CN217623534U

CN217623534U - Cap assembly and reservoir including the same

Info

Publication number: CN217623534U
Application number: CN202121484929.8U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王伟
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2021-07-01
Filing date: 2021-07-01
Publication date: 2022-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2031-07-01

Abstract

A cap assembly including an outer cap having a cap channel and a membrane supported within the outer cap, the membrane including first and second vent ports in communication with the cap channel, respectively, wherein the first vent port is configured to allow only air within a tube to vent to ambient air via the first vent port and a gas passage; the second vent is configured to allow air to enter and exit the tube via the gas passage and the second vent, or configured to allow only outside air to enter the tube via the gas passage and the second vent, a distance from the first vent to the base of the outer cover being smaller than a distance from the second vent to the base of the outer cover in the axial direction. The present application further provides a reservoir including a cap assembly. The cover assembly can reduce the occurrence of a leakage phenomenon caused by the fact that brake fluid is taken out of the reservoir along with the exhausted air.

Description

Cap assembly and reservoir including the same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cover assembly, and more particularly, to a cover assembly for use on a reservoir containing brake fluid in a vehicle brake system.

Background

Vehicle brake systems typically include a brake fluid reservoir mounted in the engine compartment. The brake fluid container has an inlet on which a cap assembly is mounted, allowing the brake fluid container to be filled by mounting the cap assembly while ensuring pressure balance inside the container.

On one hand, a seal needs to be provided between the brake fluid inlet port and the cap assembly to prevent brake fluid from leaking out of the inlet port; on the other hand, it is necessary to allow gas exchange between the brake fluid container and the outside environment, for example, in the case where the brake fluid in the brake fluid container expands due to bumping, the pressure inside the brake fluid container increases, and when the internal pressure reaches a predetermined value, the above-mentioned gas exchange, which is usually performed by the cap assembly, can reduce the suddenly increased air pressure in the brake fluid container.

In the structure of the existing cover assembly, the liquid level of bumpy brake fluid rises in a reservoir due to the vibration generated when the brake fluid container encounters sudden acceleration/deceleration or bumping in the running process of a vehicle, so that the liquid level of the bumpy brake fluid is easy to contact with an exhaust port, the brake fluid is easy to enter a gas passage and is mixed with exhaust gas to be discharged out of the reservoir, the brake fluid is leaked, and the sealing performance of the brake fluid is greatly influenced.

It would be desirable to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The purpose of the application is to overcome the defects and solve the problem that brake fluid in a brake fluid container is easy to leak when bumping in the prior art. The application is realized by the following scheme:

a cap assembly, comprising:

an outer cover defining a central axis and including an outer cover base and an outer cover peripheral portion extending generally perpendicularly from a periphery of the outer cover base to define an interior space, the outer cover having at least one cover passage formed in an interior sidewall thereof for communicating the interior space with ambient air;

a diaphragm supported in the interior space of the outer cover and enclosing the outer cover to define a gas passage communicating with the outside air, the diaphragm including a first vent and a second vent respectively communicating with the cover channel to form the gas passage in the interior space, wherein,

the first vent port is configured to allow air within a tube to be discharged to the outside air via the first vent port and the gas passage while prohibiting outside air from entering the tube via the gas passage and the first vent port when a tube is hermetically mounted to the cover assembly;

the second vent is configured to allow outside air to enter a pipe via the gas passage and the second vent and to allow or prohibit air inside the pipe from being discharged into the outside air via the second vent and the gas passage when the pipe is hermetically mounted to the cover assembly;

in the direction of the central axis, the distance from the first vent to the outer cover base is less than the distance from the second vent to the outer cover base.

The present application also provides a reservoir including an inlet tube for introducing a brake fluid, which prevents a liquid in the reservoir from leaking, allows external air to enter the reservoir, and allows the air therein overnight to be discharged to the external air, and the aforementioned cap assembly.

According to the cover assembly, the cover assembly is provided with the two air vents, the first air vent can only discharge air to the outside of the liquid storage device in one direction, the probability that the liquid level of brake fluid in the liquid storage device contacts the air vent is reduced by raising the height of the first air vent, and the situation that the brake fluid is brought out of the air vent by the discharged air and leaks is reduced.

