JP2002067923A - Reservoir with oil level detection device of hydraulic master cylinder device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reservoir with oil level detection device of hydraulic master cylinder device for vehicle that prevents the oil level detection device from malfunctioning by lowering of a front part of car body due to a braking operation. SOLUTION: The oil level detection device 42 using a reed switch 40 and float 41 is placed in a float chamber 36 surrounded by a float guide 35 inside an oil reserving chamber 25 of the reservoir 24. The oil reserving chamber 25 and the float chamber 36 are communicated with each other by forming a slit 37 on a rear part side of car body of the float guide 35. When the reservoir 24 inclines toward a front part direction of car body due to the braking operation, its height is set in the float guide 35 such that a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid F is secured inside the float chamber 36 to prevent lowering of the float 41.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hydraulic master cylinder device for a vehicle which hydraulically operates a brake or a clutch of a vehicle such as an automobile or a motorcycle, and stores hydraulic fluid at an upper portion of the hydraulic master cylinder. The present invention relates to a reservoir provided with a liquid level detecting device for detecting a decrease in hydraulic fluid inside a reservoir chamber of the reservoir.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art of a hydraulic master cylinder device for operating a brake or a clutch of an automobile with hydraulic pressure, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-315203 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 5-5644.
There is one shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. FIG. 4 shows an outline of the prior art. A hydraulic master cylinder device 1 includes a tandem-type hydraulic master cylinder 2 for increasing hydraulic fluid in two hydraulic chambers in a cylinder body 3, and a cylinder body 3. The hydraulic master cylinder device 1 generally comprises a reservoir 4 for storing a hydraulic fluid F at an upper portion of the engine compartment 3 and a dash panel engine compartment for partitioning an engine compartment on the front side of the vehicle body and a passenger compartment following the same. It is disposed on the side toward the front of the vehicle body.

The boss 3 of the cylinder body 3 and the reservoir 4
A first union hole 5 and a second union hole 6 are formed in a, 3a, 4a and 4a, and the union holes 5 and 6 allow a liquid storage chamber 7 in the reservoir 4 to be formed in the cylinder body 3 respectively. The hydraulic fluid F in the storage chamber 7 can be replenished to the respective hydraulic chambers as needed.

A float guide 4b is erected inside the liquid storage chamber 7, and a reed switch 9 buried in the bottom of the float chamber 8 inside the float guide 4b and floats on the liquid surface of the hydraulic fluid F above the reed switch 9. The liquid level detecting device 11 is constituted by the float 10 and a slit 12 is cut into the float guide 4b on the rear side of the vehicle body so that the float chamber 8 and the liquid storage chamber 7 are formed.
When the float 10 descending with the decrease of the liquid level F1 approaches the reed switch 9, the magnet 13 of the float 10 excites the reed switch 9, and the contact of the switch 9 closes. By activating an alarm or a warning light, the driver is notified that the working fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 7 has decreased to a prescribed level.

[0005]

However, in recent years, the layout of the interior of the engine compartment has become complicated due to the diversification of storage components, and the dash panel on which the hydraulic master cylinder device 1 is disposed is located on the passenger compartment side. Although the engine room expands by retracting to the rear, the instrument panel 14 and the windshield in the passenger compartment protrude above the dash panel, greatly restricting the mounting position and shape of the hydraulic master cylinder device 1. Has become. In particular, the reservoir 4 located above the hydraulic master cylinder 2
Is obliged to have a flat shape with a reduced height, and the lack of volume due to this is compensated for by taking a length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

In such a configuration, when a braking force is applied to the vehicle body during traveling, the vehicle body behaves so that the front side sinks and the rear side rises due to inertia force. The hydraulic master cylinder device 1 which was at the imaginary line position in FIG. 4 during normal running also leans forward to the solid line state in FIG. 4 together with the instrument panel 14, and although the hydraulic fluid F in the reservoir 4 is more than the specified amount, Float room 8
Hydraulic fluid F flows out of the upper edge of the float guide 4b into the liquid storage chamber 7, and the liquid level F1 of the hydraulic fluid F temporarily decreases. As a result, the float 10 on the liquid surface sinks to a distance L1 at which the contact point of the reed switch 9 is closed, and the liquid level detection device 11 malfunctions to notify that the hydraulic fluid F has been reduced to the specified minimum limit. There is a risk of doing this.

