Flange Cover, Conveyor Module Arrangement, Operating Medium Container and Modular Operating Medium Container System

Abstract

A flange cover has multiple receptacles for receiving guide bars for a conveyor module at different angles. Further, a conveyor module arrangement has a flange cover of this kind, an operating medium container has a conveyor module arrangement of this kind, and a modular operating medium container system has a plurality of operating medium containers of this kind.

Claims

1.-17. (canceled)

18. A flange cover for closing a hand hole, the flange cover comprising: a first receiver for receiving a first guide bar of a first operating medium container; and a second receiver for receiving a second guide bar of a second operating medium container, wherein the first operating medium container and the second operating medium container have different housing geometries.

19. The flange cover according to claim 18, wherein the first receiver adopts a first angle relative to a flange plane and the second receiver adopts a second angle relative to the flange plane, the second angle being different from the first angle.

20. The flange cover according to claim 19, wherein the first receiver and second receiver are oriented in a guide bar plane which is oblique relative to the flange plane.

21. The flange cover according to claim 20, wherein the guide bar plane is located transversely to the flange plane.

22. The flange cover according to claim 20, further comprising: a third receiver for receiving a third guide bar of a third operating medium container, wherein the third operating medium container has a different housing geometry from the housing geometries of the first operating medium container and the second operating medium container.

23. The flange cover according to claim 22, wherein: the third receiver adopts an angle relative to the flange plane which differs from the first angle and from the second angle; and/or the third receiver is oriented in the guide bar plane.

24. The flange cover according to claim 22, further comprising: a plurality of further receivers, wherein each further receiver of the plurality of further receivers is assigned to one of the first receiver, the second receiver, or the third receiver.

25. The flange cover according to claim 24, wherein each further receiver of the plurality of further receivers is oriented parallel to the respective assigned receiver.

26. The flange cover according to claim 24, wherein each further receiver of the plurality of further receivers spans a receiver plane with the respective assigned receiver.

27. The flange cover according to claim 26, wherein intersecting lines of the receiver planes with the flange plane are parallel to one another.

28. The flange cover according to claim 24, wherein each of the first receiver, the second receiver, the third receiver, and the plurality of further receivers is configured as a cylindrical recess.

29. The flange cover according to claim 19, wherein the flange plane is defined by an edge of the hand hole.

30. A conveyor module arrangement comprising a conveyor module which is configured to be positioned on a base, one or more guide bars, and the flange cover according to claim 24, wherein each of one or more guide bars is fastened to the conveyor module and engages in the first receiver, the second receiver, the third receiver, or one of the plurality of receivers of the flange cover.

31. An operating medium container comprising: a housing in which the hand hole is configured, and the conveyor module arrangement according to claim 30, wherein the flange cover closes the hand hole and the conveyor module is positioned on the base of the housing.

32. The operating medium container according to claim 31, wherein: a surge tank is provided in the operating medium container, and the conveyor module is arranged in the surge tank.

33. The operating medium container according to claim 31, wherein the conveyor module is not fastened by a material connection to the base.

34. A modular operating medium container system comprising: a first operating medium container and a second operating medium container according to claim 31.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows an operating medium container according to a first exemplary embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows an operating medium container according to a second exemplary embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a flange cover in a perspective view.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows the flange cover in a side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG. 1 shows purely schematically an operating medium container 5 according to an exemplary embodiment in a lateral cross-sectional view. The operating medium container 5 has a housing 6 for storing liquid operating medium, for example fuel. The operating medium container also has a conveyor module arrangement 10.

[0046] The conveyor module arrangement 10 has a conveyor module 20 in which components such as a fuel pump and a filter can be located. The conveyor module 20 is arranged in the interior of the housing 6, without having to be fastened to the base 7 thereof.

[0047] The conveyor module arrangement 10 has a flange cover 30. This flange cover closes a hand hole 8 of the operating medium container 5 and is sealed by way of an annular seal 9 relative to the operating medium container 5. The annular seal 9 in this case forms at its contact region with the flange cover 30 an edge R of the hand hole 8.

[0048] A receiver 32 is configured in the flange cover 30, and namely as a cylindrical recess. This receiver 32 is denoted below as the second receiver.

