JPH051938A - Level sensor device for liquid tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a level position in both horizontal and vertical states to be displayed by extending float part at a determined angle to the inner wall surface of a tank, providing a wire member thereon, and connecting it to a level display part. CONSTITUTION:A float 51 is moved along a float guide 52. The guide 52 is extended and installed in parallel to one inner wall surface 50B closer to a level display part 5 and with a determined angle to the other inner wall surface 50A. A wire member 2 is provided on a float part 53, and its single end 2A is rotatably installed to the top end 52A of the float part 53. The other end 2B of the member 2 is reciprocally moved orthogonally and according to the reciprocation of the float 51. The end part 2B is connected to a display part 55. When the liquid quantity in a tank 50 is sufficient, the float 51 is in E- position even when the tank is laid in horizontal or vertical state, and it is moved to F-position according to the reduction in liquid quantity. The level position is displayed on the display part 55 in conformation to the relative position of the float 51.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a level sensor device for a liquid tank, and more particularly to a level sensor device for a liquid tank mounted in a portable liquid tank of a separate type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a separate type liquid tank has been developed which can be detached from a part of a device and carried as needed. Since this separate type liquid tank is excellent in storing liquid fuel and the like, it is often used as a fuel tank for ships and the like. For example, in the case of an outboard motor equipped with this fuel tank, this fuel tank is usually attached as a fuel tank of the outboard motor to a predetermined location of the outboard motor. When the internal fuel is exhausted, the fuel tank is removed from the outboard motor and used as a portable fuel storage container. Further, the empty fuel storage container (fuel tank) is carried to a fuel facility or the like to be replenished with fuel. Then, it can be attached to the outboard motor again as a fuel tank for the outboard motor. Further, two or more fuel tanks are usually prepared in a ship, and one of them is installed in an outboard motor and the other is stored as a spare fuel container.

Further, the above fuel tank is equipped with a mechanical level sensor device for confirming the internal fuel capacity from the outside. This level sensor device is shown in FIG.
As shown in the cross-sectional view of the second conventional example, a float portion 53 that is disposed toward the inside of the fuel tank 50 and has a float 51 and a rod-shaped float guide 52 that guides the movement of the float 51, and the float portion 53. And a liquid level display section 55 for operating by being biased by 53 to display a liquid level position 54 in the fuel tank 50. The float portion 53 is installed in the fuel tank 50, and is arranged in a state orthogonal to the bottom surface 50D when the fuel tank 50 is in a horizontal state. The float 51 is configured to reciprocate a distance up to the reference numeral 51 depending on the height of the liquid level position 54 in the fuel tank 50. The liquid level display section 55 displays the liquid level position 54 by being urged by the operation of the float 51 during the reciprocating movement. Then, the driver of the ship or the like looks at the liquid level display section 55 and predicts the remaining travelable distance and the fuel supply timing. Here, reference numeral 54A indicates a state in which the liquid level in the fuel tank 50 is lowest.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the fuel tank 50 is always designed on the assumption that it is used in a horizontal state. Therefore, when the fuel tank 50 is placed vertically when refueling the fuel tank 50 or storing it as reserve fuel, the float portion 53 of the level sensor device becomes horizontal with respect to the liquid level in the fuel tank 50. The float 51 cannot move back and forth. For this reason, the liquid level display section 55 is not urged by the operation of the reciprocating movement of the float 51, and there is a disadvantage that an accurate liquid level display cannot be performed. In addition, the driver may erroneously read the display on the liquid level display unit 55.

[0005]

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the conventional example, and particularly to display the liquid level position in the liquid tank relatively accurately even when the liquid tank is used horizontally or vertically. It is an object of the present invention to provide a level sensor device for a liquid tank that can be used.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a float portion which is arranged toward the inside of a liquid tank and which has a rod-shaped float guide for guiding the movement of the float,
A level sensor device for a liquid tank is provided, which includes a liquid level display unit which is activated by being actuated by the float unit and which displays a liquid level position in the liquid tank. The liquid level indicator is provided on a part of the outer wall near the corner of the liquid tank, and the float is disposed parallel to one of the two inner walls adjacent to the liquid level indicator. In addition, it is installed so as to extend at a predetermined angle with respect to the other inner wall surface, one end of which is rotatably mounted at the tip of the float guide, and the other end of which is reciprocating and the moving direction of the float. A wire-like member that reciprocates with a predetermined stroke in a direction orthogonal to is attached to the float portion, and the other end of the wire-like member is connected to the liquid level display portion. Further, the float portion is diagonally arranged from the corner portion side in the liquid tank close to the liquid level display portion to the corner portion in the liquid tank at a position opposite to the corner portion side. By this, the above-mentioned purpose is achieved.

