LINE SYSTEM, FILLING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A LINE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A LINE SYSTEM

Abstract

A line system for connecting a liquid intake assembly to a liquid tank including a first fluid line for conducting a first fluid, a second fluid line for conducting a second fluid, the first and the second fluid lines being connected in an area between their respective first and second end by a connecting structure extending between the first and the second fluid lines, the connecting structure being integrally connected both with the first as well as with the second fluid line, at least one section of the first fluid line and one section of the second fluid line being arranged fluidically in parallel to each other, and the connecting structure having a fastening formation embodied in one piece with the first fluid line and a counterpart fastening formation embodied physically separately from the fastening formation and in one piece with the second fluid line.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A line system for connecting a liquid intake assembly to a liquid tank, comprising: a first fluid line extending along a first line path for conducting a first fluid between its first end, which in operation is located closer to the liquid intake assembly, and its second end, which in operation is located closer to the liquid tank, a second fluid line extending at a distance orthogonal to the first line path along a second line path for conducting a second fluid between its first end, which in operation is located closer to the liquid intake assembly, and its second end, which in operation is located closer to the liquid tank, the first and the second fluid lines, being connected in an area between their respective first and second ends by a connecting structure extending between the first and the second fluid line, the connecting structure being integrally connected both to the first as well as to the second fluid line, at least one section of the first fluid line and one section of the second fluid line being arranged fluidically in parallel to each other, wherein the connecting structure has a fastening formation embodied in one piece with the first fluid line, and a counterpart fastening formation embodied physically separately from the fastening formation and in one piece with the second fluid line, the fastening formation and the counterpart fastening formation being joined to each other in a joining area.

12. The line system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first fluid line is connected to the second fluid line by a form-locking connection of the fastening formation to the counterpart fastening formation.

13. The line system as recited in claim 12, wherein the fastening formation is connected to the counterpart fastening formation by using a latching device, the latching device comprising a latching element and a latching counterpart element.

14. The line system as recited in claim 13, wherein the latching element is embodied in one piece with the fastening formation.

15. The line system as recited in claim 13, wherein the latching element is embodied physically separately from the fastening formation and physically separately from the counterpart fastening formation, and the fastening formation and the counterpart fastening formation respectively comprise one latching counterpart element.

16. The line system as recited in claim 11, wherein the fastening formation extends over less than 50% of a length of the first fluid line in an axial direction of the first fluid line.

17. The line system as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one formation from the group of the fastening formation and the counterpart fastening formation has a plate-shaped design, a direction of thickness of the plate-shaped formation extending along a circumference of a fluid line from the group of the first fluid line and the second fluid line.

18. A filling assembly, comprising a line system as recited in claim 11, a liquid intake assembly and a liquid tank, at least one fluid line from the group of the first fluid line and the second fluid line being fluidically connected to the liquid intake assembly at their first ends located closer to the liquid intake assembly and the first fluid line and the second fluid line being fluidically connected to the liquid tank at their second ends located closer to the liquid tank.

19. A method for producing a line system as recited in claim 11, comprising the steps: inserting a parison into a blow mold, forming a first fluid line in one piece with a fastening formation in the blow mold from the parison in a blow molding process, forming a second fluid line in one piece with a counterpart fastening formation in the blow mold from the parison in the blow molding process, the counterpart fastening formation being embodied physically separately from the fastening formation, removing the first and the second fluid lines, from the mold, and connecting the fastening formation and the counterpart fastening formation to each other.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein at least one of the steps of forming the first fluid line and of forming the second fluid line comprises the use of a sizing unit for defining an inner diameter at least of a section of the first fluid line and of the second fluid line, respectively.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof and wherein the invention is shown below on the basis of the enclosed schematic , which is not drawn to scale, which shows a filling assembly with a line system of the present invention arranged in a motor vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Referring now to the drawing wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, the drawing shows a filling assembly 20, comprising a line system 22, which connects a liquid intake assembly in the form of a filling head 24 to a liquid tank 26. The liquid in liquid tank 26 may be output to a consumer via a line 50. Line system 22 comprises a first fluid line 28, which fluidically connects an internal volume VB of filling head 24 to an internal volume VT of liquid tank 26 and which is designed to conduct fluid filled into filling head 24, e.g. a liquid such as an aqueous urea solution, into liquid tank 26. Line system 22 further comprises a second fluid line 30 for venting the liquid tank 26, which fluidically connects the internal volume VB of filling head 24 to the internal volume VT of liquid tank 26. Second fluid line 30 comprises a equalizing reservoir 32, whose inner diameter is greater than an inner diameter of the second fluid line 30 over more than 50% of its extension outside of equalizing reservoir 32. Outside of equalizing reservoir 32, the inner diameter of second fluid line 30 is smaller than the inner diameter of first fluid line 28. If no equalizing reservoir 32 is provided, then what was said regarding the diameters of the first fluid line and the second fluid line applies in particular to their entire lengths.

