CN214523340U

CN214523340U - Fixing device for a vehicle tank and vehicle tank comprising such a fixing device

Info

Publication number: CN214523340U
Application number: CN202120196280.3U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谷亚飞; 刘强
Original assignee: Wuhan Plastic Omnium Auto Inergy Co Ltd
Current assignee: Wuhan Plastic Omnium Auto Inergy Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-01-25
Filing date: 2021-01-25
Publication date: 2021-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-25

Abstract

The utility model provides a fixing device for vehicle storage tank, it is installed in vehicle storage tank's inside for functional element in the fixed vehicle storage tank, a serial communication port, fixing device includes base and fixed head, the base is intended fixed connection on vehicle storage tank's inner wall, fixed head is including relative first end and the second end that sets up, first end is including being used for right the fixed part is implemented to functional element, the second end including be used for with the complex adapting unit is connected to the base, adapting unit set up to with mobilizable mode with base assembly connection, so that fixed part can for the base removes. This fixing device is through setting up a mobilizable connected mode between base and fixed head, to the damage or the risk that drops that the functional element dragged or the extrusion caused when avoiding vehicle storage tank cooling shrink. The utility model discloses still provide a vehicle storage tank including above-mentioned fixing device.

Description

Fixing device for a vehicle tank and vehicle tank comprising such a fixing device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of tank design and manufacture for motor vehicles, and more particularly to the field of design and manufacture of fixing devices in tanks for motor vehicles.

Background

Plastic has a wide range of applications in numerous industrial fields, for example for the manufacture of hollow body tanks containing liquids and/or gases, including fuel tanks for motor vehicles and various aqueous solution tanks, which may include, for example, selective reduction catalyst (SCR) tanks and demineralised aqueous solution tanks, etc., due to its lighter weight and easier moulding into complex shapes. Such hollow body tanks are generally moulded from a plastic material, for example by moulding two plastic hollow half shells.

It is known that the tanks of motor vehicles are equipped with various functional elements, such as baffles to prevent excessive disturbance (or slosh) of the liquid in the tank, pipes, valves for various purposes, sensors, etc. These functional elements are usually attached to the wall of the vehicle tank by fixing means, such as a snap.

The known fixing means of the functional element are generally fixed to the wall of the vehicle tank by means of thermowelding during the blow-moulding of the latter, and then fixing the functional element by means of other mechanical fixing means conventional in the art, including but not limited to: screwing, riveting, clamping, etc. Such fixtures often present a problem: after the blow molding of the vehicle tank is completed and the subsequent cooling is completed, there may be shrinkage of the plastic material of the vehicle tank to various degrees, the shrinkage may result in the reduction of the size of the tank (the size of the tank wall is also reduced), and there is usually more than one fixing device for fixing the functional element (such as a baffle or a pipe), and the fixing device and the vehicle tank are immovable fixed connections, so the shrinkage may result in the change of the relative position (for example, the reduction of the distance) between a plurality of fixing devices, and further the tendency (stress) of the fixing device to move the functional element relatively, thereby causing the pulling or extrusion of the functional element, and the risk of the functional element being damaged or falling off.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned prior art defects and provide a movable fixing device for the inside of a vehicle storage tank, which can avoid the damage or the falling risk caused by the dragging or the extrusion of a functional element when the vehicle storage tank is cooled and contracted by arranging a movable connection mode between a base (which is connected with the wall of the vehicle storage tank) and a fixing head (which is used for fixing the functional element).

To this end, the present invention provides a fixing device for a vehicle tank, which is installed inside the vehicle tank and is used for fixing a functional element in the vehicle tank, characterized in that the fixing device comprises a base and a fixing head, the base is intended to be fixedly connected to the inner wall of the vehicle tank, the fixing head comprises a first end and a second end which are arranged oppositely, the first end comprises a fixing part for fixing the functional element, the second end comprises a connecting part for connecting with the base, the connecting part is arranged to be assembled and connected with the base in a movable manner, so that the fixing part can move relative to the base.

Thus, the fixation device comprises two parts movable relative to each other: a base and a fixed head. Thanks to this movable connection, when the vehicle tank shrinks due to cooling and the base moves with the tank wall, the fixing head can move in the opposite direction with respect to the base, so that the fixing means for fixing the functional element maintains its original position (position before cooling), i.e. there is no tendency (stress) for relative movement with respect to the functional element, and therefore no pulling or squeezing of the functional element is caused, thus avoiding the risk of damage or detachment thereof. That is, the movable connection of the base to the fixed head is such that the effects of the shrinkage displacement of the vehicle tank are only applied to the base and cannot be transmitted to the fixed head, which is resolved by the relative movement of the fixed head and the base.

