WO2015170620A1

WO2015170620A1 - Valve device

Info

Publication number: WO2015170620A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/062580
Authority: WO
Inventors: 和田　敏男
Original assignee: 株式会社ニフコ
Priority date: 2014-05-09
Filing date: 2015-04-24
Publication date: 2015-11-12
Also published as: JP6195804B2; JP2015215015A

Abstract

Provided is a valve device including a float (F) and a case (H) accommodating the float (F) therein, the valve device constituting part of a flow channel of a fuel tank (T). The float (F) includes a float main body (2) and a valve body (1) provided to an upper part of the float main body (2) so as to be capable of a tilting motion. The valve body (1) includes a seal portion (1a) that blocks a valve port (5a) formed inside the case (H) when the float (F) rises, a hooking portion (1b) that is hooked onto part of the float main body (2) and acts as the center of the tilting motion, and an abutting portion (1j') that protrudes from the rear side of the seal portion (1a). The valve device is configured such that the valve body (1) is caused to move in a horizontal direction as a result of the abutting portion (1j') abutting an abutted portion (2j) of the float main body (2) due to the tilting motion.

Description

Valve device

The present invention relates to an improvement of a valve device that is attached to a fuel tank of an automobile or a two-wheeled vehicle and functions so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the fuel tank in an open state.

Patent Document 1 discloses a valve device that constitutes a ventilation passage of a fuel tank, which includes a float that rises due to the inflow of fuel into a case and closes a valve port connected to the passage to the outside of the tank. There is something.

In a valve device equipped with this type of float, if the fuel flows out of the case that contains the float from the closed state, the float can be lowered, and the transition to the valve open state is made. When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tank is large, the upper part of the float may stick to the valve opening, and the transition to the valve open state may not be smoothly performed.

The thing of the said patent document 1 closes the said valve port with the plate-shaped valve body provided in the upper part of the float main body so that tilting was possible. Thereby, in the thing of patent document 1, it can begin to solve the contact state of this valve body and valve opening from the inclination lower side of the tilted valve body, and even if the pressure difference inside and outside the fuel tank is large, The transition to the valve opening state is made relatively smooth.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,089

The main problem to be solved by the present invention is that a valve device using this type of float can be more smoothly and reliably shifted from the closed state to the open state.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the valve device has a float and a case for housing the float device, and constitutes a part of the ventilation passage of the fuel tank,
The float includes a float main body and a valve body that is tiltably provided on an upper portion of the float main body.
The valve body includes a seal portion that closes a valve port formed in the case when the float is raised, a hook portion that is hooked to a part of the float main body and becomes the center of the tilt, and the seal portion. And a contact portion protruding on the back side of the
The valve body is caused to move in the horizontal direction by the contact of the contact portion with the contact portion of the float main body due to the tilting.

When the fuel flows into the case, the valve port is closed by the seal portion of the float valve body that is raised thereby, preventing the fuel from flowing into the upper chamber. When the fuel flows out of the case, the float can be lowered, and the valve body tilts so that the hook portion is inclined downward. At the same time, the valve body is moved in the horizontal direction while tilting because the position of the abutted portion does not change when the abutting portion is brought into contact with the abutted portion by the tilting. As a result, even when the inside of the tank is at a high pressure, the seal portion and the valve port are made of, for example, rubber having a rubber port or rubber-like elasticity on the valve port side, and the seal portion side is in close contact therewith. Even when made of materials that are easy to adhere to each other, such as made of plastic that is easy to perform, valve separation between the seal portion and the valve opening, that is, smooth opening of the valve device is realized.

One of the best modes of the present invention is to make the movement in the horizontal direction to extend the distance between the catching portion and a virtual straight line passing through the center of the valve port. Further, if the hooking portion is hooked with a play on a part of the float main body so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, the amount of movement in the horizontal direction can be increased as much as possible. . One of the best modes of the present invention is that the contact portion is a recess and the contacted portion is a protrusion that fits in the recess. Further, if the valve body is provided with a restricting portion that is caught by a part of the float main body at a predetermined tilt position of the valve body and prevents further tilting, the tilt of the valve body is constant. In addition, the valve body can be prevented from unexpectedly falling off from the float main body.

