DE102014207589B4 - Method for producing a liquid container - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for producing a liquid container (1) with an internal component (5) for holding a liquid in a motor vehicle, with the following steps: - Providing several container parts (2, 3); - One of the container parts (3) is provided with an access opening (32) and a fastening structure (33) directed in the direction of the inner volume (4) of the liquid container (1) to be produced, in that on the relevant container part (3) there is a recess on the outside of the liquid container (1) facing in the direction of the inner volume (4). ) is formed and a protruding end of this recess is separated, so that an opening edge (36) of the access opening (32) is designed to face inwards to form the fastening structure (33); - inserting the component (5) into the access opening (32 );- Connecting the component (5) to the fastening structure (33) by a connection process that is carried out on the side of the container part (3) on which the fastening structure (33) is located in order to effect a cohesive and liquid-tight connection ; and- connecting the container parts (2, 3) to form the liquid container (1).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid container with an internal component for use in motor vehicles, in particular for holding fuel, liquid reducing agent for exhaust gas aftertreatment (AdBlue), washer fluid for a windshield wiper system and the like.

Liquid containers are used in motor vehicles to hold liquid. The liquid containers can include, for example, a fuel tank for holding fuel, a reducing agent tank for holding a reducing agent (AdBlue) required for exhaust gas aftertreatment, or a washer fluid container for holding washer fluid for a windshield wiper system.

Often, additional components, such as a delivery unit for pumping the liquid in the container and/or a heating device, are also arranged at least partially inside the container in order to form a compact assembly and reduce the number of components required outside the liquid container.

Liquid containers or tanks are often made of plastic, as plastic containers offer more diverse design options with regard to their shape due to their manufacturing processes. It is therefore fundamentally possible to better adapt the container shape to the available installation space and thereby provide a larger holding capacity. Such plastic containers are often manufactured using a blow molding technique that can be used to form one-piece, essentially closed containers. However, due to the limited access to the interior of the self-contained plastic container, the introduction of further components, such as a delivery unit (pump), a heating device and the like, is only possible with great effort.

For example, such a container designed using blow molding technology is provided with projections for introducing components, the protruding end of which is cut off in order to form a defined opening in the container. The component to be inserted is now introduced from the outside through this opening and the resulting cut edge is connected to the component to be inserted from the outside in a liquid-tight manner. In this way, additional components can be introduced into a plastic container formed using blow molding technology, but this technology leads to projections on the plastic container that are not determined by the available installation space but by the arrangement of the components inside the container. In particular, side surfaces of such plastic containers, which are arranged on the underside of a motor vehicle, can therefore have projections which, while maintaining a minimum distance from the ground, leave installation space for the liquid container unused.

The publication DE 8615526 U1 discloses a plastic fuel tank for a motor vehicle. The fuel tank is made up of two plastic half-shells. A unit with an electric fuel suction pump is provided in the fuel tank and is completely housed inside the fuel tank.

• - Herstellen eines Hohlkörpers, welcher im Weiteren den Grundkörper des Tanks bildet, wobei der Hohlkörper insbesondere einteilig aus Kunststoff, z. B. HDPE, durch Aufblasen eines Vorformlings in einem formgebenden Blaswerkzeug hergestellt wird;
• - Einstechen einer Hülse in den Hohlkörper auf einer Seite des Hohlkörpers;
• - Auswölben einer der einen Seite gegenüberliegenden anderen Seite des Hohlkörpers durch die Hülse; und
• - stoffschlüssiges Verbinden beider Seiten des Hohlkörpers mit der Hülse.

The nearest publication DE 10 2013 011 342 A1 describes a method for making a tank, comprising the steps:

• - Producing a hollow body, which further forms the base body of the tank, the hollow body being made in particular in one piece from plastic, e.g. B. HDPE, is produced by inflating a preform in a shaping blow mold;
• - piercing a sleeve into the hollow body on one side of the hollow body;
• - Bulging out of the other side of the hollow body, which is opposite one side, through the sleeve; and
• - material connection of both sides of the hollow body with the sleeve.

The state of the art is also referred to in the publications DE 10 2005 055 631 A1 , DE 692 08 616 T2 , DE 30 18 242 A1 and DE 197 55 297 A1 pointed out.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a liquid container with an internal component, with which it is possible to construct the liquid container in the available installation space in such a way that no unused, i.e. H. Volume areas not used to absorb liquid are created.

