JP2012246887A - Oil reservoir device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oil reservoir device that achieves the simplification of mounting between an oil strainer 4 and an oil level sensor 5 and is configured to supply only one electrode to the oil level sensor 5 by a signal line 10 in order to simplify the electrode structure.SOLUTION: In an oil pan 3 for storing oil supplied to an engine, the oil strainer 4 and the oil level sensor are fastened together to a bracket 6, extended from the engine 2, by a fastening means 7. The oil level sensor 5 detects the oil liquid level in the oil pan 3 and transmits the detected signal to the outside of the oil pan 3 via a signal line 10 led from the outside of the oil pan. The oil level sensor 5 has a reinforcing plate 20 in which a ground terminal 11 is fixed to a case 12. The ground terminal 11 is grounded to an engine block 2a via the bracket 6.

Description

  The present invention relates to an oil storage device capable of storing oil for lubricating an engine. In particular, the present invention relates to an oil storage device related to a mounting structure of an oil strainer and an oil level sensor.

  Conventionally, an oil storage device described in Patent Document 1 is known. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of this conventional oil storage device. In FIG. 4, the oil storage device 1 is separated into a first chamber 3a1 and a second chamber 3a2. The oil stored in the first chamber 3a1 is supplied into the engine block 2a via the oil strainer 4. An oil level sensor 5 is provided for detecting the liquid level in the oil pan separator 3a.

  In the case where oil is stored in a part of the engine block 2a like a part of a motorcycle, only the + (plus) electrode is supplied to the oil level sensor 5 through a signal line, and the-(minus) electrode side is the engine block. Some are grounded to 2a.

  However, in many vehicles other than motorcycles, an oil pan (or oil pan cover) 3 in which a thin metal plate is plated is used. In this case, since the plating hinders conductivity, it is difficult to ground the negative electrode side to the oil pan 3. Accordingly, the oil level sensor 5 is fed with the + electrode and the − electrode through the sensor mounting hole 5b.

  Further, the oil strainer 4 and the oil level sensor 5 are attached separately from each other.

JP 2006-183491 A

  According to the technique of the above-mentioned patent document 1, both +-(plus and minus) electrodes are supplied to the oil level sensor 5. Further, the oil strainer 4 and the oil level sensor 5 are attached separately from each other. Therefore, it takes time to install, which causes a cost increase.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art, and the object thereof is to supply only one of the plus or minus electrodes to the oil level sensor through a signal line. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an oil storage device that simplifies the electrode structure and reduces the man-hours for mounting an oil strainer and an oil level sensor.

  Descriptions of patent documents listed as prior art can be introduced or incorporated by reference as explanations of technical elements described in this specification.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means. That is, the invention according to claim 1 is an oil storage device that stores oil in an oil pan attached to the lower part of the engine block, and extends downward from the lower part of the engine block in the oil pan and has a ground potential. An oil strainer fastened to a given bracket by fastening means, and the oil level in the oil pan are detected, and a signal indicating the detection result is sent to the oil pan via a signal line led from outside the oil pan. An oil level sensor having a sensor element for transmitting to the outside and a ground terminal integrated with the sensor element for applying a ground potential to the sensor element, and the oil strainer and the ground terminal are below the bracket It is characterized in that it is fastened together with fastening means in contact with the grounding terminal on the bracket in a state of being overlapped from the top.

  According to the present invention, since the oil level sensor detects the oil level in the oil pan and transmits the detection result via the signal line, only one of the plus and minus electrodes is used as the signal line. What is necessary is just to connect, and the other electrode can be earth | grounded via a ground terminal, and simplification of an electrode structure can be achieved. In addition, since the oil strainer and the ground terminal of the oil level sensor are fastened together with the bracket by the fastening means, the oil strainer and the ground terminal of the oil level sensor can be attached to the bracket at once by the fastening means. This can reduce the installation man-hours.

