阅读说明：本技术 燃料箱的加油口构造体 (Fuel filler opening structure of fuel tank ) 是由 古贺勇挥 中屋和成 驹田真基 于 2018-05-31 设计创作，主要内容包括：燃料箱的加油口构造体具备加油管(11)、加油口(13)及导流件(20)。导流件(20)具备：主引导壁(24),其将加油管(11)的内部的燃料导入区域(19)分隔成与箱主体侧导通的上部空间(22)和与加油口(13)侧导通的下部空间(23)；以及隔壁(26),其与主引导壁(24)相连设置,并将主引导壁(24)的上表面侧与加油管(11)的内表面之间堵塞。主引导壁(24)具有从中途部向下方侧弯折地倾斜的弯折倾斜部(27),该中途部是主引导壁(24)上从加油口(13)侧向箱主体侧的中途部分。弯折倾斜部(27)形成为越倾斜向下则俯视时的宽度变得越窄的形状。(A filler structure of a fuel tank is provided with a filler pipe (11), a filler opening (13), and a deflector (20). The flow guide (20) is provided with: a main guide wall (24) that divides a fuel introduction region (19) inside the filler pipe (11) into an upper space (22) that communicates with the tank main body side and a lower space (23) that communicates with the filler opening (13) side; and a partition wall (26) that is provided in connection with the main guide wall (24) and that blocks a gap between the upper surface side of the main guide wall (24) and the inner surface of the filler pipe (11). The main guide wall (24) has a bent inclined portion (27) bent and inclined downward from a middle portion, which is a middle portion of the main guide wall (24) from the filler opening (13) side toward the tank main body side. The bent inclined portion (27) is formed in a shape that the width becomes narrower in plan view as it is inclined downward.)

1. A filler opening structure of a fuel tank,

the fuel tank filler structure includes:

a filler pipe extending from a tank main body of the fuel tank;

a filler neck provided at an extended end of the filler pipe and into which a nozzle portion of a filler gun can be inserted; and

a flow guide provided in a fuel introduction region near the fuel filler opening inside the filler pipe to guide a flow of the fuel supplied from the fuel filler gun,

the flow guide is provided with:

a main guide wall that partitions the fuel introduction region inside the filler pipe into an upper space that communicates with the tank main body side and a lower space that communicates with the filler opening side; and

a partition wall provided in connection with the main guide wall and blocking a gap between an upper surface side of the main guide wall and an inner surface of the filler pipe,

the main guide wall has a bent inclined portion bent and inclined downward from a middle portion, which is a middle portion of the main guide wall from the filler opening side toward the tank main body side,

the bent inclined portion is formed in a shape in which a width in plan view becomes narrower as the bent inclined portion is inclined downward, and constitutes the fuel flow port.

2. The fuel filler opening structure of a fuel tank according to claim 1,

the bent inclined portion is further provided with a communication portion that enlarges the circulation port.

3. The filler neck structure of a fuel tank according to claim 1 or 2,

the main guide wall is formed in a shape that causes a flow of fuel supplied from the fuel filler gun to swirl along an inner surface of the filler pipe.

4. The fuel filler opening structure of a fuel tank according to claim 3,

the oil filling pipe is provided with: an inlet-side projecting portion that extends obliquely downward from the oil filler opening; and a pipe bending portion which is bent downward from the inlet-side extending portion toward the tank main body,

the main guide wall is configured such that an intersection of an imaginary line passing through a projecting end of the bent inclined portion and along a flow direction of the fuel at the projecting end and the inner surface of the filler pipe is located closer to the filler opening than the pipe bending portion.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a filler opening structure of a fuel tank.

The present application claims priority based on Japanese patent application No. 2017-132996, filed on 7/6/2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Background

As a filler structure for a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle, the following filler structure has been proposed: a flow guide for guiding the flow of fuel flowing from a nozzle portion of a fuel gun is provided in the vicinity of a fuel filler opening in a fuel filler pipe (see, for example, patent document 1).

In the filler structure described in patent document 1, the deflector is configured to cause the fuel flowing from the nozzle portion of the filler gun to flow into the tank main body of the fuel tank while spirally swirling along the inner surface of the filler pipe. The guide surface of the baffle member is provided obliquely in the up-down and left-right directions with respect to the axis of the filler pipe.

In one filler neck structure disclosed in patent document 1, the guide surface of the deflector is formed in a substantially U-shape in cross section that opens upward, and the cross section thereof is formed to be inclined in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the axis of the filler pipe.