This object is achieved by the method according to the invention for producing a liquid container with an internal component according to claim 1.

Further refinements are specified in the dependent claims.

A liquid container with an internal component for holding a liquid in a motor vehicle is provided, the component being arranged or inserted in an access opening on an outside of the liquid container and protruding into an internal volume of the liquid container. A fastening structure directed towards the internal volume of the liquid container is provided in order to hold the component in the access opening and to close the access opening in a liquid-tight manner.

• - Bereitstellen von mehreren Behälterteilen, wobei eines der Behälterteile mit einer Zugangsöffnung und einer Befestigungsstruktur, die in Richtung des Innenvolumens des herzustellenden Flüssigkeitsbehälters gerichtet ist, versehen wird;
• - Einsetzen der Komponente in die Zugangsöffnung;
• - Verbinden der Komponente mit der Befestigungsstruktur durch einen Verbindungsprozess, der auf der Seite des Behälterteils, an der sich die Befestigungsstruktur befindet, ausgeführt wird; und
• - Verbinden der Behälterteile, um den Flüssigkeitsbehälter auszubilden.

According to the invention, a method for producing a liquid container with an internal component for holding a liquid in a motor vehicle is provided, with the following steps:

• - Providing a plurality of container parts, one of the container parts being provided with an access opening and a fastening structure directed towards the internal volume of the liquid container to be manufactured;
• - inserting the component into the access opening;
• - connecting the component to the fastening structure through a connection process carried out on the side of the container part on which the fastening structure is located; and
• - Connecting the container parts to form the liquid container.

One idea of the above internal component liquid container is to attach the internal component to a mounting structure corresponding to an inward edge of an access opening. According to the above manufacturing method, the component is inserted into or into the access opening. The insertion can take place from an outside of the container part. Alternatively, the component can be inserted from an inside of the container part. The latter makes it possible to also arrange components with cross sections in the container part that are larger than the cross section of the access opening. After the component has been inserted, it can come into contact with the fastening structure at a connection point and be fastened there. The attachment structure is connected to the component by a connection method that is conveniently carried out from a side of the container part directed towards the internal volume of the liquid container to be manufactured. For this purpose, a multi-part design of the liquid container is necessary, which enables accessibility to the internal fastening structure or connection point.

The multi-part design of the liquid container and the provision of internal fastening structures for fastening an internal component ensure that the degree of freedom in the design of the outer shape of the liquid container is increased and the liquid container can therefore be optimally adapted to the available installation space. In particular, the external shape of the liquid container is no longer determined by the arrangement of internal components. This makes it possible to make the internal volume of the liquid container as large as possible.

The access opening, the inward-facing edge of which forms the fastening structure for fastening the at least one component, enables the outward-facing side of the component to be accessible from the outside without having to open the liquid container. This means that components, in particular wearing parts, of the corresponding component can be easily replaced or maintained. For example, with an electric motor-operated conveyor unit as a component, a brush module can be replaced via the outward-facing side of the conveyor unit.

In particular, possible types of fastening for fastening the component in the opening are methods for the cohesive connection of the internal component to the connecting structure, in particular by gluing or welding. Other connection options that create a liquid-tight connection point include screwing and fastening using a camlock connection.

Furthermore, the component can be arranged so that it is flush with the outside of the liquid container or is offset inwards with respect to the outside of the liquid container.

According to one embodiment, the liquid container can comprise a plurality of container parts, at least one of which has a cavity, so that the container parts placed one on top of the other form the internal volume.

It can be provided that the component has a detachable cover that points towards the outside, so that an interior of the component is accessible by loosening the cover.

In particular, it can be provided that the component has a circumferential fastening device which is connected to the fastening structure along a connection point between the container part and the component.

Furthermore, the fastening structure and the fastening device can be connected in a materially bonded manner at the connection point.

According to one embodiment, the fastening structure can be formed by an edge of the access opening that runs in the direction of the inner volume, in particular a bent edge.

Regarding the above method, the connection process is carried out to effect a cohesive and liquid-tight connection.

Furthermore, the access opening of one of the container parts is formed by forming a recess facing in the direction of the internal volume on the outside of the liquid container, with a protruding end of the recess being separated so that an opening edge of the access opening is designed to point inwards.