According to the present invention, the transition from the valve closing state to the valve opening state in the valve device using the float can be realized more smoothly and reliably.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the valve device. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the valve device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the valve device, showing a closed state. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the valve device, showing a closed state. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the valve device, showing a state immediately after the float is lowered and opened from the state of FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the valve device, showing a state where the float is further lowered from the state of FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a float main body constituting the valve device. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the float main body. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a valve body constituting the valve device. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a valve body constituting the valve device, and shows the valve body from the lower side of FIG.

Hereinafter, a typical embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The valve device according to this embodiment is attached to a fuel tank T of an automobile or a two-wheeled automobile, and functions so as to communicate between the inside and outside of the fuel tank T in the opened state. Such a valve device is typically attached to the upper part of the fuel tank T, and constitutes a part of the ventilation channel C of the fuel tank T (see FIGS. 4 to 7). Such a valve device uses a mounting hole Tb provided in the fuel tank T as in the illustrated example, or uses a bracket or the like provided in the fuel tank T although not shown in the figure. The tank T can be provided.

The valve device has a float F and a case H that houses the float F. The case H has a partition wall 5 that divides the inside of the case H into an upper chamber 3 and a storage chamber 4 for the float F. The upper chamber 3 is on the partition wall 5 and communicates with the tank outside Ta via the exhaust port 6c. The storage chamber 4 is below the partition wall 5, and the float F is stored therein so as to be movable up and down. Fuel can flow into the storage chamber 4 from an inflow portion 8a formed in a cap 8 described later that constitutes the bottom portion of the case H. When the float F is in a lowered position with its lower end in contact with the bottom of the case H (not shown), the inside and outside of the tank are the inlet 8a, the valve port 5a formed in the partition wall 5, the exhaust port Communication is possible through 6c. When fuel flows into the storage chamber 4, the opening edge of the valve port 5 a facing the storage chamber 4 is used as a valve seat 5 b (see FIG. 7), and the float F uses the valve body 1 provided on the upper portion thereof. The valve seat 5b is raised to a position for seating. As a result, the communication inside and outside the tank is blocked. When the fuel flows out of the storage chamber 4, the float F descends again, and the inside and outside of the tank can be communicated again via the valve device.

In the illustrated example, the case H is formed by combining a flange 6, a case main body 7, and a cap 8 (see FIG. 1). These are typically made of plastic.

The case main body 7 has the valve port 5a in the center on the upper side (see FIGS. 4 to 7) and has a substantially cylindrical shape with the lower end opened. The upper portion of the case main body 7 has a smaller diameter than the remaining portions, and a circumferential step surface 7c is formed outside the upper portion of the case main body 7 by the reduced diameter portion 7a. Further, a circumferential groove 7b is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the reduced diameter portion 7a.

More specifically, the reduced diameter portion 7 a is separated from the remaining portions by the partition wall 5. In the illustrated example, the valve port 5a is configured by fitting a short cylindrical valve seat structure 5d having an outer flange 5e at the upper end into a through hole 5c formed at the center of the partition wall 5 from above. (See FIG. 7). In the illustrated example, the lower end of the valve seat structure 5d that abuts the outer flange 5e against the through hole 5c and projects the lower end downward from the through hole 5c functions as the valve seat 5b.

The flange 6 has an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the reduced diameter portion 7a of the case main body 7, and closes the upper end of the tube and opens the lower end of the tube, and the short tubular portion 6a. And an exhaust port 6c having a tubular shape extending laterally by integrally communicating one end of the tube with a side portion of the short tubular portion 6a (see FIG. 1). .

