JP2024039965A - Cooling water reserve tank - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cooling water reserve tank which can sufficiently suppress the water level vibration of cooling water in the reserve tank by a comparatively simple constitution, and can prevent the leakage of the cooling water from a breathing hole.SOLUTION: A cooling water reserve tank 1 of the present invention comprises: a tank main body 2 having a main chamber 4 extending in a vertical direction and storing cooling water, a sub-chamber 5 adjoining an upper part of the main chamber 4 in a horizontal direction, and having an opening part 9 in which a breathing hole 10 is formed, and a first communication path 6 communicating with a lower part of the sub-chamber 5 and a lower part of the main chamber 4, and extending in the vertical direction; and a hose 3 extending to the lower part of the main chamber 4 through the sub-chamber 5 and the first communication path 6 from the opening part 9 of the tank main body 2, and receiving cooling water between the outside of the tank main body 2 and itself. A passage area of the first communication path 6 is set smaller than a cross section area of the sub-chamber 5, and also set to a minimum prescribed value allowing the insertion of the hose 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling water reserve tank that stores cooling water for cooling an internal combustion engine.

The reserve tank is connected to a cooling circuit through which cooling water that cools the internal combustion engine circulates, and has the function of storing and releasing the cooling water depending on the temperature and pressure state within the cooling circuit. For this reason, a breathing hole (ventilation hole) is usually provided in the upper part of the reserve tank to absorb the effects of expansion and contraction of air due to temperature changes. In addition, the reserve tank is located in the engine room, and when the vehicle is driving on rough roads, the liquid level of the coolant in the reserve tank may vibrate significantly and the coolant may leak out from the breathing holes. It is necessary to prevent this.

As a conventional reserve tank, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. This reserve tank includes a main chamber and a sub-chamber that is adjacent to the main chamber and has a small cross-sectional area (horizontal cross-sectional area). The lowermost portions of the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber communicate with each other through a first communication path, and the uppermost portions communicate with each other through a second communication path. The passage area of the first communication passage is considerably larger than that of the second communication passage. During operation of the internal combustion engine, cooling water flows into and out of the reserve tank through the main chamber. Further, an opening for injecting (replenishing) cooling water is formed at the top of the subchamber, and a cap is detachably attached to the opening. Further, the inside of the cap is filled with a filter material for gas-liquid separation, and a breathing hole (communication hole) for ventilating the reserve tank is formed on the side.

Utility Model Publication No. 61-88025

In the conventional reserve tank described above, the cross-sectional area of the auxiliary chamber and the passage area of the first communication passage are not very small, so when the reserve tank is subjected to vibrations or shocks when the vehicle is traveling on rough roads, the cooling water may leak. Since the cooling water flows from the main chamber to the auxiliary chamber via the first communication path or moves vertically within the auxiliary chamber, it is not possible to sufficiently suppress vibrations in the liquid level of the cooling water in the auxiliary chamber. As a result, there is a possibility that the cooling water reaches the top of the subchamber and leaks to the outside through the breathing holes. On the other hand, in order to avoid such problems, it is conceivable to create a labyrinth structure near the breathing hole of the subchamber to prevent leakage of cooling water. The number of parts increases, leading to an increase in cost.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and has a relatively simple structure that sufficiently suppresses the vibration of the cooling water level in the reserve tank and prevents leakage of the cooling water from the breathing hole. The purpose is to provide a cooling water reserve tank that can prevent this.

To achieve this objective, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is a coolant reserve tank 1 for storing coolant for cooling an internal combustion engine, comprising a tank body 2 having a main chamber 4 extending in the vertical direction and storing coolant, an auxiliary chamber 5 horizontally adjacent to the upper part of the main chamber 4 and having an opening 9 with a breathing hole 10 formed in its upper part, a first communication passage 6 extending in the vertical direction and communicating with the lower part of the auxiliary chamber 5 and the lower part of the main chamber 4, and a hose 3 extending from the opening 9 of the tank body 2 through the auxiliary chamber 5 and the first communication passage 6 to the lower part of the main chamber 4 for receiving and sending coolant between the tank body 2 and the outside, the passage area of the first communication passage 6 being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the auxiliary chamber 5 and set to a minimum predetermined value into which the hose 3 can be inserted.

