JP2002274198A - Inlet pipe connecting structure of fuel tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inlet pipe connecting structure allowing surely connecting with a connecting pipe with securing sealability for a metallic fuel tank. SOLUTION: A brim part 31 is formed on a middle part outer circumference of the connecting pipe 3 and a pair of long holes 44 are formed in a way opposing radially on a connecting part 4a of an inlet pipe 4 positioning between the brim part and a fuel tank body 1. A seal member 5 is interposed between an outer face of the connecting pipe and an inner face of the inlet pipe and a clip 6 is engage with the holes 44 and connected to the connecting pipe. The clip is formed in a way to increase diameter when the both ends are pressed against to the approaching direction by a spring member. The clip is maintained in a state pressing both ends and the pressing state is released when the clip is engaged with the long hole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure, and more particularly, to a metal fuel pipe body having an opening formed in a metal fuel tank body, and a metal inlet pipe connected to the metal connecting pipe. The present invention relates to an inlet pipe joining structure of a fuel tank to be joined.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a fuel tank mounted on an automobile or the like, it is necessary to not only store fuel but also to surely prevent fuel leakage. If the fuel tank main body is made of metal, it is possible to reliably prevent fuel leakage from the main body, but it is necessary to join an inlet pipe for injecting fuel, so that there is a problem of sealing performance at the joint. . Therefore, in order to secure the sealing property and to secure the flexibility of the inlet pipe at the time of mounting and after mounting, a part of the inlet pipe is generally formed of a rubber tube.

[0003] Specifically, a joining structure in which a metal connecting pipe is fixed to an opening of a fuel tank body, a rubber connecting tube is mounted on an outer surface of the connecting pipe, and the connecting tube is fastened by a clip band. Is disclosed, for example, in FIG. 3 of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-42421. It should be noted that the clip band is generally configured to increase or decrease in diameter in accordance with a rotation operation of the bolt.

[0004]

However, in recent years, it has been difficult to meet the strict demands for reducing the amount of fuel permeation to the fuel tank with a rubber connection tube.
The inlet pipe is also required to be made of metal, for example, a bellows structure to ensure flexibility and to have an inlet pipe joint structure capable of securely joining to the connecting pipe while ensuring sealing performance. In addition, the operation of attaching the clip band is complicated, which is a hindrance to reducing the number of assembling steps.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure in which a metallic connecting pipe is fixed to an opening of a metallic fuel tank body and a metallic inlet pipe is joined to the connecting pipe. An object of the present invention is to provide an inlet pipe joint structure that can surely join to a connecting pipe while ensuring performance.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a metal connecting pipe is fixed to an opening of a metal fuel tank body. In a fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure in which a metal inlet pipe is joined so that one opening end is fitted to an outer surface of the connecting pipe, a flange is formed on an outer periphery of an intermediate portion of the connecting pipe, and the inlet pipe In the joint portion of the inlet pipe located between the flange portion of the connection pipe and the fuel tank body when joined to the connection pipe, a pair of elongated holes perpendicular to the axis of the joint portion are formed in the radial direction. An outer surface of the connecting pipe, which is formed on the opening end side of the connecting pipe with respect to a flange of the connecting pipe when the inlet pipe is joined to the connecting pipe; With interposed a sealing member between the inner surface of the inlet pipe, in which the pair of fitting the clip to the long hole was joining the inlet pipe to the connecting pipe.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the clip is constituted by a spring member which is wound annularly so that both ends cross each other and has a biasing force in a radially-reducing direction, and a direction in which both ends of the spring member are brought closer to each other. Formed so as to expand when pressed
Before joining the inlet pipe to the connecting pipe, the clip is held in a state where the both ends are pressed, and the pressed state of the both ends is released when the clip is fitted into the pair of elongated holes. It is good to do so.

Preferably, the seal member includes a plurality of annular retainers and at least one O-ring interposed between the plurality of annular retainers. Two O-rings are provided between the three annular retainers. It is desirable to interpose.

