JP2006182132A - Resin reservoir - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a resin reservoir capable of returning fluid into a container and effectively preventing leakage even when the fluid such as working fluid is stored in the middle of an air vent passage communicated with the outside air from the container of the reservoir. <P>SOLUTION: A large diameter seal part to be fitted to a spout via a seal member, a medium diameter flange part radially protruded with a space from the seal part, a small diameter columnar part hanging downwardly from a lower side of the flange part, and an upper end face which is abutted on a lower side of an outer cap to form a vent space are provided on an inner cap. A hanging part hanging downwardly from a lower end of the spout, a contraction part which is contracted to form a small space between a lower end face of the flange part and itself, and an opening part to be fitted to a columnar outside diameter part of small diameter with a small space therebetween are formed on a reservoir. In the inner cap, an intermediate chamber formed between the lower side of the seal part, the upper side of the flange part, and the hanging part is communicated with the vent space. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a reservoir for containing hydraulic oil used for, for example, power steering.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a reservoir for storing hydraulic oil used for power steering or the like has a function of preventing an increase and a decrease in pressure by providing a conduction hole with outside air in response to a pressure increase or decrease in the power steering system. . For this reason, if oil adheres to the conduction hole when the pressure rises, the oil leaks out of the reservoir container. In order to prevent this oil leakage, a labyrinth or the like is set in the conduction portion.

  For example, as such a structure, a cap used for a reservoir as shown in Patent Document 1 is known. First, the seal 40 is sealed between the container portion 92 and the sealing member 40 by the O-ring 60 fitted in the circumferential groove 32 on the outer periphery of the packing 40 attached to the inner surface of the upper lid portion 20. 50, the groove 56 on the upper surface of the flange 54, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical dish part 51, the slit 53, the substantially cylindrical chamber S, the communication hole 37 of the inner plug part 30, the annular groove 35, the communication groove 36, the step part 42 of the packing 40, The communication groove 41, the outer periphery of the packing 40, the annular clearance of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the upper lid portion 20, and the notch portion formed in the peripheral wall portion 22 of the upper lid portion 20 are sequentially communicated to form an air vent passage that forms a labyrinth.

  As described above, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, even when the reservoir vibrates or shakes as the automobile vibrates or shakes, the hydraulic oil in the reservoir body hardly enters the inlet passage of the air vent passage, and further enters the cylindrical chamber. The maze as described above intervenes to reach. Therefore, the hydraulic oil is difficult to leak from the reservoir through the air vent passage.

  A reservoir 101 having a structure as shown in FIG. 3 is known. The cap 103 used for this is an outer cap 105 having an outer peripheral edge extending downward, an inner cap 107 fitted into the outer cap, and an inner cap fitted at the upper end portion, with the lower portion having a cross section of 10 It is comprised from the obstruction | occlusion member 111 which has a character-shaped stick | rod part.

  The container body 115 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inlet 117 opened upward, and a flange 119 having a notch is formed on the outer edge of the inlet 117. A funnel-shaped guide part 121 is integrally provided inside the injection port 117.

  The top plate portion 108 of the inner cap 107 formed in a disk shape is formed with a labyrinth 123 on the upper end surface that contacts the outer cap 105 so as to communicate with the outside air. A locking claw 125 is provided on the outer edge of the top plate portion 108 in the diametrical direction, and the locking claw 125 is locked to the flange portion 119 of the injection port 117. A communication hole 131 communicating with the labyrinth 123 is formed in the center of the top plate portion 108. A seal portion 109 formed in a short cylindrical shape is provided on the lower surface of the top plate portion 108, and a circumferential groove 127 is provided on the outer periphery of the lower seal portion 109. An O-ring 129 is fitted in the circumferential groove 127, and the seal portion 109 and the injection port 117 are sealed by the O-ring 129. An engaging claw 110 is provided on the inner periphery of the lower end of the seal portion 109.

  A bottomed cylindrical portion 113 whose top is opened is formed on the upper portion of the closing member 111, and an engagement edge 114 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper end of the bottomed cylindrical portion 113. The bottomed cylindrical portion 113 is fitted into the seal portion 109, and the bottomed cylindrical portion 113 and the seal portion 109 are engaged and integrated by an engagement claw 110 and an engagement edge 114. .

