JP2013001294A - Fuel tank device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel tank device that can make a fuel tank lightweight by suppressing an excessive rise in internal pressure of the fuel tank, and securely prevent excessive fuel supply.SOLUTION: A fuel tank device 10A includes a fuel tank 12 which stores fuel, a fuel supply pipe 14 for supplying fuel to the fuel tank 12 from outside, a vapor passage 28 through which vapor fuel produced in the fuel tank 12 is guided, a canister 30 which adsorbs the vapor fuel guided through the vapor passage 28, an outside air passage 32 for guiding outside air to the canister 30, a purging passage 34 which guides the vapor fuel adsorbed by the canister 30 to the intake passage 302 of an internal combustion engine 300 together with the outside air guided from the outside air passage, and a valve mechanism 18 which can cut off a communication state between the interior of the fuel tank 12 and the outside air through the outside air passage 32, and the valve mechanism 18 cuts off the communication state only during fuel supply.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel tank apparatus including a canister that adsorbs evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an evaporative fuel processing apparatus is used to prevent the evaporative fuel (vapor) generated in a fuel tank from unnecessarily diffusing into the atmosphere. Such an evaporative fuel processing apparatus generally includes a vapor passage through which evaporated fuel in a fuel tank is guided, a canister containing an adsorbent such as activated carbon that adsorbs the evaporated fuel guided from the vapor passage, and outside air as described above. An outside air passage that leads to the canister and a purge passage that leads the evaporated fuel adsorbed by the canister to the intake passage of the internal combustion engine together with the outside air led from the outside air passage.

  In Patent Document 1, a float chamber in which a lower end is opened and a float is accommodated is disposed in a chamber provided in a fuel tank and an upper end is opened, and a bottom surface of the chamber and a fuel supply pipe are connected by a connecting pipe. A technical idea has been proposed in which the float is fitted to the opening of a vapor passage (vent passage) while the chamber is filled with fuel, and the vapor passage is closed. In this case, since the vapor passage can be closed at the time of refueling, it is possible to reliably prevent supercharging.

  Further, this Patent Document 1 describes that the vapor passage is opened after the end of refueling by allowing the fuel in the chamber to flow out from a small hole formed in the connecting pipe.

JP-A-5-338449

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the fuel in the chamber is caused to flow out from a small hole formed in the connecting pipe, it takes a certain time until the vapor passage is opened after refueling is completed. .

  For this reason, after refueling is completed, evaporated fuel may be generated with the vapor passage closed, and the internal pressure of the fuel tank may increase excessively. In order to cope with such an excessive increase in the internal pressure of the fuel tank, for example, it is necessary to increase the plate thickness of the fuel tank to improve the rigidity. However, in this case, there is a problem that the fuel tank becomes heavy. is there.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and by suppressing an excessive increase in the internal pressure of the fuel tank, it is possible to reduce the weight of the fuel tank and to ensure supercharging. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank device that can be prevented.

[1] A fuel tank apparatus according to the present invention includes a fuel tank for storing fuel, a fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel to the fuel tank from the outside, and a first fuel gas that is evaporated in the fuel tank. A passage, a canister for adsorbing the evaporated fuel introduced in the first passage, a second passage for introducing outside air to the canister, and the evaporated fuel adsorbed in the canister from the second passage. A third passage that leads to the intake passage of the internal combustion engine together with the outside air to be discharged, and valve means that can cut off a communication state between the inside of the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage. The communication state is cut off only at times.

  According to the fuel tank device according to the present invention, the state of communication between the inside of the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage is shut off at the time of refueling, so that supercharging can be reliably prevented. Moreover, since the fuel tank communicates with the outside air through the first passage, the canister, and the second passage except during refueling, the internal pressure of the fuel tank does not rise excessively. Therefore, since the thickness of the fuel tank can be set small, the weight of the fuel tank can be reduced.

[2] In the above fuel tank device, it is preferable that the valve means interrupts the communication state only while a fuel nozzle is inserted into the fuel pipe.

  According to such a configuration, the communication state between the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage is interrupted only while the fuel nozzle is inserted into the fuel pipe, so that the internal pressure of the fuel tank increases excessively. Can be suitably suppressed, and supercharging can be reliably prevented.

[3] In the above fuel tank apparatus, a holding member having a through-hole through which the oil supply nozzle can be inserted is provided on one end side of the oil supply pipe, and the second passage is connected to the holding member. Preferably, the valve means closes the second passage by inserting the oil supply nozzle into the through hole.

  According to such a configuration, since the second passage is closed by inserting the fuel nozzle through the through hole formed in the holding member, the fuel tank and the outside air are only inserted while the fuel nozzle is inserted into the fuel pipe. The communication state via the second passage can be reliably blocked.

[4] In the above fuel tank device, the valve means is provided in the holding member and capable of closing the opening on the outside air side of the second passage, and in a state in which the valve means can contact the fuel supply nozzle. It is preferable to further include a pressing member provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the holding member and pressing the valve member against the opening of the second passage.

  According to such a configuration, when the oil supply nozzle is inserted into the through hole, the pressing member that contacts the oil supply nozzle can be displaced to press the valve member against the opening of the second passage. Thus, the second passage can be closed.

[5] In the above fuel tank device, the valve member is in contact with the valve member that can be fitted into the opening portion of the second passage and the pressing member, and is in the opening portion with respect to the valve body. And a contact member coupled so as to be relatively displaceable in a direction of approaching and separating.