[0007]

First, when the liquid tank 50 is placed horizontally and the liquid amount in the liquid tank 50 is sufficient (for example,
(When the liquid surface position is up to the position 54 in FIG. 2)
The float 51 is at the E position in FIG. 2, for example. Then, the float 51 moves to, for example, the F position in FIG. 2 as the liquid amount in the liquid tank 50 decreases. On the other hand, when the liquid amount in the liquid tank 50 increases due to replenishment or the like, the float 51 moves to the original E position. At the time of reciprocating movement of the float 51 at this time, the wire-shaped member 2 is reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the float 51. The movement distance in the reciprocating movement of the wire-shaped member 2 is small when the float 51 is in the position near E in FIG. 2, and relatively large when it is in the position near F. The reciprocating movement of the wire-shaped member 2 is transmitted to the liquid level display section 55. Next, when the liquid tank 50 is placed vertically and the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 is sufficient (for example, when the liquid surface position is up to the position 54 in FIG. 1), the float 51 is, for example, as shown in FIG. In the E position. And this float 51
Moves to, for example, position F in FIG. 1 as the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 decreases. On the other hand, the liquid tank 50
When the amount of liquid inside increases due to replenishment or the like, the float 51 moves to the original E position. At the time of reciprocating movement of the float 51 at this time, the wire-shaped member 2 is reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the float 51. This wire-shaped member 2
The movement distance in the reciprocating movement of is small when the float 51 is in the position near E in FIG. 1, and relatively large when it is in the position near F. And
The reciprocating movement of the wire-shaped member 2 is transmitted to the liquid level display unit 55.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those of the conventional example described above.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid tank level sensor device 1 and a liquid tank 50 equipped with the liquid tank level sensor device 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, a float portion 53 having a float 51 and a rod-shaped float guide 52 for guiding the movement of the float 51, which is arranged toward the inside of the liquid tank 50, and is operated by being biased by the float portion 53. The liquid tank level sensor device 1 having a liquid level display section 55 for displaying the liquid level position 54 in the liquid tank 50 is provided, and the liquid level display section 55 is provided.
Is provided on a part of the outer wall near the corner of the liquid tank 50, and the float portion 53 is provided on one inner wall surface 50B of the two inner wall surfaces 50A, 50B close to the liquid level display portion 55.
Is installed in parallel with the other inner wall surface 50A at a predetermined angle, and the one end portion 2A is rotatably mounted on the tip end portion 52A of the float guide 52 and the other end portion 2B is Along with the reciprocating movement of the float 51, the float 5
A wire-like member 2 (see FIG. 3) that reciprocates with a predetermined stroke in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of 1 is provided side by side with the float portion 53, and the other end 2B of the wire-like member 2 is connected to the liquid level display portion. is doing.

This will be described in more detail. Liquid tank 50
As described above, it is a separate type and can be detached from a part of a device (not shown) or the like, and can be carried as needed. An external view of the liquid tank 50 is shown in FIGS. 4 is a front view of the liquid tank 50, FIG. 5 is a left side view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. As shown in these drawings, the liquid tank 50 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and a handle portion 50C for carrying the liquid tank 50 or vertically placing the liquid tank 50 on a part of its outer wall. It is equipped.

The liquid tank 50 is equipped with the liquid tank level sensor device 1 of this embodiment. This liquid tank level sensor device 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid level display section 55 for displaying the liquid level position 54 in the liquid tank 50, the float section 53 for biasing the display operation to the liquid level display section 55, and the wire member 2 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid level display section 55 has an inclined portion 50E as a part of an outer wall near the corner of the liquid tank 50.
Is equipped with. Further, the liquid level display section 55 is equipped with the same inclination as the inclination of the inclined section 50E.

As shown in FIG. 3, the float portion 53 is composed of a float 51 and a rod-shaped float guide 52 for guiding the movement of the float 51. Further, the float 51 is adapted to move along the float guide 52. As shown in FIG. 1, the float portion 53 faces the inside of the liquid tank 50 and the liquid level display portion 55.
Of the two inner wall surfaces 50A, 50B that are close to each other and are arranged in parallel to one inner wall surface 50B and the other inner wall surface 50B.
It is installed at a predetermined angle to A. To explain this in detail, the central axis 52B of the float guide 52
Is mounted at an arbitrary angle of θ (0 <θ <90 °) with respect to the bottom surface 50C of the liquid tank (when the liquid tank 50 is placed vertically).

