JPH0986195A - Fuel lid device of gas fuel vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a car from starting when a filling device or the like is forgotten to be attached to a charge coupler by preventing engine starting upon receiving a current from a switch mechanism when a fuel lid is opened and a conductive member is in contact with a pair of contact points. SOLUTION: When a fuel lid 52 is opened, since the fuel lid 52 does not exist, a holding pin 64 is pressed forward by the pressing force of a spring 70. At this time, a pin cover is expanded because it is soft. Thus, a conductive member 78 is brought into contact with first and second contact points 82 and 84, currents are supplied to first and second lead lines and by receiving these currents, a control means prevents engine starting by preventing an ignition device from outputting an igniting signal, a cell motor from being rotated or opening a fuel shutoff valve. Thus, starting of a car is prevented when a filling device or the like is forgotten to be attached to a battery coupler.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fuel lid device for a gas fueled vehicle, and particularly when the fuel lid is in an open state, the engine cannot be started and the filling device and the gas appliance are left behind in the filling coupler. The present invention relates to a fuel lid device for a gas fuel vehicle capable of preventing the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In vehicles, CNG is a gaseous fuel.
There is a natural gas vehicle (NGV) that is a gas fuel vehicle equipped with a natural gas engine that uses (compressed natural gas) as a fuel.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in a natural gas automobile (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle”) 202, a natural gas engine 204 has a CN from gas containers 206, 206.
G is guided to the gas supply pipe 208 and supplied from the mixer 210. To the gas containers 206, 206, container source valves 212, 212 incorporating an overflow prevention mechanism are attached. In the gas supply pipe 208 between the container source valves 212, 212 and the mixer 210, an emergency shutoff valve 214 and a gas, which are electromagnetic valves for ensuring the safety of the fuel supply system, are sequentially installed from the gas containers 206, 206 side. CNG in containers 206, 206
A pressure sensor 216 for detecting the pressure (remaining amount), a fuel cutoff valve 218, a high pressure reducing valve 220, and a low pressure reducing valve 222 are provided.

The emergency shutoff valve 214 is installed at a position closest to the gas containers 206, 206 to ensure safety. In addition, the pressure sensor 216 uses the emergency shutoff valve 214.
It is installed downstream of. The CNG pressure detected by the pressure sensor 216 is measured by the pressure gauge 22 in the driver's seat (not shown).
Displayed at 4.

A gas filling pipe 228 is connected to the gas containers 206, 206 so as to communicate with a filling coupler (quick coupler) 226. In this gas filling pipe 228,
A check valve 230 and a fuel filling valve 232 are sequentially provided from the gas containers 206, 206 side.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the vehicle 202 is formed with a recess 236 for accommodating the filling coupler 226 in the vehicle body outer plate 234. The recess 236 is formed by the center wall 238, the one side wall 240, and the other side wall 242 by recessing the vehicle body outer plate 234.

A fuel filling valve 232 and a filling coupler 226 are fixed to the central wall 238. The fuel filling valve 232 is provided with a handle 244 that opens the fuel filling valve 232 when filling the fuel. The handle 244 is arranged in the recess 236.

A hinge fixing member 250 having one end of a hinge 246 pivotally supported by a hinge pin 248 is fixedly mounted on the one side wall 240. At the other end of the hinge 246, the fuel lid 2
One end side of 52 is fixed. One end of the fuel lid 252 is swingably provided by a hinge 246 so as to open and close the recess 236. Inside the other end of the fuel lid 252, a stopper 2 having a locking projection 254 is formed.
56 is attached.

A lid lock mechanism 258 is provided on the other end wall 242. As shown in FIG. 13, the lid lock mechanism 258 includes a pin holding member 260 fixed to the other side wall 242.
And a holding pin body 264 reciprocally provided in the pin insertion hole 262 of the pin holding member 260 for engaging and holding the other end side of the fuel lid 252, and the side wall 26 of the pin holding member 260.
6 and a coil-shaped spring 270 held by the end wall 268.

The holding pin body 264 projects into the recess 236 and can be reciprocated along the side wall 266 of the pin holding member 260 and the pin tip portion 264a which can be locked by the locking projection 254 of the stopper 256. The base end portion 264b.

