阅读说明：本技术 具有阻留靠近抽取口的液体的阻留构件的用于机动车的液体箱 (Liquid tank for a motor vehicle with a retaining member that retains liquid close to the extraction opening ) 是由 格洛里娅·保利 法布里齐奥·基尼 维尔纳·法里纳 米尔科·布拉加尼奥洛 菲利波·达尔阿尔梅利 于 2020-04-07 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种液体箱,具有由箱壁限界的可用液体填充的箱内部空间及用于从箱内部空间抽取液体的抽取口,在箱内部空间中设置有限定构件内部区域范围的阻留构件,构件内部区域的构件容积小于液体箱的箱容积,阻留构件的壁部允许液体从构件内部区域外但在箱容积内的构件外部区域穿过壁部流入构件内部区域并以流阻抵抗从构件内部区域穿过壁部流到构件外部区域中,使得壁部具有相对于在构件内部区域中液体的晃动运动的液体阻留能力,抽取口设置为,使得至少从低于阈值液位起壁部设置在抽取口和容纳在箱内部空间的构件外部区域中的液量之间。根据本发明提出,阻留构件至少部段地仅可单向从构件外部区域穿流到构件内部区域中,但不能沿相反方向穿流。(The invention relates to a liquid tank having a tank interior which is delimited by a tank wall and can be filled with liquid, and having an extraction opening for extracting liquid from the tank interior, in which tank interior a blocking member is provided which delimits a component interior region, the component volume of which is smaller than the tank volume of the liquid tank, the wall of the blocking member allowing liquid to flow from outside the component interior region but inside the tank volume through the wall into the component interior region and against the flow from the component interior region through the wall into the component exterior region with a flow resistance, so that the wall has a liquid blocking capacity with respect to a wobbling movement of the liquid in the component interior region, the extraction opening being provided such that the wall is arranged, at least from below a threshold liquid level, between the extraction opening and the liquid quantity contained in the component exterior region of the tank interior. According to the invention, it is proposed that the retaining element can flow at least in sections only in one direction from the element outer region into the element inner region, but not in the opposite direction.)

1. Liquid tank (10) having a tank interior (32) which is bounded by tank walls (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) and can be filled with liquid (B), and having an extraction opening (37) for extracting liquid (B) from the tank interior (32), wherein a retaining member (52) is arranged in the tank interior (32), which retaining member (52) delimits a component interior region (56), wherein a component volume of the component interior region (56) is smaller than a tank volume (31) of the liquid tank (10), wherein a wall (54) of the retaining member (52) allows liquid (B) to flow through the wall (54) into the component interior region (56) from a component exterior region (66) which is located outside the component interior region (56) but inside the tank volume (31), and flows through the wall portion (54) into the component outer region (66) against a flow resistance from the component inner region (56) such that the wall portion (54) has a liquid retention capacity with respect to a shaking movement of the liquid (B) in the component inner region (56), wherein the extraction opening (37) is arranged such that, at least from below a threshold liquid level (S1), the wall portion (54) is arranged between the extraction opening (37) and the amount of liquid contained in the component outer region (66) of the tank interior (32),

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the retention element (52) can flow through at least in sections only in one direction from the element outer region (66) into the element inner region (56), but cannot flow through in the opposite direction.

2. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall (54) of the detaining member (52) is formed at least in sections of a semi-permeable planar material (64).

3. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the semi-permeable planar material (64) comprises a membrane semi-permeable for liquid (B) or/and a fabric semi-permeable for liquid (B).

4. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the semi-permeable planar material (64) has a liquid-proof coating only on its side facing the component inner region (56).

5. Liquid tank (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (54) has at least one valve channel (76, 80, 84) which runs completely through the wall (54) and interacts with a movable or/and deformable valve body (78, 82) in such a way that the valve body (78, 82) allows a flow through of the valve channel (76, 80, 84) from the component outer region (66) into the component inner region (56) and prevents a flow through in the opposite direction.

6. Liquid tank (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve body (78, 82) forms with the valve channel (76, 80, 84) a lip valve (72) or an umbrella valve (70) or a flap check valve (74).

