JPH0587005A - Fuel tank device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce residual fuel in a sub-chamber by suspending, when fuel in the main chamber has exceeded a predetermined level, the operation of a transfer pump which transfers fuel from a main chamber to the sub-chamber, and also decrease electric power consumption by eliminating innecessary operation of the transfer pump. CONSTITUTION:The inside of a fuel tank 1 is divided into a main chamber 2 and a sub-chamber 3. Fuel in the main chamber 2 is supplied to an engine 4 by a main fuel pump 5. Fuel in the sub chamber 3 is transferred into the main chamber 2 by a transfer pump 11 of electromagnetic self-priming type. When fuel in the main chamber 2 has exceeded a predetermined level, a liquid level detecting valve 13 arranged on the discharge side of the transfer pump 11 is closed. The closing of the liquid level detecting valve 13 is sensed by a switch built in the transfer pump, which is not shown in fig. leading to shutdown of the transfer pump 11. As a result, residual fuel in the sub-chamber 3 is reduced and electric power consumption of a battery 10 is decreased by operating the transfer pump only when this is required.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle fuel tank device having a main chamber and a sub chamber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional vehicle fuel tank device disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-74352.
In the figure, 1 is a fuel tank, which is composed of a main chamber 2 and a sub chamber 3. A main fuel pump 5 that supplies liquid fuel to the engine 4 is arranged in the main chamber 2. The sub chamber 3 is provided with a transfer pump 6 and a liquid level detector 7. The transfer pump 6 transfers the fuel in the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2 through the pipe 8. 9 is a controller,
A signal from the liquid level detector 7 stops the operation of the transfer pump 6. Reference numeral 10 is a battery for supplying electric power to the main fuel pump 5, the transfer pump 6 and the like. Generally, as the main fuel pump 5 and the transfer pump 6, those of the fuel immersion type configured by a DC motor and an impeller, etc., which are disclosed in JP-A-63-263294 are used.

Next, the operation will be described. When the fuel in the sub-chamber 3 exceeds the detection level of the liquid level detector 7, the liquid level detector 7 is in the ON state and electric power is supplied from the battery 10 to the transfer pump 6 via the controller 9 so that the transfer is performed. The pump 6 continues to send fuel to the main chamber 2. In the state where the fuel is consumed from the full tank and the fuel is divided into the main chamber 2 and the sub chamber 3, the fuel in the main chamber 2 is supplied to the engine 4 and consumed by the traveling of the vehicle. Replenishes and transfers the fuel from the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2. here,
Since it is premised that the transfer pump 6 including a DC motor and an impeller is used by being immersed in the fuel liquid, it is detected by the liquid level detector 7 before the entire surface of the transfer pump 6 is exposed from the liquid surface. Then, the operation of the transfer pump 6 is stopped. This is because the fuel gas ignites due to sparks generated between the brush and the commutator of the DC motor when the transfer pump 6 starts sucking air.
This is to prevent seizure of the bearing portion.

[0004]

In the conventional vehicle fuel tank device as described above, the detection level of the liquid level detector 7 must be set to a liquid level which does not expose the entire surface of the transfer pump 6. A large amount of residual fuel is left in the fuel tank 1 to run out of gas. Further, when the transfer pump 6 is operated in a nearly full state, the fuel sent to the main chamber 2 only returns to the sub chamber 3 side, which causes a problem that the battery 10 consumes a waste current.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is necessary to make effective use of the fuel in the sub chamber 3 and to transfer the fuel from the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel tank device for a vehicle that operates a transfer pump only when necessary.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Claim 1 according to the present invention
The vehicle fuel tank device of the above is an electromagnetic self-priming transfer pump 11 for transferring the fuel in the sub chamber 3 of the fuel tank 1 formed by the main chamber 2 and the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2, and the main chamber 2 The liquid level detection valve 13 provided on the discharge side of the transfer pump 11 in which the liquid level of the fuel inside is blocked at a predetermined height or more, and the operation of the transfer pump 11 is stopped by sensing the blockage of the liquid level detection valve 13. And a switch incorporated in the transfer pump 11.

A fuel tank device for a vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention is a fuel tank 1 formed of a main chamber 2 and a sub chamber 3.
Of the electromagnetic self-priming type, which is disposed below the bottom surface of the main chamber 2 and transfers the fuel in the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2 so that the discharge pressure is equal to or lower than a predetermined height liquid pressure of the fuel level in the main chamber 2. The transfer pump 11 is incorporated into the transfer pump 11 which stops the operation of the transfer pump 11 by detecting the discharge failure due to the height of the liquid fuel level in the main chamber 2 when the discharge pressure of the transfer pump 11 is higher than the discharge pressure of the transfer pump 11. And a switch.

