JP2000283803A - Fuel oil feed measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel oil feed measuring device of an automobile which can measure accurately an oil feeding amount with an oil feeding amount sensor by making the flow velocity and direction of liquid fuel abutting against each turbine of a turbine rotor constant, irrespectively of the length and the form of a filler neck of a fuel tank. SOLUTION: A throttle 6 narrowing the flow of liquid fuel, a speed reducing plate 7 having a choking part of an annular plate type against which the liquid fuel flowing from the throttle 6 abuts, and a rectifier plate 8 straightening the flow of the liquid fuel are formed in a filler neck 27 of a fuel tank, and installed in the upper stream side in the flow direction of the liquid fuel than a turbine rotor 41 of a fuel oil feeding channel 26 through which the liquid fuel passes when oil is fed to an automobile. Thereby the flow velocity and direction of the liquid fuel abuting against each turbine 51 of the turbine rotor 41 are made constant, irrespectively of the length and form of the filler neck 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refueling fuel measuring device for measuring a flow rate of a liquid fuel passing through a fuel refueling passage formed in a filler neck of a fuel tank mounted on an automobile, for example. The present invention relates to a refueling fuel measuring device provided with a fuel throttle portion and a fuel reduction portion on the upstream side in the flow direction of the liquid fuel of the turbine rotor in order to reduce the influence of the flow velocity and the flow direction of the liquid fuel.

[0002]

[Prior Art] As a prior art, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 10-973 is disclosed.
No. 03 (filing date: April 9, 1998), as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, it is attached in the middle of a fuel supply passage 100 formed in a filler neck 99 of a fuel tank. A refueling fuel measuring device for measuring a refueling amount of a liquid fuel supplied to an automobile has been proposed.

[0003] An automobile refueling fuel measuring device includes a turbine rotor 103 rotatably supported on the outer periphery of turbine holders 101 and 102, and a turbine rotor 103.
And a rotation speed detection circuit for detecting the rotation speed of the motor. The turbine holders 101 and 102 are connected by a round bar-shaped support shaft 104, and the outer periphery of each is
A plurality of straightening plates 105 and 106 are provided integrally.

The turbine rotor 103 integrally includes a plurality of turbines (blades) 107, and rotatably rotates around the support shaft 104 via a metal bearing 108. A guide 109 for guiding the support shaft 104 when assembling the turbine rotor 103 is provided at one end of the support shaft 104.

[0005] The rotation number detection circuit includes a pickup coil 110 fixed to the filler neck 99 of the fuel tank.
Since one or more electric signals are generated each time the turbine rotor 103 makes one rotation, the number of electric signals is counted to detect the number of rotations of the turbine rotor 103.

[0006]

However, in the refueling fuel measuring device described above, the state of the flow in the fuel refueling passage 100 upstream of the turbine rotor 103 in the flow direction of the liquid fuel, that is, the state of the turbine rotor 103 Due to the flow velocity of the liquid fuel in the fuel supply passage 100 in front and the collision angle of the turbine rotor 103, the number of revolutions of the turbine rotor 103 for the same flow rate is not constant, and the correct refueling fuel flow rate is determined by the refueling fuel measuring device. It could not be measured.

[0007]