The case main body 7 and the flange 6 are formed by fitting the reduced diameter portion 7a of the case main body 7 into the short cylindrical portion 6a until the circumferential step surface 7c of the case main body 7 abuts against the outer flange portion 6b of the flange 6. (See FIG. 4). In the state where the case main body 7 and the flange 6 are combined in this way, a space serving as the upper chamber 3 is formed between the reduced diameter portion 7a and the closed end of the short tubular portion 6a. 4 and 5, reference symbol R denotes a seal ring that is attached to the reduced diameter portion 7a using the circumferential groove 7b, and the seal ring R provides an airtight state between the reduced diameter portion 7a and the short cylindrical portion 6a. It is designed to be sealed. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 7 d denotes an engaging portion formed on the outer side of the case main body 7. In the illustrated example, the case main body 7 is configured by engaging the engaging portion 7 d with the engaged portion 6 d of the flange 6. And the flange 6 are maintained in the assembled state.

The cap 8 includes a short cylindrical portion 8b having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lower end of the case main body 7, and a bottom plate 8c that closes the cylindrical lower end of the short cylindrical portion 8b (see FIG. 3). ). After the float F is placed under the partition wall 5 of the case main body 7, when the lower end side of the case main body 7 is fully inserted into the cap 8, the engagement protrusion 7 e formed on the case main body 7 becomes the short cylindrical portion of the cap 8. The cap 8 engages with an engagement window 8d formed on the cover 8b (see FIG. 1), the lower end of the case main body 7 is closed by the cap 8, and the float F in the lowered position is supported by the bottom plate 8c of the cap 8. It has come to be. The inflow portion 8a is formed on the bottom plate 8c of the cap 8 (see FIG. 4).

In the example shown in the drawing, the valve device is typically used as an outer surface portion of the fuel tank T with the outer flange portion 6b of the flange 6 inserted in a mounting hole Tb formed in the upper portion of the fuel tank T below the flange 6. Is fixed to the fuel tank T by welding. The exhaust port 6c is adapted to be fitted into one end of the pipe body P constituting the ventilation channel C.

Further, in the illustrated example, a disk-shaped weight 9 is accommodated on the partition wall 5 in the reduced diameter portion 7a, and the valve port 5a is normally opened from the upper chamber 3 side by the weight 9. It is supposed to be blocked. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 10 denotes a seat interposed between the valve seat structure 5 d and the weight 9, and a communication opening to the valve port 5 a is formed at the center of the seat 10. In the illustrated example, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fuel tank exceeds a predetermined value, the weight 9 is lifted to vent the inside and outside of the fuel tank. That is, the weight 9 functions as a valve body constituting the check valve mechanism.

The float F includes a float main body 2 and a valve body 1 provided on the top of the float main body 2 so as to be tiltable (see FIG. 4).

In the illustrated example, the float main body 2 has a cylindrical shape in which an upper end is substantially closed and an annular space 2b is formed around the core 2a, and the annular space 2b is opened on the lower end side. In the annular space 2b, the upper end of the spring is brought into contact with the inner back portion of the annular space 2b, and the lower end of the spring is brought into contact with the bottom plate 8c of the cap 8, so The compression coil spring 11 that always operates is accommodated.

The valve body 1 has the following parts (1) to (4) (see FIG. 5).
(1) Seal portion 1a for closing the valve port 5a when the float F is raised
(2) A hooking portion 1b that hooks against a part of the float main body 2 and becomes the center of the tilting.
(3) Abutting portion 1j ′ protruding on the back side of the seal portion 1a
(4) A fulcrum portion 1c that abuts in the vicinity of the valve port 5a during the tilting.

In the valve device according to this embodiment, the valve body is moved in the horizontal direction x by the contact of the contact portion 1j 'with the contact portion 2j of the float main body due to the tilting. (Figs. 6 and 7).

More specifically, the movement in the horizontal direction x is a movement in a direction that widens the distance between the catching portion 1b and a virtual straight line y passing through the center of the valve port.

The contact portion 1j 'is a recess 1j, and the contacted portion 2j is a protrusion 2g that fits in the recess 1j (see FIG. 6).