  By integrating as described above, a retention chamber 133 is formed by the lower surface of the top plate portion 109 and the inner peripheral surface and bottom surface of the bottomed cylindrical portion 113. The stay chamber 133 communicates with the labyrinth 123 through the communication hole 131 and communicates with the container main body 115 through the gap between the fitting surfaces of the bottomed cylindrical portion 113 and the seal portion 109.

As described above, in the reservoir shown in FIG. 3 as well, communication with outside air is ensured by the air vent passage formed by the gap of the fitting surface, the retention chamber 133, the communication hole 131, and the labyrinth 123, and the gap and the communication hole. 131 prevents the hydraulic oil from leaking from the reservoir.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-76105 (page 4, FIG. 2)

  In the reservoir shown in Patent Document 1, the first throttle structure is formed by the outer peripheral surface of the groove 56 and the cylindrical dish portion 51 and the inner peripheral surface of the flange 34 of the inner plug portion 30 in the air vent passage through which the air passes from the container to the outside air. The communication hole 37, the annular groove 35, and the communication grooves 36 and 41 form a second throttle structure. Therefore, once the hydraulic oil enters the cylindrical chamber S between the two throttle structures, the cylindrical dish portion 51 has a flat bottom inner surface, and the hydraulic oil is unlikely to return to the container portion 92. It has become.

  In the reservoir shown in FIG. 3, similarly, the first throttle structure is formed by the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical dish portion 113 and the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion 109, and the second throttle structure is formed by the communication hole 131. ing. For this reason, once the hydraulic oil enters the staying chamber 133 between the two throttle structures, the structure is difficult to return to the container body 115. Moreover, since the labyrinth 123 leading to the staying chamber 133 and the outside air opening portion is close in distance, there is a possibility that oil leakage may occur when vibration is applied to the reservoir 101 in a state where the working oil is accumulated in the staying chamber 133.

  Further, in the molding of the inner cap of the resin reservoir 101, the inner cap 107 and the closing rod portion 111 provided below the inner cap 107 are integratedly increased in the number of finished products to reduce the number of parts and to fit many parts. However, since the central part of the inner cap to be integrally formed becomes thick due to the structure, resin molding is difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts, and even if a fluid such as hydraulic oil stays in the air vent passage from the reservoir container to the outside air, An object of the present invention is to provide a resin reservoir having a structure in which the body is returned into the container to prevent effective leakage.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the structural feature of the invention according to claim 1 is that a container having an injection port at an upper portion thereof, and a cap that is detachably attached to the container to close the injection port. The cap includes an outer cap and an inner cap fixed by forming a ventilation gap on a lower surface of the outer cap, and the inner cap is connected to the inlet through a seal member A large-diameter seal portion to be fitted, an abutting portion that abuts on the upper end of the inlet, a medium-diameter flange portion that protrudes in the radial direction with a gap in the axial direction with respect to the seal portion, and the flange A small-diameter cylindrical part that hangs downward from the lower surface of the part, and a small gap is formed in the container between a suspending part that hangs downward from the lower end of the inlet and the lower end surface of the flange part. The reduced diameter portion and the small diameter An outer diameter portion of the cylinder and an opening for fitting with a small gap are formed, and the inner cap is formed between the lower surface of the seal portion, the upper surface of the flange portion, and the hanging portion of the reservoir. A passage communicating the chamber with the ventilation gap is formed.

  The structural feature of the invention according to claim 2 is that, in claim 1, the inner cap has a bottom surface located above the upper surface of the flange portion, and a retention chamber communicating with the ventilation gap is formed from the upper end surface. And the residence chamber communicates with the intermediate chamber through a small-diameter hole.

  The structural feature of the invention according to claim 3 is that, in claim 2, the bottom surface of the staying chamber and the top surface of the flange portion are formed at substantially the same height, and the bottom surface and the top surface of the flange portion are directed downward. Is inclined to.

  The structural feature of the invention according to claim 4 is that in claim 2 or claim 3, an annular groove is formed on the upper end surface of the inner cap so as to surround the outside of the staying chamber.

  A structural feature of the invention according to claim 5 is that, in claims 2 to 4, the intermediate chamber and the staying chamber are communicated with each other by a small-diameter hole formed in a radial direction in contact with the bottom of the staying chamber. It was made to.

