JPH1054320A - Liquid level detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mount a center gage with a proper height without replacing a mounted member in the case of a tank having different shape and size. SOLUTION: A center gage 7 detecting a level of liquid in a tank 4 is mounted in a mounted member 2 in the tank 4. Between the center gage 7 and the mounted member 2, a height adjusting means 12 capable of adjusting a mounting height of the center gage 7 is provided. The mounting height of the center gage 7 relating to the mounted member 2 is adjusted through the height adjusting means 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a liquid level in a fuel gauge mainly indicating a remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a liquid level detecting apparatus, a sender gauge for detecting a liquid level of a liquid in a tank is usually mounted on a member to be mounted such as a tank cover of a sub tank in the tank or a mounting bracket of a fuel pump. (For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-124954,
No. 119354).

[0003]

However, in the conventional liquid level detecting device, the mounting height of the sender gauge cannot be changed because the sender gauge is mounted on a predetermined portion set in advance on the member to be mounted. For this reason, when the shape and size of the tank are different, in order to install the sender gauge at an appropriate mounting height, it has to be replaced with a member to be mounted having a mounting portion corresponding to the mounting height. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to solve the problem without replacing a member to be mounted when the shape and size of the tank are different. It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid level detecting device capable of mounting a sender gauge at an appropriate height.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid level detecting apparatus in which a sender gauge for detecting a liquid level of a liquid in a tank is attached to a member to be mounted in the tank. And a height adjusting means for adjusting a mounting height of the sender gauge between the sender gauge and the member to be mounted. According to the liquid level detecting device of the first aspect, the mounting height of the sender gauge to the member to be mounted can be adjusted via the height adjusting means, so that the member to be mounted is changed when the shape and size of the tank are different. Without this, the sender gauge can be mounted with an appropriate height.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the liquid level detecting device according to the first aspect, the height adjusting means includes a guide means for slidingly guiding the sender gauge in the vertical direction and a positioning means for positioning the sender gauge. This is a liquid level detection device. According to the liquid level detecting device of the second aspect, the sender gauge is guided in the vertical direction with respect to the member to be mounted via the guide means, and the sender gauge is positioned by the positioning means, so that the sender gauge can be easily adjusted with an appropriate height. Can be attached to

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The liquid level detecting device of the present embodiment is assembled to a fuel supply device 1 shown in a partially cutaway side view in FIG. The fuel supply device 1 is a module in which a fuel pump, a fuel filter, a pressure regulator, and the like (not shown) are housed in a case 2 and a bracket 3 is attached to an upper surface of the case 2 to make a module. The tank is attached to a tank 4 (a part of the figure is indicated by a two-dot chain line). The fuel supply device 1 sucks fuel in a fuel tank 4 and supplies it to a fuel supply line of an engine by operating a fuel pump in a case 2. The case 2 is made of a synthetic resin and has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom. The bracket 3 is made of synthetic resin and fixed to the fuel tank 4 so as to close an opening (not shown) on the upper surface thereof.

Next, the liquid level detecting device 6 mounted on the outer surface of the case 2 will be described. Liquid level detector 6
Is formed by attaching a sender gauge 7 using the case 2 as a member to be attached. The sender gauge 7 detects the liquid level of the fuel in the fuel tank 4 and has a substantially box-shaped housing 8 containing a sliding resistance portion (not shown).
And an arm 9 rotatably supported on the front of the housing 8 and a float 10 attached to the tip of the arm 9 and floating on the fuel level. The detection signal of the sender gauge 7 is output to a fuel gauge receiver (not shown).

The sender gauge 7 is attached to the case 2 via height adjusting means 12 described below. The height adjusting means 12 includes a sender gauge mounting part 13 provided on the case 2 and a case mounting part 14 provided on the housing 8 of the sender gauge 7.

The sender gauge mounting section 13 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 showing a front view, FIG. 5 showing a sectional side view thereof, and FIG. 6 showing a bottom view thereof. The sender gauge mounting portion 13 includes a flat rectangular vertical mounting surface 16 formed on the front surface of the case 2 and a pair of guide rails 17 formed symmetrically on the left and right side edges of the mounting surface 16. . The left and right guide rails 17 are provided with a rail groove 17a formed on the opposite surface thereof and a rail groove 1a.
7a and an engaging wall 17b forming a groove wall. A plurality (FIG. 5 shows nine) on the facing surface of the engaging wall 17b.
Are formed at predetermined intervals. The engagement groove 20 is formed in a substantially triangular groove shape by a receiving surface 20a that forms a horizontal plane, and an inclined surface 20b that is inclined upward from the deep end of the receiving surface 20a toward the opening side.
Further, the case 2 is formed with a stepped portion 2a facing above the sender gauge mounting portion 13, and the stepped portion 2a
A hanging pin 21 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the device.

Next, regarding the case mounting portion 14,
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 7 showing an explanatory view of the housing 8 of the sender gauge 7. 7A is a left side view, and FIG.
3 is a front view, (c) is a bottom view, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (b). Note that the internal structure of the housing 8 is omitted in (d). A pair of symmetrical slide rails 23 are formed on the rear surface of the housing 8. The slide rail 23 has a slide groove 23a recessed on the opposite surface (outer surface), and a slide groove 23a.
And an engaging wall 23b that forms the groove wall of FIG. The lower end of each of the slide rails 23 extends below the lower surface of the housing 8, and the extended portion serves as a locking piece 26. The locking piece 26 has a distal end portion including the engaging wall 23b of the slide rail 23 removed, and can be bent and deformed in the left-right direction. A locking claw 27 protrudes from the outer surface of the tip (lower end) of each locking piece 26. The locking claw 27 includes a locking surface 27a that forms a horizontal surface at the lower end surface of the locking piece 26, and a locking piece 2 from the tip of the locking surface 27a.
6 are formed in a substantially triangular shape by an inclined surface 27b inclined upwardly (see FIG. 7B). On the front surface of the lower end portion of each locking piece 26, a knob piece 28 that projects forward is formed.