Drawings

The features, characteristics, advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a bonnet assembly engaged with an inlet tube member of a vehicle brake fluid reservoir according to one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a cap assembly according to one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2b is a top perspective view of FIG. 2a taken along direction D1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional axial view of a cap assembly engaged with an inlet tube of a reservoir according to one embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

According to the utility model discloses a lid subassembly mainly used cooperates to and seals the brake fluid reservoir of vehicle. Specifically, a cap assembly is mounted to and fluidly seals an inlet tube at an upper portion of the brake fluid reservoir. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the cover assembly of the present invention is not only applicable to a brake fluid reservoir of a vehicle, but is applicable to any similar reservoir having the same functional requirements.

An embodiment of a cap assembly according to the present invention is described in detail below with reference to fig. 1 to 3.

Fig. 1 illustrates a partial schematic view in which a cap assembly according to one embodiment of the present application is coupled with an inlet pipe member of a vehicle brake fluid reservoir. The upper portion 30 of the reservoir 20 is partially shown, the upper portion 30 having a tube 40 at the inlet of the reservoir 20 (e.g., an inlet tube or neck of the reservoir). The cap assembly 10 is mounted on the pipe 40. The lid assembly 10 is in a horizontal state as shown in fig. 1, however, the pipe 40 may not be vertically placed and thus the lid assembly 10 may also be in an inclined state, although the lid assembly 10 and the pipe 40 have substantially the same central axis X.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the cap assembly 10 mainly includes an outer cap 11 and a diaphragm 12. The outer cap 11 defines a central axis X and an inner space F of the cap assembly 10. The diaphragm 12 is accommodated and supported in the inner space F by the outer lid 11.

The outer lid 11 includes an outer lid base 111 and an outer lid peripheral portion 112 extending substantially perpendicularly from a periphery of the outer lid base 111 to define an inner space F, and at least one lid passage 113 for communicating the inner space F with the outside air is formed on an inner sidewall of the outer lid 11. In an embodiment not shown, the cover passage 113 may be provided as a groove, slot, gap or the like continuously extending on the inner side walls of the outer cover base 111 and the outer cover peripheral portion 112, for example, one port of the cover passage 113 may be opened at any suitable position of the outer cover peripheral portion 112, and the other port may be opened at a suitable position on the inner side wall of the outer cover base 111, as long as the cover passage 113 can communicate with the outside air after the cover assembly 10 is combined with the pipe member 40.

The diaphragm 12 is supported in the inner space F of the outer cover 11 and encloses with the outer cover 11 to define a gas passage communicating with the outside air, the diaphragm 12 including a first vent 121 and a second vent 122, the first vent 121 and the second vent 122 respectively communicating with the cover channel 113 to form the gas passage in the inner space F, wherein the first vent 121 is configured to allow the air inside the tube 40 to be discharged into the outside air through the first vent 121 and the gas passage while prohibiting the outside air from entering the tube 40 through the gas passage and the first vent 121 when a tube 40 (e.g., an inlet tube or neck of a reservoir) is hermetically mounted to the outer cover 11; the second vent 122 is configured to allow outside air to enter the pipe 40 via the gas passage and the second vent 122 and to allow air inside the pipe 40 to be discharged into the outside air via the second vent 122 and the gas passage when a pipe 40 (e.g., an inlet pipe or a neck of a reservoir) is air-tightly mounted to the outer cover 11; or is configured to allow the external air to enter the tube 40 via the gas passage and the second vent 122 while prohibiting the air in the tube 40 from being discharged to the external air via the second vent 122 and the gas passage, i.e., the cap assembly 10 of the present embodiment has two vents, wherein the first vent 121 has only a one-way exhaust function, and the second vent 122 may have only a one-way intake function or may support both the two-way ventilation functions of intake and exhaust. In the present embodiment, in the direction of the central axis X, the distance from the first vent 121 to the outer cover base 111 is smaller than the distance from the second vent 122 to the outer cover base 111.

The diaphragm 12 is a flexible membrane having a certain strength to be supported within the outer cover 11, and may be made of rubber, neoprene, any other suitable material or combination of materials, for example. The diaphragm 12 may be supported and retained within the outer cover 11 by its peripheral structure, such as by a snap fit, interference fit, or any other suitable combination or combination of possibilities.

