MXPA98010843A - Process to produce motorcycle fuel tank - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing a fuel tank for a motorcyclist, comprising the steps of: temporarily fixing a body panel and a lower plate in a state in which the connecting flanges thereof have been turned towards a center of an opening in a lower end of the body panel, superimposing the joining flanges one on the other, and joining the welding flanges together over the entire periphery thereof, after temporary fixation, wherein the welding connection includes the step of placing one of the pair of electrode rings of a welding machine and at least a portion of an electrode holder to rotatably support the electrode ring within a recessed portion of the lower plate, and sandwiching the eyelashes connection between the electrode ring and the other electrode ring that is positioned outside the body panel

Description

FUEL TANK FOR MOTORCYCLE AND PROCESS TO PRODUCE THE SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a tank for fuel for a motorcycle and to a process for producing the same. _ DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART A conventional tank for fuel in a motorcycle includes a body panel that forms the main body of the tank, a lower plate that occludes an opening in the lower end of the body panel and whose outer surface is recessed inwardly of the panel. A first joint flange portion that is integrally formed on a peripheral edge of the opening at the lower end of the body panel and a second joint flange portion that is integrally formed on an outer peripheral edge of the lower plate, are superimposed one over the other and joined together by welding, in all its periphery. A structure in which the flanges are joined by welding has the advantage that it is more airtight to the air between the body panel and the lower plate to improve its reliability as well, the P1803 / 98MX operability of the welding operation can be improved. The reason why the lower plate is recessed into the body panel (i.e. into the tank) is that when the fuel tank is supported on a vehicle frame of the motorcycle, the interference between the bottom of the tank and the body of the vehicle, is avoided. The conventional structure suffers from the following problems: the first two connecting flanges 2f '~ of the body panel 21 and the second joining flange 3f of the lower plate 3' are formed, turned downwards, and projecting prominently downwards from the lower surface of the tank body 1 ', as shown in Figures 8A and 8B. For this reason, its poor appearance results in very low marketing. Also, the space occupied by the tank itself increases by a degree corresponding to the projection of the connecting flanges 2f 'and 3f'.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tank for fuel in a motorcycle and a process for producing it, wherein the above problem associated with the conventional structure can be solved, while the previous one is preserved P1803 / 98MX advantage of the welding of the tabs of the body panel and the bottom plate to each other. To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a fuel tank for a motorcycle, comprising a body panel and a bottom plate that occludes an opening in the lower end of the motorcycle panel. body and whose outer surface is recessed inside the panel. A first joint flange portion is formed integrally on a peripheral edge of the opening at the lower end of the body panel. A second portion of the joining flange is integrally formed on an outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate. The first and second joint flange portions are superimposed on each other and welded together. The first and second joint flange portions are formed, turned towards the center of the opening at the lower end of the body panel, so that they are not visible from the sides of the tank. With this first feature, even the first joining flange of the peripheral edge of the opening at the lower end of the body panel and the second joining flange of the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate are welded together, the joining flanges are not welded together. they project down from a surface of P1803 / 98 X fuel tank bottom and are not visible from the sides of the tank. Therefore, the appearance of the fuel tank can improve the marketability. In addition, the size of the fuel tank can be reduced by an amount corresponding to the amount in which the connecting flanges do not project out of the tank. further, a high air tightness in the tank can be provided due to the welding bond between the body panel and the bottom plate, improving the reliability. Finally, the operability of the weld can be improved. According to a second aspect and particularity of this invention, there is provided a process for producing a fuel tank for a motorcycle, comprising a first step of temporarily fixing a body panel and a bottom plate in a state in which its eyelashes have been turned towards a center of an opening in a lower end and have been superimposed on each other, and a second step of welding by joining the flanges to each other in all their periphery, after the temporary fixation. The brazing is carried out in a state in which a pair of electrode rings of a welding machine and an electrode holder that rotatably supports the electrode ring are placed within a portion of the electrode ring.

