JP3171299B2 - Protector for preventing electric corrosion of air 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 protector for preventing electric corrosion of an air tank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protector for preventing electrochemical corrosion (hereinafter simply referred to as electrolytic corrosion) of an air tank made of a first metal and a bracket made of a second metal different from the first metal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Large vehicles such as trucks and buses are equipped with air tanks for supplying compressed air to vehicle air equipment such as brakes and air suspensions. Conventionally, this air tank is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and bowl-shaped lids are welded to both ends thereof, and the air tank is mounted substantially horizontally on a vehicle frame. This type of air tank is often made of aluminum or an alloy thereof in order to reduce the weight in recent years, and this tank is attached to a steel bracket different from the material of the tank attached to the vehicle frame.

On the other hand, it is generally known that electrolytic corrosion occurs due to a potential difference between aluminum or an alloy thereof, which is a dissimilar metal having a different ionization tendency, and steel. In large vehicles, etc., the alternator, which is an auxiliary component of the engine, generates power,
It is said that the frame of the vehicle is charged with electricity due to dark current (stray current) when the engine is stopped, and therefore, it is particularly easy to cause electrolytic corrosion. For this reason, a protector such as a vinyl sheet or rubber made of an insulating material is interposed between the air tank and the bracket so as to be electrically insulated between the air tank and the bracket, thereby preventing electrolytic corrosion caused by a potential difference of the air tank.

[0004]

However, since the work of interposing a protector such as a vinyl sheet or rubber is conventionally performed manually, the interposition position may deviate from a predetermined position. There was a danger that the air tank would directly contact the bracket and cause electrolytic corrosion. In addition, even if it is interposed at a predetermined position, the protector may be damaged by the edge of the bracket or the like at the time of mounting the air tank or the vibration of the vehicle body after the mounting, and electric corrosion may occur from that part, and through the protector. The work of attaching the air tank to the bracket was far from workable, and its reliability was not perfect. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a protector for preventing electrolytic corrosion, which prevents electric corrosion between an air tank and a bracket attached to a vehicle frame, and improves the workability and reliability of attaching an air tank to a bracket. Is to do.

[0005]

A configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 corresponding to an embodiment. The present invention provides an air tank 12 made of a first metal having a projection 12a for tank positioning on a curved convex surface 12b, and an engagement hole 13b into which a projection 12a can be inserted in a curved concave surface 13a corresponding to the curved convex surface 12b.
2a is inserted into the engagement hole 13b and the concave surface 13a is
b, a bracket 1 made of a second metal different from the first metal for attaching the air tank 12 to the vehicle frame 11
3 is an improvement of a protector for preventing electrolytic corrosion of an air tank made of an insulating material interposed so as to electrically insulate the air tank 12 from the bracket 13 with respect to the bracket 13.

[0006] The characteristic configuration is that the protector body 17
Has a size to cover the concave surface 13a, and the protector body 17
An outer surface 17a of the bracket 1 is provided with a cap portion 18 which covers the projection 12a and can be inserted into and engaged with the engagement hole 13b, and the cap portion 18 is engaged with the engagement hole 13b.
The ribs 19 abutting on the projection 3 project from the side edges of the protector body 17.

[0007]

The protector body 17 covers the concave surface 13a and insulates the air tank 12 from the bracket 13. Rib 19,1
9 contacts the side edge of the concave surface 13a,
Is prevented from coming off the concave surface 13a. Cap part 1
Reference numeral 8 is inserted into the engagement hole 13b while covering the projection 12a, and electrically disconnects the projection 12a from the engagement hole 13b.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an air tank 12 made of a first metal is attached to a chassis frame 11 such as a truck as an air device such as an air brake.
The air tank 12 is supplied with compressed air from an air compressor (not shown) and is filled. This air tank 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a pair of brackets 13 made of a second metal provided on the frame 11 and attached to the pair of brackets 13, 13 in this embodiment by mounting bands 14, 14 which are entirely coated with an insulating resin. The second metal is a metal having a different ionization tendency from the first metal. In this example, the first metal is aluminum or an alloy thereof, and the second metal is steel.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air tank 12 is formed by processing a plate-shaped aluminum alloy into a hollow cylindrical shape, and welding a bowl-shaped lid to both ends thereof. Two air tanks 1
2 and 12 are a pair of brackets 13 and 13 which are parallel to each other and both ends of which are substantially horizontal toward the traveling direction of the vehicle.
Attached to As shown in FIG. 2, the air tank 12 is provided with a projection 12a serving as a positioning and a detent for mounting on the bracket 13 and a curved convex surface 12 serving as an outer mounting surface.
b.

The lower surface of the bracket 13 is the air tank 1.
2 is formed on the concave surface 13a corresponding to the outer shape, and is curved and processed so as to be in close contact with the convex surface 12b when the air tank 12 is mounted. Air tank 1 on concave surface 13a
An engagement hole 13b into which the second protrusion 12a is loosely inserted is provided,
The projection 12a is inserted into the engagement hole 13b, and the convex surface 12b is brought into close contact with the concave surface 13a so that the air tank 12 can be positioned and stopped. An electrolytic corrosion preventing protector 16 made of an insulating material for electrically insulating the air tank 12 and the bracket 13 is interposed between the convex surface 12b and the concave surface 13a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the protector 16 includes a sheet-shaped protector main body 17, a cap portion 18 provided at a central portion, and a pair of ribs 19,19. The protector body 17 has a rectangular sheet shape and is formed to be curved in the longitudinal direction.
3 is large enough to cover the concave surface 13a. The thickness of the protector main body 17 is set to a thickness that is not damaged by an edge of a bracket or the like due to vibration of the vehicle body when the air tank is mounted or after the mounting, and in this example, the thickness is 2 mm. The protector body 17 has a curved outer surface 17a in close contact with the concave surface 13a of the bracket 13 and an inner surface 17b in close contact with the convex surface 12b of the air tank 12 in a state of being interposed between the convex surface 12b and the concave surface 13a.

