JP5901308B2 - Valve device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a valve device that is mounted in a gas generation container such as a fuel tank of an automobile and prevents the gas pressure in the gas generation container from increasing beyond a predetermined level.

A valve device is arranged in a gas generation container such as a fuel tank of an automobile in order to keep the pressure of the fuel gas generated in the gas generation container to be normal. As this valve device, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, the inside of the valve case is divided into a gas collection chamber that communicates with the gas generation container by a partition wall and a vent chamber that has a discharge port that communicates with the outside of the valve case. And forming a communication port for communicating the gas collection chamber and the vent chamber in the partition wall, with the peripheral portion of the communication port as a valve seat, with respect to the peripheral portion of the communication port, on the vent chamber side, There is known a valve body provided so as to be separable.
More specifically, a cylindrical guide wall is erected on the partition wall so as to surround the communication port on the ventilation chamber side, while the valve body is formed in a polygonal shape in plan view, and the valve body is When seated on the periphery of the communication port as a seat, a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the guide wall and the peripheral surface of the polygonal valve body in plan view.
As a result, when the gas pressure in the gas collection chamber (gas generation container) increases to a predetermined level or more, the valve body is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port, and the gas in the gas collection chamber is separated from the communication hole, the guide wall inner peripheral surface, The gas is discharged through the gap between the valve body and the peripheral surface of the polygonal valve in plan view, and the discharge port, so that the gas pressure in the gas generation container can be kept normal.

JP 2009-168134 A

  However, in the above valve device, when the gas is discharged, the gas guided to the gas collection chamber is guided to the ventilation chamber through the communication hole of the partition wall and the gap between the guide wall inner peripheral surface and the valve body peripheral surface. The gas must be greatly squeezed particularly in the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the guide wall and the peripheral surface of the valve body, and the pressure loss accompanying the discharge of the gas must be large. For this reason, it is desired to discharge gas more smoothly.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, The objective is to provide the valve apparatus which can reduce the pressure loss accompanying gas discharge as much as possible.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention (the invention according to claim 1)
The inside of the valve case is partitioned by a partition into a gas collection chamber that is located below the partition and communicates with the gas generating container, and a vent chamber that is located above the partition and communicates with the outside of the valve case. A communication port for communicating the gas collection chamber and the vent chamber is formed in the partition wall , and a float valve that is raised when fuel enters the gas collection chamber and closes the communication port is disposed in the gas collection chamber. A cylindrical guide wall is erected on the partition wall in the ventilation chamber so as to surround the peripheral edge of the communication port, and a discharge port for communicating with the outside of the valve case is formed in the guide wall; In the valve device in which the valve body is provided in the guide wall so that the valve body can be attached and detached, with the communication port peripheral portion in the guide wall as a valve seat,
The seating surface of the valve body with respect to the communication port peripheral portion is inclined with respect to the communication port peripheral portion when the valve body is separated from the communication port peripheral portion and contacts the valve case, and Of the seating surface of the valve body, the side most distant from the peripheral edge of the communication port is set to be positioned on the discharge port side ,
The valve body is disc-shaped,
Of the inner surface of the valve case, the contact surface with which the valve body abuts is inclined so as to be separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port, as it is closer to the discharge port.
As a configuration. A preferred embodiment of claim 1 is as described in claim 2 and the following.

  According to the present invention (the invention according to claim 1), when the valve device is installed in a gas generation container (fuel tank or the like), the pressure in the gas generation container is increased and the valve body is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port. When the valve body is separated and the valve body comes into contact with the valve case, the valve body is inclined with respect to the peripheral edge portion (partition wall) of the communication port as a seating surface. Form a road. For this reason, it can suppress that the gas from a gas collection chamber is restrict | squeezed in a ventilation chamber, and can reduce the pressure loss accompanying gas discharge as much as possible.

  Further, the seating surface of the valve body is such that when the valve body is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port and abuts against the valve case, the side of the seating surface of the valve body that is farthest from the peripheral edge of the communication port is exhausted. Since it is located on the outlet side, the gas that has entered the ventilation chamber from the gas collection chamber through the communication port can be accurately guided to the discharge port by the gas discharge passage that is formed by the valve body and the partition wall. it can.

