DE102022100839A1 - Equipment container and motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The technology disclosed here relates, according to the invention, to an operating fluid container 10 with a surge pot 20 and a float 30, which is arranged so that it can move vertically in the surge pot 20, with the float 30 being designed to remain in a lowest position up to a predetermined minimum height of the surrounding operating fluid in the surge pot 20. As a result, operating fluid is displaced and can be sucked in more easily. According to the invention, the technology disclosed here also relates to a motor vehicle with such an operating fluid container 10.

Description

The technology disclosed here relates to an operating fluid container and a motor vehicle with an operating fluid container.

Utility tanks are typically used to store liquid utilities such as fuel, water, or exhaust aftertreatment additives. It is known to use a surge pot in such operating material containers in order to ensure a reliable supply of operating material to a consumer even when the fill level is low.

It is a preferred object of the technology disclosed herein to mitigate or obviate at least one disadvantage of a previously known solution or to propose an alternative solution. In particular, it is a preferred object of the technology disclosed here to provide a resource container in which the security of supply is improved even further. Other preferred objects may arise from the beneficial effects of the technology disclosed herein. The objects are solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. The dependent claims represent preferred embodiments.

The technology disclosed here relates to a resource container, comprising (i) a surge pot, which is arranged in an interior space of the resource container, and (ii) a float, which is arranged vertically movably in the surge pot, the float being designed to be in a lowermost Remain in position if a fill level of surrounding equipment in the anti-surge chamber is at most as high as a specified minimum level. By means of such an operating fluid container, it can be ensured in an advantageous manner that the space present in the swirl pot is at least partially filled by the float when the fill level is low, and the usable volume is thus reduced. As a result, the equipment can fill a higher level in the surrounding space in the anti-surge chamber than without the aforementioned float. The intake is thus significantly improved as it becomes less likely that an intake line will suck in air due to sloshing movements.

A float can in particular be understood to mean a body which is present in the swirl pot and is at least vertically movable. As a result, the float can basically adapt to a fill level. The float remains in its lowest position up to a minimum height of the surrounding equipment inside the anti-surge chamber. This can be ensured by a suitable mass or a suitable specific weight. In particular, this can apply to typical operating resources such as fuel or water. In particular, the float is designed in such a way that it displaces the operating medium, ie does not absorb it.

The fill level relevant here is that which the equipment has within the anti-surge chamber. This is increased by the existing float. In particular, it can be higher than a fill level outside the surge pot.

If the filling level inside the anti-surge pot is above the minimum level, the float rises and thus releases volume below the float, which is then available for accommodating operating resources.

In particular, the lowest position is that position which the float assumes even when there is no equipment at all. It relates in particular to a typical installation situation.

In particular, the float can take up at least 10% of a base area of the surge pot. This enables displacement of a relevant part of the operating resource. However, the float can also take up, for example, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 50% or at least 80% of a base area of the surge pot.

In particular, the minimum height can be between 60 mm and 150 mm. It can also be at least 40 mm, at least 50 mm or at least 60 mm, for example. It can also be a maximum of 150 mm, a maximum of 160 mm or a maximum of 170 mm. Such values are advantageous for typical implementations. In principle, however, other values can also be used.

In particular, the float can be designed to float up in the equipment when the fill level exceeds the specified minimum level. This allows the space under the float to be freed up, which means that more equipment can be stored in the anti-surge chamber if the level is sufficient.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the surge pot takes up at most 30% of a base area of the operating fluid container. Thereby, a sufficient surrounding space can be left. However, other highest values are also possible, for example 20%, 40% or 50%.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the resource container has a filling level detection device, which is designed to detect a height of the float and, based on this, to determine a filling level in the surge pot. This allows a simple integration of a fill level determination in the swirl pot, for which purpose the already existing float can be used.

Advantageously, the resource container also has a diagnostic device that is designed to determine a state based on the height of the float and/or the fill level. In particular, the diagnostic device can have different functionalities, for example it can generate a warning message if the fill level is too low, or it can be used to control a pump that actively fills the anti-surge chamber.