The wire-shaped member 2 is provided side by side with the float portion 53, and one end portion 2A thereof is rotatably attached to the float portion 53.
Is attached to the tip portion 52A of the. A part of the wire member 2 is slidably supported in a hole (not shown) formed in the float 51. For this reason,
When the float 51 reciprocates, the wire member 2 reciprocates due to the positional relationship between the hole of the float 51 and the one end 2A of the wire member 2 rotatably mounted. More specifically, the other end portion 2B of the wire-shaped member 2 has a float 51
Along with the reciprocating movement of the float 51, the float 51 reciprocates in a direction (direction of arrow A or B in FIG. 3) orthogonal to the moving direction with a predetermined stroke. Further, the other end 2B of the wire-shaped member 2 is connected to the liquid level display section 55 described above.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, in FIG. 2, this figure shows a state in which the above-mentioned liquid tank 50 is placed horizontally. The float 51 is in the E position when the liquid amount in the liquid tank 50 is sufficient (when the liquid surface position is up to the position 54 in FIG. 2), and reaches the F position as the liquid amount decreases. Moving. When the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 increases due to replenishment or the like, the float 51 moves to the original E position. Therefore, the reciprocating movement of the float 51 is urged to the liquid amount display section 55 via the wire-shaped member 2 described above, and the liquid amount display section 55 displays an accurate liquid amount. Here, reference numeral 54A indicates a state in which the liquid level in the fuel tank 50 is lowest.

Next, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the liquid tank 50 is placed vertically. Even in this case, the float 51 is in the E position when there is a sufficient amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 (when there is a liquid surface position up to the position of reference numeral 54 in FIG. 1), as in the case of the horizontal placement described above. , Moves to the F position as the liquid volume decreases.
When the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 increases due to replenishment or the like, the float 51 moves to the original E position. Therefore, the reciprocating movement of the float 51 is urged to the liquid amount display section 55 via the wire-shaped member 2 described above, and the liquid amount display section 55 displays an accurate liquid amount. In addition, FIG.
The movement distance in the reciprocating movement of the wire-shaped member 2 described with reference to FIG. 2 is small when the float 51 is in the position near E in FIGS. 1 and 2, and relatively large when the float 51 is in the position near F.

As described above, when the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 is sufficient, the E position of each float 51 corresponds to whether the liquid tank 50 is placed horizontally or vertically. Therefore, whether the liquid tank 50 is vertically or horizontally placed, the accurate liquid surface position is displayed on the liquid surface display section 55. Further, when the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 50 decreases, the float 51 causes the liquid tank 5 to respond to the decrease in the amount of liquid.
Move to F position 0 in the vertical and horizontal positions. The relative position of each float 51 at the time of this movement substantially corresponds. Therefore, also in this case, a relatively accurate liquid level position is displayed on the liquid level display unit 55.

Next, modified examples of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described based on.

This modification shows a case where the liquid quantity display portion 55 is provided in parallel with the bottom surface 50D of the liquid tank 50 (when the liquid tank 50 is in a horizontal position). 9 to 11 are external views of a liquid tank 50 of a modified example of this embodiment. 9 is a front view of the liquid tank 50, FIG. 10 is a left side view of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a plan view of FIG. As shown in these figures, the liquid amount display section 55 is provided on the bottom surface 50D of the liquid tank 50 (the liquid tank 5).
It is equipped in parallel with 0 (when placed horizontally). However, as shown in FIG. 8, the float portion 53 and the wire-shaped member 2 are mounted in the liquid tank 50 in a tilted state at a predetermined angle as in the above-described embodiment.

Also in this modified example, the operation of the float 51 is accurately urged to the liquid level display portion 55 via the wire-shaped member 2 (see FIG. 7). Therefore, even in this case, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
Further, the same effect can be obtained even when the liquid tank 50 of the above modification is placed vertically.

