JP6736236B2 - Washer tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washer tank for a vehicle.

Conventionally, a washer tank as shown in Patent Document 1 below has been provided. The washer tank of Patent Document 1 has a shape in which a liquid injection pipe is attached to the tank main body and the liquid injection pipe extends from the tank main body.

JP, 2015-24731, A

Here, in recent years, the size of the engine room tends to be reduced in order to increase the vehicle compartment, and it is difficult to secure a large space in the engine room. Therefore, the structure accommodated in the engine room has to be arranged in a very limited space.

In the washer tank, the tank main body for storing the cleaning liquid is arranged in a limited space in the engine room, and the opening (the liquid injection port) at the tip of the liquid injection pipe is taken out to a position where the stored liquid can be replenished. There is a need. On the other hand, the position where the tank body of the washer tank is stored or the position where the liquid injection port of the washer tank is taken out (the direction of taking out the liquid injection port) varies depending on the vehicle model.

For example, in the washer tank of Patent Document 1 described above, the liquid injection pipe is configured to be taken out in the traveling direction side of the vehicle with respect to the tank body. The liquid injection port of the washer tank is extended and taken out from the tank main body so that the pipe portion goes through a gap of another structure housed in the engine room.

For example, in the past, the washer tank's injection port was generally taken upward at a position where it was easy to see in the engine room, but in recent years, the washer tank's pump part has been injected near the back of the fender. Some have their mouths pulled out sideways or upwards. As described above, in the washer tank, the direction in which the pipe portion extends with respect to the tank body and the position of the liquid injection port differ depending on the vehicle model. Therefore, the extension direction of the pipe portion with respect to the tank body of the washer tank and the extraction position of the liquid injection port need to correspond to each vehicle type.

On the other hand, if the entire washer tank is changed for each car model, the cost of the mold is increased. Further, if only the tank body is mentioned, it is possible to make it common to some vehicle types. For example, it is conceivable that the washer tank has a common tank main body, an opening is provided in the tank main body, and a water injection pipe is connected to change the pipe take-out direction and take-out position for each vehicle type.

However, if the tank main body is made common and the total length of the pipe is extended and the pipe path is changed to change the injection position of the liquid injection port for each vehicle type, the total length of the pipe becomes unnecessarily long. It is assumed that the pipe route will become distorted. Further, when the liquid injection pipe is long and the engagement structure between the connection hole of the tank body and the liquid injection pipe is not sufficient (for example, when the contact area between the liquid injection pipe and the connection hole is insufficient). It is assumed that the buildability (engagement) between the tank body and the liquid injection pipe is poor.

In addition, if it is attempted to increase the capacity of the tank body, it is expected that the cost will become worse if the type of the entire washer tank is modified. Further, even if the diameter of the pipe is increased to increase the volume of the pipe portion as in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to increase the capacity, and the weight of the increased pipe increases and becomes unstable. There is a fear.

Therefore, the present invention does not require mold modification of the tank main body, enables a structure in which the injection position of the liquid injection port is different from the tank main body, and can further improve the buildability of the pipe portion and the tank main body. For the purpose of providing.

The washer tank of the present invention provided to solve the above-mentioned problems has a tank main body in which a cleaning liquid is stored and a connection hole is formed, and a pipe forming body which is a separate body from the tank main body, The pipe forming body is formed into a pipe shape with a bulging portion attached to the tank body so as to communicate with the connection hole, and one end of the pipe forming body is connected so as to communicate with the bulging portion. A pipe portion having a cleaning liquid injection port formed at an end thereof, wherein the bulging portion and the pipe portion are integrally formed, and the bulging portion is more diametrically than the pipe portion. It is characterized by being expanded.

According to the washer tank of the present invention, the tank main body can be made common to a plurality of vehicle types and the extraction position of the liquid injection port can be made to correspond to each vehicle type.

More specifically, in the washer tank of the present invention, the pipe body forming portion including the pipe portion having the liquid injection port formed at one end and the tank body are separate bodies. Therefore, in the washer tank of the present invention, the tank main body can be made common for a plurality of vehicle types, and the pipe forming body can have a different injection position for each vehicle type.