The object of the present invention is to focus on the fact that the flow rate and direction of the liquid fuel colliding with the refueling amount measuring means are different depending on the length and shape of the fuel refueling passage. Regardless of the shape, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to accurately measure the refueling amount by keeping the flow rate and the direction of the liquid fuel colliding with the refueling amount measuring means constant.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the liquid fuel supplied into the fuel tank from the fuel supply port is supplied to the fuel restricting portion when passing through the fuel supply passage. As the flow is reduced, all the flow reaches the fuel reduction section. Then, all the liquid fuel flows that have reached the fuel reduction unit have the velocity component of the liquid fuel equalized when passing through the fuel reduction unit, and are further rectified when passing through the fuel rectification unit. The flow velocity and direction of the liquid fuel colliding with the refueling amount measuring means are constant. Accordingly, the accuracy of measuring the amount of liquid fuel to be supplied can be improved by allowing the amount of supplied fuel to be accurately measured by the amount of supplied fuel.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the liquid fuel is supplied from the fuel supply port into the fuel tank, a flow of the liquid fuel is formed in the fuel supply passage. Then, the number of revolutions of the turbine rotor that rotates according to the flow rate of the liquid fuel in the fuel supply passage is detected by the number of revolutions detecting means. The amount of liquid fuel supplied to the fuel tank is measured based on the number of rotations of the turbine rotor detected by the number of rotations detecting means.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a fuel piping system of an automobile, and FIG. FIG.

In an automobile such as a gasoline-equipped vehicle according to this embodiment, a liquid fuel (for example, a highly volatile fuel such as gasoline) is provided in an intake pipe 2 of a gasoline engine (hereinafter abbreviated as an engine).
A fuel injection device 3 for injecting fuel, a fuel tank 4 for storing liquid fuel to be supplied to the engine 1, and a refueling fuel measuring device 5 for measuring a refueling amount of the liquid fuel supplied to the fuel tank 4 are mounted. .

The engine 1 is mounted in an engine room provided on the front side in the traveling direction of the automobile. A throttle valve 21 that opens and closes in conjunction with an accelerator pedal (not shown) is provided in an intake pipe 2 of the engine 1. The intake pipe 2 of the engine 1 is connected to a combustion chamber (not shown) formed between a cylinder and a piston of the engine 1.

The fuel injection device 3 includes a fuel pump 22 for pressurizing the liquid fuel in the fuel tank 4 to the intake pipe 2, a fuel branch pipe 23 provided on the intake pipe 2 of the engine 1, and a fuel branch pipe 23. A plurality of fuel injection valves (injectors) 24 inserted into the fuel pump 22 and the fuel branch pipe 23
And a fuel pipe 25 forming a fuel passage communicating with the fuel cell.

The fuel tank 4 has a fuel supply passage 26 therein.
, Which has a substantially tubular filler neck 27. A filler port for supplying the liquid fuel into the fuel tank 4 is formed at the tip of the filler neck 27. This filler port is closed by fitting the filler cap 28 to the tip of the filler neck 27 after filling the fuel tank 4.

Next, the refueling fuel measuring device 5 of this embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing a speed reduction plate arranged in the middle of the filler neck 27 of the fuel tank 4, and FIGS. 4A and 4B show a flow straightening plate arranged in the middle of the filler neck 27 of the fuel tank 4. FIG.

The refueling fuel measuring device 5 includes a throttle 6 provided in the middle of a fuel supply passage 26 formed in a filler neck 27 of the fuel tank 4 and a fuel supply passage 26 downstream of the throttle 6 in fuel. It is provided with a reduction plate 7 provided and a rectifying plate 8 provided in a fuel supply passage 26 on the fuel downstream side of the reduction plate 7. Further, a refueling amount sensor 9 provided in a fuel refueling passage 26 on the fuel downstream side of the straightening plate 8, a fuel remaining amount meter (hereinafter referred to as a fuel meter) 10 for displaying a remaining amount of liquid fuel, and a refueling amount sensor And a control circuit 11 for operating the fuel meter 10 by measuring the remaining amount of the liquid fuel from the output signal 9 and the like.

The throttle 6 corresponds to a fuel throttle portion of the present invention, and is a portion that narrows the cross-sectional area of the fuel supply passage 26 formed in the filler neck 27 by a predetermined value from the upstream passage and the downstream passage. It is. The throttle 6 causes the flow of all the liquid fuel to collide with the speed reduction plate 7 by narrowing the flow of the liquid fuel.