Compared with the conventional bidirectional ventilation vent of the reservoir cover assembly, the vent (the first vent 121) specially used for exhausting air is provided in the embodiment of the application, the first vent 121 is closer to the outer cover base 111 without changing the sizes of other components greatly, so that the height of the first vent 121 relative to the liquid level in the reservoir is raised, and under the condition that the liquid level is raised due to the bumping of brake fluid in the reservoir, the probability that the raised liquid level contacts the first vent 121 is reduced, and the probability that the brake fluid is carried by air and exhausted through the first vent 121 to cause brake fluid leakage is greatly reduced. At this time, even though the second vent 122 can discharge air from the inside of the pipe member to the outside, since the air flow to be discharged is branched by the first vent 121, the amount of the brake fluid leaked by being carried and discharged through the second vent 122 is greatly reduced; when the second vent 122 is also provided as a one-way vent and only the outside air is allowed to enter the tube member 40 via the gas passage and the second vent 122 while the air in the tube member 40 is prohibited from being discharged to the outside air via the second vent 122 and the gas passage, the air that needs to be discharged from the reservoir can be discharged only through the first vent 121, further reducing the amount of leakage of the brake liquid that leaks by being discharged with air carried.

As shown in fig. 2a and 2b, the first vent port 121 is configured as an umbrella valve or a duckbill valve that allows air to flow in one direction to allow the air inside the tube 40 to be discharged to the external air via the first vent port 121 and the gas passage. The umbrella or duck bill valve itself has a certain height or size in the direction of the central axis X, so that the larger opening at one end can be directly disposed on the diaphragm 12, while the tip opening at the other end is closer to the outer cap base 111 in the direction of the central axis X to reduce the distance between the first vent 121 and the outer cap base 111, the umbrella or duck bill valve and the diaphragm 12 can be integrated, for example, machined by integral molding, and the production process is simple and easy to control the size and precision.

As mentioned above and referring to fig. 3, the second vent opening 122 can be configured as a one-way vent opening, only allowing the outside air to enter the tube 40 through the air passage and the second vent opening 122, but not allowing the air in the tube 40 to be discharged to the outside air through the second vent opening 122 and the air passage, at this time, the second vent opening 122 can also be selected as an umbrella valve or a duckbill valve, which is opposite to the umbrella valve or duckbill valve of the first vent opening 121 in arrangement, i.e., for example, the first vent opening 121 is selected as a first duckbill valve, the tip opening of the first duckbill valve faces and is close to the outer cap base 111, and the second vent opening 122 is selected as a second duckbill valve, the tip opening of the second duckbill valve is far from the outer cap base 111, thereby realizing respective opposite one-way vent functions of the two vent openings. Meanwhile, when the second vent 122 is selected as a duckbill valve, the duckbill valve has a substantially tapered space due to its own structural characteristics, and the tapered space extends toward the brake fluid level in the reservoir to be more "depressed" with respect to the first vent 121. When a very small amount of brake fluid is carried out of the gas passage along with the discharged air by the first vent 121, part of the brake fluid is settled and gathered into the tapered space due to gravity, so that the brake fluid is prevented from flowing in the gas passage or along the inner wall of the diaphragm 12, and when the second vent 122 is opened when air needs to be introduced, the brake fluid gathered in the tapered space is returned to the reservoir through the second vent 122, so that the probability of leakage of the brake fluid from the cover assembly 10 is further reduced.

Referring to fig. 3 again, the cover assembly 10 includes a guiding portion 114 protruding from the base portion 111 of the outer cover toward the inner space F, the guiding portion 114 is a substantially tubular structure, and the first vent 121 at least partially extends into the substantially tubular structure, so that the air discharged to the air passage through the first vent 121 is purposefully guided and the brake fluid carried in the air can be separated from the air as much as possible and settled and retained in the cover assembly 10 in the extended air passage, thereby reducing the leakage caused by the air further being carried out to the outside of the cover assembly 11.

As shown in fig. 3, the cap assembly 11 further includes a groove 115 (whether the groove 115 can be described in detail later), the diaphragm 12 includes a groove profile portion 125 corresponding to the groove 115, the groove 115 receives the groove profile portion 125, (for example, the groove 115 is formed on an inner sidewall of the outer cap 11, such as an inner sidewall of the outer cap base 111) the groove 115 and/or the groove profile portion 125 is annular, and the guide portion 114 extends from the outer cap base 111 into a space surrounded by the groove profile portion 125; further, the first vent 121 and the second vent 122 are located in the opening area 123 of the diaphragm 12 surrounded by the groove contour portion 125, and thus, in the direction of the central axis X, the first vent 121 and the second vent 122 can respectively correspond to the guide portion 114, which is beneficial to guiding the gas discharged through the first vent 121 on one hand, and also beneficial to facilitating the brake fluid carried by the discharged air to be more easily gathered at the second vent 122 on the other hand, and reducing the occurrence of liquid leakage caused by the brake fluid being carried and discharged.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a reservoir including the above-described cap assembly, which includes an inlet pipe member for introducing a brake fluid and the above-described cap assembly, which prevents a liquid in the reservoir from leaking, allows external air to enter the reservoir, and allows air in the reservoir to be discharged to the external air when the cap assembly is engaged with the inlet pipe member.