  In the invention according to claim 1, when the reservoir vibrates or swings, the undulating or splashed fluid includes an opening of the reservoir whose flow cross-sectional area is narrowed and a small-diameter cylindrical portion of the inner cap. Even if the fluid leaks from between the opening and the small-diameter cylindrical portion, a small gap is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion and the drooping portion of the reservoir. This suppresses the movement of the fluid to the intermediate chamber. Even when the vibration or oscillation of the reservoir is settled, even if the fluid leaks from between the small gap and opening and the small diameter cylindrical portion and enters the intermediate chamber, these small gap and opening and the small diameter The fluid can flow downward from between the cylindrical portions of the liquid and return the fluid to the storage portion of the container. Further, ventilation for air venting is ensured by a small gap formed between the opening and the small-diameter cylindrical portion and between the flange portion lower surface and the reduced-diameter portion. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent leakage of the fluid while ensuring ventilation for air bleeding.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 2, the movement of the fluid from an intermediate | middle chamber to a residence chamber is suppressed by the small diameter hole by which the distribution cross-sectional area is restrict | squeezed. Even if the fluid enters the staying chamber, it stays in the staying chamber, so that the fluid can be prevented from leaking further. Further, since the staying chamber is formed from the upper end surface of the inner cap, the thickness of the central portion of the inner cap can be reduced, thereby facilitating resin molding.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 3, since the bottom face and the flange part upper surface incline downward toward the outer side, the fluid that has reached the staying chamber and the intermediate chamber flows down along the inclined surface smoothly and flows. The body can be returned to the inside of the container more effectively.

  In the invention according to claim 4, even if the fluid leaks outside from the upper end of the retention chamber, the leaked fluid can be received and stored in the annular groove, so that the fluid leaks further outside. Can be suppressed.

  In the invention according to claim 5, since the small-diameter hole communicating with the intermediate chamber is provided in contact with the bottom of the retention chamber when the vibration or swing of the reservoir is settled, the fluid retained in the retention chamber is , Can be returned to the middle chamber smoothly.

  In the embodiment according to the present invention, for example, a resin reservoir used to store hydraulic oil for power steering of an automobile will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a resin reservoir, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view thereof. The resin reservoir 1 of the present embodiment has a bottomed cylindrical container 3 and a cap 5 that closes the container.

  The container 3 is formed in the inlet 7, a hanging portion 9 that hangs down from the lower end of the inner periphery of the inlet, a reduced diameter portion 11 whose inner diameter gradually decreases continuously from the hanging portion 9, and an opening that opens to the end portion continuously from the reduced diameter portion. A funnel-shaped guide portion 15 having a portion 13 is provided. On the outer periphery of the injection port 7, locking flanges 17 having notches are provided in pairs in the diametrical direction.

  The cap 5 includes an outer cap 19 and an inner cap 21 that are fitted together. The outer cap 19 is formed in a disk shape, and a convex portion is formed on the outer cap 19 so as to oppose the diameter direction so as to cover an engaging claw portion of the inner cap 21 described later. A peripheral wall portion 23 extending downward is provided around the outer periphery of the outer cap 19. An engagement edge (not shown) is formed at the inner end of the peripheral wall portion 23, and is fitted and fixed to the inner cap 21 by the engagement edge.

  The inner cap 21 is formed in a substantially mushroom shape with an open umbrella, and can pass through the notch portion of the locking flange portion 17 of the injection port 7 on the outer peripheral edge of the top plate portion 25 located at the upper portion, and the locking flange. An engaging claw portion 27 that engages with the portion 17 projects inwardly in the diametrical direction. A staying chamber 28 is provided at the upper center of the top plate portion 25 from the upper end surface in contact with the lower surface of the outer cap 19, and the staying chamber 28 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the top opened. The bottom portion 28a of the retention chamber 28 is formed such that the bottom surface is inclined downward toward the outside, and a pair of small-diameter holes 32 are formed in the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 28b of the retention chamber 28 so as to contact the bottom portion 28a and face each other in the radial direction. It is installed.

  Similarly, an annular groove 30 is formed on the outer periphery of the retention chamber 28 from the upper end surface so as to surround the retention chamber 28, and the annular groove 30 and the retention chamber 28 are communicated with each other by a notch not shown. A ventilation gap 34 formed in contact with the lower surface of the outer cap 19 is provided in a labyrinth shape on the outer periphery of the annular groove 30, and the ventilation gap 34 communicates with the annular groove 30 and the outside air.