P1803 / 98MX bottom plate, and the joining tabs are sandwiched between one of the electrode rings and the other electrode ring, which is located outside the body panel. With the second feature, it is possible to easily and adequately perform the welding operation of the joining flanges that are turned towards the center of the opening at the lower end, since the body panel and the lower plate have been temporarily fixed, and one of the electrodes and the electrode ring have been placed inside the recessed portion of the lower plate. The above objects and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure IA is a side view of a fuel tank according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure IB is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure IA; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the fuel tank in an overturned state; P1803 / 98MX Figure 3 is a side view of the entire arrangement of a welding machine; Figure 4 is a front view of the entire arrangement of the welding machine (a view is taken in the direction of an arrow 4 in Figure 3); Figure 5 is an enlarged front view of a lower electrode ring and portions around the lower electrode ring (an enlarged view is taken in a direction of an arrow 5); Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view explaining a temporary fixing step of a body panel and a bottom plate; Figure 8A is a side view of a conventional fuel tank; and Figure 8B is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 8A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention will now be described by means of a modality which refers to the accompanying drawings. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a tank body 1 of a tank of P1803 / 98 X motorcycle fuel, comprised of a dome-shaped body panel 2, which is longer in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and which forms a main portion of the tank body, and a lower plate 3 occludes an opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel and extending in the longitudinal direction of the body of the vehicle, and having an external surface deeply recessed into the panel 2. A fuel supply tube 3i as a port of fuel supply, is subsequently secured to an upper portion of the body panel 2. A first attachment flange portion 2f is formed integrally on a peripheral edge of the opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel 2. A second portion of Union flange 3f is integrally formed on an outer peripheral edge of the lower plate 3. The joint flange portions 2f and 3f are superimposed each other and joined by W-welding together, whereby a good tightness of the tank T is retained. The first and second joining flange portions 2f and 3f are formed facing towards a center of the opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel 2, ie turned inward, so that the flange portions 2f and 3f are not visible from the P1803 / 98MX sides of the fuel tank T. With this structure in which the flanges of the body panel 2 and the lower plate 3 are joined, the connecting flanges 2f and 3f do not project towards "out (down of the tank) From the bottom of the tank, the connecting flanges 2f and 3f are not visible from the sides of the fuel tank, therefore, the appearance of the fuel tank T can be improved to improve commercialization., the fuel tank T is reduced in size to a degree corresponding to the degree to which the connecting flanges 2f and 3f do not project out of the tank. The structure of one embodiment of a welding machine for joining the joining flange portions 2f and 3f by welding will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 6. A frame 4 of the welding machine A shown in Figure 3 includes a body of frame 4m raising on one side of a base 4a. A support frame portion 4b is integrally supported in a cantilevered manner on an upper portion of the frame body 4m and extends horizontally, so as to be opposite an upper surface of the base 4a. In the support frame section 4b there is mounted a ring "of upper elevable electrode RD and a lower electrode ring" non-liftable RD that is placed below the upper electrode ring Rp. The ring P1803 / 98MX upper electrode R0 can move towards and away from the lower electrode ring RD, which is formed with a diameter smaller than that of the upper electrode ring R0. A cylinder portion 5c of an expansion cylinder 5, as an up and down actuator, is positioned vertically and fixedly to a central portion of a tip end of the support frame section 4b. An upper electrode support 6 is integrally retained in a lower end of a piston rod 5p of the cylinder 5. A horizontal upper electrode arrow 7 is rotatably fitted within the upper electrode support 6 and supported thereon. The larger diameter upper electrode ring Rp, which is made of an electrically conductive material, is secured to a tip end of the arrow 7. If the cylinder 5 expands or contracts, the upper electrode holder 6 and the ring of the upper RD electrode can be lowered or raised in response to the expansion or contraction of the cylinder 5 and thus move forward and backward relative to the lower electrode ring RD. A rotary drive device MD for an upper electrode is placed on the frame 4m in correspondence with the upper electrode arrow 7.

