JP5923328B2 - Fuel tank connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a connector which is attached to a fuel tank and constitutes a part of a ventilation path of the fuel tank.

  As a connector which is attached to a fuel tank and constitutes a ventilation path of the fuel tank, there is one in which a float is accommodated in a housing which is combined with a cap attached to the fuel tank so as to be suspended. (See Patent Document 1) In this Patent Document 1, a triple skirt is formed on the cap, and a wall that enters between the skirts is further formed outside the housing. Thus, a meandering air passage is formed on the side of the connector. For this reason, the thing of patent document 1 is hard to minimize both the vertical dimension of a connector, and the horizontal dimension.

JP-A-9-32671

  The main problem to be solved by the present invention is that the connector which is attached to the fuel tank and constitutes a part of the ventilation path of the fuel tank does not cause the structure to be complicated or large without causing an increase in the structure. An air passage that allows the hollow body constituting the connector and the inside of the fuel tank to communicate with each other as much as possible can be appropriately formed.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a fuel tank connector is a connector that is attached to a fuel tank and constitutes a part of a ventilation path of the fuel tank,
A lower portion of a flange body having a size that does not enter a through hole formed in the fuel tank and having an attachment portion to the fuel tank, and an upper portion of a hollow body that enters the fuel tank through the through hole, The air passage is formed between the upper portion and the upper portion so as to communicate the inside of the hollow body and the inside of the tank.

  According to such a configuration, the air passage can be set as high as possible without complicating the structure of the connector.

  The present invention is configured such that the air passage is composed of a ventilation gap formed between a lower portion of the flange body and an upper portion of the hollow body, and a through hole formed in the upper portion of the hollow body and communicating with the ventilation gap. It is set as one of the preferable aspects.

Further, at least a portion connecting the through hole and the open portion inside the tank in the ventilation gap in the ventilation gap in the ventilation gap may be configured to meander the flow path. In such a case, it is possible to cause a situation in which fuel is swallowed into the ventilation path, typically immediately before the fuel tank is full, through the ventilation path constituted by the ventilation gap. Can be prevented. In this case, the place where the flow path in the ventilation gap is meandered is that either one of the concave part and the convex part which is accommodated in the concave part with a clearance is formed at the lower part of the flange body, and the other one is formed at the upper part of the hollow body. It is considered as one of the preferred embodiments. In addition, an upper receiving portion having a cylindrical skirt shape having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the upper portion of the hollow body having a cylindrical shape is formed at the lower portion of the flange body, and the outer surface of the upper portion of the hollow body is formed. One of the preferred embodiments is to form a recess that forms an open portion inside the tank in the ventilation gap between the receiving portion and the receiving portion.

  According to the present invention, the connector which is attached to the fuel tank and constitutes a part of the ventilation path of the fuel tank is connected to the connector as much as possible on the upper side of the connector without complicating or increasing the size of the structure. An air passage that communicates the hollow body constituting the fuel tank and the inside of the fuel tank can be appropriately formed.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the connector, in which the upper wall of the fuel tank and the vent pipe are indicated by imaginary lines. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the connector. FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the flange body constituting the connector. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a hollow body constituting the connector. FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hollow body. FIG. 7 is a side view of the main part of the hollow body. FIG. 8 is a side view of the main part when the hollow body is viewed from a different direction from FIG.

  Hereinafter, typical embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The fuel tank connector C according to this embodiment is attached to the fuel tank T and constitutes a part of the ventilation path of the fuel tank T. That is, the connector C is typically used to connect the fuel tank T and the vent pipe P of the fuel tank T such as an evaporation tube.

  The connector C includes a flange body 1 and a hollow body 2 combined therewith. In this embodiment, both are made of synthetic resin.

  The flange body 1 has a size that does not enter the through hole Ta formed in the fuel tank T. In the illustrated example, the flange body 1 has a disk shape. The flange body 1 has a short tubular portion 10 at the center thereof that protrudes upward and is opened downward. Moreover, the flange body 1 has a circumferential ridge 11 projecting downward on the outer periphery thereof. Further, the flange body 1 has a receiving portion 12 having a circular skirt shape protruding downward between the open portion 10 a of the short cylindrical portion 10 and the circular protrusion 11. The protruding dimension of the receiving portion 12 is slightly larger than the protruding dimension of the circumferential ridge portion 11. Further, a first concave portion 13 having a circular groove shape is formed on the lower surface of the flange body 1 between the receiving portion 12 and the open portion 10a of the short cylindrical portion 10, and the first concave portion 13 is formed. Further, a second recess 14 having a circular groove shape is formed between the first cylindrical portion 10 and the open portion 10a of the short cylindrical portion 10. Further, a through hole 10b is formed at the upper center of the short tubular portion 10 of the flange body 1, and a connection extending at the side by connecting one end of the pipe to the through hole 10b at the upper portion of the flange body 1. The tube part 15 is provided integrally.

