JPH11201808A - Tank device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tank device in which the amount of liquid in a tank is surely detected at low cost. SOLUTION: A tank main body 12 which is blow-molded, a tank 10 comprising a cylindrical part 22 communicating with the inside through a communication opening 18, an oblong and flat float 30 which vertically moves in the tank 10 for detecting liquid amount, a pair of protruding parts 26 provided at an inner peripheral wall 24 so as to narrower the inside diameter of the cylindrical part 22 near the communication opening 18, and a float guide 16 which is continuously formed vertically, protruding in the direction across the protruding direction of the protruding part 26 in the tank main body 12, so as to narrower the interval at the lower part of the communication opening 18 than other region in the tank main body 12 are provided. Here, related to the float 30, an upper end part 32a is wider than the interval between a pair of protruding parts 26 while the other part narrower than that while the upper end part 32a is engaged with the protruding part 26 before a lower end part 32b contacts an internal bottom part 12d of the tank main body 12, and related to the float guide 16, a pair of side walls 12a and 12b is made depressed from outside to inside at a position facing the surface of the float 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tank device, and more particularly to a tank device capable of reliably detecting the amount of residual liquid in a tank at low cost.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to detect the remaining amount of window washer cleaning liquid stored in a tank mounted on an automobile, a float is conventionally placed in the tank.

Here, since the float is soft, it is necessary to prevent the float from being deformed in the tank in order to reliably function as the residual liquid amount detecting means. For this reason, conventionally, a float guide for preventing deformation of the float by injection molding was provided in the tank integrally with the tank (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-66533).

However, in the case of injection molding,
The mold cost is higher than in the case of blow molding. For this reason, there has been a problem that the manufacturing cost of the tank and the like is increased, and the advantage of using an inexpensive float is lost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tank device capable of reliably detecting the amount of liquid remaining in a tank at low cost.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 communicates with a tank body to be blow-molded through a communication port provided in an upper portion of the tank body. A tank having a tubular portion forming a liquid inlet above the communication port; and a vertical portion inside the tank body and the tubular portion inserted into the tank from the liquid inlet according to a change in liquid level. A vertically long flat float for detecting the amount of moving liquid, a pair of protrusions protruding from an inner peripheral wall so as to narrow an inner diameter of the cylindrical portion near the communication port, and another inside the tank body. A float guide projecting from the pair of side walls in a vertically continuous manner inside the tank body so as to form a float insertion area having a smaller interval than the area below the communication port, and the float includes: The pair of protrusions The upper end portion is wider than the interval between the portions, the other portions are narrower, and the lower end portion is caught by the protruding portion in the cylindrical portion before the lower end portion contacts the inner bottom portion of the tank body at the minimum liquid amount. The float guide has a length to be locked, and the float guide is formed by depressing the pair of side walls from the outside to the inside at a position facing the surface of the float arranged to be locked to the protrusion. That is characterized by

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since there is a float that moves up and down in the tank according to the change of the liquid level, the amount of liquid in the tank can be easily detected by using the float.

Here, a pair of protrusions for reducing the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion are provided in the tank, the upper end of the float is wider than the distance between the protrusions, and the upper end can be locked to the protrusions. Since the float is placed in the tank in the state,
The lowering operation of the float is regulated at a fixed position by the upper end portion being locked to the projecting portion. Since the float has a length that is hooked and locked by the protruding portion before the lower end portion contacts the inner bottom portion of the tank body at the minimum liquid amount, collision between the float and the inner bottom portion of the tank body is prevented. Is prevented.

There is a pair of float guides below the communication port, and the float guide is formed at a position facing the surface of the float arranged so as to be able to be locked to the projecting portion. The deformation of the float is prevented. That is, the flat float is more likely to bend in the surface direction than in the side end direction, and since the float guide is provided in the easily bent direction, the float in the tank body is prevented from bending. Since the float guide is vertically continuous, the float is prevented from bending toward the surface at any time before, during, or after the vertical movement.

Therefore, deformations such as bending of the float in the tank body toward the surface and bending due to collision with the inner bottom portion are reliably prevented.

Furthermore, since the projecting portion is formed inside the tubular portion near the communication port where the tank body and the tubular portion communicate with each other, the float that the tubular portion projects outside the tank body is protected. Functions as a float cover. For this reason, deformation of the float outside the tank body is prevented.