Further, the float portion 53 described above is provided in the liquid tank 50 at a position facing the corner portion side (for example, reference numeral 50H in FIG. 10) of the liquid tank 50 close to the liquid level display portion 55. If the liquid tank 50 is arranged diagonally toward the corners (for example, reference numeral 50X in FIG. 10), the float 51 is likely to be immersed in the liquid surface inside the liquid tank 50 in the vertical and horizontal positions. Therefore, the accuracy of urging the operation of the float 51 to the liquid level display portion 55 via the wire-shaped member 2 is relatively improved.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
A float part 53 having a float 51 and a rod-shaped float guide 52 for guiding the movement of the float 51, which is arranged toward the inside of the liquid tank 50, and the inside of the liquid tank 50 which is operated by being biased by the float part 53. A level sensor device for a liquid tank having a liquid level display unit 55 for displaying the liquid level position is provided, and the liquid level display unit 55 is provided on a part of the outer wall near the corner of the liquid tank 50 and a float unit. 53
Is arranged in parallel to one inner wall surface 50B of the two inner wall surfaces adjacent to the liquid level display portion 55, and the other inner wall surface 5
It is provided with a predetermined angle with respect to 0A, one end 2A is rotatably mounted on the tip 52A of the float guide 52, and the other end 2B is reciprocatingly moved and the float 51 is moved. The wire-shaped member 2 that reciprocates with a predetermined stroke in the direction orthogonal to the direction is attached to the float portion 53.
Since the other end 2B of the wire-shaped member 2 is connected to the liquid level indicator 55, the liquid body tank 50 is placed vertically,
The float 51 can move according to the amount of liquid even in the horizontal state. Therefore, the liquid level display section 55 displays a relatively accurate liquid level position in the liquid tank 50. Also,
If an electric level gauge is used, one having similar performance can be manufactured, but the level sensor device for the liquid tank of the present embodiment is cheaper than those devices. Further, the structure of the liquid tank level sensor device of this embodiment is relatively simple.

[0024]

According to the present invention, which is constructed and functions as described above, according to the present invention, the float having the rod-shaped float guide disposed toward the inside of the liquid tank and guiding the movement of the float is provided. And a liquid level indicator for the liquid tank that is activated by the float to display the liquid level in the liquid tank. Mounted on a part of the outer wall close to the liquid surface part, and the float part is arranged parallel to one inner wall surface of the two inner wall surfaces close to the liquid level display part and at a predetermined angle with respect to the other inner wall surface. The one end of the float guide is rotatably attached to the other end of the float guide, and the other end of the float reciprocates with a predetermined stroke in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the float. needle The Jo member houses the float portion, since the concatenation of the other end of the wire-like member on the liquid level indication unit,
Even if the liquid tank is placed vertically or horizontally, the float portion is inclined by a predetermined angle, and the float of the float portion can move according to the amount of liquid in the liquid tank. Therefore, the liquid level display section displays a relatively accurate liquid level position in the liquid tank. Further, in the liquid tank level sensor device of this embodiment, the moving direction of the float is only the linear direction in the liquid tank. Therefore, it is possible to provide an unprecedented excellent level sensor device for a liquid tank in which the level sensor device for a liquid tank of the present embodiment can be attached to a relatively small liquid tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view when a level sensor device for a liquid tank of the present embodiment is installed in a liquid tank and the liquid tank is placed vertically.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram when the level sensor device for a liquid tank according to the present embodiment is installed in a liquid tank and the liquid tank is placed in a horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a liquid tank level sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 to 6 are external views of a liquid tank equipped with the level sensor device for a liquid tank according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 to FIG. 8 are diagrams illustrating a modification of the liquid tank level sensor device according to the present embodiment.

9 to 11 are external views of a liquid tank equipped with a modification of the level sensor device for a liquid tank according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Liquid tank level sensor device 2 Wire-like member 50 liquid tanks 50A Inner wall surface of the other 50B One inner wall surface 51 float 52 Float Guide 53 Float section 55 Liquid level display

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A float portion having a float and a rod-shaped float guide for guiding the movement of the float, which is disposed toward the inside of the liquid tank, and a liquid in the liquid tank which is operated by being biased by the float portion. In a liquid tank level sensor device including a liquid level display unit for displaying a surface position, the liquid level display unit is provided on a part of an outer wall near a corner of the liquid tank, and the float unit is provided. One of the two inner wall surfaces adjacent to the liquid level display portion is arranged in parallel with the other inner wall surface, and is extendedly installed at a predetermined angle with respect to the other inner wall surface, and one end of the float guide is provided. A wire-like member, which is rotatably provided at the tip of the float, and whose other end reciprocates at a predetermined stroke in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the float together with the reciprocating movement of the float, is attached to the float. A level sensor device for a liquid tank, wherein the other end of the wire-shaped member is connected to the liquid level display unit. 2. The float portion is arranged diagonally from a corner portion side in the liquid tank near the liquid level display portion toward a corner portion in the liquid tank at a position opposite to the corner portion side. The level sensor device for a liquid tank according to claim 1, which is characterized in that.