Operating fluid container having a stiffening element

Abstract

The present invention discloses an operating fluid container (10) made of thermoplastic material for a motor vehicle and a method for equipping an operating fluid container with a stiffening element (20). The operating fluid container (10) here has the following features: the operating fluid container (10) has a container opening (12) which is arranged in a container wall (11) and is edged by a surround (13); the operating fluid container (10) comprises at least one fastening device (15), which is arranged in the operating fluid container (10) and is connected to a container base (14) located opposite the container opening (12); the operating fluid container (10) further comprises a stiffening element (20), which is connectable and/or connected to a closure element (22) for closing the container opening (12) and is connectable to the fastening device (15); and the stiffening element (20) which is fastened to the container base (14) by means of the fastening device (15) and to the container wall by means of the closure element (22) counteracts deformation caused by the internal pressure of the operating fluid container (10).

Claims

1. An operating fluid container for a motor vehicle, comprising: the operating fluid container is made of thermoplastic material; the operating fluid container has a container opening which is arranged in a container wall and is edged by a surround; the operating fluid container comprises at least one fastening device, which is arranged in the operating fluid container and is connected to a container base located opposite the container opening; the operating fluid container further comprises a stiffening element, which is connectable and connected to a closure element for closing the container opening and is connectable to the fastening device; the stiffening element is fastened to the container base by the fastening device and to the container wall by the closure element, and configured to counteract deformation from internal pressure within the operating fluid container, wherein the operating fluid container further comprises a further fastening device connected to the container base and a fluid conveying unit, which is connectable and connected to the container base by means of the further fastening device.

2. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one fluid line and/or at least one electrical line is guided through the closure element.

3. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stiffening element has a tubular configuration.

4. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stiffening element has recesses along an axial longitudinal extent thereof.

5. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a filling level sensor is arranged inside the stiffening element.

6. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating fluid container comprises a baseplate, which comprises the fastening device.

7. The operating fluid container according to claim 6, wherein the baseplate further comprises the further fastening device.

8. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening device is welded to the container base.

9. The operating fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening device is riveted to the container base.

Description

(1) FIG. 1: shows a cross-sectional illustration of an operating fluid container according to the invention in the form of a fuel container;

(2) FIG. 2: shows a schematic illustration of a stiffening element which is connected to a container base and to a container wall and has longitudinal recesses that produce predetermined breaking points;

(3) FIG. 3: shows a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the operating fluid container according to the invention before it is equipped with a stiffening element; and

(4) FIG. 4: shows the operating fluid container illustrated in FIG. 3 with a stiffening element connected thereto.

(5) In the description which now follows, the same reference signs denote the same components or the same features, and therefore a description which is made with respect to one figure in relation to a component also applies to the other figures, such that a repetitive description is avoided.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a cross section of the operating fluid container 10 according to the invention in the form of a fuel container 10. The fuel container 10 is produced from a thermoplastic material and is intended for a motor vehicle. The operating fluid container 10 has a tank lower shell 14 or a container base 14 and a tank upper shell 11 or a container wall 11, by means of which the fuel container is delimited in each case. The fuel container 10 has a container opening 12 which is arranged in the container wall 11 and is edged by a surround 13, the container opening 12 being apparent more clearly from FIG. 3. Furthermore, the fuel container 10 comprises a fastening device 15 in the form of a bayonet connection 15, this being arranged in the fuel container 10 and being connected to the container base 14. In this case, the bayonet connection 15 is arranged lying opposite the container opening 12.

(7) Moreover, the fuel container 10 comprises a stiffening element 20 in the form of a stiffening tube 20. The stiffening element 20 is connected to a closure element 22, which is in the form of a housing cover 22, for closing the container opening 12 and is configured so as to be connectable to the fastening device 15 in the form of the bayonet connection 15. The closure element 22 is in this case connected to the container wall 11 or to the surround 13 by means of a closure device (not shown in the figures) in the form of a closure ring.

(8) It is clear from FIG. 1 that a fluid line 23, through which for example a fuel can be conveyed to the outside of the fuel container 10, is provided in the cover 22.

(9) For conveying the fuel to the outside via the fluid line 23, a fluid conveying unit 16 likewise connected to the container base 14 is furthermore provided in the fuel container 10.