The deceleration plate 7 corresponds to the fuel deceleration portion of the present invention, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an annular plate-shaped closing portion 31 smaller than the inner diameter of the filler neck 27 by a predetermined value. The outer peripheral surface of the closed portion 31 and the filler neck 2
7 and an annular flow passage formed between the outer peripheral surface of the closing portion 31 and the inner peripheral surface of the filler neck 27 and through which the liquid fuel passes. (A plurality of arc-shaped flow paths) 33 and the like.

The deceleration plate 7 is a portion for reducing the flow rate of the liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage 26. When the liquid fuel collides with the closing portion 31, the component in the downward direction in the figure is reduced to zero, and The downward velocity component of the liquid fuel passing through the annular flow path 33 on the outer periphery of 31 is made uniform.

The rectifying plate 8 corresponds to the fuel rectifying portion of the present invention, and is fixed to the inner periphery of the filler neck 27 and rectifies the flow of the liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage 26. . This current plate 8 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in (a), it is composed of a plurality of vertical plates 34 and horizontal plates 35 which are combined so that the cross-sectional shape becomes a grid shape. For example, the grid interval is 5 mm × 5 mm.
And the length in the fuel flow direction is 15mm and the plate thickness is 0.5m
It has a dimension of m.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, a flow straightening plate 8 having a plurality of cylindrical bodies 36 having a round cross section may be used. In the case of the current plate 8, the influence of the directionality of the flow direction of the liquid fuel can be reduced with respect to the current plate 8 in which the cross-sectional shape in FIG. That is, when the liquid fuel flows into the current plate 8, no matter what angle the liquid fuel is with respect to the axis (fuel flow direction) of the current plate 8, the round hole-shaped cylindrical body of the current plate 8 is formed. It can hit 36 wall surfaces at the same angle.

The gap between adjacent cylinders 36 may be filled so that liquid fuel does not flow. FIG.
The inner peripheral side of the rectifying plate 8 in (a) and (b) may be closed like the reduction plate 7. That is, a closing portion having an outer diameter substantially the same as the closing portion 31 of the speed reduction plate 7 may be provided on the inner peripheral side of the current plate 8.

The refueling amount sensor 9 includes a control circuit 11 described later.
Together, they constitute a refueling amount measuring means for measuring the refueling amount of the liquid fuel supplied to the fuel tank 4 of the vehicle. Further, the refueling amount sensor 9 is a component constituting a sender part of a vehicular fuel remaining meter that measures the remaining fuel in the fuel tank 4.

The oil supply amount sensor 9 includes a turbine holder 40 attached to the filler neck 27, a turbine rotor 41 rotatably supported by the turbine holder 40, and a rotation speed for detecting the rotation speed of the turbine rotor 41. It comprises a detection circuit 42 and the like. The turbine holder 40 and the turbine rotor 41 constitute an oil supply amount sensor main body.

The turbine holder 40 is divided into a streamlined holder 43 on the upstream side in the flow direction of the liquid fuel and a streamlined holder 44 on the downstream side. Grooves 47 and 48 having bearings 45 and 46 are formed on the surfaces facing the holders 43 and 44, respectively.

The turbine rotor 41 includes a plurality of turbines (blades) 51 on the outer periphery of an annular body (rotor portion) (not shown).
When the liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage 26 acts on the plurality of turbines 51, the turbine rotates in accordance with the flow rate of the liquid fuel. Further, the plurality of turbines 51 are provided so as to be inclined with respect to the fuel flow direction so as to overlap with the adjacent turbine 51. Part or all of the turbine 51 is made of a magnetic material.

From both end faces (one end face on the upstream side and the other end face on the downstream side) of the turbine rotor 41, a shaft 5 integrated with or separate from the turbine rotor 41 is attached.
2 are protruding. One end on the upstream side of the shaft 52 is rotatably supported by the groove portion 47 of the holder 43 via the bearing 45, and the other end on the downstream side of the shaft 52 is
It is rotatably supported in a groove portion 48 of the holder portion 44 via a bearing 46.

