WO2020016009A1

WO2020016009A1 - Fluid container for a motor vehicle and method for producing a fluid container for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2020016009A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/067810
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicolai SCHUMACHER
Original assignee: Kautex Textron Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2018-07-16
Filing date: 2019-07-03
Publication date: 2020-01-23
Also published as: DE102018117181A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid container for a motor vehicle, having: -a container wall (4), which delimits a storage volume (6) for receiving fluid (8, 16), and -a heating device for heating fluid (8, 6), -wherein the container wall (4) has a container base (12), -with at least one fluid-conducting element (14, 22, 26, 10 30), at least some sections of which are inclined with respect to the container base (12).

Description

Liquid container for a motor vehicle and method for producing a liquid container for a motor vehicle

The present invention relates to a liquid container for a motor vehicle and a method for producing a liquid container for a motor vehicle.

A large number of different operating fluids are carried in modern motor vehicles and stored in fluid containers. At low ambient temperatures, such operating fluids, such as aqueous urea solution for exhaust gas aftertreatment or water, can freeze and are not immediately available to the drive system after the vehicle is started. In order to ensure that the supply systems are ready for operation as quickly as possible, anyone who equips the operating fluid container with heating devices.

When thawing frozen operating fluids with such heating devices, for example in the case of heating devices and suction devices arranged at the bottom, there is the problem that a cavity is formed above the heating device. Vacuuming close to the ground can create a vacuum within the cavity of the ice block, so that the heating device is partially insulated from the ice block to be thawed. There is a partial or incomplete thawing of the operating fluid, so that despite the heating device, no reliable provision of the iced up

Operating fluid can be guaranteed. Against this background, the present invention is based on the technical problem of specifying a liquid container for a motor vehicle and a method for producing a liquid container for a motor vehicle which do not have the disadvantages described above or at least have them to a lesser extent, and in particular an improved thawing performance in Allow traps of iced operating fluids.

The technical problem described above is solved in each case by a liquid container for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and a method for producing egg nes liquid container for a motor vehicle according to claim 10. Further embodiments of the invention result from the dependent claims and the description below.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a liquid container for a motor vehicle with a container wall that limits a storage volume for holding liquid, and with a heating device for heating liquid, the container wall having a container bottom, and wherein at least one liquid guiding element , which is oriented at least in sections inclined relative to the container bottom. The inclined liquid guiding element relative to the container bo serves to convert transverse and longitudinal movements of the liquid to be stored in the liquid container, which are induced in driving dynamics, into a vertical movement. In this way, thawed operating liquid in the area of the container bottom can be directed over the liquid guiding element in the direction of iced liquid areas in order to thaw it more quickly. The liquid guiding element therefore uses transverse and / or longitudinal movements of the liquid in terms of driving dynamics, which in the fully assembled state are essentially horizontal liquid movements correspond to the liquid in the direction of iced areas che, which are present on a lid area facing away from the container bottom, and thaw.

If it is spoken here that the liquid guide element is oriented inclined relative to the container bottom, this means in particular that the liquid guide element, insofar as the liquid container is mounted on a vehicle, is oriented inclined relative to a horizontal plane and a vertical plane. The container bottom can be oriented at least in sections according to the horizontal.

If it is said in the present case that liquid is to be heated, then all aggregate states are to be understood as being included, that is to say heating of the liquid in the solid or icy, liquid or gaseous state.

The liquid guiding element therefore serves, in particular, to superimpose a vertical liquid movement on a ner dynamically induced, essentially horizontal liquid movement, that is, sloshing movements in ferry operation, or at least partially converting horizontal sloshing movements into vertical liquid movements.

