JPH082400A - Liquid reservoir - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To positively prevent the wrong operation of a liquid level detecting means even when the liquid level is largely inclined by the fluctuation of liquid stored in a reservoir body. CONSTITUTION:The upper case 2 of a reservoir body 1 is integrally provided with a partition wall part 18, and an air reservoir part F is partitioned in the reservoir body 1 by an upper face part 4, a peripheral wall part 6 and the partition wall part 18. In the case of the liquid level being largely inclined by the fluctuation of liquid in the reservoir body 1, air in the reservoir body 1 is sealed in the air reservoir part F by the inclined liquid level. Accordingly, even when the liquid in the resevoir body 1 is largely fluctuated at the time of sudden acceleration, deceleration, or the like of a vehicle to cause the large inclination of the liquid level, the lowering of the liquid level can be suppressed by the volume part of the air sealed in the air reservoir part F so as to be able to positively prevent the wrong operation of a liquid level detecting means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid reservoir for containing a liquid to be supplied to, for example, a brake master cylinder or a clutch master cylinder of an automobile, and more particularly to a liquid reservoir provided with liquid level detecting means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a liquid reservoir for containing a brake fluid supplied to a brake master cylinder, a clutch working fluid supplied to a clutch master cylinder, etc., is formed as a container having a bottom surface portion, an upper surface portion and a peripheral wall portion. The reservoir body is provided with a liquid filling port on the upper surface of the reservoir body. Then, the reservoir body is filled with a liquid such as a brake liquid and a clutch operating liquid through a liquid filling port, and a prescribed amount of liquid required for operating the master cylinder is stored.

In this type of conventional liquid reservoir, for example, when supplying brake fluid or the like to a brake master cylinder, the liquid passage provided in the bottom surface or peripheral wall of the reservoir body and the liquid passage provided in the master cylinder. Is connected directly or via a connection pipe, and the brake fluid stored in the main body of the reservoir is supplied to the master cylinder side in response to a brake operation, etc., so that the brake fluid is supplied from the master cylinder to each brake cylinder of the vehicle. Is designed to be supplied and discharged.

Further, the liquid reservoir is provided with liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid contained in the reservoir body, and the liquid level detecting means is provided with the liquid level of the liquid contained in the reservoir body. A float that moves up and down in the float guide provided in the reservoir body following the displacement, and a liquid level detection that is arranged on the bottom side of the float guide and detects the liquid level displacement in the reservoir body via the float It is composed of vessels and the like. This liquid level detector is used, for example, in a driver's cab of a vehicle to notify that the liquid level in the reservoir body is low when the liquid level in the reservoir body is lowered and the float approaches. The provided alarm lamps are lit.

[0005]

In the prior art described above, the float guide provided in the reservoir body is provided with a float that moves up and down in response to the displacement of the liquid surface. Since it is configured to detect the remaining amount of liquid, the liquid level will be increased when the vehicle is greatly tilted due to vibration during sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle or vibration due to uneven road surface, or when a large inertial force is generated in the vehicle. Is inclined,
This may cause the float in the float guide to approach the bottom surface liquid level detector.

For this reason, in the prior art, even when the liquid is sufficiently contained in the reservoir body, if the liquid fluctuates due to the inclination due to the vibration of the vehicle or the action of the inertial force, the liquid surface is greatly inclined. There is a problem that the float in the float guide may momentarily approach the liquid level detector and cause an alarm lamp or the like to blink, which gives a driver of the vehicle discomfort.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. Even when a large inertial force is generated in the vehicle and the liquid contained in the reservoir body fluctuates and the liquid surface is greatly inclined, An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid reservoir capable of surely preventing a malfunction of the surface detecting means.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a bottom surface portion, an upper surface portion and a peripheral wall portion,
A reservoir body formed as a container for containing a liquid,
A liquid level detecting means provided in the reservoir body for detecting the liquid level of the liquid, and an upper end side of the reservoir body is the upper surface of the reservoir body so as to define an air reservoir between the upper surface of the reservoir body and the reservoir liquid level. And a partition wall portion having a lower end extending toward the bottom portion.