  According to such a configuration, the valve body and the contact member are connected to the opening of the second passage so as to be relatively displaceable in the direction of approaching and separating from each other, so that the pressing member can be changed depending on how the oil supply nozzle is inserted into the through hole. Even when the displacement amount varies, the opening of the second passage can be reliably closed by adjusting the relative displacement amount of the valve body and the contact member. Moreover, since it can suppress that a valve member is pressed too much by the press member by this at the opening part of a 2nd channel | path, it is preferable that the opening part of a 2nd channel | path, a valve member, a press member, etc. are damaged. Can be prevented.

[6] In the above fuel tank device, it is preferable that the oil supply pipe is provided with a closing member capable of closing the oil supply pipe, and the holding member is disposed on the outer side of the closing member. .

  According to such a configuration, since the closing member is provided in the oil supply pipe, for example, it is possible to prevent the fuel in the fuel tank from flowing out to the outside during the operation of the internal combustion engine. At this time, since the holding member is located outside the closing member (oil supply port of the oil supply pipe), the second passage communicates with the outside air even when the oil supply pipe is closed by the closure member. To do.

[7] In the above fuel tank device, the closing member is preferably configured as a flap valve.

  According to such a configuration, since it is not necessary to remove (attach) the closing member during refueling, the refueling operation can be easily performed. Further, the configuration of the fuel tank device is not complicated.

[8] In the above fuel tank apparatus, the fuel supply port of the oil supply pipe faces a chamber formed in the vehicle body panel, and the vehicle body panel is provided with a lid member for opening and closing the chamber, and the valve means It is preferable that the communication state is cut off only while the lid member is in the open state.

  According to such a configuration, the communication state between the inside of the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage is cut off only while the lid member is in the open state, so that it is preferable to suppress an excessive increase in the internal pressure of the fuel tank. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent supercharging.

[9] In the above fuel tank device, the valve means surrounds an opening on the outside air side of the second passage, and a second through hole communicates with the first through hole communicating with the second passage. A housing in which a hole is formed, a valve body provided in the housing, an engagement portion provided in the valve body and engageable with the lid member in a state of being inserted through the second through hole, When the lid member and the engaging portion are engaged, the valve body abuts on the inner surface of the housing and blocks the communication state between the second passage and the chamber, and the lid member And when the engagement state of the said engaging part is cancelled | released, it is preferable to space apart from the inner surface of the said housing, and to connect the said 2nd channel | path and the said room | chamber interior.

  According to such a configuration, when the lid member and the engaging portion are engaged, the communication state between the second passage and the room is cut off, and the engagement state of the lid member and the engaging portion is released. Since the second passage communicates with the room, the state of communication between the inside of the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage can be reliably blocked only while the lid member is in the open state.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the state of communication between the inside of the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage is interrupted only at the time of refueling, supercharging can be reliably prevented, and the fuel tank It is possible to suppress an excessive increase in the internal pressure. Therefore, the weight of the fuel tank can be reduced.

It is a mimetic diagram showing the fuel tank device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of an oil supply pipe and a valve mechanism shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a partially omitted cross-sectional explanatory diagram for explaining a state in which an outside air passage is closed by the valve mechanism shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of a fuel supply pipe and a valve mechanism constituting a fuel tank device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partially omitted cross-sectional explanatory diagram for explaining a state in which the outside air passage and the indoor communication state are blocked by the valve mechanism shown in FIG. 4. It is a schematic diagram which shows the fuel tank apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of an oil supply pipe and a valve mechanism shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which the vapor passage is closed by the valve mechanism shown in FIG. 7.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the fuel tank apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
First, a fuel tank apparatus 10A according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the present embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, and includes a fuel tank 12 that stores fuel, and a fuel supply for supplying fuel to the fuel tank 12 from the outside. A pipe 14, an evaporated fuel processing unit 16 that processes evaporated fuel generated in the fuel tank 12, and a valve mechanism (valve means) 18 are provided.

  The fuel tank 12 is made of a metal material such as iron, a resin material, or the like, and has a rigidity that can sufficiently withstand the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 (particularly, the pressure of the evaporated fuel). A fuel pump 20 for guiding stored liquid fuel (hereinafter simply referred to as fuel) to the internal combustion engine 300 and a float 22 for detecting the amount of fuel in the fuel tank 12 are provided in the fuel tank 12. It has been.

  The fuel supply pipe 14 extends from the fuel tank 12 obliquely upward of the vehicle. A breather passage 24 communicating with the fuel tank 12 is connected in the vicinity of one end of the fuel supply pipe 14. Further, in the section of the oil supply pipe 14 between the connecting portion of the breather passage 24 and the oil supply port (opening on the outside air side of the oil supply pipe 14) 14a, the oil supply pipe 14 can be closed (the oil supply port 14a is covered). ) A closing member 26 is provided (see FIG. 2). Thereby, it is possible to prevent the fuel in the fuel tank 12 from flowing out through the fuel supply pipe 14.

  The closing member 26 is configured as a flap valve. The flap valve is biased toward the outside air by a return spring (not shown). Thereby, since it is not necessary to remove (attach) the closing member 26, the refueling operation can be easily performed. Further, the configuration of the fuel tank device 10A does not become complicated.

