Fluid handling – Systems – System with plural openings – one a gas vent or access opening
Patent
1997-12-05
1999-10-26
Chambers, A. Michael
Fluid handling
Systems
System with plural openings, one a gas vent or access opening
137265, 123516, B65D 2500
Patent
active
059710179
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inlet pipe structure, and particularly to an inlet pipe structure provided in a vehicle having a plurality of fuel tanks.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, there has been known an inlet pipe structure which is provided in a vehicle such as an automobile having a plurality of fuel tanks, and an example thereof is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 3-79431.
Further, there has also been proposed a technique in which a main tank 71 and a sub-tank 75 are each formed as a separate body in a state of being not connected by a communicating pipe and an inlet pipe 90 is branched into two pipes 90A, 90B, one inlet pipe 90A being connected to the main tank 71 and another inlet pipe 90B being connected to the subtank 75, in order to secure fuel during long-distance traveling (see FIG. 4). However, for example, when the sub-tank 75 is in a full-filled state, peripheral atmosphere heat and heat of returned fuel from an engine cause a fuel 81 within the sub-tank 75 to be heated and vapor (vaporized fuel) is generated, thereby resulting in an increase in the internal pressure of the sub-tank 75. Accordingly, in order to prevent a liquid surface of the fuel 81 in the sub-tank 75, flowing through a breather tube 94 connected to the sub-tank 75, from ascending to the vicinity of a fueling port 94, a liquid-level monitoring device 100 needs to be provided additionally. In FIG. 4, reference numerals 96, 98 each designate a check valve.
Techniques relating to the present invention are disclosed in the following publications: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 52-87574 in which a communicating pipe is provided between a main tank and a sub-tank; Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 61-24318 in which an inlet pipe is disposed at a position above a fuel level even in an inclined state; Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 2-42817 in which a baffle plate for preventing back flow of fuel is provided at a breather opening portion; Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 3-17398 in which a metallic retainer of an inlet pipe is formed by press molding and the number of parts is thereby reduced; and the technical review published by Japan Patent Information Organization No. 87-14727 in which fueling-gun insertion openings are respectively provided for a main tank and a sub-tank.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inlet pipe structure without causing an increase in the number of parts such as a liquid-level monitoring device and having a low-cost and simple structure.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an inlet pipe structure comprising: a branch portion which is connected to a fueling port and has a plurality of branch openings into which an end of a fueling gun can be selectively inserted; a plurality of inlet pipes which each connect one of the plurality of branch openings to one of a plurality of fuel tanks each being formed as a separate body; and a breather tube of which one end portion is connected to at least one of the plurality of fuel tanks and of which another end portion is connected to at least one of the plurality of inlet pipes, which is connected to other fuel tank, at a position near the branch opening of the inlet pipe, wherein a portion of the breather tube which is connected to the inlet pipe connected to the other fuel tank is fixed to the inlet pipe in such a manner as to be inclined toward the other fuel tank.
Accordingly, for example, in a case in which one of the plurality of fuel tanks connected by the breather tube and the inlet pipes is in a full-filled state and the other tank in an empty state is fed with fuel, when an internal pressure of the full-filled fuel tank increases, the liquid level of fuel within the full-filled fuel tank moves upward toward the fueling port via the breather tube. The upward fuel is fed from the breather tube
REFERENCES:
patent: 2703607 (1955-03-01), Simmonds
patent: 4765359 (1988-08-01), Burnett
patent: 5036823 (1991-08-01), MacKinnon
"Fuel Inlet Switching Structure", Technical Review Published by Japan Patent Information Organization, Publication No. 87-14727, Published on Nov. 20, 1987.
Kasuya Takeshi
Kinoshita Shinsuke
Chambers A. Michael
Horie Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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