7. A liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detaining member (52) has a sealingly surrounding wall portion (54), wherein the detaining member (52) has no member bottom and/or no member cover.

8. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the detaining member (52) has no member bottom, however protrudes from the section (24) of the tank wall (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) such that the section (24) of the tank wall (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) delimits the detaining member (52) on the mounting side of the section (24) close to the tank wall (22, 24, 26, 28, 30).

9. Liquid tank (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retention element (52) is connected to the tank wall (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) by welding, by adhesive bonding, by latching, in particular releasable latching, or by clamping.

10. The liquid tank (10) as claimed in any of the preceding claims as dependent on claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the extraction opening (37) is accessible from a component outer region (66) of the tank interior space (32) only after passage of the semi-permeable planar material (64) and the valve channel (76, 80, 84) for liquid (B) below a first, larger threshold liquid level (S1) but before being below a second, smaller threshold liquid level (S2), and the extraction opening (37) is accessible from a component outer region (66) of the tank interior space (32) only after passage of the semi-permeable planar material (64) or the valve channel (76, 80, 84) for liquid (B) below the second, smaller threshold liquid level (S2).

11. A liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an antimicrobial coating is provided on at least one side of the retention member (52).

Technical Field

The invention relates to a liquid tank having a tank interior which is delimited by tank walls and can be filled with liquid, and having an extraction opening for extracting liquid from the tank interior, wherein a detaining member is provided in the tank interior space, said detaining member defining the extent of the member interior region, wherein the member volume of the member interior region is less than the tank volume of the liquid tank, wherein the wall of the detaining member allows liquid to flow through the wall into the member interior region from the member exterior region outside the member interior region but inside the tank volume and to flow through the wall from the member interior region into the member exterior region with resistance to flow, so that the wall portion has a liquid-retaining capacity with respect to a shaking movement of the liquid in the inner region of the member, wherein the extraction opening is arranged such that, at least from below a threshold liquid level, the wall portion is arranged between the extraction opening and the liquid quantity contained in the region outside the component of the tank interior space. Such a liquid tank is considered in particular as a liquid tank on a moving carrier, preferably as a liquid tank for a motor vehicle.

Background

Such a liquid tank for a motor vehicle is known from DE 102009045691 a 1. The known retention element serves here to prevent the movement of the liquid quantity leaving the extraction opening in the case of a low filling height of the liquid tank. In the case of a low filling level, in the liquid tank, also referred to below as "tank" only, the liquid present accelerates in the dynamic driving state at an acceleration acting on the vehicle orthogonally to the force of gravity to perform a shaking movement which can displace a large portion of the liquid quantity stored in the tank in a short time to the tank wall. Thus, by means of this shaking movement, the liquid can be moved away from the extraction opening, so that it sucks in the gas as well or only briefly. The originally intended liquid transport is thereby hindered or even prohibited. This can cause a brief loss of function or even permanent damage to devices that rely on a continuous liquid supply.

Preferably, a tank for containing an aqueous urea solution is considered in the liquid tank of the present application. The liquid tank may however also be a fuel tank of a motor vehicle and other working liquid tanks.

The retention capacity of the retention member known from DE 102009045691 a1, as described at the outset, is not an absolute retention capacity, but only a retention capacity against wobbling movements. This means that the liquid can in principle flow from the component interior region through the wall into the component exterior region, but this flow through takes place in small amounts per unit time due to the flow resistance which is counteracted by the wall, so that only a small amount of liquid can flow through the wall of the retaining component in a manner induced by the shaking movement over the duration of the shaking movement, so that the majority of the liquid which is shaken in the component interior region remains in the component interior region, wherein the shaking movement continues until it decays below the significance threshold for at most a few seconds.

The same flow resistance of the detaining member for resisting liquid in the inner region of the member when passing the flow wall portion towards the outer region of the member may also be used for the detaining member to resist liquid flowing from the outer region of the member into the inner region of the member.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to further develop the known liquid tank.