Furthermore, the liquid guiding element can be used to specifically direct liquid speed into volume regions of the liquid container which are at least partially separated from one another by inner wall structures or functional units. Overall, the liquid guiding element therefore causes one

Improved mixing and distribution of the liquid in the liquid container in order to bring thawed or heated liquid into contact with iced liquid volumes. According to a further embodiment of the liquid container, it can be provided that the liquid-guiding element is designed in the manner of a ramp in a longitudinal section and is at least curved in sections. For example, the liquid guiding element can be shaped partially or completely in the manner of an arc or in particular in the manner of a circular arc segment in order to effect the most efficient possible diversion of the relative movement of the liquid within the storage volume.

In particular, it can be provided that the liquid-guiding element, viewed along its entire longitudinal extent, is designed to be curved or curved.

As an alternative or in addition, it can be provided that the liquid guiding element, in the manner of a ramp, viewed in a longitudinal section, is at least partially rectilinear. Thus, a deflection of fluid dynamically set in motion within the storage volume can be done in a simple manner.

In particular, it can be provided that the liquid line, viewed along its entire longitudinal extent, extends in a straight line in cross-section in the manner of a ramp.

It can be provided that the liquid-guiding element, viewed in a longitudinal section, has straight and / or curved sections.

In order to specify a cost-effective and robust design of the liquid container, the liquid guide element can be formed in one piece with the bottom of the container or be integrally connected to the bottom of the container. For example, the liquid guiding element can already be produced in one piece in an injection molding process with a half-shell or bottom shell of a liquid container that has the container bottom, so that this

Liquid guiding element is an integral part of the injection-molded half shell or bottom shell of the liquid container having the container bottom. This allows an inexpensive and reliable integration of the liquid guide element into the liquid container.

It can be provided that the liquid guiding element is first provided separately and then connected to the container bottom in a cohesive manner, in particular is glued or welded. The local welding or gluing of the liquid guide element to the container bottom has the advantage that the liquid guide element can be arranged and dimensioned as required. In particular, a plurality of identical or differently dimensioned and / or oriented liquid guiding elements can be applied to the container bottom. It goes without saying that also in the injection molding process or according to alternative manufacturing processes such as

Blow molding or the like, one or more liquid guide elements of the same or different dimensions and / or orientation can be attached to the container bottom as needed.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the liquid guide element is non-positively and / or positively connected to the bottom of the container, in particular by clipping, jamming, latching or the like, in order to achieve an inexpensive and in particular releasable fastening.

According to a further embodiment, the liquid container has a surge pot and / or a labyrinth geometry and / or a baffle, the baffle and / or the labyrinth geometry and / or the baffle separating at least sections of the volume areas of the storage volume from one another and wherein the liquid guiding element is set up to guide liquid from one volume area to a further volume area.

In this way, thawed operating fluid as a result of vehicle dynamics accelerations can be directed specifically into volume ranges or can be directed from a volume range into a wide volume range, between which, in the case of constructive solutions without a fluid guide element, only a small fluid exchange would take place due to vehicle dynamics movements. As already described above, due to the inclined arrangement of the liquid line, mixing of the operating liquid within the supply volume during the vehicle movement is promoted.

In order to use the driving dynamics of a vehicle equipped with the liquid container as specifically as possible for mixing the operating liquid within the storage volume, it can be provided that the liquid container has a greater number of liquid guide elements which are arranged in pairs and / or in groups on the container bottom. The liquid guiding elements can have the same or different orientation, inclination, width, length or thickness.

A group of guide elements can, for example, have a gradually increasing angle of inclination, starting from a container center in the direction of a side wall extending between the floor and ceiling, in order to bring about a gradual deflection of the liquid speed from guide element to guide element.

For example, a first liquid guiding element can enclose an angle of 30 ° or less with the container bottom, while a second guide element forms an angle of 30-50 ° with the bottom of the container and a third guide element forms an angle, for example, in a range between 50 and 80 ° with the bottom of the container.

