JP2011143778A - Washer tank mounting structure of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washer tank mounting structure for an automobile, capable of improving the layout of an internal engine compartment and facilitating confirmation of a liquid level. <P>SOLUTION: The mounting structure is constructed so that a water supply cylinder 4 with a water supply port 4b is extended substantially upward of a vehicle from a tank body 3 and a washer tank for automobile provided with a remaining amount check function for checking the liquid level of washer liquid is mounted on a vehicle body. A protrusion portion b1 protruding inward of the tank is formed at a portion corresponding to a replenishing liquid level of washer liquid under an on-vehicle body state in the tank body 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mounting structure for a washer tank that stores a washer fluid for cleaning a front windshield of an automobile.

  Since the washer liquid is always consumed in rainy weather, it is necessary to frequently replenish the washer liquid in the washer tank. Therefore, when the washer liquid level is reduced to the replenishment level, it is necessary to make it possible to easily confirm this.

  Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a liquid level scale is formed on the tank side wall so that the liquid level can be confirmed from the side of the tank.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which a remaining amount confirmation member is separately provided on a cap of a washer tank, and the remaining amount is confirmed by pulling the remaining amount confirmation member upward together with the cap.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No.59-183844 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-215175

  By the way, recently, as the engine room is miniaturized, in-vehicle parts are densely arranged in the engine room. Therefore, even if the liquid level scale is formed on the side wall of the washer tank as in Patent Document 1, There is a problem that it is difficult to secure a space for confirming the liquid volume scale from the side of the tank.

  In addition, the structure of Patent Document 2 has a problem of adding cost, weight, and productivity due to the addition of a remaining amount confirmation member.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional situation. Even when in-vehicle parts are densely packed in the engine room, and without adding a remaining amount confirmation member, the remaining amount of the washer liquid can be easily obtained. It is an object to provide a vehicle washer tank mounting structure that can confirm the above.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle washer tank having a water supply port having a water supply port extending substantially upward from the tank main body and having a remaining amount confirmation function for confirming the remaining amount of washer liquid. The tank body is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes inwardly in a portion of the tank body corresponding to the replenishing liquid level of the washer liquid in a vehicle-mounted state, and the washer tank includes the protruding portion. Is mounted on the vehicle body so as to be located at a position where it can be seen through the water supply tube from the water supply port.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the water supply pipe having the water supply port is extended from the tank main body substantially above the vehicle, the space in the engine room for the washer liquid replenishment container to enter above the water supply port. Therefore, it is possible to look into the tank body from the water supply port through the water supply tube.

  And since the protrusion part which protrudes inward in a tank is formed in the part corresponding to the replenishing liquid level of the above-mentioned tank main part, and this protrusion part is visible from the above-mentioned water supply mouth, it is easy. You can check the remaining amount of washer fluid. That is, when the liquid level of the washer liquid in the tank is higher than the replenishment level, the protrusion cannot be visually observed because the washer liquid is opaque. On the other hand, since the protruding portion can be visually observed when the level of the washer liquid is lowered to the replenishment level, it is easy without forming a liquid level scale on the tank side wall or adding a separate remaining amount confirmation member. The remaining amount can be confirmed, and the cost can be reduced, the weight can be reduced, and the productivity can be improved.

It is the perspective view which looked at the washer tank mounting structure of the automobile concerning Example 1 of the present invention from the left diagonal front of the vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows the state at the time of replenishing a washer liquid from a washer liquid replenishment container to the said washer tank. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the washer tank viewed from a water supply port (viewed from the direction of arrow III in FIG. 2). FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the liquid level when the washer tank is full when viewed from the side (viewed from the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 1). It is a front view of the said washer tank. FIG. 6 is a left side view of the washer tank (viewed from the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 5). FIG. 7 is a plan view of the washer tank (viewed from the direction of arrow VII in FIG. 5). FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the washer tank (viewed from the direction of arrow VIII in FIG. 5). FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view (cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7) of the protruding portion of the washer tank. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the protruding portion of the washer tank (viewed from the direction of arrow X in FIG. 9).

  FIGS. 1 to 10 are views for explaining a structure for mounting a washer tank of an automobile according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, left and right mean left and right when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an engine room. In the engine room 1, a large number of on-vehicle components are arranged in a dense state with no extra space. For example, an engine unit (not shown) is mounted at the center rear in the vehicle width direction of the engine room 1, and a radiator support 2a and a radiator (not shown) are disposed at the front, and the left and right sides of the radiator are disposed. The left and right headlights 6 and 6 are disposed on the left, and the left and right wheel houses 2b and 2b are disposed behind and below the headlights 6 and 6, respectively.

  A washer tank 8 is mounted in a space surrounded by these vehicle-mounted components, for example, the left headlight 6, the left edge of the radiator support 2a, and the left wheel house 2b. The washer tank 8 is, for example, a resin injection-molded product, and includes a tank body 3 and a water supply tube 4 integrally formed on the upper wall of the tank body 3. The resin is permeable, and the liquid level of the washer liquid accommodated therein can be visually recognized from the outside.

  The water supply cylinder 4 extends substantially straight from the corner of the left edge and rear edge of the upper wall of the tank body 3 to the upper side of the vehicle. A water supply opening 4b is formed at the upper end of the water supply opening 4b. A lid member 4d for opening and closing this is mounted.