The rotation speed detection circuit 42 corresponds to the rotation speed detection means of the present invention. The rotation speed detection circuit 42 is provided on the pickup coil 53 fixed to the filler neck 27 for each rotation of the turbine rotor 41 or the turbine 51. Each time passes, a plurality of electric signals (pulse signals) are generated,
The number of the electric signals is counted. When the plurality of turbines 51 is a non-magnetic material, the number of rotations of the turbine rotor 41 is counted by attaching a magnetic material to a part of the plurality of turbines 51.

The fuel meter 10 is an analog meter that constitutes a receiver of a fuel gauge for a vehicle. The fuel meter 10 has a design of an instrument panel (not shown) mounted on an instrument panel of an automobile, and is provided in the fuel tank 4. This is fuel remaining amount display means for visually displaying the remaining amount of liquid fuel remaining in the fuel cell.
The remaining amount of the liquid fuel is determined by a stop position of the pointer by turning a pointer (not shown) by operating a cross-coil indicator (not shown) in response to a drive signal from the control circuit 11. Visually displayed.

The fuel meter 10 may be a digital meter constituting a receiver of a fuel gauge for a vehicle. In this case, the remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4 is visually displayed by the number of lights of a lamp in an instrument panel (not shown) mounted on the instrument panel of the automobile.

The control circuit 11 constitutes an electronic circuit for a fuel remaining amount measuring system, and is itself constituted by a CPU, a RO,
It is a microcomputer having a built-in M, RAM and a timer circuit. The control circuit 11 includes, for example, the fuel pump 2
2 and is always operated by being supplied with power from a battery (not shown).

Then, the control circuit 11 controls the refueling amount sensor 9
The amount of liquid fuel that passes through the filler neck 27 of the fuel tank 4 is measured based on the input rotation speed signal, the electric signal input from the full tank switch 54 and the empty switch 55, and the like. The remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4 is calculated from the remaining amount of the liquid fuel and the supplied amount of the liquid fuel. Then, the control circuit 11 outputs a drive signal of the fuel meter 10 and communicates with the engine ECU 12 based on a control program stored in the ROM in advance.

The full tank switch 54 uses a thermistor, for example, and outputs an electric signal when the remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4 is equal to or more than an upper limit value (for example, 60 l). The empty switch 55 outputs an electric signal when, for example, a thermistor is used and the remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4 is equal to or lower than a lower limit (for example, 5 l).

The engine ECU 12 itself has a CP
A microcomputer with a built-in U, ROM, RAM and a timer circuit, which can detect various sensors such as an engine speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a throttle opening sensor, an intake air sensor, a cooling water temperature sensor, and an oxygen sensor (all not shown). A communication signal is input from the control circuit 11 and an operation state signal for detecting the operation state of the engine 1.

The engine ECU 12 controls the idle speed of the engine 1 and controls the injection amount based on the operating state signal input from each sensor, the communication signal input from the control circuit 11, and the control program stored in the ROM in advance. It performs engine control such as control, injection timing control, intake throttle control, air-fuel ratio feedback control, and ignition timing control, and transmits a communication signal necessary for control processing of the control circuit 11 to the control circuit 11.

[Operation of the First Embodiment] Next, the operation of the refueling fuel measuring device 5 for an automobile according to the present embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, the throttle 6 and the speed reduction plate are arranged in the middle of the fuel supply passage 26 of the filler neck 27 connecting the fuel tank 4 and the fuel supply port from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction of the liquid fuel. 7. Rectifier plate 8 and refueling amount sensor 9
Are provided in order. The oil supply sensor 9 is provided with a holder 43 of the turbine holder 40, a turbine 51 of the turbine rotor 41, and a holder 44 of the turbine holder 40 in this order.

