FR2738874A1 - DEVICE FOR RECEIVING A FUEL TRANSFER ASSEMBLY IN A FUEL TANK - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for receiving a fuel transfer assembly in a fuel tank in particular of a motor vehicle, characterized in that the device is produced in the form of an injected retaining device (11), made in a single piece of plastic material, with at least one housing (14) at least partially surrounding the fuel transfer assembly (12), and at least one electrical and hydraulic connection element (19, 21).

Description

State of the art.

  The invention relates to a device for receiving a fuel transfer assembly in a fuel tank.

  rant, in particular of a motor vehicle. 5 To install a fuel transfer assembly with noise damping, in a fuel tank

  rant, damping elements and bearings equipped with such elements are already known; these elements are made of rubber or a fuel-resistant plastic; they are hooked appropriately to the tank. Damping elements in fuel harden or swell

  strongly and risk forming noise transmission bridges over time. In addition, the damping elements undergo variations in size and attempts have been made to compensate for these variations by complicated shaping of the damping elements.

  According to document DE-A1-39 27 218, a device is known for fuel transfer assemblies in a tank, according to which damping elements are used as bearings; these elements have a hollow profile. On the tank flanges, we form in one piece

  support for the whole. This support for the whole consists of

  installation of two spacers in the form of plates, the spacing of which is chosen to allow receiving, between the spacers, a support for the assembly, and this with sufficient clearance. In the meantime, we have the damping elements in the form of

  hollow profile, to allow silent installation.

  The complicated shape of these damping elements results in high manufacturing and assembly costs; these costs come from the need to have a large number of parts to fix the fuel transfer assembly in

The reservoir.

Advantages of the invention.

  The present invention relates to a device of the type described above, characterized in that the device is

  produced in the form of an injected retaining device,

  read in a single piece of plastic material, with at least one

  housing at least partially surrounding the trans-

fuel fert.

  The device according to the invention, with the characteristics

  of the main claim leads, by means of a single piece, to a considerable reduction in the cost of parts and controls and thus to a reduction in

  manufacturing costs, as well as simplified assembly.

  This eliminates the risks created by complicated bonding techniques for mounting the elements

depreciation.

  The realization of the fixing device according to the invention allows at the same time an integration of the retaining function and vibration isolation for the assembly of

fuel transfer.

  According to other features of the invention: - the housing of the fuel transfer assembly, axially spaced from the tank flange, includes decoupling elements. - the housing is separated from the tank flange by at least

  a spacer constituting the first decoupling element.

  - between the housing of the fuel transfer assembly and an outer annular segment which communicates with at least one first decoupling element, extend radially

  spacers made as second decoupling elements.

  - the housing has a snap connection which fixes

  the fuel transfer assembly at least in its direction

  axial position with respect to the housing.

  - The snap connection comprises at least one tab with a hooking element provided at its free end, this tab being blocked by a fixing ring provided on a part

  upper screen filter, against any extension

radial sion.

  - the housing is formed of at least two opposite half-shells

  and offset from each other axially.

  - between the first decoupling element and the housing, there is

  formed a second coupling element made as a

tretoise.

  - at least one spacer made as the first element of de-

  coupling is formed as a return line for the carbu-

rant to bring back into the tank.

  - The fixing device is an injected part with at least two tool separation planes. - an electrical connection element is formed on the flange

tank.

  - a hydraulic connection element is formed on the flange

tank.

Drawings.

  A preferred example of

  the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and will be shown

  crit below in more detail with reference to these drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a fixing device according to the invention with a fuel transfer assembly, Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the fixing device according to the invention, corresponding to Figure 1, - Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing device, along the line III-III of Figure 1, with a joint plane of tool, - Figure 4 is a schematic partial section of a variant of the fixing device for blocking the fuel transfer assembly, - Figure 5 is a schematic front view of an alternative embodiment of the device attachment of Figure 1, - Figure 6 is a schematic side view of an alternative embodiment corresponding to Figure 5, and - Figure 7 is a schematic front view of another alternative embodiment of a device fixing according to

Figure 1.

