JP2552479Y2 - Car fuel tank - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel tank for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a fuel tank for a motor vehicle including two tank portions and a communication passage connecting the insides of the two tank portions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, fuel tanks mounted on automobiles have tended to increase in tank capacity in accordance with an increase in the mileage of automobiles due to the maintenance of a highway network, etc. Since it is necessary to maintain the securing of fuel at the time, a fuel tank having two tanks and a communication passage communicating the insides of the two tanks has been used. As such a fuel tank for an automobile, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1-59730, a first tank section and a second tank section,
A communication passage communicating between the inside of the tank portion and the inside of the second tank portion; and a small tank and one end extending to the bottom of the small tank in the first tank portion. A fuel supply pipe for supplying the fuel to the small tank; a float valve for communicating the inside of the small tank with the inside of the first tank so that the inside of the small tank can be shut off; It is known that a communication pipe is provided between the inside of the second tank and the inside of the small tank at all times. In such a fuel tank of an automobile, when the level of fuel in the first tank is higher than a predetermined shutoff level, the float valve connects the inside of the first tank to the inside of the small tank. If the fuel in the first tank is supplied to the engine through the small tank and the fuel supply pipe, and the level of the fuel in the first tank is lower than the shut-off level, the float valve is connected to the first tank. The inside of the small tank and the inside of the small tank are shut off, and the fuel in the second tank is supplied to the engine through the communication pipe, the inside of the small tank, and the fuel supply pipe.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional fuel tank of an automobile, since the inside of the second tank portion and the inside of the small tank are always in communication with each other by a communication pipe, the fuel in the second tank portion is not always used. If the level is too low, air enters through the communication pipe, and even after refueling, air may remain in the communication pipe, the inside of the small tank, and the fuel supply pipe, and the fuel may not be properly supplied to the engine.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
It is an object of the present invention to ensure that air does not enter a fuel supply path to an engine while maintaining a response to an increase in a tank capacity and securing of fuel when a vehicle turns or leans.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fuel supply system for supplying the fuel in the first tank to an engine when the level of the fuel in the first tank falls below a set level. When the level of fuel in the second tank section falls below a set level while the flow of fuel in the path is cut off, the flow of fuel in the fuel supply path for supplying fuel to the engine in the second tank section is cut off. This is to prevent air from entering the fuel supply passage to the engine.

Specifically, the solution taken by the present invention is as follows:
A tank portion and a second tank portion, and the first tank portion and the second tank portion.
A first fuel supply passage having one end extending to the bottom of the first tank portion and one end having a bottom portion in the second tank portion, which is intended for a fuel tank of an automobile including a communication passage communicating the insides of the tank portions with each other. A second fuel supply passage extending to the first fuel supply passage and a collective fuel supply passage for connecting the other ends of the first fuel supply passage and the second fuel supply passage to supply fuel in the first and second tanks to the engine; A first level switch device for shutting off the flow of fuel in the first fuel supply path when the level of fuel in the first tank section falls below a predetermined level;
A second level switch device is provided for shutting off the flow of fuel in the second fuel supply passage when the level of fuel in the tank section falls below a predetermined level. An opening at one end of each of the first and second fuel supply passages is formed so as to open upward at a position lower than the set level, and the first and second level switch devices are provided. The fuel cell is positioned in a predetermined vertical range sandwiching the fuel level and moves up and down with the displacement of the fuel level due to buoyancy received from the fuel. When the fuel level falls below a set level, the opening A float member that comes into contact with the part from above to close the opening part,
The float member includes a level switch main body that holds the float member so as to move up and down above the respective openings.

[0007]

With the above arrangement, when the level of fuel in the first tank section falls below a set level, the first level switch device cuts off the flow of fuel in the first fuel supply path, and at the same time the level of fuel in the second tank section. Is below the set level, the second level switch device cuts off the fuel flow in the second fuel supply path. Here, the set level in the first tank portion means a level higher than the position of one end opening of the first fuel supply passage extending to the bottom in the first tank portion, and the set level in the second tank portion. Means a level higher than the position of one end opening of the second fuel supply passage extending to the bottom in the second tank portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air from entering the first fuel supply path, the second fuel supply path, and the combined fuel supply path where the two fuel supply paths merge.

In the above-described first and second level switch devices, when the fuel level is reduced to a set level or less, the float member moves down as the fuel level decreases. As a result of contacting the opening of each fuel supply path, the opening is closed and the flow of fuel from each tank to each fuel supply path is cut off. It is possible to reliably block the flow of fuel to each fuel supply path. In addition, since the set level of the fuel in which each of the openings is closed is higher than each of the openings, a situation in which air enters each fuel supply path when the fuel is closed. Is reliably prevented from occurring.