As described above, since the float is prevented from being deformed in the tank, it is possible to accurately detect the liquid amount by the float.

Further, since the float guide is formed by recessing the pair of side walls of the tank body, the float guide can be easily formed at the time of blow molding the tank body. Therefore, a tank having a float guide inside can be realized at low cost.

Further, since such a tank is combined with an inexpensive float, it is possible to reduce the cost of a tank device capable of accurately detecting the amount of liquid.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the tank device according to the first aspect, the projecting portion projects in a direction intersecting with a projecting direction of the float guide.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the projecting portion projects in a direction intersecting with the projecting direction of the float guide, when the upper end portion is locked by the projecting portion, the surface of the float is removed. The float guide can be reliably faced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the tank device according to the first or second aspect, the float extends from a side end in a portion avoiding the upper end portion, and a longitudinal axis extends in the float insertion region. And a rotation restricting portion that restricts a rotation operation by colliding with a side surface of the float guide when rotating around the float guide.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since there is a rotation restriction for restricting the rotation of the float by colliding with the float guide, the rotation of the float about the longitudinal axis can be prevented. Therefore, the upper end of the float does not come off from the pair of protrusions due to the rotation of the float, and does not fall and collide with the inner bottom of the tank body. Therefore, the deformation of the float due to the collision can be more reliably prevented.

Further, since the float does not rotate at the time of liquid injection or the like, the liquid injection work can be easily performed. Therefore, an easy-to-use tank device can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the tank device according to the third aspect, the float extends from the side end between the upper end portion and the rotation restricting portion, and rotates when the liquid amount is maximum. In a state where the restricting portion is located between the pair of float guides, the restricting portion is caught on a peripheral portion of the communication port or a lower surface of the protruding portion, and has a rising restricting portion for restricting a rising operation.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the float has the convex piece-like rising regulating portion which is locked to the peripheral portion or the projecting portion of the communication port in the tank body, the float is at the maximum liquid amount. It does not fall out of the tank body. Also,
This rising regulating portion is between the locking portion and the rotation regulating portion,
Since the rotation restricting portion is formed at a position where it is locked while being positioned between the float guides, thorough prevention of deformation of the float is achieved. That is, the function of the rotation restricting portion is ensured even when the liquid amount is at the maximum, because the rotation restricting portion is located between the float guides. Also, since the rotation restricting portion does not move above the float guide, the rotation restricting portion collides with the upper portion of the float guide when the float descends,
The occurrence of a situation where the float comes off the float insertion area is prevented.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the tank device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the cylindrical portion is blow-molded integrally with the tank body.
The protrusion is formed by recessing a peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion so as to protrude from an outer surface to an inner surface.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the entire tank including the cylindrical portion and the protruding portion is blow-molded.
The cost of the tank can be further reduced. Therefore, a tank device that can accurately detect the liquid amount can be realized at lower cost.

Since the projection is formed by recessing the peripheral wall, the projection can be easily formed by blow molding.

[0025]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the tank device is a vehicle-mounted washer tank for storing a washing liquid for washing a windshield of a car, and has a tank 10 and a float 30 inserted into the tank 10.

More specifically, the tank 10 includes a tank body 12 for storing liquid and an upper portion 12 of the tank body 12.
c, and the whole is integrally formed by blow molding. And the tank body 1
2 and the cylindrical portion 22 communicate with each other through the communication port 18, and a liquid injection port 20 is formed above the communication port 18. Tank 1
The size of 0 is arbitrarily set in consideration of the amount of the cleaning liquid to be stored and the mounting space inside the vehicle body.

The tank main body 12 has a pair of float guides 16 projecting from each other inside the tank body.
On the pair of side walls 12a and 12b. The float guide 16 has a shape in which a part of the region avoiding the upper ends of the side walls 12a and 12b is continuously depressed up and down, and is formed together with the blow molding of the tank body 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the float guide 14 forms a float insertion area 14 having a smaller interval than other areas in the tank main body, below the communication port 18. Float guide 16
Is determined in consideration of the size of the float insertion region 14 to be formed.

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

The float insertion area 14 is provided with a liquid inlet 20.
The float 30 inserted into the tank main body 12 from the through the communication port 18 is an area located inside the tank main body 12, and its size is determined in consideration of the width and thickness of the float 30 to be used. Then, the float 30 is arbitrarily set within a range in which the float 30 can move up and down.

The cylindrical portion 22 has a cylindrical shape formed to rise upward from the peripheral edge of the communication port 18. The cylindrical portion 22 forms a liquid inlet 20 and a float 30 projecting from the communication port 18 to the outside of the tank body 12.
Provided to protect the And this cylindrical part 22
A pair of protruding portions 26 are formed near the communication port 18 in the vicinity of the communication port 18 so as to protrude from the inner peripheral wall 24 in a direction intersecting with the protruding direction of the float guide 16 and to reduce the inner diameter.

When the amount of the cleaning liquid stored in the tank body 12 becomes minimum, the protrusion 26
Is provided to restrict the lowering operation. Each protruding portion 26 has a shape in which the peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 22 is depressed from the outside to the inside, and is formed together with the blow molding of the cylindrical portion 22. A space is formed between the pair of protrusions 26 so that the float 30 can be inserted therein and does not hinder the injection of the cleaning liquid. The size of each protrusion 26 is formed such that at least such an interval can be secured and the float 30 can be securely hooked.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the projecting direction of the projecting portion 26 and the projecting direction of the float guide 16 are substantially orthogonal. However, the protruding direction and the specific shape of the protruding portion 26 are not limited to this as long as the upper end portion can be reliably locked in a state where the surface of the float faces the float guide. For example, the protruding portion 26 may be formed so as to make the entire circumference of the inner peripheral wall 24 narrow uniformly.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the present embodiment.

The float 30 has a vertically long float body 32.
And a rotation restricting portion 36 and a rising restricting portion 38 formed at a lower end portion 32b of the float main body 32, and the whole has a flat and substantially K-shape. The float 30 is integrally formed of the same material as a whole. As a material of the float 30, a material usually used for a float for detecting a liquid amount may be used. Furthermore, the maximum width of the float 30 is
The diameter is set smaller than the diameter of the liquid inlet 20 and the longer diameter of the communication port 18. Therefore, the float 30 can be easily inserted into the tank 10 from the liquid inlet 20 after the completion of the tank 10.

More specifically, the float main body 32 is a vertically long portion in which the upper end portion 32a is formed wider than other portions. Here, the width of the upper end 32a is wider than the distance between the pair of protrusions 26, and the width of the other portions is the distance between the pair of protrusions 26 and the float insertion as shown in FIGS. It is set to be narrower than the interval between the regions 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the length of the float body 32 excluding the upper end part 32 a is such that when the upper end part 32 a is locked to the protruding part 26, the lower end part 32 b is connected to the inner bottom part 12 d of the tank body 12. It is set to such an extent that it does not come in contact with the object.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sectional views showing the internal structure of this embodiment.

The rotation restricting portions 36 are formed in a pair of rectangular convex pieces and extend from both ends of the lower end portion 32b of the float main body 32. The size of the rotation restricting portion 36 is set to a size such that when the float main body 32 rotates around the longitudinal axis according to the arrow shown in FIG. Further, in the present embodiment, the length from one end to the other end of the pair of rotation restricting portions 36 is set shorter than the major diameter of the communication port 18.

It is to be noted that the pair of rotation restricting portions 36 may be formed so that their heights are shifted from each other, or a plurality of pairs may be formed. The shape is not particularly limited as long as the shape can be restricted by colliding with the float guide 16 during rotation.

The lift restricting portion 38 extends between the upper end portion 32a of the float main body 32 and the rotation restricting portion 36 from both ends of the float main body 32 in a pair of rectangular convex pieces. As shown in FIG. 5, the size of each of the rising restricting portions 38 is set to a size that protrudes in the short diameter direction of the communication port 18 inside the tank body 12 and catches on the peripheral edge portion 19. Further, as shown in the figure, the specific position of the rise restricting portion 38 is a position where the upper end of the float main body 32 does not protrude out of the liquid inlet 20 when locked on the peripheral edge portion 19.

In the present embodiment, the rise restricting portion 38 and the rotation restricting portion 36 are formed to have substantially the same size. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the elevation regulating section 38 can also function as the rotation regulating section 36.

The float 30 having such a configuration is as follows.
The liquid inlet 20 is inserted into the tank body 12 through the communication port 18, and the upper end 32 a of the float body 32 is
6, with the surface facing the float guide 16 so as to be locked to the float insertion area 14. Here, in the area between the communication port 18 and the float insertion area 14, since the interval is not narrowed at all, the float 30 is rotated when the part having the rotation restriction part 36 and the elevation restriction part 38 reaches this area. By rotating, a predetermined arrangement can be easily realized.