[0009]

With the above structure, since the air reservoir surrounded by the upper surface, the peripheral wall and the partition is defined on the upper side of the reservoir body, for example, when the vehicle is suddenly accelerated or rapidly decelerated, When the liquid level of the liquid contained in the liquid tilts, the air in the reservoir body can be contained in the air reservoir, and the air in the air reservoir can reduce fluctuations in the liquid level, The decrease can be suppressed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A liquid reservoir according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a reservoir body which contains a liquid such as a brake fluid therein.
Is applied to a separate liquid reservoir provided separately from the master cylinder (not shown).

The reservoir body 1 is provided with an upper case 2
And a lower case 3, each of which is formed as an elongated box-shaped container in which the flange portions 2A, 3A provided on each are welded, and the upper surface portion 4 provided on the upper case 2 and the upper and lower portions of the upper surface portion 4 Provided on the upper case 2 and the lower case 3 so as to integrally connect the bottom surface portion 5 provided on the lower case 3 and the upper surface portion 4 and the bottom surface portion 5 on the outer peripheral side. It is composed of a peripheral wall portion 6. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, an upper bottom portion 5A provided with liquid passages 10A and 10B described later is integrally formed on a part of the bottom surface portion 5. Further, the peripheral wall portion 6 is composed of a front wall 6A, a rear wall 6B, and left and right side walls 6C, 6C (see FIG. 2) extending upward and downward between the upper case 2 and the lower case 3. ing.

Reference numerals 7 and 7 denote mounting brackets fixed to the front wall 6A and the rear wall 6B of the reservoir body 1, and the reservoir body 1 is mounted on the vehicle body through the mounting brackets 7. 8
Is a liquid filling port formed integrally with the upper surface portion 4 of the reservoir body 1. By injecting the liquid into the reservoir body 1 through the liquid filling port 8, for example, to the position of the liquid surface S shown in FIG. The body 1 is filled with a prescribed amount of liquid.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a cap for closing the liquid filling port 8, and the cap 9 is composed of an outer cap 9A and an inner cap 9B. Further, between the outer cap 9A and the inner cap 9B, a ventilation path (not shown) for communicating the inside and the outside of the reservoir body 1 through the liquid filling port 8 is provided, and the reservoir body 1 and the master When liquid is supplied to and discharged from the cylinder, pressure inside the reservoir body 1 is adjusted by supplying and discharging air inside and outside the reservoir body 1.

Liquid passages 10A and 10B are provided in the upper bottom portion 5A of the bottom portion 5 which constitutes the reservoir body 1. For example, the liquid passage 10A is provided in one of the two system brake systems equipped in a vehicle. The liquid passage 10B is connected to the other brake system.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a cylindrical float guide provided in the reservoir body 1. The float guide 11 is located closer to the front wall 6A than the center of the reservoir body 1 in the front-rear direction, and is the bottom surface portion 5 of the reservoir body 1. From the top to the upper surface portion 4 so as to project upward. Then, the float guide 11
Guides a float 13 described below slidably up and down, and the float 13 detects the liquid level of the liquid contained in the reservoir body 1.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a slit as a communication passage formed in the float guide 11, and the slit 12 is formed by providing a thin notch in the float guide 11 from the upper end side to the lower end side. The liquid is allowed to flow into and out of the float guide 11.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a float disposed in the float guide 11 so as to be movable up and down. The float 13 is formed of a synthetic resin material or the like so as to float in the liquid in the reservoir body 1, and the reservoir body 1 The inside of the float guide 11 is slid up and down according to the displacement of the liquid level inside. And
A flat plate-shaped magnet 14 is provided on the lower end surface of the float 13.

The float 15 is located on the bottom side of the float guide 11 and is attached to the bottom surface 5 of the reservoir body 1.
3 shows a liquid level sensor that constitutes the liquid level detection means 16 together with the magnet 14. The liquid level sensor 15 is composed of a reed switch or the like, and the magnet 14 provided on the float 13 is shown.
The remaining amount of liquid in the reservoir body 1 is detected via the.