A pin base end portion 264 of the holding pin body 264.
At b, one end side of the operation wire 274 inserted through the coil-shaped spring 270 and inserted through the wire insertion hole 272 of the end wall 268 is firmly fixed. The other end of the operation wire 274 is connected to a lid opener (not shown) in the driver's seat. This operation wire 274
Holds the holding pin body 26 against the biasing force of the spring 270.
4 is retreated to release the engagement of the fuel lid 252 with the stopper 256.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, when the fuel lid 252 closes the recess 236 when the vehicle is traveling, the stopper 256 contacts the pin tip 264a to spring the holding pin 264. It pushes back against the urging force of 270 and retracts. Therefore, this spring 27
With the urging force of 0, the pin tip portion 264a moves to the stopper 25.
The fuel lid 252 is firmly held by the lid lock mechanism 258 because the fuel lid 252 is strongly pressed against 6 and is locked by the locking projection 254.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the filling coupler 22
6, when the filling tube 276 of the filling device is attached, or the fuel lid 252 is opened to attach a gas instrument (not shown) that uses gas in the gas containers 206, 206. Since the fuel lid 252 does not exist in the holding pin body 264 of the lid lock mechanism 258,
Is being pushed by the biasing force of the spring 270.

Such a fuel lid device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-81877. The thing described in this publication is a slidable lock member having a fuel lid opener operating lever composed of a swingable lever located in a vehicle compartment, and a locking portion capable of advancing and retracting within a swing locus of the fuel lid opener operating lever. And a drive means that is provided so as to be interlockable with the lock member and that can be switched between a position in which the lock member is positioned within the swing locus of the fuel lid opener operating lever and a position in which the lock member is retracted outside the swing locus. The driving means is connected to the output side, the input side is connected to a means for determining the on / off state of the ignition switch, and the control for selectively switching the position of the lock member according to the on / off state of the ignition switch. The fuel lid is provided so that the fuel lid can be opened only when the engine is stopped.

[0015]

By the way, in the conventional fuel lid structure, even if the filling tube of the filling device and the gas appliance are still connected to the filling coupler of the fuel lid,
It was possible to start the engine and start the vehicle.

However, since the filling coupler is firmly attached to the outer plate of the vehicle body, even if the vehicle is accidentally started by starting the engine, unlike the plug-in type, it does not easily come off. Therefore, if you forget to attach the filling tube or gas appliance to the filling coupler and start the vehicle,
There is an inconvenience that the filling device and the gas appliances are damaged.

[0017]

Therefore, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned inconvenience, the present invention forms a recess portion for accommodating a filling coupler in the vehicle body outer plate, and one end side is configured to open and close the recess portion. A fuel lid pivotally supported on the outer plate of the vehicle body is provided, and a holding pin body is provided for engaging and holding the other end side of the fuel lid by the urging force of a spring when the fuel lid closes the recess. In a fuel lid device of a gas fuel vehicle, the holding pin body is provided with an operation wire that retracts the holding pin body against the biasing force of the spring to release the engagement with the other end side of the combustion lid, A conductive member of a predetermined length provided in the holding pin body in the axial direction is brought into contact with the conductive member when the fuel lid is opened and the holding pin body is pushed forward by the urging force of the spring. Together with the fuel lid close operation Is provided with a switch mechanism including a pair of contacts that are not in contact with the conductive member when the holding pin body is pushed back by the other end side of the combustion lid and retracts. When the conductive member is in contact with the pair of contact points, a control means is provided for receiving an electric current from the switch mechanism and making it impossible to start the engine.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the present invention, when the fuel lid is in the open state and the conductive member is in contact with the pair of contacts in the switch mechanism, the control means makes it impossible to start the engine. If you forget to attach the filling device or gas appliance to the coupler, you will not be able to start the vehicle and you will have to remove the filling device or gas appliance before starting the engine. It is possible to eliminate the risk of damaging the vehicle body, the filling device, and the gas appliance without forgetting to attach.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail and specifically with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 is a natural gas engine of a natural gas vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle”) (not shown) which is a gas fuel vehicle using CNG (compressed natural gas) as a fuel. The natural gas engine 2 is provided with a mixer 4 and an air cleaner 6.

The natural gas engine 2 includes gas containers 8 and 8
Is guided to the gas supply pipe 10 and supplied from the mixer 4.

The gas containers 8 and 8 are provided with container valves 12 and 12 having an overflow prevention mechanism incorporated therein.

An emergency shutoff valve 14, a pressure sensor 16, a fuel shutoff valve 18, and a high pressure reducing valve 20 are sequentially installed in the gas supply pipe 10 between the container main valves 12 and 12 and the mixer 4 from the gas containers 8 and 8 side. And a low pressure reducing valve 22 are provided.

The emergency shutoff valve 14 is composed of an electromagnetic valve for ensuring the safety of the fuel supply system, and is installed at a position closest to the gas containers 8 for safety.

The pressure sensor 16 is installed downstream of the emergency shutoff valve 14 and detects the pressure (remaining amount) of the gas containers 8, 8. The gas pressure detected by the pressure sensor 16 is displayed by the pressure gauge 24 in the driver's seat (not shown).

