FORM 2


THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION A fuel tank assembly for an automotive application
APPLICANTS
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
INVENTOR
Mr. Laxmikant Khandare, Mr. Nilesh Borhade, Mr. Umesh Abhyankar
& Mr. Abhay Deshpande all Indian national
of TATA MOTORS LIMITED,
an Indian company having its registered office
at Bombay House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION The following specification describes the invention


FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to fuel supply system for automotive vehicles and more particularly, to a fuel tank assembly, its mounting and arrangement of its peripherals thereof.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Generally a fuel tank is assembled on vehicle behind the rear passenger compartment and ahead of rear axle to house fuel required to drive the engine. Conventionally fuel tank assembly have an admittance opening covered by a flange. An elongated fuel supply unit is carried on this access hole and is carried and projects downward from the flange, extending up to just few a millimeters away from the bottom of the fuel tank.
The use of fuel pump module to pump fuel from fuel tanks is well known in the automotive industry. A typical fuel pump module may include a fuel pump, a fuel reservoir, a fuel level sensor, a suction filter positioned upstream of the pump inlet and a pressure regulator. Installation of the fuel pump module into the fuel tank is made possible by an opening or a hole in the tank that provides access to the inside of the tank. The opening is normally formed in the top wall of the tank. The fuel pump module is having small swirl pot to help the fuel pump to avoid possibility of a dry run owing to high acceleration or deceleration turning or long hauling over inclined paths. The fuel lines are taken from different regions over the surface of the fuel tank as required thereby making the routing a convoluted concern. Attempts have heretofore been made to provide an improved fuel tank mounting location and cost effective and simple arrangement to submerge a fuel pump module in fuel tank with its peripherals.
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OBJECTS OF INVENTION
> The main object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting arrangement location for automotive fuel tank with enhancement of passenger compartment space for a rear engine driven automotive application.
> Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved countermeasure for fuel surface level variation and fuel pump module dry run for automotive fuel tank which is simple in construction and cost effective,
> Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved routing arrangement for fuel lines which is simple in construction and cost effective.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Generally a fuel tank is assembled on vehicle behind the rear passenger compartment and ahead of rear axle. This fuel tank mounting location described causes reduction of cabin space owing to shift of rear passenger seats to accommodate for a hump in automotive body shell. Therefore, attempts have been made to design a under floor fuel tank which has allowed the complete packaging of engine and exhaust system with improvement in legroom in the passenger compartment for a rear engine car. Also the tank height has been optimized for height for meeting regulations regarding the ground clearance requirements.
The difficulties of fuel level sensing on account of the large variations in fuel surface levels for the lesser height fuel tank, depending on the angle of the car, being changed on account of load pattern and possible dry run of fuel pump module on account of high gravitational force turning or long inclined hauling are overcome by submerging the fuel pump module in fuel contained in a surge pot housed inside fuel tank and fastened with bottom half of the fuel tank. The surge pot houses a baffle inside it to work against gravitational forces acting on the fuel during inclined nose down
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haulage. Also, the difficulties of complicated routings are overcome by arrangement of all the fuel lines from top of the fuel pump module being routed along the longitudinal axis of the fuel tank and are hold together by a clamp directly mounted on the edge of the fuel tank enabling successful avoidance of transmissibility of vehicle level vibrations to the individual fuel lines and their assembly thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows - Side view, of an automotive fuel tank mounting location. Figure 2 shows - Perspective view of an automotive fuel tank and its peripherals. Figure 3 shows - Perspective view of an automotive fuel line holding clamp. Figure 4 shows - Exploded perspective view of an automotive fuel tank. Figure 5 shows - Perspective sectional view of an automotive fuel tank and its peripherals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of
illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only, and not for the purpose of
limiting the same,
Referring to fig. 1, Side view of an automotive fuel tank mounting location
illustrating the location of the fuel tank (1) mounted under co-driver seat (2) and
towards front left of the vehicle.
Referring to fig. 2, a perspective view of an automotive fuel tank and its peripherals
shows a fuel tank made up of bottom shell (3) and top shell (4) from seam welding
joinery along edges. The fuel supply unit (5) is mounted on fuel module mounting
ring (6) spot welded to the top shell(4) of the fuel tank assembly. Two apertures (7,8)
are cut open on the inclined vertical wall of the top shell (4) for accommodating the
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insertions of the filler pipe and breather pipe of the fuel supply system respectively. This fuel tank assembly disposed of from top with fuel supply unit is mounted to the horizontal long member of an automotive chassis with the able help of mounting brackets (9,10,11). These brackets (9,10,11) are placed longitudinally along the edge(13) of the fuel tank. There are 3 fuel lines viz., Evaporative line(14), return line(15) and delivery line(16) imminent from top of the fuel supply unit (5). These lines are held against the edge of the fuel tank with fuel lines holding clamp (12). Referring to fig. 3, a perspective view of an automotive fuel lines holding clamp. The clamp consists of 'C shaped bottom part (17) and three lobed body (19) which holds and separates three fuel lines together. Fuel lines are locked to lobed body (19) with a locking strip (18). This locking strip (18) is hinged (20) at one end and press fitted at other notch (21) end. This assembly of clamp is held against the edge (13) of the fuel tank with the able help of the 'C shaped bottom part (17) of the clamp. Referring to fig. 4 and fig.5, a perspective sectional view of an automotive fuel tank and its peripherals and an exploded perspective view of an automotive fuel tank shows the details of surge pot (22) mounted on the bottom shell (3). A flow restricting baffle (23) is disposed of between vertical wall of the surge pot (22) and the fuel supply unit (5). The baffle (23) is made from sheet metal and form like a "L" shaped member and one end is connected to the surge pot wall and along the length it is welded to the surge pot bottom. The baffle will create partially confined area inside surge pot to retain the fuel in the surge pot area. Referring to fig. 5 an aperture (24) is provided on the front middle & bottom part of the surge pot (22). This aperture (24) allows fuel to flow inside the surge pot (22) while fuel filling is done from filler pipe (7). A flow restricting baffle (23) restricts the direct flow of fuel through this aperture (24) while the vehicle is on a nose down condition on a negative gradient. This avoids the possibility of a dry run of fuel supply unit (5). Dimensional details of fuel tank:
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Generally the height to volume ratio of the fuel tank used lies between 4 to 4.25, the ratio used in the current fuel tank lies between 6.2 to 6.4, which makes the fuel tank more flat and it accommodates more volume in transverse direction.
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.
Dated this 17th day of March 2009
TATA MOTORS LIMITED By their Agent & Attorney

Karuna Goleria of DePENNING & DePENNING
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