The invention according to claim 2 further includes a reinforcing plate that holds and reinforces the ground terminal, and the reinforcing plate is fastened together with the oil strainer and the ground terminal to the bracket by a fastening means. According to the above, since the reinforcing plate that holds and reinforces the grounding terminal is fastened to the bracket together with the fastening means, the grounding terminal itself does not need to be strong, and only the fastening of the reinforcing plate to the bracket is necessary. It is possible to easily support the oil level sensor to the bracket and connect the ground terminal to the bracket.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the sensor element is disposed between the lower portion of the engine block and the ground terminal. According to the present invention, the space between the ground terminal and the lower portion of the engine block. Since the sensor element of the oil level sensor is housed in the bracket, the bracket and the oil level sensor can be provided side by side, and the oil storage device having a small width in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the bracket can be obtained.

In the invention according to claim 4, the fastening means is a screw member, the ground terminal contacts the head of the screw member, the shaft portion of the screw member is screwed to the bracket, and the ground terminal is in the reinforcing plate. According to the present invention, the grounding terminal and the bracket are in contact with each other. Can be electrically connected by two paths, a path through the head and shaft part of the fastening means, a reinforcing conductive part in the reinforcing plate, and a path through the strainer conductive part in the oil strainer. The ground terminal can be reliably grounded.

It is a partial cross section figure which shows the assembly | attachment process of the oil storage apparatus which shows 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a partial cross section which shows the state which the assembly | attachment completed in the said embodiment in the said embodiment. It is an expansion partial sectional view of an oil level sensor portion showing a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial cross section figure of the conventional oil storage apparatus.

  A plurality of modes for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, parts corresponding to the matters described in the preceding embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted. When only a part of the configuration is described in each mode, the other modes described above can be applied to the other parts of the configuration.

  Not only combinations of parts that clearly indicate that the combination is possible in each embodiment, but also the embodiments are partially combined even if they are not clearly specified unless there is a problem with the combination. It is also possible.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an assembly process of an oil storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the assembly is completed in the embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, an oil storage device 1 that stores oil (also referred to as engine oil) measures an oil pan 3 that stores oil supplied into the engine 2, an oil strainer 4 that filters oil, and a liquid level of the oil. And an oil level sensor 5 to be used.

  The oil pan 3 for storing oil is made of an iron plate having a painted surface. In the oil pan 3, the oil strainer 4 is fastened by fastening means 7 to a bracket 6 extended from the engine.

  The oil strainer 4 is a filter attached to the tip of the oil pump suction port. The oil strainer 4 is a portion for sucking oil in the oil pan 3 and has a rough net to prevent large foreign matter from being sucked.

  The oil level sensor 5 detects the oil level in the oil pan 3 and transmits the detected signal to the outside of the oil pan 3 through the signal line 10 and the ground terminal 11 led from outside the oil pan 3. Have

  The oil level sensor 5 has a float 13 that moves on the outer periphery of a cylindrical hollow case 12 according to the oil level. The float 13 has a specific gravity smaller than that of oil, and moves up and down the outer periphery of the case 12 in the axial direction of the case 12 (in the vertical direction in FIG. 1) in accordance with the fluctuation of the oil level. 12 a and 12 b are stoppers for the float 13.

  The case 12 has a sensor element including a reed switch 15 that detects the position of the float 13. The reed switch 15 is turned on / off according to the magnitude of the magnetic field from the permanent magnet 16 provided in the float 13.

  The reed switch 15 is provided with movable metal pieces (not shown) facing each other inside the glass container, and these movable metal pieces are integrated with the leads 17 and 18, respectively. When the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 16 flows to the movable metal piece inside the glass container, the attractive force overcomes the spring force of the movable metal piece, the movable metal pieces come into contact with each other, and a current flows between the leads 17 and 18. Inside the case 12, a reed switch 15 and a signal line 10 are provided in parallel. One end of the signal line 10 is connected to the end of the lead 17.

