JP5913973B2 - Cap and reservoir tank using the cap - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides a residual air flow for maintaining the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank at atmospheric pressure when the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank containing the liquid is higher than atmospheric pressure or lower than atmospheric pressure. The present invention relates to a technical field of a cap used for a reservoir tank having an air release passage and a technical field of a reservoir tank using the same. In addition, each direction of “front / rear / left / right” used in the description of the present invention refers to the same direction as front / rear / left / right of the vehicle in a state where the reservoir tank is mounted on the vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in vehicles such as automobiles, there are vehicles that employ a hydraulic brake device as a hydraulic actuator using hydraulic pressure. In this hydraulic brake device, a reservoir tank that stores hydraulic fluid supplied to a master cylinder that generates hydraulic pressure is used.

  This type of reservoir tank has a hydraulic fluid inlet for injecting hydraulic fluid and a cap for opening and closing the hydraulic fluid inlet. As a conventional cap, a cap having a baffle that opposes the hydraulic fluid level in the reservoir tank and prevents the hydraulic fluid from splashing due to vibrations, a seal portion that seals the inner periphery of the hydraulic fluid inlet, and a cap body Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the cap baffle described in Patent Document 1, a port (residual air release passage) for maintaining the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank at atmospheric pressure is formed in the vertical direction (vertical direction).

  By the way, since a lot of various devices are housed in the engine room of a vehicle, the arrangement space of the brake reservoir tank is also limited. Accordingly, various reservoir tanks that extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle have been proposed in order to effectively use the limited arrangement space as much as possible (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In that case, the hydraulic fluid inlet is arranged so as to face the front of the vehicle. The reservoir tank extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle has recently become mainstream.

JP-A-5-270390. JP-A-8-268260.

  However, in the cap described in Patent Document 1, since the residual air release passage is provided, when the reservoir tank tilts due to the tilting of the vehicle, the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir tank tends to tilt in order to maintain the level. As a result, the liquid level of the hydraulic fluid is inclined with respect to the reservoir tank. For this reason, it is conceivable that the hydraulic fluid moves to the position of the cap of the hydraulic fluid inlet and further leaks out of the reservoir tank through the residual air release passage of the cap. In particular, in the case of a reservoir tank extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as described in Patent Document 2 that has recently become mainstream, when the vehicle tilts forward, the reservoir tank also tilts in the same direction. Tilt downward greatly. For this reason, it is conceivable that the risk of the hydraulic fluid leaking out of the reservoir tank through the residual air release passage of the cap increases.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. The purpose of the present invention is to prevent the hydraulic fluid from leaking outside through the residual air release passage even when the hydraulic fluid inlet of the reservoir tank is largely tilted downward. And a reservoir tank using the cap.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a cap according to the present invention includes at least a cap body, a cylindrical side wall, and a bottom part, and a baffle that suppresses splashing of hydraulic fluid, and is provided at an upper end of the side wall of the baffle. A reservoir tank that stores a hydraulic fluid and closes the hydraulic fluid inlet of the reservoir tank, and when the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank is higher than atmospheric pressure or lower than atmospheric pressure, the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank A cap having a residual air release passage that allows air to flow to maintain atmospheric pressure has a space surrounded by the side wall, the bottom portion, and the diaphragm, and the space is formed in the bottom portion. And communicated with the interior of the reservoir tank through a baffle-side vent that forms part of the residual air release passage. And communicated with the outside of the reservoir tank through a diaphragm-side vent hole formed in the diaphragm and constituting another part of the residual air release passage, and the diaphragm is connected to the other part of the residual air release passage. A bent exhaust passage that constitutes a part and communicates the space and the outside of the diaphragm is formed.

  In the cap of the present invention, a cylindrical protrusion is formed on the diaphragm, the exhaust passage extends in the axial direction of the protrusion, and the first diaphragm side vent hole and the first diaphragm side passage. The second diaphragm side vent hole extending in the radial direction of the projecting portion so as to communicate orthogonally with the pore is formed in an inverted T shape.