  The evaporative fuel processing section 16 is a vapor passage 28 (first passage) through which evaporative fuel generated in the fuel tank 12 is guided, a canister 30 that adsorbs evaporative fuel guided from the vapor passage 28, and external air to the canister 30. An outside air passage (second passage) 32 for guiding, and a purge passage (third passage) 34 for guiding the evaporated fuel adsorbed by the canister 30 to the intake passage 302 of the internal combustion engine 300 together with the outside air guided from the outside air passage 32. .

  The opening end of the vapor passage 28 on the fuel tank 12 side is located above the opening end of the breather passage 24 described above. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the fuel from flowing into the canister 30 through the vapor passage 28 during refueling. The canister 30 can adsorb evaporated fuel by incorporating an adsorbent (not shown) such as activated carbon.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the valve mechanism 18 is for opening and closing the outside air passage 32, and includes a holding member 38 provided at one end of the oil supply pipe 14, and a valve member provided in the holding member 38. 44 and a pressing member 46 capable of pressing the valve member 44.

  The holding member 38 includes a holding member main body 37 in which the through hole 36 is formed, and a connector 42 press-fitted into a hole 40 formed in a side surface of the holding member main body 37. The through hole 36 extends in the extending direction of the holding member main body 37, and one end thereof communicates with the outside air (the outside of the vehicle) and the other end communicates with the fuel filler opening 14a. Moreover, the through-hole 36 is formed in the size which can insert the oil supply nozzle (oil supply gun: refer FIG. 3) 304. FIG.

  The connector 42 is formed with a holding hole portion 48 for holding one end portion of the outside air passage 32 and a support hole portion 50 arranged to face the holding hole portion 48 and supporting the valve member 44. As a result, the opening 32 a on the one end side of the outside air passage 32 faces the valve member 44.

  The valve member 44 connects the valve body 52 that can close the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32, the contact member 54 that is located in the through hole 36 and can contact the pressing member 46, and the valve body 52 and the contact member 54. Pin 56.

  The valve body 52 includes a spherical portion 52a that can be fitted into the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32, and a plate-like portion 52b that is continuous with the spherical portion 52a. The spherical part 52a and the plate-like part 52b are integrally formed. The contact member 54 is formed in a plate shape, and a contact portion with the pressing member 46 is rounded. A long hole 58 is formed in the contact member 54.

  The pin 56 is fixed to the plate-like portion 52 b of the valve body 52 and passes through the long hole 58. As a result, the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 are connected in a state in which the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 can be relatively displaced in the direction of approaching and separating from the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32. In other words, the valve member 44 is formed to be extendable and contractible. The pin 56 is in contact with the wall surface forming the long hole 58. That is, a certain frictional force acts between the wall surface and the pin 56.

  The pressing member 46 includes a support shaft 46a fixed at a position adjacent to the valve member 44 in one end portion of the holding member main body 37, and a plate-like pressing body 46b provided to be rotatable with respect to the support shaft 46a. Including. The pressing body 46b can be in contact with the fuel supply nozzle 304, and is set to a size that can press the contact member 54 when rotated (see FIG. 3). The pressing body 46b is urged toward the outside air by a return spring (not shown).

  In addition, the pressing body 46b is formed on the protrusion 60 formed on the wall surface forming the opening on the outside air side of the through hole 36 in a state where the oil supply nozzle 304 is not inserted into the through hole 36 (state in FIG. 2). It is in contact. Thereby, it can prevent that the press body 46b protrudes the outer side of the holding member main body 37. FIG. In this state, the pressing body 46b does not close the through hole 36.

  In the valve mechanism 18 configured as described above, the hole portion 40 of the holding member main body 37 into which the connector 42 is press-fitted is formed on the surface of the outer surface of the holding member main body 37 that faces upward, and the holding hole portion 48 is formed. It is preferable to arrange it above the support hole 50. This is because, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the spherical portion 52 a can be separated from the opening portion 32 a of the outside air passage 32 by the action of gravity.

  However, the position of the connector 42 with respect to the holding member main body 37 can be arbitrarily set. For example, when the hole portion 40 into which the connector 42 is press-fitted is formed on the surface facing downward of the outer surface of the holding member main body 37 and the holding hole portion 48 is disposed below the support hole portion 50, the valve member An elastic member or the like that urges 44 upward may be provided.

  Next, the operation of the valve mechanism 18 will be described. First, in a state other than during refueling, as described above, the valve member 44 is separated from the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32 in the most extended state (see FIG. 2).

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through hole 36, the pressing body 46b that contacts the oil supply nozzle 304 rotates (displaces) around the support shaft 46a, thereby bringing the contact member 54 into the valve body 52 side. Will be pressed. Then, the valve member 44 is lifted to the opening 32a side of the outside air passage 32, and the spherical portion 52a is fitted into the opening 32a. As a result, the outside air passage 32 is blocked.

  By the way, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through hole 36, the amount of rotation (displacement amount) of the pressing body 46b may vary somewhat depending on the insertion method (position of the oil supply nozzle 304 with respect to the holding member 38). Conceivable.

  That is, when the refueling nozzle 304 is positioned closer to the valve member 44, the valve member 44 is relatively large by the pressing body 46b while the valve member 44 is fitted in the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32. A pressing force acts. On the other hand, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is located on the side far from the valve member 44, the valve member 44 is relatively small by the pressing body 46b while the valve member 44 is fitted in the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32. A pressing force acts.