It can be provided that a first liquid guide element is arranged in a first volume area of the supply volume and a second liquid guide element is arranged in a second volume area of the supply volume, where the volume areas are separated from one another at least in sections, and wherein the first liquid guide element and the second Liquid guide element are spaced from each other and are arranged starting from the container bottom in a roof-shaped manner tapering towards one another. Thus, a mutual exchange of liquid between the volume areas can take place in that liquid dynamics induced by vehicle dynamics to redirect the liquid along the respective guide element from one volume area to the other volume area.

Alternatively or in addition, it can be provided that at least two liquid-guiding elements are spaced apart from one another and, starting from the bottom of the container, are arranged in a funnel-shaped manner. For example, in the peripheral areas of the liquid container, liquid guiding elements can be arranged which, starting from the container bottom, extend approximately to the side wall of the container in order to guide liquids into areas in which a container top opposite the container bottom and a side wall converge.

According to a further embodiment of the liquid container, it is provided that the liquid guide element, viewed in cross-section, shows a local thickening, such as a web or the like. The local thickening causes an inhomogeneous temperature distribution or an inhomogeneous cooling behavior of the liquid guiding element, for example after production of the same in the injection molding process, so that the cross-sectional geometry can result in material distortion due to the inhomogeneous cooling processes. Thus, by specifying the cross-sectional geometry, a curvature of the liquid-guiding element can be set, which is achieved by the inhomogeneous cooling of the liquid-guiding element over its cross-section.

According to a further embodiment of the liquid container, it is provided that the liquid guide element has a first, fixed end with which it is fastened to the bottom of the container, and the liquid guide element has a second, free end which extends freely cantilevered into the storage volume. Thus, the liquid guiding element can be fastened on one side only to the bottom of the container in a simple and inexpensive manner.

A liquid guiding element can be fastened to a web, a rib or a projection of the container bottom or can be formed.

A liquid guiding element can have a freely projecting length of 10 cm or more. As far as it is a straight extending liquid guiding element, the freely projecting length corresponds to the straight longitudinal extension from a first fixed end with which the liquid guiding element is held on the container bottom to a free end which is freely projecting into the storage volume of the liquid - Keitsbehälters extends. As far as it is a curved or arcuate liquid guide element, the freely projecting length corresponds to the length of the arc from a first fixed end with which the liquid guide element on the Container bottom is held, towards a free end, which is cantilevered into the storage volume of the liquid container he stretches.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing a liquid container for a motor vehicle with the method steps: injection molding a

Half-shell, which has a container base of the liquid container to be produced, wherein at least one liquid-guiding element is formed on the container base during injection molding, which is oriented at least in sections inclined relative to the container base; Injection molding of another half-shell and connecting the half-shells to form a container wall which limits a storage volume for holding liquid.

The method enables a liquid container to be produced in a simple and inexpensive manner, which enables improved thawing and / or mixing of stored liquid speed.

In particular, it is provided that the liquid container produced is a liquid container designed according to the invention in the manner described above.

According to a further embodiment of the method, it is provided that an inhomogeneous temperature distribution when cooling the liquid guiding element causes a curvature of the

Liquid guide element is generated, wherein the inhomogeneous temperature distribution during cooling of the liquid guide element is adjusted in particular by local thickening and / or local cooling or heating of the liquid guide element. As already discussed above with regard to the liquid container, a targeted temperature control or the setting of an inhomogeneous cooling behavior, either as a result of cross-sectional jumps or by a heating or cooling device, can bring about a deformation of the liquid line element to a curvature or an arc shape along the longitudinal extension of the A liquid control element to adjust. If one speaks in the present case of a longitudinal extension of the liquid guide element, it is in particular the extension of the liquid guide element from a first, fixed end, which is connected to the container bottom, to a second, free end which is free

projecting into the storage volume.

