JP6908482B2 - Fuel tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fuel tank.

A breather pipe for discharging the gas in the fuel tank to the outside at the time of refueling is provided in the filler pipe for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of the automobile from the fuel filler port (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, as a fuel tank, a so-called saddle-shaped fuel tank, which is provided below the floor panel or the like and is arranged so as to straddle the exhaust pipe, is used.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-155239

Since the saddle-shaped fuel tank is arranged so as to straddle the exhaust pipe, the exhaust pipe heats the vehicle when the vehicle travels for a long time, and the temperature inside the fuel tank rises. As a result, the amount of fuel vapor in the fuel tank increases. If refueling is performed in this state, there is an inconvenience that the amount of fuel vapor leaking from the breather pipe increases.

In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank that suppresses the amount of fuel vapor leaking from the fuel tank during refueling.

The fuel tank according to the invention according to claim 1 is surrounded by a bottom wall, a side wall and an upper wall, and fuel is stored inside the fuel tank, and the fuel filler port and the inside are communicated with each other on the upper wall or the upper side of the side wall. A fuel tank body having an opening of a filler pipe, and a fuel diffusion plate arranged in the vicinity of the opening inside the fuel tank body and attached to a support column connecting the upper wall and the bottom wall. ,
To be equipped.

When the vehicle travels for a long time, the internal temperature of the fuel tank body, which is heated from the exhaust pipe or the like and has a small amount of fuel remaining, rises. As a result, the amount of fuel vapor in the fuel tank body increases. If fuel is injected into the fuel tank body from the fuel filler port through the filler pipe in this state, fuel vapor leaks from the fuel filler port to the outside via the filler pipe.

By the way, in the fuel tank body, a fuel diffusion plate is arranged near the opening of the filler pipe. Here, "near the opening" means a position where the fuel injected into the inside of the fuel tank body from the fuel filler port through the filler pipe hits the fuel diffusion plate before reaching the wall surface of the fuel tank body.

Therefore, when fuel is supplied from the filler pipe to the inside of the fuel tank body, the fuel directly hits the fuel diffusion plate from the opening of the filler pipe and scatters into the fuel tank body. In addition, the scattered fuel is vaporized by the high temperature in the fuel tank.

Due to these actions, the internal temperature of the fuel tank body is lowered, and the amount of fuel vapor in the fuel tank body is reduced. As a result, even when the amount of fuel vapor in the fuel tank body increases due to long-term driving of the vehicle, the internal temperature of the fuel tank body is effectively lowered by refueling to fuel the fuel in the fuel tank body. Since the amount of steam can be reduced, the amount of fuel vapor leaking to the outside from the fuel filler port during refueling can be suppressed.

Since the fuel tank of the invention according to claim 1 has the above configuration, the amount of fuel vapor leaking from the fuel tank at the time of refueling can be suppressed.

It is a vertical sectional view which shows the schematic structure of the fuel tank which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the main part cutout of the fuel tank which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. It is a front view which shows the diffusion plate which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

A fuel tank according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. In the following description, in each drawing, the front of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, the upper part of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow UP, and the width direction of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow W.

[Constitution]
First, the entire fuel tank 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The fuel tank 10 includes a bottom wall 12 extending in the vehicle width direction, and left wall 14, right wall 16, left wall 14, and right wall 16 extending upward from both ends of the bottom wall 12 in the vehicle width direction. It has a fuel tank body 20 including an upper wall 18 that connects the upper ends to each other and extends in the vehicle width direction. The fuel tank body 20 is closed by a bottom wall 12, a side wall including the left wall 14 and the right wall 16, and an upper wall 18, so that fuel can be stored inside.

The bottom wall 12 has a convex portion 22 whose central portion in the vehicle width direction protrudes upward on the vehicle in order to avoid the drive shaft 19 and the exhaust pipe 21 of the vehicle. That is, the fuel tank 10 is a so-called saddle-shaped fuel tank. Further, the fuel tank 10 is a resin fuel tank molded from resin.

Inside the fuel tank body 20, there are a first storage unit 24 located on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a second storage unit 26 located on the right side in the vehicle width direction, a first storage unit 24, and a second storage unit. It is divided into a connecting portion 28 for connecting 26 and a connecting portion 28.

Of the bottom wall 12 and the upper wall 18, the portions constituting the first storage portion 24 are the first bottom wall portion 12A, the first upper wall portion 18A, and the portions constituting the second storage portion 26 are second, respectively. The portions constituting the bottom wall portion 12B, the second upper wall portion 18B, and the connecting portion 28 are referred to as the third bottom wall portion 12C and the third upper wall portion 18C, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pedestal 30 projecting upward from the vehicle is formed on the first bottom wall portion 12A. Further, the first upper wall portion 18A is formed with a pedestal 32 protruding downward from the vehicle at a position corresponding to the pedestal 30. A support column 34 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle is arranged between the pedestals 30 and 32. As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of columns 34 are arranged in the first storage unit 24. In this way, by providing the pair of columns 34 between the first bottom wall portion 12A and the first upper wall portion 18A of the first storage portion 24, the first bottom wall portion 12A and the first upper surface due to a change in atmospheric temperature or the like are provided. Deformation of the wall portion 18A is suppressed.