  As described above, the valve member 44 of the present embodiment can be expanded and contracted, and a constant frictional force acts between the wall surface constituting the long hole 58 and the pin 56. Therefore, when the pressing force acting on the contact member 54 is relatively large, the outside air is in a state in which the valve member 44 is contracted (the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 are relatively displaced: the state shown in FIG. 3). The opening 32a of the passage 32 can be closed. Thereby, since it can suppress that an excessive pressure acts on the opening part 32a and the valve member 44 of the external air channel | path 32, it can prevent suitably that these members are damaged.

  On the other hand, when the pressing force acting on the contact member 54 is relatively small, the valve member 44 is extended (the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 are not relatively displaced, or the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 are relatively displaced). The opening 32a of the outside air passage 32 can be closed in a small amount). Thereby, even if the insertion position of the oil supply nozzle 304 with respect to the through hole 36 varies, the outside air passage 32 can be reliably closed.

  Thereafter, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is removed from the through-hole 36, the valve member 44 is separated from the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32, and the pressing body 46b rotates (displaces) around the support shaft 46a to contact the protrusion 60. 2 will return to the state of FIG. At this time, the valve member 44 is in an extended state.

  Next, the operation of the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to this embodiment will be described. First, for example, when the temperature in the fuel tank 12 rises while the internal combustion engine 300 is stopped, evaporated fuel is generated in the fuel tank 12. The evaporated fuel is guided to the canister 30 through the vapor passage 28 and is adsorbed by the adsorbent constituting the canister 30. Then, the remaining gas (air) from which the evaporated fuel has been removed is guided to the outside air passage 32.

  At this time, since the valve member 44 is located outside the closing member 26 and is separated from the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32, the outside air passage 32 is formed in the through hole 36 with the closing member 26 closing the fuel supply pipe 14. It communicates with the outside air (atmosphere). Therefore, the gas guided to the outside air passage 32 is released to the outside air. Thereby, it is suppressed that the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 becomes too large. Therefore, the rigidity of the fuel tank 12 can be set to be low to some extent, so that the plate thickness of the fuel tank 12 can be reduced. Accordingly, the weight of the fuel tank 12 can be reduced.

  Further, for example, when the intake passage 302 reaches a predetermined negative pressure during the operation of the internal combustion engine 300, the evaporated fuel adsorbed by the canister 30 enters the intake passage 302 through the purge passage 34 together with the outside air guided from the outside air passage 32. By being guided, it is subjected to combustion.

  When the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through-hole 36 of the holding member main body 37 during refueling, the outside air passage 32 is closed by the valve member 44 and the closing member 26 (flap valve) is connected to the oil supply nozzle 304 as described above. The oil supply pipe 14 is opened by being pushed. When refueling is started in this state, the liquid level of the fuel in the fuel tank 12 rises, exceeds the open end of the breather passage 24, and then the fuel flows into the breather passage 24. If the inside of the breather passage 24 is filled with fuel while the outside air passage 32 is closed, the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 rises and the fuel supply stop function of the fuel supply nozzle 304 is activated, so that supercharging can be suitably suppressed. .

  As described above, according to the fuel tank device 10A according to the present embodiment, the communication state between the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is cut off only at the time of refueling. can do. Further, since the fuel tank 12 communicates with the outside air through the vapor passage 28, the canister 30, the outside air passage 32, and the through hole 36 except when refueling, the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 does not rise excessively. . Therefore, since the plate | board thickness of the fuel tank 12 can be set small, the weight reduction of the fuel tank 12 can be achieved.

  In the present embodiment, the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through hole 36 formed in the holding member main body 37 to displace the pressing body 46 b so that the valve member 44 is fitted to the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32. Therefore, the outside air passage 32 can be closed only while the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the oil supply pipe 14 with a simple configuration. Thereby, it can suppress suitably that the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 rises excessively.

  The fuel tank device 10A according to the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, the evaporated fuel processing unit 16 may have an on-off valve that can open and close the purge passage 34. In this case, by closing the purge passage 34 by the opening / closing valve at the time of fueling, the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 can be reliably increased and supercharging can be prevented more reliably.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a fuel tank device 10B according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the second embodiment, components that are the same as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. The same applies to a third embodiment to be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the fuel tank device 10B according to the present embodiment, the configuration of the valve mechanism 70 is different from the configuration of the valve mechanism 18 described above, and the fuel supply pipe 14 and the outside air passage 32 constitute the vehicle body side portion. It is held by the panel 200. A recess 202 is formed in the outer surface 200a of the vehicle body panel 200, and the oil supply port 14a of the oil supply pipe 14 faces the chamber 204 in the recess 202 (see FIG. 5). The body panel 200 is provided with a lid member 205 that opens and closes the chamber 204.

  The lid member 205 includes a hinge 208 fixed to the vehicle body panel 200, a lid 206 connected to the hinge 208 and capable of closing the opening of the recess 202, and a lid lock bar 210 integrally formed with the lid 206. The lid lock bar 210 has a substantially L-shaped cross section.

  A hole 214 for disposing a lock member 212 for maintaining the lid member 205 in a closed state is formed on a side surface constituting the recess 202. The lock member 212 includes a base 216 disposed in the hole 214 in a state in which the hole 214 can advance and retreat in the extending direction (the arrow A direction in FIG. 4), and a lid lock extending from the base 216 in the arrow A direction. And a locking portion 218 that can be locked to the bar 210. The locking portion 218 is formed with a tapered surface 218a that inclines toward the inside of the vehicle body panel 200 (on the side opposite to the side on which the lid 206 is located) toward the front end.

