阅读说明：本技术 带有集成的浮子阀的机动车液体箱 (Motor vehicle liquid tank with integrated float valve ) 是由 恩里科·科拉图佐 菲利波·达尔阿尔梅利娜 于 2020-02-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种尤其用于机动车的液体箱(10),包括包围箱内部容积(31)的箱壳(12、14)以及至少一个箱开口(34、36),用于以要储存的液体(B)根据规定填充所述箱和/或用于从箱中根据规定排出所储存的液体,其中所述箱还具有浮子阀(38),所述浮子阀根据其工作位置开启或封闭贯穿箱壳的、与至少一个箱开口(34、36)不同的用于使流体的穿流阀口(40)。根据本发明提出,阀壳体(44)与箱壳一件式地构成,所述阀壳体引导浮子阀体(50)使其在其关闭位置和打开位置之间运动,在所述关闭位置中浮子阀体封闭阀口(40),在所述打开位置中浮子阀体开启阀口(40),以使其被流体穿流。(The invention relates to a liquid tank (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a tank shell (12, 14) which encloses a tank interior volume (31) and at least one tank opening (34, 36) for filling the tank with a liquid (B) to be stored as intended and/or for discharging the stored liquid from the tank as intended, wherein the tank also has a float valve (38) which, depending on its operating position, opens or closes a flow-through valve opening (40) for fluid which extends through the tank shell, which opening is different from the at least one tank opening (34, 36). According to the invention, a valve housing (44) is formed in one piece with the housing, which guides the float valve body (50) between its closed position, in which it closes the valve opening (40), and an open position, in which it opens the valve opening (40) in order to allow fluid to flow through it.)

1. Liquid tank (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a tank shell (12, 14) which encloses a tank interior volume (31), and at least one tank opening (34, 36) for filling the tank (10) with a liquid (B) to be stored as intended and/or for discharging the stored liquid (B) from the tank as intended, wherein the tank (10) further has a float valve (38) which, depending on its operating position, opens or closes a valve opening (40) for the passage of a fluid through the tank shell (12, 14) which differs from the at least one tank opening (34, 36),

characterized in that a valve housing (44) is formed integrally with the housing (12, 14), which valve housing guides a float valve body (50) for movement between a closed position, in which it closes the valve opening (40), and an open position, in which it opens the valve opening (40) for fluid to flow through.

2. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 1,

the housing (12, 14) has a one-piece lower housing (14) with a housing base (24) and a lower section of a housing side wall (26, 28, 30) in the housing operation, and a one-piece upper housing (12) with a housing cover (22) and an upper section of a housing side wall (26, 28, 30) in the housing operation, wherein the valve housing (44) is formed in one piece with the upper housing (12).

3. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 1 or 2,

the valve housing (44) protrudes from the tank shell section in such a way that it protrudes into the tank interior volume (31).

4. A liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

the valve housing (44) is tubular and surrounds the float valve body (50) independently of the operating position of the float valve body.

5. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 4,

a tubular valve housing (44) extending along an imaginary pipe axis (R) has a guide structure (48) in its pipe wall (46) which is in form-fitting guiding engagement with a mating guide structure (52) of the float valve body (50) such that the float valve body (50) is only moved along the guide structure (48) towards and away from the valve port (40).

6. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 5,

the guide structure (48) has a recess (48) which is radial with respect to an imaginary pipe axis (R) which is assumed centrally through the tubular valve housing (44), and the mating guide structure (52) has a projection (52) which projects into the recess (48).

7. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 5 or 6,

the valve housing (44) is closed at its longitudinal end (44a) remote from the housing (12, 14).

8. A liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

the valve housing (44) is open at its longitudinal end (44a) remote from the housing (12, 14).

9. A liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

the float valve body (50) comprises a foamed material or/and the float valve body (50) is designed as a shell-like hollow body (50).

10. Liquid tank (10) according to claim 9,

the float valve body (50) is designed as a bell-shaped, shell-like hollow body (50) which opens out in a direction away from the valve opening (40) into the tank interior volume (31).

11. A motor vehicle having a liquid tank (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a liquid tank comprising a tank shell enclosing a tank interior volume, and at least one tank opening for filling the tank with a liquid to be stored as intended and/or for discharging the stored liquid from the tank as intended, wherein the tank further comprises a float valve which, depending on its operating position, opens or closes a valve opening for the passage of fluid through the tank shell which differs from the at least one tank opening. The liquid tank is preferably adapted and configured as a liquid tank for a motor vehicle.