In particular, the resource container can have a surge pot filling device for conducting resources from the interior outside of the surge pot into the surge pot. As a result, the surge chamber can be actively filled, so that the surrounding operating fluid gets into the surge chamber and can be easily sucked off there, even if the filling level is low and there are sloshing movements. In particular, the surge pot filling device can be designed, for example, as a combination of ejector pump and electric pump connected thereto, in particular a motive jet pump, for generating a motive jet for the ejector pump.

The surge pot filling device can in particular be configured to activate or to be activated when the filling level falls below a predefined lower threshold value and/or to deactivate or to be deactivated when the filling level exceeds a predefined upper threshold value. In particular, it can adjust its output as a function of the fill level. This allows an immediate reaction to a filling level within the anti-surge chamber, with a filling level that is too low being able to be reacted to immediately by filling the anti-surge chamber. The mentioned functionality can be implemented in the surge pot filling device or a pump of the surge pot filling device or also in a control device external thereto.

The resource container can in particular have a transmission device which is designed to transmit the fill level or another signal derived from the height of the float to a line on which signals that are not derived from the height of the float are also transmitted. As a result, a signal line that is present in any case can be used twice, with the need to lay an additional signal line being dispensed with. In principle, a separate line, for example a third line, can also be laid or used for the filling level or another signal derived from the height of the float. Likewise, as mentioned, an already existing signal line can be used to transmit the additional information. According to one embodiment, the signals can be separated in the line, in which case the information can be placed on different frequencies, for example. For example, one lever encoder can use a first frequency and another lever encoder can use a second frequency. For example, in the case of lever transmitters, amplitudes can represent a respective signal. The signals can be transmitted using pulse width modulation. A signal can also be weighted by a third level signal.

The operating fluid container can be designed in particular for petrol, diesel fuel or water as the operating fluid. In principle, however, it is also possible to design and/or use the equipment container for other equipment.

The float can in particular have a guide that only allows the float to move vertically. This allows for easy movement while avoiding play or other undesirable movements that could eventually lead to rattling noises or the like.

In particular, the float can have a cylindrical shape. This corresponds to a simple implementation. The cylindrical shape can be interrupted in particular by a through hole being present in the middle or at another point, through which a guide rod can be guided. However, other designs are also possible in principle. For example, a guide can also be used, which is arranged to the side of the float.

The technology disclosed here also relates to a motor vehicle with an operating fluid container as described herein. With regard to the operating material container, all of the designs and variants described herein can be used.

A preferred resource is fuel. It is equally conceivable that the technology disclosed herein can be used to store other liquids (e.g. water or an aqueous solution) in a motor vehicle. Even if we are talking about an operating material container here, Operating fluid pump and the like, the terms “fuel tank” or “fuel pump” should also be disclosed.

In particular, the resource container provides a storage volume for storing the resource. The operating fluid container thus forms the essentially fluid-tight outer shell of the storage volume and delimits the storage volume from the installation space. In the case of plastic containers, for example, one speaks of the bubble. In the case of steel tanks, the equipment tank can be formed, for example, from two metal shells. Advantageously, the resource container can have a saddle shape, with a main chamber and a secondary chamber, which are connected to one another via a connecting area.

In particular, an inlet for conveying the operating medium can be arranged in a surge pot. The baffle is usually located at the bottom of the equipment container and extends in the direction of the vertical axis of the vehicle z. The surge pot serves in particular to store a certain volume of operating fluid, which is conveyed to any operating fluid consumers by a pump arranged in the operating fluid container, preferably in the swirl pot. It is also conceivable that the pump is arranged outside of the operating fluid container for storing the liquid operating fluid. The volume of the surge pot is typically small or very small compared to the storage volume of the operating fluid tank. For example, the volume of the baffle can be at least 10 times smaller, preferably at least 50 times smaller, and particularly preferably at least 100 times smaller than the storage volume of the operating fluid container. At the bottom of the anti-surge pot, an inlet can be provided for the inlet of operating media into the anti-surge pot. An element of the operating medium pump can preferably be provided directly adjacent to the inlet. This can be, for example, the operating medium pump itself or a suction point that is fluidically connected to the operating medium pump.

