JP2010144559A - Antistatic structure of fuel pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an antistatic structure of a fuel pipe, eliminating the static of a resin pipe without using a connector. <P>SOLUTION: The fuel pipe connects both pipes by fitting the end of the resin pipe 3 internally having a conductive layer 3b around the end of the other non-conductive resin coated pipe 4. In the fuel pipe, a conductive piece 10 is interposed between the end of the resin pipe 3 and the end of the non-conductive resin coated pipe 4, and also the conductive piece 10 is exposed from the end of the resin pipe 3 to the outside and connected to the conductive body 12 of a vehicle body through an exposed part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an antistatic structure for fuel piping, and more particularly to an antistatic structure for fuel piping including a resin pipe.

For example, in a fuel pipe of an automobile, fuel is supplied from a fuel tank installed on the lower surface of the floor of the vehicle body to a delivery pipe of an engine via a resin pipe, a metal pipe, and the like.
By the way, when the fuel flows through the pipe, static electricity is generated due to friction between the fuel and the inner surface of the pipe. When the static electricity is charged in the pipe and the voltage is increased, electrostatic discharge may occur and the pipe may be damaged.

In view of this, in fuel piping, measures have been taken to actively reduce static electricity charged in the pipe (for example, Patent Document 1).
In the fuel pipe of Patent Document 1, the connector is made conductive, and a conductive resin layer is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the resin pipe. The resin pipe is fitted on the connector, and static electricity generated in the resin pipe is generated. It escapes to the car body etc. via the connector.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-13574 (see FIGS. 2 and 4)

  By the way, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be applied only to a fuel pipe provided with a connector. This is expensive because the connector must be made conductive.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an antistatic structure for a fuel pipe that can slowly charge a resin pipe at low cost without using a connector.

In order to solve the above-described problem, in the antistatic structure for fuel piping according to claim 1, both ends of a resin pipe having a conductive layer inside are externally fitted to the ends of other non-conductive resin-coated pipes. In the fuel pipe connecting between the conductive pipes between the end of the resin pipe and the end of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe, the conductive piece is exposed to the outside from the end of the resin pipe, The conductive layer of the resin pipe is electrically connected to a conductor such as a vehicle body via the exposed portion.
Here, the non-conductive resin-coated pipe is a non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe coated with a non-conductive resin, a multi-layer resin pipe whose outer periphery is coated with a non-conductive resin, all formed of a non-conductive resin. A non-conductive pipe such as a resin pipe.

  In the fuel pipe antistatic structure according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1, the conductive piece is formed on at least a part of the entire length in the longitudinal direction on the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe. It is characterized in that it has an arcuate pinching portion that is shaped to follow and partially opened.

  In the antistatic structure of the fuel pipe according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the lower end portion has a shape that follows the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe, and the periphery of the pipe. A clip having an elastic clamping portion that covers at least half of the surface and is partially opened, and has a locking portion on the upper portion that is fitted to a conductor such as a floor of a vehicle body or a frame. It is said.

  Moreover, in the antistatic structure of the fuel pipe according to claim 4, in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the non-conductive resin-coated pipe is a non-conductive resin-coated pipe in which a metal pipe is coated with a resin. A metal pipe, further having a cylindrical shape, an outer peripheral surface of one end portion forming a tapered surface, and a recess for accommodating the end portion of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe is formed on the other end surface; A fluid passage that opens to one end surface is formed at the bottom of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe when the concave portion is fitted to the tip of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe. It is characterized by having a pilot cap with which the tip surface of the metal pipe of the pipe contacts.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the static electricity generated in the resin pipe is surely released to the conductor such as the vehicle body via the conductive layer and conductive piece of the resin pipe, so that the static electricity is charged in the resin pipe. However, the present invention can be applied to piping having a connection structure of a resin pipe and a non-conductive pipe that do not use a connector, and it is inexpensive because only a conductive piece needs to be added.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the conductive piece is clamped on the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe by the arc-shaped pinching portion, and the conductive piece can be easily temporarily fixed to the non-conductive resin-coated pipe by adhesion or the like. Therefore, the assembly work of the resin pipe and the non-conductive resin-coated pipe is facilitated.

  Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the clip is joined to the conductive piece on the non-conductive resin-coated pipe simply by fitting the clip to the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe by the elastic clamping portion. This makes it easy to install the pipe.

  Moreover, according to invention of Claim 4 mentioned above, the static elimination of the nonelectroconductive resin coating metal pipe which is a nonelectroconductive pipe can also be performed collectively. This is particularly effective when the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe is not electrically connected to a conductor such as a fuel tank delivery pipe.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the antistatic structure for a fuel pipe according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an automobile fuel pipe to which the antistatic structure according to the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the antistatic structure employed in the fuel pipe of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part assembling procedure of the antistatic structure, and FIG.

  The fuel pipe shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a delivery pipe 5 through a pump 2, a resin pipe 3, a non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4, and a resin pipe 3 installed in the fuel tank 1.

  The resin pipe 3 includes an outer layer made of a resin having water resistance and chemical resistance such as nylon 11 and nylon 12, and an inner layer made of a conductive filler such as carbon powder, stainless steel powder, and carbon fiber. And a conductive layer 3b made of a conductive resin to which is added.

  Further, the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 is a metal pipe 4a made of aluminum, copper, steel or the like, and the metal pipe 4a is covered with a resin such as nylon 11 or nylon 12 having water resistance, chemical resistance, etc. And the layer 4b. Two spools 6 and 7 are formed at the end of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4.

  The fuel pipe antistatic structure further includes an O-ring 8, a pilot cap 9, a conductive piece 10, and a clip 11.

  The pilot cap 9 has a cylindrical shape, and an outer peripheral surface at one end portion forms a tapered surface 9a. On the other end surface of the pilot cap 9, a recess 9 b that accommodates the end of the nonconductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 is formed. A fluid passage 9c that opens to one end surface is formed at the bottom of the recess 9b. The pilot cap 9 is formed of a conductive resin to which a conductive filler such as carbon powder, stainless powder, carbon fiber or the like is added.

  The conductive piece 10 has arc-shaped holding portions 10a and 10b that are formed in a shape following the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 at both ends, cover half or more of the periphery of the pipe 4, and are partially opened. Yes. The conductive piece 10 is made of an elastic material such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, or conductive resin. And in this conductive piece 10, the arc-shaped recessed part 10c of the shape which followed the shape of the spool 7 of the nonelectroconductive resin coating metal pipe 4 is formed in the longitudinal direction intermediate part.

  The clip 11 is provided with an elastic pinching portion 11a at the lower end portion, which is shaped like the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 and covers at least half of the circumference of the pipe 4 and is partially opened. In addition, a locking portion 11b to be fitted to the conductor 12, such as a floor of the vehicle body or a frame, is provided. The clip 11 is made of a resin having conductivity and elasticity.

In this fuel pipe, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the end of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 is adjacent to the spool 6 at the end of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4. The O-ring 8 is fitted on the part side, the recess 9b of the pyrod cap 9 is fitted on the end of the end, and the arc-shaped recess 10c is formed on the spool 7 at the end of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4. The arc-shaped holding portions 10a and 10b of the conductive piece 10 are fitted so as to be covered.
In this state, the conductive piece 10 is temporarily fixed to the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 because the arc-shaped holding portions 10 a and 10 b elastically hold the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the conductive pipe 10 is formed on the outer periphery of the tip of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4, with the tip of the resin pipe 3, the pilot cap 9 as a guide, and the tip beyond the spool 7. Is inserted to the position covering the arcuate pinching portion 10a.
In this case, the outer surface of the arc-shaped recess 10 c of the conductive piece 10 is pressed against the conductive layer 3 b of the resin pipe 3 by the spool 7 with the resin pipe 3 fitted to the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4. As a result, the conduction between the conductive layer 3b and the conductive piece 10 becomes more reliable.

