Abstract
The invention relates to a filler pipe (1) weldable to a liquid tank (3) of a vehicle, wherein the filler pipe comprises a main body (4), a secondary body (5) configured to support an inlet check valve (2) and a weldable flange (6) suitable for welding around an opening in the liquid tank (3), the weldable flange (6) extending between the main body (4) and the secondary body (5).
Claims
1. A filler pipe weldable to a liquid tank of a vehicle, comprising: a main body; a secondary body configured to support an inlet check valve; and a weldable flange suitable for welding around an opening in the liquid tank, the weldable flange extending between the main body and the secondary body, wherein the main body, the secondary body and the weldable flange are made in one piece, wherein the filler pipe is obtained by blow-moulding a plastic preform.
2. The filler pipe according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body comprises a screw thread for the screwing of an inlet check valve.
3. The filler pipe according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body comprises at least one recess inside which fixation means of an inlet check valve can be fixed.
4. The filler pipe according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body comprises an abutment or a groove for the placement of a seal element.
5. The filler pipe according to claim 1, wherein the filler pipe comprises a multilayer structure comprising a barrier layer.
6. A set of an inlet check valve and of a filler pipe according to claim 1, wherein the inlet check valve is mounted on the secondary body.
7. The set according to claim 6, wherein the inlet check valve is welded to the secondary body.
8. An assembly composed of a liquid tank of a vehicle and of a set according to claim 6, wherein the filler pipe is welded to the liquid tank.
Description
[0038] The invention will be better understood through the following figures which illustrate certain practical aspects of the invention. The figures are only shown as examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembly of a liquid tank and a set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve according to a first embodiment of the invention.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembly of a liquid tank and a set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve according to a second embodiment of the invention.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembly of a liquid tank and a set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve according to a third embodiment of the invention.
[0042] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembly of a liquid tank and a set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
[0043] FIGS. 5 to 7 shows enlargements of delimited zone of FIG. 4 which represent different alternatives of the set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve, comprising a sealing element.
[0044] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filler pipe relating to the enlargement shown FIG. 7.
[0045] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filler pipe according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
[0046] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembly of a liquid tank and a set of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.
[0047] Now, we refer to FIG. 1.
[0048] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a filler pipe 1 supporting an inlet check valve 2 and welded to a liquid tank 3 of a vehicle. Such a filler pipe 1 comprises a main body 4, a secondary body 5 and a weldable flange 6 extending between the main body 4 and the secondary body 5, which are made in one piece and obtained by blow moulding of a parison made of a plastic material which can be fuel impermeable, to an extent defined by legal requirements, either thanks to its thickness as a monolayer wall, or thanks to the presence of a fuel impermeable layer included in its multilayer wall. In this first embodiment of the invention, the inlet check valve 2 is welded to the internal surface 10 of the secondary body 5, which is made of a material compatible with the external surface of the inlet check valve 2 for securing the alignment of said inlet check valve 2. Consequently, the diameter of inlet check valve 2 is smaller than the diameter of secondary body 5 of the filler pipe 1, which reduces the flow rate and increases the filling time of the liquid tank 3, for a secondary body 5 with a given diameter.
[0049] The set of a filler pipe 1 and an inlet check valve 2 is welded to the wall 30 of the liquid tank 3 thanks to the weldable flange 6 of the filler pipe 1. Secondary body 5, which is extending after the weldable flange 6 and on which is mounted inlet check valve 2, does not interfere with the welding interface, during the welding step between the filler pipe 1 and the liquid tank 3, which prevents any misalignment between the inlet check valve 2 and the filler pipe 1, due to this welding step. The weldable flange 6 is made of a material which is compatible with the material of the welding area 31 of the tank 3, which is the area corresponding at least to the exact surface of the tank wall where the weldable flange 6 is welded. The weldable flange 6 is also provided with recesses 18 inside which material of the welding area 31 of the tank 3 can move when it is pressed during the welding step. Such a material displacement allows to improve the robustness of welding interfaces between the filler pipe 1 and the tank 3. In another embodiment, such recesses 18 can have different shape and dimension than shape and dimension of recesses 18 of FIG. 1, for example, recesses 18 can be designed with a dove-tail shape.