  On the other hand, the reservoir tank of the present invention includes a tank main body for storing the hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid inlet provided in the tank main body for injecting the hydraulic fluid into the tank main body, and a cap for closing the hydraulic fluid inlet. And the cap is any one of the caps of the present invention described above.

  According to the cap of the present invention configured as above and the reservoir tank using the same, the baffle is surrounded by the side wall, the bottom, and the diaphragm and is formed outside the reservoir tank through a part of the residual air release passage. A curved exhaust passage that has a communication space and that forms a part of the residual air release passage and communicates the space and the outside of the diaphragm is formed in the diaphragm. Therefore, it is difficult for the hydraulic fluid that has passed through the baffle-side vent hole and moved into the space to move outside the diaphragm through the bent exhaust passage. Thereby, the leakage to the exterior of a hydraulic fluid can be suppressed effectively.

  In particular, in the case of a cap used for a reservoir tank extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the reservoir tank tilts forward and downward of the vehicle, so that the hydraulic fluid is capped even if the hydraulic fluid inlet is largely tilted downward. It is possible to effectively suppress leakage to the outside of the reservoir tank through the residual air release passage.

It is a figure showing typically a brake equipment provided with an example of an embodiment of a cap concerning the present invention. (A) is sectional drawing of the cap of this example, (B) is the fragmentary view seen from the IIB direction in (A).

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, horizontal and vertical refer to a state in which the reservoir tank is mounted on a horizontal or substantially horizontal vehicle, and the required maximum liquid volume (MAX) line and the required minimum liquid volume (MIN) line are the reservoir tank. It is a horizontal line in the same state.

  FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a brake device including a first example of an embodiment of a cap according to the present invention. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the cap of the first example, and FIG. 2B is a partial view seen from the IIB direction in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic brake device 1 of this example is basically the same as a conventionally known two-system hydraulic brake device. That is, the hydraulic brake device 1 includes a brake pedal 2, a booster 3, a tandem master cylinder 4, a reservoir tank 5, and brake cylinders 6, 7, 8, and 9.

  When the driver depresses the brake pedal 2 while driving the vehicle or the like, the booster 3 operates to boost and output the pedal depression force with a predetermined servo ratio. The primary piston 4a of the tandem master cylinder 4 is operated by the output of the booster 3 to supply the brake fluid as the hydraulic fluid in the primary hydraulic chamber 4b to the brake cylinder 6 of one system, and the secondary piston 4c is It operates to feed the brake fluid in the secondary hydraulic pressure chamber 4d to the brake cylinder 6 of the other system. When the loss stroke of each brake system disappears, the tandem master cylinder 4 generates hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure of the tandem master cylinder 4 is transmitted to the brake cylinders 6, 7, 8, and 9, and the brake cylinders 6, 7, 8, and 9 generate a braking force. Brake is applied to 11,12,13.

  The reservoir tank 5 used in the hydraulic brake device 1 has a tank body 14 that is a container for storing hydraulic fluid. The tank body 14 includes an upper body 15 that is resin-molded and a lower body 16 that is also resin-molded. The tank body 14 is formed such that the upper end opening end of the lower body 16 is liquid-tightly welded to the lower end opening end of the upper body 15 by heating and pressurization. Thereby, the reservoir tank 5 has a relatively large horizontal surface area with a relatively thin and substantially flat shape.