Further, since the fuel tank is composed of two tank parts, a first tank part and a second tank part, the fuel tank is compared with a fuel tank composed of one tank part having the same capacity and the same bottom area. The displacement of the fuel level due to the centrifugal force applied to the vehicle and the inclination of the fuel tank can be reduced, so that the fuel can be secured when the vehicle turns or tilts, and the first tank portion and the second tank portion can be secured. Since the integration is achieved by the communication path, the fuel tank can be arranged in a limited space, so that it is possible to cope with an increase in the tank capacity.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a fuel tank of an automobile according to the above embodiment. In FIG. 1, a fuel tank 10 having a saddle-shaped bottom has a first tank portion 12 on the right side and a second tank portion on the left side.
A communication part 16 is provided between the tank part 14 and the upper left part of the first tank part 12 and the upper right part of the second tank part 14 as a communication path. The inside communicates with the inside of the second tank unit 14. First
The first wall portion of the tank portion 12 penetrates the upper wall portion in the vertical direction.
A first fuel supply pipe 18 as a fuel supply path is provided, and a second fuel supply pipe 20 as a second fuel supply path is provided in the second tank portion 14 so as to vertically penetrate an upper wall portion thereof. Have been. The first fuel supply pipe 18
One end of the first fuel supply pipe 18 extends to the bottom, and at the lower end of the first fuel supply pipe 18, a cylindrical first level switch device 22 is provided. One end of 20 extends to the bottom in the second tank portion 14, and a lower end of the second fuel supply pipe 20 is provided with a cylindrical second level switch device 24. Also,
Outside the fuel tank 10, the other end of the first fuel supply pipe 18 and the other end of the second fuel supply pipe 20 are joined to provide a collective fuel supply pipe 26 as a collective fuel supply path. Extends to the engine E via the fuel pump P. A fuel return pipe 28 for returning excess fuel supplied to the engine E from the engine E and the fuel pump P into the fuel tank 10 extends from the engine E and the fuel pump P and merges into the first tank portion. The first tank 12 extends through the upper wall of the first tank 12 and extends to the bottom.

Since the fuel tank 10 of the automobile is composed of two tanks, a first tank part 12 and a second tank part 14, the fuel tank is composed of one tank part having the same capacity and the same bottom area as the fuel tank 10. Therefore, the displacement of the fuel level due to the centrifugal force received by the fuel and the inclination of the fuel tank can be reduced, so that the fuel can be secured when the vehicle turns or leans. Further, the first tank unit 1
Since the integration of the second tank portion 14 with the second tank portion 14 is achieved by the communication portion 16, the fuel tank 10 can be arranged in a limited space, so that it is possible to cope with an increase in the tank capacity. .

FIG. 2 shows a first level switch device 22 in the first tank portion 12 of the fuel tank 10. In FIG. 2, the first level switch device 22 includes a cylindrical level switch main body 30 and a It comprises a column-shaped float member 34 movably provided in a column-shaped internal space 32 having substantially the same shape as the level switch main body 30. The level switch main body 30 extends from above the level switch main body 30 to the upper wall of the level switch main body 30 and extends along the level switch main body 30 from the upper wall to the lower wall via the right wall. It is integrated with the extending first fuel supply pipe 18. The left side wall portion 38 of the level switch main body 30 is formed in a mesh shape, so that the internal space 32 of the level switch main body 30 is
2, a through hole 40 is formed in the lower wall of the level switch main body 30 so as to be openable and closable. The through hole 40 is formed between the internal space 32 of the level switch main body 30 and the first fuel supply pipe. The through hole 40 is also an opening at the lower end of the first fuel supply pipe 18. The float member 34 is a member that floats on the liquid surface of the fuel due to buoyancy received from the fuel. When the level of the fuel in the first tank portion 12 is equal to or higher than the level A, the level switch main body is in a state where the float member 34 is floating. The through hole 40 is opened because it is held at the upper end position of the internal space 32 of the section 30, and the fuel level in the first tank section 12 is lower than the level A and higher than the cutoff level B as the set level. In the case of, the through-hole 40 is opened because the float member 34 moves up and down with the displacement of the fuel level in a state where it floats, and the level of the fuel in the first tank portion 12 becomes the shut-off level B.
In the following cases, the float member 34 does not float and is held at the lower end of the internal space 32 of the level switch main body 30, so that the through hole 40 is closed by the float member 34. Here, the shutoff level B is a level higher than the position of the through hole 40 of the first level switch main body 30 (that is, the opening at the lower end of the first fuel supply pipe 18).