The invention achieves the object by means of a liquid tank of the type mentioned at the outset in that the retaining element can be passed at least in sections only unidirectionally from the element outer region into the element inner region by the liquid contained in the liquid tank, but cannot be passed in the opposite direction. This achieves that the liquid which has previously reached the interior region of the component remains there, to be precise independently of the forces acting on the liquid tank and thus on the retention component.

Preferably, the entire detaining member is only unidirectionally flowable from the member outer region into the member inner region.

Thus, even in a vehicle that is continuously moving on a circular trajectory and thus is subjected to a continuous horizontal acceleration in the same direction, it is possible to supply the liquid contained in the tank to the device connected to the liquid tank for a very long time, despite the centrifugal force that continuously acts on the liquid in the tank due to the circular trajectory running, pressing the liquid toward the side wall.

The wall of the retaining element can be arranged spaced apart from the extraction opening on all sides in order not only to ensure a sufficient storage volume in the interior region of the element, but also to ensure that there is no appreciable preferred direction for the shaking movement and its influence on the extraction of the liquid through the extraction opening. Preferably, the extraction opening is substantially the same distance from the wall portion along the circumference of the wall portion around the detaining member. The extraction opening is therefore preferably arranged approximately centrally in the horizontal direction in the component interior region of the detaining member with respect to the ready-to-use installation state. The vertical centering of the extraction opening in the detaining member is not necessary, since the extraction opening is usually arranged as geodetically as low as possible in the tank in order to be able to empty the tank as completely as possible before refilling of the tank is required.

Furthermore, the retention element can have a cage structure with a liquid-permeable wall material section in order to ensure a storage volume in the element interior. Such a cage structure can maintain a storage volume in the region inside the component even when there is a significant pressure drop in the liquid between the region of the extraction opening and the region outside the component. The material of the cage structure is generally liquid-tight, that is, in any direction.

According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the wall of the detaining member may be formed at least in sections of a semi-permeable planar material. The above-mentioned cage structure is particularly advantageous in combination with a semi-permeable planar material, since such semi-permeable planar materials are generally not self-stabilizing, i.e. deform under their own weight or the forces expected in normal operation. The semi-permeable planar material allows the liquid to pass through the material itself substantially unidirectionally in its extended face due to porosity or/and capillary action.

According to an improvement of the inventionAlternatively, the semi-permeable planar material may comprise a membrane that is semi-permeable to liquid and/or a fabric that is semi-permeable to liquid. Possible semi-permeable planar materials are, for example, Freudenberg Filtration Technologies SE, Wen-Haim (Germany)&KG Co LtdA material having a model name FE 2931NEXX AS or FE 2932 NEXX. Another possible semi-permeable planar material is for example the material of the company saitis. p.a, located in abenia noriti (italy)Nylon.

For the most effective possible liquid-permeability of the planar material in only one direction, i.e. from the component outer region into the component inner region, the semi-permeable planar material has a liquid-repellent coating only on its side facing away from the component inner region.

Alternatively or additionally to the use of a semi-permeable planar material, the only one-way penetrability of the wall of the retention element with respect to the liquid can be achieved in that the wall has at least one valve channel which penetrates the wall completely and interacts with a movable or/and deformable valve body in such a way that the valve body allows a passage of the channel from the outer region of the element into the inner region of the element and prevents a passage in the opposite direction.

The valve channel thus forms a valve with the valve body, which is permeable only in one direction, i.e. from the component outer region into the component inner region. A very effective and at the same time cost-effective valve form is a lip valve or an umbrella valve or a simple flap check valve, so that the valve body and the channel preferably form a lip valve or an umbrella valve or a flap check valve. In the preferred case, where the wall of the detaining member has a plurality of one-way permeable valves, different valve forms, preferably mixtures of the above-mentioned valve types, may also be provided on the detaining member.

In contrast to the semi-permeable planar material, the valve forms a punctiform passage point, at which the wall of the retaining element is permeable from the outer region of the element into the inner region of the element. By providing the valve on the retention element, it is possible to specifically define the region in which the liquid can penetrate the retention element from the region outside the element to the region inside the element, and to specifically form the region in which the wall of the retention element is completely impermeable, i.e. impermeable in two directions perpendicular to the wall. Thus, as long as there are areas in which liquid flows more frequently onto the detaining member due to operating conditions when the liquid tank is in operation than in other areas, one or more valves may be provided on the detaining member in these areas. As long as there are regions in which the liquid is to flow away from the extraction opening more frequently than in other regions during operation of the liquid tank, the liquid wall can be completely impenetrable in these regions in order to prevent the liquid from flowing out of the component interior region as completely and reliably as possible.

