EP2886844A1 - Fuel conduit device and method for operating a fuel conduit device - Google Patents

Abstract

Fuel line assembly for motor vehicles, with two pipe sections (1, 2) and at least one arranged between the two pipe sections filter device (3). Fuel is supplied via a first pipe section (1) of the filter device (3) and fuel is discharged via a second pipe section (2) from the filter device (3), wherein the filter device (3) has two functional states. In a first functional state of the filter device, the supplied fuel is filtered by means of at least one filter medium (8) of the filter device (3). After switching the filter device (3) into a second functional state, the fuel flows through the filter device (3) via at least one passage channel (7) without filtering.

Description

The invention relates to a fuel line assembly for motor vehicles, with a plurality of pipe sections. The invention relates in particular to a fuel line assembly for diesel fuels or for diesel engines. The invention further relates to a method for operating a fuel line assembly.

Fuel rail assemblies for motor vehicles are known in practice in various embodiments. During the production of the fuel line assemblies or the pipe sections of these units, impurity particles such as dust particles and the like accumulate. These impurity particles or dust particles can interfere with the operation of the fuel line assembly or the associated motor vehicle connected components, such as nozzles, injectors, pumps or filters and in particular clog or block. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the fuel rail assemblies or the associated pipe sections from such contaminants. In order to achieve this, the production of the fuel line assemblies can be carried out under special conditions, in particular in clean rooms, and the components produced can be subjected to special cleaning measures. However, this is expensive and expensive. In addition, often not all contaminants can be eliminated or eliminated, so that in operation of the fuel rail assemblies nonetheless unwanted disturbances can occur.

In contrast, the invention, the technical problem underlying a fuel line assembly of the type mentioned above, in which the can effectively be minimized or eliminated with contaminants or problems occurring with impurity particles. The invention is further based on the technical problem of specifying a method for operating a fuel line unit.

To solve the technical problem, the invention teaches a fuel line assembly for motor vehicles, especially for motor vehicles with diesel engines, wherein the fuel line assembly has at least two pipe sections and at least one disposed between the two pipe sections filter device, wherein fluid medium or fuel via a first pipe section of the filter device can be fed and wherein the fluid medium or the fuel via a second pipe section is again discharged from the filter device / is discharged, wherein the filter device has at least two functional states, wherein in a first functional state (filter state) of the filter device supplied through the first pipe section Fluid medium or the supplied through the first pipe section fuel is filterable by means of at least one filter medium of the filter device / filtered wi Rd and wherein after switching the filter device into a second functional state (flow-through state), the fluid medium or the fuel flows through the filter device via at least one passage channel without filtering or substantially without filtering.

In principle, it is also within the scope of the invention that fluid medium or fuel can also be fed / supplied to the filter device via the second pipeline section and can be filtered in a first functional state (filter state) of the filter device by means of the at least one filter medium of the filter device. is filtered and that after switching the filter device in a second functional state (flow condition) the fluid medium or the fuel flows through the filter device via the at least one passage channel without filtering or substantially without filtering. - With the filter device or with the filter medium of the filter device existing in the pipeline assembly and entrained with the fluid medium or with the fuel contaminant particles can be filtered out. In this way, in the first functional state (filter state), the fuel line assembly can be cleaned of contaminant particles. In the context of the invention, the term fluid medium also means a fluid rinsing medium or liquid rinsing medium which is different from fuel and with which the fuel line unit can be rinsed, especially before installation in a motor vehicle, for filtering out contamination particles. After installation in a motor vehicle is carried out expediently - especially during a test run of the engine of the motor vehicle - a rinse or a filtering out with the help of fuel. In principle, however, fuel can also be used as a fluid flushing medium or liquid flushing medium prior to installation of the fuel line assembly in a motor vehicle. If fuel is mentioned below, according to one embodiment of the invention, this also means a fluid or liquid flushing medium different from fuel.

It is within the scope of the invention that at least one inventive fuel line assembly is used in a constructed of a plurality of pipe sections fuel line. Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention that such a fuel line assembly is provided at least at both ends of a fuel line. Conveniently, the filter device connects the connected pipe sections directly to each other. It is within the scope of the invention that only one filter device is interposed between two pipe sections. The first functional state of the filter device is here and below as Designated filter state and the second functional state of the filter device is referred to here and below as Durchströmzustand. According to a proven embodiment, a filter device has only two functional states (filter state and flow state).