In the other filler opening structure described in patent document 1, the deflector is formed in a cylindrical shape with a tapered tip, and the cylindrical portion is formed to be inclined in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the axis of the filler pipe.

Prior art documents

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 3578421

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the fuel filler structure described in patent document 1, since the guide surface of the baffle is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section that opens upward, it is conceivable that fuel vaporized inside the filler pipe or the fuel tank may pass through a space above the guide surface of the baffle and be discharged to the outside from the fuel filler when the fuel is supplied from the fuel gun.

In the other filler opening structure described in patent document 1, since the baffle is formed in a cylindrical shape with a tapered tip, the fuel flow opening at the lower end of the baffle becomes very narrow, and there is room for improvement in terms of fuel filling performance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a filler neck structure of a fuel tank which can achieve both suppression of outflow of evaporated fuel during refueling and improvement of refueling performance.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

(1) A filler structure for a fuel tank according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a filler pipe extending from a tank main body of the fuel tank; a filler neck provided at an extended end of the filler pipe and into which a nozzle portion of a filler gun can be inserted; and a guide member that is provided in a fuel introduction region near the fuel filler opening in the fuel filler pipe and guides a flow of the fuel supplied from the fuel filler gun, the guide member including: a main guide wall that partitions the fuel introduction region inside the filler pipe into an upper space that communicates with the tank main body side and a lower space that communicates with the filler opening side; and a partition wall that is provided continuously with the main guide wall and blocks a gap between an upper surface side of the main guide wall and an inner surface of the filler pipe, wherein the main guide wall has a bent inclined portion that is bent and inclined downward from a middle portion that is a middle portion of the main guide wall from the filler opening side to the tank main body side, and the bent inclined portion is formed in a shape that becomes narrower in width in plan view as it is inclined downward, and constitutes the fuel flow port.

According to the aspect of the above (1), when the nozzle portion of the fuel filler gun is inserted into the fuel filler opening and the fuel is supplied from the nozzle portion, the fuel flows into the lower space in the fuel introducing area partitioned by the main guide wall of the baffle. The fuel flowing into the lower space is supplied to the tank main body through a gap between the bent inclined portion of the main guide wall and the inner surface of the filler pipe. At this time, the evaporated fuel generated in the filler pipe at a position closer to the tank main body side than the deflector moves upward in the filler pipe, but since the upper surface side of the main guide wall of the deflector and the inner surface of the filler pipe are closed by the partition wall and the bent inclined portion is provided in the main guide wall, the evaporated fuel can be prevented from moving upward along the outer surface of the bent inclined portion and further moving toward the filler opening by the partition wall. Further, since the bent inclined portion of the deflector is formed in a shape in which the width in plan view becomes narrower as the bent inclined portion is directed downward with increasing inclination, a gap between the bent inclined portion and the inner surface of the filler pipe can be secured to a large extent, and a sufficient flow rate of fuel can be made to flow into the tank main body side through the gap.

(2) In the aspect (1) described above, the bent inclined portion may be further provided with a communication portion that enlarges the circulation port.

According to the aspect (2), since the communication portion is provided in the bent inclined portion of the baffle, the fuel flow port can be further largely secured, and a sufficient flow rate of fuel can be made to flow into the tank main body side through the fuel flow port.

(3) In addition to the aspect (1) or (2), the main guide wall may be formed in a shape that allows a flow of the fuel supplied from the fuel filler gun to swirl along an inner surface of the filler pipe.

According to the aspect (3), the fuel having passed through the main guide wall of the deflector flows into the tank main body while swirling along the inner surface of the filler pipe. In this case, the fuel is less likely to scatter in the filler pipe, and as a result, evaporation of the fuel can be suppressed.

(4) In the aspect (3) above, the filler pipe may include: an inlet-side projecting portion that extends obliquely downward from the oil filler opening; and a pipe bending portion that is bent downward from the inlet-side projecting portion toward the tank main body side, wherein the main guide wall is configured such that an intersection of an imaginary line passing through a projecting end of the bent inclined portion and along a flow direction of the fuel at the projecting end and an inner surface of the filler pipe is located closer to the filler opening side than the pipe bending portion.