In the illustrated example, the valve body 1 includes a main body portion 1d having a short cylindrical shape whose upper end is closed and whose lower end is opened, and on the upper end side of the main body portion 1d from the side portion of the main body portion 1d to the side. A protruding first arm portion 1e and a second arm portion 1g are provided (see FIG. 10).

The main part 1d has a slightly larger outer diameter than the valve port 5a, and the upper end of the main part 1d functions as the seal part 1a.

The second arm portion 1g protrudes laterally from the side portion of the main portion 1d on the side opposite to the first arm portion 1e. The second arm portion 1g functions as the fulcrum portion 1c. The second arm portion 1g has an outer shape that follows a virtual rectangular outer shape that reduces the area in the horizontal direction x than the seal portion 1a in a plan view, and has a ventilation portion 1h inside thereof. It has a frame shape with a through hole 1i.

The projecting dimension of the first arm 1e from the main body 1d is larger than that of the second arm 1g. The first arm portion 1e is slightly curved with its protruding end side facing downward, and has a protruding portion 1f protruding toward the main portion 1d at the protruding end, whereby a hook is attached to the protruding end side. The hook portion 1b having a shape is provided (see FIG. 11). In the illustrated example, the space between the base portion of the first arm portion 1e and the protruding end is open, and the first arm portion 1e has a frame shape.

An upper recess 2c for accommodating the valve body 1 is formed at the upper end of the float main body 2 (see FIG. 8). The upper recess 2c includes a circular hole-shaped central portion 2d for accommodating the main portion 1d of the valve body 1, a first groove portion 2e for accommodating the first arm portion 1e, and a second groove portion 2f for accommodating the second arm portion 1g. It has. The first groove 2 e is opened at the side of the float main body 2. The groove end opposite to the groove end on the communication side with the central portion 2d in the second groove portion 2f is not opened at the side portion of the float main body 2.

In the central part 2d, the protruding part 2g having a columnar shape protruding upward from the bottom of the central part 2d is formed. In the first groove 2e, an island-shaped protrusion 2h is formed on the open side. Further, below the first groove 2e, there is formed an engagement hole 2i that opens at the side of the float main body 2 and goes toward the center of the float main body 2 (see FIG. 5).

In the illustrated example, the valve body 1 is supported on the protrusion 2g so as to be tiltable by placing the protrusion 2g in the main body 1d. That is, in the illustrated example, a recess 1j that functions as the contact portion 1j 'is formed below the upper end of the main portion 1d. The valve body is stably supported in a state where the seal portion 1a is leveled on the float main body 2 except when the valve is opened by bringing the inner back portion of the recess 1j into contact with the upper end of the projection 2g. It has become.

Further, the valve body 1 is engaged with the float main body 2 in the tiltable state by inserting the catching portion 1b of the first arm 1e into the engagement hole 2i of the float main body 2. Further, in the first groove 2e, the island-shaped protrusion 2h is accommodated inside the first arm 1e. The distance L1 between the base of the first arm 1e and the protruding end is larger than the length L2 of the island-shaped protrusion 2h in the diameter direction of the float main body 2 (see FIG. 6). On the other hand, even if the valve body 1 moves in the horizontal direction x to the position where the end of the upper recess 2c of the island-shaped protrusion 2h is in contact with the base portion of the first arm portion 1e, the valve body 1 moves in the horizontal direction x. The catching portion 1b does not come out from the engagement hole 2i. That is, the hooking portion 1b is hooked with a play on a part of the float main body 2 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction x. Thereby, the movement of the valve body 1 in the horizontal direction x is allowed, and the movement amount can be increased as much as possible.

