IE840951L - Hydraulic fluid containers and reservoirs - Google Patents

Description

SJ a O ei 7 s This invention relates to hydraulic systems in' motor vehicles and to containers of hydraulic fluids used for filling or topping-up such systems.

It is becoming an increasing trend in the automotive 5 industry to centralise the hydraulic systems of some cars. Thus a car may have a single source of hydraulic fluid under pressure to operate the brakes, steering,suspension and other hydraulically operated functions. Under these circumstances it is the normal practice to employ a mineral 10 oil hydraulic fluid. This is because these fluids have good lubricating properties such that wear in the various components of the system are Hept to a minimum. Moreover seals are now available, and have been for some time, which are quite compatible with long chain hydrocarbons. However 15 when hydraulic brake systems were first introduced the rubber seals,which were the only types of seal then available, were not compatible and tended to swell in the presence of mineral oil adversely effecting their proper function. It was found necessary therefore to employ & 20 different fluid and the glycol, polyglycol, glycol-ether type fluids were developed. These products and their derivatives were, and are,quite satisfactory in raost respects for use in simple brake systems but they do suffer from a lack of significant lubricating properties. Thus they are 25 largely unsuitable for use as a central hydraulic system fluid. Nevertheless they have been in service for many years as a brake fluid and this has lead to the belief by unsuspecting members of the public that these fluids can be added to any brake or hydraulic system. Unfortunately this 30 is not the case and by adding a non-hydrocarbon based fluid to a — 3 hydrocarbon bos«<3 system she seals compatible with hydrocarbon fluids eg-® attacked by and absorb the non-hydrocarbon fluid. Ths sesult is that th4 seal swells and again adversely affects its proper operation.

Despite prolific warnings on hydraulic fluid containers and hydraulic fluid reservoirs and in service manuals etc., it still occurs that owners or garage mechanics add non-hydrocarbon brake fluids to the mineral oil central hydraulic systems in their cars. With the system pump 10 distributing the contamination to every part of the system all the seals become affected. By the time the owner notices anything wrong with the performance of his cax- th« whole system must be dismantled, flushed out and new seals installed. This is a costly venture particularly if the 15 owner of the vehicle notices the contamination by virtue of his braftss Sailing. St is mainly for this reason that, vehicle manufacturers generally have not employed wineyol oils as br&tce fluids, av©n though they sire more suitable in many respects than conventional non-hydroctajrbon bifak© 20 fluids.

Xt is an object of this invention to alleviate this piroblsia of contisiainatioti- In accordance with this invention there is provided e corabiaation of a vehicle hydrsnlic fluid systeM 25 jnaasr^oir and a eesitaisMar fluid to fra tgemg,£szsaniaga tax ■the txuLneias off hydraulic fiuitap ssuat®aljl€i portions being adapted to Ese sat As used herein the expression "fluid tight" should not be construed in the strictest sense but rather as meaning that fluid may be transferred from container to reservoir without significant spillage. Clearly the joint between container and reservoir cannot be utterly fluid-tight in normal circumstances because air must be displaced in the reservoir and possibly allowed to enter the container tie ananaSes: tine® of fluid is effectedo ny employing the present invention the addition o£ Incorrect hydraulic fluid to a particular hydraulic system can be prevented, or at least made more difficult to achieve so that the number o£ occasions when this is don# is reduced.

Preferably one of the container or reservoir ha is n selectively openable eatended opening having a particular cross-sectional shape and the other has & selectively • openable opening having a corresponding cross-aactional shape into v/hich said extended opening can be mated for substantially fluid-tight transferance of fluid from the container to the reservoir. s Preferably said valve comprises a resiliently flexible disc seated in a cap housing of the container and having one or more apertures which are normally closed by the seating for the disc but which are opened to allot* passage of fluid out 5 of the container by said opening into the reservoir deforming said disc when said opening is mated with the container.

Preferably said disc is normally dome-shaped having & plurality of peripherally disposed apertures end the sealing 10 in the cap housing is frusto-spherical, said opening into the reservoir being disposed on the side of a probe adapted to depress the disc thereby opening staid apertures.

Preferably said cap housing io provided with a sleeve forming a loose fit over said probe when mated therewith but 15 having & seal to seal said sleeve to the probe b-afosra sold probe opens said apertures in the disc. Preferably said cap housing is arranged substantially at right sing!®a to the main body of the container.

Alternatively or additionally the probe may be arranged 20 substantially horizontal when said reservoir is in an operational position in the vehicle.