According to the aspect (4) described above, the fuel having passed through the bent inclined portion of the flow guide starts swirling along the inner surface of the inlet-side projecting portion before the fuel reaches the pipe bent portion of the filler pipe. Therefore, when the fuel reaches the pipe bent portion of the filler pipe, the fuel does not abruptly collide with the inner surface of the pipe bent wall but changes its direction toward the tank main body. Therefore, in the case of this configuration, the generation of the evaporated fuel in the filler pipe can be further suppressed.

Effects of the invention

According to the aspect of the present invention, since the gap between the upper surface side of the main guide wall of the deflector and the inner surface of the filler pipe is closed by the partition wall and the bent inclined portion is provided in the main guide wall, the external outflow of the evaporated fuel from the filler opening can be suppressed by the cooperation of the bent inclined portion of the deflector and the partition wall. In the aspect of the present invention, the bent inclined portion is formed in a shape in which the width in a plan view becomes narrower as the bent inclined portion is inclined downward. Therefore, the gap between the bent inclined portion and the inner surface of the filler pipe can be secured to a large extent, and the fuel can smoothly flow into the tank main body through the gap. Therefore, according to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to achieve both suppression of the outflow of evaporated fuel during refueling and improvement of refueling performance.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a fuel tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fuel filler structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view of a part of the fuel filler structure according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the fuel filler side.

Fig. 4 is a view of a part of the filler neck structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the side opposite to the filler neck.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a baffle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a baffle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a portion of an airflow guide according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a view showing a schematic cross section of a fuel tank 1 of a vehicle.

The fuel tank 1 includes: a tank main body 10 that stores fuel; a filler pipe 11 extending obliquely upward from the tank main body 10; and a filler opening 13 provided at a projecting end of the filler pipe 11 and into which a nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12 can be inserted. The filler pipe 11 has; an inlet-side projecting portion 11A extending obliquely downward from the fuel filler opening 13; a pipe bending portion 11B that bends downward from the inlet-side extending portion 11A toward the tank main body 10; and a base-side extending portion 11C extending from the pipe bent portion 11B in a direction of the tank body 10 while inclining downward at a steeper angle than the inlet-side extending portion 11A. The filler neck structure 15 of the present embodiment is provided in the filler pipe 11.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the filler neck structure 15 of the filler neck 11 of fig. 1.

The oil filler 13 is provided with: a gate valve (shutter valve)16 disposed at the outermost end portion and capable of opening and closing the oil filler 13 in the right and left directions; a posture-retaining member 17 that retains the posture of the nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12 constant when the nozzle portion 12a is inserted into the fuel filler 13; and an opening/closing valve 18 that is disposed inside the filler pipe 11 with respect to the posture holding member 17 and opens and closes the filler opening 13. Both the gate valve 16 and the on-off valve 18 are biased by a biasing member, not shown, in a direction to close the filler opening 13, and open the filler opening 13 when pressed by the nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12.

A flow guide 20 is attached to the fuel introduction area 19 inside the filler pipe 11 near the filler opening 13, and this flow guide 20 guides the flow of the fuel supplied from the nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12. In fig. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a vapor return pipe for allowing air (air containing evaporated fuel) in the tank main body 10 to flow into an upper portion of the filler pipe 11 during refueling.

Fig. 3 is a view of the filler pipe 11 from the filler opening 13 side with the gate valve 16, the posture holding member 17, the on-off valve 18, and the like removed, and fig. 4 is a view of the inlet-side projecting portion 11A of the filler pipe 11 viewed from the opposite side of the filler opening 13 with the inlet-side projecting portion 11A exploded. A portion of the baffle member 20 can be seen inside the filler tube 11 of the above figures. Fig. 5 is a top view of the baffle member 20, and fig. 6 is a bottom view of the baffle member 20. In addition, fig. 7 is a left side view of a portion of the baffle 20.

As shown in fig. 2, a flow guide 20 is attached to the fuel introducing area 19 inside the filler pipe 11. The baffle 20 includes a main guide wall 24, and the main guide wall 24 partitions the fuel introduction area 19 inside the filler pipe 11 into an upper space 22 communicating with the tank main body 10 and a lower space 23 communicating with the filler opening 13. Main guide wall 24 is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape having a wide width at one end side and a narrow width at the other end side in the longitudinal direction in plan and bottom views. The baffle 20 is attached to the inside of the filler pipe 11 so that the longitudinal direction of the main guide wall 24 is substantially along the axial direction of the filler pipe 11. The main guide wall 24 has a substantially U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and open downward. However, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 25a and 25b are formed on the upper surface side of the main guide wall 24 as appropriate, and the cross section of the portion excluding these ribs 25a and 25b is formed in a substantially U shape.