[0050] The inlet check valve 2 is a common inlet check valve, known from the skilled man of the art, which comprises at least a tube 20 inside which liquid flows in a downstream direction and a gate 21 which prevents the liquid flowing back to the filler pipe.
[0051] The longitudinal sectional view of the FIG. 2 shows of an assembly of a liquid tank 3 and a set of a filler pipe 1 and an inlet check valve 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention, where unlike to FIG. 1, the internal surface 10 of the secondary body 5 is not welded to the inlet check valve 2. Indeed, in this embodiment of the invention, the secondary body comprises one recess 12 inside which fixation means 22 of inlet check valve 2 can be fixed. Hence, the external surface of inlet check valve 2 and internal surface 10 of the secondary body 5 do not need to be made of a material compatible, which presents the advantage to broad the choice of suitable inlet check valves for this embodiment of the invention.
[0052] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the invention which is quite similar to the first embodiment shown at FIG. 1, except that the welding between the secondary body 5 and the external surface of the inlet check valve 2 is occurring on the external surface 11 of the secondary body 5. Hence, the flow rate does not depend on the diameter of the inlet check valve 2 but of the diameter of the secondary body 5, which solves the above mentioned issues.
[0053] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, similar to the second embodiment shown at FIG. 2, where external surface 11 of the secondary body 5 comprises one recess 13 inside which fixation means 22 of inlet check valve 2 can be fixed. External surface 11 of the secondary body 5 comprises also one abutment 14 which also serves to maintain inlet check valve 2 in a good position. Such an abutment 14 is also used for sealing purposes as it is exemplified at FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0054] FIG. 5 shows an enlargement of delimited zone of FIG. 4, where one sealing element 7 is placed against the abutment 14 before mounting step of the inlet check valve 2 on the secondary body 5.
[0055] FIG. 6 shows an alternative of the enlargement of delimited zone of FIG. 4 where a sealing element 7 is a part of an inlet check valve 2. This alternative offers the advantage that the placement of the sealing element 7 and the mounting step of the inlet check valve 2 are carried out in a single operation.
[0056] FIG. 7 shows another alternative of the enlargement of delimited zone of FIG. 4, where external surface 11 of the secondary body 5 comprises one groove 15 inside which a sealing element 7 can be placed, in a secured way, before mounting step of the inlet check valve 2 on the secondary body 5. A filler pipe 1 according to this alternative is shown at FIG. 8, devoid of sealing element 7 and inlet check valve 2. All parts of this filler pipe 1 can be made in one piece and the moulding apparatus used for manufacturing such filler pipe is adapted to integrate the formation of said recess 13 and/or said groove 15 in secondary body 5.
[0057] FIG. 9 shows a filler pipe 1 according a fifth embodiment of the invention, devoid of sealing element 7 and inlet check valve 2, where external surface 11 of the secondary body 5 is provided with one clip 17 which is designed to be fixed inside one complementary recess (not shown) provided on the inlet check valve 2, in order to ensure coupling between said inlet check valve 2 and said filler pipe 1. In another embodiment, not shown, the secondary body 5 can be provided with more than one clip 17
[0058] FIG. 10 shows a sixth embodiment of the invention, where external surface 11 of the secondary body 5 is provided with screw thread 16 for the screwing of an inlet check valve 2. Secondary body 5 is also provided with an abutment 14 against which a sealing element 7 is placed or fixed before the screwing the inlet check valve 2. By doing so, the sealing element 7 is axially compressed, wedged between the abutment 14 and the inlet check valve 2, which improves the tightness of the welded assembly. In an alternative of this embodiment, such a sealing element 7 can also be radially compressed, like sealing elements 7 implemented in embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 7.
[0059] The invention is not limited to the above embodiments and other embodiments exist and will appear clearly to one skilled in the art.