Preferably said container cap housing, is provided with en air breather to allow air to enter said container &a liquid contained therein is transferred to the reoesrvoisr.

Alternatively the valve may be provided in the reservoir for actuation by the opening in the container. Said valve may comprise a sprung ball. The opening of the container may be s disposed on the side of a probe forming pases. of «.h« container or of a cap for the container.

The invention also provides a cap for e vehicle hydraulic system fluid reservoir, said cap being adapted to be secured to the mouth of the reservoir and having an opening which is adapted to receive the physically matched opening of a container of hydraulic fluid such that only said container can be mated in substantially fluid-tight mala/fetmala relationship to the reservoir cep opening for tha transference of hydraulic fluid In tha contfcinas Into tha reservoir.

The invention further provides a hydraulic i'luid container having en opening or en opening in e cap their©fos." which is adapted to mate in substantially fluid tight unit*/female 15 relationship with a physically matched opening in & wehiel© hydraulic ay is seta fluid rnservoA" such that only feo said reaervois- can the opening in the container or its cap be mated for the tresnaferonca o£ hydraulic £luiel in the container into the reeesvoir» The invention io furths? described herainasrtis? wiah reference to the accompanying drawings in whichi™ 7 Fig. 1 is £ section through u container and cap housing therefor forming a pert of an example in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a part section through a reservoir opening of a 5 vehicle hydraulic system forming another part of the example shown in Pig. 1; Fig. 3 a tend 3b show details of a valve disc incorporate in the cap housing of ?ig. l=; and, Fig. 4 a is is section through a srenervoi ctp os another 10 embodiment os the invention; Fig. 4 b is a section through a containei? spout. complementary to the reservoir cap of Fig. ^ eu Fig. 4c is an end elevations! view of the spout oS Fig. 4b taken in the direction of th© arrow 4 c on @>ig. 4 b. 15 Figs. 5&, 5b and 5 c ere views corresponding to Figs. «* s 4 b and 4 c but of ts fur their smbodiia^nt o S tha invention;end Fig. 6 shows a Bonification of the embed i«ne>nti« of. Figou 4a and 5a.

Referring to Fig. 1 , the contains™ 110 comprises a raain body 20 portion 112 i'OE.- containing hydraulic fluid 114 and a csp 116 o The cap 116 comprises Sirsfc end secostd VioueS,ng parts 118a and 113b respectively and a p^-ug 130 press fitted, ion instance, into a sleeve 122 Sormod on second housing pe?t 118b. The plug 120 mey hav® an inisgMl 25 flexible tag 124 permanently connecting th« letter to the olc Disposed in this gap 143 is a peripheral filing© 146 (see. Pigs 3a and 3b) of & domed sealing disc 148 which is seated 15 on a frusto spherical sect 150 dispoo&d in the part 118b.

The seat 150 is in fluid communication with the sleeve 122. The gap 143 .is such ehet the flange 146 eeole tha connection between the two perto 118a and 118b» Moreover the disc is so shaped to conform with the frusto spherical s Turning to Fig. 2 the reservoir or reservoir closure 160 30 comprises a body 162 which is provided with a probe 164 shown in the present embodiment to be arranged substantially horizontally* A dust cap 166 preventa dust and dirt contaminating probe 164. kix breather holsa 163. 170 era provided in th® cep 166 and body 162 respectively to allow fluid level io the reservoir to change during normal operation of the vehicle hydraulic system (not shown) of which the reservoir 160 forms a part.

The probe 134 is in fluid communication with the reservoir 160 vie passage 173 and is provided with a rounded or coned end 174 and a lateral opening 17S disposed adjacent a (a id end. A pjhouldor 178 defines the baoa of the proba 164.

When the reservoir 160 is co be topped up with fluid from 10 container 110 first cep 136 io removed from the reservoir 160 end then plug 120 from sleave 122. Herat tha sleeva 123 is engaged with ths probe 164 in taal.9/female type relationship. This sitsy be accomplished evsn with the container 112 invsrted, because cs yet no fluid can escape 15 past the seal formed by disc l«>8o Indeed Although the present esenaple is preferred, it if; fsesibla to arrange for the sleeve 122 to be aiiially inline with the container 112 and for the prob© to be substantially vertical. In this c«ae the part 118^ can be dispensed with and tha part 118b 20 directly connected to the container 112„However this presupposes adequate room in the vehicle compartment in which the reservoir is fitted and this is not always tha case. With the embodiment illustrated/ the container 112 can b& rotated about the axis of the sleeve 122 to achieve 25 any angle to the vertical within the confines of the space available around the reservoir 160. Moreover the top of the reservoir as illustrated in Fig. 2 does not require much greater vertical space than a reservoir with a conventional closure.