Further, a gas filling pipe 28 which communicates with a filling coupler (quick coupler) 26 is connected to the gas containers 8 and 8. The gas filling pipe 28 includes a gas container 8,
A check valve 30 and a fuel filling valve 32 are sequentially provided from the 8th side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle is provided with a recess 36 for accommodating the filling coupler 26 in the vehicle body outer plate 34. The recess 36 is formed by the center wall 38, one side wall 40, and the other side wall 42 by recessing the vehicle body outer plate 34.

A fuel filling valve 32 and a filling coupler 26 are fixed to the center wall 38.
The fuel filling valve 32 is provided with a fuel filling valve 32 when the fuel is filled.
A handle 44 for opening the door is provided. The handle 44 is arranged in the recess 36.

On one side wall 40, a hinge fixing member 50 in which one end of a hinge 46 is pivotally supported by a hinge pin 48 is fixedly installed. One end of a fuel lid (fuel lid) 52 is fixedly attached to the other end of the hinge 46. This fuel lid 52
The one end is swingably provided by a hinge 46 so as to open and close the recess 36. Inside the other end of the fuel lid 52, a stopper 5 having a locking projection 54 is formed.
6 are attached.

A lid lock mechanism 58 is provided on the other end wall 42. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid lock mechanism 58 is reciprocally provided in the pin holding member 60 fixed to the other side wall 42 and the pin insertion hole 62 of the pin holding member 60, and the other end of the fuel lid 52 is provided. A holding pin body 64 for engagingly holding the side,
It has a coil-shaped spring 70 arranged along the side wall 66 of the pin holding member 60 and held by the end wall 68.

The holding pin body 64 projects into the recess 36 and can be locked to the locking projection 54 of the stopper 56.
4a and a pin base end portion 64b that can reciprocate along the side wall 66 of the pin holding member 60.

At the pin base end portion 64b of the holding pin body 64, one end side of the operation wire 74 which is inserted through the spring 70 and through the wire insertion hole 72 of the end wall 68 is firmly fixed. There is. The other end of the operation wire 74 is connected to a lid opener (not shown) in the driver's seat. The operation wire 74 is used to retreat the holding pin body 64 against the urging force of the spring 70 and release the engagement with the stopper 56 of the fuel lid 52.

The lid lock mechanism 58 is provided with a switch mechanism 76 which makes it impossible to start the engine 2 when the fuel lid 52 is opened. That is, a conductive member 78 having a predetermined length in the axial direction is embedded in the member housing groove 80 on the outer peripheral surface of the base end portion 64b of the holding pin body 64. Further, on the side wall 66 facing the conductive member 78, a pair of first and second contact points 82 and 84 are vertically arranged in parallel, and first and second mounting holes 86 and 8 are formed.
8 attached. The first and second contacts 82, 84 contact the conductive member 78 when the holding pin body 64 is pushed by the urging force of the spring 70 during the opening operation of the fuel lid 52, while contacting the conductive member 78. When the holding pin body 64 is pushed back by the presence of the stopper 56 on the other end side of the fuel lid 52 and is retracted when the closing operation of 52 is performed, the conductive member 78 is used.
It is arranged at a position where it does not come into contact with.

One end sides of the first and second lead wires 90 and 92 are connected to the first and second contact points 82 and 84. The other ends of the first and second lead wires 90 and 92 are connected to the engine 2
Is connected to the control means (ECU) 94.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control means 94 communicates with, for example, the fuel cutoff valve 18, the ignition device 96, or the starter motor 98, and the fuel lid 52 is opened to cause the conductive member 78 to move to the first and second positions. When the two contacts 82, 84 are contacted and a current is received from the switch mechanism 76, the fuel cutoff valve 18 is closed to close the gas supply pipe 10, or the ignition signal of the ignition device 96 is turned off. Alternatively, the starter of the engine 2 is disabled by turning off the starter motor 98.

The tip 64a of the holding pin body 64 is
It is covered with a soft and flexible pin cover 100 made of a material such as rubber or elastomer. This pin cover 100
Are attached to the pin holding member 60.

Further, the pin holding member 60 is provided with a wall cover 102 which covers the spring 70 from the side and seals the side wall 66 of the pin holding member 60.

The filling coupler 26 includes gas containers 8 and 8
A flexible filling tube 106 that forms a filling device 104 that fills the fuel with the gas container 8 and a gas appliance (not shown) for using the fuel in the gas container 8 as necessary are connected. To be done.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the fuel lid 52 is closed while the vehicle is running, the fuel lid 52 is recessed by the recess 36.
When closed, the stopper 56 pushes and pushes back the pin tip end portion 64a of the holding pin body 64 to retract the holding pin body 64, and the pin tip end portion 64a causes the spring 70 to move.
The pressing force is applied to the locking projection 54 to lock the locking projection 54. At this time, since the pin cover 100 is soft, it becomes flat as shown in FIG.

