JP2016102729A - Liquid level detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid level detection device with which it is possible to suppress the deformation of a holder due to the deformation of a float arm and increase the reliability of an electrical connection between a circuit board and contacts.SOLUTION: Provided is a liquid level detection device F comprising: a float arm 3 equipped at one end with a float operating following a liquid level and equipped at the other end with a shaft 3A; a holder 2 equipped with a connection part 2C for connecting two insertion parts 2F, 2B1 into which first and second engagement parts 2D1, 2D2 for holding the float arm 3 and the shaft 3A are inserted, and rotating along with the movement of the float; a circuit board 4 secured to the holder 2; a terminal 5 equipped with a contact 5A contacting the electrode part of the circuit board 4; and a frame 1, located between the two insertion parts 2F, 2B1, for rotatably supporting the holder by a bearing 14 that rotatably supports a shaft 5, and also holding the terminal 5. A reinforcement part 2J reaching the insertion part 2F from the first and second engagement parts 2D1, 2D2 is also provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid level detection device for detecting the level of fuel in a fuel tank of an automobile.

  A conventional liquid level detection device includes a holder for holding a float arm that moves with a change in liquid level and a circuit board, a plurality of electrodes provided on the circuit board, and contact members that are in sliding contact with the fixed electrodes, A frame that holds the contact member and rotatably supports the float arm, and the resistance value is changed by contacting the contact member with at least one of the plurality of electrodes as the float arm fluctuates. An electric signal was output (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-38550 A

  In recent years, as means for reducing costs, it has been proposed to reduce the diameter of the float arm to reduce raw material costs. However, by reducing the diameter of the float arm, the strength of the float arm is reduced, and the float arm is easily deformed. Due to the deformation of the float arm, the holder holding the float arm is deformed, which affects the contact state between the circuit board and the contact point, and the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board and the contact point. There was a problem that it decreased.

  Accordingly, the present invention pays attention to the above-mentioned problems, and provides a liquid level detection device capable of suppressing the deformation of the holder due to the deformation of the float arm and improving the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board and the contacts. provide.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises a float arm that has a float that operates following the liquid level at one end and a shaft portion at the other end, a locking portion that holds the float arm, and the shaft portion. The holder includes two insertion portions to be inserted and a connecting portion that connects the insertion portions, and rotates with the movement of the float, a circuit board fixed to the holder, and an electrode portion of the circuit board. A liquid surface comprising: a terminal having a contact; and a frame that is rotatably supported by a bearing portion that is positioned between the two insertion portions and rotatably supports the shaft portion, and that holds the terminal. In the detection device, a reinforcing portion that reaches the insertion portion from the locking portion is provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the intended purpose can be achieved, the deformation of the holder due to the deformation of the float arm can be suppressed, and the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board and the contacts can be improved. A liquid level detection device can be provided.

The perspective view of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the embodiment. Sectional drawing of the III-III line in FIG. The front view of the flame | frame of the embodiment. The back view of the embodiment. The perspective view of the arm holder of the embodiment. The perspective view of the arm holder of the embodiment. The perspective view which looked at the arm holder of the embodiment from the back.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The liquid level detection device F of the present embodiment is mainly composed of a frame 1, a holder 2, a float arm 3, a circuit board 4, a terminal 5, and a wiring cord 6. Further, the liquid level detection device F is fixed to a fuel pump, an attachment stay or the like (not shown).

  The frame 1 is made of a synthetic resin, for example, polyacetal resin, and integrally includes a base portion 11, a stopper 12, a hook portion 13, and a bearing portion 14. Further, a part of the terminal 5 is built into the frame 1 by insert molding.

  The base part 11 has three rectangular openings 11A, 11B, and 11C. Each opening 11 </ b> A, 11 </ b> B, 11 </ b> C penetrates the holder 2 in the rotation axis direction. In the first and second openings 11A and 11B, the crimped portion 5B of the terminal 5 is exposed, and in the third opening 11C, the contact 5A of the terminal 5 is exposed.