The sleeve 122 is arranged ao a loose fit on the probe 164 but to seal the two together an internal rib 154 is formed in the sleeve 122 which engages and seals around the periphery of the probe 164 as the probe and sleeve are mated together.

I © As the rib 154 passes over opening 176 in the probe 164 the end 174 of the probe engages th® disc 148 lifting the latter off its seat 150. Eventually the end of the sleeve 122 abuts shoulder 178 on the probe 164 and prevents further movement.

However, the end 174 has by this time completely lifted disc 148 off its seat so opening the holes 152 in the disc 148. Fluid in the container can now be transferred, either under the influence of gravity,or by squeezing container 112 if this is of the deformable type,into reservoir 160 via 10 passage 136, holes 152, opening 176 and passage 172.

Meanwhile air can escape from the reservoir through breather hole 170. Moreover air.can enter container 112 through breather passage 132 and tube 134 although this provision is not necessary where the container 112 is deformable as 15 mentioned above.

Although the present container is already physically matched to reservoir 160 and that it would be almost impossible to fill reservoir 162 from a container of hydraulic fluid not of the type shown in Fig. 1 ,at least not without significant 20 spillage, it is neverthless possible to further match the two by rendering probe 164 and sleeve 122 of some non-circular cross-sections. For instance the probe and sleeve may be given corresponding square cross-sections but this would prevent rotation of fcha container 112 2 R about the axis of the sleeve 122 unless for instance the sleeve 122 was arranged rotable in the cap housing part 118b. Non-rotation of the container 112 would not however be a serious deficiency as long as the square or other type sections of the probe 164 and sleeve 122 were arranged such 30 that they could be mated with the container 112 at an acceptable angle.

Once the reservoir 160 is filled to the desired level, indicated for instance through a transparent eight glass on the aide of the reservoir 160 if the latter is not itself transparent enough for an observer to appreciate fluid level, then the container is simply withdrawn off probe 164. The diec 148, which as mentioned already is resilisntly flexible, then returns to the position illustrated in Pig.1 where the holes 152 are closed. Thus no more fluid can escape.

To minimise fluid loss during uncoupling th It should ba appreciated that the reaarvoir 160 as illustrated in Fig. 2 may in fact ba masrely a plcatico adapter for fitting to existing fluid reservoirs thereby minimising the alteration of standard vehicle equipment and hence cost. Moreover the cap 116 may ba such that it fits to existing hydraulic fluid containers for the same reason of reducing the cost of employing the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 4a, 4 b and 4 c, a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which a valve is incorporated in the moulded synthetic plastics materiel cap of the mineral fluid reservoir. The cap which is referenced 200 is internally screwthreaded for engagement .with complementary external screwthreads on the body of the reservoir (not shown). The cap defines a cavity 203 in its upper part having a mouth 220. This cavity houses a compression spring 214 which is constrained to act between one side of the cavity and a valve ball 216 which it urges against a valve seat 218, formed by an abuttment in th® internal wall of the cavity 203 to close off the mouth 220. The cavity 203 communicates with the remainder of the interior of the cap via an aperture 205- 12 Slots 210 and 212 are cut into the external surface of the cap and corresponding slots are cut into the external surface of the neck of the reservoir body (not shown). After the cap is screwed onto the reservoir, & vjirs is phased through thg slots and sealed. The cap cannot then be removed without breaking the seal, thus providing an indication of tampering. An integrally moulded flanged pip 222 is disposed adjacent the mouth 220 externally o£ the cap for a purpose to be described later.

The container may be any conventional collapsible container having a flexible spout 230. In the end oS the spou% 230 (see Fig 4b) e special adaptor 232 is fitted. The adaptor 232 has a peripheral flange 234 (se® also Fig 4 c which is a view in the direction of the arrow 4 c in Fig 4 b). Th® flangs 234 has a keyhole slot 236 cut into it. The diiameta" of the adapter is approximately equal to th&t ot the mouth 220 of the cap 200. The flang® 334 is so dimensioned that the adapter cannot be pressed so fer into th® mouth 220 os to lift the ball 216 off its seat 2X8 unless the flunked pip 222 paasso through the largssr part of the keyhole olot 233. Having done so however the adaptor can be rotated to lock the adaptor to the mouth of the cap 200. Xn this position the ball is pushed of£ its seat and & side aperture 238 in the adaptor 232 points downwards and lines up with the aperture 205 in the cap. Hydraulic fluid can then be transferred from the container to the reservoir vie these aligned apertures.

