Patent ID: 7819431

Claim:
A vehicle fuel tank supporting structure supporting a plurality of parallel adjacent fuel tanks, the supporting structure comprising: a first fuel tank support supporting a first fuel tank of the plurality of parallel fuel tanks, the first fuel tank having a first axial center a first height above a floor of the vehicle; a second fuel tank support supporting a second fuel tank of the plurality of parallel fuel tanks, the second fuel tank having a second axial center a second height above the floor of the vehicle, the second height being lower than the first height, the second fuel tank support having a length and a first transverse width, with one portion along the length defining a weakened portion having a second transverse width shorter than the first transverse width; and a longitudinal movement stopping device, stopping a longitudinal movement by the first fuel tank, and redirecting the longitudinal movement of the first fuel tank to apply a downward biasing force to the second fuel tank, thereby moving the second fuel tank in a downward direction toward the vehicle floor; wherein the weakened portion is configured to break when the downward biasing force applied to the second fuel tank is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and wherein the longitudinal movement stopping device is positioned at a third height above the floor of the vehicle, the third height being higher than the first height.