  Description of the exemplary embodiments.

  Figures 1 to 3 show a fixing device

  tion 11 to receive a fuel transfer assembly 12 and mount it in a fuel tank, these elements being produced in the form of a single piece of injected plastic. The fixing device 11 can be made of a fuel-resistant plastic material such as, for example, POM or a similar material. The fuel transfer assembly 12 comprises a pump and a motor for the pump, these two elements being housed in a common housing. The fixing device 11 comprises a tank flange 13 with which the fixing device 11 is placed in the fuel tank, in formed housings

  for this purpose in the fuel tank. The reserve flange

  see 13 has a peripheral annular segment 17, in

  projecting outwards, and a flange 18 formed essentially

  partially at right angles to the annular segment 17; by this collar, the tank flange 13 is placed in the fuel tank. As an alternative to the annular segment 17, it is possible to provide at least one or more fixing lugs or similar means distributed regularly at the periphery. The

  tank flange 13 has an electrical connection element

  plate 19 for the power supply and the control of the fuel transfer assembly 12. In addition, the tank flange 13 comprises a hydraulic connection element 21, for example in the form of a nozzle, to which a connection can be connected.

  fuel supply line connected to the combustion engine

  internal tion. Depending on the application, the tank flange 13 may include another hydraulic connection element 22, for example in the form of a nozzle, to receive a

  return. This hydraulic connection element 22 is pre-

  see when the fixing device 11 is designed for a mo-

  internal combustion engine with injection system with return.

  A housing 14 surrounding the fuel transfer assembly 12 is connected by a first and a second decoupling element 24, 27 to the tank flange 13 while being axially spaced therefrom; the axial distance is provided by a first decoupling element 24 formed by spacers. Advantageously, three spacers are provided which allow a first sound insulation. At the end of the spacers 24

  opposite to those connected to the tank flange 13,

  mé an outer annular segment 26 which surrounds the housing 14. The outer annular segment 26 is interrupted at

  24 "spacers to be able to unmold the hook 29 through

towards wall 34.

  Spacers 24, provided at the diameter of the outer annular segment 26, are made in the form of a strip and

  may have externally a curvature corresponding to the diameter

  meter of the circle. The outer annular segment 26 is separated

  axially, by the three spacers 24, of the reserve flange

  see 13; these three spacers make an angle of 90 between them; a first and a third spacer form an angle of 180 between them and lie in a tool joint plane allowing a simple and advantageous production of the injection tool, as will be explained in more detail below. When using the fixing device 11 for a system with fuel return to the supply tank, the spacer 24 'can be tubular in shape and serve as a return tube or return pipe for the fuel returning from the engine. . To use the fixing device 11 in a non-return system, the spacer 24 'can also be in the form of a strip like the spacers 24 "and 24".

  Between the outer annular segment 26 and the housing

  ment 14, two decoupling elements 27 are provided in the form

  spacers, arranged radially with respect to the long axis

  tudinal of housing. The spacers 27 have a sensitive layout-

  S-shaped so that the torques generated by the fuel transfer assembly 12 when the fuel transfer assembly is started and cut off

  can be offset by ordering or managing the mo-

  guardian; for this the S-shaped spacers produced

  ples in the direction of the radial movement of the housing, can absorb the torques and absorb them. The spacers 27 have for this a rectangular section; the corresponding length

  to the axial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the box-

  ment, corresponds to a multiple of the width of the spacers

viewed in the radial direction.

  The housing 14 is in the form of a tubular sleeve, a socket or the like; it can extend advantageously over

  more than 2/3 of the length of the car transfer assembly

  burant 12 and it constitutes a firm housing for this set. At its end facing the tank flange 13, a collar 28 facing inwards thus forms an axial stop 5 for the fuel transfer assembly 12. At the end of the housing 14 opposite the stop 28, it a snap connection 29 is provided. This is produced as a lug 34 axially directed to block the fuel transfer assembly 12 in the housing 14; this tab extending in the direction of the lower end of the fuel transfer assembly 12 is produced at its free end in the form of a hooking element 36 such as for example a hook or a hooking cam or a similar means. When the fuel transfer assembly 12 is placed in the housing 15, the fastening element 36 can escape into the

  radial direction and hang from below at the bottom edge

  laughter of a suction nozzle 32a provided on the fuel transfer assembly, as soon as the assembly 12 comes to bear

  against the axial stop in the housing 14.

