JPS58112954A - Tank gage - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gauge for a liquid tank, and more particularly to a gauge for a polyethylene tank that allows the level of the liquid contained therein to be confirmed at W4 and prevents deterioration of the polyethylene material due to ultraviolet rays in sunlight.

Liquid tanks, such as fuel tanks for small engines of the type used to power lawn mowers, have traditionally been made of metal materials. Fuel level gauges were expensive and were not normally included in such tanks. Therefore, in the past, to check the fuel level in these small metal tanks, one had to remove the filler knob A7 and look at the top of the tank. However, this requires the operator to look directly down at the fuel surface through a relatively small opening, making it difficult to accurately measure the amount of fuel in the tank. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a simple and inexpensive means of visually checking the level of liquid in a tank.

Liquid tanks made of translucent polyethylene allow the level of the liquid inside to be viewed. However, polyethylene deteriorates when exposed to ultraviolet rays in sunlight, eventually becoming brittle and cracking. For this reason, translucent polyethylene tanks have not been used as sun-exposed fuel tanks for lawn mowers or chemical tanks for spraying in agriculture.

By adding a deterioration inhibitor to polyethylene materials, it is possible to prevent deterioration caused by ultraviolet irradiation.

However, when such additions are made, ordinary translucent polyethylene becomes opaque, making it impossible to visually check the liquid level in the tank. Therefore, it is possible to visually check the liquid level in the polyethylene tank while preventing deterioration due to ultraviolet irradiation. A means is desired.

The present invention relates to a gauge for a liquid tank made of a plastic material that is sufficiently transparent to allow visual confirmation of the level of the liquid contained therein, but which is susceptible to deterioration from exposure to ultraviolet light in sunlight.

The use of plastic materials allows tanks to be mass-produced using known technology, which is a relatively inexpensive alternative to metal tanks. Preferably, the tank is made of translucent polyethylene, since polyethylene has relatively low cost and easy handling, relatively high strength, impact resistance, and durability.

Polyethylene tanks are particularly valuable as fuel tanks for small engines used to power lawn mowers, and are equipped with a visual fuel level gauge, including means to prevent polyethylene material deterioration caused by exposure to ultraviolet light in sunlight. . The well protection means includes a protective means that covers all exposed surfaces of the tank except for selected areas where the liquid level in the tank can be seen, and a protective cover made of a transparent material for selection. The protection means can be a coating of paint or a hood element that is impermeable to sunlight. Further, the protective cover may be made of acrylic material that blocks ultraviolet rays in sunlight. The acrylic material itself does not deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet light.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tank gauge made of transparent material that allows visual confirmation of the level of the liquid content and prevents deterioration of the polyethylene material.

As explained below with reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the dimensions of a tank gauge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the gauge is installed in a single cylinder engine 1 of the type used to power a lawn mower, pump or generator. Only the parts of the engine 1 that are relevant to the present invention, namely the engine body 2 and the fuel tank 3 installed in the engine body 2, are shown. Although the tank gauge of the present invention is illustrated and described with respect to the fuel tank of a single-cylinder engine, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present gauge can be applied to the fuel tank of a multi-cylinder engine or an engine for other uses not specifically mentioned here. It is easy for

This tank gauge can also be applied to chemical tanks for spraying in agriculture.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel tank 3 is for storing gasoline for the engine 1, and has an internal vertical side wall 4 and a wall 4.
and spaced apart and generally parallel external upright side walls 5 . A top wall 6 and a bottom wall 7 connect side walls 4 and 5, and a pair of end walls 8 close off the ends of walls 4-7. Walls 4-8 are therefore elongated and generally rectangular in cross section. Forms a hollow container.The fuel tank 3 has a rectangular cross-section, but can be constructed in a shape selected depending on the fuel capacity required for the engine 1 and the space limitations and design constraints of the engine 1.Tank 35 - There is an opening 9 in the top wall 6 for dispensing gasoline and an opening 9.
A filling cap 10 is provided which covers the. As shown in the figure, the fuel tank 3 is attached to the engine body 2 with a pair of bands 11. A band 11 is wrapped around both ends of the tank 3 and fastened to the body 2 to hold the tank 3 in place. As is readily known, the tank 3 can also be installed in the body 2 by other means, such as a racket.

Preferably, the fuel tank 3 is made of a plastic material that is sufficiently transparent to permit visual confirmation of the level of fuel contained therein. Among the plastic materials used to construct the tank 3, polyethylene is one of the particularly preferred plastic materials. The polyethylene is translucent, allowing the fuel level in the tank 3 to be seen. However, polyethylene tends to deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet light in sunlight, eventually becoming brittle and cracking. In order to solve this problem, in the present invention, the polyethylene tank 3
shall be provided with a visual fuel level gauge, including means to protect the polyethylene from degradation by ultraviolet light in sunlight.

6- Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the invention. As shown in Figure 2,
The entire exposed surface of the polyethylene tank 3 except for selected areas on the external side wall 5 is coated with paint. The coating 12 is opaque to sunlight and provides a protective measure for the polyethylene material from ultraviolet radiation. The selected area is in the form of an elongated upright strip formed by masking with tape and painting. paint 12
is used to protect the tank 3, and may be of any formula or color as long as it does not allow sunlight to pass through.

The cover that protects the selected area, that is, the non-painted area, is made of a transparent material that does not deteriorate due to ultraviolet light and blocks ultraviolet light. As shown in FIG. 2, the selected non-painted area is covered with a transparent acrylic piece 13 adjusted to block ultraviolet rays. The presence of the acrylic piece 13 allows the operator to accurately measure the fuel content through the non-painted selected area, and also protects the polyethylene material in the non-painted selected area. Therefore, the acrylic piece 13 and the non-painted selected area provide a simple and inexpensive means for visually checking the fuel level in the tank 3.

The protective cover or acrylic piece 13 of FIG. 2 is secured to the side wall 5 by various methods such as adhesive, mechanical and mechanical fastener knap fits, straps, or other conventional fastening means. Figure 2 shows an acrylic piece 13 attached to the wall 5 of a polyethylene tank 3, and piece 1
One method of fixing using an adhesive band 14 near the third end is shown. FIG. 3 shows another method of fixing the acrylic piece 13 to the polyethylene tank 3 by means of a screw 15 extending through the piece 13 into a blind hole 16 formed in the external side wall 5 of the tank 3 through a 1°h hole. 16 is preferably formed integrally with the side wall when molding the tank 3. FIG. 4 shows another method of fixing the part 13 to the polyethylene tank 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the piece 13 is secured to the tank 3 by a dowel 17 which projects from the side wall 5 and is integrally formed during manufacture. The acrylic piece 13 is provided with a hole 18 through which the bottle 17 passes. The end of the dowel 17 is heated and spread over the outer surface of the acrylic piece 13, securing the piece 13 to the side wall 5.

FIG. 5 shows the dimensions of another means for securing the polyethylene tank 3 by 1 m and another means for fixing the acrylic piece 13 to the side wall 5. Fifth
As shown, the protection means comprises a hood member 19 which covers all exposed surfaces of the tank 3 except in selected areas, as will be explained below. The hood member 19 has approximately the same shape as the tank 3, and is rectangular and has a cross section slightly larger than that of the tank 3, as shown in FIG. A pair of spaced apart side walls 20, a top wall 21 connected to the upper end of the side walls 20, and a hollow box-shaped hood member 1 with both ends of the walls 20 and 21 closed.
and a pair of end walls 22 forming a 9. Hood member 1
9 is made of a material that does not allow sunlight to pass through, such as metal or plastic.

As shown in FIG. 6, the hood member 19 has a selected area or slot 23 formed in the outer side wall 20 to allow the operator to view the fuel level in the transparent polyethylene gasoline tank 3.
is the provision. In order to protect the polyethylene tank 3 from deterioration due to ultraviolet light passing through the tank, an acrylic piece 24 adjusted to block ultraviolet light is provided as a protective cover. The acrylic piece 24 is transparent and does not deteriorate due to ultraviolet rays.

FIG. 6 shows one method of securing the acrylic piece 24 to the sidewall 20 of the hood member 19 in a snap fit or press fit configuration. To secure the piece 24, use adhesive as shown in FIG.
Mechanical attachments such as screws and blind holes in the tank 3 as shown in FIG. Other means such as a belt or other fastening means may also be used.

The polyethylene fuel tank 3 includes means to protect the polyethylene material from deterioration due to ultraviolet light in sunlight and to visually check the fuel level in the tank.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medium-cylinder engine incorporating a first embodiment of the fuel tank gauge of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the fuel tank gauge of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a fuel tank gauge of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing the second embodiment of the fuel tank gauge of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view showing the third embodiment of the fuel tank gauge of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 5. 1... Single cylinder, engine, 2... Engine body, 3
... fuel tank, 4 ... internal side wall, 5 ... external side wall, 6 ... top wall, 7 ... bottom wall, 8 ... end wall, 9 ... opening, 10. ...Filling cap, 11...
Obi, 12...Paint, 13...Acrylic piece, 14...
・Adhesive band, 15...Screw, 16...Blind hole, 17
...Dowel, 18...hole, 19...hood member, 2
0... Side wall, 21... Top wall, 22... End wall,
23...Slot, -24...Acrylic piece.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Installed in a liquid tank made of a plastic material that is transparent enough to allow the level of the liquid contained therein to be visually recognized, but which tends to deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet rays in sunlight. is,
It covers all exposed surfaces of the tank except for selected areas where the liquid level of the tank contents can be observed, and is made of a protective means that does not allow sunlight to pass through and a transparent material that does not deteriorate due to UV irradiation and blocks UV rays. A tank gauge consisting of a protective cover for the selected area. 2. The tank gauge according to claim 1, wherein the protective cover is made of acrylic plastic. A tank gauge according to claim 1, wherein the protective means comprises a coating of paint. 4. The tank gauge according to claim 1, wherein the protective means comprises a cover member.