[0026] First fluid line 28 and second fluid line 30 fluidically connect, respectively independently of each other, the internal volume VB of filling head 24 to the internal volume VT of liquid tank 26 and are thus arranged fluidically in parallel, even though sections of these fluid lines 28, 30 are not everywhere geometrically parallel to each other. A first end 34 of first fluid line 28 and a first end 36 of second fluid line 30 is respectively welded to filling head 24 to form a fluidic connection of the first and second fluid lines 28, 30 with filling head 24. At respective second ends 68, 70 of the first and second fluid lines 28, 30, first and second quick couplings 38, 40 are respectively embodied by a threaded fitting welded to the respective end, via which the respective first fluid line and second fluid line 28, 30 is fluidically connected to tank 26.

[0027] A first line fastening section 42 is embodied as a part of first fluid line 28 in one piece with a plate-shaped fastening formation 44, whose thickness extends in a direction of thickness D, which runs over a thickness extension of fastening formation 44 essentially along a circumference of first fluid line 28, here along a circumferential direction U of first fluid line 28. Fastening formation 44 is thus formed in one piece with first fluid line 28. Fastening formation 44 does not completely surround the internal volume of line fastening section 42 in circumferential direction U. A longitudinal extension of fastening formation 44 extends along an axial direction A of first fluid line 28 and/or a lateral extension of fastening formation 44 extends along a radial direction R of first fluid line 28. The longitudinal extension of fastening formation 44 is less than 50% of a length of the first fluid line 28.

[0028] A second line fastening section 46 is embodied as part of second fluid line 30 in one piece with a counterpart fastening formation 48. Counterpart fastening formation 48 is thus formed in one piece with second fluid line 30. Counterpart fastening formation 48 has a platelike shape, and what was said with regard to the thickness, longitudinal and lateral extension of fastening formation 44 with respect to first fluid line 28 applies analogously to the second fluid line 30 for these extensions of counterpart fastening formation 48. The longitudinal extension of counterpart fastening formation 48 is less than 50% of a length of the second fluid line 30. Fastening formation 44 and counterpart fastening formation 48 form a connecting structure.

[0029] Fastening formation 44 has through holes 52 and 54 and counterpart fastening formation 48 has through holes 56 and 58, through holes 52 to 58 being arranged in such a way and fastening formation 44 overlapping with counterpart fastening formation 48 in a connecting area 72 in such a way that through holes 52, 56 and 54, 58, are respectively aligned. The pair of through holes 52, 56 is penetrated by a fastening clip 60, which is non-destructively removable and is embodied physically separately from fastening formation 44 and counterpart fastening formation 48, and the pair of through holes 54, 58 is penetrated by a fastening clip 62, which is non-destructively removable and is embodied physically separately from fastening formation 44 and counterpart fastening formation 48, whereby fastening formation 44 is fastened on counterpart fastening formation 48, and thus first fluid line 28 is fastened on second fluid line 30 by a form-locking connection. Fastening clips 60, 62 respectively form a latching element and through holes 52 through 58 respectively form a latching counterpart element of a latching device.

[0030] On account of the physically separate embodiment of fastening formation 44 from counterpart fastening formation 48, first fluid line 28 may be provided as relatively movable with respect to second fluid line 30 during the installation on filling head 24. It is possible to fasten fastening formation 44 on counterpart fastening formation 48 only after filling head 24 has been installed in a vehicle 64, for example near a wheel well 66, and then fluidically to connect fluid lines 28, 30 with tank 26, for example via quick couplings 38, 40, thereby reducing the expenditure of time and costs for installing line system 22.

[0031] The line system 22 described above is embodied in that a parison made of TPV is inserted into a blow mold, in particular a press blow mold, and that the blow mold is closed after or at the same time as the parison is filled with a blow mold medium, as a result of which first fluid line 28 is formed in one piece with fastening formation 44 and second fluid line 30 is formed in one piece with counterpart fastening formation 48. Sliding and/or squeezing and/or separating tools may be provided in the blow mold, which separate the fastening formation from the counterpart fastening formation. After removing the first and second fluid lines 28, 30 from the mold, fastening clips are inserted into through holes 52 to 58, as described above, whereby the fastening formation is fastened to the counterpart fastening formation. This step may be performed before or after welding the respective first ends 34, 36 of the first and second fluid lines 28, 30 to a filling head 24. Furthermore, the method for producing line system 22 may comprise the embodying of a first and a second quick coupling 38, 40 at respective second ends 68, 70 of the first and second fluid lines, in particular by welding respectively one threaded fitting to a respective second end 68, 70 of the first and second fluid lines 28, 30 using a sonotrode.

[0032] In order to facilitate the connection of the respective fluid line 28, 30 to filling head 24 and/or to the respective threaded fitting, a sizing unit may be used in the method for producing the line system when forming the first and/or the second fluid line 28, 30, so that an inner diameter of the end sections of the first and second fluid lines 28, 30 is defined with a low tolerance for a blow molding method.

[0033] The printed publications DE 10 2015 217 599 A1 and DE 10 2016 202 310 A1 are herewith incorporated by reference into this application in their entirety along with the equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 10,655,521.

[0034] While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, and equivalences thereof, can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined to form yet other embodiments of the invention of this application. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.