A working fluid pump can in particular be a passive pump, in particular an ejector pump. Suction jet pumps as such are known. An ejector pump generally includes a mixing tube with a cone that diverges in the direction of flow. A propellant medium flows into this mixing tube and usually sucks in the operating medium from the suction line. Such a suction jet pump is comparatively cheap, fail-safe and requires comparatively little space.

In general, it should be mentioned that the technology disclosed here enables a wider surge pot in particular, since the volume available at the bottom of the surge pot is also reduced in a targeted manner in the case of a low filling level, and a higher filling level is thus achieved, which can be sucked in more easily . Nevertheless, an overall higher anti-surge volume is provided. The float already mentioned can in particular also be used as an indicator for a fill level in the surge pot. This means that active surge tank filling can also be controlled in a targeted manner. Diagnostic tasks are also possible.

For example, a volume content of a surge top can be at least 500 ml and/or at most 1.5 l. However, other values can also be used.

In particular, the procedure described here can increase reliability and a more flexible control strategy can be used.

In particular, a swimmer can displace a certain volume. When the float is in its lowest position, this increases the surrounding liquid level, which also increases the time within which a pump in use can draw in operating fluid. In particular, the position of the float can be monitored electrically.

A generated electrical signal can in particular be sent on an existing line. In this case, for example, a cable can be used which is used in any case to transmit a fill level. This can be achieved, for example, using different frequencies or a corresponding protocol. For example, two different frequencies can be used to distinguish different swimmers, such as a swimmer in the surge pot and a swimmer in the surrounding area of the resource tank.

The float can be pushed upwards by the inflowing operating medium and can also reach its highest position.

In particular, it can be provided that the float displaces up to 50% of its height in operating resources and only then floats up, ie leaves its lowest position.

• 1: einen Betriebsmittelbehälter.

The technology disclosed here will now be described with reference to the drawing. It shows:

• 1 : a resource container.

1 shows purely schematically a resource container 10 according to an embodiment. The resource container 10 encloses an interior space 15, which can be used to store liquid resources such as fuel or water.

A surge pot 20 is arranged inside the operating fluid container 10 . This is open at the top and enables targeted storage of equipment with a higher filling level f1 compared to the area surrounding the surge pot 20, where the equipment only has a lower filling level f2.

A float 30 is arranged inside the surge pot 20 and can be displaced vertically along a vertically arranged guide 35 in the form of a guide rod. In particular, the float 30 can only be displaced vertically. In the present case, the float 30 is designed in such a way that it only floats when the fill level f1 within the surge pot 20 is at least 50% of the height of the float 30 . As a result, the float 30 in its lowermost position at low fill levels within the surge pot 20 displaces part of the equipment located therein and thus ensures an overall higher fill level f1 within the surge pot 20 than would be the case without the float 30 .

A resource pump 40 is also arranged in the resource tank 10 and is used to draw in resources from the swirl pot 20 and to supply them to an external consumer (not shown). Furthermore, a motive jet pump 50 is arranged in the operating fluid container 10 , which also sucks in operating fluid from the swirl pot 20 and uses it to generate a motive jet, which feeds a suction jet pump 55 . Drive jet pump 50 and suction jet pump 55 together form a surge pot filling device. It should be mentioned that only one ejector pump 55 is shown here by way of example, whereas a plurality of ejector pumps 55 can typically be used. The ejector pump 55 sucks in surrounding operating fluid within the operating fluid tank 10 and actively conveys it into the surge chamber 20. This means that even with low filling levels f2 in the operating fluid tank 10 outside of the surge chamber 20, an active surge chamber filling can take place, which significantly improves operational reliability.