[0009]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an inlet pipe joining structure for a fuel tank of the present invention (a section other than the clip 6 is shown in section), and FIG. 2 shows a section taken along line AA of FIG. In the fuel tank of the present embodiment, a connection pipe 3 is welded to an opening 1 h formed in a metal fuel tank main body 1 via a flange 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connecting pipe 3 is a substantially cylindrical metal pipe having a large-diameter flange 31 formed on the outer periphery of an intermediate portion thereof, and one open end 33 of which is slightly shrunk as compared with the main body. And a step 32 on the outer periphery between the flange 31 and the open end 33.
Are formed. That is, the opening end 33 is slightly smaller in diameter than the step 32. And the other open end 3
A metal flange 2 is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the fuel tank 4 by brazing or welding, and the flange 2 is liquid-tightly joined around the opening 1 h of the fuel tank body 1. As a result, the connecting pipe 3 is fixed to the fuel tank main body 1, and a sealing property between them is ensured.

Next, the inlet pipe 4 of the present embodiment
Is a metal joint 4a and a bellows 4b as shown in FIG.
And an inlet 4c. In particular, the bellows portion 4b is formed of a stainless steel bellows tube, and is easily bent. Although the joining portion 4a, the bellows portion 4b and the inlet portion 4c are welded, the mutual joining and the joining of the flange 2 to the fuel tank main body 1 are not limited to welding, and the sealing property is secured. Any joining means may be used as long as the joining means can be obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the joining portion 4a is formed in a stepped cylindrical body including a small diameter portion 41, a medium diameter portion 42, and a large diameter portion 43. The large diameter portion 43 has a pair of long holes 44 perpendicular to its axis.
Are formed so as to face each other in the radial direction, and a plurality of (for example, three or four) rectangular engaging holes 45 are formed along the outer periphery on the side of the middle diameter portion 42 adjacent thereto.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a sealing member 5 is accommodated in a joint 4a of the inlet pipe 4. The seal member 5 of the present embodiment includes two O-rings 5 between three resin-made annular retainers 51, 52, 53.
4,55 are interposed. That is, first, the annular retainer 5
1 is accommodated in the joint 4a, and the small-diameter portion 41 of the joint 4a
And a step 46 formed between the inner diameter portion 42 and the middle diameter portion 42. Next, the O-ring 54 is accommodated in the joint 4a, the annular retainer 52 is accommodated, and subsequently, the O-ring 55 is accommodated. Then, the annular retainer 53 is housed in the joint portion 4a, and the claw portion 56 formed at the rear end thereof is formed.
Are locked in the engagement holes 45 of the large diameter portion 43. This allows
Annular retainers 51, 52, 53 and O-rings 54, 5
5 is held as a seal member 5 in the joint portion 4a.

The inlet pipe 4 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a sealing member is provided between the outer surface of the connecting pipe 3 and the inner surface of the inlet pipe 4 which are located on the opening end 33 side with respect to the flange 31 of the connecting pipe 3. 5 is interposed, and the O-ring 54,
With 55, the sealing property between the inlet pipe 4 and the connecting pipe 3 is ensured. Then, the clip 6 is fitted into the pair of elongated holes 44 of the joint 4a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the side view of the clip 6 of this embodiment and its front view in FIG.
It is made of a stainless steel spring member that is wound in an annular shape so as to intersect with each other and has an urging force in the diameter reducing direction.
In the present embodiment, one end 61 is formed in a frame shape as shown in FIG. 1, and when the other end 62 is inserted into the frame of this end 61, as shown in FIG. It becomes annular. For this reason, when the two end portions 61 and 62 are pressed in a direction in which they approach each other, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
The body expands.