The tank body of the cooling water reserve tank of the present invention has a main chamber and a sub-chamber. The main chamber extends vertically and stores cooling water, and the sub-chamber is horizontally adjacent to the upper part of the main chamber and has an opening in the upper part with a breathing hole. The lower part and the lower part of the main chamber are communicated with each other by a first communication path extending in the vertical direction. An opening is provided in the upper part of the auxiliary chamber, and a breathing hole is formed in this opening for ventilation between the upper space of the auxiliary chamber and the outside. In addition, the hose is provided to extend from the opening of the tank body through the auxiliary chamber and the first communication path to the lower part of the main chamber, and the cooling water is transferred between the tank body and the outside through the hose. be done. Further, the passage area of the first communication passage is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the subchamber and is set to a minimum predetermined value that allows insertion of the hose.

With the above configuration, when vibrations or shocks are applied to the reserve tank as the vehicle travels on rough roads, for example, relatively large liquid level vibrations occur in the main chamber. That is, liquid level vibration is allowed in the main chamber. However, even if liquid level vibration is allowed, there is no risk of cooling water leaking outside because no opening or breathing hole is provided on the main chamber side.

On the other hand, when vibrations or shocks are applied, the passage area of the first communication passage is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the subchamber on the subchamber side and is constricted, so the resonance frequency of the liquid level in the first communication passage increases. By shifting to the high frequency side, horizontal vibrations of the liquid surface are suppressed. In addition, since the passage area of the first communication passage is set to the minimum predetermined value that allows the hose to be inserted, and the gap between the first communication passage and the hose is very narrow, the cooling water that acts between them Surface tension suppresses vertical vibrations of the liquid surface.

From the above, it is possible to sufficiently suppress liquid level vibration in the horizontal and vertical directions in the subchamber, thereby preventing the cooling water level and droplets from reaching the breathing hole formed in the opening of the subchamber. By doing so, leakage of cooling water from the breathing holes can be prevented. Furthermore, the reserve tank of the present invention has a simpler configuration than those having a conventional labyrinth structure.

The invention according to claim 2 is the cooling water reserve tank 1 according to claim 1, in which the tank body 2 has a second communication passage 7 that communicates between the upper parts of the main chamber 4 and the sub-chamber 5, and a second communication passage 7 that communicates between the upper parts of the main chamber 4 and the sub-chamber 5. It is characterized in that it further includes a third communication passage 8 which is disposed below the passage 7 and communicates with the main chamber 4 and the sub-chamber 5.

According to this configuration, when the liquid level vibrates greatly in the main chamber and reaches the upper part of the main chamber, the cooling water can be made to flow into the sub-chamber side via the second communication path, thereby causing the cooling water to flow into the sub-chamber side through the second communication path. The upper air capacity can be secured. In this case, the cooling water that has flowed into the auxiliary chamber from the second communication path is effectively scraped off by colliding with the wall surface of the auxiliary chamber. In addition, the cooling water that has flowed into the auxiliary chamber from the first communication passage and the second communication passage can be returned to the main chamber side through the third communication passage below the second communication passage. By keeping the liquid level at a low level, liquid level vibration can be suppressed.

The invention according to claim 3 provides that in the cooling water reserve tank according to claim 1, the total passage area of the first communication passage 6, the second communication passage 7, and the third communication passage 8 is equal to or smaller than the opening of the opening 9. It is characterized by being larger than the area.

According to this configuration, when injecting cooling water from the opening with the hose removed from the tank body in order to fill or replenish the reserve tank with cooling water, the relationship between the passage area and the opening area as described above is maintained. Therefore, cooling water can be smoothly injected into the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber without overflowing from the opening.