Further, in the washer tank of the present invention, when the pipe forming body is molded by injection molding or the like by a mold (split mold) that is divided into two or more, a part of the split mold may be changed or the split mold may be split. By replacing a part of the above, it is possible to obtain a pipe forming body in which the position of the liquid injection port is different from that of the bulging portion. As a result, the present invention can provide a washer tank that is cost-effective and is compatible with a plurality of vehicle types.

Furthermore, in the pipe forming body of the washer tank of the present invention, the bulging portion and the pipe portion are integrally formed. Further, in the washer tank of the present invention, the bulging portion functioning as a mounting base of the pipe portion to the tank body is larger than the diameter of the pipe portion. In other words, in the washer tank of the present invention, in the connection structure of the pipe portion and the tank body, the area where the bulge portion and the tank body engage is expanded as compared with the case where the pipe portion is directly attached to the tank body. ing. As a result, the washer tank of the present invention can improve the buildability (engageability) of the pipe portion with respect to the tank body.

In the washer tank of the present invention, the bulging portion may have a shape bulging toward the outside of the tank body.

According to the above configuration, the bulging portion has a shape that bulges in the radial direction and the axial direction, and a space capable of containing a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid is formed in the internal space of the bulging portion. As a result, the washer tank of the present invention can increase the capacity for storing the cleaning liquid without requiring a mold modification for expanding the capacity of the tank body. Further, in the washer tank of the present invention, since the bulging portion is attached adjacent to the tank body, it is easy to increase the storage amount of the cleaning liquid.

Further, the washer tank of the present invention has a shape in which the bulging portion that functions as a mounting base for the pipe portion bulges. Therefore, in the washer tank of the present invention, when the bulging portion is provided at a position where a part of the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid can be visually recognized, the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid can be easily visually recognized. As a result, the washer tank of the present invention can easily confirm the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid by visual inspection.

In the washer tank of the present invention, the pipe forming body is molded by a split mold that is divided into two or more parts, and the arrangement of a part of the split mold is changed so that the liquid injection port with respect to the bulging portion is formed. It is desirable that the position of can be changed.

According to the above configuration, the mounting position of the pipe part is changed by changing the disposition of the split mold to suppress the cost for mold correction, and to obtain a pipe forming body in which the position of the liquid injection port with respect to the bulging part is different. You can As a result, the present invention can provide a washer tank that is cost-effective and is compatible with a plurality of vehicle types.

Also, in the washer tank of the present invention, the pipe forming body is formed by a split mold that is divided into two or more parts, and by replacing a part of the split mold, the liquid injection port with respect to the bulging portion is formed. The position of can be changeable.

According to the above configuration, the mounting position of the pipe part is changed by partially replacing the split mold to suppress the cost for mold correction, and obtain a pipe forming body in which the position of the liquid injection port with respect to the bulging part is different. be able to. As a result, the present invention can provide a washer tank that is cost-effective and is compatible with a plurality of vehicle types.

Further, in the washer tank according to the present invention, the bulging portion is permeable to a partial area or an entire area, and the liquid level of the cleaning liquid stored in the tank body can be visually recognized. The scale may be provided as an index indicating the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid.

According to the above configuration, the visibility of the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid can be further improved.

According to the present invention, a washer that does not require mold modification of the tank main body, enables a configuration in which the injection position of the liquid injection port is different from the tank main body, and further improves the buildability of the pipe portion and the tank main body A tank offer can be provided.

It is a perspective view showing a washer tank concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the washer tank of FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a position of a pipe portion when the washer tank of FIG. 1 is molded. It is a perspective view showing an example of a washer tank of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the washer tank 10 of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

The washer tank 10 is for storing the cleaning liquid. The washer tank 10 is arranged in the engine room of the vehicle. Although illustration of the engine room is omitted, various structures such as an engine unit and a radiator are densely housed in the engine room of the vehicle. The washer tank 10 is connected to a pump (not shown) for sending the cleaning liquid to the front windshield and the rear windshield.