P1803 / 98MX rotary drive device Ma includes a motor 8a and a gear reducer R, connected to an output shaft of the motor. An output arrow Ra of the reducing mechanism R is opposite a base end of the upper electrode arrow 7. The arrows Ra and 7 are operatively connected to each other through a rotating locking mechanism 1 which is adapted to rotate operatively the arrows Ra and 7 in unison with each other, while allowing a relative vertical displacement between the arrows Ra and 7. The mechanism of locking in rotation I includes, in the illustrated mode, a pair of universal joints? and J2, and a locking arrow 9 that connects to joints J__ and J2. The working arrow 9 is comprised of a pair of arrow halves 9 and 92, which are mutually adjusted so that they can slide relative to each other and can not rotate with respect to each other. When the engine 8? is operated, the rotation of the motor 8D can be transmitted to the upper electrode shaft 7 in a reduced form, using a reducing mechanism R and the rotational locking mechanism I to encourage rotation of the upper electrode ring Ru. A power source device E for supplying electrical power is adapted within the frame body 4m. The base ends of the drivers P1803 / 98MX secondary current supplies, Lu and LD are connected to a pair of terminals of the power source device E. A tip end of one of the secondary leads LD is connected to the upper electrode support 6, so that supply electrical power to the upper electrode ring Rs. An intermediate portion of the conductor LD is formed, so that it can deform elastically in response to the raising or lowering movement of the upper electrode holder 6. Therefore, the interference of the conductor A with the rotational locking mechanism I can be avoided. A pair of left and right hanging frames 4h are integrally fixed in hanging form to a tip end of the support frame 4b, to sandwich the cylinder portion 5c of the expandable cylinder 5 therebetween, from opposite sides. A horizontal support frame 10 is secured to the lower ends of the hanging frames 4h for integrally coupling the hanging frames 4h with each other. The support frame 10 is formed with a mounting groove 10a that opens downwards (1) a mounting arm Ia having a transverse T-shaped transfer and is integrally formed at an upper end of the lower electrode holder 11 and (2) a flat tip end 13 P1803 / 98MX of the other secondary conductor LD in contact with an upper surface of the mounting arm Ia, are removably fixed in the slot 10a by a plurality of bolts 12 pushing the mounting arm Ia from below. The entire lower electrode support 11 is formed of an electrically conductive material. A horizontal arrow of lower electrode 16 is rotatably supported in its intermediate portion in a form fitted within a support bore 11b, defined in support 11 through a support metal 15, which is formed within a thin cylindrical shape at from an electrically conductive material. The lower electrode ring RD is secured by a plurality of bolts 17 to a tip end of the arrow 16 extending from a front surface of the electrode holder 11. The lower electrode ring RD and the lower electrode shaft 16 also They are formed of an electrically conductive material. Therefore, the lower electrode ring Rr are normally in conduction with the secondary conductor LD through the support metal 15 and the lower electrode support 11. The lower electrode support 11 as well as the tip end of the secondary conductor LD and the support frame 10 are normally maintained in an isolated state, by means of an insulating plate 18.