They are (a) a front view and (b) a perspective view of a reserve tank (tank main body) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view including a hose of the reserve tank of FIG. 1. FIG. The reserve tank according to the present invention is schematically shown, and is (a) a plan view, (b) a front view, and (c) a side view.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The cooling water reserve tank 1 according to the present embodiment stores cooling water that cools an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle, and also cools water between the tank and the cooling circuit depending on the temperature and pressure state in the cooling circuit. It is used to give and receive water and is located in the engine room.

As shown in the drawings, the reserve tank 1 includes a tank body 2 and a hose 3 inserted into the tank body 2. The tank body 2 is made of a synthetic resin molded product as shown in FIG. The tank body 2 has two chambers consisting of a main chamber 4 and an auxiliary chamber 5, and also has first to third communication passages 6 to 8 that communicate the main chamber 4 and the auxiliary chamber 5, and an opening 9. .

The main chamber 4 includes a main body portion 4a that extends in the vertical direction, and a protrusion portion 4b that protrudes toward the sub chamber 5 from the lower end of the main body portion 4a. The cooling water is stored in the main body portion 4a and the protruding portion 4b such that the liquid level is located in the range from the “MIN” height to the “MAX” height displayed on the outer surface of the tank body 2.

The sub-chamber 5 is horizontally adjacent to the upper half of the main body 4a of the main chamber 4, and is disposed above the protrusion 4b, and has a smaller cross-sectional area (horizontal cross-sectional area) than the main body 4a. ). The opening 9 has a circular shape, is provided to communicate with the upper side of the subchamber 5, and is open upward. A breathing hole 10 communicating between the inside and outside of the opening 9 is formed in the peripheral wall of the opening 9.

The first communicating path 6 extends in the vertical direction so as to communicate with the protrusion 4b of the main chamber 4 and the lower part of the sub chamber 5. The first communicating passage 6 has a circular cross section, and its passage area is much smaller than the cross-sectional area of the subchamber 5. Further, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the passage area of the first communication passage 6 is set to a minimum predetermined value that allows the hose 3 to be inserted. Specifically, when the inner diameter of the first communicating path 6 is Dp and the outer diameter of the hose 3 is Dh, the clearance C (=(Dp-Dh)/2) between the two is such that the hose 3 can be inserted. It is set to a very small predetermined value.

The second communicating path 7 communicates between the top of the main body portion 4a of the main chamber 4 and the top of the sub chamber 5, and has a circular cross section. Further, the third communication passage 8 is disposed below the second communication passage 7, communicates with the main body portion 4a of the main chamber 4 and the lower end portion of the sub chamber 5, and has a circular cross section. The sum of the passage areas of the second and third communication passages 7 and 8 and the passage area of the first communication passage 6 is set to be greater than or equal to the opening area of the opening 9.

The hose 3 is made of a flexible material and has a predetermined outer diameter and inner diameter. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3(b), the hose 3 extends from the opening 9 of the tank body 2 through the auxiliary chamber 5 and the first communication passage 6 to near the bottom of the protrusion 4b of the main chamber 4. As such, it is set up. The hose 3 is connected to the cooling circuit via a joint or another hose (none of which is shown), and during operation of the internal combustion engine, the hose 3 is connected to the cooling circuit depending on the temperature and pressure conditions in the cooling circuit. Cooling water is exchanged between the tank body 2 and the cooling circuit. Note that the tank body 2 is filled or replenished with cooling water by injecting the cooling water through the opening 9 with the hose 3 removed.

Next, the operation of the reserve tank 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, particularly the operation when vibrations or shocks are applied to the reserve tank 1 as the vehicle travels on rough roads will be described. When vibrations or shocks act on the reserve tank 1, large liquid level vibrations occur in the main body portion 4a of the main chamber 4 because its cross-sectional area is relatively large. That is, liquid level vibration is allowed in the main chamber 4. However, even if the liquid level vibration is allowed, there is no risk of cooling water leaking outside because the opening 9 and the breathing hole 10 are not provided on the main chamber 4 side.