Similarly, a pair of columns 40 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle are arranged between the pedestals 36 and 38 between the second bottom wall portion 12B and the second upper wall portion 18B of the second storage portion 26. Deformation of the two bottom wall portions 12B and the second upper wall portion 18B is suppressed.

Further, the third bottom wall portion 12C is formed with three conical trapezoidal projecting portions 42 projecting above the vehicle. Further, the third upper wall portion 18C is formed with three conical trapezoidal projecting portions 44 projecting downward from the vehicle. The upper end surface of the protrusion 42 and the lower end surface of the protrusion 44 are joined to form a standoff 46. That is, deformation of the third bottom wall portion 12C and the third upper wall portion 18C is suppressed by the three standoffs 46.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the first upper wall portion 18A of the first storage portion 24 is formed with a mounting hole portion 48 for mounting the built-in parts of the fuel tank 10 inside the fuel tank main body 20. There is. A pump module 52 is arranged below the vehicle of the lid 50 that closes the mounting hole 48.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the bottom wall 12 (bottom wall portion 12A) below the vehicle of the lid 50, the liquid level of fuel around the filter 56, which will be described later, is applied when the remaining amount of fuel is low. A sub-cup 54 is arranged to keep it high. Inside the sub-cup 54, a filter 56 and a pump module 52 arranged above the vehicle of the filter 56 and including a fuel pump for supplying fuel from the fuel tank body 20 to the engine are arranged. The fuel supply pipe 58 extending from the pump module 52 to the upper part of the vehicle penetrates the lid 50 and extends to the outside of the fuel tank main body 20.

Further, inside the sub-cup 54, a jet pump (not shown) or the like for moving fuel from the second storage unit 26 to the first storage unit 24 via a fuel pipe 64 described later is arranged.

Further, the first storage unit 24 is provided with a main gauge (not shown) provided with a float in order to detect the liquid level of the fuel on the first storage unit 24 side.

The second storage unit 26 is provided with a base 60 for attaching a sub gauge for detecting the liquid level of the fuel in the second storage unit 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the base 60 is formed in a conical trapezoidal shape with a hollow inside, and an opening 62 cut out to the lower end of the vehicle is formed below the vehicle on the outer peripheral surface. There is. Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the base 60, a sub gauge (not shown) is attached above the vehicle at the opening 62.

Inside the base 60, a filter 66 to which one end of a fuel pipe 64 for supplying fuel from the second storage unit 26 to the subcup 54 of the first storage unit 24 is connected is arranged.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a fuel diffusion plate 70 is formed on the support column 34 (hereinafter, the support column 34 is referred to as “support column 34A”) arranged on the rear side of the vehicle of the first storage unit 24. Has been done.

The fuel diffusion plate 70 has plate portions 72A and 72B extending from the rear side of the vehicle on the outer peripheral surface of the support column 34A to the inside in the vehicle width direction and the outside in the vehicle width direction, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the plate portion 72A has an outer end portion in the vehicle width direction connected to the outer peripheral surface of the support column 34A via a rib portion 74A, and is viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction from the inner end portion in the vehicle width direction. It is formed in a substantially L-shape extending diagonally above the vehicle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the plate portion 72B has an inner end portion in the vehicle width direction connected to the outer peripheral surface of the support column 34A via a rib portion 74B, and a central portion in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Is formed in a substantially inverted T shape protruding above the vehicle.

Further, each of the plate portions 72A and 72B of the fuel diffusion plate 70 is formed with a plurality of holes 76A and 76B penetrating in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the filler pipe 78 that communicates the fuel supply port of the automobile and the inside of the fuel tank body 20 is provided in the vicinity of the corner between the left wall 14 and the upper wall 18 of the fuel tank body 20. The opening 78A is open in the main body. The opening 78A on the fuel tank 10 side is located on the rear side of the vehicle of the fuel diffusion plate 70 (plate portion 72A) in a plan view. In other words, the fuel diffusion plate 70 is arranged in the vicinity of the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78.

Here, "the fuel diffusion plate 70 is located near the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78" means that when fuel is supplied to the fuel tank body 20 from a fuel filler port (not shown) via the filler pipe 78. This means that the fuel diffusion plate 70 is located in a range where it hits the fuel diffusion plates 70 (plate portions 72A and 72B) before the supplied fuel hits the bottom wall 12 and the side wall (left wall 14) of the fuel tank body 20. do.