  A hydraulic fluid injecting portion 17 is integrally projected from the front portion 15a of the upper body 15 toward the front (left side in FIG. 1) when the reservoir tank 5 is mounted on the vehicle. The hydraulic fluid injecting portion 17 extends from the front portion 15a of the upper body 15 toward the tip thereof in a diagonally upward and forward direction with respect to the horizontal direction, and extends upward in the vertical direction from the tip of the communicating portion 17a. And a cylindrical hydraulic fluid injection port 17b. In this case, the required maximum liquid amount (MAX) line of the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir tank 5 is provided at a predetermined position of the hydraulic fluid inlet 17b, and the required minimum liquid amount (MIN) line of the hydraulic fluid is provided in the lower body. It is provided at 16 predetermined positions. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip opening 17c of the working fluid inlet 17b is closed by providing the cap 18 of the first example at the tip opening 17c (upper end in FIG. 1) of the working fluid inlet 17b. . Further, the cap opening 18c is opened by removing the cap 18 from the tip opening 17c.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the cap 18 projects from the cap body 19 and the cap body 19 downward in FIG. 2 (A) and can be fitted into the working fluid inlet 17b. It has a baffle 20 that suppresses the splashing of the generated hydraulic fluid, and a diaphragm 21 provided at the upper end of the baffle 20.

The cap body 19 is formed in a cylindrical shape and its upper end is closed. The cap body 19 is locked to a gripping portion 19a that is gripped by an operator when the hydraulic fluid inlet 17b is attached to and detached from the tip opening 17c, and a locked portion 17d that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the tip opening 17c. It has a possible locking portion 19b, an engaged portion 19c provided inside, and a predetermined number of cap body side ventilation grooves 19d, 19e extending in the vertical direction (vertical direction).

The baffle 20 includes a cylindrical side wall 20a, a bottom portion 20b that closes a lower end opening of the side wall 20a, and a disk-like hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c that is provided on the bottom portion 20b with a predetermined gap α downward. And a center shaft 20d projecting upward from the center of the bottom 20b, and an annular engaging portion 20e provided at the upper end of the side wall 20a. In that case, the upper surface 20f of the bottom 20b is a horizontal flat surface. Further, a predetermined number (preferably 2) that penetrates the bottom portion 20b in the vertical direction (or vertical direction) between the outer peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 20b (the edge portion on the inner peripheral wall surface 20g side wall 20a) and the central axis 20d. Baffle-side vent holes 20h and 20i are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (note that the predetermined number of baffle-side vent holes 20h and 20i are not necessarily equal in the circumferential direction. ). A predetermined number of baffle-side ventilation grooves 20j extend in the horizontal direction at the upper end of the engaging portion 20e.

The side wall 20a, the bottom portion 20b, the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, the central shaft 20d, and the engaging portion 20e are integrally molded with resin. In this case, the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c is disposed so as to overlap the baffle side ventilation holes 20h and 20i in the vertical direction, so that both the baffle side ventilation holes 20h and 20i are connected to the reservoir tank by the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c. 5 is shielded so as not to directly face the inside.

  The diaphragm 21 is formed in a disk shape. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the diaphragm 21 includes a columnar protrusion 21b formed at the center thereof, and the axial direction (vertical direction or vertical direction of the protrusion 21b on the protrusion 21b. The first diaphragm side vent hole 21a drilled so as to extend in the direction), and communicated perpendicularly to the first diaphragm side vent hole 21a and extended in the radial direction (horizontal direction). It has the 2nd diaphragm side ventilation hole 21c pierced by the protrusion part 21b, and the annular outer peripheral part 21d formed in thickness. Accordingly, the diaphragm 21 is formed with an inverted T-shaped bent exhaust passage by the first diaphragm side vent hole 21a and the second diaphragm side vent hole 21c. In addition, a predetermined number of diaphragm side ventilation grooves 21g extend in the horizontal direction at the upper end of the outer peripheral edge 21d of the diaphragm 21.

  A diaphragm 21 is disposed at the upper end of the cylindrical side wall 20a of the baffle 20 and closes the side wall 20a. In addition, the cap main body 19 is integrally attached to the upper end of the side wall 20 a by engaging the annular engaging portion 20 e at the upper end of the side wall 20 a with the engaged portion 19 c of the cap main body 19. When the cap body 19 is attached to the side wall 20 a in this way, the annular outer peripheral edge 21 d of the diaphragm 21 is sandwiched between the cap body 19 and the baffle 20. Therefore, the diaphragm 21 is disposed between the cap body 19 and the bottom 20 b of the baffle 20.