When the amount of liquid remaining in the reservoir body 1 decreases and the liquid level in the float guide 11 drops, the float 13 comes close to the liquid level sensor 15 together with the magnet 14. As a result, the liquid level sensor 15
Detects that the magnet 14 is approaching, the switch is closed, and, for example, an alarm lamp or the like provided in the driver's cab of the vehicle is turned on to notify that the amount of liquid remaining in the reservoir body 1 is low. Has become.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a partition plate provided between the liquid passages 10A and 10B and provided in the lower case 3 of the reservoir body 1. The partition plate 17 has a bottom end portion 5 of the lower case 3 at the lower end side. And both side ends are integrated with the left and right side walls 6C as shown in FIG. The upper end side of the partition plate 17 extends toward the upper surface portion 4, and the upper end thereof reaches a height position slightly lower than the flange portion 3A of the lower case 3. Here, the partition plate 17 is
The inside of the reservoir body 1 is divided into a liquid chamber D communicating with the liquid passage 10A and a liquid chamber E communicating with the liquid passage 10B, and even when the vehicle is greatly tilted due to vibration or the like, the liquid chambers D and E are respectively formed. At least a minimum amount of liquid (remaining amount) is secured.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a plate-like partition wall portion provided in the upper case 2 and located inside the reservoir body 1.
Has an upper end side integrated with the upper surface portion 4 of the upper case 2 and both side ends integrated with the left and right side walls 6C. The partition wall portion 18 extends downward at the lower end side, and the lower end extends to a height position slightly above the flange portion 2A of the upper case 2.

Here, the partition wall portion 18, between the upper surface portion 4 and the peripheral wall portion 6, is an air reservoir portion F whose lower end side is an open end.
Is defined. Then, for example, when the liquid in the reservoir body 1 fluctuates and the liquid surface is largely inclined, the opening end of the air reservoir F is blocked by the inclined liquid surface, so that the air in the reservoir body is It is designed so that it can be contained in the reservoir F. The vertical length of the partition wall portion 18 is set so that the lower end of the partition wall portion 18 is located above the liquid surface S of the liquid when the prescribed amount of liquid is stored in the reservoir body 1. Has been done.

The liquid reservoir according to this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, and its operation will be described below.

First, when supplying a liquid such as a brake fluid to the reservoir body 1, the cap 9 is removed from the liquid filling port 8 of the reservoir body 1 and the liquid is injected into the reservoir body 1 from the liquid filling port 8. By. Then, when the brake of the vehicle is operated, the liquid in the reservoir body 1 is moved by operating the brake pedal or the like.
A master cylinder (not shown) is replenished via A and 10B, and brake fluid is supplied from the master cylinder to each brake cylinder (attached to the front, rear, left and right wheels of the vehicle, etc.). Let it go.

When the remaining amount of liquid in the reservoir body 1 gradually decreases and the liquid level becomes low, the float 13 provided in the float guide 11 so as to be movable up and down.
Is displaced following the displacement of the liquid surface and comes closest to the liquid surface sensor 15. As a result, the switch of the liquid level sensor 15 is closed by the approach of the magnet 14, and, for example, an alarm lamp or the like provided in the driver's cab of the vehicle is turned on, so that the driver or the like can be informed of the remaining amount of liquid in the reservoir body 1. It is possible to notify that the amount has decreased and to prompt that the reservoir body 1 should be replenished with the liquid.

By the way, even at a stage before the liquid level is reduced to the low liquid level by containing a sufficient amount of liquid in the reservoir body 1,
When the vehicle is greatly inclined due to vibrations during sudden acceleration and deceleration or due to vibrations due to unevenness of the road surface, or when a large inertial force is generated, the liquid in the reservoir body 1 may be, for example, the liquid surface indicated by the solid line in FIG. It tilts from S like a liquid level G shown by a one-dot chain line. At this time, if the liquid in the float guide 11 momentarily flows out to the outside via the slit 12, the float 13 in the float guide 11 may approach the liquid level sensor 15 due to this. In that case, the switch is closed by the magnet 14 and the alarm lamp or the like blinks.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper case 2 of the reservoir body 1 is provided with the upper surface portion 4, the peripheral wall portion 6 and the partition wall portion 18.
Even if the liquid in the reservoir body 1 fluctuates as described above, the open end of the air reservoir F is blocked by the inclined liquid surface, so that the reservoir body 1 is formed.
The inside air is configured to be contained in the air reservoir F. Therefore, the level of the inclined liquid surface in the reservoir body 1 is raised by the volume of the air trapped in the air reservoir F, for example, to the position of the liquid surface H shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. You can