Background

Such a liquid tank is known from DE 10017323 a1, also referred to below simply as "tank". The known tank has a housing and a float valve which is inserted into a tank cover of the housing and is formed separately from the housing. When below a predetermined level of the tank, the float valve then allows a flow through the valve port, enabling gas exchange between the tank interior volume and the tank exterior environment. The pressure of the gas portion in the tank is therefore always at atmospheric or ambient pressure when the valve opening can be traversed. However, when the fluid level in the tank reaches a predetermined level, the float valve body is held against the valve seat by the fluid stored in the tank, so that the valve opening is blocked from the fluid flowing through. Such float valves are used to provide a gas residual space in the tank with a predetermined minimum gas volume, so that volume expansion of the incompressible liquid in the tank due to a predictable temperature rise can also occur, without functional sections of the tank shell or tank, such as the closure, being damaged thereby.

Such a float valve decisively assists in automatically shutting off the tap for filling the tank by the pressure increase caused by it at the tank, in order to reliably prevent overfilling of the tank.

A disadvantage of the liquid tank known from DE 10017323 a1 is the high installation effort associated with the installation of the float valve, more precisely the valve housing of the float valve, on the tank housing. Furthermore, recesses are provided in the housing for mounting the float valve on the housing, which recesses are usually significantly larger than the valve opening of the float valve, so that the housing can be structurally weakened to an unnecessarily high extent by the separate float valve placed thereon.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is therefore to improve the tank mentioned at the outset in such a way that the above-described function of the float valve, i.e. the normally open valve closing in relation to the liquid level when a predetermined liquid level is exceeded, and if applicable at the same time a high structural integrity of the tank shell is achieved with little installation effort.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in a tank of the type mentioned at the outset in that a valve housing, which guides a float valve body in its movement between a closed position, in which it closes a valve opening, and an open position, in which it opens the valve opening for the passage of fluid, is formed in one piece with the tank housing.

By the one-piece construction of the valve housing and the housing, the mounting of the valve housing on the housing is dispensed with, since the valve housing is already manufactured together with the housing when the housing is manufactured.

In addition, if the valve housing is formed in one piece on the housing, only the valve opening must be formed as an opening through the housing on the housing. A larger mounting opening, into which a separately formed valve housing is inserted, is no longer necessary. Thus, the housing is required to provide as little structural weakening as possible in the structure in which the float valve is disposed on the housing. In contrast, a valve housing formed in one piece with the housing can even act like a rib in a reinforced manner on the housing section carrying the valve housing.

The valve housing is preferably produced together with the housing by injection molding from a deformable viscous material. Preferably, the housing with the float valve formed in one piece with the housing is made of a thermoplastic material.

The valve housing can have a passage through its housing wall in order to enable fluid exchange in the tank interior volume between the valve housing interior space and the environment outside the valve housing.

To simplify the installation, the float valve is composed of only two partial bodies, namely a valve housing and a float valve body. The valve housing is preferably formed in one piece and is formed exclusively by a component which is produced in one piece with the housing. Although it is in principle conceivable that the valve housing is at least partially closed at its longitudinal end remote from the housing by means of a separate cover after introduction of the float valve body into the valve housing, this is not preferred.

The float valve body can likewise be formed in one piece and thus from a single component. Alternatively, the float valve body can also be designed in multiple parts, for example, if it has a valve seal which is designed separately and is arranged on the buoyant body in addition to the buoyant body. In addition or as an alternative to the valve seal on the float, a sealing element can also be provided in the valve housing, for example in such a way that it surrounds the valve opening and thus forms a valve seat. The sealing member can be placed on the valve opening subsequently, i.e. after the manufacture of the valve housing, or can be produced in a two-component injection molding process to some extent simultaneously with the valve housing in an injection molding technique. The sealing component is then preferably made of a plastic with a lower modulus of elasticity than the valve housing and thus the housing, in order to provide the best possible sealing function at an already low contact pressure.

In order to simplify the design of the housing together with the valve housing, it can be provided that the housing has a one-piece lower housing with a bottom and a lower section of a side wall of the housing in the intended housing operation, and a one-piece upper housing with a lid and an upper section of a side wall of the housing in the intended housing operation. The valve housing is then formed in one piece with the upper housing. By forming the housing as at least two partial shells, the valve housing can be molded simply and without complex valve cartridges or slide valves on the partial housing, in particular on the upper housing. In particular, the valve housing is preferably formed in one piece with a cover which is arranged opposite the bottom of the tank at a distance. The two or more housing shells preferably have connecting flanges at which two adjacent housing shells can be connected or connected to each other on the finished ready-to-operate tank. The connection of adjacent housing parts to the box can be a releasable connection, for example a screw connection, according to specifications, or can be a non-releasable connection, for example a weld or adhesive connection, according to specifications.

