FLUID CONTAINER WITH IMPROVED MOUNTING OF A SENSOR ARRANGEMENT WHICH PENETRATES THROUGH THE CONTAINER WALL

Abstract

A fluid container, in particular for a motorized vehicle, with a container wall which surrounds a storage space of the container configured for the storage of fluid, and with an accommodating aperture penetrating through the container wall in which an elongated sensor arrangement penetrating through the container wall and extending along a longitudinal sensor axis is accommodated, where the sensor arrangement is mounted on the container by elastic mounting formations, where the longitudinal sensor axis defines an axial direction proceeding along the longitudinal sensor axis, radial directions proceeding orthogonally to the longitudinal sensor axis, and a circumferential direction encircling the longitudinal sensor axis, at least two elastic mounting formations configured separately from the sensor arrangement are arranged at an axial distance from one another, which extend radially between the sensor arrangement and a firmly container-mounted structure, where the mounting formations are fixed at one structure out of the sensor arrangement and firmly container-mounted structure and are braced against the respective other structure.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A fluid container, in particular for a motorized vehicle, with a container wall which surrounds a storage space of the container configured for the storage of fluid, and with an accommodating aperture penetrating through the container wall in which an elongated sensor arrangement penetrating through the container wall and extending along a longitudinal sensor axis is accommodated, where the sensor arrangement is mounted on the container by elastic mounting formations, where the longitudinal sensor axis defines an axial direction proceeding along the longitudinal sensor axis, radial directions proceeding orthogonally to the longitudinal sensor axis, and a circumferential direction encircling the longitudinal sensor axis, wherein at least two elastic mounting formations configured separately from the sensor arrangement are arranged at an axial distance from one another, which extend radially between the sensor arrangement and a firmly container-mounted structure, where the at least two elastic mounting formations are fixed at one structure out of the sensor arrangement and the firmly container-mounted structure and are braced against the respective other structure.

16. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein at least one elastic mounting formation out of the at least two elastic mounting formations is configured as encircling in the circumferential direction.

17. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein all elastic mounting formations out of the at least two elastic mounting formations are configured as encircling in the circumferential direction in a closed manner.

18. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein axially between a mounting formation out of the at least two elastic mounting formations and a radial projection of the firmly container-mounted structure there is accommodated a seal which abuts radially inside against the sensor arrangement and radially outside against a section of the container.

19. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein a mounting formation out of the at least two elastic mounting formations differs with regard to its material and/or its shape from a further mounting formation out of the at least two elastic mounting formations.

20. The fluid container according to claim 19, wherein axially between a mounting formation out of the at least two elastic mounting formations and a radial projection of the firmly container-mounted structure there is accommodated a seal which abuts radially inside against the sensor arrangement and radially outside against a section of the container and wherein the seal is arranged between the radial projection and a more rigid mounting formation, where the more rigid mounting formation due to its material and/or its shape offers a greater deformation resistance against a radial deformation in the direction towards the structure fixing it out of the sensor arrangement and the firmly container-mounted structure and/or against an axial deformation than a softer-elastic mounting formation arranged axially at a distance from the more rigid mounting formation.

21. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the firmly container-mounted structure is configured integrally with the container wall.

22. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the firmly container-mounted structure forms at least section-wise a sleeve surrounding the sensor arrangement radially outside.

23. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the sensor arrangement exhibits at least one radial groove, where in the radial groove there is fixed or braced a mounting formation.

24. The fluid container according to claim 23, wherein the sensor arrangement exhibits at least two radial grooves arranged at an axial distance from one another, where for at least two radial grooves it is the case that in each radial groove there is fixed or braced a different mounting formation.

25. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least two elastic mounting formations exhibits at its braced radial end-region, when considering the mounting formations in the undeformed state in a longitudinal section view in a sectional plane containing the longitudinal sensor axis, a convex outer surface.

26. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein all of the at least two elastic mounting formations exhibits at its braced radial end-region, when considering the mounting formations in the undeformed state in a longitudinal section view in a sectional plane containing the longitudinal sensor axis, a convex outer surface.

27. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the at least two elastic mounting formations are fixed at the firmly container-mounted structure and project from the latter radially inward.

28. The fluid container according to claim 27, wherein at least one of the two elastic mounting formations is firmly bonded with the firmly container-mounted structure and thus fixed to the firmly container-mounted structure.

29. The fluid container according to claim 27, wherein all of the two elastic mounting formations are firmly bonded with the firmly container-mounted structure by injection molding and thus fixed to the firmly container-mounted structure.

30. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the sensor arrangement along its longitudinal sensor axis is configured as electrically conducting.

31. The fluid container according to claim 15, wherein the sensor arrangement along its entire longitudinal extension is configured as electrically conducting.

32. The fluid container according to claim 30, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a metal rod or is a metal rod.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] 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 drawings which forms a part hereof and wherein:

[0041] FIG. 1A rough schematic longitudinal section through a sensor arrangement-securing section of a fluid container of a first embodiment according to the invention,

[0042] FIG. 2A rough schematic longitudinal section through a sensor arrangement-securing section of a fluid container of a second embodiment according to the invention, and

[0043] FIG. 3A rough schematic longitudinal section through a sensor arrangement-securing section of a fluid container of a third embodiment according to the invention.

[0044] Since in the depicted examples, the sensor arrangement is configured largely, and the firmly container-mounted structure completely, as rotation-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal sensor axis, in order to simplify the depiction in FIGS. 1 to 3 only the part of the section of the fluid container with the firmly container-mounted structure of the sensor arrangement which in each case lies on one side of the longitudinal sensor axis as the rotation symmetry axis is depicted.

[0045] FIGS. 1 to 3 are not to scale.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Referring now to the drawings 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, in FIG. 1, a fluid container according to the invention is denoted generally by 10. The container 10 comprises a container wall 12 which surrounds a storage space 14, thus differentiating it from the external environment U. The fluid container 10 can for example serve for storing an operating fluid such as coolant, water, aqueous solutions, suspensions, and emulsions, of a motorized vehicle.

[0047] The container wall 12 exhibits an accommodating aperture 16 through which a sensor arrangement 20, for example configured as a metal rod 18, projects from the external environment U into the storage space 14. The longitudinal end 20a of the sensor arrangement 20 projecting into the storage space 14 is configured as a blunt tip tapering towards the longitudinal end. The longitudinal end 20b of the sensor arrangement 20 lying outside the storage space 14 is flattened and configured as a contact tab. Onto the latter there can be pushed a non-depicted contact shoe of a data transmission line, producing an electrically conducting contact. With the exception of the longitudinal end 20b configured as a contact tab, the sensor arrangement 20 is configured rotation-symmetrically with respect to the virtual longitudinal sensor axis S conceived as penetrating through it centrally.

[0048] The greater part 20c of the sensor arrangement 20 lying between the contact tab and the tapering tip is for example configured cylindrically.

[0049] The container wall 12 is part of a container shell 22 made by injection molding. Integrally with the container wall 12 there is configured a sleeve-like firmly container-mounted structure 24, which in the depicted example projects from the container wall 12 towards the external environment U, surrounding an axial section of the sensor arrangement 20.

[0050] To the firmly container-mounted structure 24 there is fixed a first elastic mounting formation 26 arranged further away from the container wall 12 in the shape of a retaining lip encircling the longitudinal sensor axis S in a closed manner in the circumferential direction.

[0051] To the firmly container-mounted structure 24 there is furthermore fixed a second elastic mounting formation 28 arranged nearer to the container wall 12. The second mounting formation 28 also encircles the longitudinal sensor axis S in a closed manner. However, whereas in the undeformed state the first mounting formation 26—when considering a longitudinal section in a sectional plane containing the longitudinal sensor axis S—exhibits for example a triangular cross-section, the second mounting formation 28 exhibits in the undeformed state in the same section for example a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. Both mounting formations exhibit in the undeformed state considered above a convex contour designed for bracing against the sensor arrangement 20. In FIG. 1, both mounting formations 26 and 28 are shown in a deformed state in which they abut with their end-region which is remote from the firmly container-mounted structure 24 against the cylindrical outer surface 20d of the sensor arrangement 20. The deformed state exists in the fully assembled container 10, since the clear widths of the apertures formed respectively by the mounting formations 26 and 28 are smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical outer surface 20d of the sensor arrangement 20.

[0052] The first mounting formation 26 and the second mounting formation 28 are injected onto the firmly container-mounted structure 24 and firmly bonded with it. Despite this firmly bonded connection, the mounting formations 26 and 28 in FIG. 1 are depicted with hatching which differs between them and from the firmly container-mounted structure 24. This is meant to indicate that the mounting formations 26 and 28 are formed from different materials and that each material used for manufacturing a mounting formation 26 and 28 also differs from the material of the firmly container-mounted structure 24. In the present case, the materials of the firmly container-mounted structure 24, of the first mounting formation 26, and of the second mounting formation 28 do preferably exhibit the same thermoplastic synthetic, which facilitates the firmly bonded connection, but a different degree of filling with glass fibers.