Further, in this case, a cylindrical guide wall is erected on the partition wall in the ventilation chamber so as to surround the peripheral portion of the communication port, and a discharge port for communicating with the outside of the valve case is formed in the guide wall. When the valve body is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port, the valve body is guided by the guide wall, and the gas discharge path formed by the valve body and the partition wall can be accurately faced to the discharge port. In addition to the above, the valve body has a disc shape, and the contact surface with which the valve body contacts the inner surface of the valve case is closer to the discharge port so that it is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port. Since the valve body is in contact with the contact surface of the valve case, specifically, it is possible not only to form a divergent gas discharge path continuous with the discharge port, but in that case, as a valve body, A general thin one can be used. Of course, when fuel enters the gas collection chamber, the float valve floats up, and the float valve closes the communication hole from the gas collection chamber side, so that leakage of fuel to the outside can be prevented.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the peripheral surface of the valve body is rounded with a curved surface that protrudes radially outward of the valve body, the valve body is inclined with respect to the guide wall. When the gas pressure in the gas collection chamber exceeds a predetermined pressure, the valve body can be accurately inclined.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the curved surface of the peripheral surface of the valve body is formed by the curvature of the sphere with respect to the center of the valve body, the sliding of the valve body when the valve body inclines with respect to the guide wall. The movement can be smoothed specifically.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 4, since the curved surface of the surrounding surface of the said valve body is formed with the curvature radius below half of the thickness of this valve body, the sliding at the time of inclination of the valve body with respect to a guide wall Can be smoothed concretely.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a guide column is provided on the partition wall so as to occupy a part of the opening of the discharge port at the discharge port, and the guide column has a width of the guide wall. Since it is set so as to narrow toward the outer side in the radial direction, it is possible to suppress separation of the gas discharged from the discharge port from the guide column 32 and to narrow the wake width behind the guide column as much as possible. be able to. For this reason, an increase in pressure resistance can be suppressed, and an increase in pressure loss can also be suppressed from this point.

According to the invention of claim 6, wherein the gas generation container is a fuel tank for automobiles, since the previous SL outlet is in communication with the canister and increasing the gas pressure in the gas collection chamber, the valve body The gas is separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port, and the gas passes through the communication port, the ventilation chamber, and the discharge port, and is discharged to the external flow path communicating with the canister. Therefore, Ru can keep the pressure in the fuel tank to a predetermined value.

