U.S. patent application number 09/837053 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-27 for closure device for a fuel tank.
This patent application is currently assigned to Mannesmann VDO AG. Invention is credited to Krogull, Christian, Reiter, Frank.
Application Number | 20010054615 09/837053 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7639299 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010054615 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krogull, Christian ; et
al. |
December 27, 2001 |
Closure device for a fuel tank
Abstract
The invention relates to a closure device for a fuel tank in a
motor vehicle. The closure device has a filling-level transmitter
and a blocking element which both together form a constructional
unit. The blocking element is adjustable so that is it movable to a
position in which the blocking element closes an opening in the
tank.
Inventors: |
Krogull, Christian;
(Gelsenkirchen, DE) ; Reiter, Frank; (Bad Soden,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COHEN, PONTANI, LIEBERMAN & PAVANE
551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1210
New York
NY
10176
US
|
Assignee: |
Mannesmann VDO AG
|
Family ID: |
7639299 |
Appl. No.: |
09/837053 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/86.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/061 20130101;
B60K 15/077 20130101; B60K 15/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/86.2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 047/02; B65D
049/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2000 |
DE |
100 19 375.7 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A closure device for a fuel tank having an opening which is to
be closed, said closure device comprising: a constructional unit
including a filling-level transmitter arrangeable for determining
of filling level of the fuel tank and a blocking element, wherein
said blocking element is adjustable so that it is movable into a
position in which the blocking element closes the opening of the
fuel tank.
2. The closure device of claim 1, wherein said filling-level
transmitter comprises one of a lever-type transmitter having a
lever arm and a submerged transmitter.
3. The closure device of claim 1, wherein said blocking element
comprises one of a flap, a cone and a slide.
4. The closure device of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical
link connected between said filling-level transmitter and said
blocking element and comprising one of a toothed-gear mechanism, a
cam mechanism and a lever mechanism, wherein said blocking element
is mechanically actuatable in response to said filling-level
transmitter via said mechanical link.
5. The closure device of claim 1, further comprising a spindle,
wherein said blocking element is fastened to said spindle for one
of rotation or pivoting.
6. The closure device of claim 5, wherein said filling-level
transmitter comprises a lever arm and said spindle is directly
connected to said lever arm.
7. The closure device of claim 6, further comprising a float
connected to said lever arm and wherein said float and said lever
arm comprise components of a mechanism driving said blocking
element.
8. The closure device of claim 1, wherein said filling level
transmitter generates an electrical signal in response to a fill
level of the tank and said blocking element is actuated in response
to said electrical signal.
9. The closure device of claim 8, wherein the blocking element
comprises a 2-way directional control valve.
10. The closure device of claim 1, wherein said constructional unit
comprises a carrier which holds the filling-level transmitter and
said blocking element.
11. In a fuel tank of a motor vehicle having a filler pipe, a
closure device comprising a constructional unit formed by a
filling-level transmitter and a blocking element, wherein said
blocking element is adjustable so that it is movable into a
position in which the blocking element closes the opening of the
fuel tank, wherein said closure device is arranged at an end of the
filler pipe situated in one of the fuel tank and a ventilation
system of the fuel tank.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a closure device having a blocking
body for a fuel tank such as a fuel tank in a motor vehicle.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Fuel tanks for motor vehicles have a filler neck via which
the fuel tank may be filled. As the tank is being filled, the fuel
flowing into the tank displaces gas in the tank. To avoid
uncontrolled flowing away of the displaced gas, tanks have
ventilation systems via which the gas is conducted away in a
defined manner both during the filling of the tank and during
operation. Fuel should be prevented from entering the ventilation
system to ensure reliable functioning of the ventilation system,
particularly as the tank is being filled.
[0005] It is generally known to allow the filler pipe to open into
the fuel tank below the upper boundary wall thereof and to arrange
the ventilation system above this opening. A gas-filled space
thereby remains above the liquid level in the tank and has the
effect that a filling device feeding fuel into the tank via the
filler pipe is switched off by the pressure building up in the
filler pipe. This prevents the overfilling of the tank and
therefore prevents the ventilation system from being filled with
fuel when the tank is overfilled.
[0006] German reference DE 197 38 198 A1 discloses a device which
prevents overfilling of the fuel tank in which control valves are
arranged both in the ventilation system and in the filler pipe.
Certain process parameters such as, for example, pressure and
throughflow quantity are detected via a plurality of sensors which
are arranged at different locations in the tank and the filler
pipe. The signals generated by these sensors are passed to a
control component which then acts upon the control valves in
response to the corresponding control signals A problem with this
known device is the complicated installation of this system because
of the multiplicity of signal and control lines. In addition to the
increased outlay required for laying the lines, additional sealing
measures are also required with respect to the tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a closure
device for a fuel tank which allows a reliable switching off of the
filling device and has a simple and robust construction and is easy
to install.
[0008] According to the present invention, the object is achieved
by a closure device for a fuel tank having an opening which is to
be closed, the closure device comprising a constructional unit
formed by a filling-level transmitter and a blocking element. The
blocking element is adjustable so that it is movable into an
orientation in which the blocking element closes the opening of the
fuel tank
[0009] The closure device includes a filling-level transmitter and
a blocking element which form a constructional unit. The blocking
element is movable and closes the opening in one position. The
constructional unit makes it possible for the closure device
according to the invention to be constructed relatively compactly.
The closure device requires few components and therefore takes up
little space. The present invention obviates the need for lines
which are complicated to lay and have to be sealed with respect to
the tank.