A filling level detection device 37 is also arranged on the surge pot 20 and detects the height of the float 30 by means of an electrical or electromagnetic measurement. From this, the level f1 within the swirl pot 20 can be inferred in a simple manner. The fill level f1 can be used, for example, to control the ejector pump 50, which can be activated in particular when the fill level inside the swirl pot 20 is particularly low, for example falls below a predefined threshold value. The ejector pump 50 can also be continuously regulated as a function of the filling level f1 within the surge chamber 20.

Outside the surge pot 20, the operating fluid container 10 has a further fill level detection device 60, shown schematically, which is also designed as a float in the present case. This basically floats on the operating medium, which is located outside the surge pot 20 in the operating medium container 10 . As a result, a fill level f2 outside of surge pot 20 can be detected.

Signals that indicate both levels can be sent in particular via a common line, not shown. This allows an efficient approach to communication. For example, different frequencies can be used for the different fill levels f1, f2. This allows a particularly efficient transmission of both signals on one line.

in 1 State shown is the float 30 in its lowest position.

If the fill level f1 within the swirl pot 20 compared to in 1 condition shown, the float 30 would be lifted from the surrounding equipment. As a result, additional space is made available for filling the swirl pot 20 with resources. In addition, the fill level within the swirl pot 20 is detected in a simple manner.

For reasons of legibility, the expression “at least one” has been partially omitted for the sake of simplicity. If a feature of the technology disclosed here is described in the singular or indefinitely (e.g. the/a surge pot, the/a guide rod, etc.), the plurality of them should also be disclosed at the same time (e.g. the at least one surge pot, the at least one guide rod , Etc.).

The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention and its equivalents.

Reference List

10

resource container

15

inner space

20

surge pot

30

swimmer

35

guide

37

level detection device

40

operating fluid pump

50

jet pump

55

ejector pump

60

further level detection device

f1

Filling level within the surge top

f2

Level outside the surge pot

Claims (14)

Resource container (10), comprising - A surge pot (20) which is arranged in an interior space (15) of the operating fluid container (10), and - a float (30) which is arranged in the surge pot (20) so that it can move vertically, the float (30) being designed to remain in a lowest position if a fill level (f1) of the surrounding operating medium in the surge pot (20) is at most as high as a specified minimum height. Operating fluid container (10) after claim 1 , wherein the float (30) occupies at least 10% of a base area of the surge pot (20). Operating fluid container (10) after claim 1 or 2 , where the minimum height is between 60 mm and 150 mm. Equipment container (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the float (30) is designed to float in the equipment when the fill level (f1) exceeds the predetermined minimum height. Operating fluid container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the surge pot (20) occupies at most 30% of a base area of the operating fluid container (10). Operating fluid container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a fill level detection device (37) which is designed to detect a height of the float (30) and based thereon to determine a fill level (f1) in the swirl pot (20). Operating fluid container (10) after claim 6 Having a diagnostic device that is designed to determine a state based on the height of the float (30) and / or the level (f1). Operating fluid container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a surge pot filling device (50, 55) for conducting operating fluid from the interior (15) outside of the surge pot (20) into the surge pot (20). Operating fluid container (10) after claim 6 or claim 7 as well as after claim 8 , wherein the surge pot filling device (50, 55) is configured to activate when the filling level (f1) falls below a predetermined lower threshold value and/or to deactivate when the filling level (f1) exceeds a predetermined upper threshold value, and/or set their performance depending on the fill level (f1). Equipment container (10) according to one of Claims 6 until 9 , which has a transmitting device which is designed to transmit the fill level (f1) or another signal derived from the height of the float (30) on a line on which signals are also transmitted which do not derive from the height of the float ( 30) are derived. Operating fluid container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed for petrol, diesel fuel or water as the operating fluid. Operating fluid container (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the float (30) has a guide (35) which allows the float (30) only a vertical movement. Operating fluid container (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the float (30) has a cylindrical shape. Motor vehicle having an operating fluid container (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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