The cap portion 18 is a columnar projection,
It is provided substantially at the center of the outer surface 17a of the protector body 17. The inside of the cap portion 18 has a hole 18a that can cover the projection 12a in a state where the convex surface 12b is in close contact with the inner surface 17b of the protector body 17. Further, the outer shape of the cap portion 18 is formed to have a size that can be inserted into the engagement hole 13b, and a pair of locking claws on the side wall for locking the periphery of the engagement hole 13b to fix the protector body 17 to the concave surface 13a. 18b, 18b are provided (FIG. 2). The locking claw 18b is in contact with the periphery of the engagement hole 13b when it is inserted and slides on the inclined surface 18c, and the locking surface 1 which is locked on the periphery of the engagement hole 13b when inserted.
8d.

A pair of ribs 19 are provided on one side edge of the protector body 17 in the longitudinal direction so as to project in the same direction as the cap portion 18. The pair of ribs 19 abut on the side edge of the concave surface 13a in a state where the protector body 17 is attached in close contact with the concave surface 13a, and the protector body 17 is
3a is prevented from coming off.

A method of using the thus configured protector for preventing electric corrosion will be described. The protector 16 is mounted on the bracket 13 in advance. To mount the protector 16 on the bracket 13, insert the cap portion 18 into the engagement hole 13b,
This is performed by bringing the ribs 19 into contact with the side edges of the concave surface 13a. In this case, the cap portion 18 inserted into the engagement hole 13b abuts against the inclined surface 18c of the locking claw 18b and is deformed inward by elasticity. And protects the protector 16 to the concave surface 13a. At this time, a pair of ribs 1
Reference numerals 9 and 19 abut against the side edges of the concave surface 13a of the bracket 13 to prevent the protector body 17 from coming off the concave surface 13a.

Next, using the protrusion 12a of the air tank 12 as a guide, the protrusion 12a is inserted into the hole 18a of the cap portion 18, and
Attach to concave surface 13a. In this state, the band 14 is attached to fix the air tank 12 to the bracket 13. Male screws 14a, 14a are attached to both ends of the band 14 by welding, respectively.
3 into the insertion holes (not shown), and the female screws 14b, 14
By screwing b, it is possible to securely attach.

In the above embodiment, two air tanks are mounted on the bracket. However, the number of air tanks is not limited to this and may be one or three. In the above embodiment, the air tank was attached to the bracket by the band. However, a member having a concave surface corresponding to the concave surface of the bracket was used, and the protector of the present invention was used for this member, and the air tank was held between the bracket and the member. You may attach it. Further, in the above embodiment, the pair of ribs is provided to protrude from the side edge of the protector, but may be one continuous rib or three or more ribs. In the above embodiment, the thickness of the sheet body is 2 mm. However, if the sheet body is not damaged, the thickness may be 1 mm to 5 mm depending on the material of the sheet. Further, in the above embodiment, the first metal is described as aluminum or its alloy, and the second metal is steel. However, the first metal and the second metal may be metals having different ionization tendencies. Steel or aluminum or its alloy may be used as the second metal.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, the protector body covers the concave surface, the cap covers the projection, electrically intercepts the projection and the engagement hole, and the rib has the rib. Since the protector is in contact with the side edge of the concave surface, the protector can be insulated from the air tank and the bracket without coming off from the concave surface, and the electrolytic corrosion generated therebetween can be reliably prevented. Also, mounting the protector is a simple task of inserting the protrusion into the engagement hole and bringing the rib into contact with the side edge of the concave surface. The workability and reliability of the work of attaching to the bracket can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a protector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where a pair of air tanks is attached to a bracket using the protector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Frame 12 Air Tank 12a Projection 12b Curved Convex Surface 13 Bracket 13a Curved Concave Surface 13b Engagement Hole 17 Protector Body 17a Outer Surface 18 Cap 19 Rib

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An air tank (12) made of a first metal having a projection (12a) for tank positioning on a curved convex surface (12b);
The protrusion is formed on a curved concave surface (13a) corresponding to the curved convex surface (12b).
(12a) is provided with an engagement hole (13b) into which the protrusion (12
a) is inserted into the engagement hole (13b), and the concave surface (13a) is in close contact with the convex surface (12b), and the air tank (12) is different from the first metal attached to the frame (11) of the vehicle. (2) A protector for preventing corrosion of an air tank made of an insulating material which is interposed between a bracket (13) made of a metal and the air tank (12) so as to electrically insulate the air tank (12) from the bracket (13). The protector body (17) has a size to cover the concave surface (13a), and the outer surface (17a) of the protector body (17) covers the projection (12a) and the engagement hole (13b). A rib (19, 19) that protrudes from a cap portion (18) that can be inserted and engaged with the bracket (13) in a state where the cap portion (18) is engaged with the engagement hole (13b). ) Is provided on the side edge of the protector body (17) to prevent electrolytic corrosion of the air tank.