The invention is based on the finding that with a fuel line assembly according to the invention, the problems occurring with impurities in a fuel line can be minimized or eliminated simply and effectively. In the realization of such a fuel line assembly according to the invention neither the production process for a fuel line nor the operation of the motor vehicle engine or the fuel supply system of the motor vehicle is adversely affected. As will be explained below, the second functional state or the flow-through state of the unit is expediently set when the motor vehicle is put into operation. Thus, in the context of the invention, cleaning measures are implemented in a simple and cost-effective manner, without resulting in a commissioning of a motor vehicle, a disadvantageous pressure loss in the supply of fuels.

As a filter medium for the filter device of the fuel line assembly according to the invention fundamentally different materials can be used in the invention. According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one fiber material is used as the filter medium. For example, nonwovens made of synthetic fibers can be used as the filter medium or multilayer filter media made of nonwoven and paper. Papers made of cellulose fibers impregnated with special resins are also suitable for the filter medium of the filter device.

Conveniently, the pipe sections have a circular cross section or a substantially circular cross section. Empfohlenermaßen the pipe sections of the fuel rail assembly made of plastic or substantially of plastic. The pipe sections are preferably produced by extrusion or coextrusion. According to one embodiment, the filter device or the filter housing of the filter device consists of plastic or essentially of plastic.

It is within the scope of the invention that the fuel line assembly according to the invention is switched / switched after its production in the first functional state (filter state). It is also within the scope of the invention that the fuel line assembly also remains in this first functional state (filter state) during or after installation in a motor vehicle. It is recommended that the first functional state (filter state) also remains set for at least one test run of the engine of the motor vehicle. Then, impurities can be effectively removed from the fuel rail assembly in which the fuel flows through the filter medium of the filter device. It is within the scope of the invention that the second functional state (Durchströmzustand) is set / set after commissioning or after the final commissioning of the motor vehicle.

Appropriately, the passage channel of the filter device in the first functional state (filter state) is closed with at least one shut-off element. Preferably, after / at the switching from the first functional state (filter state) to the second functional state (flow-through state), the passage channel is opened or the passage channel is opened by means of the shut-off element. It is recommended that the shut-off element is arranged with respect to the flow direction at the entrance or at the beginning of the passage channel. The shut-off element may in particular be a gate valve, which is expediently integrated in the control and / or regulating system of the motor vehicle. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the passage channel to the same flow cross-sectional area or substantially the same flow cross-sectional area as the first pipe section and / or the second pipe section. This ensures that in the second functional state (flow-through state) the fluid medium or the fuel is passed through the fuel line assembly without pressure loss or substantially without pressure loss. Expediently, the passage channel or the interior of the passage channel corresponds in terms of its size and / or its shape to the first pipe section and / or the second pipe section or the interior of the first pipe section and / or the second pipe section. It is within the scope of the invention that the passage channel is aligned with the first pipe section and / or with the second pipe section.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filter medium of the filter device is arranged next to the flow channel or directly next to the flow channel. Preferably, the filter medium is in fluid communication or in direct fluid communication with the passageway. Thus, in the first functional state (filter state), the fluid medium or the fuel first flows out through the filter medium of the filter device and then out of the filter device through the flow channel. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the filter medium of the filter device surrounds the passage channel over at least a part, preferably over a large part of its circumference and very preferably over the entire circumference of the passage channel. The passageway is suitably arranged centrally or centrally in the filter device or in the filter housing of the filter device. Preferably, passage channel and filter medium in the filter device or in the filter housing of the filter device are arranged coaxially to each other.

It is within the scope of the invention that in the first functional state (filter state) the fluid medium supplied via the first pipeline section or the fuel supplied via the first pipeline section passes through the filter medium of the filter device into an exit section of the passageway or directly into an outlet section of the passageway and from there flows into the second pipe section. Thus, it is within the scope of the invention that the passage channel is also active in the first functional state (filter state) or through which the fluid / fuel flows.