  As a variant, as shown in FIG. 4, several lugs 34 can be formed with hooking elements 36,

  these tabs being distributed around the periphery of the housing 14.

  Figure 2a shows an alternative embodiment of the snap-on connecting means 29 of Figure 2. The housing 14 has, at the suction nozzle 32a in the lug 34, a window 41 in which an element is hooked attachment 36 of the filter part 32. When the filter part 32 is put in place, the tab 34 can escape towards the outside. The hooking element 36 can be easily engaged with its introduction ramp, and come to bear in the

  window 41 by creating a guaranteed connection.

  A filter 32 is engaged on the suction nozzle

  32a of the fuel transfer assembly 12; during the

  tage of the fixing device 11, the filter can be provided near the bottom of the fuel tank, as shown in FIG. 4. At the same time, it is possible to provide a fixing of the filter 32 relative to the fuel transfer assembly 12 or to the housing 14, this fixing being produced in the form of a ring

filter maintenance 33.

  An upper filter part 50 has tabs 51 projecting upwards; these tabs come to take at least partially between the tabs 34 of the snap connection 29; at the same time they come to bear against the free end by a segment formed between the legs 51 and

  thus move the filter 32 away from the snap connection-

tee 29.

  In the assembled state, the filter fixing ring 33

  surrounds the tabs 34 of the snap connection 29 leaving

  sant light play; under pressure, the ring is applied against

  the tabs 51 of the upper part 50 of the filter.

  On the one hand, this fixes the position of the return ring.

  filter holder 34 which is also prefixed by the shoulders-

  the upper filter 50; on the other hand, it is subjected to an extension of the legs 34, which allows

  prevent the fuel transfer assembly 12 from falling out

housing stain 14.

  To make a fastening device 11 injected

  in one piece, in this example of construction,

  tion, a four-part injection tool. A first part

  tool tie has a first joint plane 41 whose outline

  is shown in broken lines in the sides of the reservoir

  see 13 and in the spacer 24 '. This first part of the tool opens upwards in the radial direction of the device.

fixing 11.

  To make a spacer 24 as well as the electrical and hydraulic connection elements 19, 21 under the first separation plane 41, a second and third tool part is provided, the joint plane 42 of which is located in its direction. axial, is represented by hatching shown in Figure 3. The small upper and lower limitations which extend laterally in the direction of the oblique axis occur on the one hand in the first joint plane 41 of the first part d tool and on the other hand in the third separation plane 43 of a fourth tool part. This fourth tool part forms the outer annular segment 26,

  the spacer 27 as well as the housing 24 and the snap connection

  queter 29. To deform the fixing device 11, the qua-

  third tool part is open at the bottom, i.e. in the opposite direction to that of the first tool part which opens upwards in the axial direction as described above. The snap connection 29 with the tab 34 is formed by the second tool part and the fourth tool part; the inner area of the lugs 34 is formed by the fourth tool part; in the embodiment according to Figure 4, only the tab 34 is formed with the intermediate shaping. To allow a simple realization of the second and third tool part, the spacers 24 'and 24' '' are in the second separation plane 42 and the spacers 24 'are offset by an angle of 90 relative to the first and third spacers 24 ', 24' ''. In addition, the piece of

  connection 28 of housing 14 is formed by the fourth part

tool tie.

  Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment

  sation of a fixing device 11 receiving the fuel transfer assembly 12. This embodiment differs in its form from that of the second decoupling elements 27 and

  the realization of the housing 14 of the fixing device 11 se-

  lon Figures 1 to 3. The other components of the fixing device 11 of Figures 5 and 6 are of the same construction as

those of Figures 1 to 3.