In principle, it is conceivable for the valve housing sections to be located on the inside and outside of the housing, respectively. However, this is not necessary in order to provide the mere function of a float valve, i.e. opening and closing the valve port, and the manufacture of the housing or part of the housing is unnecessarily complicated. It is therefore preferably provided that the valve housing projects from the housing section in such a way as to project into the interior volume of the housing. In particular, it is preferably provided that the valve housing projects from the housing section only in such a way that it projects into the interior volume of the housing.

In order to be able to transport or at least guide the fluid flowing through the valve opening in a targeted manner after it has passed through the housing, according to a preferred development of the invention the housing has a connection for connecting a fluid line on its side facing away from the valve housing, preferably on the outside of the housing. The connecting structure, for example a sleeve-like projection or a sleeve projecting away from the housing, is preferably formed integrally with the housing.

In order to simplify the installation of the float valve body in the valve housing, the valve housing is preferably tubular. In particular, it is preferred that the valve housing is formed only in a tubular manner. It is immaterial here whether the valve housing has a cylindrical, slightly conical, polyhedral or elliptic cylindrical configuration due to the die bevel. In order to simplify the demolding of the housing, which is formed in one piece with the valve housing, from the injection mold, the opening cross section of the valve housing widens slightly as the distance from the housing increases. For simplified removal, the valve housing wall can taper away from the housing, wherein it preferably forms a drawing bevel both on its outer side and on its inner side.

In principle, it is also conceivable that the end section of the float valve body remote from the valve port protrudes from the valve housing if the float valve body does not protrude into the liquid stored in the tank. This makes it possible to achieve a spatially short design of the valve housing. However, in order to be able to avoid unnecessary and undesired jamming of the float valve body and thus undesired fixing of the float valve body on the valve housing, it is preferred that the valve housing encloses the float valve body along its entire extent in the direction of its movement path, independently of the operating position of the float valve body.

If the valve housing is then tubular away from the tank housing, preferably only into the tank interior volume, it extends along an imaginary pipe axis, which for the sake of simplicity of description should be assumed to run centrally through the valve housing. Then, if the valve housing is a cylinder, the virtual pipe axis is the cylinder axis. Then, if the valve housing is a cone, the virtual tube axis is the cone axis. In the case of a valve housing of tubular design, the path of movement of the float valve body preferably runs along the tube axis.

In order to guide the float valve body in a movement that is as precise as possible between an operating position that is maximally close to the valve opening, in which it prevents the valve opening from being penetrated by liquid, and an operating position that is maximally remote from the valve opening, in which it can be penetrated by fluid, a tubular valve housing extending along an imaginary tube axis can have at least one guide structure in its tube wall. The pipe wall preferably has a plurality of guide structures, particularly preferably exactly three guide structures, along its circumference, distributed about the imaginary pipe axis. If more than one guide structure is provided, the guide structures are preferably arranged equidistantly along the circumference. It is also preferred that the guide structures are of identical design. The at least one guide structure of the float valve body can then be brought into form-fitting guiding engagement with the at least one mating guide structure, so that the float valve body can only be moved along the guide structure towards and away from the valve port. If a plurality of guide structures are provided, each guide structure is assigned a mating guide structure with which it interacts.

The at least one guide structure can be a projection projecting radially inwards towards the imaginary pipe axis, then the mating guide structure is preferably a recess into which the projection projects or engages. However, this would require a projection having a very long extension component along the virtual pipe axis in order to be able to reliably guide the float valve body along its entire movement trajectory according to regulations during valve operation. It is therefore simpler for the mating guide structure to have a projection which projects into or engages into a guide structure which is configured as a recess, for example a groove, in the pipe wall. The guide structure formed as a recess can be a limited depression in the pipe wall without penetrating completely through the pipe wall in the thickness direction, or it can be a through recess penetrating through the pipe wall in the wall thickness direction. One, more or all of the guide structures can be the above-mentioned channels through the valve housing wall, which channels enable fluid exchange.

The at least one guide formation can in principle have an arbitrary extent along the virtual pipe axis. For example, the guide structure can have a spiral course in sections or completely, so that the axial extension of the guide structure along the tube axis also has a component of extension in the circumferential direction about the tube axis. In order to be able to move the float valve body between its operating positions in as short a movement path as possible, the guide structure is preferably linear and more preferably parallel to the virtual pipe axis.