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the float 13 in the float guide 11 approaches the liquid level sensor 15 even when the liquid level in the reservoir main body 1 is greatly inclined when the vehicle is suddenly accelerated or decelerated. It is possible to prevent such a situation, reliably avoid the malfunction of the liquid level detection means 16, and solve problems such as giving a driver discomfort.

Moreover, the liquid reservoir according to this embodiment is
Since the partition wall 18 is simply provided on the upper case 2 of the reservoir body 1, for example, by adding a groove or the like corresponding to the partition wall 18 to the mold for molding the upper case 2, The partition 18 can be easily formed integrally with the upper case 2 and can be easily adopted in an existing liquid reservoir.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a plate-shaped partition wall portion provided in the upper case 2 and located inside the reservoir body 1,
Similar to the partition wall portion 18 shown in the first embodiment, the partition wall portion 21 has its upper end side integrated with the upper surface portion 4 of the upper case 2 and both side ends integrated with the left and right side walls 6C. ing. The lower end side extends downward, and the lower end extends to a height position below the flange portion 2A of the upper case 2.

Here, the partition wall portion 21, between the upper surface portion 4 and the peripheral wall portion 6, is an air reservoir portion J whose lower end side is an open end.
Is defined. The lower end of the partition wall 21 has a liquid level S in a state where a prescribed amount of liquid is contained in the reservoir body 1.
It is set to be located below. That is, the open end of the air reservoir J is always closed by the liquid in the reservoir body 1.

Reference numeral 22 is a minute ventilation hole formed on the upper end side of the partition wall portion 21. The ventilation hole 22 is formed in the partition wall portion 21 in the vicinity of the upper surface portion 4, and the inside of the air reservoir portion J has a negative pressure. In this state, a part of the liquid is prevented from remaining in the air reservoir J.

Therefore, in the state where a prescribed amount of liquid is contained in the reservoir body 1, the inside of the reservoir body 1 is the partition wall portion 21.
Is defined by an air reservoir J and a space K, and the air reservoir J and the space K are communicated with each other through a minute ventilation hole 22.

The liquid reservoir according to this embodiment has the above-described structure, and the liquid inside the reservoir body 1 fluctuates and the liquid level of the liquid changes from the liquid level S'shown by the solid line in FIG. The air in the reservoir body 1 is enclosed in the air reservoir J when it is inclined like the liquid surface G '. Therefore, the level of the inclined liquid surface in the reservoir body 1 is raised by the volume of the air trapped in the air reservoir J, for example, to the position of the liquid surface H'shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. be able to.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the inside of the reservoir body 1 is divided into the air reservoir J and the space K by the partition wall 21.
Since the air reservoir portion J and the space K are communicated with each other through the minute vent holes 22, when the liquid in the reservoir body 1 is about to fluctuate momentarily due to sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. In addition, the flow of air between the air reservoir J and the space K due to the fluctuation of the liquid is slowly performed by the throttling effect of the ventilation hole 22. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the rapid fluctuation of the liquid in the reservoir body 1 and the steep inclination of the liquid level due to this, and to detect the instantaneous liquid level at the time of sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. A malfunction of the means 16 can be reliably avoided.

Further, the partition wall portion 21 shown in this embodiment can be easily integrated with the upper wall case 2 simply by adding a groove or the like corresponding to the partition wall portion 21 to a mold for molding the upper wall case 2. It can be formed and easily adapted to existing liquid reservoirs.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the figure, reference numerals 31, 31, ... Denote a plurality of plate-shaped partition portions provided in the upper case 2 inside the reservoir body 1, and each partition portion 31 is the same as in the first embodiment. The upper end side is integrated with the upper surface part 4 of the upper case 2 and both side ends are integrated with the left and right side walls 6C, almost similarly to the partition wall part 18 shown in FIG. Then, each partition 31
Are arranged in the front and rear directions of the reservoir body 1 at equal intervals, and by the pair of adjacent partition portions 31, the upper surface portion 4 and the peripheral wall portion 6, a plurality of air reservoir portions L whose lower ends are open ends, L, ... is defined.

