 18 attached to the upper end of the steering shaft 17, etc.) for steering the front wheel 16 are provided, and a power unit 21 ( An engine 22 and a transmission 23 integrally attached to the engine 22.), a fuel tank 24, left and right seats 25, 26 (only the reference numeral 25 on the front side is shown) is attached, and the rear frame 14 is attached to the rear left and right. Attach the rear wheel suspension (not shown) to suspend the wheel 27 It is a terrain vehicle fitted with oblique possible with the loading platform 28.

  The center frame 13 includes a pair of left and right steps 31 and 31 (only the reference numeral 31 on the front side is shown) on which a passenger sits when getting on and off, and a floor 32 that is one step higher than the step 31. Reference numeral 36 denotes a roll bar attached to the front frame 12 and the center frame 13. Reference numeral 37 denotes a cabin surrounded by the front frame 12, the floor portion 32, and the roll bar 36. Seats 25 and 26 are arranged in the cabin 37, and passengers are seated on the seats 25 and 26, and the cabin The foot is placed on the floor portion 32 which becomes the floor of 37.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle according to the present invention (the arrow (FRONT in the figure indicates the front of the vehicle; the same applies hereinafter)). A seat frame 41 is attached to the center frame 13 of the vehicle 10. The power unit 21 is disposed between a pair of left and right lower side frames 42 and 42 which support the seats 25 and 26 and extend below the seats 25 and 26 and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction. It shows that the fuel tank 24 is disposed below the seats 25 and 26 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the main part of the vehicle body frame according to the present invention, and the left and right steps 31 and 31 and the floor 32 are shown by hatching.
Reference numerals 73 and 73 (see also FIG. 1) in the figure are subframes arranged above the lower side frames 42 and 42 (see FIG. 2), and the lower side frames 42 and 42 and the subframes 73 and 73 are arranged. Is a member attached with a pair of left and right step frames 90, 90 that support the step 31 and the floor portion 32.

  The step frame 90 includes a lower first side frame 91, a lower second side frame 92, and a lower third side frame 93 that extend from the lower side frame 42 toward the vehicle side, and the lower first side frame 91 and the lower second frame. A side-shaped U-shaped side frame 94 (see also FIG. 1) attached to the tip of each of the side frame 92 and the lower third side frame 93, and a side standing frame (not shown) raised from the lower third side frame 93. And an L-shaped upper side L-shaped frame 97 extending from the sub-frame 73 to the vehicle side and extending rearward of the vehicle and having the tip connected to the side upright frame, and from the sub-frame 73 to the vehicle side. And an upper side frame 98 whose tip is connected to the upper side L-shaped frame 97, and a lower second A first support (not shown) attached to each of the side frame 91 and the upper side L-shaped frame 97 and a second support (not shown) attached to each of the lower second side frame 92 and the upper side frame 98. ).

The lower first side frame 91, the lower second side frame 92, the lower third side frame 93 and the side U-shaped frame 94 are members constituting the step support frame 103 on which the above-described step 31 is placed.
The sub frames 73 and 73, the upper side L-shaped frames 97 and 97, and the upper side frames 98 and 98 are members constituting the floor portion support frame 104 on which the floor portion 32 described above is placed.

  Step 31 is a portion of the range from the upper side L-shaped frame 97 to the side U-shaped frame 94 outside the upper side L-shaped frame 97, and the front-rear length of the side-shaped U-shaped frame 94 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. 31a is located behind the seats 25 and 26.

  The floor portion 32 includes the left and right upper side L-shaped frames 97 in the vehicle width direction, and is an inner range thereof. In the vehicle front-rear direction, the front portion of the front frame 12 (see FIG. 1) is located in front of the fuel tank 24. It is a part of the range which makes the boundary with the dashboard not shown located in the vehicle rear from the front 2nd standing frame 54 (refer FIG. 1) the front end. Since the fuel tank 24 bulges forward in the center at the center, the rear edge 32a of the floor portion 32 protrudes forward, but since there is a space between the seats 25 and 26, there is no concern that the occupant's feet will be particularly narrow.

  FIG. 4 is a front view of the fuel tank according to the present invention. The fuel tank 24 includes a tank main body 181 formed by combining two tank halves in front and back, and the tank main body 181 by attaching it to the bottom of the tank main body 181. A fuel pump 182 built in the fuel tank, a fuel supply port 183, a cap 184 that closes the fuel supply port 183, and a front surface of the tank main body 181 that is attached to the front surface of the tank body 181 via a reinforcing plate 185 for mounting to the subframe 73 (see FIG. 1). It is a horizontally long component comprising a plurality of upper brackets 188 attached to the upper portion of the tank body 181 for attaching to the seat brackets 186 and 186 and the seat frame 41 (see FIG. 2).

  FIG. 5 is a plan view of a fuel tank according to the present invention. A tank body 181 of the fuel tank 24 includes a front tank half 181a and a rear tank half 181b, and the front tank half 181a and the rear tank. Flange 181c and 181d are formed in half body 181b, and these flanges 181c and 181d are joined.

The front tank half 181a is a member formed by bulging the center in the longitudinal direction forward of the vehicle to form a bulged portion 181e, and the rear tank half 181b is a member having a tray shape.
The upper bracket 188 is a member attached to the upper surface of the rear tank half 181b via a reinforcing plate 191.

  Thus, the fuel tank 24 is flat in the vehicle front-rear direction, extends in the vehicle width direction, and the center of the front tank half 181a is bulged forward of the vehicle, thereby lowering the seats 25 and 26 (see FIG. 3). Thus, a large capacity can be secured even in a narrow space in front of the engine 22 (see FIG. 2).