[0010] Accordingly, both the filling-level transmitter and the
blocking element may be held by a common carrier and arranged at
the opening which is to be selectively closed. The carrier on which
the filling-level transmitter and the blocking element are held may
be designed with an appropriate configuration to adapt to the most
varied openings and therefore to be used universally. Furthermore,
the closure device may be assembled as a constructional unit
outside the tank and functionally tested before installation,
thereby simplifying the installation of the constructional unit in
the tank.
[0011] The filling level transmitter of the present invention may
include any of the known filling-level transmitters.
[0012] In a further embodiment, the blocking element is actuated
via a mechanical link. The closure device may be made to be
particularly simple and robust if lever-type transmitters or
submerged transmitters are used as the filling-level transmitter.
In this case, a float or lever arm is used as the actuating element
for the blocking element. The mechanical link may include a gear
mechanism, a cam mechanism or a lever mechanism arranged between
the actuating element and the blocking element to facilitate the
actuation of the blocking element. The blocking element may be a
flap, a cone or a slide which is arranged pivotably or rotatably.
The gear mechanism and the lever mechanism may be configured so
that they only move the blocking element into its closing position
after a certain filling level is reached. If the gear mechanism is
a toothed-gear mechanism, a toothed-gear segment may be used
instead of a complete toothed gear so that they only move the
blocking element into its closing position after a certain filling
level is reached.
[0013] In a further embodiment according to the present invention
the level transmitter is a lever-type transmitter pivotally mounted
in a bearing in a lever-type transmitter housing. In this case, the
pivot area of the lever arm extends beyond the bearing in the
lever-type transmitter housing so that the blocking element may be
fastened to the lever arm. The closure device thereby requires
particularly few components and can therefore be of very small
construction.
[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the blocking
element is actuated electrically by a signal produced by the
filling-level transmitter being used to actuate the blocking
element. This embodiment also obviates the separate installation of
control and signal lines because of the direct arrangement of the
blocking element on the filling-level transmitter. In this
embodiment, any filling-level transmitters which indicate the
filling level in the form of an electric signal may be used. The
blocking element of this embodiment may be a 2-way directional
control valve.
[0015] Other objects and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description considered
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be
understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for
purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of
the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended
claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not
necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated,
they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures
and procedures described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote
similar elements throughout the several views:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure device for a fuel
tank according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 2 is a sectional schematic view of a tank having the
closure device according to the present invention with the blocking
element in an open position;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a sectional schematic view of a tank having the
closure device according to the present invention with the blocking
element in a closed position;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a mechanical
link between the fill level transmitter and the blocking
element;
[0021] FIG. 5 is another schematic view of an embodiment of a
mechanical link between the fill level transmitter and the blocking
element;
[0022] FIG. 6 is another schematic view of an embodiment of a
mechanical link between the fill level transmitter and the blocking
element;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a
blocking element according to t he present invention ; and
[0024] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of a
blocking element according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a carrier 2 placed onto the end of a filler
pipe 1 of a fuel tank 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The carrier 2 has a
tubular section 3 and a housing 4. A rotatable flap 5 is arranged
in the tubular section 3 for rotating about a spindle 13. When the
rotatable flap 5 is oriented horizontally the tubular section 3 is
open and when the rotatable flap 5 is oriented vertically the
tubular section is closed by the rotatable flap 5. A filling-level
transmitter 6 is arranged on the housing 4 and has a float 7
arranged on a lever arm 8. The lever arm 8 is mounted rotatably in
the housing 4. An electric signal is obtained as a measure of the
filling level by a sliding contact 9 which slides over a resistance
mesh 10. A mechanical link 12 (see FIG. 2) is arranged in the
housing 4 for connecting the lever arm 8 in its bearing to the
rotatable flap 5.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows the fuel tank 11 with a low liquid level.
Because of the low liquid level, the lever arm 8 points downward
and the rotatable flap 5 is moved to a horizontal orientation via
the gear mechanism in the housing 4. FIG. 3 shows the position of
the lever 8 when the fuel tank 11 is filled up to the maximum
height. When the fuel tank is filled up to its maximum height, the
lever arm 8 is pivoted upward via the float 7. In this position of
the lever arm 8, the rotatable flap 5, which is connected to the
lever arm 8 via the gear mechanism, is moved into a vertical
orientation so that the rotatable flap 5 closes the pipe 1.
[0027] FIGS. 4-6 show different embodiments of the mechanical link
12. In FIG. 4, the mechanical link comprises a gear mechanism
including a first gear 16 connected to the lever arm 8 and a second
gear 15 in meshed engagement with the first gear 16 and connected
to the spindle of the rotatable flap 5. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment
in which the mechanical link comprises a cam mechanism in which a
cam 17 is arranged on the lever arm 8. As the lever arm 8 rotates,
the cam 17 alters the position of the rotatable flap 5. FIG. 6
shows a lever mechanism including a lever 18 connected to the lever
arm 8 for moving the rotatable flap 5.
[0028] Instead of a rotatable flap, a slide 20 may be used as a
blocking element to close the opening to the fuel tank as shown
FIG. 7. Instead of a mechanical link 12, the blocking element may
be actuated via electrical signals generated by the level
transmitter. For example, FIG. 8 shows a two-way directional
control valve 22 which is actuatable via an electric signal from a
fill-level transmitter 6a which is a submerged transmitter. In this
embodiment, the blocking element is a cone which is part of the
two-way directional control valve.
[0029] The invention is not limited by the embodiments described
above which are presented as examples only but can be modified in
various ways within the scope of protection defined by the appended
patent claims.
[0030] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out
fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the
invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all
combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform
substantially the same function in substantially the same way to
achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention.
Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements
and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any
disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated
in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment
as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention,
therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the
claims appended hereto.
* * * * *