Next, the operation of such a tank device will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, when the amount of liquid stored in the tank 10 decreases, as shown in FIG.
However, when the liquid amount becomes minimum, the upper end 32a is stopped by the protrusion 26 of the tank 10 before the lower end contacts the inner bottom 12d of the tank body 12. Then, when the cleaning liquid is injected into the tank 10 from the liquid injection port 20, the float 30 rises as the liquid level 40 rises as shown in FIG. 38 is locked to the peripheral portion 19 of the communication port 18 to restrict the ascending operation.

As described above, the float 30 moves up and down according to the change of the liquid level inside the tank body 12. Utilizing the vertical movement of the float 30, the amount of the cleaning liquid stored in the tank 10 is detected.

Since the insertion portion 32 is located in the float insertion area 14 before, during, or after the vertical movement of the float 30, the float 30 inside the tank body 12 is
Is prevented from being deformed. That is, the pair of float guides 16 forming the float insertion area 14 hinders the bending of the float 30 in the direction of the float guide 16. Since the float guide 16 is vertically continuous, bending of the float 30 in the direction of the float guide 16 is reliably prevented before, during, or after the float 30 moves up and down. Further, the upper end portion 32a is
2, the lowering operation of the float 30 is hindered before coming into contact with the inner bottom 12d of the tank body 12, so that the float 30 is prevented from being deformed due to collision with the inner bottom 12d. .

Further, since the tank 10 has the cylindrical portion 22, the float 30 is protected outside the tank body 10 and deformation is prevented.

Since the float main body 32 located in the float insertion area 14 has the rotation restricting portion 36,
When the float 30 tries to rotate around the longitudinal axis, the rotation restricting portion 36 collides with the side surface of the float guide 16. As a result, the rotation of the float 30 inside the tank 10 is prevented. For this reason, the upper end 32a is disengaged from the protruding portion 26 and the float main body 32 is
To prevent the lower end portion 32b from colliding with the inner bottom portion 12d. Further, when the cleaning liquid is injected into the tank 10, the float 30 does not rotate.
It is easy to quickly perform the injection work from zero.

Further, since the tank 10 is blow-molded, the tank 10 can be obtained at lower cost than in the case of injection molding. Here, the float guide 16 has a shape in which the side walls 12a and 12b are recessed from the outside to the inside, and the protrusion 26 also has a shape in which the peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 22 is recessed from the outside to the inside. The projection 26 can be easily formed by blow molding.

Further, since the blow molded product tank 10 and the inexpensive float 30 are used in combination, a tank device capable of accurately detecting the liquid amount can be realized at low cost.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the tank device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the tank device is a vehicle-mounted tank device for storing a washing liquid for washing a windshield of a car, and includes a tank 50 and a float 30 inserted into the tank 50.

More specifically, the tank 50 is formed by joining a blow-molded tank body 52 and an injection-molded cylindrical portion 62. Then, the tank body 52 and the cylindrical portion 62 communicate with each other through the communication port 58.

Here, the tank body 52 has a pair of float guides 56 projecting inward from a pair of side walls 52a so as to form a float insertion area 54 below the communication port 58.
And a rising portion 57 that is bent and extended so as to rise upward from the peripheral edge of the communication port 58.

The float guide 56 has the same configuration as the float guide 16 in the first embodiment described above. Therefore, detailed description is omitted here.

The rising portion 57 extends substantially vertically upward from the peripheral edge of the communication port 58 so that the cylindrical portion 62 can be easily attached, and has a height of approximately 90 so that the upper end portion is outwardly expanded.
It is formed by being bent every degree.

The upper and lower ends of the cylindrical portion 62 are open,
Further, it has a cylindrical shape that is slightly tapered from the upper end to the lower end, and has a pair of projecting portions 66, a first connecting portion 67, and a second connecting portion 64.

A pair of protruding portions 66 are protruded from the inner peripheral wall 64 near the lower end of the cylindrical portion 62 so as to reduce the inner diameter while leaving a space where the float 72 can be inserted. The projecting portion 66 is formed simultaneously with the injection molding of the cylindrical portion 62. In addition, the protrusion 66 in the present embodiment
Is formed such that the form viewed from the liquid inlet 60 is similar to the form viewed from the cylindrical portion 22 shown in FIG.

