JP7306288B2 - Reserve tank - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a reserve tank provided in a vehicle coolant circuit.

Conventionally, a reserve tank of this type is known, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. Such a reserve tank is provided in a cooling water circuit through which cooling water for cooling a vehicle internal combustion engine flows, and is configured to absorb volume changes of the cooling water in the cooling water circuit. The reserve tank has a tank body with a space inside. The space inside the tank body is separated by a separation wall into a cooling water chamber in which cooling water is stored and an air chamber in which air is stored.

The cooling water chamber is partitioned into a first cooling water chamber, a second cooling water chamber, and a third cooling water chamber by two cooling water chamber walls. The first cooling water chamber, the second cooling water chamber, and the third cooling water chamber communicate with each other through a cooling water chamber wall lower communication hole and a cooling water chamber wall upper communication hole formed in the two cooling water chamber walls, respectively. are in communication. The tank body is formed with an inflow port for flowing cooling water into the tank body so as to communicate with the first cooling water chamber, and a third outflow port for flowing cooling water out of the tank body. It is formed so as to communicate with the cooling water chamber.

The air chamber is partitioned into a first air chamber and a second air chamber by one air chamber wall. The first air chamber and the second air chamber communicate with each other through an air chamber wall communication hole formed in the air chamber wall. The first air chamber is adjacent to the third cooling water chamber via a separation wall. The first air chamber and the third cooling water chamber communicate with each other through a separation wall communication hole formed in the separation wall. Cooling water flows into the first air chamber through the partition wall communication hole, and the cooling water is stored up to the upper end position of the partition wall communication hole.

Air is stored in a portion above the water surface in the first air chamber. The air chamber wall communication hole that communicates the first air chamber and the second air chamber is located above the separation wall communication hole that communicates the first air chamber and the third cooling water chamber. Therefore, the cooling water in the first air chamber does not flow into the second air chamber through the air chamber wall communication hole.

In the reserve tank as described above, when the cooling water expands as the cooling water temperature rises, the cooling water volume change is absorbed by compressing the air in the cooling water chamber and the air in the air chamber. It's like

JP 2013-249791 A

However, in the reserve tank as described above, in order to increase the amount of air stored in the air chamber and raise the water level in the cooling water chamber, the first air chamber in which the cooling water is partially stored in the tank main body. In addition, a second air chamber is provided in which only air is stored and no cooling water is stored. Therefore, there is a problem that the size of the tank body is increased by the second air chamber that does not contribute to the storage of cooling water at all.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. An object thereof is to provide a reserve tank capable of reducing the size of the tank body.

Means for solving the above problems and their effects will be described below.
A reserve tank for solving the above-mentioned problems comprises: a tank body in which a coolant chamber capable of containing coolant and an air chamber capable of containing air are arranged horizontally across a partition wall; and an inflow portion provided in the tank body for inflowing the coolant into the coolant chamber, and an outflow portion provided in the tank body for outflowing the coolant from the coolant chamber, wherein the coolant chamber and the A communication passage is provided between the cooling liquid chamber and the air chamber, and a first communication portion, which is a communication portion of the communication passage with the cooling liquid chamber, is provided in the communication passage. The gist is that it is arranged at a position higher than the second communication portion which is a communication portion with the air chamber.

According to this configuration, at least part of the coolant that has flowed from the coolant chamber into the air chamber via the first communication portion, the communication passage, and the second communication portion due to the pressure increase in the coolant chamber is transferred to the coolant chamber. Due to the pressure drop, the air can be returned from the air chamber to the coolant chamber via the second communication, the communication passage and the first communication. Therefore, the air chamber can be made to temporarily function as a coolant chamber, so that the size of the coolant chamber can be reduced. Therefore, the size of the tank body can be reduced.

In the reserve tank described above, it is preferable that the first communicating portion is positioned at an upper end portion within the tank body.
According to this configuration, almost no air remains in the coolant chamber when the air in the coolant chamber is moved to the air chamber.

In the reserve tank described above, it is preferable that the communication passage extends in the vertical direction and is arranged in the central portion of the tank body in a plan view.
According to this configuration, compared to the case where the communicating path is arranged at the end of the tank body in a plan view, the inclination of the tank body causes the cooling liquid from the cooling liquid chamber to flow through the first communicating section to the communicating path. Inflow can be suppressed.

In the reserve tank described above, it is preferable that the second communicating portion is positioned at the lower end portion within the tank body.
According to this configuration, almost all of the cooling liquid remaining in the air chamber when the cooling liquid that has flowed into the air chamber returns to the cooling liquid chamber can be eliminated.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of the tank body.