  The stopper 12 includes a first stopper 12A and a second stopper 12B, and the first and second stoppers 12A and 12B define the rotation angle of the holder 2, that is, the operating range of the float arm 3. .

  Three hook portions 13 are provided and are engaged with the fuel pump, the mounting stay, or the like.

  The bearing portion 14 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the frame 1, and includes a through hole 14 </ b> A through which the shaft portion 3 </ b> A of the float arm 3 is inserted and rotatably supported, and the holder 2 is rotatably supported. .

  The bearing portion 14 includes a protruding portion 14 </ b> B that protrudes toward the holder 2 in the direction of the rotation axis of the holder 2. The protrusion 14B serves as a guide when the holder 2 is attached to the frame 1.

  Further, the frame 1 includes a first guide part 17 and a second guide part 18. The first guide portion 17 is a groove in which a later-described lower piece 2 </ b> B of the holder 2 can move in the rotation axis direction of the holder 2. The second guide portion 18 is a groove in which the lower piece 2 </ b> B of the holder 2 can move in the longitudinal direction of the terminal 5 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the holder 2. The first guide part 17 and the second guide part 18 are connected.

  The holder 2 rotates the circuit board 4 in accordance with the movement of the float that operates following the liquid level. The holder 2 is made of a synthetic resin, for example, polyacetal resin, and includes a plate-like upper piece 2A, a lower piece 2B facing the upper piece 2A, and a connecting portion 2C that connects the upper piece 2A and the lower piece 2B. Yes.

  The upper piece 2A includes a substrate housing portion 2A0 for arranging the circuit board 4, first and second engaging portions 2D1 and 2D2 for holding the float arm 3, and the float arm 3 having first and second engaging portions. A retaining portion 2D3 that prevents the portions 2D1 and 2D2 from coming off, a contact portion 2E that contacts the stopper 12 of the frame 1, and an insertion portion 2F that includes a through hole through which the shaft portion 3A of the float arm 3 is inserted. It is equipped with.

  The substrate housing part 2A0 is arranged so that an electrode part (not shown) formed on the circuit board 4 is exposed on the surface, and the circuit board 4 is fixed by a plurality of hook parts 2A1.

  The first and second locking portions 2D1 and 2D2 and the retaining portion 2D3 are provided on the surface side of the upper piece 2A of the holder 2. 1st, 2nd latching | locking part 2D1, 2D2 is provided in the center part of the upper surface of the holder 2, and comprises C shape so that the float arm 3 can be engage | inserted with respect to the upper surface of the holder 2 from a horizontal direction. ing. The second locking portion 2D2 is formed to face the first locking portion 2D1, constitutes a part of a C shape, and holds the float arm 3 together with the first locking portion 2D1. ing. The retaining portion 2D3 prevents the float arm 3 from being detached from the first and second retaining portions 2C1 and 2C2, and is configured by a retaining piece so as to be elastically deformable in the rotation axis direction of the holder 2. Has been.

  The contact portion 2E is formed to extend from the outer peripheral portion of the upper piece 2A of the holder 2 toward the frame 1, and comes into contact with the first and second stoppers 12A and 12B.

  The lower piece 2 </ b> B includes an insertion portion 2 </ b> B <b> 1 including a through hole through which the shaft portion 3 </ b> A of the float arm 3 is inserted.

  The connecting portion 2C connects the upper piece 2A and the lower piece 2B. The insertion part 2F of the upper piece 2A and the insertion part 2B1 of the lower piece 2B are connected.

  The bearing portion 14 of the frame 1 is sandwiched between the upper piece 2A and the lower piece 2B. The bearing portion 14 is sandwiched between the insertion portion 2F of the upper piece 2A and the insertion portion 2B1 of the lower piece 2B.

  With the above configuration, the shaft portion 3A of the float arm 3 passes through the through-hole 14A and the insertion portions 2F and 2B1 of the bearing portion 14, and the holder 2 is attached to the frame 1 with the shaft portion 3A of the float arm 3 as the rotation center. It arrange | positions so that rotation is possible.