[Action]
Next, the operation of the fuel tank 10 will be described.

When the automobile travels for a long time, the fuel tank main body 20 of the fuel tank 10 is heated by the exhaust pipe 21, and the internal temperature of the fuel tank main body 20 where the remaining fuel amount is low rises. As a result, the inside of the fuel tank body 20 may be filled with fuel vapor.

In this case, if the fuel cap of the fuel filler port (not shown) is opened to replenish the fuel tank 10, the fuel vapor filled inside the fuel tank body 20 may leak from the filler pipe 78 to the outside.

In the fuel tank 10 of the present embodiment, by refueling the fuel tank main body 20 from the filler pipe 78, the fuel supplied from the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78 to the inside of the fuel tank main body 20 is brought into the vicinity of the opening 78A. It directly hits the arranged fuel diffusion plate 70 and scatters.

Since the fuel supplied from the filler pipe 78 to the fuel tank main body 20 is lower than the internal temperature (temperature) of the fuel tank main body 20, the internal temperature of the fuel tank main body 20 is lowered by scattering, and the fuel tank main body 20 is reduced. The amount of fuel vapor inside can be reduced efficiently.

Further, when the scattered fuel is vaporized, the internal temperature of the fuel tank main body 20 is further reduced by the heat of vaporization, and the amount of fuel vapor in the fuel tank main body 20 can be further reduced.

In particular, since the fuel diffusion plate 70 is arranged in the vicinity of the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78 as shown in FIG. 2, the supplied fuel is supplied to the bottom wall 12 (bottom wall portion 12A) of the fuel tank body 20. It hits the fuel diffusion plate 70 directly before hitting the like. Therefore, the fuel is efficiently scattered by the fuel diffusion plate 70, and the internal temperature of the fuel tank body 20 can be efficiently reduced.

Further, in a configuration in which the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78 opens toward the front side of the vehicle in a plan view and the fuel diffusion plate 70 extends in the vehicle width direction, the fuel diffusion plate 70 has a hole penetrating in the vehicle front-rear direction. Parts 76A and 76B are formed. Therefore, in the fuel tank main body 20, the fuel can be scattered to the opposite side of the opening 78A with the fuel diffusion plate 70 sandwiched in a plan view. That is, by expanding the scattering range of the supplied fuel, the internal cooling effect of the fuel tank body 20 is further enhanced.

Further, since the plate portions 72A and 72B of the fuel diffusion plate 70 have a structure attached to the support column 34, the fuel tank 10 is excellent in assembling property at the time of manufacturing.

Further, since the fuel diffusion plate 70 suppresses the fluctuation of the fuel when the vehicle is running in the fuel tank main body 20, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise due to the swinging fuel hitting the wall surface of the fuel tank main body 20. Can be done.

[others]
The fuel diffusion plate 70 of the present embodiment has a configuration of being attached to a support column 34, but the present invention is not limited to this. The fuel diffusion plate 70 may be configured to be directly arranged on the fuel tank main body 20.

Further, the fuel diffusion plate 70 (plate portions 72A, 72B) of the present embodiment extends in a direction orthogonal to the fuel supplied to the front of the vehicle from the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78 in a plan view, that is, in the vehicle width direction. It was placed there, but it is not limited to this. For example, the fuel scattering range can be adjusted by arranging the plate portions 72A and 72B in a direction in which the plate portions 72A and 72B are inclined from the vehicle width direction in a plan view.

Further, the fuel diffusion plate 70 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the plate portions 72A and 72B are provided with holes 76A and 76B, but a configuration without holes may be used.

Further, in the present embodiment, it is applied to the saddle-shaped fuel tank 10, but it can also be applied to a fuel tank other than the saddle-shaped fuel tank. It is also applicable to a fuel tank such as the fuel tank 10 which does not have a standoff 46 or columns 34, 40.

Further, in the present embodiment, the opening 78A of the filler pipe 78 is opened near the corner between the side wall of the fuel tank main body 20 and the upper wall 18, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the opening 78A may be opened to the upper wall 18 or may be opened to the upper part of the side wall.

10 Fuel tank 12 Bottom wall 14 Left wall (side wall)
16 Right wall (side wall)
18 Upper wall 20 Fuel tank body 70 Diffusion plate (fuel diffusion plate)
78 Filler pipe 78A Opening

Claims (1)

The fuel tank body is surrounded by a bottom wall, a side wall, and an upper wall to store fuel inside, and an opening of a filler pipe for communicating the fuel filler port and the inside is opened on the upper wall or the upper side of the side wall. When,
A fuel diffusion plate arranged in the vicinity of the opening inside the fuel tank body and attached to a support column connecting the upper wall and the bottom wall.
A fuel tank equipped with.

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