[0007] Such a phenomenon is only temporary until the forward leaning posture of the vehicle body and the hydraulic master cylinder device returns to the original position, but it is necessary to confirm that the amount of the hydraulic fluid F is less than the specified amount. Considering this, malfunction of the liquid level detecting device 11 should be avoided as much as possible.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid level detecting device which is operated by a braking operation even though the amount of hydraulic fluid in a reservoir is equal to or more than a specified amount. An object of the present invention is to provide a reservoir with a liquid level detecting device of a hydraulic master cylinder device for a vehicle which does not malfunction.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a reservoir is provided above a cylinder body of a hydraulic master cylinder disposed in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, and a liquid storage chamber inside the reservoir is provided. And a cylinder hole in the cylinder body, a float guide is erected in the liquid storage chamber, and a reed switch and a float for floating the level of the hydraulic fluid above the reed switch are provided in the float chamber inside the float guide. A liquid level detection device using the float guide, a liquid passage hole is formed in the rear side of the vehicle body of the float guide and the float chamber communicates with the liquid storage chamber. The height of the float guide is set so as to secure a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid inside the float chamber and prevent the float from sinking when the vehicle is tilted toward the front of the vehicle body by a braking operation. It is characterized in that.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a hydraulic master cylinder device for a vehicle brake will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a hydraulic master cylinder device, FIG. 2 is a II-II cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a hydraulic master cylinder device showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

A first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a hydraulic master cylinder for braking in an engine room 20 on the front side of a vehicle body which is partitioned by a passenger compartment and a dash panel (both not shown). A device 21 is provided adjacent to the dash panel. The hydraulic master cylinder device 21 has two hydraulic chambers (not shown) inside a cylinder body 23 disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
A tandem type hydraulic master cylinder 22 for supplying to two brake systems, and a liquid storage chamber 2 above the cylinder body 23
5 and a reservoir 24 for storing the hydraulic fluid F therein.

The reservoir 24 is formed by heat-sealing a lower half 26a and an upper half 26b made of a rigid resin on a fusion surface 26c, and the interior thereof is the above-mentioned liquid storage chamber 25. The two bosses 26d, 26e, 23a, 23b are fitted inside and outside, and a screw 27 is screwed onto both flanges 26f, 22c superposed therebetween. It is connected to.

The rear side of the vehicle body of the reservoir 24 has a relatively flat shape whose height is kept low because the instrument panel 28 of the passenger compartment projects above it. The front side of the instrument panel 28 extends forward and stands up. By forming the reservoir 24 long in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the volume of the liquid storage chamber 25 restricted by the rear side shape of the engine compartment is reduced. Supplements.

An inlet 30 is provided on the upper surface of the reservoir 24 on the front side of the vehicle body, and the inlet 30 is provided with a reservoir cap 31.
And a strainer 32 are mounted. Lower half 26a
Bosses 26d, 2 protruding from the lower surface of bottom wall 26g
A first union hole 33 and a second union hole 34 are formed in 6 e so that the hydraulic fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 is supplied from the union holes 33 and 34 to the cylinder hole in the cylinder body 23. I have to. Lower half 26a and upper half 2
6b are provided with a number of long and short ribs 26h vertically and horizontally so that when the two halves 26a and 26b are joined, they are butted on the fusion surface 26c. These ribs 26h are used to reinforce the reservoir 24. And for preventing the hydraulic fluid F from waving.