It is envisaged that the inwardly facing opening edge of the access opening forms the fastening structure.

Furthermore, the fastening structure can rest on a fastening device of the component, so that they can be connected to one another at a circumferential connection point through the connection process.

• 1 eine Querschnittsdarstellung eines Flüssigkeitsbehälters mit einer innen liegenden Fördereinheit als Komponente; und
• 2 ein Flussdiagramm zur Veranschaulichung eines Verfahrens zum Herstellen des Flüssigkeitsbehälters der 1.

Embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 a cross-sectional view of a liquid container with an internal delivery unit as a component; and
• 2 a flowchart illustrating a method for producing the liquid container 1 .

In 1 is a cross-sectional view through a liquid container 1 for holding liquids. Such a liquid container 1 is intended in particular for use in a motor vehicle. Examples of such liquid containers can include, for example, a fuel tank for holding fuel, a reducing agent container for holding reducing agent (so-called AdBlue) for the aftertreatment of combustion exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, a washer fluid container for holding water for a windshield wiper system and the like.

The liquid container 1 is composed of several, in particular two, corresponding container parts 2, 3, a first container part 2 and a second container part 3. The first container part 2 and the second container part 3 are each concave with a cavity, which form an internal volume 4 when put together. The container parts 2, 3 can in particular be designed as half-shells.

The half-shells of the container parts 2, 3 can be formed, for example, from plastic, for example using an injection molding technique.

Connecting edges of the first and second container parts 2, 3 can each be provided with a circumferential connecting flange 21 or 31, which serve as connecting structures. The connecting flanges 21, 31 of the container parts 2, 3 are placed on one another to assemble the liquid container 1 and thereby form the internal volume 4 of the liquid container 1. The connecting flanges 21, 31 can be connected to one another in a liquid-tight manner using various connecting methods, in particular using cohesive methods, such as gluing or welding.

It is also possible to arrange a circumferential seal (not shown) between contact surfaces of the connecting flanges 21, 31. The inner volume 4 can then be formed and sealed by pressing the container parts 2, 3 together using a positive or non-positive connection.

Liquid containers in motor vehicles are often equipped with internal components, such as a delivery unit for conveying or pumping a liquid filled into the liquid container 1, a level measuring device for providing information about the fill level of the liquid container 1, a heating device for heating the liquid filled into the liquid container 1 liquid and the like.

In previous liquid containers that were formed using blow molding technology, there was increased effort due to the introduction of internal components. The internal components could usually not be easily attached inside the liquid container because of the accessibility for appropriate tools, such as a welding device, an adhesive dispenser or the like chen, was difficult due to the limited space of movement. To introduce a component, the outer shape of the liquid container was therefore provided with a projection, the cross section of which was designed to correspond to a cross section of the component to be inserted. By cutting off an outwardly facing end of the projection, an access opening with an outwardly facing (bent) edge could be created through which the component could be inserted and suitably connected from the outside to the now existing edges of the access opening.

However, this impairs the free design of the external shape of the liquid container and is determined by the shape size and arrangement position of the component in the liquid container.

In this regard, it is now proposed to provide the second container part 3, into which a component 5 to be introduced into the liquid container 1 is inserted and to which the component 5 in question is to be attached, with a fastening structure 33. The fastening structure 33 can be provided as an opening edge 36 of an access opening 32 that is bent in the direction of the inner volume 4. The opening edge 36 can essentially go into the interior, i.e. H. protrude into the inner volume 4 of the liquid container 1 and the component 5 can then be attached or fastened to it, either directly or with the aid of a corresponding fastening device 51. In particular, the attachment between the attachment structure 33 and the attachment device 51 can take place through a connection process carried out through the internal volume 4.

In 2 the method for constructing the liquid container 1 is described schematically in more detail using a flow chart.

In step S1, the container parts 2, 3 are provided as separate parts, which can be formed, for example, from plastic using an injection molding process. The container parts 2, 3 can be designed as injection molded parts with a cavity delimited by a circumferential connecting edge.