Next, a procedure for attaching the sender gauge 7 to the case 2 will be described. First, the case mounting portion 14 of the housing 8 is positioned below the sender gauge mounting portion 13 of the case 2, and the left and right slide rails 23 of the case mounting portion 14 are engaged with the left and right guide rails 17 of the sender gauge mounting portion 13 by a sliding operation. Let it. At this time, the rail groove 17a of the guide rail 17 and the engagement wall 23b of the slide rail 23 are engaged, and the engagement wall 17b of the guide rail 17 and the slide groove 23a of the slide rail 23 are respectively engaged ( FIG. 7 (b)
And (d)). Thus, the housing 8 is guided to slide vertically with respect to the case 2 and the case 2
Is positioned in the front-rear direction. The guide rail 17 and the slide rail 23 constitute guide means for slidingly guiding the sender gauge 7 in the vertical direction.

Next, when the housing 8 is slid toward the upper part of the case 2 (also referred to as sliding), the left and right locking pieces 26 are engaged with the lower corners of the engaging walls 17b of the guide rails 17. The inclined surface 27b of the stop claw 27 contacts. When the housing 8 is further moved upward, the inclined surface 27b is pushed by the tip corner of the engaging wall 17b, so that the left and right locking pieces 26 are bent in the opposite directions to each other. The leading ends of the locking claws 27 slide on the opposing surfaces of the left and right engaging walls 17b, and when the locking claws 27 match the lowermost engaging grooves 20, the engaging claws are inserted into the engaging grooves 20. 27 engages with the elastic restoring force of the locking piece 26. At this time,
Receiving surface 20a of engaging groove 20 and locking surface 27a of locking claw 27
The downward movement of the housing 8 is prevented by the surface contact between the housing 8 and the engagement groove 20.

When the housing 8 is further moved upward, the inclined surface 27b of the engaging claw 27 is pressed by the inclined surface 20b of the engaging groove 20, so that the left and right locking pieces 26 are bent in the opposite directions. And then the left and right locking claws 27
The leading ends of the sliding grooves slide on the opposing surfaces of the left and right engaging walls 17b. When the engaging claws 27 match the second-stage engaging grooves 20, the engaging claws 27 are inserted into the engaging grooves 20. The engaging piece 26 is engaged with the elastic restoring force. By moving the housing 8 upward as described above, when the desired engagement groove 20 and the engagement claw 27 are engaged, the housing 8 is positioned, and the mounting is completed. Further, as an example of mounting the sender gauge 7, FIG. 2 shows a mounting state at a higher position and FIG. 3 shows a partially broken front view at a lower position. The engagement groove 20 and the locking piece 2
6 constitutes positioning means for positioning the sender gauge 7.

2 and 3, upper ends of pipe stopper members 30, 31 are fitted to the hanging pins 21 of the case 2, respectively. Stopper member 30,
31 has its lower end surface in contact with the upper surface of the housing 8 of the sender gauge 7, and prevents further upward movement of the housing 8. The stopper members 30 and 31 have a length corresponding to the mounting position of the sender gauge 7 in advance.

According to the liquid level detecting device 6, the mounting height of the sender gauge 7 with respect to the case 2 is adjusted by the height adjusting means 1.
2, the sender gauge 7 can be mounted at an appropriate height without changing the case 2 when the shape and size of the tank 4 are different.

Further, the sender gauge 7 is guided in the vertical direction with respect to the case 2 through the guide means by the guide rail 17 and the slide rail 23, and the sender gauge 7 is positioned by the positioning means by the engaging groove 20 and the locking piece 26. By positioning, the sender gauge 7 can be easily attached with an appropriate height.

When the sender gauge 7 is to be replaced or inspected, the tabs 28 of the both locking pieces 26 of the housing 6 are gripped in the opposite direction, and the engagement of the locking claw 27 with the engagement groove 20 is released. Then, the housing 8 is slid downward, and the case mounting portion 14 is attached to the sender gauge mounting portion 1.
3 removes the sender gauge 7 from the case 2
It can be easily removed from the device and is convenient.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the liquid level detection device of the present invention is not limited to the remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank, and can be applied to detection of liquid in other tanks. The member to be attached is not limited to the case 2 of the fuel supply device 1, but may be any member to which the sender gauge 7 is attached.

[0020]

According to the present invention, when the shape and size of the tank are different, the sender gauge can be mounted with an appropriate height without replacing the mounted member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a fuel supply device to which a liquid level detection device is attached.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken front view showing an attached state of a sender gauge at a higher position.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view showing an attached state of a sender gauge at a lower position.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a sender gauge mounting portion of the case.

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the same.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a housing of a sender gauge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel supply device 2 Case 6 Liquid level detection device 4 Fuel tank 7 Sender gauge 12 Height adjustment means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A liquid level detecting device in which a sender gauge for detecting a liquid level of a liquid in a tank is mounted on a member to be mounted in the tank, wherein a mounting height of the sender gauge is provided between the sender gauge and the member to be mounted. A liquid level detection device comprising height adjustment means for adjusting the height. 2. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein
A liquid level detecting device, wherein the height adjusting means includes guide means for slidingly guiding the sender gauge in the vertical direction and positioning means for positioning the sender gauge.