P1803 / 98 X The insulating plate 18, is made of a flat insulating material and covers an internal surface of the mounting groove 10a, with the entire surface thereof. Therefore, if the lower electrode support 11 and the support metal 15 are conductive, there is no possibility that the lower electrode ring RD and the machine frame 4 are left in short circuit with each other. An 8D motor is mounted on the rear surface of the support frame 10 on one side of the lower electrode shaft 16 above the lower electrode ring RD. A reducing gear mechanism 21, as the transmitting mechanism, is provided between the arrow 20 of the motor 8D and the lower electrode arrow 16. Therefore, when the motor 8D is running, the rotation thereof can be transmitted in a reduced manner to the motor 8D. the lower electrode arrow 16 for slowly rotating the lower electrode ring RD. A rotationally driven device MD for a lower electrode is constituted by a reduction gear mechanism 21 and the motor 8D. The reduction gear mechanism 21 comprises, in the illustrated embodiment, a reduction gearbox 20t which is secured to the motor shaft 20 and a gearbox output gear 16t which is secured to the base end of the lower electrode shaft 16 and which it meshes with the P1803 / 98MX reduction gear input 20t through an intermediate gear 23t. A gear portion 16ta of the gearbox inlet lßt is formed from an insulating synthetic resin that is incorporated, so that the motor 8D and the bottom electrode ring RD can be insulated therebetween. The toothed portion 16ta constitutes an insulating means of the present invention. By especially providing this insulating means, it is possible to prevent the lower electrode ring RD and the motor 8D (motor shaft 20) from shorting each other, even if the lower electrode holder 11 and the supporting metal 15 form of electrically conductive material. In Figure 6, each of the reference numerals 30 and 31 is a push holder, the reference number 32 is a key to prevent the reductive output gear 16t from rotating relative to the lower electrode shaft 16, and the reference number 33 is a nut that prevents slippage. A control board 22 is placed on one side of the frame body 4m to effect control of the operation of the motors 80 and 8D, the expandable cylinder 5 and the control of the electrical power supply makes the electrode rings RD and RD by the power source device E. The steps of producing the fuel tank P1803 / 98MX by the use of a welding machine A of this mode, are described below. First, a metal plate is formed by a well-known forming process (e.g. by pressing) to separately manufacture the body panel 2, which is the main portion of the fuel tank T and the lower plate 3. During this time, the first joining flange 2f is formed integrally from the peripheral edge of the opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel 2, and the second joining flange 3f is integrally formed from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 3. In this case, the connecting flanges 2f and 3f are formed facing towards the center of the opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel 2, that is to say, turned inwards, so that they are superimposed on each other during the positioning of the lower plate 3 on the body panel 2 so the flanges 2f and 3f are not visible from the sides of the tank. The fuel supply pipe 3i, which is manufactured in a different step, is secured to the body panel 2 by securing means, for example by welding. Subsequently, the bottom plate 3 is adapted to a predetermined position within the body panel 2. For this adaptation operation, the bottom plate 3 is placed first, while it is being tilted P1803 / 98 X longitudinally and laterally within the internal space in the body panel 2, which is turned downwardly as shown in Figure 1, through the opening 2a in the lower end of the panel 2. Then, the plate Background 3 is retained using a retention tool (not shown) for example a pacifier, whereby the first joining flange 2f of the panel 2 and the second flange 3f of the lower plate 3 are superimposed on each other. The body panel 2 and the lower plate 3 are temporarily fixed, so that the superimposed state is retained, while the tank body 1 is temporarily armed. For temporary fixation, a conventional well-known temporary fixing means can be used to fix temporarily the members to be welded together, in a welding operation, for example a joining means such as adhesion, spot welding, bronze welding and the like. Alternatively, a clamp can be used as a coupling means. Then, the tank body 1, in the temporarily fixed state, moves immediately below the lower electrode ring RD and the lower electrode support 11, while it is manually supported with its upper side facing up, by an operator. The lower electrode ring RD and the lower electrode holder 11 are placed within the recessed portion 3c of the plate P1803 / 98MX lower 3 and the lower surface of the second joining flange 3f of the lower plate 3 is applied to an upper end of the outer periphery of the lower electrode ring RD. Subsequently, the expandable cylinder 5 expands by lowering the upper electrode support 6, thus bringing the upper electrode ring R? which remains outside the tank (above the body panel 2) towards pressure contact with the upper surface of the first sealing flange 2f of the body panel 2. Therefore, the overlapping portions of the joining flanges 2f and 3f they can be clamped between the upper and lower