The perspective view seen from the upper side which shows the valve apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The perspective view seen from the lower side which shows the valve apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The partially broken perspective view of the valve apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the valve apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The disassembled perspective view which shows the valve apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Explanatory drawing explaining the surrounding surface of a valve body. Explanatory drawing explaining the modification of the surrounding surface of a valve body. The elements on larger scale which show the internal structure of an upper cap. Explanatory drawing which shows simply the structure of the valve body periphery in 1st Embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows simply the action | operation of the valve body in 1st Embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows simply the structure of the valve body periphery in a 1st reference example . Explanatory drawing which shows simply the action | operation of the valve body in a 1st reference example . The perspective view which shows the valve body in a 2nd reference example . Explanatory drawing which shows simply the structure of the valve body periphery in a 2nd reference example . Explanatory drawing which shows simply the action | operation of the valve body in a 2nd reference example . The top view which shows the relationship between a guide wall, a guide pillar, a valve body, and a discharge port. The perspective view which shows the relationship between a guide wall, a guide pillar, a valve body, and a discharge port.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a valve device according to the first embodiment. The valve device 1 includes a cylindrical valve case 2. The valve case 2 has an attachment portion 3 on its side, and the attachment portion 3 is attached to a fixture (not shown) provided at an upper position in a fuel tank (not shown) as a gas generation container. It is done. As a result, the valve case 2 is held in the fuel tank in a state in which the axis extending direction is directed in the vertical direction. The valve case 2 includes a cylindrical case body 4, an upper cap 5 that is mounted on the upper side of the case body 4, and a lower cap 6 that is mounted on a lower opening of the case body 4. . The upper cap 5 closes the upper opening of the case body 4, and the lower cap 6 externally (fuels) the internal space in the case body 4 through a plurality of communication holes 7 (see FIG. 2) provided in the lower cap 6. (In the tank).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve case 2 is provided with a partition wall 8 that defines the inside of the valve case 2 into two upper and lower chambers. The partition wall 8 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the case body 4 at a slightly upper position, and the lower chamber below the partition wall 8 is a float chamber 9 which is also a gas collection chamber. The upper chamber is also the ventilation chamber 10. A communication port 11 is formed in the partition wall 8 with a relatively large diameter at the radial center. The communication port 11 vertically penetrates the partition wall 8 and communicates the float chamber 9 and the ventilation chamber 10. The upper and lower peripheral edges 11 a and 11 b of the communication port 11 constitute a valve seat, respectively. ing.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a float valve 12 is disposed in the float chamber 9 so as to be movable up and down. The float valve 12 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with the opening side facing downward, and the valve body 13 protrudes from the upper surface (bottom surface) of the float valve 12 at the center in the radial direction. Is provided. The valve body 13 has a disc 14 having a diameter larger than the diameter of the communication port 11 at the tip, and a rubber plate 15 is laid on the tip of the disc 14. Specifically, a support disk 17 is attached to the upper surface of the float valve 12 via a support column 16, the disk 14 and the like are arranged on the support disk 17, and hangs down from the lower peripheral edge of the disk 14. A plurality of locking legs 18 are locked to the support disk 17. In this case, the support bases 14a and 17a are respectively projected from the radial center of the lower surface of the disk 14 and the radial center of the upper surface of the support disk 17, and the support bases 14a and 17a are stacked one above the other. The claw portions of the respective locking legs 18 and the support disk 17 are locked with a certain amount of play. For this reason, the disk is held on the support disk 17, while the disk 14 or the like can be rocked (oscillated) to some extent with respect to the support disk 17. Therefore, when the fuel enters the float chamber 9 and the float valve 12 rises, the valve body portion 13 of the float valve 12 can be seated accurately on the lower peripheral edge portion 11b of the connection port 11. Reference numeral 19 denotes a plurality of vertical ribs formed on the inner peripheral surface of the float chamber 9, and the float valve 12 moves up and down in sliding contact with the plurality of vertical ribs 19.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a coil spring 20 is interposed between the float valve 12 and the lower cap 6 (lower part of the valve case 2) in an internal recess of the float valve 12. The coil spring 20 urges the float valve 12 upward, but when the fuel does not enter the float chamber 9 from the plurality of communication holes 7 of the lower cap 6, the float valve 12 has its own weight. Thus, the coil spring 20 is compressed and placed on the lower cap 6.
Thereby, when the fuel rises due to the inclination of the vehicle and the fuel enters the float chamber 9, the float valve 12 is lifted by the buoyancy of the fuel and the urging force of the coil spring 20, and the valve body 13 is It contacts the lower peripheral edge 11 b of the communication port 11 and closes the communication port 11.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, 16, and 17, the vent chamber 10 is provided with a valve body 21 that is attached to and detached from the upper peripheral edge portion 11 a of the connection port 11. The valve body 21 has a disk shape, and the lower surface of the valve body 21 is a seating surface 21 a for the upper peripheral edge portion 11 a of the connection port 11, and the upper surface is a back surface 21 b. A projecting portion 22 is provided on the rear surface 21b of the valve body 21, and a tip end portion of the projecting portion 22 is chamfered or rounded (see FIG. 17). One end of a coil spring 23 is fitted into the protrusion 22. The other end of the coil spring 23 reaches the bottom 24 a of a spring receiving recess 24 formed at the radial center of the upper cap 5, and the seating surface 21 a of the valve body 21 is connected to the communication port 11 by the coil spring 23. It is urged | biased by the direction seated on the upper peripheral part 11a.
In this case, the coil spring 24 is set so that the valve body 21 is separated from the upper peripheral edge portion 11 a of the communication port 11 when the gas pressure in the float chamber 9 exceeds a predetermined pressure. Further, the spring receiving recess 24 expands downward with the bottom 24a as a center, and when the valve body 21 is separated from the upper peripheral edge 11a of the connection port 11 in the spring receiving recess 24, Even if the protrusion 22 of the valve body 21 is tilted, it can enter. Furthermore, since the tip of the protrusion 22 is chamfered or rounded, the sliding resistance against the coil spring 24 can be reduced when the valve body 21 is operated, and the protrusion 22 is prevented from being caught by the coil spring 24. Thus, the operation of the valve body 21 can be performed accurately.

  The peripheral surface of the valve body 21 is formed in a curved surface that is convex outward in the radial direction. In the present embodiment, the curved surface on the peripheral surface of the valve body 21 is set with a radius of curvature R based on the center O (center of gravity) of the valve body 21 as shown in FIG. As another aspect, as shown in FIG. 7, the circumferential surface of the valve body 21 may be formed into an arcuate curved surface having a diameter that is the thickness d of the valve body 21 or a length equal to or less than the thickness d.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, 16, and 17, the partition wall 8 is provided with a cylindrical guide wall 25 around the upper peripheral edge portion 11 a of the communication port 11. The guide wall 25 extends to the upper cap 5, and the inside of the guide wall 25 is partitioned from the outside. A part of the guide wall 25 is cut away to form a discharge port 26, and the inside and outside of the guide wall 25 communicate with each other through the discharge port 26. Further, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a guide column 32 is erected on the partition wall 8 at the discharge port 26 in the guide wall 25. The guide pillar 32 has a semi-cylindrical shape on the radially inner side of the guide wall 25, and the width (length in the vertical direction in FIG. 16) decreases from the guide wall 32 toward the radially outer side of the guide wall 25. In the present embodiment, the shape is a streamline shape in a plan view.