On the other hand, when vibration or impact is applied, the passage area of the first communication passage 6 on the auxiliary chamber 5 side is smaller and narrower than the cross-sectional area of the auxiliary chamber 5, so the resonant frequency of the liquid surface in the first communication passage 6 shifts to the higher frequency side, suppressing horizontal vibration of the liquid surface. Also, because the passage area of the first communication passage is set to a minimum predetermined value that allows the hose to be inserted, and the gap between the first communication passage and the hose is very narrow, the surface tension of the cooling water acting between the two suppresses vertical vibration of the liquid surface.

From the above, it is possible to sufficiently suppress liquid level vibration in the horizontal and vertical directions in the subchamber 5, and thereby the liquid level and droplets of the cooling water can reach the breathing hole 10 formed above the subchamber 5. Therefore, leakage of cooling water from the breathing hole 10 can be prevented. Further, the reserve tank 1 of the embodiment has a very simple configuration compared to a conventional one having a labyrinth structure.

In addition, when the liquid level in the main chamber 4 vibrates greatly and reaches the upper part of the main chamber 4, the cooling water can be made to flow into the sub chamber 5 side via the second communication path 7, thereby reducing the reserve. Air capacity in the upper part of the tank 1 can be secured. In this case, the cooling water that has flowed into the sub-chamber 5 from the second communication path 7 collides with the wall surface of the sub-chamber 5 and is effectively scraped off. Furthermore, the cooling water that has flowed into the auxiliary chamber 5 from the first communication passage 6 and the second communication passage 7 can be returned to the main chamber 4 side through the third communication passage 8 below the second communication passage 7. Thereby, by keeping the liquid level in the subchamber 5 low, liquid level vibration can be suppressed.

In addition, since the total passage area of the first to third communication passages 6 to 8 is set to be larger than the opening area of the opening 9, in order to fill or refill the reserve tank 1 with cooling water, the tank body When the cooling water is injected from the opening 9 with the hose 3 removed from the main chamber 4 and the sub-chamber 5, the cooling water can be smoothly injected into the main chamber 4 and the sub-chamber 5 without overflowing from the opening 9.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and can be implemented in various ways. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of an embodiment of a reserve tank, and as long as the constituent requirements of the present invention are met, embodiments having other appropriate shapes and configurations are possible. Further, the numerical values shown in the embodiments are merely examples, and other values can be adopted as appropriate in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

Further, although the embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a cooling water reserve tank used for an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to an internal combustion engine other than a vehicle. Of course, it can be applied to reserve tanks. In addition, it is possible to change the detailed structure as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

1 Reserve tank 2 Tank body 3 Hose 4 Main chamber 4a Main chamber main chamber 4b Projection of main chamber 5 Sub-chamber 6 First communication passage 7 Second communication passage 8 Third communication passage 9 Opening 10 Breathing hole

Claims (3)

A cooling water reserve tank that stores cooling water for cooling an internal combustion engine,
A main chamber that extends in the vertical direction and stores cooling water, a sub-chamber that is horizontally adjacent to the upper part of the main chamber and has an opening in the upper part in which a breathing hole is formed, and a lower part of the sub-chamber. a tank body having a first communication passage communicating with the lower part of the main chamber and extending in the vertical direction;
a hose extending from the opening of the tank body through the auxiliary chamber and the first communication path to the lower part of the main chamber, and for delivering and receiving cooling water between the tank body and the outside;
A cooling water reserve tank characterized in that a passage area of the first communication passage is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the sub-chamber and is set to a minimum predetermined value that allows insertion of the hose. The tank body includes a second communication passage that communicates between the upper portions of the main chamber and the sub-chamber, and a third communication passage that is disposed below the second communication passage and communicates with the main chamber and the sub-chamber. A cooling water reserve tank further comprising a passage. The cooling water according to claim 1, characterized in that the total passage area of the first communication passage, the second communication passage, and the third communication passage is set to be greater than or equal to the opening area of the opening. reserve tank.