  Next, the elastic clamping portion 11 a of the clip 11 is fitted to the arc-shaped clamping portion 10 b of the conductive piece 10. Then, the engaging portion 11b of the clip 11 is inserted into the hole 12a of the conductor 12 of the vehicle body, and the resin pipe 3 and the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 connected to each other are suspended and supported on the vehicle body.

  In the pipe thus supported, as shown in FIG. 5, the end portion of the resin pipe 3 is elastically brought into close contact with the end portion of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4, and the O-ring 8 is interposed between them. Is completely sealed. The conductive layer 3 b of the resin pipe 3 is pressed against the conductive piece 10, and static electricity generated in the resin pipe 3 is released to the vehicle body 12 through the conductive piece 10 and the clip 11.

  In this fuel pipe, the tip surface of the metal pipe 4 a of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 contacts the bottom surface of the recess 9 b of the pilot cap 9, and the outer peripheral surface of the pilot cap 9 contacts the conductive layer 3 b of the resin pipe 3. Since they are in contact with each other, static electricity generated in the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4 is released to the conductive layer 3b of the resin pipe 3 through the conductive pilot cap 9, and the conductive piece 10 and the clip 11 are further connected. Through the conductor 12 of the vehicle body.

  In the above embodiment, the conductive piece 10 is arranged so as to straddle the spool 7 of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4, but the end of the conductive piece 10 is the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4. It may be positioned in front of the spool 7.

It is the schematic diagram which showed an example of the fuel piping for motor vehicles to which the antistatic structure which concerns on this invention is applied. It is a disassembled perspective view of the antistatic structure employ | adopted with the fuel piping of FIG. It is the perspective view which showed the component assembly procedure of the antistatic structure of FIG. It is the perspective view which showed the component assembly procedure of the antistatic structure of FIG. It is an AA line expanded sectional view in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Fuel tank 2 Pump 3 Resin pipe 3a Resin layer (outer layer)
3b Conductive layer (inner layer)
4 Non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe (non-conductive resin-coated pipe)
4a Metal pipe 4b Protective layer 5 Delivery pipe 6, 7 Spool 8 O-ring 9 Pilot cap 9a Tapered surface 9b Recess 9c Fluid passage 10 Conductive piece 10a, 10b Arc-shaped pinching portion 10c Arc-shaped concave portion 11 Clip 11a Elastic pinching portion 11b Locking portion 12 Conductor

Claims (4)

  In a fuel pipe in which an end portion of a resin pipe having a conductive layer therein is externally fitted to an end portion of another non-conductive resin-coated pipe to connect the two pipes, the end portion of the resin pipe and the non-conductive resin A conductive piece is interposed between the end portion of the coated pipe, the conductive piece is exposed to the outside from the end of the resin pipe, and the conductive layer of the resin pipe is electrically connected to a conductor such as a vehicle body via the exposed portion. An antistatic structure for a fuel pipe, characterized in that it is connected in a mechanical manner.   The conductive piece has an arcuate pinching portion that is partially opened in a shape that follows the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe at least at a part of the entire length in the longitudinal direction. The antistatic structure of the fuel pipe according to claim 1.   The lower end portion has a shape following the outer peripheral surface of the non-conductive resin-coated pipe, covers an half or more of the peripheral surface of the pipe, and has a partially opened elastic clamping portion. The antistatic structure for a fuel pipe according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a clip having a locking portion to be fitted to a conductor such as a floor or a frame.   The non-conductive resin-coated pipe is a non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe obtained by coating a metal pipe with a resin, further has a cylindrical shape, one end portion outer peripheral surface forms a tapered surface, and the other end surface, A recess for accommodating the end of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe is formed, and a fluid passage that opens to one end surface is formed at the bottom of the recess, and at the tip of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe 4. The pilot cap according to claim 1, wherein when the concave portion is fitted, the bottom surface of the concave portion is provided with a pilot cap that makes contact with the tip surface of the metal pipe of the non-conductive resin-coated metal pipe. An anti-static structure for fuel piping according to claim 1.

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