Therefore, before joining the inlet pipe 4 to the connecting pipe 3, both ends 61 and 62 are held in the state shown by the two-dot chain line by the U-shaped holder 7, and the pair of elongated holes 4 are formed.
2 by releasing the pressed state of both ends 61 and 62 when the clip 6 is fitted to the clip 4.
As shown by a solid line in FIG.
Is in a state of being pressed against the outer surface of. As a result, the clip 6 is held in the elongated hole 44 between the flange 31 and the flange 2 of the connecting pipe 3. Therefore, even if a pulling force is applied to the inlet pipe 4, the clip 6 is Locked, the inlet pipe 4 (joint 4a) does not fall off the connecting pipe 3.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the clip 6 is held in the expanded state by the holder 7 and attached to the inlet pipe 4 (for example, disposed around the main body of the joint 4a). When the portion 4a is fitted to the connection pipe 3, both are joined via the seal member 5, and the O-rings 54 and 55 ensure the sealing performance. At this time, since the bellows portion 4b is flexibly bent, the joining portion 4a can be easily formed.
Can be joined to the connecting pipe 3. Then, if the holder 7 is removed after the clip 6 is fitted into the pair of elongated holes 44, the clip 6 is held in a state of being pressed against the outer surface of the connecting pipe 3, and the joint 4a and thus the inlet pipe 4 are surely held. Locked to the connecting pipe 3. Therefore, the mounting can be performed very easily without the need for a complicated process such as the rotation operation of a bolt like a conventional clip band. And the fuel permeation amount can be reduced as compared with the case where a conventional rubber tube is used.

[0017]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained. That is, in the fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure of the present invention, as described in claim 1, a flange is formed on the outer periphery of the intermediate portion of the connecting pipe, and the connecting pipe is joined when the inlet pipe is joined to the connecting pipe. At the joint of the inlet pipe located between the flange portion and the fuel tank body, a pair of long holes perpendicular to the axis are formed so as to oppose each other in the radial direction, and the outer surface of the connecting pipe and the inner surface of the inlet pipe are The inlet pipe is connected to the connecting pipe by fitting a clip into a pair of long holes, and the inlet pipe is easily and reliably secured to the connecting pipe while ensuring the sealing performance. Can be joined.

[0018] In particular, as set forth in claim 2, the clip is formed of a spring member which is wound annularly so that both ends cross each other and has a biasing force in a radially-reduced direction, and brings both ends of the spring member closer to each other. If the inlet pipe is formed to expand when pressed in the direction, before joining the inlet pipe to the connecting pipe, hold the clip with both ends pressed and fit the clip into a pair of elongated holes If the pressed state of both ends is released at the time of joining, the inlet pipe can be very easily joined to the connecting pipe, and the falling off from the connecting pipe can be reliably prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of one embodiment of a fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting pipe fixed to a fuel tank main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view showing a joint portion of an inlet pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel tank main body, 2 Flange, 3 Connecting pipe, 4 Inlet pipe, 5 Seal member, 6
clip

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tokushige Sudo 2-26 Konosu-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Horie Metal Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomoyasu Arase 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Motor Corporation ( 72) Inventor Hideaki Fujita 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Motor Corporation F-term (reference) 3D038 CA04 CA22 CC13

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fuel tank in which a metal connecting pipe is fixed to an opening of a metal fuel tank body, and a metal inlet pipe is joined so that one opening end is fitted to an outer surface of the connecting pipe. In the joint structure of the inlet pipe, a flange is formed on an outer periphery of an intermediate portion of the connection pipe, and a position is provided between the flange of the connection pipe and the fuel tank main body when the inlet pipe is connected to the connection pipe. In the joint of the inlet pipe, a pair of long holes perpendicular to the axis of the joint are formed so as to oppose each other in the radial direction, and when the inlet pipe is joined to the connection pipe, A seal member is interposed between an outer surface of the connection pipe located on the opening end side of the connection pipe with respect to the flange and an inner surface of the inlet pipe. An inlet pipe joining structure for a fuel tank, wherein a clip is fitted into a hole to join the inlet pipe to the connecting pipe. 2. The clip comprises a spring member which is wound in an annular shape so that both ends thereof cross each other and has a biasing force in a diameter reducing direction, and expands in diameter when the both ends of the spring member are pressed in a direction in which they approach each other. Before joining the inlet pipe to the connecting pipe, the clip is held in a state where the both ends are pressed, and when the clip is fitted into the pair of slots, The fuel tank inlet pipe joining structure according to claim 1, wherein the pressed state is released.