An alternative to the embodiment of Figs. 4a, b and c is. shown in Figs. 5a, b and c which respectively correspond to Figs. 4a, b and c. Parts of this Fig. 5 embodiment which correspond to those of the embodiment of Figs. 4 a, b and c have the same references but with the initial number two 13 replaced by numeral three. In the figure 5a, b, c embodiment, the flanged pip 222 is replaced by a projection 322 which defines a groove 323 with the external wall of the cap.The flange 234 on the spout ia replaced by a flange 334 5 of a different shape. This flange 334 has a part 343 which locks into the groove 323 when the apout is inserted into the mouth 300 and rotated relative to the cep. Over rotation of tha spout is prevented by a further part 347 which abutts the base of the projection 322 when the spout has baen 10 rotated to bring apertures 328 and 305 into line. Other differences between the Pig. 4 and 5 embodiments are that a cap part 356 is formed to accommodate the base of the compression spring, the valve seat 318 has a frusto-conical shape, the spout adapter 332 io open ended and riba 355 are 15 formed externally o£ the adapter to retain the spout thereon. That part 350 of the cap which receives the spring 314 is separata from the remainder of the cap and ±e secured in position by means of adhesive after insertion ot tha ball 316 end spring 314. This facilitates insertion of the ball 20 and spring.

Interconnection of th& cep and reservoir may be other than screwthsreaded. For example, the cap may clip on ae shown in Fig. 12, the neck of the reservoir being shaped correspondingly with an appropriate rim 480. Parts of this 25 modification corresponding to those of the Fig. 5 embodiment bear the same references but with tha first numbera1 three replaced by the numeral four. This cap may also be provided with a tamper indicator similar to that of the arrangements of Pigs. 4 and 5 . It will be appreciated 30 that the caps of the embodiments of Pigs. 4,5 and 6 may be constructed to replace eitisting vehicle hydraulic system reservoir caps or as original equipment for such vehicles. i a

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. A combination oS a vehicle hydraulic fluid system reservoir and a container for fluid to be transferred to the reservoir, the container and reservoir having therein mateable portions with respective openings for the transfer of hydraulic fluid, the mateable portions being adapted to be mated together in substantially fluid-tight male/female relationship so that fluid can be transferred between the container and the reservoir and so that only said adapted containers can be mated to the reservoir, and a valve being disposed in a cap, the valve being opened when the reservoir and container are mated together, the cap being attached either to the reservoir or to the container and including one of said mateable portions.

2. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said valve comprises a deformable resilient disc having holes normally closed on a seat in one of the container and reservoir and wherein a probe on the other of the container and reservoir is adapted to deform the disc on mating of the container and reservoir enabling fluid to pass through the holes.

3. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said valve is disposed in a closure for the container.

4. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said disc is hemispherical.

5.S. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said valve comprises a ball urged by a spring onto a seat in one of the container and reservoir to close the opening in the container or reservoir and wherein a probs on the other of the container and reservoir is adapted to displace the ball on Bating of the container and reservoir enabling the fluid to pass the ball.

6. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 2 or Clesira 5, whsrain the probe on one of the container and reservoir has a flange which interferes with a part on tha other of the container and reservoir and prevents tha probe opening the valve, keying means being provided enabling said flange to by-pass said part and allow said probe to open the valve.

7. h reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said keying means comprises a slot in the flange and in which said part comprises a pip which fits the slot whan the flange is appropriately oriented with respect thereto and allows the flange to engage the slot and thus the probe to open the valve.

8. k reservoir and container combination as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said pip has a flanged end which is engageable with ths edges of the slot once the flange has engaged the slot to lock the probe in position with respect to the valve.

9. A reservoir and container combination as claimed in claim 6, wherein said keying means is such that said flange is not complete about the probe and allows in one rotational orientation thereof the flange to pass the part and wherein said part has a groove arranged transversely of the probe which is engageable by the Slangs on rotation thereof to lock the probe with respect to the valve. 'J 8

10. A reservoir and container combination as cleiraed in Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in tha accompanying drawings. F. S. KELLY 6 CO., AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS.