JP3144020B2 - Liquid level detector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a float type liquid level detecting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Float type liquid level detecting devices installed inside fuel tanks of automobiles, motorcycles and the like and used to know the amount of fuel stored in the tanks include:
For example, there is a type shown in FIGS.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a holder, which is inserted into the tank 21 through a mounting hole 22 formed in a wall of the tank 21. Reference numeral 2 denotes a flange fixed to the upper end of the holder 1, which is attached to the outer wall surface of the tank 21 by screws 3 so as to cover the mounting hole 22 of the tank 21. 4 is body
It is attached to the lower end of the holder 1 and located inside the tank 21. A resistor (not shown) is provided inside the body 4. Numeral 5 is a float arm made of a bar, one end (base end) of which is pivotally supported by the body 4 and is supported so as to be vertically rotatable. A movable contact (not shown) that slides on a resistor inside the body 4 is attached to the base end of the float arm 5. Reference numeral 6 denotes a float having a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, which is attached to the other end (tip) of the float arm 5.

[0004] A structure in which the float 6 is attached to the tip of the float arm 5 will be described. A hole 7 is formed in the float 6 between a pair of opposed end surfaces so as to penetrate in the length direction, and a groove 8 is formed in one end surface of the float 6 along the width direction. At an end 5a of the float arm 5, a float insertion portion 9 as an example of a float attachment portion is formed to be extended. This float insertion part 9 is a float door.
It is bent at a right angle to the tip 5a of the drum 5.
The tip 5a of the float arm 5 is engaged with a groove 8 formed on one end face of the float 6, the float insertion portion 9 is inserted into the hole 7 from one end face side of the float 5, and the end is located on the other end face side of the float 5. It protrudes. A washer 10 is press-fitted or crushed at the end of the float insertion portion 9 protruding from the hole 7 to hold the other end surface of the float 6. As a result, the float 6 is prevented from rotating by the tip 5a of the float arm 5 and the float mounting portion 9, and the float arm 5
Mounted on

In the drawing, reference numeral 11 denotes a lead wire wired inside the holder, one end of which is connected to a resistor provided on the body 4, and the other end of which is connected to a terminal (not shown) through the flange 2. ing. This terminal is provided on an insulator 12 provided on the upper surface of the flange 2 and is molded with a resin 13, and is further connected to a conductor 14 connected to a meter (not shown).
Is connected.

[0006] The tank 21 is a fuel tank provided in an automobile or the like, and stores therein a liquid (not shown) as fuel. A mounting hole 22 for a liquid level detection device is provided in the wall of the tank 21.

[0007] In the liquid level detecting device configured as described above,
When the float 6 moves up and down in accordance with the level of the liquid (fuel) (not shown) stored in the tank 21,
The float arm 5 rotates vertically about a base end pivotally supported by the body 4. The movable contact slides on the resistor in response to the rotation of the float arm 4, and a signal indicating a change in the resistance value is sent to the meter via the lead wire 11 and the conductor 14. The meter detects and displays the liquid level of the liquid in the tank 21 based on the signal indicating the resistance change.

[0008]

However, such a conventional liquid level detecting device has the following problems.

When the work for installing the liquid level detecting device inside the tank 21 is performed, the tank 2 for mounting the liquid level detecting device is
The installation work is convenient if it can be inserted into the tank 21 using the one mounting hole 22.

In order to carry out this installation work, first, the float 6 attached to the float arm 5 is attached to the mounting hole 22.
, And then the float arm 5 is inserted into the tank 21 through the mounting hole 22.

However, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the diameter (inner diameter) of the mounting hole 22 of the tank 21 is a small value close to the width of the float 6, and the axial length of the mounting hole 22 of the tank 21 is small. If the size is large, it becomes difficult to insert the float 6 into the tank 21 through the mounting hole 22. (For example, when the mounting hole 22 of the tank 21 is closed with a threaded cap, the length of the mounting hole 22 is reduced in order to form a neck portion around the mounting hole 22 with a screw portion to be screwed with the screw portion of the cap. That is, the float insertion portion 9 of the float arm 5 is prevented from rotating and inserted into the hole 7 of the float 6 so that the tip 5
It is formed to be bent at a right angle from a. Thus, when the float 6 is attached to the float arm 5, the tip 5a of the float arm 5 is located at right angles to the axial direction of the float 6. For this reason, when the float 6 is inserted into the mounting hole 22 from the outside of the tank 21, the length of the mounting hole 22 is large as shown in FIG. Before entering, the tip 5a of the float arm 5 hits the short end face of the opening of the hole 21 to prevent the float 6 from moving. Therefore,
If the float 6 is tilted inside the mounting hole 22 in order to make the tip 5a of the float arm 5 escape from the end face of the hole 21, the inside diameter of the mounting hole 22 is small. Can not tilt. As a result, the float 6 cannot be inserted into the tank 21 through the mounting hole 22.

If the float 6 cannot be inserted into the tank 21 from the mounting hole 22 as described above,
The entire liquid level detecting device cannot be inserted into the tank 21 from the mounting hole 22. In order to install the liquid level detecting device inside the tank 21, another large and cumbersome method must be adopted. Disappears.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a float can be inserted into a tank through a hole provided in the tank with a simple structure that only partially deforms the float arm. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid level detecting device which can be inserted into a tank through a hole of the tank, and the work of installing the device inside the tank is convenient.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a liquid level detecting device according to the present invention provides a liquid level detecting apparatus according to a vertical movement of a float which follows a fluctuation of a liquid level of a liquid stored in a tank. In a liquid level detecting device for rotating a float arm to which a float is attached and taking out the amount of rotation of the float arm as a fluctuation amount of the liquid level, the float arm has a tip bent and extended to form an extended portion. A float mounting portion for mounting the float is formed at a position where the extension extends from the bending point with a length equal to or longer than a length of a hole formed in the wall of the tank.