According to the utility model discloses a preferred embodiment, the base includes the slide rail, adapting unit includes the slider, the slider with slide rail sliding fit, so that the slider can follow the horizontal direction and remove in the slide rail, but the removal in vertical direction is limited, wherein connects the direction at the straight line place of the first end of fixed head and second end is vertical direction, is the horizontal direction with vertical direction perpendicular direction. The person skilled in the art will understand that said horizontal direction is in the plane of the wall of the vehicle tank on which the base is fixed, and preferably the direction in which the wall of the tank converges.

Preferably, the base further comprises a stop block, and the connecting member further comprises a stop piece, wherein the stop block and the stop piece can abut against each other to limit the movement of the sliding block in the sliding rail. Therefore, the risk that the fixed head is separated from the base due to the fact that the sliding block slides out of the sliding rail can be prevented.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connection member comprises a flexible portion which is elastically deformable so that the fixation member can move relative to the base. Such a flexible portion has the advantage that it is more versatile and flexible in the direction in which it is elastically deformed, so that the movement of the fixing head (or fixing part) with respect to the base can take place in a plurality of directions, to flexibly cope with situations when the shrinkage of the wall of the tank takes place not only in one direction.

Preferably, the flexible portion is an S-shaped, U-shaped, or W-shaped rib.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base further comprises a welded portion arranged to be welded to a wall of the vehicle tank to achieve a fixed connection of the fixing means with the wall of the tank.

The utility model provides a vehicle storage tank, the storage tank is made by plastic materials to constitute by upper wall, lower wall and the sealed hollow body that the lateral wall of connecting upper wall and lower wall encloses jointly, its characterized in that, vehicle storage tank includes as above fixing device, fixing device installs on vehicle storage tank's the inner wall.

Preferably, said fixing means is obtained by heat-welding said base to the inner wall of said vehicle tank to obtain its fixed mounting in said vehicle tank.

Preferably, said vehicle tank may be, for example, a fuel tank or an aqueous solution tank of a motor vehicle. The aqueous solution tank may for example comprise a selective reduction catalyst (SCR) tank, a demineralised aqueous solution tank or the like.

Drawings

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are solely for purposes of illustration and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. The same reference numbers in the drawings identify the same or similar elements. For purposes of illustration, the figures are not drawn to scale.

Fig. 1A is a front view of a fixation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1B is a side view of a fixation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2A is a front view of a fixation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2B is a top view of a fixation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the following examples are only for the purpose of more clearly describing the technical solutions of the present invention, and do not constitute any limitation to the scope of the present invention.

In the following description of the embodiments, the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "vertical" are to be understood as referring to the normal orientation of a vehicle tank according to the invention when mounted in place on a motor vehicle, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1A and 1B schematically show a fixing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is installed inside a vehicle tank (not shown) for fixing functional elements in the vehicle tank, such as baffles, pipes, valves for various purposes, sensors, and the like.

As shown in fig. 1A and 1B, the fixing device includes a base 1 and a fixing head 2. The base 1 is intended to be fixedly connected to the inner wall of the vehicle tank by heat welding through the welding portion 13 it contains, to achieve fitting fixation of the fixing means. The base 1 further comprises a slide rail 11, and the slide rail 11 is connected with a slide block 22 included in the fixed head 2 in a sliding fit manner.

The fixed head 2 comprises a first end and a second end arranged opposite to each other in the vertical direction (i.e. in the ZZ direction in fig. 1A), the first end comprising a fixing part 23 for fixing the functional element, and the second end comprising a connecting part for coupling with the base, here a slider 22 for sliding engagement with the slide 11 of the base 1. The slider 22 is capable of translational movement in the horizontal direction (XX direction) in the slide 11, but is limited in movement in the vertical direction (ZZ direction). Such articulation enables the fixed part 23 to move in translation with respect to the base 1.

Preferably, the base 1 further comprises a stop block 12, and the connecting member of the fixation head 2 further comprises a stop tab (not shown), the stop block 12 and said stop tab being capable of abutting against each other to limit the movement of the slider 22 in the sliding track 11, to prevent the risk of the slider 22 sliding out of the sliding track 11, causing the detachment of the fixation head 2 from the base 1.

