IP Library Granted Patent US 10,953,742
Granted Patent B2
US 10,953,742 · App. 16/116,431 · Granted Mar 23, 2021

Fuel tank

Inventor: Teruaki Yamamoto (Himeji, JP)
B60K15/035B60K15/04B60K2015/03552B60K2015/03576B60K2015/0438B60K2015/0451B60K2015/0496
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,953,742
App. No.
16/116,431
Granted
Mar 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel tank includes a tank main body configured to reserve a quantity of fuel therein and an oil feed tube fitted to the tank main body to form a fuel feed port. The fuel feed tube has a tip end configured to protrude inwardly of the tank main body, and the tip end is positioned below the upper limit level of the fuel. At a location of the fuel feed tube above the upper limit level, a vent hole is formed to communicate between the interior of the tank main body and the interior of the oil feed tube.

Claims (30)

1. A fuel tank which comprises:

a tank main body configured to reserve fuel therein; and

an oil feed tube fitted to the tank main body to define an oil feed port wherein:

the oil feed tube includes a straight pipe terminating in a tip end protruding inwardly of the tank main body;

the tip end is positioned below an upper limit level of the fuel;

an index indicative of the upper limit level is formed on an upper side of the oil feed tube at the tip end of the oil feed tube, at a position that allows the index to be viewed through the oil feed port; and

a vent hole is formed in a portion of the oil feed tube above the upper limit level, the vent hole communicating between the interior of the tank main body and the interior of the oil feed tube, wherein

the oil feed tube is configured to incline downward from the oil feed port towards the tip end with respect to the horizontal direction,

the tip end is below the vent hole, and

the vent hole is formed in an upper surface of the oil feed tube.

2. The fuel tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an upper end of the oil feed tube is located outside of the tank main body.

3. The fuel tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the tank main body includes an upper surface provided with an inclined surface which is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, and

the oil feed tube is connected to the inclined surface.

4. The fuel tank as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the tank main body includes an upper surface provided with a bulge portion which bulges upwardly relative to the other portion than the bulge portion, and

the oil feed tube contacts an outer surface of the upper surface at a location extending downwardly from the bulge portion.

5. The fuel tank as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the upper surface is provided with a fuel pump mounting seat to which a fuel pump is fitted, and

the fuel pump mounting seat is positioned in the vicinity of the bulge portion.

6. A fuel tank which comprises:

a tank main body configured to reserve fuel therein; and

a single-component oil feed tube fitted to the tank main body to define an oil feed port, wherein:

the oil feed tube terminates in a tip end protruding inwardly of the tank main body, and the oil feed tube has an upper end located outside of the tank main body;

the tip end is positioned below an upper limit level of the fuel;

a vent hole is formed in a portion of the oil feed tube above the upper limit level, the vent hole communicating between an interior of the tank main body and an interior of the oil feed tube;

there is provided an index indicative of the upper limit level, the index being configured to exist at a position that allows the index to be viewed through the oil feed port;

the index is in the form of the tip end of the oil feed tube that is comprised of a straight pipe;

the tip end is below the vent hole; and

the oil feed tube is configured to incline downward from the oil feed port towards the tip end with respect to the horizontal direction.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2022
From: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060300/0504 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: YAMAMOTO, TERUAKI
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 046743/0178 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-244617 · Dec 21, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190193556A1 · Jun 27, 2019