  The outer periphery of the lower surface of the top plate portion 25 forms an abutting portion 26 that abuts on the upper end of the inlet 7. A large-diameter cylindrical seal portion 29 is provided coaxially with the top plate portion 25 at the center of the lower surface of the top plate portion 25, and a circumferential groove 31 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the seal portion 29. An O-ring 33 that is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the inlet 7 of the container 3 is fitted in the circumferential groove 31 so that the space between the seal portion 29 and the inlet 7 is sealed. Similarly, a small diameter portion 35 that hangs downward is coaxially provided on the lower surface of the seal portion 29, and an axial gap between the seal portion 29 and the flange portion 37 is formed by the small diameter portion 35. Below the seal portion 29 is provided a medium-diameter flange portion 37 that protrudes in the radial direction via the small-diameter portion 35, and the upper surface of the flange portion 37 is formed to be inclined downward toward the outside. The lower peripheral edge of the flange portion 37 is configured to be close to the inner periphery of the reduced diameter portion 11 with a small gap T1. An intermediate chamber 41 is formed between the upper surface of the flange portion 37, the lower surface of the seal portion 29, and the inner peripheral surface of the hanging portion 9, and the intermediate chamber 41 communicates with the stay chamber 28 through the small diameter hole 32. A small-diameter cylindrical portion 39 that hangs downward is formed coaxially with the flange portion 37 on the lower surface of the flange portion 37, and the opening 13 of the injection port 7 has a small gap T 2 at the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 39. To fit. Here, a breather is constituted by the small gaps T 1 and T 2, the intermediate chamber 41, the small diameter hole 32, the staying chamber 28, the annular groove 30 and the ventilation gap 34.

  The case where the resin reservoir configured as described above is used will be described below. Since the hydraulic oil to the resin reservoir 1 is stored in the container 3 below the normal opening 13, the hydraulic oil SO in the container 3 of the resin reservoir 1 does not move when the automobile is not running. There is no leakage from the resin reservoir 1 to the outside. However, when the vehicle travels and vibrates or swings, the reservoir 1 itself also vibrates or swings, and the level of the hydraulic oil SO in the container 3 rises and the reservoir 1 is heated due to heat generated in an oil pump (not shown). The pressure in the container 3 increases. For this reason, a state occurs in which the liquid level of the hydraulic oil SO undulates or splashes in the container 3. The scattered hydraulic oil SO hits the inner peripheral wall of the container 3 or the back surface of the funnel part 15 and returns to the storage part of the container 3 as drops. Further, the undulating hydraulic oil SO tends to enter from the opening 13, but the flow cross-sectional area is restricted by the small gap T <b> 2 between the opening 13 and the cylindrical portion 39, so that the hydraulic oil SO moves upward. Movement is suppressed.

  Even if the hydraulic oil SO enters from the opening 13, the hydraulic oil SO is further prevented from moving upward by the small gap T <b> 1 formed by the lower end periphery of the flange portion 37 and the inner peripheral surface of the funnel portion 15. . Even if the hydraulic oil SO enters the intermediate chamber 41 from the small gap T1, the flow cross-sectional area is reduced by the small diameter hole 32, and the entry into the stay chamber 28 is suppressed. Further, the hydraulic oil SO that has entered the intermediate chamber 41 from the small diameter hole 32 is retained in the retention chamber 28 so as not to leak further outside. Further, since the small diameter holes 32 are provided in pairs in the radial direction, even when one of the small diameter holes 32 is blocked with the hydraulic oil SO when the vehicle is inclined and the reservoir 1 is inclined, the other small diameter hole 32 is provided. It is possible to maintain the ventilation state. When the hydraulic oil SO retained in the retention chamber 28 further leaks from the retention chamber 28 due to vibration or swinging of the container 3, the annular groove 30 is formed so as to surround the retention chamber 28. Is prevented by the annular groove 30 from leaking further outside. The annular groove 30 communicates with a ventilation gap 34 formed in a labyrinth shape, and leakage of the hydraulic oil SO from the annular groove 30 to the outside is suppressed. At the same time, since the air is passed through the breather, the pressure in the container 3 can be kept constant.