Fig. 2A and 2B schematically show a fixing device according to a second embodiment of the invention, which, similarly to the first embodiment, is also mounted inside the vehicle tank (not shown) for fixing functional elements in the vehicle tank. Similarly, the fixing means also comprise a base 1 and a fixing head 2, the base 1 being intended to be fixedly connected by heat welding to the inner wall of the tank of the vehicle by means of a welding portion 13 it contains, so as to achieve the fitting fixation of the fixing means. In the first and second embodiments, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the manner of articulation between the base 1 and the fixed head 2. Unlike the sliding connection between the sliding rail and the slider in the first embodiment, the connecting part of the fixing head 2 and the base 1 in the second embodiment includes a flexible portion 202, and the flexible portion 202 is elastically deformable to allow the fixing part 23 to move relative to the base 1. As shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the flexible portion 202 is disposed at a second end portion of the fixing head 2 opposite to the first end portion including the fixing part 23, and extends radially and symmetrically outward from the center of the base 1 to the peripheral edge of the base 1. The end of the flexible portion 202 facing the outer periphery of the base 1 is in snap fit with the snap groove 101 on the outer periphery of the base 1, so that the fixing head 2 can be fixed to the base 1 in four directions (four snap positions, i.e., up, down, left, and right as shown in fig. 2B). Here, the flexible portion 202 is 4S-shaped ribs symmetrically distributed.

Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number of ribs can be flexibly set according to actual needs, such as 2, 3, 5, 6 or more. The ribs may be in the form of S-shaped ribs, U-shaped ribs, W-shaped ribs, or other suitable shapes. The flexible portion may also take other suitable shapes than ribs, such as a sheet, or a mesh.

Such a flexible portion has the advantage of being more versatile and flexible in the direction in which it is elastically deformed, so that the movement of the fixing head 2 (or of the fixing part 23) with respect to the base 1 can take place in a plurality of directions, to flexibly cope with situations when the shrinkage of the wall of the tank occurs more than in one direction. For example, the fixation head 2 may be moved in the plane shown in fig. 2B to any position inside the circle in which the base 1 is located.

An embodiment of the utility model also provides a vehicle storage tank (not shown), the storage tank is made by plastic materials to constitute by upper wall, lower wall and the sealed hollow body that encloses jointly with the lateral wall of connecting upper wall and lower wall, vehicle storage tank includes fixing device as above, fixing device installs on vehicle storage tank's inner wall.

The drawings and the foregoing description depict non-limiting specific embodiments of the invention. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-described features can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but is only limited by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Fixing device for a vehicle tank, to be mounted inside the vehicle tank, for fixing a functional element in the vehicle tank, characterized in that it comprises a base intended to be fixedly connected to an inner wall of the vehicle tank and a fixing head comprising a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other, said first end comprising fixing means for fixing said functional element and said second end comprising connection means for cooperating with said base, said connection means being arranged to be fittingly connected in a movable manner to said base so as to enable said fixing means to move with respect to said base.

2. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the base includes a slide rail, and the connecting member includes a slider slidably engaged with the slide rail such that the slider is movable in the slide rail in a horizontal direction but is limited in movement in a vertical direction, wherein a direction in which a straight line connecting the first end portion and the second end portion is located is the vertical direction, and a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is the horizontal direction.

3. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the base further comprises a stop block, and the connecting member further comprises a stop piece, wherein the stop block and the stop piece can abut against each other to limit the movement of the slider in the sliding track.

4. The fixation device of claim 1, wherein the connecting member includes a flexible portion that is elastically deformable to enable the fixation member to move relative to the base.

5. The fixation device of claim 4, wherein the flexible portion is an S-shaped, U-shaped, or W-shaped tendon.

6. The fastening device of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a welded portion configured to be welded to a wall of a vehicle tank.

7. -vehicle tank made of plastic material and consisting of a sealed hollow body enclosed by an upper wall, a lower wall and side walls connecting the upper and lower walls, characterized in that it comprises a fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 mounted on the inner wall of said tank.

8. -vehicle tank according to claim 7, characterised in that said fixing means enable its fixed mounting in said vehicle tank by thermowelding said base to the inner wall of said vehicle tank.

9. Vehicle tank according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it is a fuel tank or an aqueous solution tank of a motor vehicle.