  The holder 2 is formed with a reinforcing portion 2J that reaches the insertion portion 2F from the first locking portion 2D1 provided on the upper piece 2A of the float arm 3. The reinforcing portion 2J is a protruding wall. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing portion 2J is provided so as to be in contact with one side of the float arm 3, and is approximately halfway around the insertion portion 2F.

  By forming the reinforcing portion 2J in this way, the cross-sectional area of the holder 2 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the portion fixed by the first and second locking portions 2D1, 2D2 of the float arm 3 is increased. The rigidity between the first locking portion 2D1 and the insertion portion 2F of the holder 2 can be increased, and the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 can be suppressed.

  Further, a back reinforcing portion 2K connected to the reinforcing portion 2J is formed in the connecting portion 2C. The back reinforcing portion 2K is a wall protruding along the connecting portion 2C. The back reinforcing portion 2K is provided from the upper surface of the reinforcing portion 2J provided on the upper piece 2A of the holder 2 to the lower surface of the lower piece 2B. By providing the back reinforcing portion 2K, the cross-sectional area of the connecting portion 2C perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the holder 2 can be increased, the rigidity of the connecting portion 2C can be increased, and the float arm 3 The deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation can be suppressed.

  In addition, a second reinforcing portion 2L connected to the reinforcing portion 2J is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 2. The second reinforcing portion 2 </ b> L is a wall that protrudes in the rotation axis direction of the holder 2 on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 2. By forming the second reinforcing portion 2L in this way, the rigidity of the holder 2 can be increased, and deformation of the holder 2 due to deformation of the float arm 3 can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the second reinforcing portion 2L is not provided on the upper left side of the holder 2 in FIG. This is because the float arm 3 cannot be assembled to the holder 2 if the second reinforcing portion 2L is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 2 without a break. The float arm 3 is assembled to the holder 2 by inserting the shaft portion 3A of the float arm 3 into the insertion portion 2F of the holder 2, and the float arm 3 avoiding the first locking portion 2D1 and the upper piece 2A of the holder 2 Contact with the top surface. Next, the float arm 3 is assembled to the first and second locking portions 2D1 and 2D2 by turning counterclockwise about the shaft portion 3A in FIG.

  In addition, a third reinforcing portion 2M that is continuous with the second reinforcing portion 2L from the other end side of the first locking portion 2D1 of the holder 2 is formed. The third reinforcing portion 2M is a wall protruding in the direction of the rotation axis of the holder 2. Thus, by forming the 3rd reinforcement part 2M, the rigidity of the holder 2 can be improved and the deformation | transformation of the holder 2 by a deformation | transformation of the float arm 3 can be suppressed. Moreover, the rigidity of the plate-like upper piece 2A of the holder 2 can be increased by forming an annular shape by the reinforcing portion 2J, the second reinforcing portion 2L, the third reinforcing portion 2M, and the first locking portion 2D1, and the float 2 The deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the arm 3 can be suppressed.

  The float arm 3 is made of hard steel wire and includes a float (not shown) at one end. The float operates following the liquid level. Further, the other end portion is provided with a shaft portion 3 </ b> A serving as a rotation center of the holder 2. The shaft portion 3A passes through the two insertion portions 2F and 2B1 of the holder 2 and the through hole 14A of the bearing portion 14 of the frame 1, and the holder 2 is rotatably supported.

  The circuit board 4 includes an electrode portion (not shown), and a conductor material and a resistance material constituting the electrode portion are formed on the insulating substrate by printing and baking. The circuit board 4 is attached to the holder 2 and interlocks with a float that operates following the liquid level.

  The terminal 5 is made of, for example, a white material, and two terminals 5 are provided. Each terminal 5 includes an elastic piece 5D having a contact 5A that contacts the electrode part of the circuit board 4, a crimping part 5B that holds the wiring cord 6, and a relay that connects the elastic piece 5D and the crimping part 5B. The unit 5C is integrally provided.

  The wiring cord 6 is composed of two wires, a ground wire and an output signal wire, and is fixed to the terminal 5 by crimping.