The vertical length of each partition wall 31 is
With a prescribed amount of liquid stored in the reservoir body 1,
The lower end of the partition wall portion 31 is set to be located above the liquid surface S of the liquid.

The liquid reservoir according to the present embodiment has the above-described structure, and the liquid inside the reservoir body 1 fluctuates and the liquid level of the liquid changes from the liquid level S "shown by the solid line in FIG. In the case of being inclined like a liquid level G ″ shown by, the air pool L in which the open end of each air pool L is blocked by the liquid level
(In FIG. 5, the state in which the open ends of all the air reservoirs L are closed) is filled with the air in the reservoir body 1. Therefore, the level of the inclined liquid surface in the reservoir body 1 is equal to the total volume of the air trapped in the air reservoir L, for example, up to the position of the liquid surface H ″ shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. Can be raised.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the larger the inclination of the liquid surface due to the fluctuation of the liquid, the larger the number of the air reservoirs L in which the air is trapped inside, and the confinement in each of the air reservoirs L. Since the liquid level can be raised according to the total volume of the air taken in, the rapid acceleration of the vehicle,
Even when the liquid level in the reservoir body 1 is rapidly changed due to abrupt fluctuation of the liquid in the reservoir body 1 during sudden deceleration, the malfunction of the liquid level detection means 16 can be reliably avoided.

In the liquid reservoir according to this embodiment, for example, each partition wall 31 is formed on a mold for molding the upper case 2.
The partition walls 31 can be easily formed integrally with the upper case 2 simply by adding a concave groove or the like corresponding to, and can be easily adopted in an existing liquid reservoir.

The liquid reservoir according to each of the above-described embodiments includes the peripheral wall portion 6 and the partition wall portion 18 (21, 3) of the reservoir body 1.
Although the air reservoir F (J, L) is defined by 1) and (1), it is not particularly limited to this, and the upper end side is integrated with the upper surface portion 4 of the reservoir body 1 and the lower end side is the bottom surface portion. Cylindrical shape extending toward 5 (section shape does not matter)
It is also possible to divide and form the air reservoir portion by the partition wall portion.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the separate type liquid reservoir provided separately from the master cylinder has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is provided integrally with the master cylinder, for example. It may be applied to a liquid reservoir.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the liquid reservoir used for the brake master cylinder has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the clutch master cylinder and the like.

[0049]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an air reservoir portion which is surrounded by the upper surface portion, the peripheral wall portion and the partition wall portion is defined on the upper side of the reservoir body, and the liquid stored in the reservoir body is When the liquid surface is greatly inclined due to fluctuations, the air in the reservoir body is contained in the air reservoir, so that the liquid level is suppressed from decreasing by the volume of the air reservoir portion. Even when a large inertial force is applied to the liquid and the liquid surface momentarily tilts greatly when the vehicle is suddenly accelerated or decelerated, it is possible to effectively suppress the decrease of the liquid surface level, and the error of the liquid level detection means etc. It is possible to surely prevent the operation, and it is possible to solve the problem that the driver of the vehicle is uncomfortable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a liquid reservoir according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a liquid reservoir according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a liquid reservoir according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reservoir main body 4 Upper surface part 5 Bottom surface part 6 Circumferential wall part 13 Float 14 Magnet 15 Liquid level sensor 16 Liquid level detection means 18, 21, 31 Partition part F, J, L Air reservoir part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reservoir body, which has a bottom surface portion, an upper surface portion, and a peripheral wall portion and is formed as a container for containing a liquid, and a liquid level detection means which is provided in the reservoir body and detects a liquid surface of the liquid, In order to form an air reservoir between the upper surface of the reservoir body and the liquid surface of the reservoir, the upper end side is integrated with the upper surface part of the reservoir body, and the lower end side is a partition part extending toward the bottom surface part. A liquid reservoir made up of.