[0015]

In the float arm, an extension having a length longer than the length of the hole formed in the tank for storing the liquid is bent between the tip and the float mounting portion.
That is, the distance between the float attached to the float attachment portion and the tip of the float arm is set to be equal to or longer than the length of the hole in the tank.

For this reason, when the float is inserted into the hole of the tank, when the entire float passes through the hole and enters the inside of the tank, the extension of the float arm is positioned inside the hole, and the float arm is closed. The tip hits the opening end face of the hole. That is, when the movement of the float is stopped by the tip of the float arm hitting the opening end face of the hole, the entire float is located inside the tank. Therefore, the float can be inserted into the tank by tilting the float using a wide space inside the tank, separating the tip of the float arm from the opening end face of the hole, and raising the float arm and passing it through the hole. .

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

This embodiment is applied to a liquid level detecting device of the type shown in FIGS. 1 is a plan view of a liquid level detecting device, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a float and a float arm, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state where the float is inserted into a hole of a tank. 1 to 3, the same parts as those in FIGS. 4 to 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The constructions of the liquid level detecting device and the tank of this embodiment are the same as those shown in FIGS.
The description is omitted because it is the same as the configuration shown in FIG.

The construction of the float arm, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, an extension 15 is formed in the float arm 5 by bending and extending the tip 5a at a right angle. The length of the extension 15 is set to be equal to or longer than the length of the mounting hole 22 formed in the fuel tank 21.

A float detent 16 and a float insertion portion 17 which are float attachment portions are formed continuously from the extension portion 15. That is, the float attachment portion is formed at a position where the extension portion 15 extends from the bending point of the tip 5a with a length equal to or longer than the length of the attachment hole 22 of the tank 21.
These parts 16 and 17 are adapted to the structure of the float 6, and the float detent part 16 is bent at a right angle from the extension part 14 and is engaged with the groove 8 formed on one end surface of the float 6. . The float insertion portion 17 is bent at a right angle to the float rotation preventing portion 16, is formed parallel to the extension 15, and is inserted into the hole 6 formed in the float 6 along the axial direction. A washer 10 is fitted to the end of the float insertion portion 17 protruding from the hole 7 so that the float 6
Is holding down.

As a result, the float 6 is prevented from rotating by the float rotation preventing portion 16 and the float insertion portion 17, and is attached to the float arm 5.

The liquid level detecting device constructed as described above is inserted into the inside of the tank 21 through a mounting hole 22 for mounting the liquid level detecting device provided on the wall of the fuel tank 21 and installed in the tank. In this installation work, first, the float 6 and the float arm 5 are inserted into the tank 21 through the mounting hole 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the float 6 is
When the entire float 6 passes through the mounting hole 22 and enters the internal space of the tank 21 when the float 6 is inserted from the outside into the mounting hole 22, the extension 15 formed continuously with the tip 5a of the float arm 5 is formed. After entering the inside of the mounting hole 22, the tip 5a of the float arm 5 hits the opening end face of the hole. That is, when the movement of the float 6 is stopped when the tip 5a of the float arm 5 hits the opening end face of the mounting hole 22, the entire float 6 is already located in the internal space of the tank 21. For this reason, the float 6 is tilted by utilizing the large space inside the tank 21, and the tip 5 a of the float arm 5 is separated from the opening end face of the mounting hole 22, and the float arm
The arm 6 can be inserted into the tank 21 by standing up along the axis of the mounting hole 22 and passing through the mounting hole 22.

Thereafter, the holder 1 is inserted into the tank 21 through the mounting hole 22. In this manner, the entire liquid level detecting device is moved from the mounting hole 22 for installing the device to the tank 21.
And the liquid level detecting device can be inserted into the tank 2
1 can be conveniently installed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
Various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, a float rotation preventing portion and a float insertion portion were combined as a float attachment portion formed on the float arm.
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be modified together with the structure of the float.

The liquid level detecting device of the present invention is not limited to a fuel tank, but can be widely used for detecting a liquid level.

[0029]

As described above, according to the liquid level detecting device of the present invention, the float can be inserted into the tank from the hole provided in the tank with a simple structure that only partially deforms the float arm. Thus, the entire device can be inserted into the tank from the hole of the tank, and the work of installing the device inside the tank can be made convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a liquid level detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a float and a float arm.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state where a float is inserted into a hole of a tank.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a conventional liquid level detection device.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state where the float is inserted into a hole of the tank.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Holder, 4 ... Body, 5 ... Float arm, 6 ... Float, 15 ... Extension part, 16 ... Detent part, 17 ... Insertion part.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A float arm to which the float is attached rotates according to the up and down movement of the float following the fluctuation of the liquid level of the liquid stored in the tank, and the amount of rotation of the float arm is adjusted. In the liquid level detecting device which takes out the fluctuation amount of the liquid level, the float arm is bent at the tip and extended to form an extension, and the extension is formed in the wall of the tank from the bending point. A liquid level detecting device, wherein a float mounting portion for mounting the float is formed at a position extending with a length equal to or longer than the length.