[0008]

In the fuel tank device for a vehicle according to claim 1 of the present invention, the self-priming transfer pump 11 reduces the residual fuel in the sub chamber 3 and the fuel liquid level in the main chamber 2 is equal to or higher than a predetermined height. A switch for detecting the blockage of the liquid level detection valve 13 that is blocked by and stopping the operation of the transfer pump 11 operates the transfer pump 11 only when necessary.

In the vehicle fuel tank device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the self-priming transfer pump 11 reduces the residual fuel in the sub chamber 3 and the fuel liquid in the main chamber 2 in which the transfer pump 11 cannot discharge. A switch that senses the height of the surface and shuts down the transfer pump 11 operates the transfer pump 11 only when needed.

[0010]

【Example】

Example 1. Examples of the present invention will be described below. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle fuel tank device showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 to 5, 8 and 10 are the same as those explained in the above-mentioned conventional device. Reference numeral 11 is a transfer pump used in the present invention, the details of which are shown in FIG. The transfer pump 11 is arranged on the upper surface of the fuel tank 1 with a buffer member 12 interposed therebetween. 13 is a liquid level detection valve, and the transfer pump 11
It is attached to the tip of the piping pipe 8 connected to the discharge side of and is installed at a predetermined height from the bottom surface in the main chamber 2. The liquid level detection valve 13 is shown in detail in Fig. 3, but the liquid level detection valve
When 13 is in the fuel liquid, the discharge from the transfer pump 11 is blocked, and when the fuel level decreases, the liquid level detection valve 13 enables the discharge from the transfer pump 11. Therefore, when the fuel level in the main chamber 2 becomes lower than the liquid level detection valve 13 in a state where the fuel is consumed and the fuel exists separately in the main chamber 2 and the sub chamber 3, the transfer pump 11 starts to operate and the sub chamber 3 The fuel of 1 is transferred to the main chamber 2. Since the transfer pump 11 is a self-priming electromagnetic pump, most of the fuel in the sub chamber 3 can be transferred to the main chamber 2 by setting the suction port near the bottom surface of the sub chamber 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of the liquid level detection valve 13. In the figure, 8 is a piping pipe connected to the discharge side of the transfer pump 11. 31 is a float and 32 is a valve part.
The inside of the float 31 is hermetically sealed, and in the liquid fuel, the cusp of the upper portion thereof contacts the valve portion 32 due to buoyancy to close the valve portion 32. Further, when the fuel liquid level is lowered, the valve portion 32 is released by its own weight, so that the valve portion 32 is released.

Next, a transfer pump which is an electromagnetic self-priming pump
The configuration and operation of 11 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1, 8 and 12 are the same as those described above. Reference numeral 51 is a cylindrical yoke, a plunger receiver 52 is fixed to the center of the yoke 51, and an exciting coil 53 is wound around the plunger receiver 52. Reference numeral 54 denotes a magnetic conducting plate, which is fixed to the lower part of the exciting coil 53 in the yoke 51.
4, the yoke 51 and the plunger receiver 52 form a magnetic circuit for driving a plunger 56 described later. 55 is the plunger receiver 52
Shaft vertically inserted in the center of the shaft, 56 is the shaft
The plunger is fixed to 55 and faces the plunger receiver 52. The center of the diaphragm 57 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 55. Reference numeral 58 denotes a retainer provided between the diaphragm 57 and the magnetic conducting plate 54, to which a bearing for supporting the shaft 55 is fixed and which serves as a stopper for the plunger 56. Reference numeral 59 is a compression spring that biases the diaphragm 57 downward. When the diaphragm 57 is pushed down, the plunger receiver 52 and the plunger 56 have a suction gap. 6
Reference numerals 0 and 61 denote a discharge valve and a suction valve, which rectify the volume change of the pump chamber 62 due to the up-and-down movement of the diaphragm 57 to operate the pump.

A photo sensor 63 and a switching circuit 64 constitute a switch. The photo sensor 63 detects the upper end position of the shaft 55, and the switching circuit 64 turns on and off the exciting coil 53 according to the signal. Diaphragm
When 57 is pushed down, the switching circuit 64 is turned on and the exciting coil 53 is energized so that the plunger 56 is attracted to the plunger receiver 52. This allows the diaphragm 57
Is pulled upward against the compression spring 59 and at the same time sucks the fuel in the sub chamber 3 into the pump chamber 62 from the suction port. When the plunger 56 is attracted, the rise of the upper end of the shaft 55 is detected by the photo sensor 63, and the switching circuit 64 becomes an exciting coil.
Turn off 53. When the electromagnetic attraction force of the exciting coil 53 disappears, the diaphragm 57 is pushed down by the urging force of the compression spring 59, and the fuel in the pump chamber 62 is discharged to the main chamber 2.