A float guide 35 is provided upright on the inner surface of the bottom wall 26g of the lower half 26a, and a later-described liquid level detecting device 42 is disposed in a float chamber 36 inside the float guide 35. The float guide 35 is a C-shaped cylindrical body having a vertical slit 37 cut into the upper rear part of the vehicle body, and is formed at a height that leaves a small space C between the upper half 26b and the upper wall. The liquid chamber 25 and the float chamber 36 communicate with each other through the slit 37 of the float guide 35 and the upper space C so that the working fluid F can flow between the liquid storage chamber 25 and the float chamber 36 mutually.

A reed switch 40 is embedded in the bottom wall 26g in the float chamber 36. The reed switch 40 and a short cylindrical float 41 floating above the liquid surface F2 in the float chamber 36 above the reed switch 40 are described above. The liquid level detecting device 42 is configured. The float 41 is made of a lightweight material such as a synthetic resin, and has a magnet 43 embedded therein for opening and closing the contact of the reed switch 40.

The float 41 is located above the float chamber 36 when the liquid storage chamber 25 and the float chamber 36 are filled with a predetermined amount of the hydraulic fluid F, and the magnet 43 and the reed switch 40 are separated from each other. The contact of the reed switch 40 is open. Further, when the hydraulic fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 and the float chamber 36 decreases, the float 41 also moves to the float chamber 36.
Is lowered together with the liquid level F2, and when the working fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 decreases to a specified minimum fluid amount, the magnet 4
3 closes the reed switch 40 and closes the contact of the switch 40, and activates an alarm or a warning light provided near the driver's seat to notify it.

In the float chamber 36, the float 41 that floats on the liquid surface F2 of the hydraulic fluid F is operated even when the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid F changes so that the float 41 can operate accurately according to the amount of the hydraulic fluid F. It is necessary to secure a required hydraulic fluid F in the inside. That is, when the hydraulic fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 is equal to or more than the predetermined amount, the hydraulic master cylinder device 21 is tilted forward together with the vehicle body by the braking operation, and the fluid level F3 of the hydraulic fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 becomes higher. In order to secure a required amount of liquid in the float chamber 36 and prevent the liquid level detecting device 42 from malfunctioning even if it changes, in the present embodiment, the driver performs a general braking operation without so-called sudden braking. Is performed, the height of the float guide 35 is set so that the liquid level detection device 42 does not malfunction.
The upper half 26b is set at a position beyond the fusion surface 26c between the lower half 26a and the upper half 26b, which leaves the above-mentioned upper space C between the upper half 26b and the upper wall.

This embodiment is constructed as described above. When the vehicle is stopped or running, the hydraulic master cylinder 21
The instrument panel 28 and the instrument panel 28 are located in the imaginary line state in FIG.
Is filled in a predetermined amount, and the float 41 is located above the float chamber 36.

In this state, when a general braking operation is performed, the vehicle body behaves so that the front side sinks and the rear side rises, and the entire hydraulic master cylinder device 21 including the reservoir 24 becomes an instrument. The operating fluid F in the liquid storage chamber 25 is tilted forward to the solid line state in FIG.
Moves toward the front of the vehicle body due to inertial force, and the liquid level F3 temporarily drops.

In the float chamber 36, a float guide 35
Is set to a height higher than the conventional height that only leaves the space C at the top, so that a required amount of liquid is secured even when the reservoir 24 is tilted forward, and the liquid level F2 in the float chamber 36 is changed to the liquid storage chamber 25. Is held at a position higher than the liquid level F3 of the
Subsidence disappears. As a result, a longer distance L2 is set between the magnet 43 of the float 41 and the reed switch 40 than before, and the contact point of the reed switch 40 is kept open, so that the malfunction of the liquid level detecting device 42 may occur. Is prevented.

Further, after the vehicle stops, the forward leaning posture of the vehicle body returns, the hydraulic master cylinder device 21 and the instrument panel 28 return to the imaginary line position in FIG. 1, and the liquid storage chamber 25 and the float chamber The hydraulic fluid F in the tank 36 also returns to the normal liquid level, and the liquid level detecting device 42 maintains the non-operating state.