  The valve mechanism 70 includes a housing 72 disposed in a hole 220 formed at a position adjacent to the hole 214 in a wall surface constituting the recess 202, a valve member 74 provided in the housing 72, a valve And an elastic member 76 that urges the member 74 toward the chamber 204.

  The housing 72 is in contact with one end of the outside air passage 32 with the other end exposed to the chamber 204. A through hole 78 that communicates with the chamber 204 is formed at one end of the housing 72, and a through hole 80 that communicates with the outside air passage 32 is formed at the other end of the housing 72.

  The valve member 74 includes a valve body 74a formed larger than the through-hole 78, and a protrusion (engaging portion) 74b extending from the valve body 74a toward the outside of the vehicle body panel 200 (the side where the lid 206 is located). including. The valve body 74 a is formed so as to be able to contact (closely) a portion (seat surface 72 a) constituting the through-hole 78 on the inner surface of the housing 72 in a non-contact state with the inner surface of the housing 72. That is, the valve body 74 a can block communication between the chamber 204 and the housing 72 by contacting the seat surface 72 a of the housing 72.

  The protruding portion 74 b is inserted through the through hole 78, and its tip is exposed in the chamber 204. The tip of the protruding portion 74 b can come into contact with the lid lock bar 210.

  The elastic member 76 is composed of, for example, a compression coil spring, and is interposed between a portion of the inner surface of the housing 72 constituting the through hole 80 and the valve body 74a. As a result, the inside of the housing 72 and the outside air passage 32 always communicate with each other via the through hole 80.

  In the fuel tank apparatus 10B according to the present embodiment, the configuration of the closing member 82 is different from that of the closing member 26 described above. Specifically, the closing member 82 is formed with a screw portion 86 corresponding to the screw portion 84 formed on the wall surface constituting the oil filler port 14a, and can be attached (removed) to the oil filler port 14a. It has become. That is, the closing member 82 is configured as a cap.

  Next, the operation of the valve mechanism 70 will be described. First, in a state other than the time of refueling, the lid member 205 is in a closed state (see FIG. 4). That is, the lid lock bar 210 slides while the taper surface 218a of the locking portion 218 is bent toward the side where the hinge 208 is located, gets over the tip of the locking portion 218, and presses the protruding portion 74b toward the valve body 74a. When the deformation is restored, it is locked (locked) to the locking portion 218.

  At this time, the valve body 74a is separated from the seat surface 72a of the housing 72 by being displaced toward the side where the outside air passage 32 is positioned while compressing the elastic member 76, so that the outside air passage 32 is moved in the housing 72 and the chamber 204. Communicate with the outside air.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when the base 216 is slid to the side opposite to the side where the lid lock bar 210 is located to release the locked state (locked state) of the lid lock bar 210 and the locking portion 218, the lid The member 205 is opened, and the valve body 74 a is pressed against the protruding portion 74 b by the elastic member 76, so that it contacts the seat surface 72 a of the housing 72. Thereby, the communication state between the outside air passage 32 and outside air is blocked.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to block the communication state between the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 only during refueling (only when the lid member 205 is in the open state).

  The fuel tank device 10B according to the present embodiment has the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above. Specifically, according to the fuel tank apparatus 10B according to the present embodiment, when the lid member 205 is in the open state, the communication state between the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is blocked. Can be prevented. Further, when the lid member 205 is closed, the fuel tank 12 communicates with the outside air through the vapor passage 28, the canister 30, the outside air passage 32, the housing 72, and the chamber 204, so that the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 is excessively increased. It is possible to prevent the fuel tank 12 from rising, thereby reducing the weight of the fuel tank 12.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a fuel tank apparatus 10C according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the fuel tank apparatus 10C according to the present embodiment, the configurations of the evaporated fuel processing unit 100 and the valve mechanism 102 are the configurations of the evaporated fuel processing unit 16 and the valve mechanism 18 according to the first embodiment described above. And different.

  The valve mechanism 102 according to the present embodiment opens and closes the vapor passage 104 that constitutes the evaporated fuel processing unit 100. Therefore, the vapor passage 104 includes a first vapor passage 106 that connects the fuel tank 12 and the valve mechanism 102, and a second vapor passage 108 that connects the valve mechanism 102 and the canister 30. In the present embodiment, the outside air passage 32 is always in communication with outside air.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the valve mechanism 102 has a valve body 110 fixed to the outer wall of the oil supply pipe 14. The valve body 110 is formed with an inlet port 112 to which the first vapor passage 106 is connected and an outlet port 114 to which the second vapor passage 108 is connected. The inlet port 112 and the outlet port 114 communicate with each other via a valve chamber 116 formed at a substantially central portion of the valve body 110. That is, the inlet port 112, the valve chamber 116, and the outlet port 114 constitute a part of the vapor passage 104.

  An annular valve seat 118 having a diameter increasing toward the valve chamber 116 side is formed on the inner wall surface forming the boundary between the valve chamber 116 and the outlet port 114. Further, a through hole 120 is opened on a surface (opposing surface) facing the valve seat 118 among the inner wall surfaces constituting the valve chamber 116. The through hole 120 extends to the outer surface of the valve body 110 and communicates with the oil supply pipe 14 through a hole 122 formed in the side wall of the oil supply pipe 14.