The invention also relates to a method for operating a fuel line assembly, wherein the fuel line assembly has at least one filter device with at least one inlet end and at least one outlet end, wherein at the inlet end a first pipe section and at the outlet end a second pipe section is connected, wherein in a first Function state (filter state) of the filter device, a fluid medium - in particular liquid fuel - is passed through the fuel line and the fluid medium / the fuel flows through at least one filter medium of the filter device, so that contained in the fuel line assembly impurity particles, in particular impurity particles from the manufacturing process of the fuel line unit, with be filtered out of the filter medium of the filter device. It is within the scope of the invention that after the production of the fuel line assembly, the first functional state (filter state) is set / is. It is furthermore within the scope of the invention that the fuel line assembly according to the invention is installed in a motor vehicle and then preferably the first functional state (filter state) is set until commissioning or until final commissioning of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention that, at least after commissioning or after final startup of the motor vehicle, the second functional state (flow-through state) is set, in which flow-through state fuel the filter device without filtering or essentially without filtering and, above all, without an associated pressure loss flows through. In this second functional state, the filter function of the filter device is virtually inactive. The first functional state (filter state) expediently remains set during at least one test run of the motor vehicle engine or of the motor vehicle. Only then - that is at final commissioning of the motor vehicle - is expediently the second functional state (flow condition) set. Empfohlenermaßen the second functional state (flow condition) then remains permanently set.

The invention is based on the finding that with the fuel line assembly according to the invention and with the method according to the invention, contaminants of the fuel line assembly can be removed simply and effectively before the motor vehicle is put into operation. This is especially true for impurity particles from the manufacturing process of the fuel rail assembly. In that regard, an effective protection against contamination is realized with the invention. Compared to known measures can in the implementation of the inventive measures an impairment of vehicle components - such as nozzles, injectors, filters, pumps and the like - Effectively avoided by contamination. It should be emphasized that the fuel line assembly according to the invention and the method according to the invention can be implemented with simple, inexpensive and cost-effective measures.

Fig. 1

einen Schnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Kraftstoffleitungsaggregat in einem ersten Funktionszustand (Filterzustand),

Fig. 2

den Gegenstand nach Fig. 1 in einem zweiten Funktionszustand (Durchströmzustand) und

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt A-A durch den Gegenstand gemäß Fig. 1.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment. In a schematic representation:

Fig. 1

a section through a fuel line assembly according to the invention in a first functional state (filter state),

Fig. 2

the object after Fig. 1 in a second functional state (flow state) and

Fig. 3

a section AA through the object according to Fig. 1 ,

The figures show an inventive fuel line assembly for non-illustrated motor vehicles, especially for motor vehicles with diesel engines. The fuel line assembly has two pipe sections 1, 2 and a filter device 3 arranged between the pipe sections 1, 2. A first pipe section 1 is connected to an inlet end 4 of the filter device 3, and a second pipe section is connected to an outlet end 5 of the filter device. The pipe sections 1, 2 are expediently made of plastic and preferably have a circular cross-section.

The filter device 3 connecting the pipe sections 1, 2 preferably has a cylindrical filter housing 6 in the exemplary embodiment. Empfohlenermaßen and in the embodiment extends centrally or centrally through the filter housing 6, a passageway 7 for the fluid medium or for the fuel. Preferably, and in the embodiment, the passage channel 7 has the same flow cross-sectional area as the first pipe section 1 and the second pipe section 2 and the passage channel 7 is preferably aligned with the pipe sections 1, 2. Empfohlenermaßen and in the embodiment runs over the circumference of the passage channel 7, a filter medium eighth the filter device 3 to. Thus, according to a preferred embodiment and in the embodiment, passage channel 7 and filter medium 8 are arranged coaxially with each other. It is within the scope of the invention that the filter medium 8 is in fluid communication with the passage channel 7, specifically in the region of the outlet section 9 of the passage channel 7.

In the embodiment, designed as a gate valve shut-off valve 10 is provided, with which the passage channel 7 can be shut off at its inlet. Appropriately, and in the embodiment, an actuating element is connected to the shut-off element 10. With the aid of the actuating element 11, the gate valve or the shut-off element 10 is preferred and in the exemplary embodiment pivotable about a pivot axis 12 and from a closed position to an open position and vice versa (see in particular Fig. 3 ). After installation of the fuel line assembly in a motor vehicle, the actuator 11 and the shut-off element 10 may be part of a control and / or regulating device of a motor vehicle and conveniently operated remotely.

After the preparation of the fuel line assembly according to the invention is first in the Fig. 1 illustrated first functional state (filter state) is set. This is expediently even after the installation of the fuel rail assembly in a motor vehicle and before commissioning or before the final commissioning of the motor vehicle the case. In this first functional state (filter state), the passage channel 7 of the filter device 3 is shut off with the aid of the shut-off element 10. Fluid and fuel flows via the first pipe section 1 through the inlet end 4 in the filter device 3. Preferably, and in the embodiment, the fluid or the fuel then flows radially outwardly into an outer annular region 13 of the filter housing 6 and from there through the Filter medium 8 in the output section 9 of the passage channel 7. Then the fluid or fuel through the outlet end 5 leaves the filter device and then flows through the second pipe section 2. In this first functional state (filter state) impurity particles effectively from the fluid medium or be filtered out of the fuel. It is within the scope of the invention that this first functional state is set in a test run of the motor vehicle engine and that then the fuel is filtered by means of the filter device 3 before the motor vehicle is finally put into operation.