  Returning to FIG. 2, since the fuel tank 24 is disposed close to the front of the power unit 21, specifically, the engine 22, the fuel piping from the fuel tank 24 to the engine 22 can be shortened. The pressure loss due to the fuel piping can be suppressed, and the fuel pump 182 can be downsized.

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the present invention firstly supports the front wheel suspension and includes the front frame 12 including the steering shaft 17 and the handle 18 as a front wheel steering member, and the front frame 12. A vehicle 10 in which a floor portion 32 serving as a floor of the space of the cabin 37 is provided between the seat frame 41 that supports the seats 25, 26 disposed at the rear, and the engine 22 and the fuel tank 24 are disposed below the seat frame 41. The fuel tank 24 is arranged to extend in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame 41 in front of the engine 22.

  Since the fuel tank 24 is disposed in front of the engine 22 and extending in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame 41, consideration is given to comfortability between the engine 22 and the cabin 37 positioned in front of the engine 22. In this case, the front and rear width of the fuel tank 24 is reduced because the front and rear width is limited. However, the fuel tank 24 can be formed in a shape that is long in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame 41. The capacity of 24 can be increased. In addition, the fuel tank 24 can be arranged at substantially the center of the vehicle width, and even if the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 24 changes, the change in the weight balance between the left and right sides of the vehicle body can be suppressed.

Secondly, the present invention is characterized in that a bulging portion 181e is formed in the fuel tank 24 by bulging the center portion in the vehicle width direction forward of the vehicle.
Since the bulging portion 181e is formed in the fuel tank 24, the capacity of the fuel tank 24 can be further increased, and the travelable distance with one refueling can be extended. Further, when the left and right seats 25 and 26 are supported by the seat frame 41, the bulging portion 181e is positioned between the left and right seats 25 and 26, and the bulging portion 181e does not interfere with the feet of the occupant.

Third, the present invention is characterized in that the bulging portion 181e is disposed between the left and right sheets 25, 26.
Since the bulging portion 181e is disposed between the left and right seats 25 and 26, the bulging portion 181e does not obstruct the passenger's feet.

  Fourth, according to the present invention, the fuel filler opening 183 of the fuel tank 24 is positioned on the lower side in the vehicle width direction of the driver seat 25, that is, on the lower left side of the driver, and is covered with a cap 184 as an opening / closing lid. Features.

  The fuel filler port 183 of the fuel tank 24 is positioned on the lower side in the vehicle width direction of the driver seat 25 and is covered with the cap 184, so that the cap 184 can be easily opened and closed when the driver gets on or gets off. The usability of the vehicle 10 can be improved.

  The fuel tank arrangement structure of the present invention is suitable for a vehicle in which an engine is mounted under the seat.

1 is a side view of a vehicle employing a fuel tank arrangement structure according to the present invention. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle according to the present invention. It is a top view which shows the principal part of the vehicle body frame which concerns on this invention. It is a front view of the fuel tank concerning the present invention. It is a top view of the fuel tank concerning the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 12 ... Front frame, 16 ... Front wheel, 17, 18 ... Front wheel steering member (steering shaft, steering wheel), 22 ... Engine, 24 ... Fuel tank, 25, 26 ... Seat, 32 ... Floor part, 37 ... Cabin , 41 ... Seat frame, 181a ... Front tank half, 181b ... Rear tank half, 181e ... Fuel tank bulge part, 183 ... Filling port, 184 ... Open / close lid (cap) , 185, 191 ... Reinforcing plate, 186 ... front bracket, 188 ... upper bracket .

Claims (4)

A floor portion serving as a cabin space floor is provided between a front frame that supports a front wheel suspension and includes a front wheel steering member, and a seat frame that supports a seat disposed behind the front frame. In a vehicle with an engine and fuel tank arranged below,
The fuel tank is Rutotomoni disposed and extend in the vehicle width direction along the seat frame in front of the engine,
The fuel tank is composed of a front tank half and a rear tank half joined to the front tank half, and the front tank half swells forward of the vehicle at the center in the vehicle width direction. A fuel tank arrangement structure for a vehicle, comprising a bulging portion that protrudes, the bulging portion being disposed between the left and right seats . A floor portion serving as a cabin space floor is provided between a front frame that supports a front wheel suspension and includes a front wheel steering member, and a seat frame that supports a seat disposed behind the front frame. In a vehicle with an engine and fuel tank arranged below,
The engine is arranged so as to straddle the left and right seats in plan view below the seats provided on the left and right sides, respectively.
The fuel tank is disposed in front of the engine and extending in the vehicle width direction so as to straddle the left and right seats in plan view along the seat frame,
The left and right ends of the fuel tank are disposed below the left and right seats along the front ends of the left and right seats so as to secure the feet of the occupants,
The fuel tank has a bulging portion that bulges to the vehicle forward central portion in the vehicle width direction is formed integrally with the swollen portion, vehicles are disposed between the left and right seat you characterized Rukoto Fuel tank arrangement structure. Claim wherein the front tank halves, the front bracket is attached through a reinforcing plate on the front, the rear tank halves, characterized that you have an upper bracket attached through a reinforcing plate on the upper surface 2. A fuel tank arrangement structure for a vehicle according to 1 .   4. The fuel tank for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fuel tank has a fuel filler port that is located on the outer side of the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction and is covered with an open / close lid. Placement structure.

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