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 16, and 17, the valve body 21 is disposed in the guide wall 25. The guide wall 25 has a function of guiding the valve body 21 together with the guide column 32 mainly when the valve body 21 moves in and out of the seat. In this case, the valve body 21 may tilt in the guide wall 25. However, since the peripheral surface of the valve body 21 is a curved surface as described above, at this time, the valve body 21 is moved to the guide wall 21. On the other hand, it slides smoothly.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the inner surface of the upper cap 5 is provided with a contact surface 27 (regulation surface) for contacting the back surface 21 b of the valve body 21. The contact surface 27 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, and the side of the contact surface 27 that is farthest from the partition wall 8 is positioned on the discharge port 26 side. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, when the valve body 21 is separated from the upper peripheral edge 11 a of the communication port 11 and contacts the contact surface 27, the seating surface 21 a of the valve body 21 is inclined. The seating surface 21 a of the valve body 21 and the partition wall 8 form a gas discharge path 28 that is widened toward the discharge port 26. 9 and 10 are shown as simplified conceptual diagrams in which the protrusion 22, the coil spring 23, and the like are omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, a connecting pipe portion 29 is provided on the side surface of the valve case 2. The connection pipe 29 is opened in the valve case 2 so that one end thereof faces the discharge port 26, and the other end is a connection end with a connection pipe (not shown) reaching the canister.

  Accordingly, when such a valve device 1 is installed in the fuel tank of the vehicle, the vehicle does not shake, the liquid level of the fuel in the fuel tank does not tilt, and the fuel does not enter the float chamber 9, The coil spring 20 is compressed by the weight of the float valve 12, and the valve body 13 of the float valve 12 is separated from the lower peripheral edge 11 b of the communication port 11. On the other hand, when the vehicle turns or greatly tilts and the fuel level rises and the fuel enters the float chamber 9 at a predetermined height or more, buoyancy acts on the float valve 12 and the coil spring 20 is attached. The float valve 12 is lifted by the force, and the valve body portion 13 of the float valve 12 comes into contact with the lower peripheral edge portion 11 b of the communication port 11 to close the communication port 11. As a result, fuel leakage to the outside of the fuel tank can be reliably prevented.

  Further, when a large amount of fuel gas is generated due to traveling of the vehicle and the pressure in the fuel tank is increased, the valve body 21 is separated from the upper peripheral edge portion 11a of the communication port 11 by the pressure, and the upper cap 5 Contact the contact surface 27. Thereby, the valve body 21 is inclined, and the portion of the valve body 21 that is farthest from the partition wall 8 is positioned on the discharge port 26 side, and the seating surface 21a of the valve body 21 and the partition wall 8 are connected to the discharge port. A gas discharge path 28 is formed at 26 so as to face the end. For this reason, the gas in the fuel tank is discharged to the canister via the communication port 11, the gas discharge path 28, the discharge port 26, and the connecting pipe portion 29, and the fuel tank is damaged or deformed by the gas pressure. Can be prevented.

In this case, not only the communication port 11 has a relatively large hole, but also the valve element 21 uses the contact surface 27 of the upper cap 5 so that the seating surface 21a of the valve element 21 and the partition wall 8 are connected to the discharge port 26. In addition, since the gas discharge path 28 that faces in a divergent shape is formed, the gas from the communication port 11 can be discharged without being squeezed so much that an increase in pressure loss can be suppressed as much as possible.
In this embodiment, the guide column 32 guides the valve body 21 at the discharge port 26. However, the guide column 32 has a streamline shape in plan view and extends outward in the radial direction of the guide wall 25. (See FIGS. 16 and 17), the gas discharged from the discharge port 26 is prevented from being separated from the guide column 32, and the wake width behind the guide column 32 (in FIG. 16, The vertical width is reduced as much as possible. For this reason, an increase in pressure resistance is suppressed, and an increase in pressure loss is also suppressed from this point. Thereby, the gas from the communication port 11 is discharged | emitted smoothly.