  On the other hand, the hollow body 2 enters the fuel tank T through a through hole Ta formed in the fuel tank T. In the illustrated example, the hollow body 2 has a top portion 20 having a laterally facing inner and outer surface and a side portion 21 having a longitudinally facing inner and outer surface, and a cylindrical shape in which the inner and outer contours of the transverse section are both circular. Presents. At the center of the top portion 20 of the hollow body 2, a short cylindrical protrusion 22 protruding upward is formed. A through hole 22 a is formed in the center of the projecting portion 22 so as to vertically penetrate the projecting portion 22 and the top portion 20 of the hollow body 2. In addition, on the top surface of the top portion 20 of the hollow body 2, on both sides of the projecting portion 22, first convex portions 23 are formed on the outer peripheral portion side of the top portion 20, and this first convex portion. A second convex portion 24 is further formed between 23 and the protruding portion 22. In addition, a through hole 25 is formed between the second convex portion 24 and the projecting portion 22 to constitute a later-described air passage R that penetrates the top portion 20 up and down. In the illustrated example, a first convex portion 23 and a second convex portion 24 on one side of the projecting portion 22 on a virtual straight line x passing through the through hole 22a of the projecting portion 22 and an air passage described later. The through-hole 25 which comprises R is located, and the 1st convex part 23, the 2nd convex part 24, and the through-hole 25 which are in the other side on both sides of this protrusion part 22 are located.

  The outer diameter of the projecting portion 22 of the hollow body 2 is equal to the inner diameter of the short cylindrical portion 10 of the flange body 1. Further, the outer diameter of the hollow body 2 is equal to the inner diameter of the receiving portion 12 of the flange body 1. In this embodiment, the upper portion of the hollow body 2 is fitted to the lower portion of the flange body 1, that is, the receiving portion 12 to a position where the protruding portion 22 is in close contact with the upper inner surface of the short tubular portion 10. Are combined. The combination state of the hollow body 2 and the flange body 1 is typically such that one of the engagement portion and the engagement portion (not shown) that engages with the fitting is on the hollow body 2 side and the other is on the flange body 1 side. It is maintained by providing in. In the illustrated example, in such a combined state, the through hole 22a of the projecting portion 22 and the through hole 10b of the short tubular portion 10 communicate with each other, and therefore, the inside of the hollow body 2 and the connecting pipe portion 15 are both through holes 22a. 10b. (Figure 2)

  The connector C causes the hollow body 2 to be inserted into the through hole Ta of the fuel tank T until the flange body 1 is caught by the outer surface of the fuel tank T with respect to the fuel tank T, and the circumferential ridge 11 is connected to the fuel tank T. It can be attached to the fuel tank T by welding to the outer surface of the fuel tank. (A portion of the circumferential ridge 11 entering the upper wall Tb of the fuel tank T indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 2 functions as a welding allowance for the welding. The upper portion of the upper wall Tb is outside the tank. The lower portion represents the inside of the tank.) In other words, in this embodiment, the circumferential ridge portion 11 of the flange body 1 is an attachment portion 16 to the fuel tank T. By inserting the other end of the connecting pipe 15 of the flange body 1 of the connector C attached to the fuel tank T into one end of the vent pipe P, the vent pipe P and the fuel tank T are connected to the connector C. Connected through. (FIG. 2) In the illustrated example, a seal ring 3 is attached to the outside of the projecting portion 22 of the hollow body 2 to hermetically seal the space between the outer surface of the projecting portion 22 and the inner surface of the short tubular portion 10. The ventilation between the fuel tank T and the ventilation pipe P is ensured only through the through holes 22a and 10b. In the hollow body 2, if necessary, a float valve body that floats by inflow of fuel into the hollow body 2 and closes the through hole 22 a as a valve opening (not shown). Can be paid.

