Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Multiple passage filling means for diverse materials or flows – With baffle – spreader – displacer – drip ring – filter or screen
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2001-08-07
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Multiple passage filling means for diverse materials or flows
With baffle, spreader, displacer, drip ring, filter or screen
C141S234000, C141S236000, C141S237000, C141S285000, C137S256000, C137S262000, C220S086200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269851
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a filling pipe for filling a fuel tank, which has an antisurge tower, with fuel.
In addition to optimized space economy, the fuel tank of current motor vehicles at the same time has to offer the highest degree of passive safety. For this reason, the fuel tank is generally inserted into a region of the rear axle which is particularly well protected against mechanical damage. At the same time, fuel must not emerge under any driving conditions, in particular not even during overturning. In order to make possible convenient filling of the fuel tank despite this, the fuel tank is connected to a filling opening, which is arranged in the lateral rear region, by means of the filling pipe. The inflowing fuel passes through the filling pipe into the fuel tank and, at a sufficiently high level, into an antisurge tower inserted therein. In order to make it possible for the internal combustion engine to be sufficiently supplied, even under difficult driving conditions, the delivery unit does not suck up the fuel directly from the fuel tank but rather from the antisurge tower which surrounds the delivery unit. For this purpose, this antisurge tower is filled, by means of a pump, for example a sucking jet pump, continuously with fuel during operation, so that the antisurge tower is always sufficiently filled with fuel. As fuel consumption increases, the fuel tank, which surrounds the antisurge tower, is therefore emptied first of all and finally the antisurge tower itself is emptied.
A disadvantage here is that the fuel poured in after the fuel tank is completely emptied is initially unable to be sucked up by the delivery unit, since the fuel is first of all distributed in the fuel tank and the level remains so low that the required amount does not flow into the antisurge tower. Only relatively large amounts of fuel result in the antisurge tower being sufficiently supplied with fuel and thereby make the restoration of the operationally ready state possible. However, it is precisely during an emergency filling using a reserve can that the amount required for this purpose is, under some circumstances, insufficient.
It has also already been proposed to conduct the fuel flowing into the fuel tank through the filling pipe directly into antisurge tower, so that the latter is filled first of all and the overflowing fuel is subsequently distributed in the fuel tank. However, a disadvantage here is the fact that the overflowing of the antisurge tower causes a turbulent flow, with the result that the fuel tends to foam over and emit gases. At the same time, there is a delay in the length of time taken for filling the fuel tank, since in the meantime the process has to be interrupted and a delay made until the fuel has calmed down. However, during this time fuel vapors are able to escape unimpeded out of the fuel tank, which has to be avoided precisely in view of the health-endangering consequences of these fuel vapors. It has furthermore been shown in practice that large volume flows, which are conducted directly into the relatively small antisurge tower, are not suitable for reliable filling but rather that, in contrast, the greater part of the fuel is sprayed out or overflows and only a small part remains in the antisurge tower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the problem of designing a filling pipe of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a manner that, on the one hand, filling of large volume flows is possible without increased emission of gases or foaming up, and, on the other hand, sufficient filling of the antisurge tower can be ensured even with relatively small amounts of fuel or small volume flows.
According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the filling pipe has a branching element which is designed to divert a first subflow of the fuel into the antisurge tower and a second subflow into the fuel tank. By this means, during each filling procedure both the fuel tank and the antisurge tower are filled directly. This, on the one hand, enables avoidance of the inflowing fuel, when there are relatively small amounts, being distributed in the fuel tank in such a manner that sucking is made difficult or impossible, and, on the other hand, the antisurge tower is only supplied with a small amount of the fuel directly, so that increased foaming up or emission of gases is prevented.
In this case, a development of the invention is particularly advantageous, in which the branching element is designed in such a manner that when there is a small inflowing volume flow, the greater part of the fuel can be fed to the antisurge tower. As a result, with small amounts of fuel and/or with small volume flows, as occur, for example, when filling using a reserve can, the antisurge tower is filled first of all. The operational readiness can thereby be restored again with very small amounts of fuel. When there are large volume flows, the inflowing fuel passes primarily into the fuel tank and therefore facilitates the filling. Therefore, in every case it is ensured that the antisurge tower is sufficiently supplied, it being insignificant, in particular, as to whether the inflowing volume flow of the filling amount is greater or lesser.
A development of the invention is particularly advantageous if the branching element has two cross-sectional areas, the ratio of size of which can be set. By this means, the subflow required for filling the antisurge tower can be adapted without any problem to different requirements. In this connection, it is both possible to undertake the setting of the two cross-sectional areas during the installation of the branching element and also to provide an adjusting mechanism which detects, for example, the parameters of level, volume flow etc. and brings about a corresponding adjustment of the branching element. This can take place mechanically by means of a corresponding actuator or by sensor using a control element.
A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is provided by the branching element having a separating plate. This enables a simple division of the inflowing volume flow, with the arising flow losses remaining relatively small. The subflows which are produced by the separating plate can be connected, for example, by means of a conduit in each case to the fuel tank, on the one hand, and on the other hand to the antisurge tower. The separation into two subflows, which is achieved by the separating plate, enables individual adaptation to different requirements by the two cross-sectional areas being set largely as desired.
A further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is also provided by the branching element being formed by an opening in the wall of the filling pipe. By means of this opening, some of the inflowing fuel can be diverted and fed to the antisurge tower. For this purpose, this opening, which is designed, for example, as a slot, is arranged in a downwardly pointing section of the wall of the filling pipe, so that small volume flows can flow virtually completely through the opening. Large volume flows, which in particular fill the entire cross-sectional area of the filling pipe, flow away largely unhindered via the opening. The flow rate remains largely unchanged. At the same time, the installation outlay associated with the making of the opening is comparatively small, so that there is also the possibility of retrofitting existing systems without a problem.
A particularly simple embodiment of the invention can also be achieved by the branching element having an open duct. The fuel passes directly into the antisurge tower through this duct, the cross-sectional area of the duct being selected in such a manner that it can only hold a small volume flow. When there is a large volume flow, the fuel flows over the side walls of the duct and passes, for example, into a conduit which surrounds the duct and conducts the fuel into the fuel tank. The duct may also be arranged in such a manner that excess fuel drips freely downward into the fuel tank or runs downw
Low Peter Andreas
Meyer Knut
Mannesmann VDO AG
Maust Timothy L.
Mayer Brown & Platt
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