In particular, if the guide structure is designed as a through-recess in the pipe wall, the guide structure weakens the valve housing, so that the valve housing can be deformed by smaller external influences than would be the case if the guide structure were not present. This undesirable effect can be mitigated as follows: the valve housing is closed at its longitudinal end remote from the housing. Thus, according to the advantageous development of the invention, the guide structure preferably does not extend as far as the longitudinal end of the valve housing remote from the housing, but ends at a distance therefrom along the pipe axis. Furthermore, the float valve body can be held in the valve housing so as to be prevented from falling off.

In order to be able to simplify the installation of the float valve as much as possible, it is advantageous if the valve housing is open at its longitudinal end remote from the housing. The float valve body can then be introduced into the valve housing through the longitudinal end of the valve housing remote from the housing. If the float valve body is, as is preferred in principle, an elastic valve body, so that it can be deformed in the reverse direction without tools, solely by the simple muscular force of the operator, it can also be introduced into the valve housing through the mentioned longitudinal ends, if the float valve body has one or more projections which, in the ready-to-operate state, project as mating guide structures into guide structures which are designed as recesses in the valve housing wall and hold the float valve body in the valve housing in a manner which prevents it from falling out. This also applies to any other form-fitting or physical fall-off protection of a float valve body inserted into the valve housing.

The float valve body can advantageously comprise a foamed material as an elastic valve body, in particular as a valve body which can be deformed by simple muscular force, and/or it can be designed as a shell-like hollow body. In the case of a shell-like hollow body, the material thickness is to be selected, taking into account the configuration of the hollow body and the material used, such that the mentioned manual deformability is achieved. The foam material of the deformable valve body is preferably not a rigid foam. But a soft, resilient foam material. In addition or in addition to the valve housing, the float valve body also has a passage in order to be able to exchange fluid between the interior space of the valve housing and the outside environment.

A preferred configuration of the float valve body designed as a hollow body is a shell-like bell shape. Thus, when the float valve body is designed as a bell-shaped, shell-like hollow body, it has a low weight or mass and can be simply deformed at its open longitudinal ends for insertion into the valve housing. As a bell-shaped hollow body, the opening cross section of which, perpendicular to the imaginary pipe axis or the housing axis of the valve housing, increases at least in sections in the direction away from the valve opening when viewing the float valve body inserted into the valve housing, and preferably has a maximum opening cross section at its longitudinal end remote from the valve opening or at least not less than the opening cross section in the region close to the valve opening. In order to be able to be moved effectively by an elevated liquid level in the tank, the bell-shaped float valve body preferably opens in a direction away from the valve opening towards the tank interior volume.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having a liquid tank constructed according to the above description.

Drawings

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figures show:

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

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention of a motor vehicle operating fluid tank, indicated as a whole by 10. In the example shown, the operating fluid tank 10 arranged on the motor vehicle V comprises an upper tank shell 12 and a lower tank shell 14 which are joined to one another in a manner known per se to form the tank 10 by means of radially outwardly encircling connecting flanges 16 and 18 forming a joint surface 20. The connecting flanges 16 and 18 are preferably formed integrally with the upper or lower casing 12, 14.

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

The box 10 comprises a cover 22, which is arranged opposite the box bottom 24 in the direction of action of gravity g with a distance. The cover 22 and the base 24 are interconnected 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 not shown.

The box 10 encloses a receiving space 32 with a box interior volume 31, which in the reference state shown in fig. 1 is delimited upwardly by the box cover 22, downwardly by the box base 24, and laterally by the box side walls 26, 28 and 30 and by further not shown box side walls situated in front of the drawing plane.

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

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

Likewise, the operating fluid B stored in the receiving space 32 can be discharged via a discharge opening 36, which is preferably formed in the tank bottom 24, which is geodetically lowered during operation. The working fluid B then flows out of the tank 10 through the outlet 36 in the discharge direction a. For this purpose, a discharge module, which is not shown in fig. 1 and contains functional elements, such as a delivery pump, a fill level sensor, a heating device, etc., can be provided in the discharge opening 36. The outlet module can then have a drain opening to which a liquid line can be connected, which leads to an injection device in order to inject the liquid discharged from the tank 10, here for example an aqueous urea solution or fuel, into the exhaust gas jet for selective catalytic reduction or into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle V carrying the tank 10.