As shown in FIG. 1, the washer tank 10 has an engine room (in which the injection port 42 for injecting the cleaning liquid is oriented in a predetermined take-out direction B (upward of the vehicle Up in FIG. 1) at a predetermined take-out position A. (Not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the washer tank 10 has a tank body 20 and a pipe forming body 30. In FIG. 1, only a part of the tank body 20 is shown and the whole view is omitted. In the washer tank 10, the tank body 20 and the pipe forming body 30 are separate bodies. As shown in FIG. 2, the washer tank 10 is configured such that the pipe forming body 30 is attached to the connection hole 22 formed in the tank body 20. The connection structure between the tank main body 20 and the pipe forming body 30 may be a screwing structure, a structure that is connected through a connecting member, or a structure that is bonded or the like.

The tank body 20 is for storing the cleaning liquid. The tank body 20 is generally a hollow member obtained by a molding method such as blow molding of a material such as resin. A connection hole 22 that communicates with the internal space is formed in the tank body 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pipe forming body 30 has a bulging portion 32 and a pipe portion 40. The bulging portion 32 and the pipe portion 40 are integrally formed.

The pipe forming body 30 is a molding member formed of a material such as a resin by injection molding (injection molding). The pipe forming body 30 of the present embodiment is formed of a transparent material.

The pipe forming body 30 is formed by using a split mold M (not shown). The “split mold” is a mold for producing a molded product of a resin material by injection molding, and is a mold that is divided into two or more parts so that the product can be easily taken out of the mold. The pipe forming body 30 of the present embodiment is formed by a split mold M that is divided into at least three parts.

The bulging portion 32 has a substantially tubular shape when viewed from the outside. The bulging portion 32 is attached to the tank body 20 so as to communicate with the connection hole 22. Further, the bulging portion 32 is arranged on the front surface side of the tank body 20, and has a shape that bulges in the radial direction and the axial direction X.

The bulging portion 32 has a shape in which one end of a short tubular body is closed. The bulging portion 32 includes a peripheral portion 34 forming a peripheral surface and a closing portion 36 formed so as to close the opening of the tubular body. The bulging portion 32 forms a tubular body whose one side in the axial direction X is closed, and the inside is hollow. The bulging portion 32 is formed with a flange portion 35 in which one end of the peripheral portion 34 is radially expanded.

The pipe portion 40 has a pipe-like shape and has a cleaning liquid injection port 42 formed therein. The pipe portion 40 is provided for the bulging portion 32. One end of the pipe portion 40 is connected so as to communicate with the bulging portion 32, and a liquid injection port 42 is formed at the other end.

As will be described later, the washer tank 10 of the present invention is configured such that at least a part of the split mold M for molding the pipe forming body 30 is repositioned or replaced to form the position and shape of the pipe portion 40. Can be changed. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the pipe portion 40 is formed in the closing portion 36.

In the washer tank 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pipe portion 40 is extended from the closing portion 36 in the axial direction X of the bulging portion 32 and is bent upward in the middle of the path. The pipe portion 40 may have a linear path other than the bent shape shown in FIG. Further, in the pipe section 40, the liquid injection port 42 is closed by a lid body (not shown).

As described above, the pipe forming body 30 is formed of a transparent material. Therefore, when the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid stored in the tank body 20 is located in the bulging portion 32, the bulging portion 32 can visually check the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid and the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid. In addition, the closed portion 36 of the bulging portion 32 is provided with a scale 38 that serves as an index indicating the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid. As a result, the washer tank 10 can easily confirm the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid.

The bulging portion 32 is sized to have a length in the radial direction and the axial direction X that is larger than the diameter D1 of the pipe portion 40. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the bulging portion 32 has a diameter D2 larger than the diameter D1 of the pipe portion 40. Further, the bulging portion 32 is shaped so as to bulge a distance L1 toward the outside of the tank body 20 in the axial direction X. In other words, the bulging portion 32 has a length L1 in the axial direction X sufficient to connect the pipe portion 40 to the peripheral portion 34.

