GB2345040A

GB2345040A - Fluid reservoir

Info

Publication number: GB2345040A
Application number: GB9827974A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Antony Palmer; Gary Joseph Bostock; Michael Mellor; Paul Anthony Dempster
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1998-12-18
Filing date: 1998-12-18
Publication date: 2000-06-28
Also published as: GB9827974D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle fluid reservoir is mounted on and may form a part of a bulkhead assembly of a motor vehicle. The reservoir is formed over a surface area of a bulkhead panel 4. This has as advantages that a large volume of fluid 29 may be contained within the reservoir and that the fluid reservoir adds to the NVH/acoustic properties of the bulkhead assembly.

Description

Motor Vehicle Fluid Reservoir The present invention relates in a first aspect to a fluid reservoir for a motor vehicle and in a second aspect to an improved bulkhead assembly for use in a motor vehicle. In particular, the fluid reservoir provides advantageous acoustic and thermal attenuation properties.

It is known to provide a single firewall or bulkhead assembly between an engine compartment and a passenger cell of a motor vehicle. Such a bulkhead assembly is usually fastened to a body structure of the motor vehicle.

In order to provide sound or noise insulation from the engine compartment to the passenger cell it is necessary to provide an engineered sound insulating material in the bulkhead assembly.

It is an advantage of the present invention in its various aspects that it addresses this problem and provides for a bulkhead assembly having acoustic and thermal attenuation properties.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a fluid reservoir for a motor vehicle comprises a container which overlies at least a portion of a bulkhead panel of the motor vehicle, and in use is at least partly filled with a fluid.

Preferably the container comprises a first panel and a second panel sealingly secured together. More preferably the first panel is the bulkhead panel.

Preferably the fluid is a windscreen cleaning fluid.

Preferably the container comprises a first chamber of small cross section forming a substantial part of the container. More preferably the first chamber further includes at a lower region means to enable gas to circulate through the fluid in the container. Additionally, the first chamber may include at a-lower region a pump to deliver fluid from the container to at least one washer jet.

Preferably the container further comprises a second chamber located above the first chamber, the second chamber allowing a level of the fluid in the container to be inspected by a user of the motor vehicle.

Preferably the container further comprises a third chamber located below the first chamber. More preferably, the third chamber includes a pump to deliver fluid from the container to at least one washer jet. Additionally, the third chamber may further include means to enable gas to circulate through the fluid in the container.

Preferably the container is also at least partly filled with a granular particulate. More preferably, the granular particulate comprises plastic beads, for example beads of expanded polystyrene. Alternatively, the container is at least partly filed with an open cell foam.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a bulkhead assembly incorporates a fluid reservoir according to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a bulkhead assembly according to the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a side section of the bulkhead assembly of Figure 1.

Referring to the Figures there can be seen a bulkhead assembly 2 of a motor vehicle comprising a first, bulkhead, panel 4 and a second panel 6 sealingly secured thereto. The bulkhead panel includes a number of openings 8 to allow for the passage therethrough of different motor vehicle apparatus and assemblies, such as a brake booster through a first opening.

The second panel 6 is generally dish shaped and comprises a base portion 10 surrounded by upstanding walls. In use, the upstanding walls will form the top 12, the bottom 14 and the side walls 16,18 of a container 22 for use as a fluid reservoir. The base portion 10 is irregularly shaped to cover a large portion of the first panel 4, while avoiding the openings 8 in the first panel. A flange 20 extends outwardly from the upstanding walls around the periphery of the second panel. In use, the second panel 6 is secured to the first panel 4 by way of the flange 20 by adhesion, welding or any other suitable method. In this way, the container is formed to overlie or extend over at least a portion of the bulkhead panel 4 of the motor vehicle.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the base portion may be provided with openings corresponding to at least some of the openings provided in the first panel. In this embodiment, each of the openings in the base portion is provided with a further upstanding wall surrounding the opening and extending as far as the upstanding walls at the periphery of the base portion. Each such further upstanding wall is also provided with a flange around its periphery to secure the further upstanding wall to the first panel.

The container 22 in the illustrated embodiment comprises three chambers 24,26,28 in communication with one another. The container is at least partly filled with a fluid 29. The fluid is preferably a windscreen cleaning or washer fluid.

A first, intermediate, chamber 24 is formed between intermediate portions of the first and second panels. The separation of the first and second panels in this region is kept small resulting in a narrow cross-section. Since the intermediate regions of the first and second panels forming the walls of the intermediate chamber are relatively large, a desired volume of the intermediate chamber can be achieved with a relatively small separation between the intermediate regions of the first and second panels.

