JPS6343723Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a level switch that is turned on to issue an alarm when the remaining amount of fluid in a tank such as an oil tank in a vehicle becomes below a certain level.

Conventionally, there is a level switch A of this type as shown in FIG. 1, which is mounted by a mounting means as shown in FIG.

That is, in FIG. 1, B indicates a part of the oil tank, and a cap screwing hole _B1 having a female thread is formed in the upper surface thereof. Next, the structure of level switch A will be explained. 1 is a cap made of synthetic resin or the like, and is formed of a threaded portion 1a that is screwed into the threaded hole _B1 , a disk-shaped head portion 1b, and a shaft portion 1c that extends from the threaded portion 1a. Reference numeral 2 designates a switch plate fixed to the tip of the shaft portion 1c, and in the figure, a fixed contact 2a and a movable contact 2b are formed on the upper surface. Lead wires 2c from the respective contacts 2a and 2b are led out to the outside via the shaft portion 1c, the screw portion 1a, and the head portion 1b. Reference numeral 3 designates a float fitted into the shaft portion 1c so as to be movable up and down, so that when the amount of oil decreases and the float 3 pushes down the movable contact 2b, the contact is closed. Note that 3 is Patsukin.

Therefore, the level switch A configured in this way
The state in which it is attached to the oil tank B shown in FIG. 2 will be explained.

Now, when the screw part _1a of the cap 1 is screwed into the cap screwing hole B1 of the oil tank B, and oil is supplied from the oil supply port _B2 of the oil tank B,
The float 3 rises due to buoyancy. When the oil sent out from the oil discharge port _B3 is consumed and reduced, the float 3 descends and finally pushes down the movable contact 2b and comes into contact with the fixed contact 2a, thereby closing the switch. This lights up a lamp installed on the panel, etc., warning of a lack of oil. Note that _B4 is an oil cap.

By the way, when the level switch A is installed on the upper surface side of the oil tank B as in the conventional example described above, the bottom surface is not flat like the illustrated oil tank B, but a part of the bottom is deep. However, the tank shape has the disadvantage that the level detection range becomes narrower and the switch closes, indicating that the oil level is low even though there is sufficient oil. Ta.

Therefore, as a means to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, it is conceivable to mount the level switch A laterally on the side surface of the oil tank B. That is, by attaching the level switch A to the side of the deep bottom of the oil tank B, the oil amount at the bottom can be detected, and there is an advantage that the level detection range can be expanded.

By the way, in this installation method, if an attempt is made to simplify the installation work, the cap 1 is screwed into the oil tank B. However, this method has the drawback that the switch body rotates as the cap 1 rotates, and the position of the switch cannot be determined, making it impossible to detect the oil amount.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks; even if the cap is rotated, the switches placed on the circumference of the float are selected, and only the switches corresponding to the vertical movement of the float are turned on. - The purpose is to provide a level switch that turns off.

Next, a third embodiment of the level switch A of the present invention will be described.
This will be explained in the following figures. Note that the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same members, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, reference numeral 5 denotes a cylindrical fixed contact member made of a conductive material inserted into the cap 1, and a flange portion 5a bent inward at the tip thereof.
is formed. Reference numeral 6 denotes a support member made of an insulating material fitted to the base side of the fixed contact member 5, and is formed in a cylindrical shape. Reference numeral 7 designates movable contact members made of elastic metal that are arranged at regular intervals on the inner peripheral surface of the support member 6, and whose tips protrude from the flange 5a of the fixed contact member 5, with a gap between them and the flange 5a. arranged to occur. Reference numeral 8 denotes a fixing member made of an insulating material fitted into the support member 6 so as to sandwich the movable contact member 7 between the movable contact member 6 and the support member 6, so that the base end portion of the movable contact member 7 is exposed. The movable contact member 7 is fitted from approximately the center of the support member 6 to the distal end thereof, and reaches approximately the middle of the exposed portion of the movable contact member 7 on the distal end side. Reference numeral 9 denotes a float fitted onto the tip end side of the movable contact member 7, and 10 denotes a cylinder with a bottom that is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the fixed contact member 5 and surrounds the fixed contact member 5 and the movable contact member 7. A large number of oil circulation holes 10a are formed in a portion of the cover that protrudes from the fixed contact member 5. Reference numeral 11 denotes a connector that is fitted from the outside of the cap 1, and a protruding piece 11a is formed on a part of the connector. The connector 11 also has the protruding piece 1.
Two contact plates 11b and 11c are formed on the line connecting 1a and the center of the fitting part, and the contact plate 11b
The fixed contact member 5 and the contact plate 11c are protruded so as to be electrically connected to the lower movable contact member 7, respectively. Further, the other ends of each of the contact plates 11b and 11c protrude to the outside, and are connected to lead wires 11d.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a stopper fixed to the side wall of the oil tank B to ensure that the protruding piece 11a of the connector 11 faces upward.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show other embodiments, in which the movable contact member 7 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIGS. There is. Further, in this embodiment, the movable contact member 14 is composed of an elastic metal wire 14a that is fitted and fixed to the partition portion 1a of the cap 1, and a disk 14b that is fixed to the tip of the elastic metal wire 14a. and,
A float 9 is fixed to this disc 14b.