If the fuel level in the first tank section 12 is higher than the shutoff level B, the float member 34 is floating and the level switch body 3
The 0 through-hole 40 is open. For this reason, the inside of the first tank section 12 and the internal passage 42 of the first fuel supply pipe 18 are connected to the internal space 3 of the level switch main body section 30.
2 and through the through hole 40. Therefore, the fuel in the first tank section 12 is supplied to the engine E through the first level switch device 22, the first fuel supply pipe 18, and the collective fuel supply pipe 26 by operating the fuel pump P.

Next, when the fuel level in the first tank section 12 decreases as the fuel in the first tank section 12 is supplied to the engine E, the float member 34 is lowered with the decrease in the fuel level. When the level of the fuel in the first tank section 12 decreases to the shutoff level B, the float member 34 closes the through hole 40 of the level switch main body 30, so that the fuel in the first fuel supply pipe 18 Distribution is cut off. At this time, since the level of the fuel in the first tank portion 12 (that is, the shutoff level B) is higher than the position of the through hole 40 of the first level switch main body 30, the internal passage 42 of the first fuel supply pipe 18 No air enters.

The second level switch device 24 in the second tank portion 14 is the same as the first level switch device 22, and the fuel level in the second tank portion 14 is higher than the shutoff level B. In some cases, the second tank 1
4 and the second fuel supply pipe 20 are communicated through the second level switch device 24, so that the second tank 1
The fuel in 4 is supplied to the engine E through the second level switch device 24, the second fuel supply pipe 20, and the collective fuel supply pipe 26 by operating the fuel pump P. On the other hand, the level of the fuel in the second tank 14
When the second level switch device 24 is below the second level switch device 24, the second level switch device 24 shuts off the fuel flow through the second fuel supply pipe 20.
No air enters the fuel supply pipe 20.

As described above, the first level switch device 2
2, the air can be prevented from entering the first fuel supply pipe 18 and the air can be prevented from entering the second fuel supply pipe 20 by the operation of the second level switch device 24. It is possible to prevent air from entering the collective fuel supply pipe 26 where the first fuel supply pipe 18 and the second fuel supply pipe 20 merge.

[0018]

As described above, according to the vehicle fuel tank of the present invention, when the level of fuel in the first tank section falls below the set level, the fuel in the first tank section is supplied to the engine. When the flow of fuel in the supply passage is cut off and the level of fuel in the second tank portion falls below a set level, the flow of fuel in the fuel supply passage for supplying fuel in the second tank portion to the engine is cut off. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air from entering the fuel supply path to the engine. At this time, when the fuel level falls to the set level, the float member constituting each level switch device abuts one end opening of each fuel supply path, and the opening is closed, so that the level is cut off from the set level. Thus, the flow of fuel to each of the fuel supply paths can be reliably shut off. In addition, since the opening of each fuel supply path is positioned below the set level, it is possible to reliably prevent the situation where air enters the fuel supply paths.

The first tank part and the second tank part
It is possible to secure fuel when the vehicle turns or leans because it is composed of two tanks and to increase the tank capacity because the first tank and the second tank are integrated by the communication path. Can also be accommodated.

Accordingly, it is possible to reliably prevent air from entering the fuel supply path to the engine while maintaining a response to an increase in the tank capacity and securing fuel during turning or leaning of the vehicle. Fuel can always be properly supplied to the engine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a fuel tank of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a level switch of a fuel tank of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fuel tank 12 1st tank part 14 2nd tank part 16 Communication part (communication path) 18 1st fuel supply pipe (1st fuel supply path) 20 2nd fuel supply pipe (2nd fuel supply path) 22 1st level Switch device 24 Second level switch device 26 Collective fuel supply pipe (collective fuel supply path) 30 Level switch main body 34 Float member 40 Through hole (opening) B Shutdown level (set level)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A fuel tank for a motor vehicle comprising a first tank portion and a second tank portion and a communication passage communicating the inside of the first tank portion and the second tank portion at an upper position . A first end extending to the bottom of the first tank portion and opening at one end;
A second fuel supply passage, one end of which extends to the bottom in the second tank portion and is open;
A fuel supply path, a collective fuel supply path where the other ends of the first fuel supply path and the second fuel supply path merge to supply the fuel in the first and second tanks to the engine; When the level of the fuel falls below a specified level and the first level switch device to cut off the flow of fuel in the first fuel supply passage, the level of fuel in the in the second tank section is below a set level when the second fuel supply e Bei a second level switch device to cut off the flow of fuel in the road, the first and second openings of each end of both the fuel supply passage is above
It opens upward at a position below the set level.
Is urchin formed, the first and second levels switch device is located in a predetermined vertical range sandwiching the level of the fuel combustion
Due to buoyancy from the fuel
The fuel level is lower than the set level
When it comes to the following, it comes into contact with the opening from above and
A float member to be closed, and the float member vertically moves the position above each of the openings.
Level switch book that holds the above float member
A fuel tank for an automobile, comprising a body part .