In principle, it is conceivable for the blocking element to extend between different wall regions of the tank, for example in the case of corners or in the case of wedge-shaped extraction openings, to cover the corners or wall wedges of the tank in the tank interior. However, in order to ensure that the detaining member has at least a substantially equal detaining action all around orthogonally to the direction of action of gravity, it is preferred that the detaining member has a closed, circumferential wall. The extraction opening can then be arranged spaced apart from the side walls of the tank, preferably from all side walls in the tank interior space, and can even be arranged centrally near the tank bottom.

Since the extraction opening is usually arranged close to the tank bottom, the retaining element does not require its own element bottom, so that it is preferred for material saving that the retaining element does not comprise an element bottom.

In addition or alternatively, it is likewise not absolutely necessary for the detaining member to be defined in the direction of the tank lid or, more generally, of the tank wall lying at a distance from the detaining member. It may be sufficient for the detaining member to have only one surrounding wall portion, since the induced shaking movement of the contained liquid in the tank usually takes place parallel to the tank bottom or orthogonal to the direction of action of gravity, which is synonymous in most cases. Therefore, in order to advantageously save material, it is preferred that the detaining member does not have a member cover.

In the case of a retaining member without a component bottom, it is advantageous if the retaining member projects from the tank wall section such that the tank wall section delimits the retaining member on the installation side close to the tank wall. The wall section from which the detaining member projects is also the wall section to which the extraction opening is close. For practical considerations which have already been stated above, the wall section is usually the tank bottom section.

The detaining member may be connected to the tank wall by a locking mechanism. The latching projection on one of the two components, the arresting member and the tank wall, can then simply be latched into the corresponding latching recess on the respective other component. If a simple repair or replacement possibility of the detaining member is desired, the locking mechanism can be constructed releasably or surmountable. Alternatively or additionally, the detaining member may be connected with the tank wall by clamping, for example at a connecting pin protruding from the tank wall into the tank interior space. In order to connect the detaining member with the tank wall as reliably as possible, a plurality of locking projections and locking recesses or/and a plurality of connecting pins and a separating device surrounding the connecting pins may be provided. The clamping connection is preferably self-locking and thus particularly reliable.

The retaining element can be connected to the tank wall additionally or alternatively by welding or/and by adhesive bonding.

The detaining member may constitute different types of one-way penetratable regions of the wall of the detaining member through which the liquid passes. As long as more liquid is contained in the tank, it is sufficient, for example, that said liquid can pass through the above-mentioned semi-permeable planar material. The liquid may additionally flow through the wall part via one or more valves. However, if a particularly low critical filling height is reached, it can be advantageous if the liquid can flow through the wall only further through the semi-permeable planar material or only further through one or more valves. In accordance with a further development of the invention, it can therefore be provided that the extraction opening is accessible from the component exterior region of the tank interior only after the flow through of the semi-permeable planar material and the valve channel for the liquid, after a first, larger threshold level is undershot, but before a second, smaller threshold level is undershot, and that the extraction opening is accessible from the component exterior region of the tank interior only after the flow through of the semi-permeable planar material or the valve channel for the liquid, after a second, smaller threshold level is undershot. Preferably, the liquid can pass only through the at least one valve after the second threshold liquid level has fallen below, but no longer through the semi-permeable planar material from the component outer region into the component inner region.

To prevent microbial contamination on or in the tank, an antimicrobial coating may be provided on at least one side of the retention member. Preferably, the inner side of the retention member is provided with an antimicrobial coating which comes into contact with the liquid for as long as possible. In particular, the semi-permeable planar material through which the liquid flows can have such a coating, as can one or more of the valve bodies described above. Additionally or alternatively, the outer side of the retaining member, in particular the outer side of the semi-permeable planar material, may also be provided with such a coating. For the same purpose, the material of the cage member can be filled with an antimicrobially effective substance.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having a liquid tank as described and improved above.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. The figures show:

fig. 1 shows a roughly schematic longitudinal section through a motor vehicle liquid tank according to the invention.

