JPH0640932B2 - Fuel tank filter - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a dust pipe, a water pipe, and an ice block in fuel sucked by being fixed to a tip end of a suction pipe inserted into a fuel tank such as a gasoline tank of an automobile. The present invention relates to a filter used for filtering so as not to mix impurities such as.

[Prior Art] A suction pipe that is inserted into a gasoline tank of an automobile is usually equipped with a filter in order to prevent suction of impurities.

In general, many filters made of corrosion-resistant metal were used for filters for gasoline tanks, but especially those with a metal frame lacked manufacturability and increased costs, so synthetic resins have recently been used in many automobiles. A filter has been used in which a net made of metal or synthetic resin is integrally molded as an insert in a frame made of metal.

As a filter for integral molding with this synthetic resin, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-37915 proposed by the present inventors,
Some of them are disclosed in the gazettes of 53-43840 and 55-55784, which have been put to practical use.

These conventional proposal filters use a synthetic resin for the frame itself as compared with the filters that have been assembled using a metal frame as the main body, and also provide a means for stopping the mesh when molding this frame. In addition, the manufacturability is improved by, for example, inserting it by integral molding or simplifying the fastening.

However, this synthetic resin filter still has not been sufficiently solved in terms of manufacturability, and there is room for improvement. Further, depending on the place of use, structural improvement is required.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention relates to the above-described conventional filter, that is, a filter formed by insert-molding a mesh body into a substantially tubular shape when the frame is made of synthetic resin. It was further researched and developed in view of some problems. That is, the purpose is to increase the productivity of the filter itself by eliminating the supporting frame formed in order to hold the filtering net in a predetermined shape in the conventional filter and to hold the filtering function. At the same time, by eliminating the effective filtration area reduced by this frame, the substantial filtration area was expanded, and elasticity was added to the filter itself to enhance its deformability, for example, when it was attached to the tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter for a fuel tank that can exhibit an effective filtering function even if it is deformed by conforming to the deformation when it comes into contact with the bottom or the like and is forced to deform.

Further, the present invention provides a filter for a fuel tank, which improves productivity in addition to ease of production and can be provided at a lower cost than a conventional synthetic resin filter for insert-molding a net body. It is in.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a filter for a fuel tank, which ensures the flexibility of the mesh body in addition to the deformability associated with the elasticity and is not damaged by an external force, and which has excellent durability. To do.

[Means for Solving Problems] The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned object, and the characteristic features thereof will be described. A mounting body is mounted on a tip end portion of a suction pipe to be inserted into a fuel tank, The opening of the bag-shaped filtering mesh is tightly fixed to the mounting body and attached in a suspended manner, and the shape-retaining body having elastic elasticity is housed inside the mesh. The fuel tank filter is designed to hold the space.

That is, in the filter of the present invention, the net-like body is formed into a simple bag-like shape by eliminating the assembled support frame that has been assembled in order to have a filtration function by holding the net-like body in a fixed shape, generally in a tubular shape, to have a filtering function. The opening of the bag-shaped mesh is attached tightly to the mounting body that is attached to the suction pipe and attached in a suspended manner, while the shape-retaining body for maintaining the bag-like shape is enclosed inside the mesh. It is in the filter.

It is desired that the shape-retaining body has an outer shape suitable for supporting the bag-shaped net body in a swelled shape from the inside, and that the shape-holding body is deformed in accordance with the deformation of the net body and has a restoring property. It is desired to have elasticity.

In addition, this shape-holding body is easy to guide fuel such as gasoline that has penetrated through the mesh body into the suction pipe, and needs to secure a sufficient space inside so as not to impair the permeability of the mesh body. It is suitable to use a spherical material having a spherical shape or a basket-like shape that can be formed by the linear material.

[Operation] Now, the filter of the present invention configured as described above is attached to the tip of the suction pipe and inserted into the fuel tank. This filter is the entire surface of the bag-shaped net body during suction by the pipe. The fuel will be filtered through and supplied. Then, at the time of this suction, the net body is held in a swelled state by the shape holder housed inside, and the entire surface effectively functions as a filtering surface.

Also, in the case where the mesh body portion is pressed against the bottom surface or side surface of the fuel tank or the tank is deformed by external pressure, and the mesh body portion is pressed by this, the shape retainer is used together. It will be deformed to cope with external pressure and avoid its damage.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments, and the features thereof will be described in detail.

