GB2323346A - A fuel tank for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

A fuel tank for a motor vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2323346A
GB2323346A GB9705933A GB9705933A GB2323346A GB 2323346 A GB2323346 A GB 2323346A GB 9705933 A GB9705933 A GB 9705933A GB 9705933 A GB9705933 A GB 9705933A GB 2323346 A GB2323346 A GB 2323346A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fuel
baffle chamber
space
fuel tank
level
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9705933A
Other versions
GB9705933D0 (en
GB2323346B (en
Inventor
Stephen Robert Baker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9705933A priority Critical patent/GB2323346B/en
Publication of GB9705933D0 publication Critical patent/GB9705933D0/en
Publication of GB2323346A publication Critical patent/GB2323346A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2323346B publication Critical patent/GB2323346B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K15/077—Fuel tanks with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
    • G01F23/30—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by floats
    • G01F23/303—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by floats characterised by means to prevent fault-level readings due to turbulence of the fluid, e.g. special float housings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
    • G01F23/30—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by floats
    • G01F23/32—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by floats using rotatable arms or other pivotable transmission elements
    • G01F23/36—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by floats using rotatable arms or other pivotable transmission elements using electrically actuated indicating means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K15/06—Fuel tanks characterised by fuel reserve systems
    • B60K15/061—Fuel tanks characterised by fuel reserve systems with level control
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K15/073—Tank construction specially adapted to the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K2015/0321—Fuel tanks characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof
    • B60K2015/03217—Fuel level sensors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D33/00—Controlling delivery of fuel or combustion-air, not otherwise provided for
    • F02D33/003—Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus ; Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
    • F02M37/0076—Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank
    • F02M37/0082—Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
    • F02M37/0076—Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank
    • F02M37/0088—Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned
    • F02M37/0094—Saddle tanks; Tanks having partition walls

Abstract

A fuel tank 10 for a motor vehicle comprises an outer skin 12 defining a fuel space 22,24 a fuel filler 16 through the outer skin 12 to introduce fuel into the fuel space 22, 24 and a fuel level sensor 40 to measure the level of fuel in the fuel space 22, 24 wherein the fuel level sensor 40 senses the level of fuel in a baffle chamber 30 contained in the fuel space 24, the baffle chamber 30 comprising a perimeter boundary 32 extending upwardly from a base portion of the outer skin 12 and having a restrictive orifice 34 formed as part of the perimeter boundary 32 which is arranged to transfer a sufficient quantity of fuel between the baffle chamber 30 and the remainder of the fuel space 24 and is of a sufficient size to satisfy the maximum fuelling requirements of an engine of the vehicle.