When the liquid level of the fuel in the main chamber 2 is lower than the liquid level detection valve 13, the liquid level detection valve 13 is open, so the transfer pump 11 continues to operate and sends the fuel in the sub chamber 3 to the main chamber 2. .. When the liquid level in the main chamber 2 is higher than the liquid level detection valve 13, or the fuel level in the main chamber 2 becomes higher than the liquid level detection valve 13 due to the fuel sent from the sub chamber 3 by the transfer pump 11. At this time, since the liquid level detection valve 13 is closed, the diaphragm 57 stops at the position where the urging force of the compression spring 59 and the internal pressure of the pump chamber 62 are balanced. Therefore, the transfer pump 11 operates only when the fuel liquid level in the main chamber 2 is lower than the liquid level detection valve 13, so that the waste current consumption of the battery 10 of the transfer pump 11 is eliminated.

By incorporating the energization control switch of the exciting coil 53 in the transfer pump 11 as described above, the controller 9 and wiring shown in the conventional example are not required, and the device structure can be simplified.

Example 2. Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle fuel tank device showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
1 to 5, 8 and 10 to 12 are the same as those described in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 14 is a seal between the fuel tank 1 and the piping pipe 8. In the structure of the second embodiment, the transfer pump 11 is provided in the lower portion of the main chamber 2, and the tip of the pipe 8 connected to the discharge side of the transfer pump 11 is directly opened to the lower portion of the main chamber 2. There is. The transfer pump 11 used in the second embodiment has a main chamber 2
When the liquid level inside the fuel is equal to or higher than the predetermined height H, the diaphragm 57 is configured to be pushed up.

Therefore, when the fuel liquid level in the main chamber 2 is higher than H, the photo sensor 63 detects that the shaft 55 is being pushed up, and the switching circuit 64 is off. 11 does not work. When the fuel level in the main chamber 2 becomes lower than H, the compression spring 59 becomes stronger than the internal pressure in the pump chamber 62 and pushes down the diaphragm 57 to send the fuel in the pump chamber 62 into the main chamber 2. Diaphragm 57
Is detected by the photo sensor 63, the switching circuit 64 is turned on, the exciting coil 53 is energized, the plunger 56 is attracted, and the diaphragm 57 is pulled up.
The fuel in the sub chamber 3 is sucked into the pump chamber 62. By continuing the above operation, the fuel in the sub chamber 3 is transferred to the main chamber 2. In the second embodiment, the liquid level detection valve 13 is omitted and the configuration becomes simpler.

In the above embodiment, the energization control switch of the exciting coil 53 has been described by using the photo sensor 63 and the switching circuit 64, but this is used as a switching contact or a positive feedback coupling blocking oscillator circuit of the exciting coil and the feedback coil. Even if one is used, the same effect can be obtained.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the electromagnetic self-priming type transfer pump for transferring the fuel in the sub chamber to the main chamber and the fuel liquid level in the main chamber for detecting a predetermined level or higher are detected. By installing a switch that stops the operation of the transfer pump, the residual fuel in the sub chamber is reduced, and by operating the transfer pump only when necessary, a fuel tank device for a vehicle that does not consume battery waste current is provided. Can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle fuel tank device showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view of a transfer pump used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a liquid surface detection valve used in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle fuel tank device showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional vehicle fuel tank device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Fuel tank 2 Main chamber 3 Sub chamber 11 Transfer pump 13 Liquid level detection valve 53 Excitation coil 55 Shaft 56 Plunger 57 Diaphragm 59 Compression spring 62 Pump chamber 63 Photo sensor 64 Switching circuit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display area F02M 37/18 7049-3G F04B 43/04 A 2125-3H

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fuel tank 1 formed by a main chamber 2 and a sub chamber 3, a main fuel pump 5 for supplying fuel from the main chamber 2 to an engine 4, and a fuel in the sub chamber 3 for supplying fuel to the main chamber 2. Electromagnetic self-priming type transfer pump 11 for transferring to the liquid, the liquid level detection valve 13 provided on the discharge side of the transfer pump 11 for closing the fuel liquid level in the main chamber 2 at a predetermined height or higher, and this liquid Face detection valve
A vehicle fuel tank device comprising a switch incorporated in the transfer pump (11) for detecting the blockage of (13) and stopping the operation of the transfer pump (11). 2. A fuel tank 1 formed by a main chamber 2 and a sub chamber 3, a main fuel pump 5 for supplying fuel from the inside of the main chamber 2 to an engine 4, and a fuel tank 1 disposed below the bottom of the main chamber 2. Electromagnetic self-priming transfer pump 11 whose discharge pressure at which fuel in the sub chamber 3 is transferred to the main chamber 2 is equal to or lower than a predetermined height liquid pressure of the fuel liquid level in the main chamber 2, and this transfer pump 11 A switch incorporated in the transfer pump 11 is provided to stop the operation of the transfer pump 11 by detecting the impossibility of discharge due to the fuel level height liquid pressure in the main chamber 2 which becomes equal to or higher than the discharge pressure of Characteristic vehicle fuel tank device.