[Embodiment] The drawings show one embodiment of the filter according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal front view, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a front view of a mounting body, FIG. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same, and Fig. 6 is an exploded front view of a main portion in a central cross section.

In the figure, 1 is a mounting body mounted on the tip of a suction pipe 2 inserted in a fuel tank, 3 is a mesh body that wraps the tip of the pipe 2 through this mounting body, and 4 is this mesh body. It is a mounting cover for fixing to the mounting body 1.

The mounting body is made of a synthetic resin material, and in this embodiment, a cylindrical mounting portion 1a for fitting into the pipe 2 and a fastening portion 1b of the net body 3 protruding from the lower end outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion in a brim shape. And a pressing portion 1b which is formed by extending one end of the mounting portion 1a into a cylindrical shape and further has a vertical slit 5 and a pressing portion 6 provided so as to surround the pressing portion 6. A cylindrical protective cylinder 7 and a shape-retaining body 8 extending downward so as to surround the protective cylinder 7 are integrally provided.

The mounting portion 1a has an inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the suction pipe 2, and an inner wall surface near the upper end is provided with an annular recess 9 for fitting the expanded diameter portion 2a of the pipe and preventing the pipe from coming off. The upper end opening is made somewhat thin and several vertical slits 10 are provided to facilitate the insertion of the pipe 2, and a mounting cover 4 described later is fixed in the middle of the length of the outer peripheral surface. An annular locking portion 11 is provided. Further, the fastening portion 1b is provided with a step portion 12 for firmly holding the opening portion of the net body 3 on the upper surface of the brim shape, and the pinching portion 6 is protected at the central portion of the lower surface so as to surround it. The tubes 7 are concentrically provided.

The shape-retaining body 8 holds the swelling of the net body inside the net body when the net body 3 is fastened to the mounting body 1. In this embodiment, from the lower surface of the fastening portion 1b. Two elastic arms 8a extending spirally around the outside of the protective cylinder 7 and fastened to the distal ends of the arms 8a in parallel with each other at a distance from the fastening portion 1a. It is composed of a ring body 8b provided.

When the holder 8 is in a normal state, the arm 8a is extended and the ring body 8b is hung downward, and when pressed from below, the arm is contracted and the ring body 8b is raised to the outer peripheral surface of the protective cylinder 7. ,
Further, when an external pressure is applied from the lateral side, the arm 8a is bent to move laterally from a position directly below the fastening portion so that the arm 8a can be deformed.

The mounting cover 4 is formed by using a thermoplastic synthetic resin having appropriate rigidity and elasticity as the mounting body 1, and is formed into a disk shape which is substantially adapted to the shape of the fastening portion 1b of the mounting body here. Further, a locking cylinder portion 4a protruding upward is provided at the central portion, and a skirt-shaped holding portion 4b protruding downward is provided at the outer peripheral edge portion.

The locking cylinder portion 4a is formed to have a thickness fitted to the mounting portion 1a, and is thinned toward the upper end to increase flexibility, and a plurality of vertical slits 13 are provided to provide springiness. There is.

On the other hand, the sandwiching portion 4b is formed to have an inner diameter capable of surrounding the stepped portion 12 provided in the fastening portion 1b, and the hanging length is made to match the height of this stepped portion.

Now, with respect to the mounting body 1 and the mounting cover 4 configured as described above, the net body 3 here has two synthetic resin net pieces 3a and 3b in a simple sheet shape, and these two net pieces are welded together to form a bag. It is to be formed into a shape.

FIG. 6 shows a state before the net body 3 is formed. According to this drawing, first, a through hole 14 is opened in one net piece 3a, and the through hole 14 is attached to the mounting body 1. Part 1a
This mesh piece 3a is put on the upper surface of the fastening portion 1b through the.

Next, the mounting cover 4 is also passed through the mounting portion 1a so as to cover the mesh piece 3a, and the locking cylinder portion 4a whose upper end is narrowed is forcedly passed through the locking portion 11 of the mounting portion 1a. Department
It is hooked and fixed to 11, and by this fixing, the peripheral portion of the through hole 14 is clamped between the holding portion 4b and the fastening portion 1b provided with the step portion 12, and one net body 3a is attached.