In this embodiment, the cover 10 is fitted onto the inner step 1c of the cap 1, and the contact plate 11c attached to the connector 11 is arranged so as to sandwich the end of the elastic metal wire 14a. The contact plate 11b is adapted to come into contact with the lower part of the fixed contact member 13.

Next, a case will be described in which the level switch A described above is inserted into the oil tank B to perform level detection.

Now, as shown in FIG. 8, insert the screw part 1a of the cap ₁ of the level switch A into the screw hole B1 formed on the side of the deep bottom of the oil tank B.
Tighten and fix through. Next, connector 1
1 to the cap 1, the protruding piece 11a of the connector 11
When the contact plate 11b is electrically connected to the stopper 12 formed on the oil tank B, the contact plate 11b is electrically connected to the fixed contact member 5 or 13, and the contact plate 11c is electrically connected to the movable contact member 7 or 14, respectively. be done. In this state, the contact plate 11c is connected to the lower movable contact member 7 in the case of FIG. 3, and the contact plate 11b is connected to the lower fixed contact member 13 in the case of FIG.

When oil is supplied from the oil supply port _B2 of the oil tank B and the amount of oil rises above the float 9, the float 9 rises due to its buoyancy. At this time, the movable contact members 7, 14 separate from the fixed contact members 5, 13, and maintain the off state as a switch.

Next, when the oil is consumed and the amount of oil in the oil tank B decreases to a level lower than that of the level switch A, the float 9 is lowered. At this time,
Since the fixed contact members 5 and 13 are located below the movable contact members 7 and 14, some of the movable contact members 7 are fixed in FIGS. 3 and 4 by lowering the float 9. The flange portion 5a of the contact member 5 is brought into contact, and in the case of FIGS. 5 and 6, the disc 14b of the movable contact member 14 is brought into contact with several of the fixed contact members 13, and the switch is turned on. That is, since the contact plates 11b and 11c are short-circuited, a lamp provided on a panel or the like is lit, thereby making it possible to notify a decrease in the amount of oil.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the oil tank B
Although the description has been made regarding the detection of the amount of oil, it goes without saying that this can also be applied to detecting the amount of other liquids.

As described above, in the present invention, a plurality of contact members are arranged in the circumferential direction of the float, and some of the contact members are brought into selective contact with other contact members by the vertical movement of the float. After screwing and inserting the cap equipped with the above contact member and float into the tank, selecting the plurality of contact members mentioned above and attaching a connector that contacts other contact members to the cap, the float can be moved up and down. Accordingly, the contact plates of the connector are short-circuited in response to this, and therefore there is no need to be careful when screwing and inserting the cap.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an enlarged side view of a conventional level switch.
Figure 2 is a side view of the tank installed, Figure 3~
Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 3 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views showing the embodiment, Figs. 4 and 6 are end views taken along lines - and -, respectively, and Fig. 7 shows an example of a tank inserted into the tank. FIG. 8 is a front view of the worn state, and FIG. 8 is a side view. A... Level switch, B... Tank, 1...
Cap, 5, 13...Fixed contact member, 7, 14
...Movable contact member, 11...Connector, 11b,
11c... Contact plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cap that is screwed and fixed into a screw hole formed on the side of the tank, a plurality of contact members arranged in a cylindrical shape on the cap, a float inserted into the contact member, and a vertical movement of the float. Another contact member selectively comes into contact with the contact member, and a contact plate attached to the cap and comes into contact with the contact member located in the direction of gravity among the plurality of contact members and also contacts with other contact members. 1. A level switch comprising: a connector having a connector, and wherein the two sets of contact members come into contact with each other in accordance with the vertical movement of the float as the liquid level changes.