  As described above, the present invention includes a float arm 3 having a float that operates following the liquid level at one end and a shaft portion 3A at the other end, and first and second locking portions 2D1 that hold the float arm 3. 2D2 and a connecting portion 2C that connects two insertion portions 2F and 2B1 through which the shaft portion 3A is inserted, and a holder 2 that rotates as the float moves, a circuit board 4 that is fixed to the holder 2, and a circuit The holder 2 is rotatably supported by a terminal 5 having a contact 5A that contacts the electrode portion of the substrate 4 and a bearing portion 14 that is positioned between the two insertion portions 2F and 2B1 and rotatably supports the shaft portion 3A. In the liquid level detection device F including the frame 1 that holds the terminal 5, the float arm 3 is deformed by providing the reinforcing portion 2J that reaches the insertion portion 2F from the first and second locking portions 2D1 and 2D2. By Suppressing deformation of the holder 2, it is possible to improve the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board 4 and the contact point 5A.

  Further, by forming the back reinforcing portion 2K connected to the reinforcing portion 2J in the connecting portion 2C, the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 is suppressed, and the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board 4 and the contact 5A is improved. It becomes possible to improve.

  Further, by providing the second reinforcing portion 2L connected to the reinforcing portion 2J on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 2, the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 is suppressed, and the electrical connection between the circuit board 4 and the contact 5A is prevented. Reliability can be improved.

  Further, by providing the third reinforcing portion 2M connected to the second reinforcing portion 2L from the other end side of the first locking portion 2D1 of the holder 2, the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 is suppressed, and the circuit board It is possible to improve the reliability of electrical connection between 4 and the contact 5A.

  In addition, this invention is not limited by the said embodiment and drawing. It goes without saying that changes (including deletion of components) can be added to the embodiment and the drawings.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the reinforcing portion 2J is along approximately half of the opening of the insertion portion 2F, but is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the reinforcing portion 2J is only in contact with the opening of the insertion portion 2F. It may be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the reinforcing portion 2J, the back reinforcing portion 2K, the second reinforcing portion 2L, and the third reinforcing portion 2M are all provided. However, the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 can be performed only by the reinforcing portion 2J. It is possible to suppress and improve the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board 4 and the contact 5A.

  The configuration is not limited to the reinforcing portion 2J alone, the combination of the reinforcing portion 2J and the back reinforcing portion 2K, the combination of the reinforcing portion 2J and the second reinforcing portion 2L, the reinforcing portion 2J and the back reinforcing portion 2K, and Even in combination with the second reinforcing portion 2L, the deformation of the holder 2 due to the deformation of the float arm 3 can be suppressed, and the reliability of the electrical connection between the circuit board 4 and the contact 5A can be improved.

  The present invention relates to a liquid level detection device, and is particularly applicable to a liquid level detection device including a holder that holds a float arm.

F liquid level detection device 1 frame 2 holder 2B1 insertion part 2C connection part 2D1 first locking part 2D2 second locking part 2F insertion part 2J reinforcing part 2K back reinforcing part 2L second reinforcing part 2M third reinforcing part 3 float arm 3A Shaft 4 Circuit board 5 Terminal 5A Contact 14 Bearing

Claims (4)

A float arm having a float that operates following the liquid level at one end and a shaft portion at the other end, a locking portion that holds the float arm, two insertion portions through which the shaft portion is inserted, and the insertion portion A holder that rotates with the movement of the float, a circuit board that is fixed to the holder, a terminal that has a contact point that contacts the electrode part of the circuit board, and the two In a liquid level detection device comprising: a frame positioned between insertion portions and rotatably supporting the holder by a bearing portion that rotatably supports the shaft portion, and holding the terminal; A liquid level detection device comprising a reinforcing portion that reaches an insertion portion. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1, wherein a back reinforcing portion connected to the reinforcing portion is formed in the connecting portion. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1, wherein a second reinforcing portion connected to the reinforcing portion is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the holder. The liquid level detection device according to claim 3, further comprising a third reinforcing portion that extends from the locking portion of the holder to the second reinforcing portion.

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