When the liquid fuel is supplied from the filler port, the liquid fuel passes through the filler neck 27 and reaches the inside of the fuel tank 4. At this time, for example, if the refueling gun is obliquely inserted into the filler port of the filler neck 27, the liquid fuel supplied from the filler gun flows spirally in the fuel supply passage 26 of the filler neck 27.

When the liquid fuel flowing into the spiral state passes through the throttle 6 provided in the middle of the fuel supply passage 26, the passage cross-sectional area is reduced, so that the flow of the liquid fuel is narrowed. Therefore, all the flow of the liquid fuel collides with the closing portion 31 of the speed reduction plate 7. As a result, the velocity component in the downward direction in FIG. 2 becomes zero, and the downward direction in FIG. 2 of the liquid fuel passing through the annular flow path 33 formed between the outer periphery of the closing portion 31 and the inner periphery of the filler neck 27. Speed component is made uniform.

The liquid fuel that has passed through the speed reduction plate 7 is
The velocity component of the liquid fuel impinging on the turbine 51 of the turbine rotor 41 is made uniform by reducing velocity components other than the downward direction in FIG. , The rotation speed of the turbine rotor 41 becomes constant.

Here, the turbine rotor 41 supports the kinetic energy of the liquid fuel flowing through the fuel supply passage 26 by supporting the both ends of the shaft 52 by the holder portions 43 and 44 of the turbine holder 40. , The turbine rotor 41 rotates about the direction of the fuel flow in the fuel supply passage 26 as a rotation axis.

Since the pickup coil 53 is attached to the filler neck 27 on the outer periphery in the radial direction of the turbine rotor 41, when the plurality of turbines 51 made of a magnetic material rotates, the pickup coil 53 generates an electric signal. By counting the number of the electric signals, the rotation speed of the turbine rotor 41 is detected. Therefore, a rotation speed signal is output from the rotation speed detection circuit 42 to the control circuit 11.

Then, the control circuit 11 measures the refueling amount of the liquid fuel passing through the filler neck 27 of the fuel tank 4 from the rotation speed of the turbine rotor 41 and the unit time inputted from the refueling amount sensor 9. Then, based on the remaining amount of the liquid fuel and the amount of liquid fuel supplied, the fuel tank 4
The remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining inside is calculated. Then, the fuel meter 10 is driven based on the calculation result, and the remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4 is visually displayed on the fuel meter 10.

[Effects of the First Embodiment] As described above, the refueling fuel measuring device 5 for an automobile according to the present embodiment has the flow (velocity and direction) of the liquid fuel colliding with each turbine 51 of the turbine rotor 41. Focusing on the fact that it occurs due to the difference depending on the length and shape of the filler neck 27, regardless of the length and shape of the filler neck 27, the flow velocity and direction of the liquid fuel impinging on each turbine 51 of the turbine rotor 41 are determined. It can be constant. As a result, an accurate refueling amount can be measured by the refueling amount sensor 9, so that the measurement accuracy of the refueling amount of the liquid fuel supplied into the fuel tank 4 mounted on the vehicle can be improved.

Further, in the oil supply amount sensor 9 of this embodiment, since the rectifying plate 8 is provided on the upstream side of the turbine rotor 41, a plurality of rectifying plates are provided on the outer periphery of the turbine holder as in the prior art. There is no need to provide them. Therefore, the present embodiment is different from the prior art in that the refueling amount sensor 9,
That is, the number of components of the turbine rotor 41 can be reduced, so that the number of assembly steps and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a view showing a refueling fuel measuring device 5 for an automobile, and FIG. It is a figure showing a holder part of.

In this embodiment, the throttle 6 and the turbine rotor 4
A fuel reduction unit 61 configured to reduce the flow rate of the liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage 26;
A fuel rectification unit 62 for rectifying the flow of the liquid fuel passing through the one annular flow path 65 is integrally provided.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the fuel reduction portion 61 is formed of an annular plate-shaped closed portion smaller than the inner diameter of the filler neck 27 by a predetermined value. On the outer peripheral surface of the fuel reduction portion 61, a plurality of support portions 64 connected to the inner peripheral surface of the filler neck 27 are provided.
1 and the inner peripheral surface of the filler neck 27,
An annular channel 65 is formed.