The reservoir may be a brake fluid reservoir for a vehicle.

Modifications and substitutions to the details may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is limited only by the claims.

Claims

1. Cover assembly (10), characterized in that it comprises:

an outer cover (11) defining a central axis (X) and including an outer cover base (111) and an outer cover peripheral portion (112) extending substantially perpendicularly from a periphery of the outer cover base (111) to define an inner space (F), an inner side wall of the outer cover (11) having a cover passage (113) formed thereon for communicating the inner space (F) with outside air;

a diaphragm (12) supported in the inner space (F) of the outer cover (11) and enclosing with the outer cover (11) a gas passage defining communication with the outside air, the diaphragm (12) comprising a first vent (121) and a second vent (122), the first vent (121) and the second vent (122) being respectively in communication with the cover channel (113) to form the gas passage in the inner space (F),

the first vent (121) is configured to allow air inside a pipe to be discharged to the outside air via the first vent (121) and the gas passage while prohibiting the outside air from entering the pipe via the gas passage and the first vent (121) when the pipe is hermetically mounted to the outer cover (11);

the second vent (122) is configured to allow, when a pipe is airtightly mounted to the outer cover (11), outside air to enter the pipe via the gas passage and the second vent (122), and to allow or prohibit air inside the pipe from being discharged into the outside air via the second vent (122) and the gas passage;

in the direction of the central axis (X), the distance from the first vent (121) to the outer cover base (111) is smaller than the distance from the second vent (122) to the outer cover base (111).

2. The cap assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the first vent (121) is configured as an umbrella or duckbill valve that allows air to flow in one direction to allow air within the tube to vent to ambient air via the first vent (121) and the gas passage.

3. The cap assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the second vent (122) is configured as an umbrella or duckbill valve that allows air to flow in one direction to allow ambient air to enter the tube via the gas passageway and the second vent (122) while inhibiting air within the tube from being discharged into the ambient air via the second vent (122) and the gas passageway.

4. Cap assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap assembly (10) comprises a guide (114) projecting from the outer cap base (111) towards the inner space (F), the guide (114) having a substantially tubular structure into which the first venting opening (121) extends at least partially.

5. The cap assembly (10) of claim 4, wherein the cap assembly (10) comprises a groove (115), the septum (12) comprises a groove profile portion (125) corresponding to the groove (115), the groove (115) is configured to receive the groove profile portion (125), the groove (115) and/or groove profile portion (125) is annular, and the guide (114) extends from the outer cap base (111) into a space surrounded by the groove profile portion (125).

6. The cap assembly (10) of claim 5, wherein the first vent (121) and the second vent (122) are located in an open area (123) of the membrane (12) surrounded by the groove profile portion (125).

7. Reservoir, characterized by comprising an inlet tube (40) for introducing brake fluid and a cap assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said inlet tube (40), when combined with said cap assembly (10), preventing liquid leakage inside said reservoir, allowing ambient air to enter said reservoir and allowing air inside said reservoir to escape to the ambient air.

8. Reservoir according to claim 7, characterized in that the cap assembly (10) comprises a guide (114) projecting from the outer cap base (111) towards the inner space (F), the guide (114) presenting a substantially tubular structure into which the first venting orifice (121) extends at least partially, the inlet tube (40) being joined to the cap assembly (10) around the guide (114).

9. The reservoir according to claim 8, characterized in that the cap assembly (10) comprises a groove (115), the septum (12) comprises a groove profile portion (125) corresponding to the groove (115), the groove (115) is configured to receive the groove profile portion (125), the groove (115) and/or the groove profile portion (125) is annular, the guide (114) extends from the outer cap base (111) into a space surrounded by the groove profile portion (125), the inlet tube (40) is joined to the cap assembly (10) around the groove profile portion (125).

10. Reservoir according to claim 9, characterized in that the first vent (121) and the second vent (122) are located in an opening area (123) of the membrane (12) surrounded by the groove profile (125).