  The opposite lead 18 is fixed to the ground terminal 11. The ground terminal 11 is soldered to the lead 18. Further, the reinforcing plate 20 integral with the case 12 is provided. The reinforcing plate 20 is provided with a ground terminal 11, and the reinforcing conductive portion 21 electrically connected to the ground terminal 11 is provided in the hole of the reinforcing plate 20. Have.

  The bracket 6 is a conductive iron plate, and the tip 6a protrudes in an L-shape in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. Similarly, it is connected to an engine block 2 a that forms the outline of the iron engine 2. The bracket 6 is grounded so as to have a ground potential together with the engine block 2a.

  The oil strainer 4, the reinforcing plate 20 of the oil level sensor 5, and the grounding terminal 11 are fastened together with the bracket 6 by screws or bolts constituting the fastening means 7, and the grounding terminal 11 is electrically connected to the bracket 6 for grounding. The terminal 11 and thus the lead 18 are grounded.

  The oil strainer 4 has a flat plate portion 4a attached to the bracket 6, and has a strainer conductive portion 22 inside the flat plate portion 4a. Then, the strainer conductive portion 22 and the reinforcing conductive portion 21 are overlapped in the axial direction of the fastening means 7, and the strainer conductive portion 22 and the reinforcing conductive portion are joined to the welded nut portion 7 a of the tip 6 a bent to the L-shape of the bracket 6. 21 are overlapped from below and fastened by fastening means 7 to be fixed.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the strainer conductive portion 22 and the reinforcing conductive portion 21 have been fastened to the bracket 6. In the state of FIG. 2, the oil level is larger than the total length L1 of the length of the bracket 6 extending from the bottom of the engine 2 and the length of the strainer conductive portion 22, the reinforcing conductive portion 21, and the gap Ga. The sensor height L2 is shorter. The fastening means 7 is screwed into the gap Ga until a washer is inserted or the gap Ga disappears.

  Further, the oil level sensor 5 has a reinforcing plate 20 that extends perpendicular to the axial direction of the case 12. The reinforcing plate 20 intersects the extending direction of the bracket 6 hanging from the engine 2 at a right angle. The oil level sensor 5 is accommodated in the space between the reinforcing plate 20 and the bottom of the engine 2.

  Next, the effect of 1st Embodiment which becomes the said structure is demonstrated. An oil level sensor 5 is attached to a portion (bracket 6) for fixing the oil strainer 4 in the oil pan 3 to the engine 2, and the oil level sensor 5 is fastened together with the oil strainer 4 and at the same time, a lead 18 of the oil level sensor 5 The ground terminal 11 connected to is also fastened together. As a result, the two parts 4 and 5 can be attached and grounded using a single fastening means 7, so that the cost can be reduced by reducing the parts.

  The oil level sensor 5 detects the oil level in the oil pan 3 and transmits the detected signal to the outside of the oil pan through the signal line 10 led from outside the oil pan 3 and the ground terminal 11. Therefore, only one of the plus / minus electrodes needs to be connected to the signal line 10, and the other electrode can be grounded via the ground terminal 11, thereby simplifying the electrode structure.

  Further, since the oil strainer 4, the case 12 of the oil level sensor 5, and the ground terminal 11 are fastened to the bracket 6 by the fastening means 7, the oil strainer 4 and the bracket 6 are The oil level sensor 5 and the ground terminal 11 can be attached, and the number of attachment steps can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the flat plate portion 4a of the oil strainer 4 has a strainer conductive portion 22, and the reinforcing plate 20 of the oil level sensor 5 has a reinforcing conductive portion 21 connected to the ground terminal 11, and these are overlapped to form the bracket 6 Therefore, it can be easily fixed by the fastening means 7 such as a screw or a bolt having a relatively short axial length.

  In addition, the oil level sensor 5 can be accommodated in the space between the reinforcing plate 20 and the bottom of the engine 2 and the bracket 6 and the oil level sensor 5 can be provided side by side. The oil storage device 1 can be made small.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following embodiments, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and different configurations and features will be described. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an oil level sensor portion showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, only the oil level sensor portion is illustrated, but other configurations are the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  In FIG. 3, the sensor element of the oil level sensor 5 includes a reed switch 15, and the signal line 10 connected to the lead 17 that is one end of the reed switch 15 is provided alongside the reed switch 15 inside the case 12. .