The first connecting portion 67 corresponds to a portion of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 62 below the protruding portion 66. The first joining portion 62 is formed in a shape and a size that can be fitted between the rising portions 57.

The second connecting portion 68 is formed in a flange shape having a size to be hooked on the rising portion 57 and protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 62 in a direction crossing the longitudinal axis. The protruding position is a position where the first connecting portion 67 does not protrude into the tank main body 52 when locked to the rising portion 57.

In the cylindrical portion 62 having such a structure, the first connecting portion 67 is fitted between the rising portions 57,
The second connecting portion 68 is fixed to the tank main body 52 in a state where the second connecting portion 68 is locked at the upper end of the rising portion 57.

The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the description is omitted.

In the second embodiment, the tank 5
Collision between the float 30 and the inner bottom portion 52d in 0 and rotation of the float 30 around the longitudinal axis are prevented, and accurate detection of the liquid amount by the float 30 is possible. Further, the easiness of the liquid injection work is also ensured. Further, the tank 50 exhibiting such an operation and effect can be realized at a lower cost than when the whole is injection-molded, and the advantage of using the inexpensive float 30 is utilized. Therefore, a tank device that can accurately detect the liquid amount can be realized at a relatively low cost.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described example, but can be variously modified within the scope of the invention.

For example, the float guide may be formed so as to be completely continuous from the top to the bottom in the tank body, or may be formed as a pair or more. When the float is formed using a material having elasticity, the maximum width of the float may be set wider than the inner diameters of the liquid inlet and the communication port. Alternatively, a tank may be formed including a liquid discharge port and other components. With respect to the float, only one pair of convex pieces serving as both the rotation regulating portion and the rising regulating portion is formed, or the width of a portion of the float body inserted into the float insertion region is set wider than the width of the float insertion region. It is also possible to omit both or one of the rotation restricting portion and the rising restricting portion.

[0067]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 50 Tank 12, 52 Tank body 12a, 12b, 52a Side wall 12c, 52c Top 12d, 52d Inner bottom 14, 54 Float insertion area 16, 56 Float guide 18, 58 Communication port 19, 59 Peripheral edge 20, 60 Liquid injection Inlet 22, 62 Cylindrical part 24, 64 Inner peripheral wall 30, 70 Float 32a Upper end 32b Lower end 36 Rotation restricting part 38 Rise restricting part 40 Liquid level

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A tank body to be blow-molded, and a cylindrical portion communicating with the inside through a communication port provided at an upper portion of the tank body and forming a liquid injection port above the communication port;
A vertically elongated flat float for detecting the amount of liquid that is inserted into the tank from the liquid inlet and moves up and down in the tank body and the cylindrical portion according to a change in the liquid level; and the communication port A pair of projecting portions projecting from the inner peripheral wall so as to narrow the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion in the vicinity, and a float insertion region having a smaller interval than other regions inside the tank body are formed below the communication port. A float guide projecting from the pair of side walls so as to be vertically continuous inside the tank body, wherein the float has an upper end portion wider than an interval between the pair of projecting portions and the other portion. Is narrow, and has a length in which the upper end portion is caught and locked by the protruding portion in the cylindrical portion before the lower end portion contacts the inner bottom portion of the tank main body at the minimum liquid amount, and the float guide is , The protrusion Locked are as the pair of side walls at a position facing the placement surface of the float to be formed by depressing from the outside to the inside part, a tank apparatus according to claim. 2. The tank device according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion projects in a direction crossing a direction in which the float guide projects. 3. The tank device according to claim 1, wherein the float extends from a side end in a portion avoiding the upper end portion and rotates around a longitudinal axis in the float insertion region. A rotation restricting portion for restricting a rotation operation by colliding with a side surface of the float guide. 4. The tank device according to claim 3, wherein the float extends from the side end between the upper end portion and the rotation restricting portion, and the rotation restricting portion is connected to the pair when the liquid amount is maximum. A tank device comprising: a lift restricting portion that restricts a lifting operation by being hooked on a peripheral portion of the communication port or a lower surface of the protruding portion in a state positioned between the float guides. 5. The tank device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is blow-molded integrally with the tank body, and the protruding portion is formed of the cylindrical portion. A tank device, wherein a peripheral wall is formed so as to protrude from an outer surface to an inner surface.