JP2734314B2 - Fuel gauge support structure - 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 gauge support structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a fuel tank for a vehicle is provided with a fuel gauge for measuring a remaining fuel amount by detecting a fuel level fluctuation.

An example of a fuel gauge support structure will be described with reference to FIG. 5. Reference numeral 1 denotes a fuel tank for a vehicle, and an opening 2 is formed in a side portion of an upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1. On the other hand, a fuel gauge 3 has a float 5 attached to the tip of an arm 4 that rotates vertically, and a lid 6 that closes an opening 2 formed in an upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1 at an upper portion. Is provided. The fuel gauge 3 is supported by the fuel tank 1 by attaching a lid 6 to the opening 2 (this supporting structure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-175623).

[0004]

In the fuel tank 1, the float 5 of the fuel gauge 3 is positioned substantially at the center of the fuel tank 1 where the fuel level fluctuation is small, in consideration of the fuel level fluctuation at the time of turning. However, since the upper wall 1A and the lower wall 1B of the fuel tank 1 are also parts that are deformed as shown by the dashed line in the figure due to fluctuations in the tank internal pressure, the float is taken into consideration in consideration of this deformation amount. 5, especially considering the amount of inward deformation of the lower wall 1B, the float 5 cannot be set to the last position of the lower wall 1B of the fuel tank 1, and the measurement range is narrowed. There's a problem. Further, when the upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1 is displaced due to a change in the tank internal pressure, the relative position of the float 5 fluctuates, and there is a problem that a measurement error increases.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a fuel gauge support structure capable of eliminating the influence of the deformation of the fuel tank and enabling accurate fuel level measurement in a wide range.

[0006]

In a fuel gauge supporting structure provided in a fuel tank for measuring a fuel level, at least one of a substantially central portion of an upper wall and a substantially central portion of a lower wall of the fuel tank is fueled. The upper wall and the lower wall are joined together by bulging toward the inside of the tank, and a locking portion for positioning the fuel gauge in the vertical direction is formed on the bulging portion, while the locking portion is provided on the fuel gauge. The fuel gauge is supported on the fuel tank by engaging the engaging member of the fuel gauge with the engaging portion of the fuel tank.

[0007]

[Function] The upper and lower walls of the fuel tank, which are easily deformed due to the fluctuation of the tank internal pressure, are joined to prevent the deformation of the fuel tank wall due to the tank internal pressure, and the strength is achieved by joining the upper and lower walls. The fuel gauge is reliably supported on the raised part, enabling a wide range of liquid level measurement and improving the finger accuracy.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel tank 7 for a vehicle is provided.
Is formed of a resin, and a substantially central portion of the upper wall 8 and a substantially central portion of the lower wall 9 of the fuel tank 7 are formed so as to bulge toward the inside of the fuel tank 7, respectively. The bulging upper wall 8 and lower wall 9 are joined at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the fuel tank 7.

The bulging portion 10 straddling the joint between the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 is provided with a reduced diameter portion 11 as an engaging portion as shown in FIGS. Above and below the reduced diameter portion 11, an engagement member 21, which will be described later, ie, the fuel gauge 1
An upper shelf portion 12 and a lower shelf portion 13 for performing vertical positioning of 6 are formed.

The work hole 1 is formed in the upper wall 8 of the fuel tank 7.
A harness 17 of a fuel gauge 16 is attached to a lid 15 that closes the working hole 14.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel gauge 16 has a float 20 attached to a supporting portion 18 via an arm 19 so as to be rotatable vertically.
The support member 18 has an engagement member 2 which is engaged with the reduced diameter portion 11.
1 is attached.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the engaging member 21 is formed in a substantially U-shape so as to elastically receive the reduced-diameter portion 11, and each opening end is provided with a stopper for preventing the reduced-diameter portion 11 from coming off. Is formed toward the inside. A pair of clips 23 is provided at the upper edge of the engaging member 21 so as to elastically contact the upper shelf 12 of the reduced diameter portion 11. Part 1
1 is pressed by the lower shelf 13 so as to perform vertical positioning.

According to the structure of the above embodiment, the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 of the fuel tank 7 bulge into the fuel tank at substantially the center of each, and the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 are joined. Therefore, the strength and rigidity of the fuel tank 7 are increased.

The support 18 of the fuel gauge 16
The engagement member 21 to which is attached is a portion advantageous in strength,
That is, the fuel gauge 7 is attached to the reduced diameter portion 11 that straddles the portion where the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 are joined to each other. Absent.

Accordingly, the liquid level measurement range of the fuel gauge 16 becomes wide, and the finger accuracy can be improved.

When the fuel gauge 16 is attached, the engaging member 21 of the fuel gauge 16 inserted from the working hole 14 is merely engaged with the reduced diameter portion 11 so that the claw 22 is securely connected to the reduced diameter portion 11. The engaging member 21 is reliably prevented from coming off, and the engaging member 21 pressed against the lower shelf 13 by the elastic force of the clip 23 is accurately set at the reference position without rattling. Therefore, the fuel gauge 16 can be accurately attached by a simple operation.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be applied to, for example, a metal fuel tank. Further, the fuel tank may be configured such that only the upper wall (lower wall) is swelled and joined to the lower wall (upper wall). And instead of providing a reduced diameter part, a bulging part is provided here,
A slit may be provided in a corresponding portion of the engaging member.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, at least one of the substantially central portion of the upper wall and the substantially central portion of the lower wall of the fuel tank is formed to bulge toward the inside of the fuel tank. Since the upper wall and the lower wall are joined, and the fuel gauge is supported by the bulging portion that is advantageous in terms of strength, the support portion of the fuel gauge is not displaced by fluctuations in the pressure in the fuel tank, etc. There is an effect that accurate liquid level measurement can be performed in a wide range as compared with the related art in which the range must be narrowed in consideration of the displacement of the upper and lower walls of the fuel tank.

Further, by forming the substantially central portion of the upper wall and the substantially central portion of the lower wall of the fuel tank so as to protrude toward the inside of the fuel tank and joining the upper and lower walls, There is also an effect that the strength and rigidity of the fuel tank can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part assembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a main part showing the assembled state.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an overall front view of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 fuel tank 8 upper wall 9 lower wall 10 bulging portion 11 reduced diameter portion (locking portion) 16 fuel gauge 21 engaging member

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fuel gauge support structure provided in a fuel tank for measuring a fuel level, wherein at least one of a substantially central portion of an upper wall and a substantially central portion of a lower wall is provided inside the fuel tank. The upper wall and the lower wall are bulged to join the upper wall and the lower wall, and a locking portion for positioning the fuel gauge in the up-down direction is formed in the bulging portion. Provide a joint member,
A fuel gauge support structure, wherein a fuel gauge engaging member is engaged with the engaging portion of the fuel tank to support the fuel gauge on the fuel tank.