JPH06107004A - Supporting structure for fuel gage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent deformation in a tank wall face by connecting an upper wall and a lower wall of a fuel tank together and to improve precision of a liquid face height measurement by supporting a fuel gage in the position strengthened by connecting the upper wall and the lower wall together. CONSTITUTION:An approximately center part between an upper wall 8 and a lower wall 9 of a fuel tank 7 is formed swellingly toward the inside of the fuel tank, and the swellingly formed upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 are connected together at the center part of the fuel tank in the longitudinal direction. A contracted diameter part 11 serving as locking part is formed in a swelling part 10 passing over the connecting part between the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9. On the other hand, in a fuel gage 16, in which a float 20 is installed in a supporting part 18 via an arm 19 freely rotationally upward and downward, a locking member 21 to be locked to the contracted diameter part 11 is installed in the supporting part 18 of the arm 19. In this way, the strength of the fuel tank is increased by connecting the upper wall 8 to the lower wall 9, and the indicating precision is improved as the fuel gage is supported by the strengthened part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel gauge support structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a fuel tank for a vehicle is provided with a fuel gauge for measuring the remaining amount of fuel by detecting the fluctuation of the fuel liquid level.

An example of this fuel gauge support structure will be described with reference to FIG. 5. Reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle fuel tank, and an opening 2 is formed in a side portion of an upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1. On the other hand, the fuel gauge 3 has a float 5 attached to the tip of an arm 4 that rotates in the vertical direction, and a lid 6 that closes the opening 2 formed in the upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1 at the top. Is provided. A lid 6 is attached to the opening 2 to support the fuel gauge 3 on the fuel tank 1 (this supporting structure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-175623).

[0004]

In the fuel tank 1 described above, the float 5 of the fuel gauge 3 is arranged in the approximate center of the fuel tank 1 in which the fuel level fluctuation is small in consideration of the fuel level fluctuation during turning. Although the upper wall 1A and the lower wall 1B of the fuel tank 1 are also parts that are deformed as shown by the chain line in the figure due to fluctuations in the tank internal pressure, the float is considered in consideration of this deformation amount. 5 must be set, and especially considering the amount of deformation of the lower wall 1B toward the inside, the float 5 cannot be set to the last position of the lower wall 1B of the fuel tank 1 and the measurement range is narrowed. There's a problem. Further, when the upper wall 1A of the fuel tank 1 is displaced due to a change in tank internal pressure, the relative position of the float 5 changes, which causes a problem that the measurement error increases.

Therefore, the present invention provides a support structure for a fuel gauge that eliminates the influence of deformation of the fuel tank and enables accurate fuel level measurement in a wide range.

[0006]

In a fuel gauge supporting structure for measuring a fuel liquid level provided in a fuel tank, at least one of a substantially central portion of an upper wall of the fuel tank and a substantially central portion of a lower wall of the fuel tank is filled with fuel. The upper wall and the lower wall are bulged toward the inside of the tank to join the upper wall and the lower wall, and a locking portion for positioning the fuel gauge in the vertical direction is formed on the bulged portion, while the locking portion is attached to the fuel gauge. An engaging member attached to the fuel tank is provided, and the engaging member of the fuel gauge is locked to the locking portion of the fuel tank to support the fuel gauge on the fuel tank.

[0007]

[Operation] The upper wall and the lower wall of the fuel tank, which are easily deformed due to the fluctuation of the tank internal pressure, are joined together to prevent the fuel tank wall surface from being deformed due to the tank inner pressure, and the upper wall and the lower wall are joined together to improve strength. The fuel gauge is securely supported on the raised portion, enabling wide range liquid level measurement and improving finger precision.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fuel tank 7 for a vehicle.
Is molded of resin, and a substantially central portion of the upper wall 8 and a substantially central portion of the lower wall 9 of the fuel tank 7 are bulged toward the inside of the fuel tank 7. The bulged upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 are joined to each other at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the fuel tank 7.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a reduced diameter portion 11 as a locking portion is provided on the bulging portion 10 that straddles the joint between the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9. Above and below the reduced diameter portion 11, an engaging member 21 described later, that is, the fuel gauge 1 is provided.
An upper ledge 12 and a lower ledge 13 for vertically positioning 6 are formed.