[0049] The conveyor module arrangement 10 also has a guide bar 50. This guide bar is fastened to the conveyor module 20, as shown, and received in the receiver 32. The guide bar is also fastened therein. As a result, a fastening of the conveyor module 20 to the flange cover 30 is achieved via the guide bar 50. Since the flange cover 30 in turn is fastened to the housing 6, ultimately the conveyor module 20 is thus also fastened to the housing 6. In the present case, the guide bar runs vertically and transversely to the base 7.

[0050] It should be understood that in typical embodiments not only the guide bar 50 but also at least one further guide bar, which is not visible, is present. This guide bar is then typically received in a further receiver assigned to the receiver 32, as described further below with reference to FIG. 3, and is also fastened to the conveyor module 20. The guide bar is located directly behind the guide bar 50 which is visible.

[0051] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the flange cover 30 adopts an angle of approximately 45° relative to the base 7 of the housing 6. This is predetermined by the hand hole 8. The embodiment according to FIG. 2 is identical apart from this angle which is steeper relative to that of FIG. 1. Accordingly, the guide bar 50 is not received in the aforementioned second receiver 32 but in a first receiver 31, which is at an angle which is different and suitable for this situation. The reference signs of the operating medium container and housing are denoted in FIG. 2 by an apostrophe, i.e. 5′ or 6′, in order to emphasize the different housing geometry thereof in comparison with FIG. 1. Since the other components are not structurally different, they are not denoted by an apostrophe.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows the flange cover 30 in a perspective view from the interior of the operating medium container 6. FIG. 4 shows the flange cover 30 in a lateral cross-sectional view. The geometric relationships are explained with reference to these two figures.

[0053] The flange cover 30 has an inner surface 35 which defines a flange plane FE. The edge R, which in the installed state is in contact with the annular seal 9 and also defines the flange plane FE, is located radially externally on the surface 35. In the installed state, the edge R is identical to the edge R of the hand hole 8. The first receiver 31, the second receiver 32 and an additional third receiver 33 are oriented as respective cylindrical recesses in a first guide bar plane FSE1, which is perpendicular to the flange plane FE. Guide bars which are received in one of the receivers 31, 32, 33 run in the first guide bar plane FSE1. The receivers 31, 32, 33 are in each case at a different angle to the flange plane FE in order to be adapted to different angles of a hand hole 8, as already mentioned above.

[0054] Moreover, a further first receiver 41, a further second receiver 42 and a further third receiver 43 are also arranged in the flange cover 30. The further first receiver 41 in this case is assigned to the first receiver 31 and is at the same angle relative to the flange plane FE. The further second receiver 42 is assigned to the second receiver 32 and is at the same angle relative to the flange plane FE. The further third receiver 43 is assigned to the third receiver 33 and is at the same angle relative to the flange plane FE. In a typical installed situation, a guide bar is received in one of the receivers 31, 32, 33 and a further guide bar is received in the assigned receiver 41, 42, 43. The guide bars in this case are also located in a second guide bar plane FSE2 in which the further receivers 41, 42, 43 run and which is parallel to the first guide bar plane FSE1.

[0055] Due to the same angles of the receiver 31, 32, 33 and the assigned further receiver 41, 42, 43 in each case, these receivers in each case span a receiver plane or are located therein. These receiver planes A1, A2, A3 are illustrated in FIG. 4, where they extend transversely to the drawing plane, since the view of these planes would overload FIG. 3. Intersecting lines S1, S2, S3 of the receiver planes A1, A2, A3 with the flange plane PE are in turn illustrated in FIG. 3. The intersecting lines are located parallel to one another, as shown. As a result, with a suitably attached flange cover, the guide bars are received at the same height.

[0056] A component which can be used for different operating medium containers 5, in particular those having different angles of hand hole 8 or having different housing geometries, and which nevertheless permits a fastening of a conveyor unit 20 by way of guide bars 50, is produced by way of the flange cover 30 described herein.

[0057] For reasons of legibility, the expression “at least one” has been omitted in some cases for the sake of simplicity. If a feature of the technology disclosed herein is described in the singular or by the indefinite article (for example, the/a flange cover, the/a guide bar, etc.) at the same time a plurality thereof is also intended to be disclosed therewith (for example, the at least one flange cover, the at least one guide bar, etc.)

[0058] The above description of the present invention serves only for illustrative purposes and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. Within the context of the invention various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention and its equivalents.