JPH044981Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention relates to a liquid level detection device installed in a fuel tank to measure the remaining amount of fuel in an automobile.
In particular, the present invention relates to a mounting structure for a contact holder that supports a contact for converting the height of a liquid level into an electrical signal.

[Problems to be solved by conventional techniques and ideas]

An example of a conventional device will be explained with reference to FIG.

The illustrated liquid level detection device includes a float 1 floating on the liquid level in a fuel tank, a float arm 2 holding the float 1 at one end, and a frame 3 fixed to the fuel tank and rotatably supporting the float arm 2.
, a contact 5 attached to the other end of the float arm 2 via a holder 4, and a resistor 6 fixed in the frame 3 facing the contact 5 so that the contact 5 slides thereon. It consists of

When the float 1 moves up and down depending on the height of the liquid level, the float arm 2 rotates around the frame 3, so the contact 5 slides on the resistor 6 and its contact position changes. Therefore, the change in the resistance value of the resistor 6 in the detection circuit can be extracted as an electrical signal and displayed on the meter.

The support structure at the connecting portion between the contact holder 4 and the float arm 2 is as follows.

A bearing part 3a is integrally provided at the lower part of the frame 3, and this bearing part 3a is constituted by holes penetrating on both sides. The L-shaped bent end 2a of the float arm 2 passes through this hole from one side, and the penetrating tip fits tightly into the hole 4a formed in the center of the holder 4 on the opposite side of the bearing 3a. is fitted.

A coil spring 7 is interposed between the contact holder 4 and the bearing portion 3a, and the elastic force of the coil spring 7 constantly urges the contact holder 4 in a direction away from the bearing portion 3a.

Further, a holding part 4b extending in the same direction as the extension direction of the float arm is provided at the lower part of the contact holder 4, and two pairs of split claws 4c as shown in FIG. 6 are integrated into this holding part 4b. The float arm 2 is inserted and fixed into the split claw 4c by pressing the float arm 2 from above the split claw 4c.

With this configuration, the float arm 2 and the holder 4 are integrated and rotatably supported by the frame 3.

By the way, in the above conventional device, when attaching the contact holder 4 to the frame 3, the contact holder 4 is set from one side of the frame (left arrow in FIG. 5), and the float arm 2 is set from the opposite side (left arrow in FIG. 5). Since it is set from the right arrow in Figure 5), the actual assembly procedure is as follows:
First, after setting the contact holder 4 with the setting surface of the contact holder 4 facing upward, it is necessary to turn the frame 3 upside down and set the float arm 2 from above. At this time, a jig is used to prevent the contact holder 4 from falling off. It was necessary to temporarily fix it. Therefore, it has been difficult to improve assembly work efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a mounting structure for a contact holder in a liquid level detection device that can improve assembly work efficiency without increasing the cost of the product.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the mounting structure of the contact holder in the liquid level detection device according to the present invention is such that the other end of the float arm, which has a float attached to one end and is bent into an L-shape, is attached to the bearing part of the frame. The contact is inserted rotatably from one side, and its tip that comes out to the other side is tightly fitted into the hole of the contact holder that holds the contact, and the float arm inserted into the bearing part is inserted through the center of the contact. A coil spring is interposed between the holder and the bearing part to constantly bias the contact holder in a direction away from the bearing part, and the contact is slidably in contact with a resistor fixed to the frame, and a float In a liquid level detection device that detects the height of the liquid level from a change in resistance value as the contact holder moves, an upright piece is integrally formed on the contact holder, extending along one side of the frame to the vicinity of the bearing part. At the same time, a boss is formed on one side of the upright piece or the frame portion facing it, and a hole is formed on the other side, and the boss and the hole are not normally engaged with each other, but are bent into an L-shape of the float arm. They are characterized in that they are engaged with each other in a state where the other end is not fitted into the hole of the contact holder, and are used as a temporary fixing engagement part that is held in this state by the biasing force of the coil spring.

[Effect]

In the above configuration, the boss and the hole, which do not normally engage and engage with each other in a state where the other end of the float arm bent into an L-shape is not fitted into the hole of the contact holder, are integrated into the contact holder. An upright piece extending along one side of the formed frame to the vicinity of the bearing part and a coil spring interposed between the contact holder and the bearing part are respectively formed on the frame part facing the upright piece, and the engaged state is maintained between the contact holder and the bearing part. The contact holder is held by a biasing force that biases the contact holder in a direction away from the bearing.

Therefore, the boss and the hole can be used as a temporary fixing engagement part to temporarily fix the contact holder to the frame during assembly when the other end of the float arm bent into an L-shape is not fitted into the hole of the contact holder. can be used.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the basic structure of the float 1, float arm 2, frame 3, contact holder 4, contact 5, resistor 6, coil spring 7, etc. is the same as the conventional example already explained. It is.

The features of this embodiment are as follows.