1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant circuit that cools an internal combustion engine in one embodiment; FIG. The top view of a reserve tank. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 4-4 line arrow sectional view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the reserve tank when the coolant in the coolant circuit expands; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the reserve tank when the coolant in the coolant circuit contracts.

An embodiment of the reserve tank will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the reserve tank 11 is provided in a coolant circuit 13 through which a coolant for cooling an internal combustion engine 12 for a vehicle flows. The coolant circuit 13 includes a radiator 14 that cools the coolant, an internal combustion engine circulation path 15 that circulates the coolant between the radiator 14 and the internal combustion engine 12, and a coolant between the reserve tank 11 and the radiator 14. and a tank circulation path 16 for circulation. The internal combustion engine circulation path 15 and the tank circulation path 16 are formed by piping.

The internal combustion engine circulation path 15 includes a first internal combustion engine circulation path 17 for flowing cooling liquid from the radiator 14 toward the internal combustion engine 12, and a second internal combustion engine circulation path for flowing cooling liquid from the internal combustion engine 12 toward the radiator 14. and a circulation path 18 . The tank circulation path 16 includes a first tank circulation path 19 for flowing coolant from the radiator 14 toward the reserve tank 11 and a second tank circulation path 20 for flowing coolant from the reserve tank 11 toward the radiator 14 . and

The internal combustion engine circulation path 15 and the tank circulation path 16 communicate with each other via the radiator 14 . A circulation pump 21 that pumps coolant toward the internal combustion engine 12 is provided in the first internal combustion engine circulation path 17 . Therefore, by driving the circulation pump 21 , the coolant circulates along the internal combustion engine circulation path 15 between the radiator 14 and the internal combustion engine 12 . That is, the coolant cooled in the radiator 14 by driving the circulation pump 21 flows to the internal combustion engine 12 through the first internal combustion engine circulation path 17, and cools the internal combustion engine 12 while flowing through the internal combustion engine 12. After being warmed by the second internal combustion engine circulation path 18 , it flows into the radiator 14 .

When the coolant circulates between the radiator 14 and the internal combustion engine 12 via the internal combustion engine circulation path 15 , the coolant flows between the reserve tank 11 and the radiator 14 along the tank circulation path 16 . are cycled through That is, the coolant in the radiator 14 flows through the first tank circulation path 19 into the reserve tank 11 and then flows from inside the reserve tank 11 through the second tank circulation path 20 into the radiator 14 . The coolant flowing through the internal combustion engine circulation path 15 and the coolant flowing through the tank circulation path 16 mix within the radiator 14 .

Next, the configuration of the reserve tank 11 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the reserve tank 11 has a hollow tank body 30 . Inside the tank body 30, a coolant chamber 31 capable of containing coolant and an air chamber 32 capable of containing air are formed so as to be aligned in the longitudinal direction Y of the tank body 30, which is horizontal, with a partition wall 33 therebetween. It is A cylindrical inflow portion 34 is provided at the lower end of one side wall of the tank main body 30 on the short side to allow the coolant flowing from the radiator 14 through the first tank circulation path 19 to flow into the coolant chamber 31 . ing. In this case, the inflow portion 34 is formed integrally with the tank body 30 .

A cylindrical outflow portion 35 for flowing out the coolant from the coolant chamber 31 to the second tank circulation path 20 is provided at the lower end portion of one side wall on the long side of the tank body 30 . In this case, the outflow portion 35 is formed integrally with the tank body 30 . The coolant flowing out from the coolant chamber 31 to the second tank circulation path 20 through the outflow portion 35 flows toward the radiator 14 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , an injection port 36 for injecting cooling liquid into the tank body 30 is provided at a position above the cooling liquid chamber 31 in the tank body 30 . The inlet 36 is sealed with a cap 37 . The cap 37 has a valve (not shown) for opening the inside of the tank body 30 to the atmosphere, and when the pressure inside the tank body 30 rises abnormally, the valve opens to open the inside of the tank body 30 to the atmosphere. It has become so.

A partition wall 33 that divides the inside of the tank body 30 into the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 extends in the lateral direction X of the tank body 30 in plan view. In the tank main body 30 of the present embodiment, a partition wall 33 is provided so that the volume of the coolant chamber 31 is about twice the volume of the air chamber 32 . A central portion of the partition wall 33 in the lateral direction X of the tank body 30 is curved so as to protrude toward the coolant chamber 31 .