Detailed Description

In fig. 1, an embodiment of a liquid tank for a motor vehicle according to the invention is generally indicated at 10. In the example shown, a liquid tank 10 arranged on a motor vehicle V comprises an upper tank shell 12 and a lower tank shell 14 which are joined to one another by means of radially outwardly encircling connecting flanges 16 and 18 forming a joint 20 in a manner known per se into the tank 10. The connecting flanges 16 and 18 are preferably formed integrally with the upper or lower casing 12 and 14.

The tank 10 is shown in fig. 1 roughly schematically in longitudinal section, more precisely in a reference state corresponding to the state in which the tank 10 is completely installed in a vehicle placed on a horizontal ground. The direction of the action of gravity parallel to the plane of the drawing of fig. 1 is indicated in fig. 1 by g for better understanding.

The box 10 comprises a box cover 22, which is opposite a box bottom 24 at a distance in the direction of action of gravity g. The cover 22 and the base 24 are connected to one another via box side walls 26, 28 and 30. The other tank side wall is located in front of the drawing plane of fig. 1 and is therefore not shown.

The tank 10 circumferentially delimits a tank interior 32 with a tank interior volume 31 which, in the reference state shown in fig. 1, is delimited upward by the tank cover 22, downward by the tank bottom 24 and laterally by the tank side walls 26, 28 and 30 and by further tank side walls not shown situated in front of the drawing plane.

The upper and lower housings 12, 14 are each formed in one piece, for example by injection molding.

The tank 10 can be filled with the working liquid B to a maximum filling level F via a filling opening 34, which filling opening 22 is preferably formed in the tank lid. For this purpose, the working fluid B flows in the filling direction I through the filling opening 34 into the tank interior 32.

Likewise, the operating fluid B stored in the tank interior 32 can be extracted by an extraction module 36 having an extraction opening 37, which is preferably arranged close to the tank bottom 24, which is geodetically low during operation. The working liquid B pumped in the suction opening 37 by the delivery pump inside the suction module then flows out of the tank 10 through the suction line 38 in the suction direction a. The extraction module can contain functional elements not shown in fig. 1, such as the already mentioned delivery pumps, fill level sensors, heating means, etc. The extraction module 36 is preferably inserted into an opening 40 in the tank base 24 and may have a drain, to which an extraction line 38 is connected, which leads to an injection device for injecting the liquid extracted from the tank 10, here for example an aqueous urea solution, into the combustion chamber or into the exhaust gas jet of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle V carrying the tank 10 for selective catalytic reduction.

The tank 10 also has a float valve 42 which, in relation to the filling level of the working liquid B in the tank interior 32, opens a valve port 44 to let through gas from a gas space 46 above the working liquid B or blocks the valve port 44. Connected to the valve port 44 is a ventilation line 45, which conducts gas leaking through the valve port 44.

The float valve 42 is thus part of the automatic shut-off of the automatic filling mechanism of the tank 10. Then, that is to say when the valve port 44 for the gas flow through from the gas space 46 is closed, the pressure in the tank interior volume 31 rises rapidly as filling continues, so that an automatic shut-off in the venting pin can be triggered. Thereby avoiding overfilling of the tank 10.

The float valve 42 comprises a tubular, in the example shown, cylindrical-tubular valve housing 48, which is advantageously formed in one piece with the upper housing 12. The valve housing 48 projects along the imaginary pipe axis R from the tank cover 22 only to one side, i.e. into the tank interior volume 31.

The float valve body 50 is introduced into the valve housing 48 along the imaginary line axis R from the open valve housing longitudinal end remote from the tank cover 22 and locked therein. The valve housing 48 guides the float valve body 50 along a path of movement M that coincides with the tube axis R.