  In the valve chamber 116, a valve member 124 capable of opening and closing the vapor passage 104 by being seated and separated from the valve seat 118 is disposed. The valve member 124 is configured as a so-called rollover valve, and includes a bottomed cylindrical guide member 126, a valve shaft 128 disposed in the guide member 126, and a valve body 130 connected to the valve shaft 128. And an elastic member 132 that urges the valve body 130 toward the side where the valve seat 118 is located.

  The guide member 126 slidably supports the valve body 130 so that the valve shaft 128 is along the vertical direction. The bottom portion of the guide member 126 is fixed to a wall portion that constitutes the opening portion on the opposite surface side of the through hole 120, and an insertion hole 134 into which the valve shaft 128 can be inserted is formed at the approximate center of the bottom portion. Yes. Thereby, the rear end surface of the valve shaft 128 faces the through hole 120.

  The distal end portion of the valve body 130 is formed in a tapered shape and can be seated on the valve seat 118. For example, a compression coil spring is used as the elastic member 132. The elastic member 132 is interposed between the bottom of the guide member 126 and the rear end surface of the valve body 130.

  Further, in the elastic member 132, the valve element 130 is separated from the valve seat 118 in a vehicle horizontal state (a state in which the fuel level in the fuel tank 12 is substantially horizontal and the valve shaft 128 is along the vertical direction). At the same time, the valve body 130 and the valve shaft 128 are set so as to be appropriately compressed and deformed by their own weights.

  Thus, for example, when the vehicle rolls over, the vapor passage 104 can be closed by pressing the valve body 130 against the valve seat 118 by the elastic force of the elastic member 132, so that the fuel in the fuel tank 12 is vaporized. Leakage to the outside through the passage 104, the canister 30 and the outside air passage 32 can be suitably suppressed.

  The valve mechanism 102 further includes a movable mechanism 136 for moving the valve body 130 in a normal state (a state where the vehicle is not rolled over). The movable mechanism 136 includes a pressing member 138 provided inside the oil supply pipe 14, and a first movable member 140 and a second movable member 142 provided in the through hole 120.

  The pressing member 138 includes a support shaft 144 fixed to the inner wall surface of the oil supply pipe 14 and a plate-shaped pressing body 146 provided to be rotatable with respect to the support shaft 144. The pressing body 146 is formed so as to be able to contact the oil supply nozzle 304 (see FIG. 8). Further, the pressing body 146 is biased toward the oil supply port 14a (outside air) by a return spring (not shown), and its rotation is restricted by a stopper 148 provided on the oil supply pipe 14.

  The first movable member 140 includes a rod-shaped first link member 150 inserted through the hole 122 on the side wall of the oil supply pipe 14 and a rod-shaped second link member 152 disposed in the through hole 120 of the valve body 110. Including. The first link member 150 and the second link member 152 are connected to each other so as to be capable of relative displacement in the longitudinal direction. That is, the first movable member 140 can be expanded and contracted in the longitudinal direction.

  One end of the first link member 150 is exposed to the oil supply pipe 14 so as to be in contact with the pressing body 146. Note that one end surface of the first link member 150 is rounded. The other end portion of the first link member 150 is formed in a bowl shape (flange shape), and is housed in a chamber formed at one end portion of the second link member 152. Thereby, the 1st link member 150 and the 2nd link member 152 can be displaced relatively along a longitudinal direction. The other end surface of the second link member 152 is formed flat.

  The second link member 152 is provided with a sliding pin 156 that is inserted into a guide groove 154 formed on a wall surface that forms the through hole 120. Accordingly, the first movable member 140 moves in the through hole 120 while being guided along the guide groove 154, while the sliding pin 156 contacts the wall surface constituting one end of the guide groove 154, whereby the valve body 110.

  The second movable member 142 includes a base portion 158 that contacts the other end surface of the second link member 152, and a protruding portion 160 that protrudes from the base portion 158 and contacts the rear end surface of the valve shaft 128. A long hole 162 is formed in the base portion 158 along the axial direction of the valve shaft 128, and a pin 164 that supports the second movable member 142 is inserted into the long hole 162.

  In the fuel tank device 10 </ b> C according to the present embodiment, a closing member 82 is provided at the fuel supply port 14 a of the fuel supply pipe 14. Since the blocking member 82 has the same configuration as the blocking member 82 according to the second embodiment described above, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Next, the operation of the valve mechanism 102 will be described. First, except at the time of refueling, the valve body 130 is separated from the valve seat 118 while being supported by the guide member 126 via the elastic member 132 (FIG. 7). In this case, the inside of the fuel tank 12 communicates with the outside air via the vapor passage 104, the canister 30 and the outside air passage 32.

  Thereby, it is suppressed that the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 becomes too large. Therefore, the rigidity of the fuel tank 12 can be set to be low to some extent, so that the plate thickness of the fuel tank 12 can be reduced. Accordingly, the weight of the fuel tank 12 can be reduced.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the oil supply pipe 14 during refueling, the pressing body 146 in contact with the oil supply nozzle 304 rotates around the support shaft 144 to end one end of the first link member 150. Will be pressed toward the second link member 152 side. Then, the first movable member 140 moves to the second movable member 142 side along the guide groove 154 and the second movable member 142 is lifted to the valve shaft 128 side, so that the valve body 130 is seated on the valve seat 118. . As a result, the vapor passage 104 is closed.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, in the normal state, the communication state between the inside of the fuel tank 12 and the outside air through the outside air passage 32 can be interrupted only during refueling. Thereby, there exists the same effect as 1st Embodiment mentioned above.