  The first and second decoupling elements 24, 27 go directly one behind the other, that is to say that on the spacers 24, spacers 27 are formed directly.

  U-shaped section which axially separates the housings 14 relative to

  port to the tank flange 13. To simplify the construction

  of the second and third part of the tool, the maintenance

  its U-shaped 27 are provided on the spacers 24 ', 24 "located in the torque plane 42. The spacer 24' is formed directly on the housing 14. The spacer 27 made in the form of U is mounted so that long, parallel branches

  extend in the axial direction with respect to the long axis

  tudinal of the housing 14. This makes it possible to absorb the possible torques or the oscillations while allowing them to be isolated or attenuated phonically compared to the flange

tank 13.

  The housing 14 consists of half-shells 37 opposite one another and offset from one another in the axial direction; these half-shells have at their lower end a flange 38 facing inwards. The fuel transfer assembly 12 which is placed from above in the housing 14 can bear against the lower flange 38 and thus be fixed in position relative to the fixing device 11. The flange 38 has, on the other hand, a connection d '' snap 39 with tab 34 or

  an attachment element 36. The fuel transfer assembly

rant 12 guarantees housing 14.

  The production of such a fixing device 11

  has the advantage that, when produced as an injection piece

  a three-part tool is sufficient to allow

  manufacture this fixing device 11 in the form of a uni-

  that piece of material injected. A first joint plane 41, shown in broken lines, is provided, located in the tank flange 13; the first part of the tool, seen in the axial direction of the fixing device 11, is removed from the top. The connecting elements 24, 27 and the housing 14 are advantageously molded by a second and a third tool

  comprising a second junction plane 42 as follows practically from FIG. 3.

  Figure 7 shows another alternative embodiment.

  tion of a fixing device 11 according to FIG. 1.

  The vibration isolation of this fixing device 11 does not

  is that in the first decoupling elements 24 formed directly on the housing 14. This allows a mode of realization

  tion compared to the production of the fixing device 11 described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. At the same time, this makes it possible to lower the material costs since the costs for the production of the spacers 27 as second elements of mating, disappear as well.

Claims (11)

R E V E N D I C A T I ONS   1) Device for receiving a fuel transfer assembly   rant in a fuel tank, especially of a vehicle tomobile, characterized in that   the device is produced in the form of a device for   injected holding (11), made in a single piece of plastic material   tick, with at least one housing (14) surrounding at least   partially the fuel transfer assembly (12).   2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (14) of the fuel transfer assembly (12), axially spaced from the tank flange (13), comprises decoupling elements (24, 27).   3) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing (14) is spaced from the tank flange (13) by   at least one spacer constituting the first element of de- coupling (24).   4) Device according to any one of claims 2 or 3,   characterized in that between the housing (14) of the fuel transfer assembly (12) and an outer annular segment (26) which communicates with   at least a first decoupling element (24) extend ra-   the spacers made as second elements of decoupling (27).   ) Device according to one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the housing (14) has a snap connection (29) which fixes the fuel transfer assembly (12) at least in its   axial direction relative to the housing (14).   6) Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the snap connection (29) comprises at least one tab (34) with a hooking element (36) provided at its free end, this tab being blocked, by a ring fixing (33) provided on an upper part of the filter (50) of the preliminary screen   (32) against any radial extension. 1l   7) Device according to one of claims 1 to 6,   characterized in that the housing (14) is formed by at least two half shells (37)   opposite and offset from each other axially.   8) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that between the first decoupling element (24) and the housing (26), a second coupling element has been formed, made as a spacer (27).   9) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that   at least one spacer made as the first element of   coupling (24) is formed as a return line (32) for the   fuel to be returned to the tank.   10) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized in that the fixing device (11) is an injected part with at   at least two tool separation planes (41, 42, 43).   11) Device according to any one of the preceding claims.   teeth, characterized in that an electrical connection element (19) is formed on the tank flange (13).   12) Device according to any one of the preceding claims.   teeth, characterized in that a hydraulic connection element (21) is formed on the tank flange (13).