A communication path forming member 38 having a U-shape in a plan view is integrally formed to extend in the vertical direction Z on the air chamber 32 side surface of the curved portion of the partition wall 33 projecting toward the coolant chamber 31 side. ing. The communication passage forming member 38 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the tank body 30 and forms a communication passage 39 that communicates the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 together with a part of the partition wall 33 . Therefore, the communication passage 39 extends in the vertical direction Z from the upper end to the lower end of the tank body 30 between the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 . In this case, the communication passage 39 is arranged in the central portion of the tank body 30 in plan view.

A first communicating portion 40 , which is a communicating portion of the communicating path 39 with the coolant chamber 31 , is formed so as to penetrate the partition 33 at the upper end of the portion of the partition 33 forming the communicating path 39 . A second communicating portion 41 , which is a communicating portion of the communicating path 39 with the air chamber 32 , is formed at the lower end portion of the communicating path forming member 38 so as to pass through the communicating path forming member 38 . That is, the first communicating portion 40 is located at the upper end portion inside the tank body 30 , and the second communicating portion 41 is located at the lower end portion inside the tank body 30 .

In other words, the first communication portion 40 that communicates with the coolant chamber 31 in the communication path 39 is arranged at a higher position than the second communication portion 41 that communicates with the air chamber 32 in the communication path 39 . there is The first communicating portion 40 and the second communicating portion 41 correspond in the longitudinal direction Y of the tank body 30 in plan view. Note that both the first communication portion 40 and the second communication portion 41 in the present embodiment are configured by through holes.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reserve tank 11 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) so that the inflow portion 34 faces the front of the vehicle. be accommodated. In this case, the amount of the coolant contained in the coolant chamber 31 remains the same even when the vehicle is tilted at a predetermined angle (for example, about 30°) in any of the longitudinal direction, the lateral direction, and the oblique direction. The liquid level R of the cooling liquid contained in 31 is set within a range that does not overlap the first communication portion 40 .

Note that two straight lines indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 3 indicate the liquid surface R of the coolant in the coolant chamber 31 when the vehicle is tilted forward and backward, respectively. Two straight lines indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 4 indicate the liquid surface R of the coolant in the coolant chamber 31 when the vehicle is tilted leftward and rightward, respectively.

Next, the action of the reserve tank 11 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the internal combustion engine 12 of the vehicle is started and the circulation pump 21 is driven, the coolant circulates between the radiator 14 and the internal combustion engine 12 through the internal combustion engine circulation path 15. At the same time, the coolant is circulated through the tank circulation path 16 between the reserve tank 11 and the radiator 14 .

The flow velocity of the coolant circulating between the reserve tank 11 and the radiator 14 decreases when it flows from the inflow portion 34 into the coolant chamber 31 of the reserve tank 11 . Therefore, the air contained in the cooling liquid is separated in the cooling liquid chamber 31 , floats, and accumulates in the upper end portion of the cooling liquid chamber 31 . On the other hand, the coolant from which the air is separated in the coolant chamber 31 is returned to the radiator 14 .

In addition, when the temperature of the coolant rises due to the cooling of the internal combustion engine 12, the coolant expands and increases in volume. As a result, the pressure in the coolant chamber 31 rises, and the liquid level R of the coolant rises. , and the second communication portion 41 to the air chamber 32 .

When the liquid surface R of the cooling liquid reaches the first communicating portion 40, the cooling liquid in the cooling liquid chamber 31 flows through the first communicating portion 40, the communicating passage 39, and the second communicating portion 41, as shown in FIG. It flows into the air chamber 32 via. Therefore, expansion of the coolant is absorbed by the air chamber 32 . That is, the air chamber 32 also functions as the coolant chamber 31 .

After that, when the internal combustion engine 12 of the vehicle is stopped and the circulation pump 21 is stopped, the circulation of the coolant between the radiator 14 and the internal combustion engine 12 is stopped, and the coolant between the reserve tank 11 and the radiator 14 is stopped. The circulation of coolant at is stopped. Then, since the temperature of the coolant drops, the coolant shrinks and its volume decreases. As a result, a negative pressure is generated on the cooling liquid chamber 31 side as the cooling liquid contracts.

Due to the generation of this negative pressure, the coolant that has flowed into the air chamber 32 is moved to the coolant chamber 31 side through the second communication portion 41, the communication passage 39, and the first communication portion 40, as shown in FIG. It is sucked and returned to the coolant chamber 31 . In this case, since the second communicating portion 41 is arranged at a position corresponding to the lower end of the tank body 30 , that is, the lower end of the air chamber 32 , almost all of the coolant that has flowed into the air chamber 32 is discharged into the coolant chamber 31 . returned to.