By fitting the mounting cover 4, the one net 3a is attached to the mounting body 1.
After attaching, the shape retainer 8 of the mounting body is desired from above the other mesh piece 3b, and when the shape retainer 8 is pressed to reduce the size, the shape retainer 8 is brought into contact with the mesh piece 3a previously attached. The mesh pieces, which are brought into contact with each other at appropriate positions surrounding them, are heat-welded in a circular shape, and the excess portion outside the welded portion 15 is cut off to form the bag-shaped mesh body 3.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the shape-retaining body 8 contracted after formation of the mesh body 3 is restored by the spring force of the arm 8a, and the mesh body 3 formed by welding two mesh pieces is a bag. It swells in a circular shape and hangs below the mounting body 1 to exert a function as an attachment filter.

By the way, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the shape-holding body 8 is generally formed so as to hang down from the lower surface of the fastening portion 1b in accordance with the molding of the mounting body 1, but this shape-holding body is a separate body. It does not prevent things.

It is desirable that this shape-retaining body be contractible and elastic as will be described later. Therefore, when it is molded separately from the mounting body, it should be formed into a cage or a linear object should be rounded into a spherical shape. It is preferable to use an elastic body having a large number of spaces, and a filter that is the same as when the net-shaped body 3 is formed by using these cage-shaped or spherical shape-holding bodies can be obtained.

It should be noted that the fact that the mounting body and the mounting cover are made of synthetic resin is due to consideration of moldability and corrosion resistance, and this consideration is the same when the shape-retaining body is molded separately. .

[Advantages of the Invention] The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. The filter having the above-described configuration is a suction pipe 2 that is inserted into a fuel tank.
It is attached to the tip of the pipe and installed at a predetermined position in the tank. In use, the device for the suction pipe inserts the pipe tip into the attachment portion 1a of the attachment body and fits the bulging portion 2a into the recess 9. It is done by At this time, at the same time, the upper end opening is brought into close contact with the peripheral surface of the pipe and the tip of the pipe is passed through the pinching portion 6 to stabilize the mounting.

Now, according to the present invention having the above-described structure, it is easy and sure to attach the suction pipe to the suction pipe, and the net body fixed to the attachment body is not attached to the support frame like a conventional filter. Since the entire surface is exposed without being inserted and filtration is possible, the effective filtration area can be maximized, and in addition, the substantial shape is smaller than conventional ones. There is an advantage that can be.

Further, in the filter of the present invention, since the net body is supported from the inside by the shape-retaining body enclosed inside, the net body itself is free compared to the conventional filter which is inserted into the support frame and integrated with this frame. Because of its freedom of deformation, it may come into contact with the wall surface of the fuel tank and be compressed, or if the tank itself is deformed by external pressure and deforms the net body, it may be damaged or damaged by pipes. The installation is distorted, and the danger of fuel intrusion from here and sometimes falling off is effectively avoided, and stable use is possible.

Further, since the elastic force is applied to the shape-retaining body, the shape can be always kept in the optimum state, which is convenient.

In particular, the deformability of the mesh body is always good because it causes abnormalities even if it is pressed against the bottom of the tank during the installation work because this type of filter is generally installed close to the bottom of the tank. As a result of functioning in such a state, it is effective in terms of stability and, at the same time, flexibility in work is obtained, which greatly contributes to productivity of automobiles and the like.

Although the method of fixing the mesh body by fitting the mounting cover is disclosed in the above embodiment, the mesh body may be fixed to the mounting body by other means, for example, by directly fixing with an adhesive, or May be fixed by thermal welding, and the fixing method can be selected freely as long as the conditions of not separating and of not forming a gap into which fuel flows can be satisfied.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal front view, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a front view of a mounting body, FIG. The figure is also a bottom view, FIG. 6 is an exploded front view in which a main part is a cross section in the center, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mounting cover. 1 ... Wearing body, 2 ... Suction pipe, 3 ... Filtration mesh,
8: Shape retainer

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A bag-shaped filter mesh opening is attached tightly to a mounting body mounted on the tip of a suction pipe and attached in a suspended manner, and can be contracted inside the mesh body. A filter for a fuel tank, characterized in that it retains a shape retainer having excellent elasticity and retains the space inside the net.