A partition wall 26 extending upward from the upper surface side of the main guide wall 24 and in a substantially radial manner to the left and right sides extends from an end portion (hereinafter referred to as a "base end portion") on the side where the width of the main guide wall 24 in the longitudinal direction is wide. The partition wall 26 is locked and fixed to the inner surface of the fuel introduction area 19 in the inlet-side projecting portion 11A of the filler pipe 11 by an appropriate means such as concave-convex engagement. The partition wall 26 blocks a gap between the upper surface side of the main guide wall 24 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11, thereby blocking the flow of the evaporated fuel from the upper space 22 to the lower space 23 through the upper portion of the base end portion of the main guide wall 24.

The main guide wall 24 has a bent inclined portion 27, and the bent inclined portion 27 is bent and inclined downward from a base end portion side (the oil filler 13 side) toward a middle portion of a tip end portion side (the tank main body 10 side). Here, when a portion of the main guide wall 24 closer to the base end portion than the bent inclined portion 27 is referred to as a general portion 28, a cross section of the general portion 28 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction gradually changes to a small cross section toward the tip end portion side. In contrast, the cross section of the bent inclined portion 27 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction rapidly changes to a smaller cross section toward the distal end portion side than the general portion 28.

The main guide wall 24 is formed in a shape that spirally swirls the flow of fuel supplied from the nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12 along the inner surface of the filler pipe 11. Specifically, the inner surface of the main guide wall 24 is formed in a shape inclined downward and leftward or rightward with respect to the axis of the filler pipe 11.

As shown in fig. 2, in a state where the baffle 20 is attached to the inside of the filler pipe 11, a portion of the bent inclined portion 27 centered on the distal end portion thereof forms a gap d with the inner surface of the filler pipe 11, and the gap d constitutes a part of the fuel flow opening. As shown in fig. 5, the bent inclined portion 27 of the main guide wall 24 is formed in a shape such that the width in plan view becomes narrower as the inclined portion is inclined downward. In particular, the width of the bent inclined portion 27 in the vicinity of the distal end portion in plan view is sharply narrowed. The width of the bent inclined portion 27 in a plan view is narrowed, so that the gap d between the bent inclined portion 27 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11 is enlarged.

Further, the bent inclined portion 27 of the main guide wall 24 has notch-shaped concave portions 29 as communication portions formed on the left and right side portions in the extending direction. The recess 29 forms a part of a fuel flow port between it and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the fuel flow port through which fuel passes during refueling is formed by the gap d and the left and right recesses 29 of the bent inclined portion 27.

In the present embodiment, the concave portions 29 are formed on the left and right side portions of the bent inclined portion 27, but the concave portions 29 may be formed only on one of the left and right side portions of the bent inclined portion 27.

The shape of the recess 29 is not limited to the notch shape, and may be any shape.

As shown in fig. 2, the main guide wall 24 including the bent inclined portion 27 is configured such that an intersection point P of an imaginary line L passing through a projecting end of the bent inclined portion 27 and along a flow direction of the fuel at the projecting end is located closer to the fuel filler opening 13 side than the pipe bending portion 11B of the fuel filler pipe 11 and the inner surface of the fuel filler pipe 11.

In the above configuration, when the tank main body 10 of the fuel tank 1 is actually filled with fuel, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, the nozzle portion 12a of the fuel gun 12 is inserted into the fuel filler opening 13, and in this state, the fuel filling by the fuel gun 12 is started. At this time, when the nozzle portion 12a is inserted into the filler opening 13, the gate valve 16 and the on-off valve 18 are pushed open, and the tip end portion of the nozzle portion 12a is positioned in the fuel introduction region 19 of the filler pipe 11. The nozzle portion 12a is guided by the posture holding member 17 such that the front end portion is positioned inside below the main guide wall 24 of the deflector 20.

When the fuel is supplied from the fuel gun 12 in this state, the fuel flowing from the nozzle portion 12a is guided by the main guide wall 24 of the baffle 20 to travel toward the bent inclined portion 27, and flows out toward the tank main body 10 of the fuel filler pipe 11 through the gap d around the bent inclined portion 27 and the left and right recessed portions 29. At this time, the fuel is guided by the inner surface of the main guide wall 24 including the bent inclined portion 27 to form a swirling flow along the inner surface of the filler pipe 11. As a result, the fuel flows into the tank main body 10 while spirally swirling as indicated by the broken-line arrow in fig. 1, sequentially passing through the inlet-side extending portion 11A, the pipe bent portion 11B, and the base-side extending portion 11C of the filler pipe 11.