A work hole 1 is formed in the upper wall 8 of the fuel tank 7.
4 is provided, and a harness 17 of a fuel gauge 16 is attached to a lid 15 that closes the work hole 14.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel gauge 16 has a float 20 attached to a supporting portion 18 via an arm 19 so as to be vertically rotatable.
The support member 18 of the engaging member 2 that is engaged with the reduced diameter portion 11
1 is attached.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the engaging member 21 is formed in a substantially U-shape so as to elastically receive the reduced diameter portion 11, and each opening end is prevented from coming off from the reduced diameter portion 11. The claw 22 for preventing the above is formed toward the inside. Further, a pair of clips 23 that elastically come into close contact with the upper ledge 12 of the reduced diameter portion 11 are provided at the upper edge of the engagement member 21, and the engagement member 21 is reduced in diameter by the urging force of the clips 23. Part 1
It is adapted to be pressed by the lower shelf 13 of FIG. 1 and positioned vertically.

According to the structure of the above embodiment, the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 of the fuel tank 7 are bulged into the fuel tank at the substantially central portions thereof, and the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 are joined together. Therefore, the strength and rigidity of the fuel tank 7 are enhanced.

The support portion 18 of the fuel gauge 16 is also provided.
The engaging member 21 to which is attached is a portion advantageous in strength,
That is, since it is attached to the reduced diameter portion 11 that straddles the portion where the upper wall 8 and the lower wall 9 of the fuel tank 7 are joined, even if there is a pressure fluctuation in the fuel tank 7, the fuel gauge 16 is adversely affected. Absent.

Therefore, the liquid level measuring range of the fuel gauge 16 is widened, and the finger precision can be improved.

When mounting the fuel gauge 16, the engaging member 21 of the fuel gauge 16 inserted from the working hole 14 is simply locked to the reduced diameter portion 11 so that the claw 22 is securely attached to the reduced diameter portion 11. Since the engaging member 21 is locked, the engaging member 21 is securely prevented from coming off, and the engaging member 21 pressed against the lower shelf 13 by the elastic force of the clip 23 is accurately set to the reference position without rattling. Therefore, the fuel gauge 16 can be accurately attached by a simple operation.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be applied to, for example, a metal fuel tank. Further, the fuel tank may have a structure in which only the upper wall (lower wall) is bulged and joined to the lower wall (upper wall). And instead of providing a reduced diameter portion, a bulge portion is provided here,
You may make it provide a slit in the corresponding part of an engaging member.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, at least one of the substantially central portion of the upper wall of the fuel tank and the substantially central portion of the lower wall of the fuel tank is bulged toward the inside of the fuel tank. Since the fuel gauge is supported by the bulging portion that joins the upper wall and the lower wall and is advantageous in terms of strength, the support portion of the fuel gauge is not displaced due to fluctuations in the fuel tank internal pressure, etc. Compared with the conventional method in which the range must be narrowed in consideration of the displacement of the upper and lower walls of the fuel tank, there is an effect that accurate liquid level measurement can be performed in a wide range.

Further, in this way, by forming the substantially central portion of the upper wall of the fuel tank and the substantially central portion of the lower wall so as to bulge toward the inside of the fuel tank and joining the upper wall and the lower wall, It also has the effect of increasing the strength and rigidity of the fuel tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part assembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of an essential part showing the assembled state.

4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an overall front explanatory view of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 ... Fuel tank 8 ... Upper wall 9 ... Lower wall 10 ... Swelling portion 11 ... Reduced diameter portion (locking portion) 16 ... Fuel gauge 21 ... Engaging member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fuel gauge supporting structure for measuring a fuel liquid level provided in a fuel tank, wherein at least one of a substantially central portion of an upper wall of the fuel tank and a substantially central portion of a lower wall is inside the fuel tank. The upper wall and the lower wall are joined to each other by bulging toward each other, and a locking portion for positioning the fuel gauge in the vertical direction is formed on the bulging portion. Providing a mating member,
A structure for supporting a fuel gauge, wherein an engaging member of the fuel gauge is locked to a locking portion of the fuel tank to support the fuel gauge on the fuel tank.