That is, in the holding part 4b of the contact holder 4,
As shown in the figure, a locking portion 4f consisting of an upright piece 4d and a boss 4e is integrally formed. This standing piece 4d
stands up toward the float arm 2 slightly below the hole 4a through which the float arm 2 passes, and the boss 4e projects toward the contact holder 4 along the axial direction of the float arm 2 on the upright piece 4d.

On the other hand, a locking hole 3b is provided slightly below the bearing portion 3a of the frame 3, as shown in the figure.
The boss 4e is removable from the locking hole 3b.

Figure 2 shows the contact holder 4 attached to the frame 3.
It is a perspective view of a state in which it is temporarily fixed to a bearing part 3a,
The contact holder 4 is temporarily fixed to the frame 3 by engaging the boss 4e with the locking hole 3b before inserting the float arm 2.

A cross-sectional view showing this state is shown in FIG. 3, and as can be seen from the figure, the contact holder 4 and the bearing part 3a
A coil spring 7 is elastically interposed between the two, the boss 4e is fitted into the locking hole 3b, and the upright piece 4d is in contact with the surface of the frame 3. Therefore, the boss 4e is always urged in the engagement direction by the elastic force of the coil spring 7, and does not come off from the locking hole 3b.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the float arm 2 is attached and the connection with the contact holder 4 is completed. Compared to the above-mentioned temporarily fixed state, the contact holder 4 is closer to the bearing part 3a side, and this position As mentioned above, the split claw 4c and the float arm 2
are fitted, and the engagement between the boss 4e and the locking hole 3b is released. Therefore, the contact holder 4 does not engage with the frame 3, and is rotatable together with the float arm 2 relative to the bearing portion 3a.

To explain the assembly procedure of the contact holder 4, first, one end of the coil spring 7 is fixed to the contact 5 of the contact holder 4, and the other end of the coil spring 7 is attached to the bearing part 3a of the frame 3.
The contact holder 4 is brought to the upper position, and the boss 4e is locked in the locking hole 3b by the elastic force of the coil spring 7 while compressing the coil spring 7.

Next, the frame 3 is turned upside down, the tip of the float arm 2 is inserted into the bearing part 3a, and the tip of the float arm 2 is inserted into the coil spring 7 and the hole 4a of the contact holder 4.
penetrate inward. In this case, since the holder 4 does not fall off, there is no particular need for a jig or the like to hold it down.
When the contact holder 4 is pressed until the main body of the float arm 2 is fitted into the split claw 4c of the contact holder 4, the boss 4e is disengaged from the locking hole 3b, and the split claw 4c and the float arm 2 are fitted into one unit. , is rotatable with respect to the frame 3.

Incidentally, the coil spring 7 in the above embodiment
is formed of a conductive material and has both ends connected to the contact 5 and the circuit board 6, and is electrically connected to both at the same time.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention described above, the other end of the float arm, which is bent into an L-shape, is connected to the contact holder by forming an upright piece integrally formed on the contact holder, and a boss and a hole formed on the frame portion facing the contact holder. During assembly, when the contact holder is not fitted into the hole, the contact holder is engaged with each other during assembly, and this state is maintained by a coil spring, allowing the contact holder to be temporarily fixed to the frame. will not fall off.

Therefore, the contact holder and the float arm can be easily connected without using a special jig or the like, and the assembly work efficiency is improved. Furthermore, since no major design changes are made to the contact holder, frame, etc., there is almost no increase in component costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the liquid level detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the contact holder in a temporarily fixed state, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the main parts showing the same temporarily fixed state. , FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the state of the contact holder after assembly, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of a conventional liquid level detection device, and FIG. be. 1...Float, 2...Float arm, 2a
...End part, 3...Frame, 3a...Bearing part, 3
b...hole, 4...contact holder, 4a...
Hole, 4d... Standing piece, 4e... Boss, 4f... Engaging portion, 5... Contact, 6... Resistor, 7...
coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] The other end of a float arm with a float attached to one end is bent into an L-shape and is rotatably inserted into the bearing part of the frame from one side, and its tip comes out to the other side. The contact holder is tightly fitted into the hole of the contact holder that holds the contact, and the contact holder is separated from the bearing between the contact holder and the bearing so that the float arm inserted through the bearing penetrates through the center. The contact is slidably in contact with a resistor fixed to the frame, and the height of the liquid level is detected from the change in resistance value as the float moves. In the liquid level detection device, the contact holder is integrally formed with an upright piece extending along one side of the frame to the vicinity of the bearing part, and a boss is provided on one of the upright piece or the frame portion opposite thereto. and a hole is formed in the other, and the boss and the hole are not normally engaged with each other, and are connected to each other in a state where the other end of the float arm bent in an L-shape is not fitted into the hole of the contact holder. A contact holder mounting structure characterized in that the contact holder is used as a temporary fixing engagement part that is engaged and held in that state by the biasing force of the coil spring.