The invention is described in more detail with reference to a drawing showing exemplary embodiments. Each shows schematically:

Fig. 1 shows a first liquid container according to the invention in a cross section;

2 shows a plan view of a container bottom of a further liquid container according to the invention;

3 shows a further liquid container according to the invention in a cross section;

4A shows a liquid guide element from FIG. 1 in a top view;

Fig. 4B, the liquid guide from Fig. 4A in a cross section. 1 shows a liquid container 2 for a motor vehicle. For better traceability of the explanations below, the figures each have a coordinate system, with a plane plane spanned by the axes X and Y in the state in which the liquid container 2 shown is completely mounted on a vehicle, for example an essentially horizontal plane and the X and Z - Spread the axis in a vertical plane.

The liquid container 2 has a container wall 4, which delimits a storage volume 6 for holding liquid 8. The liquid container 2 has a heater 10 for heating men liquid 8, which may be iced depending on the ambient conditions.

The container wall 4 has a container base 12 which is oriented essentially in accordance with the horizontal plane spanned by the X-Y plane and which surrounds the heating device 10.

The liquid container 2 has a plurality of liquid guiding elements 14. The liquid guiding elements 14 are provided to at least partially deflect thawed liquid 8 by liquid sloshing movements in the X or Y direction caused by driving dynamics in order to thaw the thawed liquid in Redirect towards iced liquid 16, and also thaw it. The direction of the deflection can be recognized by the arrows assigned to the respective guide elements.

The liquid guide elements 14 shown on the left-hand side in accordance with FIG. 1 are curved in the manner of a ramp in a longitudinal section of the respective liquid guide element 14. The liquid guide elements 14 shown on the right in FIG. 1 are shown in the respectively Longitudinal section of the respective guide elements 14 executed in a straight line in the manner of a ramp. A deflection of horizontally accelerated liquid in the direction of the icy liquid 16 can thus be achieved in a simple manner.

In the present case, the liquid guiding elements 14 are formed in one piece with the container bottom 12. For this purpose, the liquid guide elements 14 have been molded in the injection molding process together with the container bottom 12.

The right-hand liquid guiding elements are arranged inclined at different angles of inclination l, 2, 2, relative to the bottom of the container.

A respective liquid guide element 14 has a first fixed end El, with which it is fastened to the container bottom 12, and a second, free end E2, which extends freely cantilevered into the storage volume 6.

In the present case, the liquid container 2 is composed of a first half-shell 13, the bottom shell 13, which has the container bottom 12, and a second half-shell 15, the upper shell 15, which are circumferentially welded to one another in the area of a welding zone 17.

In Fig. 2 is a plan view of a container bottom 18 of another liquid container 20 according to the invention Darge, liquid guide elements 22 are arranged distributed over the surface of the bottom 18.

Fig. 3 shows a further variant of a liquid container 24 according to the invention, wherein to avoid repetitions only on the differences to the above-described embodiment of FIG. 1 will be discussed and the same features assigned the same reference numerals to who.

The liquid container 24 has a first liquid guide element 26, which is arranged in a first volume area 28 of the storage volume 6, and a second liquid guide element 30, which is arranged in a second volume area 32 of the storage volume 6, the volume areas 28,

32 in the present case are separated from one another at least in sections by baffles 34, 36.

The first liquid guiding element 26 and the second liquid guiding element 30 are spaced apart from one another and, starting from the container bottom 12, are arranged to converge in a roof shape. In this way, accelerated liquid 8 along the horizontal plane along the liquid guide elements 26, 30 can be transferred from the first volume region 28 into the second volume region 32 or vice versa, as indicated by the arrows assigned to the liquid guide elements 26, 30.

The liquid guide elements 26 and 30 have a freely projecting length LI and L2, each of which is more than 10 cm.

Thawing can thus also be favored in the region of a swirl pot 38 arranged within the second volume region 32. The surge pot 38 and the container base 12 are equipped with heating elements 40 in the present case.

Contrary to the illustration shown in FIG. 3, the left-hand liquid guide elements 14 of FIG. 1 are spaced apart from one another with respect to the right-hand liquid guide elements 14 of FIG. 1 and are arranged in a funnel shape starting from the bottom of the container. A curved or curved liquid guide element 14 from FIG. 1, viewed in cross section, can have a local thickening 42 (see FIGS. 4A, 4B) which, when a liquid guide element produced as an injection molded component cools, leads to a delay around the curved one or arcuate configuration corresponding to the liquid guide elements 14 shown on the left.

reference numeral

2 liquid containers

4 container wall

6 storage volume

8 liquid

10 heater

12 container bottom

13 base shell

14 liquid guiding element

15 upper shell

16 iced liquid

17 welding zone

18 tank bottom

20 liquid containers

22 liquid guide element 24 liquid container

26 liquid guide element 28 first volume region 30 liquid guide element

32 second volume area 34 baffle

36 baffle

38 surge pot

40 heating element

42 thickening

cxl angle

2 angles

3 angles

LI length

L2 length

Claims

claims

1. liquid container for a motor vehicle,

with a container wall (4) which delimits a storage volume (6) for holding liquid (8, 16), and

with a heating device for heating liquid (8, 16),

wherein the container wall (4) has a container bottom (12),

marked by

at least one liquid guiding element (14, 22, 26, 30), which is oriented at least in sections inclined relative to the container bottom (12).

2. Liquid container according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the liquid guide element (14, 22, 26, 30) in the manner of a ramp viewed in a longitudinal section at least from

is curved in sections

and or

is straight cut.

3. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the liquid guide element (14, 22, 26, 30) is formed in one piece with the container base (12) and / or is integrally connected to the container base (12)

and or

the liquid guiding element (14, 22, 26, 30) is non-positively and / or positively connected to the container bottom (12), in particular by clipping, jamming, latching or the like.

4. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

marked by

a baffle (38) and / or a labyrinth geometry and / or a baffle (34, 36),

wherein the baffle (38) and / or the labyrinth geometry and / or the baffle (34, 36) separate volume areas (28, 32) of the storage volume (6) from one another at least in sections and

wherein the liquid guide element (26, 30) is set up to guide liquid from one volume region (28, 32) to a further volume region (28, 32).

5. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

marked by

a plurality of liquid guide elements (14, 22, 26, 30) which are arranged in pairs and / or in groups on the container base (12).

6. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

a first liquid guide element (26) is arranged in a first volume region (28) of the storage volume (6) and

a second liquid guiding element (30) is arranged in a second volume region (32) of the storage volume (6), the volume regions (28, 32) being separated from one another at least in sections and

wherein the first liquid guiding element (26) and the second liquid element (30) are spaced apart from one another and starting from the container bottom (12) are arranged in a roof-shaped manner running towards one another.

7. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

at least two liquid-guiding elements (14) are spaced apart from one another and, starting from the bottom of the container, are arranged in a funnel shape.

8. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the liquid guide element (14) in a cross section be considered a local thickening (42), such as a web (42) or the like.

9. liquid container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the liquid guiding element (14, 22, 26, 30) has a first, fixed end (El) with which it is fastened to the container bottom (12), and

the liquid guide element (14, 22, 26, 30) has a second, free end (E2) which extends cantilevered into the storage volume (6).

10. A method for producing a liquid container for a motor vehicle with the method steps:

Injection molding of a half-shell (13), which has a container bottom (12) of the liquid container (2, 20, 24) to be produced, at least one liquid guiding element (14, 22, 26, 30) being formed on the container bottom (12) during injection molding which is oriented at least in sections inclined relative to the container bottom (12);

Injection molding of another half-shell (15) and connecting the half-shells (13, 15) to a container wall (4), the a storage volume (6) for holding liquid (8, 16) is limited.

11. The method according to claim 10,

characterized in that

an inhomogeneous temperature distribution when cooling the liquid guide element (14) produces a curvature of the liquid guide element (14), the inhomogeneous temperature distribution when cooling the

Liquid guiding element (14) in particular by

a local thickening (42)

and or

local cooling or heating of the liquid guiding element is set.