The tank 10 also has a float valve 38 which, depending on the level of the working fluid B in the receiving space 32, opens a valve port 40 to allow gas to flow through from a gas space 42 above the working fluid B or blocks the valve port 40.

The float valve 38 is therefore part of an automatic shut-off device for automatic filling of the tank 10. Thus, when the valve port 40 is closed to the through-flow of gas from the gas space 42, the pressure in the tank interior volume 31 rises rapidly upon successive filling and can trigger an automatic shut-off device in the venting stopcock. Overfilling of the tank 10 can thereby be avoided.

The float valve 38 comprises a tubular, in the example shown, cylindrical, tubular valve housing 44, which is advantageously formed in one piece with the upper housing 12. The valve housing 44 projects along the imaginary pipe axis R from the tank cover 22 only to one side, i.e. into the tank interior volume 31.

Apart from the three guide structures 48 which penetrate the pipe wall 46 radially with respect to the pipe axis R, of which only two are shown in fig. 1 on account of the orientation of the section plane, the space enclosed from the valve housing 42 toward the virtual pipe axis R does not change with respect to size and configuration in the direction of the pipe axis away from the tank lid 22.

The float valve body 50 is guided along the imaginary line axis R from the open longitudinal end 44a remote from the tank cover 22 into the valve housing 44 and is locked therein.

In the example shown, the bell-shaped float valve body 50 opens out into the tank interior volume 31 and has, on its outer face directed radially outward with respect to the pipe axis R, the same number of projections 52 as the guide structures 48 which the valve housing 44 has in the pipe wall 46.

Each projection 52 engages in the guide structure 48 in the ready state, thereby securing the float valve body 50 on the one hand against rotation about the virtual pipe axis R and on the other hand against the float valve body 50 falling out, i.e. falling out, of the valve housing 44. The valve housing 44 thus guides the float valve body 50 by means of the guide structure 48 along a movement path M coinciding with the pipe axis R.

The guide structure 48, which completely extends through the tube wall 46 of the valve housing 44 in the radial direction, does not extend along the imaginary tube axis R over the entire axial length of the valve housing 44, but ends with an axial distance with respect to the imaginary tube axis R in front of the longitudinal end 44a remote from the tank cover 42. The section of the valve housing 44 remote from the upper housing 12, in particular remote from the cover 22, preferably including the longitudinal end 44a, is therefore designed to be surrounded in the circumferential direction without interruption about the virtual pipe axis R.

Due to the bell-shaped design of the float valve body 50, it can be deformed in a simple and inexpensive manner such that it can be guided through the opening 54 at the longitudinal end 44a of the valve housing remote from the tank cover 22 and, after passing through the opening 54, is elastically returned into the undeformed position shown in fig. 1 due to its material and shape. In this position, the projection 52 engages from the rear the longitudinal end of the guide structure 48 remote from the tank cover 22, thereby securing the float valve body 50 in the valve housing 44 in a form-fitting manner.

In the embodiment shown, the valve housing 44 is formed in one piece with the housing and is formed in one piece. The float body 51 of the float valve body 50 is likewise formed in one piece. The float valve body carries a valve seal 56 on its side facing the valve port 40 during operation, the valve seal 56 bearing against a valve seat 58 when the operating fluid B rises and moves the float valve body 50 relative to the valve port 40. The valve seat 58 is a protrusion that annularly surrounds the valve port 44. The valve seal 56 is made of a soft elastic material, so that it can already be pressed against the valve seat 58 in a tightly deformable manner by the buoyancy forces acting on the float valve body 50 during operation.

On the outside of the tank 10, a connection sleeve 60 is connected to the valve opening 40, which connection sleeve is likewise formed in one piece with the tank housing, here the upper tank housing 12. A hose or another fluid line can be connected to the connection sleeve 60 in order to be able to discharge the gas escaping through the valve opening 40 in a targeted manner.

In an alternative embodiment, the cavity 62 of the bell-shaped float valve body 50 can be filled with a foamed material. The entire float valve body 50 can be formed of foamed material. It is only decisive that the float valve body 50 has a lower density than the working liquid B with respect to the space occupied by it, including the gas space formed in the cavity 62, so that sufficient buoyancy can be induced on the float valve body 50 when the working liquid B rises in the tank 10.

The float valve body 50 is shown in fig. 1 in its operating position, in which the valve port 40 is opened for the passage of gas from the tank interior volume 31, in particular from the gas space 42. In this position, the float valve body 50 is pre-tensioned by gravity. Without buoyancy, the float valve body 50 is displaced by gravity into the position shown in fig. 1.