In step S2, the second container part 3 is provided with an access opening 32 on one side, in particular on an outside opposite the connecting edge. The opening edges 36 of the access opening 32 should be bent or aligned in the direction of the cavity of the second container part 3. This can e.g. B. can be achieved in that in the manufacturing process of the second container part 3 it is provided with an inwardly pointing recess (in the direction of the cavity), the cross section of which is essentially adapted to the cross section of the component 5 to be used. By separating the protruding end of the recess, the access opening 32 can then be formed with the opening edge 36 bent inwards.

Subsequently, in a step S3, the component 5 to be inserted is inserted into the access opening 32, so that the fastening device 51 rests on the fastening structure 33 of the second container part 3. The component 5 can be inserted onto or into the second container part 3 from the outside or from the inside of the second container part 3. In particular, inserting or placing the component 5 from the direction of the inside of the second container part 3 enables the arrangement of a component with a larger cross-section than the access opening 32. In this way, the previous restriction by which the maximum size of the component 5 is determined by the size the access opening has been determined can be overcome.

Subsequently, in a step S4, the fastening device 51 is connected to the fastening structure 33 in a suitable manner. Suitable connection methods here are welding and bonding, i.e. H. cohesive processes. Welding can be carried out, for example, using a welding device which has access through the opening of the cavity of the second container part 3 to a connection point 7 at which the fastening structure 33 rests on the fastening device 51. Likewise, an adhesive dosing unit for the cohesive connection between the fastening structure 33 and the fastening device 51 can apply adhesive to the connection point 7 through the opening of the cavity of the second container part 3 of the separate container parts 2, 3.

Subsequently, in a step S5, in particular after further components (5), which are to be arranged in the inner volume 4, have been introduced into the container parts 2, 3, the container parts 2, 3 can be placed on one another with their connecting flanges 21, 31 and connected to one another .

Because the component 5 introduced into the inner volume 4 of the liquid container 1 is inserted into the access opening 32, it is still accessible from the outside. In this way, access to the component 5 can be maintained even though it is arranged in the liquid container 1. This can be useful, for example, for components 5 where wearing parts are occasionally replaced or which need to be maintained. For this purpose, the component 5 can be provided with a removable (detachable) cover 52, which faces outwards after the component 5 has been inserted into the liquid container 1.

Furthermore, an outside of the component 5, which is formed by the lid 52, can be provided flush with the outside of the second container part 3 or inward with respect to the outside of the second container part 3, i.e. H. in the direction of the inner volume 4, be offset. In this way, it is possible to largely exclude or reduce an influence of the arrangement position of the component 5 inside the liquid container 1 on the external shape of the liquid container 1.

Further components can be arranged in the internal volume 4 of the liquid container 1, either in the same way as described above or on a component 5 that is already arranged in the internal volume 4 and fastened there. This is the example of a heating device 6 in the embodiment shown , which the z. B. component 5 designed as a conveyor unit is shown.

Reference symbol list

1

liquid container

2

first container part

21

connecting flange

3

second container part

31

connecting flange

32

Access opening

33

Fastening structure

36

edge bent towards the inner volume

4

Internal volume

5

component

51

Fastening device

52

Component cover

6

Heating device

7

connection point

Claims (4)

Method for producing a liquid container (1) with an internal component (5) for holding a liquid in a motor vehicle, with the following steps: - Providing several container parts (2, 3); - One of the container parts (3) is provided with an access opening (32) and a fastening structure (33) directed in the direction of the internal volume (4) of the liquid container (1) to be produced, by having a fastening structure (33) directed in the direction of the internal volume (4) on the relevant container part (3). ) facing recess is formed on the outside of the liquid container (1) to be produced and a protruding end of this recess is separated so that an opening edge (36) of the access opening (32) is designed to face inwards in order to form the fastening structure (33); - Inserting the component (5) into the access opening (32); - Connecting the component (5) to the fastening structure (33) by a connection process which is carried out on the side of the container part (3) on which the fastening structure (33) is located in order to effect a cohesive and liquid-tight connection; and - Connecting the container parts (2, 3) to form the liquid container (1). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the component (5) is inserted into the access opening (32) in such a way that the fastening structure (33) rests on a fastening device (51) of the component (5), so that it is at a circumferential connection point (7) through the connection process can be connected to one another in a cohesive and liquid-tight manner. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , whereby the component (5) is inserted from the inside of the relevant container part (3). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , whereby the component (5) is inserted from the outside of the relevant container part (3).

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