  Next, when the driving of the automobile is stopped and vibration and swinging disappear, as shown in FIG. 2, the hydraulic oil SO retained in the retention chamber 28 has the bottom 28 a of the retention chamber 28 facing outward. Since it is inclined downward, it flows down the slope of the bottom 28 a by its own weight and is returned from the small diameter hole 32 into the intermediate chamber 41. Since the small-diameter hole 32 is formed in contact with the bottom portion 28 a, the hydraulic oil SO staying in the stay chamber 28 is smoothly returned to the intermediate chamber 41 without remaining in the stay chamber 28. The hydraulic oil that has returned to the intermediate chamber 41 from the retention chamber 28 and the hydraulic oil that has remained in the intermediate chamber 41 has the upper surface of the flange portion 37 inclined downward toward the outside. It flows down from the outer edge to the inner peripheral surface of the funnel portion 15 and returns to the reservoir portion of the hydraulic oil SO in the container 3 through the small gaps T1 and T2. Further, outside air enters through the breather, and the pressure in the container 3 is kept constant.

  As described above, by forming the staying chamber 28 from the upper end surface of the inner cap 21 in which the ventilation gap 34 is formed, the thickness of the central portion of the inner cap 21 can be reduced, whereby the inner cap 21 and the cylindrical portion can be reduced. (Closing bar portion) 39 can be integrally molded with resin. By reducing the number of parts in this way, it is possible to prevent an increase in dimensional error of a finished product due to accumulation of tolerances necessary for fitting parts, and to provide a resin reservoir with high dimensional accuracy.

  In the present embodiment, a pair of small-diameter holes 32 are formed in the peripheral wall portion 28b of the retention chamber 28. However, the small-diameter holes 32 may be formed in a plurality of locations in the radial direction.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a resin reservoir according to the present invention. FIG. Sectional drawing which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Resin reservoir, 3 ... Container, 5 ... Cap, 7 ... Injection port, 9 ... Hanging part, 11 ... Reduced diameter part, 13 ... Opening part, 19 ... Outer cap, 21 ... Inner cap, 26 ... Contact part , 28 ... Residence chamber, 29 ... Seal part, 32 ... Small-diameter hole, 33 ... O-ring (seal member), 34 ... Ventilation gap, 37 ... Flange part, 39 ... Column part (cylinder outer diameter part), 41 ... Intermediate Chamber, SO ... hydraulic oil, T1, T2 ... small gap.

Claims (5)

A container having an inlet at the top and a cap that is detachably attached to the container to close the inlet, and the cap forms an air gap between the outer cap and the lower surface of the outer cap. In a reservoir consisting of a fixed inner cap,
The inner cap includes a large-diameter seal portion that is fitted to the injection port via a seal member, a contact portion that is in contact with the upper end of the injection port, and an axial gap with respect to the seal portion. A medium-diameter flange portion protruding in the radial direction and a small-diameter cylindrical portion depending downward from the lower surface of the flange portion,
The container has a drooping portion that hangs downward from the lower end of the injection port, a reduced diameter portion that reduces the diameter by forming a small gap between the lower end surface of the flange portion, and an outer diameter portion of the small-diameter column And an opening for fitting with a small gap,
A resin reservoir characterized in that the inner cap is formed with a passage communicating with an air gap between an intermediate chamber formed between a lower surface of a seal portion, an upper surface of a flange portion, and the hanging portion of the reservoir.   2. The inner cap according to claim 1, wherein the inner cap has a bottom surface located above the upper surface of the flange portion, a retention chamber communicating with the ventilation gap is formed from an upper end surface, and the retention chamber is formed in the intermediate chamber with a small diameter hole. Resin reservoir characterized by being communicated with.   3. The resin reservoir according to claim 2, wherein the bottom surface of the retention chamber and the upper surface of the flange portion are formed at substantially the same height, and the bottom surface and the upper surface of the flange portion are inclined downward toward the outside.   4. The resin reservoir according to claim 2, wherein an annular groove is formed on an upper end surface of the inner cap so as to surround the outside of the staying chamber.   5. The resin reservoir according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate chamber and the staying chamber communicate with each other through a small-diameter hole formed in a radial direction in contact with the bottom of the staying chamber.

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