electrode rings Ra and RD. Subsequently, the motors 8a and 8D of the upper and lower rotary drive devices M0 and MD, are operated to rotate synchronously the upper and lower electrode rings Ra and RD, so that their external peripheral speeds are equal to each other. , while at the same time supplying electric current to the electrode rings RD and RD from the energy source device E, through the conductors L0 and LD. In addition, the tank body 1 is fed gradually along the superimposed portions of the connecting flanges 2f and 3f, by the operator, according to the rotation of the upper and lower electrode rings R0 and RD, whereby the P1803 / 98MX upper and lower electrode rings Rp and RD are rolled over the corresponding connecting flanges 2f and 3f. In this way, the connecting flanges 2f and 3f can be joined by welding in W, with each other. When the W-weld has been made in the entire periphery of the connecting flanges 2f "and 3f, the body panel 2 and the lower plate 3 are joined together and, therefore, the assembly of the tank body is completed. In this case, the lower electrode ring RD is formed with a diameter sufficiently smaller than that of the upper electrode ring RD, whereby a reduction in the size of the lower electrode ring RD is provided. lower electrode 16 is supported on the lower electrode support 11, with the thin disk-shaped support metal 15, and the electrical conduction between the lower electrode holder 11 and the lower electrode shaft 16 (and therefore the ring lower electrode RD) is made directly through the support metal 15. Therefore, the simplification in the structure and the size reduction 'of the lower electrode holder 11 are provided correspondingly. Therefore, the electrode holder 11 that is reduced in size and the lower electrode ring RD that can be placed in an unintended manner within the recessed portion 3c turned over P1803 / 98MX upwards of the lower plate 3. Furthermore, since the lower electrode support 11 is supported on the machine frame 4 (the support frame 4b) in a hanging form from above, a sufficiently wide welding space is ensured on all sides and below the lower electrode ring RD and the lower electrode holder 11. In this way, when the operator moves the tank body 1 while supporting it manually, there is no possibility of the tank body 1 interfere with the various portions of the welding machine A. In the description of the mode, during the welding of the connecting flanges 2f and 3f of the tank body 1, the operator moves the tank body 1 along a line of welding, while supporting this by hand. However, the tank body 1 can be supported by an automatic feeding machine, for example a robot and moved along the welding line. In the description of the embodiment, the first joining flange 2f is formed over the entire periphery of the peripheral edge of the opening 2a at the lower end of the body panel, and the second joining flange 3f is formed over the entire periphery of the body. external peripheral edge of the bottom plate 3. However, the binding tabs P1803 / 98MX 2f and 3f can be formed on only a portion of these peripheral edges. Also, a coolant passage can be provided in each of the electrode holders 6 and 11, for cooling the electrode holders 6 and 11 and the electrode rings RD and RD during welding, by circulating cooling liquid within each of the electrode holders 6 and 11. Further, if required, an oil channel can be defined to allow a lubricating oil to flow on the inner peripheral surface (bearing surface) of the support metal 5. Although the mode of this invention has been fully described, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto and that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the following claims.

P1803 / 98MX

Claims (2)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, property is claimed as contained in the following - CLAIMS: 1. A fuel tank for a motorcycle, comprising: a body panel; a lower plate that occludes an opening in the lower end of the body panel, an outer surface of the lower plate is received within the panel; a first joint flange portion formed integrally on a peripheral edge of the opening, at the lower end of the body panel; and a second joint flange portion formed integrally on an outer peripheral edge of the lower plate, wherein the first and second joining flanges are superimposed on each other and welded together, and wherein the first and second portions Union are formed, turned towards a center of the opening at the lower end of the body panel, so that the first and second joint flange portions are not visible from the sides of the fuel tank.
1. P1803 / 98MX
2. 2. A process for producing a fuel tank for a motorcycle, comprising the steps of: temporarily fixing a body panel and a bottom plate in a state in which the attachment tabs thereof have been turned towards a center of an opening in a lower end of the body panel; superimpose the connecting tabs one on the other; and joining the joining flanges together by welding over the entire periphery thereof, after the temporary fixation, wherein the joining weld includes the step of placing one of the pair of electrode rings of a welding machine and at least a portion of an electrode holder for rotatingly supporting the electrode ring within a recessed portion of the lower plate, and sandwiching the connecting flanges between the electrode ring and the other electrode ring that is positioned outside the body panel. P1803 / 98 X