11 and 12 show a first reference example , and FIGS. 13 to 15 show a second reference example . In each reference example , the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

In the first reference example shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the contact surface 27 is formed in parallel to the partition wall 8, while the thickness of the valve body 21 is increased as the distance from the discharge port 26 increases. The back surface 21b is inclined with respect to the seating surface 21a of the valve body 21.
As a result, when the gas pressure in the fuel tank exceeds a predetermined pressure, the thick part of the valve body 21 first comes into contact with the contact surface 27, and then the thin part of the valve body 21 is inclined. It moves (rotates) and comes into contact with the contact surface 27 (see FIG. 12). Thereby, also in this 1st reference example , as shown in FIG. 12, the seating surface 21a of the valve body 21 and the partition 8 will form the gas discharge path 28 which faces the discharge port 26 at a divergent form. When exhausting the gas in the fuel tank, it is possible to suppress the gas from being throttled and suppress an increase in pressure loss.

The second reference example shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 shows a modification of the first reference example . In the second reference example , as the valve body 21, one of the two discs 21A and 21B is connected so as to face each other (the connected connecting portion is indicated by reference numeral 30). The interval between the disks is set to be widened (bent shape or letter-like shape in side view). The valve body 21 is arranged on the partition wall 8 in the guide wall 25 so that the side where the distance between the discs 21A and 21B is widest is located on the far side of the discharge port 26 (the connecting portion). 30 is arranged on the outlet 27 side).
Thus, when the gas pressure in the fuel tank exceeds a predetermined pressure, one disk 21B of the valve body 21 comes into contact with the contact surface 27, and the other disk 21B stands up, and this second Also in the reference example , as shown in FIG. 15, the other disk 21 </ b> A of the valve body 21 and the partition wall 8 form a gas discharge path 28 that faces the discharge port 26 in a divergent shape. For this reason, when exhausting the gas in the fuel tank, it is possible to suppress the gas from being throttled and suppress an increase in pressure loss.
In addition, as the valve body 21, not only when connecting the two discs 21A and 21B, but also when connecting three or more discs.

1 Valve device 2 Valve case 8 Bulkhead 9 Float chamber (gas collection chamber)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Venting chamber 11 Communication port 11a Upper peripheral part 21 Valve body 21A Disk 21B Disk 25 Guide wall 26 Outlet 27 Contact surface 30 Connecting part 32 Guide pillar

Claims (6)

The inside of the valve case is partitioned by a partition into a gas collection chamber that is located below the partition and communicates with the gas generating container, and a vent chamber that is located above the partition and communicates with the outside of the valve case. A communication port for communicating the gas collection chamber and the vent chamber is formed in the partition wall , and a float valve that is raised when fuel enters the gas collection chamber and closes the communication port is disposed in the gas collection chamber. A cylindrical guide wall is erected on the partition wall in the ventilation chamber so as to surround the peripheral edge of the communication port, and a discharge port for communicating with the outside of the valve case is formed in the guide wall; In the valve device in which the valve body is provided in the guide wall so that the valve body can be attached and detached, with the communication port peripheral portion in the guide wall as a valve seat,
The seating surface of the valve body with respect to the communication port peripheral portion is inclined with respect to the communication port peripheral portion when the valve body is separated from the communication port peripheral portion and contacts the valve case, and Of the seating surface of the valve body, the side most distant from the peripheral edge of the communication port is set to be positioned on the discharge port side ,
The valve body is disc-shaped,
Of the inner surface of the valve case, the contact surface with which the valve body abuts is inclined so as to be separated from the peripheral edge of the communication port, as it is closer to the discharge port.
A valve device characterized by that. In claim 1,
The peripheral surface of the valve body is rounded with a curved surface that protrudes radially outward of the valve body,
A valve device characterized by that. In claim 2,
The curved surface of the peripheral surface of the valve body is formed by the curvature of a sphere with respect to the center of the valve body,
A valve device characterized by that. In claim 2,
The curved surface of the peripheral surface of the valve body is formed with a radius of curvature equal to or less than half the thickness of the valve body.
A valve device characterized by that. In any one of Claims 1-4 ,
On the partition, a guide pillar is provided in the discharge port so as to occupy a part of the opening of the discharge port,
The guide column is set such that its width decreases as it goes outward in the radial direction of the guide wall.
A valve device characterized by that. In any one of Claims 1-5 ,
The gas generating container is an automobile fuel tank ;
Before Symbol discharge port is in communication with the canister,
A valve device characterized by that.

Images