  In the present embodiment, the first link member 150 and the second link member 152 are connected in a state in which they can be relatively displaced in the longitudinal direction, in other words, the first movable member 140 is configured to be extendable and contractable in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, even if the insertion position of the oil supply nozzle 304 with respect to the oil supply pipe 14 varies, the first movable member 140, the second movable member 142, and the valve member 124 can be suitably prevented from being damaged, The valve body 130 can be reliably seated on the valve seat 118.

[Summary of Embodiment]
In summary, the fuel tank apparatuses 10A, 10B, and 10C include a fuel tank 12 that stores fuel, a fuel supply pipe 14 that supplies fuel to the fuel tank 12 from the outside, and an inside of the fuel tank 12 Vapor passages (first passages) 28 and 104 through which evaporated fuel generated in the tank is guided, a canister 30 for adsorbing the evaporated fuel guided through the vapor passages 28 and 104, and for introducing outside air to the canister 30 An outside air passage (second passage) 32, a purge passage (third passage) 34 that guides the evaporated fuel adsorbed by the canister 30 to the intake passage 302 of the internal combustion engine 300 together with outside air guided from the outside air passage 32, Provided are valve mechanisms (valve means) 18, 70, and 102 that can block communication between the fuel tank 12 and the outside air through the outside air passage 32. The valve mechanisms 18, 70, and 102 block the communication state only during refueling in the normal state of the vehicle.

  According to such fuel tank devices 10A, 10B, and 10C, during refueling, the state of communication between the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is shut off, so that supercharging can be reliably prevented. Further, since the fuel tank 12 communicates with the outside air through the vapor passages 28 and 104, the canister 30 and the outside air passage 32 when the vehicle is in a normal state and not during refueling, the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 rises excessively. There is nothing. Therefore, since the plate thickness of the fuel tank 12 can be set small, the weight of the fuel tank 12 can be reduced.

  In the fuel tank apparatuses 10A and 10C according to the first and third embodiments, the valve mechanisms 18 and 102 block the communication state only while the fuel nozzle 304 is inserted into the fuel pipe 14. Also good.

  According to such a configuration, the communication state between the inside of the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is cut off only while the filling nozzle 304 is inserted into the filling pipe 14, so that the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 is excessive. Can be suitably suppressed, and supercharging can be reliably prevented.

  Furthermore, in the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, a holding member 38 having a through hole 36 through which the fuel nozzle 304 can be inserted is provided on one end side of the fuel supply pipe 14, and the holding member 38 may be connected to the outside air passage 32, and the valve mechanism 18 may block the outside air passage 32 by inserting the oil supply nozzle 304 into the through hole 36.

  According to such a configuration, the external air passage 32 is closed by inserting the oil supply nozzle 304 into the through hole 36 formed in the holding member 38, so that the fuel tank is only inserted while the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the oil supply pipe 14. The communication state between the inside 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 can be reliably blocked.

  Furthermore, in the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, the valve mechanism 18 includes a valve member 44 that is provided in the holding member 38 and can close the opening 32a on the outside air side of the outside air passage 32. A pressing member 46 is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the holding member 38 while being in contact with the oil supply nozzle 304, and presses the valve member 44 against the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32. Also good.

  According to such a configuration, when the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through hole 36, the pressing member 46 that contacts the oil supply nozzle 304 is displaced to press the valve member 44 against the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32. Therefore, the outside air passage 32 can be closed with a simple configuration.

  In the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, the valve member 44 is connected to the valve body 52 that can be fitted into the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32 and the pressing member 46 (pressing body 46b). The contact member 54 may be in contact with and connected to the valve body 52 so as to be relatively displaceable in a direction approaching and separating from the opening 32a.

  According to such a configuration, the valve body 52 and the contact member 54 are connected so as to be relatively displaceable in the direction of approaching and separating from the opening 32 a of the outside air passage 32, so that the oil supply nozzle 304 is inserted into the through hole 36. Even if the amount of displacement of the pressing member 46 (the pressing body 46b) varies depending on the manner, the opening 32a of the outside air passage 32 is adjusted by adjusting the relative displacement of the valve body 52 and the contact member 54. It can be reliably occluded. Moreover, since it can suppress that the valve member 44 is excessively pressed by the press member 46 by this on the opening part 32a of the external air path 32, the opening part 32a of the external air path 32, the valve member 44, the press member 46, etc. Can be suitably prevented from being damaged.

  Furthermore, in the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, the oil supply pipe 14 is provided with a closing member 26 that can close the oil supply pipe 14, and the holding member 38 is provided by the closing member 26. May be arranged outside.

  According to such a configuration, since the closing member 26 is provided in the fuel supply pipe 14, it is possible to prevent the fuel in the fuel tank 12 from flowing out to the outside during the operation of the internal combustion engine 300, for example. At this time, since the holding member 38 is located outside the closing member 26 (the oil supply port 14a of the oil supply pipe 14), even if the oil supply pipe 14 is closed by the closing member 26, the outside air The passage 32 communicates with outside air.

  Furthermore, in the fuel tank apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, the closing member 26 may be configured as a flap valve. According to such a configuration, since it is not necessary to remove (attach) the closing member 26 during refueling, the refueling operation can be easily performed. Further, the configuration of the fuel tank device 10A does not become complicated.