  In the connector C according to this embodiment, the lower part of the flange body 1 and the upper part of the hollow body 2 are ventilated so that the inside of the hollow body 2 communicates with the inside of the tank between the lower part and the upper part. The path R is combined to form. Thereby, in the connector C according to this embodiment, the air passage R can be set as high as possible without complicating the structure of the connector C.

  The ventilation path R is formed in the ventilation gap 4 formed between the lower part of the flange body 1 and the upper part of the hollow body 2, the upper part of the hollow body 2, and in the illustrated example, the top part 20 of the hollow body 2. And the through hole 25 communicating with the ventilation gap 4.

In the example shown in the figure, in the state where the flange body 1 and the hollow body 2 are combined as described above, the first convex portion 23 is accommodated in the first concave portion 13 at the position located on the virtual straight line x, and The second convex portion 24 is housed in the second concave portion 14, and a ventilation gap 4 is formed between the lower portion of the flange body 1 and the upper portion of the hollow body 2. Thereby, in this embodiment, a portion of the ventilation gap 4 that connects the through hole 25 and the open portion 4a inside the tank in the ventilation gap 4 with the shortest distance causes the flow path to meander. It is configured. And the place which made the flow path in this ventilation gap 4 meander is said 1st and 2nd recessed part 13 and 14, and said 1st and 2nd convex part which fits in this 1st and 2nd recessed part 13 and 14 with clearance. The portions 23 and 24 are formed. Separately from the example shown in the figure, the convex portion as described above is provided at the lower portion of the flange body 1 and the concave portion as described above is provided at the upper portion of the hollow body 2 to meander the flow path in the ventilation gap 4. You may form a location. By forming a portion in which the flow path meanders in the ventilation gap 4, typically, immediately before the fuel tank T is filled up through the ventilation path R configured by the ventilation gap 4, It is possible to prevent as much as possible a situation where fuel is swallowed into the ventilation path. In particular, when the float valve body is accommodated in the hollow body 2 and the connector C functions as a valve device as described above, the hollow body 2 is opened from an opening (not shown) formed on the lower side of the hollow body 2. Immediately before the float valve body is lifted by the fuel flowing into the valve and closes the through hole 22a serving as the valve port, the fuel enters the ventilation path via the ventilation path R due to the portion meandering the flow path. Stop effectively.

  Further, in this embodiment, a part of the outer surface of the upper portion of the hollow body 2 is formed with an opening portion 4 a inside the tank in the ventilation gap 4 between the receiving portion 12 of the flange body 1. A recess 26 is formed. In the example shown in the figure, at the location located on the virtual straight line x, the hollow 26 is directed downward from the outer peripheral portion of the top portion 20 by the recess 26 so as to make the outer diameter of the hollow body 2 smaller than other locations. In addition, the thickness of the hollow body 2 is reduced within a certain range, whereby the open portion 4 a is formed at the lower end of the receiving portion 12.

T Fuel tank Ta Through hole C Connector 1 Flange body 16 Mounting part 1
2 Hollow body R Ventilation path

Claims (2)

A connector that is attached to the fuel tank and forms a part of a ventilation path of the fuel tank,
A lower portion of a flange body having a size that does not enter a through hole formed in the fuel tank and having an attachment portion to the fuel tank, and an upper portion of a hollow body that enters the fuel tank through the through hole, In combination with the upper part and the upper part, so as to form an air passage that communicates the inside of the hollow body and the inside of the tank ,
The ventilation path is composed of a ventilation gap formed between the lower part of the flange body and the upper part of the hollow body, and a through hole formed in the upper part of the hollow body and communicating with the ventilation gap,
Among the ventilation gaps, at least the part connecting the through hole and the open part inside the tank in the ventilation gap at the shortest distance is either the concave part or the convex part that fits in the concave part at the lower part of the flange body. The other of these is formed in the upper part of a hollow body, It is comprised so that a flow path may meander , The connector for fuel tanks characterized by the above-mentioned . In the lower part of the flange body, an upper receiving part having a cylindrical skirt shape with an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the upper part of the cylindrical hollow body is formed.
2. The fuel tank according to claim 1 , wherein a recess is formed in a part of the outer surface of the upper portion of the hollow body so as to form an open portion inside the tank in the ventilation gap between the receiving portion and the receiving portion. Connector.

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