The fuel deceleration section 61 equalizes the downward velocity component of the liquid fuel passing through the annular flow path 65 by the collision of the liquid fuel. Further, the fuel rectification unit 62
Is provided in the annular flow path 65, and this rectifying plate 8
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, it is composed of a plurality of radial plates. Therefore, in this embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the first embodiment, so that the number of assembling steps and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Modification] In the present embodiment, an example is described in which the refueling fuel measuring device of the present invention is applied to a refueling fuel measuring device 5 of an automobile such as a vehicle equipped with a gasoline engine. May be used for a fuel remaining amount measuring device of a vehicle such as a vehicle equipped with a diesel engine. Further, the refueling fuel measurement device of the present invention may be applied to a fuel remaining amount measurement device of a stationary internal combustion engine that drives a private power generator or a public power generator.

In this embodiment, a fuel supply sensor 9 comprising a turbine holder 40, a turbine rotor 41, a rotation speed detecting circuit 42 and the like, and a fuel supply into the fuel tank 4 based on an output signal of the fuel supply sensor 9. Although the refueling amount measuring means is constituted by the control circuit 11 for calculating the refueling amount of the liquid fuel to be supplied, the refueling amount measuring means may be constituted by using only other refueling amount sensors (liquid fuel flow rate sensors).

In the present embodiment, the fuel meter 10 is provided as visual display means for visually displaying the remaining amount of the liquid fuel remaining in the fuel tank 4. A sound generating device may be provided as an auditory display means for auditorily displaying the remaining amount. Further, a refueling amount display means for visually or audibly displaying the refueling amount of the liquid fuel supplied into the fuel tank 4 may be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a fuel piping system of an automobile (first embodiment).

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a refueling fuel measuring device for an automobile (first embodiment).

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a speed reduction plate (first embodiment).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2 (first embodiment);

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a refueling fuel measuring device of an automobile (second embodiment).

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 5 (second embodiment).

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a refueling fuel measuring device for an automobile (prior art).

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a refueling fuel measuring device of an automobile (prior art).

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 fuel tank 5 refueling fuel measuring device 6 throttle (fuel throttle unit) 7 reduction plate (fuel reduction unit) 8 rectifier plate (fuel rectification unit) 9 refueling amount sensor (refueling amount measuring means) 11 control circuit (refueling amount measuring means) 26 fuel supply passage 27 filler neck 33 annular passage 40 turbine holder 41 turbine rotor 42 rotation speed detection circuit (rotation speed detection means) 51 turbine (blade) 52 shaft 61 fuel reduction unit 62 fuel rectification unit 65 annular passage

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A refueling fuel measuring device comprising: a fuel supply passage communicating between a fuel supply opening and a fuel tank; and a fuel supply amount measuring means for detecting a flow rate of liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage. The fuel supply passage has a fuel throttle portion that narrows a passage cross-sectional area of the fuel supply passage on the upstream side in the flow direction of the liquid fuel from the refueling amount measuring means, and reduces a flow rate of the liquid fuel passing through the fuel supply passage. A refueling fuel measuring device, comprising: a fuel deceleration unit that performs flow control; and a fuel rectification unit that rectifies the flow of liquid fuel. 2. The refueling fuel measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the refueling amount measuring means is configured to obtain a rotation speed corresponding to a flow rate of liquid fuel passing through the fuel refueling passage, and the turbine. A rotation speed detection unit configured to detect a rotation speed of the rotor blades, and based on the rotation speed of the turbine rotor detected by the rotation speed detection unit, determine a refueling amount of the liquid fuel passing through the fuel refueling passage. A refueling fuel measuring device characterized by measuring.