According to the embodiment detailed above, the following effects are exhibited.
(1) In the reserve tank 11 , a communication passage 39 is provided between the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 to communicate the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 . A first communication portion 40 as a communication portion is arranged at a position higher than a second communication portion 41 as a communication portion with the air chamber 32 in the communication passage 39 . According to this configuration, at least part of the coolant that has flowed from the coolant chamber 31 into the air chamber 32 via the first communication portion 40, the communication passage 39, and the second communication portion 41 due to the pressure increase in the coolant chamber 31. can be returned from the air chamber 32 to the coolant chamber 31 via the second communication portion 41 , the communication passage 39 and the first communication portion 40 due to the pressure drop in the coolant chamber 31 . Therefore, the air chamber 32 can be made to temporarily function as the coolant chamber 31, so that the size of the coolant chamber 31 can be reduced. Therefore, the size of the tank main body 30 can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the reserve tank 11 can be improved.

(2) In the reserve tank 11 , the first communicating portion 40 is positioned at the upper end portion inside the tank body 30 . According to this configuration, it is possible to substantially eliminate the air remaining in the coolant chamber when the air in the coolant chamber 31 is moved to the air chamber.

(3) In the reserve tank 11, the communication passage 39 extends in the vertical direction Z and is arranged in the central portion of the tank main body 30 in plan view. According to this configuration, compared to the case where the communicating passage 39 is arranged at the end of the tank body 30 in a plan view, the cooling liquid from the inside of the cooling liquid chamber 31 is firstly displaced due to the inclination of the liquid surface R of the tank body 30 . Inflow into the communication passage 39 via the communication portion 40 can be suppressed.

(4) In the reserve tank 11 , the second communicating portion 41 is located at the lower end portion inside the tank body 30 . According to this configuration, almost no coolant remains in the air chamber 32 when the coolant that has flowed into the air chamber 32 returns to the coolant chamber.

(Change example)
The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. Moreover, each of the above-described embodiments and the following modifications can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.

- The second communicating portion 41 does not necessarily have to be located at the lower end portion inside the tank body 30 .
- The communication path 39 does not necessarily have to extend in the vertical direction Z. That is, the communication path 39 may extend, for example, in a direction that obliquely intersects the horizontal plane.

- The communicating path 39 does not necessarily need to be arranged in the central portion of the tank body 30 in plan view. That is, the communication path 39 may be arranged at the end of the tank body 30 in plan view, for example. In other words, the arrangement of the communicating passage 39 may be appropriately changed as long as it is located between the coolant chamber 31 and the air chamber 32 .

- The first communicating portion 40 does not necessarily have to be positioned at the upper end portion inside the tank body 30 .
- You may comprise the 1st communication part 40 and the 2nd communication part 41 by the channel|path with a certain amount of distance.

The reserve tank 11 is not limited to the coolant circuit 13 of the vehicle internal combustion engine 12. For example, the coolant circuit of the inverter for controlling the drive motor of the hybrid vehicle, the coolant for supplying the coolant to the intercooler of the vehicle. It may be used in a circuit or other coolant circuit for a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Reserve tank 30... Tank main body 31... Coolant chamber 32... Air chamber 33... Partition wall 34... Inflow part 35... Outflow part 39... Communication passage 40... First communication part 41... Second communication part Y... Horizontal direction Longitudinal direction Z...Vertical direction

Claims (3)

a tank body in which a cooling liquid chamber capable of containing cooling liquid and an air chamber capable of containing air are horizontally arranged with a partition wall therebetween;
an inflow portion provided in the tank body for allowing the coolant to flow into the coolant chamber;
an outflow portion provided in the tank body for causing the coolant to flow out from the coolant chamber;
with
A communication passage is provided between the cooling liquid chamber and the air chamber to communicate the cooling liquid chamber and the air chamber,
a first communicating portion, which is a communicating portion of the communicating path with the coolant chamber, is arranged at a higher position than a second communicating portion, which is a communicating portion of the communicating path with the air chamber,
Both ends of the partition in a direction orthogonal to both the direction in which the coolant chamber and the air chamber are arranged and the vertical direction are arranged at positions closer to the air chamber than the central portion of the tank body in the direction in which the coolant chamber and the air chamber are arranged. and a central portion in a direction orthogonal to both the arranging direction and the vertical direction is a protruding portion that protrudes toward the coolant chamber,
A communication path forming member forming the communication path together with the projecting portion is integrally formed on the air chamber side surface of the projecting portion so as to extend in the vertical direction,
A reserve tank, wherein the communication passage is positioned at the center of the tank body in a plan view. 2. A reserve tank according to claim 1, wherein said first communicating portion is positioned at an upper end portion within said tank body. 3. A reserve tank according to claim 1, wherein said second communicating portion is positioned at a lower end portion within said tank body.

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