When the tank main body 10 is filled with fuel by the baffle 20 in this manner, the evaporated fuel generated in the filler pipe 11 of the tank main body 10 moves upward in the filler pipe 11. The evaporated fuel moving upward inside the filler pipe 11 moves toward the upper side (upper space 22) of the main guide wall 24 along the outer surface of the bent inclined portion 27 of the main guide wall 24 of the baffle 20.

At this time, since the space between the base end portion of the main guide wall 24 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11 is blocked by the partition wall 26 of the baffle member 20, the evaporated fuel can be prevented from flowing out from the upper space 22 to the filler opening 13 side.

As described above, in the fuel filler opening structure 15 of the present embodiment, the partition wall 26 blocks the gap between the upper surface side of the main guide wall 24 of the deflector 20 and the inner surface of the fuel filler pipe 11, and the bent inclined portion 27 is provided on the main guide wall 24. Therefore, the outflow of the evaporated fuel to the outside through the fuel filler opening 13 at the time of refueling can be suppressed by the cooperation of the bent inclined portion 27 of the baffle 20 and the partition wall 26.

In the fuel filler structure 15 of the present embodiment, the bent inclined portion 27 is formed in a shape such that the width in plan view becomes narrower as the bent inclined portion is inclined downward. Therefore, the clearance d between the bent inclined portion 27 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11 can be secured to a large extent, and the fuel can smoothly flow into the tank main body 10.

Therefore, in the case of using the filler neck structure 15 of the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve both suppression of the outflow of evaporated fuel during refueling and improvement of refueling performance.

In addition, in the filler neck structure 15 of the present embodiment, since the concave portion 29 serving as the communicating portion is provided at the side portion of the bent inclined portion 27 of the deflector 20, a fuel flow port between the bent inclined portion 27 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11 can be secured largely, and the fuel can flow into the tank main body 10 more smoothly through the fuel flow port.

In the filler opening structure 15 of the present embodiment, the main guide wall 24 of the deflector 20 is formed in a shape that spirally swirls the flow of the fuel supplied from the fuel gun 12 along the inner surface of the filler pipe 11. Therefore, when refueling, the refueling fuel flows into the tank main body side while spirally swirling along the inner surface of the refueling pipe. Therefore, in the case of the filler neck structure 15 according to the present embodiment, since fuel is less likely to scatter in the filler pipe 11 during refueling, evaporation of fuel during refueling can be suppressed.

As shown in fig. 2, in the filler neck structure 15 of the present embodiment, the intersection P of the main guide wall 24 of the deflector 20 and the inner surface of the filler pipe 11 is located closer to the filler neck 13 than the pipe bent portion 11B of the filler pipe 11, and the imaginary line L passes through the projecting end of the bent inclined portion 27 and extends in the flow direction of the fuel at the projecting end. Therefore, the fuel having passed through the bent inclined portion 27 of the baffle member 20 at the time of refueling starts swirling along the inner surface of the inlet-side projecting portion 11A before the fuel reaches the pipe bent portion 11B of the filler pipe 11. Therefore, when the fuel reaches the pipe bent portion 11B of the filler pipe 11, the fuel does not abruptly collide with the inner surface of the pipe bent portion 11B and change the direction toward the base side projecting portion 11C. Therefore, when the filler neck structure 15 of the present embodiment is used, the generation of the evaporated fuel in the filler pipe 11 can be further suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the communication portion is formed by the concave portion 29 formed at the side portion of the bent inclined portion 27 of the deflector 20, but the communication portion is not limited to the concave portion 29, and may be a hole vertically penetrating the bent inclined portion 27. Further, the bent inclined portion 27 may be formed in a shape in which the width in plan view becomes narrower as the portion is inclined downward, and a communicating portion such as a concave portion or a hole may not be provided.

Description of reference numerals:

1 … fuel tank

10 … Box Main body

11 … oil filling pipe

11A … entrance side projection

11B … pipeline bending part

12 … oil gun

12a … nozzle part

13 … oil filler

15 … oil filler neck structure

19 … Fuel introduction area

20 … diversion element

22 … upper space

23 … lower space

24 … Main guide wall

26 … partition wall

27 … angled slope

29 … concave part (communication part)

L … imaginary line

P … intersection