A second, upper, chamber 26 or header space is formed between upper portions of the first and second panels. The cross-section of the upper chamber is greater than that of the intermediate chamber. The upper chamber advantageously has a relatively large cross section in comparison to the first chamber. This is to provide a chamber in which a level of the fluid in the container may be inspected by or determined by a user of the motor vehicle. The user may perceive that the upper chamber is becoming empty and should then top up the fluid in the fluid reservoir. In the illustrated embodiment, a filler spout 30 is provided in an upper wall of the second panel forming the upper chamber for this purpose. The filler spout 30 is typically provided with a releasable cap 32. In fact, because there is further fluid contained in the reservoir beneath the upper chamber, there is a safety margin built in to prevent the fluid reservoir becoming unexpectedly exhausted. Sensing means (not shown) may be provided at a lower region of the upper chamber to detect an absence of fluid. The sensing means may be used to trigger a signal to the passenger cell to alert a user that the fluid is running low.

A third, lower, chamber 28 is located at a bottom region of the container 22 and comprises lower portions of the first and second panels. In the illustrated embodiment, a pump 34 is located in a lower wall of the second panel forming the lower chamber. An outlet passage 36 is connected between the pump and at least one washer jet (not shown). The pump is conveniently actuated by any suitable means, for example by a user from within the passenger cell.

The fluid reservoir in a motor vehicle has a mass. By redistributing the mass of the fluid reservoir to a location adjacent the bulkhead assembly, an enhancement in the NVH/acoustics of the motor vehicle can be obtained. The fluid reservoir may be used to insulate the passenger cell of the motor vehicle from the engine compartment without the need to provide for additional insulating materials. This effect may be enhanced by providing means 38 in the third chamber, or alternatively at a lower region of the first chamber, to enable gas to circulate through the fluid, for example to aerate the liquid, in the container.

The shape of the container 22, specifically the narrow first chamber allows the fluid level height within the fluid reservoir to remain at a height such that the NVH/acoustic properties are provided for as long as possible. By providing a granular particulate within the container, the fluid level height will be further encouraged to remain at a working height. The granular particulate will also allow for improved NVH/acoustic properties should the fluid be allowed drain below this level. Expanded polystyrene beads or any other suitable material may be used as the granular particulate.

Alternatively, an open cell foam may be used instead of the granular particulate. The foam may be captured between the first and second panel during assembly. Alternatively the foam may be formed in situ.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A fluid reservoir for a motor vehicle comprises a container which overlies at least a portion of a bulkhead panel of the motor vehicle, and in use is at least partly filled with a fluid.
2. A fluid reservoir according to claim 1, characterised in that the container comprises a first panel and a second panel sealingly secured together.
3. A fluid reservoir according to claim 2, characterised in that the first panel is the bulkhead panel.
4. A fluid reservoir according to any previous claim, characterised in that the fluid is a windscreen cleaning fluid.
5. A fluid reservoir according to any previous claim, characterised in that the container comprises a first chamber of small cross section forming a substantial part of the container.
6. A fluid reservoir according to claim 5, characterised in that the first chamber further includes at a lower region means to enable gas to circulate through the fluid in the container.
7. A fluid reservoir according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterised in that the first chamber includes at a lower region a pump to deliver fluid from the container to at least one washer jet
8. A fluid reservoir according to claim 5, characterised in that the container further comprises a second chamber located above the first chamber, the second chamber allowing a level of the fluid in the container to be inspected by a user of the motor vehicle.
9. A fluid reservoir according to claim 5 or claim 8, characterised in that the container further comprises a third chamber located below the first chamber.
10. A fluid reservoir according to claim 9, characterised in that the third chamber includes a pump to deliver fluid from the container to at least one washer jet.
11. A fluid reservoir according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the third chamber further includes means to enable gas to circulate through the fluid in the container.
12. A fluid reservoir according to any previous claim, characterised in that the container is also at least partly filled with a granular particulate.
13. A fluid reservoir according to claim 12, characterised in that the granular particulate comprises plastic beads, for example beads of expanded polystyrene.
14. A fluid reservoir according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the container is at least partly filed with an open cell foam.
15. A fluid reservoir substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
16. A bulkhead assembly incorporating a fluid reservoir according to any previous claim.
17. A bulkhead assembly incorporating a fluid reservoir substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.