  Then, the locking portion 19b of the cap body 19 is locked to the locked portion 17d of the tip opening portion 17c of the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b, so that the cap 18 is attached to the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b and the tip opening portion. 17c is closed.

When the air pressure (residual air pressure) in the reservoir tank 5 becomes higher than the atmospheric pressure in a state where the cap 18 is attached to the tip opening 17c of the hydraulic fluid inlet 17b, as shown by a dotted arrow in FIG. The air in the reservoir tank 5 (residual air) is a gap between the inner peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b and the outer peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, the upper surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, and the lower surface of the bottom portion 20b. , Baffle side vent holes 20h, 20i, second diaphragm side vent hole 21c, first diaphragm side vent hole 21a, diaphragm side vent groove 21g of diaphragm 21, and baffle side of engaging portion 20e of baffle 20. The air is exhausted outside through the ventilation groove 20j and the cap body side ventilation grooves 19d and 19e of the cap body 19. Thereby, the air pressure in the reservoir tank 5 becomes atmospheric pressure.

Further, when the air pressure in the reservoir tank 5 becomes lower than the atmospheric pressure, the air (atmosphere) outside the reservoir tank 5 is on the side of each cap body of the cap body 19 in the direction opposite to the dotted arrow shown in FIG. Ventilation grooves 19e, 19d, baffle side engagement grooves 20e, baffle side ventilation grooves 2
0j, the diaphragm side ventilation groove 21g of the diaphragm 21, the first diaphragm side ventilation hole 21a, the second diaphragm side ventilation hole 21c, the baffle side ventilation holes 20h and 20i, the upper surface of the hydraulic fluid movement restraining plate 20c and the lower surface of the bottom portion 20b. And the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b and the outer peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid movement restraining plate 20c are sucked into the reservoir tank 5. Thereby, the air pressure in the reservoir tank 5 is maintained at atmospheric pressure.

Thus, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b and the outer peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, the gap α between the upper surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c and the lower surface of the bottom portion 20b, the baffle. Side vent holes 20h, 20i, second diaphragm side vent hole 21c, first diaphragm side vent hole 21
a, a bent air release passage (the residual air release passage of the present invention) through which the air in the reservoir tank 5 flows out to the outside by the diaphragm side ventilation groove 21g, the baffle side ventilation groove 20j, and the cap body side ventilation grooves 19d and 19e. Is equivalent).

On the other hand, when the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir tank 5 moves in a tilted or swaying manner due to tilting of the reservoir tank 5 or shaking of the reservoir tank 5, the movement or shaking of the hydraulic fluid is caused by movement of the hydraulic fluid. It is suppressed by the suppression plate 20c. In addition, the hydraulic fluid moves, so that the hydraulic fluid flows between the inner peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b and the outer peripheral surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, the upper surface of the hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate 20c, and the bottom portion 20b. It may flow into the space surrounded by the inner peripheral side wall surface 20g of the side wall 20a, the bottom portion 20b, and the diaphragm 21 through the gap α between the lower surface and the baffle side vent holes 20h and 20i.

  The hydraulic fluid that has flowed into the space may move toward the diaphragm 21. However, since a part of the air release passage is formed into a reverse T-shaped bent passage by the second diaphragm side vent hole 21c and the first diaphragm side vent hole 21a, the working fluid is directed toward the diaphragm 21. Even if it moves, the movement from the space described above to the outside of the diaphragm 21 through the second diaphragm side vent hole 21c and the first diaphragm side vent hole 21a is suppressed. The baffle 20 is formed with the annular recess 20k by forming the engaging portion 20e. However, the hydraulic fluid moves to the outside of the diaphragm 21 by the inverted T-shaped bent passage as described above. Therefore, the hydraulic fluid hardly accumulates in the recess 20k.