The washer tank 10 expands the swelling portion 32 in the radial direction and the axial direction X to expand the internal space, thereby expanding the cleaning liquid storage space communicating with the connection hole 22. Therefore, in the washer tank 10, in addition to the capacity of the tank main body 20, the capacity capable of storing the cleaning liquid is expanded by the capacity of the internal space of the bulging portion 32. As a result, the washer tank 10 can increase the storage capacity of the cleaning liquid without changing the mold of the tank body 20.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the structure of the mold for molding the pipe forming body 30 will be described. As described above, the pipe forming body 30 is molded using the split mold M (not shown). Further, the split mold M for molding the pipe forming body 30 is divided into at least three. In other words, the pipe forming body 30 is molded by the split mold M, which is a combination of molds divided into three or more molds. Hereinafter, a mold in a state in which the split mold M is divided may be described as a “divided mold S”.

In the pipe forming body 30, the position of the pipe portion 40 with respect to the bulging portion 32 and the position and orientation of the liquid injection port 42 can be changed by changing the arrangement of a part of the split mold M or by replacing it. ..

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the pipe forming body 30 includes a dividing die S corresponding to the closed portion forming body 50a, a dividing die S corresponding to the peripheral portion forming body 52b, and a dividing die corresponding to the peripheral portion forming body 52c. When the split mold M is composed of S, it is assumed that the pipe portion 40 is formed on the peripheral portion 34 as shown in FIG.

In the washer tank 10 including the pipe forming body 30 shown in FIG. 4A, the extraction position A1 of the liquid injection port 42 is located closer to the front Fr of the vehicle, and the extraction direction B1 of the liquid injection port 42 is set to the front Fr of the vehicle. It is aimed at.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the pipe forming body 30 corresponds to the dividing die S corresponding to the closed portion forming body 50b, the dividing die S corresponding to the peripheral portion forming body 52a, and the peripheral portion forming body 52b. When the split mold M is configured by the split mold S, it is assumed that the pipe part 40 is formed in the closing part 36 as shown in FIG. 4B.

In the washer tank 10 including the pipe forming body 30 shown in FIG. 4B, the extraction position A2 of the liquid injection port 42 is set closer to the front Fr of the vehicle, and the extraction direction B2 of the liquid injection port 42 is set to the upper direction Up of the vehicle. It is intended for.

Furthermore, for example, by changing the arrangement of the split mold S for molding the peripheral portion forming body 52c, it is possible to change the take-out position A and the take-out direction B of the liquid injection port 42 without replacing the split mold S. The pipe forming body 30 can be molded.

As described above, in the washer tank 10, when the pipe forming body 30 is molded by injection molding or the like using the split mold M, a part of the split mold M is changed or a part of the split mold M is changed. By replacing the pipe forming body 30, it is possible to obtain the pipe forming body 30 having different extraction positions A and extraction directions B of the injection port 42 with respect to the bulging portion 32.

As described above, the washer tank 10 may be configured such that the position (for example, the vicinity of the fender or the inside of the engine room) where the liquid injection port 42 is taken out from the position where the tank body 20 is housed (for example, the engine room) corresponds to each vehicle type. it can.

In the washer tank of the present invention, the number of split dies S used to form the split dies M is not limited to that in the above embodiment. For example, the split mold M may be configured by the three split molds S, or may be configured by a larger number.

The present invention can be suitably adopted as a washer tank for a vehicle.

10 Washer Tank 20 Tank Body 22 Connection Hole 30 Pipe Forming Body 32 Swelling Part 40 Pipe Part 42 Injection Port X Axis Direction

Claims (1)

A tank body that stores cleaning liquid and has a connection hole,
A pipe forming body that is a separate body from the tank body,
The pipe forming body,
A bulging part attached to the tank body so as to communicate with the connection hole, and having a space capable of containing a cleaning liquid ;
A pipe part, which is connected to one end so as to communicate with the bulging part and which has a pipe part having a cleaning liquid injection port formed at the other end,
The bulged portion and the pipe portion are integrally formed,
The bulging portion,
In an arrow along the axial direction of the pipe portion at a portion connected to the bulging portion, expanded from the outer diameter of the pipe portion,
A pipe part with the injection port side facing upward is set at the central part of the closed part or the peripheral part of the bulging part or at a higher part than the central part,
A washer tank , wherein a residual amount memory is set below a closed portion of the bulging portion or a central portion of a peripheral portion .

Images