Description

A Fuel Tank for a Motor Vehicle This invention relates to fuel tanks for motor vehicles and in particular to a damping arrangement for a fuel level sensor of such a fuel tank.
It is known to provide a fuel level gauge in a motor vehicle to indicate the quantity of fuel reserve in a fuel tank. The gauge responds to a signal from a fuel level sensor in the fuel tank. It is a known problem with some prior art systems for sudden variations in fuel level at the sensor to result in inaccurate gauge readings. For example, under sharp cornering the fuel in the tank may swirl about or move from side to side in the tank and cause the sensor to indicate wide and inaccurate deflections of the gauge needle.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved fuel tank for a motor vehicle.
According to the invention there is provided a fuel tank for a motor vehicle comprising an outer skin defining a fuel space, a filling means through the outer skin to introduce fuel into the fuel space and a fuel level sensor means to sense the level of fuel in the fuel space wherein the fuel level sensor means senses the level of fuel in a baffle chamber contained in the fuel space, the baffle chamber comprising a perimeter boundary extending upwardly from a base portion of the outer skin and having a fuel transfer means formed as part of the perimeter boundary arranged to restrict the flow of fuel between the baffle chamber and the remainder of the fuel space.
The perimeter boundary may extend upwardly to at least the same level as the maximum level measurable by the fuel level sensor means.
The fuel transfer means may comprise a restrictive orifice between the baffle chamber and the remainder of the fuel space.
The fuel tank may further comprise a fuel pick-up means arranged to pick up fuel for an engine of the vehicle from the baffle chamber and the fuel transfer means may be of a sufficient size to ensure that the maximum fuelling requirements of the engine can be satisfied by transfer of fuel into the baffle chamber from the remainder of the fuel space.
The fuel tank may comprise a plastics moulding and the baffle chamber may be formed separately and integrated as part thereof during a moulding process. The baffle chamber may comprise a plastics injection moulding which is integrated into the fuel tank by blow moulding the fuel tank around the baffle chamber or by inserting the baffle chamber through an aperture and fixing it to the fuel tank by an adhesive bond or by welding.
The fuel tank may comprise a saddle tank, but this invention could also be applied to a conventional fuel tank with a single fuel space chamber.
The invention also provides a motor vehicle having a fuel tank according to the invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a fuel sender for a fuel tank according to the invention; Figure 2 is a section through a fuel tank containing the fuel sender of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a view through the section of Figure 2 while cornering.
Referring to the figures, a fuel tank 10 for a motor vehicle (not shown further) comprises a blow moulded outer skin 12 with a raised centre saddle 14 and a fuel filler 16. The saddle 14 provides a clearance C to allow an exhaust pipe 18 to pass along a tunnel 20 which would otherwise be blocked by the fuel tank 10.
The saddle 14 divides the fuel tank 10 into a first portion 22 and a second portion 24 which straddle the exhaust pipe 18 and are connected by a common space 26 above the saddle 14.
The second portion 24 has a fuel sender 28 contained within it which comprises a baffle chamber 30 having a perimeter boundary 32 extending upwardly from the base of the second portion 24 to a distance H below the top of the fuel tank 10. The baffle chamber 30 is formed separately from the outer skin 12 and comprises a plastics injection moulding which is integrated as part of the fuel tank 10 during its manufacture by blow moulding the outer skin 12 around the baffle chamber 30.
The perimeter boundary 32 has a fuel transfer means towards its base in the form of an orifice 34 which interconnects the baffle chamber 30 with the rest of the second portion 24.
A fuelling unit 36 is suspended into the baffle chamber 30 from the top of the fuel tank 10 and comprises a fuel pick-up 38 and a fuel level sensor 40. The fuel pick-up 38 collects fuel for the engine from the bottom of the baffle chamber 30.
The fuel level sensor 40 comprises a sensor float 42 connected to a sensor float arm 44 which is pivotally connected to a rotary potentiometer 46 within the fuelling unit 36. The rotary potentiometer 46 is connected to a fuel level gauge 48 by a remote connection 50.
With particular reference to Figure 2, when fuel is introduced into the fuel tank 10 through the filler 16, being a liquid, it takes up the shape of its container and therefore fills the tank 10 from the bottom of the first portion 22 upwards. When the fuel level has risen to the height of the saddle 14, fuel spills over into the second portion 24 and fills that part of the fuel tank 10 from the bottom up.
As the second portion 24 fills, the baffle chamber 30 fills through the orifice 36. When the second portion has filled up to the level of the saddle 14, any further fuel introduced into the tank 10 fills the common space 26.
The sensor float 42 floats on the surface S of the fuel and pivots the float arm 44 about the rotary potentiometer 46. A voltage is applied across the rotary potentiometer 46 which is translated into a display of fuel level on the gauge 48. The float arm 44 can pivot sufficiently about the rotary potentiometer 46 for the sensor 40 to measure fuel levels in the baffle chamber 30 up to the limit of the perimeter boundary 32, i.e. to a level H below the top of the fuel tank 10.
When the vehicle is stationary or travelling in a straight line, the self levelling effect of liquid ensures that the sensor float 42 will float on the surface S of the whole fuel reserve and only simple conditioning of the sensor signal will be necessary to provide a true indication of total fuel quantity in the tank 10.
With particular reference to Figure 3, when the vehicle is cornering, centripetal acceleration will act on the fuel and the cornering forces will cause the fuel to rush to one side of the tank 10 creating a similar effect to tilting the vehicle to one side.
The potentially erroneous signal which this action could cause, in particular at low fuel levels, by suddenly dropping the sensor float 42 is largely overcome by the provision of the baffle chamber 30. As the fuel rushes to one side, the baffle chamber 30 does not empty rapidly as the orifice 34 acts as a restrictor to fuel transfer out of the baffle chamber 30 into the remainder of the second portion 24.
The sensor float 42 will not drop rapidly below the upper level of the fuel in the baffle chamber 30, as flow out of the baffle chamber 30 is damped by the restriction of the orifice 34.
When the vehicle next adopts a straight path or goes round an opposite corner, fuel will spill back over from the first portion 22 and refill the second portion 24. As the second portion 24 refills and the fuel level rises above the residual level in the baffle chamber 30, it starts to refill through the orifice 34. The orifice 34 will again act as a restrictor and damp the rise of the sensor float 42.
The damping of the sensor signal provided by the baffle chamber 30 significantly reduces the effect of sudden changes in fuel level around the fuelling unit 36, which would otherwise result in noticeable and inaccurate fluctuations of the reading on the fuel level gauge 48.
This invention also alleviates the effects of changes in vehicle angle such as might be caused by road camber or approach and departure angles to slopes.
The damping effects of the orifice 34 also improve the ability of the fuel unit 36 to pick up fuel at low levels of fuel reserve. For example, as fuel rushes away from the pick up 38 during cornering, the restrictive effects of the orifice 34 ensure that fuel remains in the baffle chamber 30 where it can be picked up. The orifice 34 is large enough to permit sufficient fuel transfer between the baffle chamber 30 and the remainder of the fuel reserve to satisfy the maximum engine fuelling requirements, in order to prevent fuel starvation problems.