  The ground terminal 11 connected to the lead 18 at the other end of the reed switch 15 is temporarily coupled to the reinforcing plate 20. In order to prevent the parts from being dispersed until the oil level sensor 5 is fastened together by the fastening means 7 (FIG. 2), this temporary joining is provided with a protrusion 20a on the reinforcing plate 20 made of synthetic resin. The protrusion 20a is press-fitted into a round hole 11a provided in the ground terminal 11.

  According to this, since the ground terminal 11 connected to the other end of the reed switch 15 is temporarily coupled to the reinforcing plate 20, the oil strainer 4 and the oil are attached to the bracket 6 (FIG. 2) by the fastening means 7 (FIG. 2). Even before the reinforcing plate 20 of the level sensor 5 and the ground terminal 11 are fastened together, the ground terminal 11 is integrated with the reinforcing plate 20 and is easy to handle.

  The reed switch 15 and the signal line 10 are provided in parallel inside the case 12 of FIG. One end of the signal line 10 is connected to a lead 17, and a connecting portion between the signal line 10 and the lead 17 is fixed by a potting material 12 </ b> P that is a resin material filled in the case 12.

  In this way, by fixing only the tip portion with the potting material 21P, a bundle of 10 reed switches 15 and signal wires is supported in the case 12 in a cantilever support shape, and vibration of the engine 2 (FIG. 2). It is hard to be destroyed by.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or expanded as follows. For example, in the first embodiment described above, the oil pan 3 is not separated into the first chamber and the second chamber. However, as in Patent Document 1 in FIG. 4, the oil pan 3 is in the first chamber 3a1. It can also be applied to the one separated into the second chamber 3a2.

  Further, in the first embodiment, the nut 7a is welded to the bracket 6 and the screw for joint fastening constituting the fastening means 7 is screwed to the nut. However, even if the screw is directly cut to the bracket 6 and the screw is fastened, Good. Moreover, although the position of the float was detected using the reed switch, a configuration such as using a magnetic detection element may be employed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Oil storage apparatus 2 Engine 2a Engine block 3 Oil pan 4 Oil strainer 5 Oil level sensor 6 Bracket 7 Fastening means 10 Signal line 11 Ground terminal 13 Float 15 Reed switch (sensor element)
17, 18 Lead 20 Reinforcing plate 21 Reinforcing conductive part 22 Strainer conductive part

Claims (4)

An oil storage device that stores oil in an oil pan attached to a lower portion of an engine block,
In the oil pan, an oil strainer that is fastened by fastening means to a bracket that extends downward from the lower part of the engine block and is given a ground potential;
A sensor element that detects a level of the oil in the oil pan and transmits a signal representing a detection result to the outside of the oil pan via a signal line led from outside the oil pan; and the sensor element An oil level sensor having a grounding terminal integrated with the sensor element for applying a ground potential to the sensor element,
The oil storage device, wherein the oil strainer and the ground terminal are fastened together with the bracket by the fastening means in contact with the ground terminal in a state where the oil strainer and the ground terminal are overlapped with the bracket from below.   2. The oil according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing plate that holds and reinforces the ground terminal, and the reinforcing plate is fastened together with the oil strainer and the ground terminal to the bracket by the fastening means. Storage device.   The oil storage device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element is disposed between a lower portion of the engine block and the ground terminal.   The fastening means is a screw member, the ground terminal is in contact with the head of the screw member, the shaft portion of the screw member is screwed to the bracket, and the ground terminal is reinforced in the reinforcing plate. 4. The conductive portion is in contact, the reinforcing conductive portion is in contact with a strainer conductive portion in the oil strainer, and the strainer conductive portion is in contact with the bracket. The oil storage device described in 1.

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