The float valve body 50 is shown in fig. 1 in its operating position, in which the valve port 44 is open for the gas flow through from the tank interior 32, in particular from the gas space 46. In this position the buoyant ball valve body 50 is pre-tensioned by gravity. Upon loss of buoyancy, the buoyant ball valve body 50 is transferred by gravity into the position shown in fig. 1.

A detaining member 52 is arranged in a closed loop around the extraction module 36 with the extraction opening 37 and radially spaced apart from the extraction module 36. In the example shown, detaining member 52 includes a substantially cylindrical wall portion 54. Detaining member 52 itself has neither a base nor a cover. More specifically, the detaining member opens upward toward the tank interior 32 so that liquid B can flow unimpeded from above into the member interior region 56 surrounded by the detaining member 52 as long as the filling level of liquid B in the tank interior 32 is above the upper edge of the detaining member 52.

The detaining member 52 comprises a cage member 58 with identically formed perforations 62 in the upper section 60, which are completely lined with a semi-permeable planar material 64. The semi-permeable planar material may be, for example, the type

A nylon textile material which is designed such that the liquid B only flows through from the outside around the element outer region 66 of the retention element 52 into the element inner region 56, but which is impermeable to the liquid B in the opposite direction.

Valves 70, 72 and 74 are provided in a section 68 of detaining member 52 near tank bottom 24. The cage member 58 itself is liquid-tight, more precisely in two possible directions. The cage member 58 serves to provide a stable support for the detaining member 52 so that it retains its configuration under the loads generated during normal operation. The cage member 58 may be manufactured as a one-piece injection molded member.

If the filling level of liquid B is below a first threshold level S1 coinciding with the upper edge of detaining member 52, liquid B can still flow from member outer region 66 into member inner region 56 only with flow of semi-permeable planar material 64 through perforations 62 and with at least one of flow-through valves 70, 72 and 74. The liquid B that previously flowed into the component inner region 52 remains in the component inner region 52, since the liquid cannot flow through the wall 54 of the blocking component 52 in the opposite direction, i.e. towards the component outer region 66.

If the filling level of liquid B is below a second threshold level S2, which in this case coincides with the lower edge of perforation 62, liquid B can still reach component inner region 52 only with at least one of flow-through valves 70, 72, and 74.

Different valve types suitable for use at the detaining member 52 are exemplarily shown in fig. 1. The valve 70 shown on the left side of the partial section in fig. 1 is an umbrella valve, the valve 72 shown on the right side of fig. 1 in the partial perforation is a lip valve and the valve 74 shown in the middle in the top view of the detaining member is a flap check valve with a perforation 76 completely through the wall 54, which is provided with a flap 78 on the side of the member inner region 56. The flap 78 can be moved from the wall 54 into the component interior 56 and/or deformed in order to open the perforation 76 for the passage into the component interior 56. The shutter 74 may be a rigid, pivotally movable shutter or may be a deformable shutter constructed of film material.

At the umbrella valve 70, perforations 80 surround fasteners of an umbrella valve body 82, the umbrella portion of which covers the perforations 80 in an undeformed state, but which can deform away from the perforations 80 upon opening of the perforations 80 with sufficient pressure differential between the member inner region and the member outer region 66. The lip valve 72 comprises its own through-flow opening 84 in a manner known per se.

The detaining member 52 is in this example fixed to the tank bottom 24 by means of a cage member 58, for example by locking a locking formation, in particular a protrusion, on one of the cage member 58 and the tank bottom 24 with a locking mating formation, in particular a recess, on the respective other member. Alternatively, the cage member 58 is welded to the tank bottom 24, for example by ultrasonic welding, or may be bonded thereto. Still alternatively, the detaining member 52 may have a clamping configuration shown in fig. 1 that is clampable, preferably self-locking, on a mating clamping configuration of the tank bottom 24. For example, the clamping structure may have a ring with a central passage from which a section of the ring close to the opening is divided in the radial direction by a cutout into circumferential sections which can spring back independently of one another orthogonally to an annular surface which is an extension of the ring. Such a ring or clamping ring can then be slipped on the clamping pin with the segments spread apart, the diameter of the clamping pin being greater than the clear width of the central passage opening of the ring. The clamping pin can be integrally formed in one piece with the bottom 24.