Claims (8)

1. A fuel tank for a motor vehicle comprising an outer skin defining a fuel space, a filling means through the outer skin to introduce fuel into the fuel space and a fuel level sensor means to sense the level of fuel in the fuel space wherein the fuel level sensor means senses the level of fuel in a baffle chamber contained in the fuel space, the baffle chamber comprising a perimeter boundary extending upwardly from a base portion of the outer skin and having a fuel transfer means formed as part of the perimeter boundary arranged to restrict the flow of fuel between the baffle chamber and the remainder of the fuel space.
2. A fuel tank according to Claim 1 wherein the perimeter boundary extends upwardly to at least the same level as the maximum level measurable by the fuel level sensor means.
3. A fuel tank according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the fuel transfer means comprises a restrictive orifice between the baffle chamber and the remainder of the fuel space.
4. A fuel tank according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 further comprising a fuel pick-up means arranged to pick up fuel for an engine of the vehicle from the baffle chamber and the fuel transfer means is of a sufficient size to ensure that the maximum fuelling requirements of the engine can be satisfied by transfer of fuel into the baffle chamber from the remainder of the fuel space.
5. A fuel tank according to any preceding Claim wherein the fuel tank comprises a plastics moulding and the baffle chamber is formed separately and integrated as part thereof during a moulding process.
6. A fuel tank according to any preceding Claim wherein the fuel tank comprises a saddle tank.
7. A motor vehicle having a fuel tank according to any preceding Claim.
8. A fuel tank substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9705933A 1997-03-21 1997-03-21 A fuel tank for a motor vehicle Expired - Fee Related GB2323346B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9705933A GB2323346B (en) 1997-03-21 1997-03-21 A fuel tank for a motor vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9705933A GB2323346B (en) 1997-03-21 1997-03-21 A fuel tank for a motor vehicle

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9705933D0 GB9705933D0 (en) 1997-05-07
GB2323346A true GB2323346A (en) 1998-09-23
GB2323346B GB2323346B (en) 2000-12-13

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Family Applications (1)

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GB9705933A Expired - Fee Related GB2323346B (en) 1997-03-21 1997-03-21 A fuel tank for a motor vehicle

Country Status (1)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3225820A1 (en) * 2016-03-29 2017-10-04 Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research Vehicle tank equipped with a liquid level sensing system
US9950616B2 (en) 2010-12-03 2018-04-24 Jeffrey Yager Deployable fuel tank baffle and fuel tank system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3345780B1 (en) * 2017-01-10 2020-02-05 MAGNA STEYR Fuel Systems GmbH Werk Schwäbisch Gmünd Fuel tank apparatus

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2174046A (en) * 1985-03-30 1986-10-29 Nissan Motor Fuel tank's inside arrangement for reserving fuel to hold fuel outlet submerged during vehicle turn
US4696261A (en) * 1984-02-21 1987-09-29 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Coolant level sensor arrangement in boiling liquid cooling system

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4696261A (en) * 1984-02-21 1987-09-29 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Coolant level sensor arrangement in boiling liquid cooling system
GB2174046A (en) * 1985-03-30 1986-10-29 Nissan Motor Fuel tank's inside arrangement for reserving fuel to hold fuel outlet submerged during vehicle turn

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9950616B2 (en) 2010-12-03 2018-04-24 Jeffrey Yager Deployable fuel tank baffle and fuel tank system
EP3225820A1 (en) * 2016-03-29 2017-10-04 Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research Vehicle tank equipped with a liquid level sensing system
WO2017167789A1 (en) 2016-03-29 2017-10-05 Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation And Research Vehicle tank equipped with a liquid level sensing system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9705933D0 (en) 1997-05-07
GB2323346B (en) 2000-12-13

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20030321