When the fuel flows into the case, the valve port 5a is closed by the seal portion 1a of the valve body 1 of the float F that is raised thereby, so that the fuel does not flow into the upper chamber 3. When the fuel flows out of the case, the float F can be lowered. However, the float main body 2 and the valve body 1 are linked on the hooking portion 1b side and not on the fulcrum portion 1c side. The fulcrum part 1c is brought into contact with the vicinity of the valve port 5a and tilted so that the hooked part 1b side is inclined with the contact part as a fulcrum. At the same time, the valve body 1 causes the contact portion 1j ′ to contact the contacted portion 2j by the tilting, and the horizontal position of the contacted portion 2j does not change. moved to x. Thereby, even when the inside of the tank is at a high pressure, or even when the seal portion 1a and the valve port 5a are made of a material that is easily in close contact with each other, the seal portion 1a and the valve port 5a are separated from each other. Smooth opening of the valve, that is, the valve device is realized.

The fulcrum part 1c is moved to the center side of the valve port 5a as the float F descends. The horizontal direction x area of the fulcrum part 1c is larger than the horizontal direction x area of the seal part 1a. The fulcrum portion 1c prevents as much as possible the flow of gas in the tank to the outside of the tank through the valve port 5a that occurs simultaneously with the opening of the valve. In particular, in this embodiment, since the fulcrum part 1c is provided with a through hole 1i that becomes the ventilation part 1h, the form of the fulcrum part 1c is more effective in the flow of gas at the same time as the opening of the valve. It is something that will not interfere further.

Further, in this embodiment, the valve body 1 is provided with a restricting portion 1k that is caught by a part of the float main body 2 at a predetermined tilting position of the valve body 1 and prevents further tilting. (See FIG. 11).

In the illustrated example, a leg portion 1m having a claw portion 1n protruding outward from a leg end is integrally formed at the lower end of the main body portion 1d of the valve body 1 and directly below the fulcrum portion 1c. Yes. On the other hand, immediately below the second groove 2f, there is formed a side recess 2k that opens at the side of the float main body 2 and continues to the center side of the float main body 2, and this side recess 2k The upper recess 2c is communicated between the protrusion 2g and the second groove 2f through a notch 2m that cuts a part of the bottom wall and the side wall of the center 2d (see FIG. 7). ). And the said valve body 1 is supported by the upper part of the float main body 2 as mentioned above in the state which made the said leg part 1m enter the side part recess 2k through this notch part 2m. At the same time, when the inclination of the valve body 1 is further increased as compared with the state shown in FIG. 7, the claw portion 1n of the leg portion 1m is caught by the upper end 2n of the notch portion 2m. As a result, in this embodiment, the tilting of the valve body 1 is performed within a certain range, and the valve body 1 is prevented from unexpectedly falling off from the float main body 2. When the valve release is completed, the valve body is returned to the state before tilting by its own weight.

In addition, as a matter of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and includes all embodiments that can achieve the object of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Valve body 1a Seal part 1b Hook part 1J 'contact part 2 Float main body 2j Contacted part 5a Valve port F Float H Case T Fuel tank x Horizontal direction In addition, the Japanese patent application filed on May 9, 2014 The entire contents of the specification, claims, drawings and abstract of US 2014-097412 are hereby incorporated herein by reference as the disclosure of the specification of the present invention.

Claims

A valve device that has a float and a case for storing the float, and constitutes a part of a ventilation passage of the fuel tank,
The float includes a float main body and a valve body that is tiltably provided on an upper portion of the float main body.
The valve body includes a seal portion that closes a valve port formed in the case when the float is raised, a hook portion that is hooked to a part of the float main body and becomes the center of the tilt, and the seal portion. And a contact portion protruding on the back side of the
A valve device configured to cause movement of the valve body in a horizontal direction by contact of the contact portion with a contact portion of the float main body by the tilting.
2. The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the movement in the horizontal direction is directed to increase a distance between the catching portion and a virtual straight line passing through a center of the valve port.
The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the catching portion is hooked with a play on a part of the float main body so as to be movable in the horizontal direction.
The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the contact portion is a recess, and the contacted portion is a protrusion that fits in the recess.
5. The valve body according to claim 1, further comprising a regulating portion that is caught by a part of the float main body at a predetermined tilting position of the valve body and prevents further tilting. The valve device according to item.