As a result, the conductive member 78 is disengaged from the first and second contact points 82 and 84 and brought into a non-contact state, and the first and second contact points
No current flows through the lead wires 90 and 92, so the control means 94 normally enables the engine 2 to be started, as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, during the opening operation of the fuel lid 52 for attaching the filling tube 106 and the like to the filling coupler 26, since the fuel lid 52 does not exist, the holding pin body is urged by the urging force of the spring 70. 64 is pushing. At this time, since the pin cover 100 is soft, the pin cover 100 shown in FIG.
It extends as shown in. As a result, the conductive member 78 comes into contact with the first and second contact points 82 and 84, and a current flows through the first and second lead wires 90 and 92. In response to this current, the control means 94 is shown in FIG. As described above, the ignition signal is not output from the ignition device 96, the starter motor 98 is not rotated, or the fuel cutoff valve 18 is closed so that the engine 2 cannot be started.

As a result, when the fuel lid 52 is opened, the switch mechanism 76 prevents the engine 2 from being started.
If the user forgets to attach the filling tube 106, the gas appliance, etc., the vehicle cannot start, so the engine 2 is started after removing the filling device 104, the gas appliance, etc. It is possible to prevent the vehicle body, the filling device 104, the gas appliance and the like from being damaged without forgetting to attach the gas appliance 104 and the gas appliance.

Further, the pin tip portion 64a of the holding pin body 64
Is covered with the pin cover 100, so that sparks due to the intermittent operation of the switch mechanism 76 do not fly under the atmosphere of natural gas as fuel.

Furthermore, since the side wall 66 of the pin holding member 60 accommodating the spring 70 is covered by the wall cover 102, natural gas does not easily enter the switch mechanism 76.

In this embodiment, the switch mechanism 76 may be a proximity switch or an infrared relay. The configuration according to this embodiment can also be used in a self stand or the like.

[0046]

As is apparent from the above detailed description, according to the present invention, the holding pin body is opened by the opening operation of the conductive member and the fuel lid, which are provided in the holding pin body in the axial direction and have a predetermined length. A pair that are in contact with the conductive member when pushed by the urging force of the spring, and are in non-contact with the conductive member when the fuel lid is closed and the holding pin body is pushed back by the other end of the fuel lid and retracted. When the fuel lid is opened and the conductive member is in contact with the pair of contacts, a control mechanism is provided which receives the current from the switch mechanism and disables engine starting. By providing,
If you forget to attach the filling device or gas appliance to the filling coupler, you cannot start the vehicle.Therefore, you must remove the filling device or gas appliance before starting the engine. It is possible to eliminate the risk of damaging the vehicle body, the filling device, and the gas appliances without forgetting to attach appliances or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a lid lock mechanism provided with a switch mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a fuel supply system.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a lid lock mechanism with a fuel lid closed.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram with a fuel lid closed.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lid lock mechanism with the fuel lid open.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a state in which a fuel lid is opened and a filling tube is attached.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an operating state of the control means when the fuel lid is closed.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an operating state of the control means when the fuel lid is open.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a vehicle provided with a conventional fuel supply system.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a conventional fuel supply system.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a conventional fuel lid in a closed state.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a conventional state in which a fuel lid is opened and a filling tube is attached.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a conventional lid lock mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Engine 8 Gas Container 26 Filling Coupler 28 Gas Filling Tube 58 Lid Lock Mechanism 76 Switch Mechanism 78 Conductive Member 82 First Contact 84 Second Contact 94 Control Means 100 Pin Cover 102 Wall Cover 104 Filling Device 106 Filling Tube

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A body cover is provided with a recess for accommodating a filling coupler, and a fuel lid whose one end is pivotally supported by the body cover is provided so as to open and close the recess. The fuel cover is the recess. A holding pin body that engages and holds the other end side of the fuel lid by a biasing force of a spring when the portion is closed is provided with the holding pin body against the biasing force of the spring. In a fuel lid device for a gas fuel vehicle, which is provided with an operation wire that retreats to release the engagement with the other end side of the combustion lid, a conductive member of a predetermined length provided in the holding pin body in an axial direction. And when the fuel lid is opened and the holding pin body is pushed by the urging force of the spring, the fuel lid is brought into contact with the holding pin body and the holding pin body is moved to the other side of the combustion lid. When it is pushed back by the end side and retreated Is provided with a switch mechanism consisting of a pair of contacts that are not in contact with the conductive member, and when the fuel lid is opened and the conductive member is in contact with the pair of contacts, A fuel lid device for a gas fueled vehicle, comprising a control means for receiving an electric current and making it impossible to start the engine.