  Further, in the fuel tank apparatus 10B according to the second embodiment, the fuel filler opening 14a of the fuel filler pipe 14 faces the chamber 204 formed in the vehicle body panel 200, and the vehicle body panel 200 opens and closes the chamber 204. A lid member 205 is provided, and the valve mechanism 70 may block the communication state only while the lid member 205 is in an open state.

  According to such a configuration, since the communication state between the inside of the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is cut off only while the lid member 205 is in the open state, the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 is excessively increased. While being able to suppress suitably, supercharging can be prevented reliably.

  Furthermore, in the fuel tank apparatus 10B according to the second embodiment, the valve mechanism 70 surrounds the opening 32a on the outside air side of the outside air passage 32 and communicates with the outside air passage 32 (first penetration). Hole 72 and a through-hole (second through-hole) 78 communicating with the chamber 204, a valve body 74a provided in the housing 72, and provided in the valve body 74a to A projecting portion (engaging portion) 74b engageable with the lid member (lid lock bar 210) 205 in a state where the through hole 78 is inserted, and the valve body 74a includes the lid member 205 and the projecting portion. When the portion 74b is engaged, it contacts the inner surface (seat surface 72a) of the housing 72 to shut off the communication between the outside air passage 32 and the chamber 204, and the lid member 205 and the protruding portion 7 When the b state of engagement is released, or may be spaced from the inner surface of the housing 72 communicates with said chamber 204 and the outside air passage 32.

  According to such a configuration, when the lid member 205 and the protruding portion 74b are engaged, the communication state between the outside air passage 32 and the inside of the chamber 204 is blocked, and the engaged state of the lid member 205 and the protruding portion 74b is released. In this case, since the outside air passage 32 and the inside of the chamber 204 are communicated with each other, the state of communication between the inside of the fuel tank 12 and the outside air via the outside air passage 32 is surely cut off only while the lid member 205 is in the open state. be able to.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is naturally possible to adopt various configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10A, 10B, 10C ... Fuel tank apparatus 12 ... Fuel tank 14 ... Refueling pipe 14a ... Refueling port 16, 100 ... Evaporated fuel processing part 18, 70, 102 ... Valve mechanism (valve means)
26, 82 ... Closure member 28, 104 ... Vapor passage (first passage)
30 ... canister 32 ... outside air passage (second passage)
34 ... Purge passage (third passage) 36 ... Through hole 38 ... Holding member 44, 74, 124 ... Valve member 46, 138 ... Press member 52 ... Valve body 54 ... Contact member 72 ... Housing 76 ... Elastic member 78, 80 ... Through-hole 200 ... body panel 202 ... concave 204 ... chamber 205 ... lid member 210 ... lid lock bar 300 ... internal combustion engine 302 ... intake passage 304 ... refueling nozzle

Claims (9)

A fuel tank for storing fuel;
A fuel supply pipe for supplying fuel to the fuel tank from the outside;
A first passage through which evaporated fuel generated in the fuel tank is guided;
A canister for adsorbing the evaporated fuel guided in the first passage;
A second passage for directing outside air to the canister;
A third passage for guiding the evaporated fuel adsorbed by the canister to the intake passage of the internal combustion engine together with the outside air guided from the second passage;
Valve means capable of shutting off the communication state between the fuel tank and the outside air via the second passage;
The fuel tank device characterized in that the valve means cuts off the communication state only during refueling. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The fuel tank device, wherein the valve means cuts off the communication state only while a fuel nozzle is inserted into the fuel pipe. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
One end of the oil supply pipe is provided with a holding member in which a through hole into which the oil supply nozzle can be inserted is formed,
The second passage is connected to the holding member,
The fuel tank device, wherein the valve means closes the second passage by inserting the fuel supply nozzle into the through hole. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The valve means is provided in the holding member and can close an opening on the outside air side of the second passage;
A fuel further comprising: a pressing member provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the holding member while being in contact with the fuel supply nozzle, and pressing the valve member against the opening of the second passage. Tank equipment. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
The valve member is a valve body that can be fitted into the opening of the second passage;
And a contact member that contacts the pressing member and is connected to the valve body so as to be relatively displaceable in a direction approaching and separating from the opening. The fuel tank apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The oil supply pipe is provided with a closing member capable of closing the oil supply pipe,
The fuel tank apparatus, wherein the holding member is disposed outside the closing member. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
The fuel tank device, wherein the closing member is configured as a flap valve. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The oil supply port of the oil supply pipe faces a chamber formed in the vehicle body panel, and the vehicle body panel is provided with a lid member for opening and closing the chamber,
The fuel tank device, wherein the valve means cuts off the communication state only while the lid member is in an open state. The fuel tank apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
The valve means surrounds an opening on the outside air side of the second passage and has a housing formed with a first through hole communicating with the second passage and a second through hole communicating with the chamber;
A valve body provided in the housing;
An engagement portion provided on the valve body and engageable with the lid member in a state of being inserted through the second through hole;
When the lid member and the engaging portion are engaged, the valve body abuts on the inner surface of the housing to block the communication state between the second passage and the chamber, and the lid member and the engagement A fuel tank device characterized in that the second passage and the chamber communicate with each other at a distance from the inner surface of the housing when the engagement state of the portion is released.

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