According to the cap 18 of this example configured as described above, the columnar protrusion 21b formed at the center of the diaphragm 21 is reversed by the second diaphragm side vent hole 21c and the first diaphragm side vent hole 21a. A T-shaped bent air release passage is formed. Therefore, the hydraulic fluid that has passed through the baffle-side vent holes 20h and 20i and moved into the space described above is difficult to move outside the diaphragm 21 through the inverted T-shaped bent air release passage. Thereby, the leakage to the exterior of a hydraulic fluid can be suppressed effectively.

  In particular, in the case of the cap 18 used for the reservoir tank 5 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the reservoir tank 5 tilts forward and downward of the vehicle, so that even if the hydraulic fluid injection port 17b largely tilts downward, It is possible to effectively suppress the hydraulic fluid from leaking out of the reservoir tank 5 through the air release passage of the cap 18.

The present invention is not limited to the above examples. For example, in each example of the above-described embodiment, the cap 18 is used for the reservoir tank 5 of the brake device 1. However, the cap of the present invention is used for a reservoir tank for a clutch master cylinder and a hydraulic booster. Applies to any cap used for reservoir tanks and other reservoir tanks having an air release passage through which air flows to maintain the air pressure in the tank containing the liquid at atmospheric pressure. be able to. In short, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

The cap according to the present invention uses air to maintain the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank at atmospheric pressure when the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank in which the liquid is stored becomes higher than atmospheric pressure or lower than atmospheric pressure. The present invention can be suitably used for a cap used in a reservoir tank having a residual air release passage for flowing.
Further, the reservoir tank according to the present invention can be suitably used for a reservoir tank having the above-described residual air release passage.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hydraulic brake device, 2 ... Brake pedal, 3 ... Booster device, 4 ... Tandem master cylinder, 5 ... Reservoir tank, 6, 7, 8, 9 ... Brake cylinder, 14 ... Tank main body, 17 ...
Hydraulic fluid injection part, 17b ... hydraulic fluid injection port, 17c ... tip opening, 18 ... cap, 19 ... cap body, 19d, 19e ... cap body side ventilation groove, 20 ... baffle, 20a ... side wall,
20b ... bottom part, 20c ... hydraulic fluid movement suppression plate, 20f ... upper surface, 20g ... inner peripheral side wall face, 20h, 20i ... baffle side vent hole, 20j ... baffle side vent groove, 21 ... diaphragm, 21a
... 1st diaphragm side ventilation hole, 21b ... Cylindrical protrusion part, 21c ... 2nd diaphragm side ventilation hole, 21d ... Outer peripheral edge part, 21g ... Diaphragm side ventilation groove

Claims (2)

A hydraulic fluid for a reservoir tank that has at least a cap body, has a cylindrical side wall and a bottom, and suppresses the splashing of the hydraulic fluid, and a diaphragm provided at an upper end of the side wall of the baffle, and stores the hydraulic fluid Residual air release that closes the inlet and allows air to flow to maintain the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank at atmospheric pressure when the residual air pressure in the reservoir tank becomes higher or lower than atmospheric pressure In a cap having a passage,
Having a space surrounded by the sidewall, the bottom, and the diaphragm;
The space is formed in the bottom and communicates with the interior of the reservoir tank through a baffle-side vent hole that forms a part of the residual air release passage and is formed in the diaphragm and the other one of the residual air release passage. Communicated to the outside of the reservoir tank through the diaphragm side vent hole constituting the part,
The diaphragm forms a part of another part of the residual air release passage, a bent exhaust passage that communicates the space with the outside of the diaphragm , and a columnar protrusion is formed. And
The exhaust passage extends in the radial direction of the protrusion so as to communicate with a first diaphragm-side vent hole extending in the axial direction of the protrusion and orthogonal to the first diaphragm-side vent hole. A cap that is formed in an inverted T shape by the second diaphragm side vent hole. A tank main body for storing the hydraulic fluid; a hydraulic fluid inlet provided in the tank main body for injecting the hydraulic fluid into the tank main body; and a cap for closing the hydraulic fluid inlet;
The reservoir tank according to claim 1, wherein the cap is the cap according to claim 1.

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