Before or during commissioning of the motor vehicle then the second functional state (flow condition) is set, which in the Fig. 2 is shown. To set this second functional state, the shut-off element 10 is transferred to the actuating element 11 in the open position. Then, the fluid or then the fuel from the first pipe section 1 via the inlet end 4 directly through the passage channel 7 to the outlet end 5 and the second pipe section 2 to flow through. This flow then takes place without filtering and without pressure loss and the filter device 3 is virtually inactive in this state. It is within the scope of the invention that this second functional state (flow-through state) is / are constantly set during the operation of a motor vehicle. It is also within the scope of the invention that the filtering of Contamination particles takes place only before commissioning of the motor vehicle from the fluid medium or from the fuel.

With the fuel line assembly according to the invention thus impurities from the unit can be effectively and easily removed without the operation of the motor vehicle, the function of the fuel supply in any way - especially by a pressure drop or the like - is impaired. It should be emphasized that the inventive measures are simple and inexpensive to implement.

Claims (13)

Fuel line assembly for motor vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles with a diesel engine, with two pipe sections (1, 2) and at least one filter device (3) arranged between the two pipe sections (1, 2), wherein a fluid medium or fuel via a first pipe section (1) the filter device (3) can be supplied and wherein the fluid medium or fuel can be discharged from the filter device (3) via a second pipeline section (2), wherein the filter device (3) has at least two functional states, wherein in a first functional state the filter device ( 3) the supplied fluid medium or the supplied fuel by means of at least one filter medium (8) of the filter device (3) is filterable and wherein after switching the filter device (3) into a second functional state, the fluid medium or the fuel, the filter means (3 ) via at least one passage channel (7) without filtering or flows through substantially without filtering. Fuel line assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pipe sections (1, 2) made of plastic or substantially made of plastic and are preferably prepared by extrusion or coextrusion. Fuel line assembly according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the passage channel (7) is closed in the first functional state with at least one shut-off element (10) and wherein after / at the switching from the first functional state to the second functional state of the passage channel (7) is opened. Fuel line unit according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the passage channel (7) has the same flow cross-sectional area or substantially the same flow cross-sectional area, as the first pipe section (1) and / or the second pipe section (2). Fuel rail unit according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the passage channel (7) with the first pipe section (1) and / or with the second pipe section (2) is aligned. Fuel line assembly according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the filter medium of the filter device (3) next to the passage channel (7) is arranged and preferably in fluid communication or in direct fluid communication with the passage channel (7). Fuel line assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the filter medium (8) of the filter device (3) surrounding the passage channel (7) over at least a part, preferably over most of its circumference, and more preferably over its entire circumference. Fuel line unit according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in the first functional state the fluid medium / fuel supplied via the first pipeline section (1) passes through the filter medium (8) of the filter device (3) into an outlet section (9) of the passage channel (7). and from there into the second pipe section (2) flows. Method for operating a fuel line assembly, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fuel line assembly has at least one filter device (3) with at least one inlet end (4) and with at least one outlet end (5), wherein at the inlet end (4) a first Pipe section (1) and to the outlet end (5) a second pipe section (2) is connected, wherein in a first functional state of the filter device (3) a fluid medium - in particular liquid fuel - is passed through the fuel line assembly and the fluid Medium / the fuel flows through at least one filter medium (8) of the filter device (3), so that in the fuel line aggregate contained contaminant particles, in particular impurity particles from the manufacturing process of the fuel line assembly with the filter medium (8) are filtered out. The method of claim 9, wherein after the production of the fuel line assembly of the first functional state is set / is, wherein the fuel line assembly is installed in a motor vehicle and wherein at least after commissioning of the motor vehicle, the second functional state is set, in which the fluid medium or the fuel Filter device (3) flows through without filtering or substantially without filtering. Method according to one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the first functional state is set during a test run of the motor vehicle or the motor vehicle engine. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the second functional state remains permanently set after final commissioning of the motor vehicle or remains substantially permanently set. Fuel line for a motor vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle with a diesel engine, wherein in each case at least one fuel line assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8 is provided at two ends of the fuel line.

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