FIG. 3 is a second embodiment of the present invention showing a modification of the first embodiment, in which a lower half 26a and an upper half 26b have
Each cylindrical body is protruded to the height of the fusion surface 26c, and the tips of both cylindrical bodies are connected to the lower half 26a and the upper half 26b.
At the same time, the float guide 50 is formed by heat-sealing, and the components other than the float guide 50 are set in substantially the same manner as in the first embodiment.

On the upper rear part of the body of the float guide 50,
A slit 51 is cut in the longitudinal direction across the upper half 26b, and a liquid through hole 52 is formed at the upper end of the float guide 50 on the front side of the vehicle body. The working fluid F can flow between the chamber 25 and the float chamber 36.

The float guide 50 has a height up to the liquid through-hole 52 beyond the fusion surface 26c. Even when the reservoir 24 is temporarily inclined toward the front of the vehicle body by a general braking operation, the float guide 50 is floated. A required amount of liquid is secured in the chamber 36 to prevent the float 41 from settling. As a result, a longer distance L3 is set between the magnet 43 and the reed switch 40 than before, and the contact of the reed switch 40 is not closed, so that malfunction of the liquid level detection device 42 is prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the height of the float guide is set so that the liquid level detecting device does not malfunction by a general braking operation. The height of the guide may be set arbitrarily, for example, it may be set so that the liquid level detecting device does not malfunction until the front portion of the vehicle body is slightly submerged by the braking operation, or the vehicle body may be suddenly braked. It is also possible to set so that the liquid level detecting device does not malfunction until the front portion sinks greatly.

In the above-described embodiment, the tandem type hydraulic cylinder has been described because the hydraulic master cylinder is used for a vehicle brake. However, the present invention can be applied to a motorcycle or other bar-handle vehicle. Further, it can also be used for clutches of these traveling vehicles.

[0028]

As described above, according to the reservoir with the liquid level detecting device of the hydraulic master cylinder device for a vehicle of the present invention, when the working fluid in the reservoir is equal to or more than a specified amount,
Even if the front side of the vehicle sinks due to the braking operation and the level of the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir temporarily drops, the required amount of liquid is secured in the float chamber, so unnecessary sinking of the float is suppressed. In addition, malfunction of the liquid level detecting device can be prevented as much as possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a hydraulic master cylinder showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the present invention and is II-II in FIG.
Sectional view

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional front view of a hydraulic master cylinder showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a conventional hydraulic master cylinder.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 20: engine room, 21: hydraulic master cylinder device, 2
2 ... Hydraulic master cylinder, 23 ... Cylinder body, 24
... Reservoir, 25 ... Reservoir, 26a ... Lower half, 26b
... upper half, 26c ... fusion surface, 28 ... instrument panel, 33 ... 1st union hole, 34 ... 2nd union hole, 35 ... float guide, 36 ... float chamber, 37 ...
Slit (liquid hole of the present invention), 40 ... reed switch,
41: float, 42: liquid level detecting device, 43: magnet, 50: float guide, 51: slit (liquid through hole of the present invention), 52: liquid through hole, F: hydraulic fluid, F2: inside the float chamber 36 Fluid level of hydraulic fluid F, F3 ... fluid level of hydraulic fluid F in liquid storage chamber 25, C ... upper space, L2, L3 ... distance between reed switch 40 and magnet 43

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reservoir is disposed above a cylinder body of a hydraulic master cylinder disposed in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body,
The reservoir inside the reservoir communicates with a cylinder hole inside the cylinder body, a float guide is erected in the reservoir, and a reed switch and a hydraulic fluid are placed above the reed switch in the float inside the float guide. A liquid level detecting device using a float that floats the liquid level of the vehicle, a liquid passage hole formed in the rear side of the float guide on the vehicle body, and a vehicle hydraulic pressure communicating the float chamber and the liquid storage chamber. In the master cylinder device, when the reservoir is tilted toward the front of the vehicle body by a braking operation, a height of the float guide is secured so as to secure a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid inside the float chamber and prevent the float from settling. A reservoir with a liquid level detecting device for a hydraulic master cylinder device for a vehicle, characterized in that: