JP3129093B2 - Connection structure of fuel sender register board - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection structure for a fuel sender register board, and more particularly to a connection structure in which a metal terminal is brought into contact with a terminal of a sender register of a fuel gauge for measuring a remaining amount in a fuel tank of an automobile. Regarding improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a fuel gauge provided in a fuel tank of an automobile employs a connection structure of a register board for a fuel sender as disclosed in JP-A-3-41321. In the configuration of this publication, a part of a metal terminal is insert-molded into a synthetic resin bracket, and an end of the metal terminal protruding from a flange of the bracket is formed on a substrate of a sender register and is in contact with a conductive pattern. It is made to let.

[0003] In order to ensure contact with the conductive pattern of the resistor, the protruding portion of the metal terminal is machined in an inclined state, and the tip portion of the metal terminal is bent in an arc. Therefore, when the substrate of the register is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the bracket, the arc-shaped tip portion comes into contact with the conductive pattern, and the metal terminal is elastically deformed to increase the pressing force on the conductive pattern.

[0004] The fuel gauge is mounted in the fuel tank together with the fuel pump, and the vibration generated during the operation of the fuel pump propagates to the fuel gauge. Therefore, inside the cylindrical part of the bracket,
In order to prevent the measurement value of the fuel gauge from being inaccurate due to vibration of the register substrate, a plurality of ribs for holding the register substrate protruded as locking portions.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the plurality of ribs for holding the substrate of the register are provided inside the cylindrical portion of the bracket as locking portions, so that the shape of the bracket becomes complicated. However, it is difficult to manufacture a molding die, and the manufacturing cost is high. Furthermore, since a plurality of ribs for holding the substrate of the register were required, the mounting position and shape of other components incorporated in the bracket were limited.

Further, conventionally, the protruding portion of the metal terminal which is insert-molded on the flange of the bracket is processed to be inclined so as to have a spring property, and the tip portion of the metal terminal is bent in an arc. In addition, after the insert molding, the mold releasing direction of the resin molding die becomes plural, and the die removing operation is complicated accordingly. When the metal terminal is set at a predetermined mounting position in the resin molding die before the insert molding, the metal terminal is bent as described above, so that the metal terminal is inserted into the resin molding die. And the work efficiency before insert molding was low.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to make it easier to hold a substrate of a register and to improve workability in insert molding of a metal terminal.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a metal pattern formed by insert-molding a conductive pattern formed on a substrate of a sender register of a fuel gauge for measuring a remaining amount in a fuel tank into a bracket made of synthetic resin. In the connection structure of the fuel sender register board for contacting the terminals,
A connection member which sandwiches the metal terminal and is electrically connected to the metal terminal is provided on a substrate of the sender register.

[0009]

In the present invention, a connection member for holding a metal terminal and electrically connecting to the metal terminal is provided on the substrate of the sender register, so that the connection member holds the metal terminal and holds the sender register. Therefore, the shape of the mold for forming the bracket can be simplified, and the metal terminal can be formed linearly so as to be inserted into the insertion hole of the connection member.

[0010]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of a connection structure of a fuel sender register board according to the present invention.

In each figure, a fuel gauge 2 for measuring the remaining amount of a fuel tank 1 of an automobile is provided with a wall 1a of the fuel tank 1.
And a receiver 4 for displaying the measured remaining amount of fuel. The sender 3 has a float 5 for detecting the liquid level of the fuel, a rod 6 for supporting the float 5, and a register 7 for converting a rotation angle of the rod 6 according to a variable amount of the float 5 into an electric signal.

The receiver 4 has a pointer driving mechanism (not shown) called a bimetal type or a cross coil type, and is provided in a console of a driver's seat according to the fuel level detected by the sender 3. The pointer 9 of the fuel gauge 8 is rotated. Therefore, the driver can confirm the remaining amount of fuel by reading the scale 10 at the turning position of the pointer 9.

The sender 3 is mounted in the fuel tank 1 together with a fuel pump 11 for supplying the fuel in the fuel tank 1 to a fuel injector (not shown). That is, the sender 3 is housed in a bracket 12 made of a synthetic resin that supports the fuel pump 11. The flange 13 of the bracket 12 is fixed to the wall surface 1a of the fuel tank 1 so as to close the mounting hole 1b when the fuel pump 11 and the bracket 12 are inserted into the mounting hole 1b of the fuel tank 1.

In order to prevent the fuel in the fuel tank 1 from evaporating to the outside, a seal member 21 is interposed between the flange 13 and the wall surface 1a of the tank 1. As described above, since the bracket 12 is mounted so as to seal the mounting hole 1b of the fuel tank 1, the detection signal from the sender 3 is supplied to the fuel via the metal terminal 15 insert-molded into the connector 14 of the flange 13. Tank 1
Is output to a receiver 4 provided outside the device.

As shown in FIG. 2, the register 7 is
On the upper surface, a resistor 17 and a conductor 18 are formed.
The bracket 12 is provided with a mounting portion 12 a that rotatably supports one end of the rod 6, and a part of the rod 6 extends across the resistor 17 and the conductor 18.

The resistor 17 and the conductor 18 are formed in an arc shape parallel to each other, and are provided so as to coincide with the rotation locus of the rod 6 supporting the float 5.

The rod 6 is provided with a conductor 6a for bringing the resistor 17 and the conductor 18 into sliding contact with each other to electrically connect the resistor 17 and the conductor 18. That is, when the rod 6 rotates by raising and lowering the float 5, the resistance value of the resistor 17 is changed by the conductor 6a corresponding to the rotation position.

Therefore, the voltage value of the detection signal flowing through the resistor 17 and the conductor 18 changes depending on the position of the float 5 moving up and down and the liquid level of the fuel. The pointer of the fuel gauge is turned.

Here, the substrate 16 and the connection structure of the register 7 will be described.

On the upper end 16c of the substrate 16, the resistor 1
First and second connection members 19 and 20 that are electrically connected to ends of the conductor 7 and the conductor 18 are fixed. This connecting member 19, 2
Numeral 0 is made of a conductive material, and is fixed to the substrate 16 by soldering or the like in directions parallel to the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connecting members 19, 20
Have the same configuration, respectively, and have insertion holes 19a and 20a into which the metal terminals 15 are inserted, and insertion holes 19a and 20a.
a, cylindrical fitting portions 19b, 20b having
a, 20a contact portions 19c, 2 folded back into a U-shape
0c and the substrate 1 protruding from the bottom surfaces of the fitting portions 19b and 20b.
6 fixing pins 19d and 20d fitted into the fixing holes 16a.
And

The connecting members 19 and 20 are inserted into the insertion holes 19.
a, 20 a are fixed to the substrate 16 so as to extend in the X direction that matches the extending direction of the metal terminals 15. Moreover, the fixing pins 19d and 20d are
6a, the connecting members 19 and 20 do not fall off even when forces in the X and Z directions are applied.

The mounting portion 22 on which the substrate 16 is mounted and guide portions 23 and 24 extending in the X direction on both sides of the entrance of the mounting portion 22 are provided on the substrate mounting portion 12a of the bracket 12.
And the lower end 16 of the substrate 16 extending in the X direction at the mounting portion 20.
and a locking portion 25 for locking b. The guide portions 23 and 24 project in a crank shape so as to guide both sides of the substrate 16. The locking portion 25 has a claw portion 25a for locking the lower end 16b of the substrate 16.

Accordingly, the end of the substrate 16 in the X direction has the claw 25a and the connecting member 1 into which the metal terminal 15 is inserted.
9 and 20, the Y direction and the Z direction are between the guide portions 23 and 24 and the locking portion 25 and the connecting members 19 and 20.
It is pinched by.

Further, since the metal terminal 15 is only inserted into the insertion holes 19a and 20a of the connecting members 19 and 20, there is no need to perform bending as in the prior art, and a plate-shaped conductive material extending linearly. Therefore, when insert-molding the terminal holding portion 26 of the bracket 12, the molding can be easily performed. That is, the metal terminal 15 can be easily inserted into a predetermined position in the resin molding die during molding, and the efficiency of the molding operation can be increased.

With the connection structure as described above, the operation and operation when the register 7 is mounted on the mounting portion 22 of the bracket 12 will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, the substrate 16 of the register 7 is inserted between the guide portions 23, 24 and the locking portion 25. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the board 16 is bent in the direction in which the locking portion 25 is separated from the guide portions 23 and 24 while being pressed in the X direction with the upper end 16c to which the connecting members 19 and 20 are fixed as the head. I do.

Then, the end of the substrate 16 is
When inserted between the lock 24 and the locking portion 25, the board 1
Numeral 6 slides in the same direction while being guided by guide portions 23 and 24 extending in the X direction, and the connecting members 19 and 20 face the metal terminals 15 protruding from the terminal holding portions 26.

Insertion holes 19a and 20a extending in the X direction are provided inside the connection members 19 and 20, respectively.
The substrate 16 is further pressed in the X direction, and the metal terminals 15 are relatively inserted into the insertion holes 19a and 20a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the metal terminal 15 has the contact portions 19 c,
The contact portions 1b and 20b are brought into contact with the contact portions 1 by the spring force of 20c.
9c and 20c, and are also electrically connected.

Then, the metal terminal 15 is connected to the connecting member 1.
When the board 16 is completely inserted into the insertion holes 19a, 20a, the lower end 16b of the board 16 is
6, the locking portion 25 returns to the guide portions 23 and 24, and the claw portion 25a locks the lower end 16b of the substrate 16 as shown in FIG. As described above, the metal terminal 15 is moved to the upper end 16 of the substrate 16 simply by pressing the substrate 16 in the X direction.
c, and the lower end 16 b of the substrate 16 is locked by the locking portion 25.

The substrate 16 mounted as described above
Since the upper end 16c is held by the metal terminal 15 held between the connection members 19 and 20, and the lower end 16b is held by the locking portion 25 and the guide portions 23 and 24, the substrate 16 A locking member such as a rib for holding the bracket 12 is not required, so that a resin molding die (not shown) for molding the bracket 12 can be easily processed, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In addition, since the bracket 12 supports the fuel pump 11, the fuel pump 11
During the operation of pumping the fuel, the vibration of the fuel pump 11 propagates to the bracket 12. However, the substrate 16
Because the upper end 16c and the lower end 16b are held by the bracket 12, even if the vibration of the fuel pump 11 propagates to the bracket 12, only the substrate 16 is provided on the conductor 6a provided on the rod 6 and the substrate 16 due to rattling. The relative position between the resistive element 17 and the conductive element 18 is prevented from shifting, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the voltage value of the detection signal from fluctuating and causing a measurement error.

In the above embodiment, the cylindrical connecting members 19 and 20 are fixed to the substrate 16. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any shape may be used as long as the metal terminal 15 can be clamped.

In the above-described embodiment, the pair of connecting members 19 and 20 are provided on the substrate 16, but it is needless to say that one or three or more connecting members may be provided as described later. .

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the metal terminal is sandwiched on the substrate of the sender register and the connection member electrically connected to the metal terminal is provided, the connection member is made of the metal terminal. Can be held to hold the substrate of the sender register, thereby eliminating the need for a locking member such as a rib for locking the substrate in the bracket. As a result, the shape of the molding die of the bracket can be simplified, and the metal terminal can be formed linearly so as to be inserted into the connection member. The molding operation can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a connection structure of a fuel sender register board according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a metal terminal is inserted into a connection member.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a state in which the fuel sender register board is attached to a bracket.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a process of attaching the fuel sender register board to the bracket.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which a fuel sender register board is attached to a bracket.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel tank 2 Fuel gauge 3 Sender 4 Receiver 5 Float 7 Register 11 Fuel pump 12 Bracket 14 Connector 15 Metal terminal 16 Substrate 17 Resistor 18 Conductor 19 First connection member 20 Second connection member 23, 24 Guide part 25 Locking part

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fuel sender register for contacting a metal terminal insert-molded on a synthetic resin bracket with a conductive pattern formed on a substrate of a fuel gauge sender register for measuring the remaining amount in a fuel tank. A connection structure for a register board for a fuel sender, wherein a connection member that sandwiches the metal terminal and is electrically connected to the metal terminal is provided on the board of the sender register. .