  The tank body 3 has an upper and lower split structure in which the flange portion 3c of the upper tank half 3a formed by injection molding and the flange portion 3d of the lower tank half 3b are joined by welding. The tank body 3 is composed of an upper step a, a middle step b, and a lower step c. In the front view shown in FIG. 5, the volume of each step is larger as the upper step, and the respective left side faces are lower sides. The stepped part retreats inward in the vehicle width. Further, the tank body 3 has a substantially rectangular shape with the upper stage a and the middle stage b viewed from the left in the vehicle width direction shown in FIG. 6, and the lower stage c is a portion closer to the front side of the middle stage b. It is displaced in the direction away from the water bottle 4.

  Pumps 9 and 10 for sending the washer liquid to the front windshield and rear windshield are disposed at the lower stage c of the tank body 3.

  Further, a liquid amount confirmation mark 4g indicating the level of the washer liquid at the time of full water is formed on the upper part of the front side surface of the water supply cylinder 4.

  As described above, the washer tank 8 is located in the space surrounded by the radiator support 2a, the headlight 6, and the wheel house 2b in the engine room 1, and the water tank 4 Only the upper part is arranged so as to protrude upward without being hidden by the respective in-vehicle components. Therefore, the liquid level confirmation mark 4g when the water is full can be confirmed from the front side of the vehicle.

  On the other hand, the required replenishment level of the washer liquid can be confirmed by a remaining amount confirmation function configured as follows. At least a part of the inner surface of the tank body 3 is visible through the water supply tube 4 from the water supply port 4b. Specifically, as described above, as a result of the lower step c being displaced in the direction away from the water supply cylinder 4 with respect to the middle step b of the tank body 3, the displacement of the bottom surface of the middle step b is caused. The protruding portion is a protruding portion b1 protruding inward in the vehicle width direction, and the protruding portion b1 is visible through the water supply tube 4 from the water supply port 4b. The protrusion b1 is located at a portion corresponding to the replenishment level of the washer liquid when the tank body 3 is mounted on the vehicle body. Further, a character 5 "LOW" is formed on the inner surface of the protruding portion b1 so as to protrude in a rib shape. Accordingly, when the level of the washer liquid is lowered to the replenishment level, the inner surface of the protruding portion b1 is visually observed when the inside is looked into from the water supply port 4b, and the character 5 “LOW” appears. In this way, the remaining amount confirmation function is realized. The character 5 may be formed by engraving or printing.

  Generally, since the washer liquid is always consumed, frequent replenishment is required. Further, as the washer liquid, an opaque liquid with a slight color such as soapy water is used. For this reason, the liquid level of the washer liquid can be visually recognized from the outside of the washer tank 8. On the other hand, when viewed from the water supply port 4b, the bottom surface is not visible.

  A case will be described in which the level of the washer liquid is checked in the washer tank 8 of the first embodiment, and the washer liquid is replenished as necessary.

  When the washer tank 8 is full, the liquid level is in the vicinity of the liquid amount confirmation mark 4g, and the liquid amount can be confirmed thereby. In this case, since the liquid level is sufficiently higher than the replenishment level, the protrusion b1 or the character 5 is not seen because the washer liquid is opaque even when looking through the water supply port 4b.

  On the other hand, when the liquid level is lowered to the replenishment level as the washer liquid is consumed, the protrusion b1 is visually observed by looking into the interior from the water supply port 4b. In this case, since the character 5 is formed so as to protrude in a rib shape, the replenishment level required can be confirmed more reliably. When the liquid level falls to the replenishment level required, the washer liquid is replenished by the washer liquid replenishment container 7 until the liquid level rises to the vicinity of the liquid amount confirmation mark 4g when the water level is full.

  According to the first embodiment, the water supply tube 4 having the water supply port 4b is extended from the tank main body substantially upward of the vehicle, and the washer liquid replenishing container 7 is provided in the engine room 1 above the water supply port 4b. Since a space enough to enter is secured, the tank body 3 can be looked into through the water supply tube 4 from the water supply port 4b.

  And the protrusion part b1 which protrudes inward in a tank is formed in the site | part corresponding to the replenishment level of a washer liquid of the said tank main body 3, and this protrusion part b1 is visible from the said water supply port 4b. , You can easily check the remaining amount of washer fluid. That is, when the liquid level of the washer liquid in the tank is sufficiently higher than the replenishment level, the protrusion b1 is not visually observed because the washer liquid is opaque. On the other hand, when the level of the washer liquid is lowered to the replenishment level, the protrusion b1 can be visually observed. Therefore, a liquid level scale is formed on the tank side wall so that it can be seen from the outside, or a separate remaining amount confirmation member is added. Therefore, it is possible to easily check the remaining amount without reducing costs, reduce costs, reduce weight, and improve productivity.

  In addition, in the said Example 1, although the said water supply pipe | tube 4 was formed in the substantially linear form, of course, you may make the said water supply pipe | tube 4 the curved shape in the range which can see the said protrusion b1.

3 Tank body 4 Water supply tube 4b Water supply port 8 Washer tank b1 Projection

Claims (1)

A water supply cylinder having a water supply port extends from the tank main body substantially above the vehicle, and has a structure in which a vehicle washer tank having a remaining amount confirmation function for confirming the remaining amount of washer liquid is mounted on the vehicle body,
A projecting portion that projects inward of the tank is formed in a portion corresponding to the replenishment liquid level of the washer liquid in the vehicle body mounted state of the tank body,
A washer tank mounting structure for an automobile, wherein the washer tank is mounted on a vehicle body so that the projecting portion is positioned at a position that can be viewed from the water supply port through a water supply tube.

Images