FR2700510A1 - Vehicle liquid reservoir with modular capacity control - Google Patents

Abstract

The reservoir (1) is used to optimise the mass of a motor vehicle. It takes account of the different volumes of washer fluid required for vehicles that have a single front windscreen washer system compared to those fitted with a rear screen washer as well.The reservoir has a filling tube (2) inserted into it. The upper portion of the tube has an air inlet (4). A sealing system (3) is arranged in between the tube and reservoir. This includes an orifice (4) that can be aligned with an opening (5) in the sealing system by pivoting the seal with respect to the axis of the tube.

Description

To optimize the mass of a vehicle, the volume of the windscreen washer reservoir is particularly adapted to the requirements of use. The user indeed needs a larger volume of liquid when the vehicle has a rear windscreen washer than when it is equipped with only the front wiper.

When the reservoir has a filling tube plunging into the reservoir, the useful volume of the reservoir can be modified by modifying the length of which the tube plunges into this reservoir. In fact, the level of the liquid in the reservoir cannot normally exceed that of the lower end of the tube. However, this solution requires having filling tubes of two different lengths and presents a risk of error on the vehicle assembly line.

The present invention relates to a liquid reservoir with modular capacity of the type comprising a filling tube immersed in the reservoir, but which requires only one model of filling tube.

This tank is characterized in that it comprises in its uppermost part closable venting means. When these means are closed, the filling of the reservoir is limited at the lower end of the tube; the filling is complete or almost complete otherwise.

In a particular embodiment, a seal is interposed between the tube and the reservoir and the tube has a hole which can, by relative pivoting of the tube and the seal around the axis of the tube, come opposite an opening provided in the joint.

An embodiment of the reservoir according to the invention has been described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which
Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of the
tank;
Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the seal;
Figure 3a is a plan view of the tank
when the useful volume of the tank must be
maximum;
Figure 4a is an axial sectional view of the
tube and seal;
Figures 3b and 4b are similar views
Figures 3a and 4a when the useful volume
of the tank must be limited;
Figure 5 shows the tank mounted in the
washer circuit.

In the drawing, we see a tank 1 for wipers and a filling tube 2 which plunges into the tank 1. A seal 3 is interposed between the tank 1 and the tube 2. The latter has an outer annular projection 2a which comes abut against the outer face of the seal 3 and determines the longitudinal position of the tube; the latter is moreover pierced with a hole 4 in its zone covered by the seal and the latter has a buttonhole 5 situated substantially at the same height as the hole 4. By pivoting of the seal 3 around the axis of the tube, one can bring his buttonhole opposite the hole 4 of the tube or on the contrary in a diametrically opposite position. The seal has at its outer part a protrusion 6 which can be housed in one or the other of the two angularly spaced housings l 'from one another and preferably diametrically opposite 7a and 7b provided in the wall of the tank 1. Opposite these housings this wall bears the inscriptions "maximum capacity" and "reduced capacity".

In the position of Figures 3a and 4a, the buttonhole 5 is located opposite the hole 4 and the protrusion 6 is engaged in the housing 7b opposite which is the inscription "maximum capacity". When filling the reservoir 1 with the tube 2, the air in the reservoir first escapes through the lower end of the tube 2 against the flow of the liquid; then, when the liquid reaches and closes the lower orifice of the tube, it escapes through the buttonhole 5 and the hole 4.

The reservoir can thus be filled up to level 8a for which the buttonhole 5 is closed by the liquid.

According to the position of Figures 3b and 4b, the hole 4 is closed and the protrusion 6 is engaged in the housing 7a in front of which is the inscription "reduced capacity". When filling the reservoir 1 by the tube 2, the air cannot escape through the hole 4. There remains an air pocket above the level 8b of the lower end of the tube 2, that the liquid does not may exceed. If we continue to admit liquid into the reservoir 1, the level of the liquid in the tube 2 rises and reaches the top of this tube, which indicates to the user that there is no longer any need to continue filling which is finished.

 In Figure 5 we see the tank 1 in place in the body 9 of the vehicle. The upper end of the tube 2 carries a filling spout 10 and the windscreen washer pump 11 is interposed between the lower part of the tank 1 and a line 12 going towards the washer washer nozzle.

During the preparation of the reservoir, the seal 3 is placed in the angular position chosen as a function of the desired volume. The assembler on the line only has to connect the tubing 12 to the nozzles.

It goes without saying that the present invention should not be considered as limited to the embodiment described and shown, but on the contrary covers all variants.

Claims (8)

Claims 1. Liquid tank with modular capacity of the type comprising a filling tube (2) plunging into the tank (1), characterized in that it comprises in its uppermost part closable venting means. 2. Tank according to claim 1, characterized in that a seal (3) is interposed between the tube (2) and the tank (1) and in that the tube (2) has a hole (4) which can, by pivoting the seal 3 around the axis of the tube, communicate with an opening (5) provided in the seal (3). 3. Tank according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening (5) of the seal has the shape of a buttonhole. 4. Tank according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the tube (2) has an outer annular projection (2a) abutting against the outer face of the seal (3).  5. Tank according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the outer part of the seal has a protrusion (6) which can come to be housed in two housings (7a and 7b) angularly spaced from one another and provided in the wall of the tank (1). 6. Tank according to claim 5, characterized in that the two housings (7a and 7b) provided in the wall of the tank (1) are diametrically opposite. 7. Reservoir according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that opposite the housings (7a and 7b) are written inscriptions indicating the corresponding useful volume of the reservoir. 8. Tank according to claim 7, characterized in that the inscriptions indicating the corresponding useful volume of the tank are "maximum capacity and" reduced capacity ".