(10) Although it is not shown in FIG. 1, the fuel container 10 can comprise a baseplate which is connected to the container base 14. The baseplate in turn can comprise two fastening devices, specifically a fastening device for fastening the stiffening element 20 and a further fastening device for fastening the fluid conveying unit 16. Moreover, a filling level sensor is arranged in the fluid container, two floats 30 of the filling level sensor being visible in FIG. 1. The floats 30 are connected to the actual filling level sensor via a connecting rod 31.

(11) Moreover, electrical lines, which cannot be seen in FIG. 1 and through which, for example, the fluid conveying unit can be supplied with power and controlled therewith, are guided through the cover 22.

(12) It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the stiffening element 20 is connected to the container base 14 by means of the fastening device 15 and to the container wall 11 by means of the closure element 22. On account of the connection of the stiffening element 20 both to the container wall 11 and to the container base 14, said stiffening element counteracts deformation caused by the internal pressure of the fuel container 10.

(13) FIG. 2 schematically shows a stiffening element 20 connected to the container base 14 and the container wall 11. The stiffening element 20 here has recesses 21 in its wall along the axial longitudinal extent thereof. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the recesses 21 are realized as longitudinal recesses 21. However, the recesses 21 can also have in each case any other desired geometry.

(14) The maximum tensile force which is transferable by the stiffening element 20 can be set by way of the number of longitudinal recesses 21 and by way of the widthwise extent thereof. Predetermined breaking points of the stiffening element 20 can thus be introduced into the reinforcing element 20 in a targeted manner.

(15) Furthermore, the length of the longitudinal recesses 21 can be used to set the ratio between transferable tensile stress and shear rigidity of the stiffening element 20. The minimum web width or the maximum web length is in this respect limited by the buckling under negative pressure loading.

(16) In addition to the longitudinal recesses 21, provision can be made of at least one additional recess (not shown in FIG. 2) which is preferably arranged beneath the longitudinal recesses 21 in the installed position. The additional recess serves to fluidically connect the operating container inner space to the stiffening element inner space, such that the volume of the stiffening element 20 can likewise be effectively utilized for the operating fluid. Alternatively, at least one of the recesses 21 can also extend further in the direction of the container base 14.

(17) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional illustration of an operating fluid container 10 or fuel container 10, in which the stiffening element 20 has not yet been connected to the container base 14 and the container wall 11. It is apparent in the exemplary embodiment shown that the stiffening element 20 is formed in one piece with the closure element 22. However, the actual stiffening element 20 and the closure element 22 can of course also be configured in two pieces and in a manner connectable to one another. As already described above, the stiffening element 20 can be connected to the fastening device 15 by a bayonet connection, for example. The closure element 22 is connected to the operating fluid container 10 by means of a closure device (not shown in the figures) in the form of a closure ring. The fastening ring is in this case placed over the closure element 22 and connected to the operating fluid container 10 by means of the surround 13. The closure element 22 is arranged between the closure ring and the container opening 12 and is pressed by means of the closure ring against the container wall 11 surrounding the container opening 12. A sealing device (not shown) which is known from the prior art is placed between the closure element 22 and the container wall 11. The connection between the closure ring and the surround can be in the form of a screwed connection, bayonet connection, plug-in connection, snap-fit connection, clamping connection or latching connection.

(18) The operating fluid container 10 can be produced in a known manner, for example by means of blow molding or injection molding. Then, a container opening 12 is produced in the fuel container 10, for example by cutting out a circle. The fastening device 15 can be introduced into the operating fluid container 10 through the container opening 12 and can then be connected to the container base 14 by adhesive bonding, welding, riveting or another method. The stiffening element 20 is then inserted into the fuel container 10 via the container opening 12. Finally, the stiffening element 20 is connected to the fastening device 15 and to the container wall 11 by means of the closure element 22.

(19) The container base 14 and the container wall 11 are drawn toward one another by the stiffening element 20, and therefore the fuel container 10 should have a greater extent in terms of its tank height than the stiffening element 20. In the case of an excessively small tank height, the tank would not be closable or would be closable only with great effort.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(20) 10 Operating fluid container/fuel container 11 Container wall/tank upper shell 12 Container opening 13 Surround (of the container opening) 14 Container base/tank lower shell 15 Fastening device/baseplate 16 Fluid conveying unit 20 Stiffening element 21 Recess/longitudinal recess (in the stiffening element) 22 Closure element/cover 23 Fluid line (through the closure element) 30 Float (of a filling level sensor/lever-type sensor) 31 Rod (of a filling level sensor/lever-type sensor)