[0053] For example, in order to obtain the most stable container possible, the container wall 12 and the firmly container-mounted structure 24 can exhibit the highest degree of filling with glass fibers. The first mounting formation 26 as a softer-elastic mounting formation preferably exhibits a lower degree of filling with glass fibers than the second mounting formation 28, which forms a more rigid mounting formation. However, the filling degree of the second mounting formation 28 with glass fibers can also be lower than that of the firmly container-mounted structure 24. Thus a stiff firmly container-mounted structure 24 with elastically deformable mounting formations 26 and 28 fixed onto it in a firmly bonded manner can be formed.

[0054] Due to the material which is filled with glass fibers to a greater degree and further due to its trapezoidal shape in the undeformed state, the deformation of the second, more rigid mounting formation 28 effects a greater normal force of the mounting formation 28 on the sensor arrangement 20 than the deformation of the first, softer-elastic mounting formation 26. The first mounting formation 26 thus contributes more strongly to the sealing of a radial gap 30 between the firmly container-mounted structure 24 and the sensor arrangement 20, whereas the second mounting formation 28 contributes more strongly to the axial fixing of the sensor arrangement 20 at the container 10.

[0055] For even more secure sealing of the radial gap 30, a seal 38, for example an O-ring, can optionally be arranged in the annular accommodating space 32 between a radial projection 34 and a sleeve section 36 of the firmly container-mounted structure 24, the second mounting formation 28, and the sensor arrangement 20. The seal 38 abuts radially outside against the sleeve section 36 of the firmly container-mounted structure 24 and radially inside against section 20c of the sensor arrangement 20.

[0056] For operational assembly of the sensor arrangement 20 at the container 10, the sensor arrangement 20 has merely to be led from the external environment U through the accommodating aperture 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sensor arrangement 20 is retained at the firmly container-mounted structure 24 solely through frictional engagement. Due to the alignment of the sensor arrangement 20 through the two mounting formations 26 and 28, the longitudinal sensor axis S is coaxial with the virtual aperture axis A conceived as penetrating centrally through the accommodating aperture 16.

[0057] Due to the elasticity of the mounting formations 26 and 28 and the frictional force acting respectively between them and the sensor arrangement 20, the sensor arrangement 20 is not displaced relative to the container wall 12 through vibrations and the like during the service life of the container 10.

[0058] In FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a fluid container according to the invention is depicted and denoted by 110. Identical and functionally identical components and component sections as in the first embodiment of FIG. 1 are labeled in the second embodiment of FIG. 2 by the same reference numbers, but increased numerically by 100.

[0059] The second embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 is described hereunder only in so far as it differs from the first embodiment, whose description otherwise serves also for elucidating the second embodiment.

[0060] The second embodiment corresponds essentially to the first embodiment, with the difference that at the sensor arrangement 120 a first radial groove 140 located nearer to the longitudinal end 120b and a second radial groove 142 located nearer to the longitudinal end 120a are formed.

[0061] The first mounting formation 126 is braced with its longitudinal end which lies further away from the firmly container-mounted structure 124 fixing the first mounting formation 126 against the groove base of the first radial groove 140 and abuts against it. The second mounting formation 128 is braced analogously with its longitudinal end which lies further away from the firmly container-mounted structure 124 fixing the second mounting formation 128 against the groove base of the second radial groove 142 and abuts against it.

[0062] Since, therefore, the first radial groove 140 braces the first elastic mounting formation 126 and since the second radial groove 142 braces the second elastic mounting formation 128, the first and the second radial groove 140 and 142 respectively like the associated mounting formations 126 and 128 respectively encircle the longitudinal sensor axis S in a closed manner. In the depicted embodiment, the radial grooves are depicted with a rectangular groove cross-section. This, however, need not be the case. Instead of a rectangular groove cross-section, the groove cross-section can exhibit some other arbitrary shape, for example trapezoidal, part of a circle, part of an ellipse, generally polygonal, or curved. In order to protect the mounting formations, preferably the groove base bracing the mounting formations is jump- and step-free in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction.

[0063] Through the engagement of the mounting formations 126 and 128 with the radial grooves 140 and 142 respectively, in addition to the solely frictionally engaged mounting of the first embodiment there can be achieved a certain degree of positive locking which in addition to the frictional engagement contributes to fixing the sensor arrangement 120 to the container wall 112.

[0064] In FIG. 3, a third embodiment of a fluid container according to the invention is depicted and denoted by 210. Identical and functionally identical components and component sections as in the first embodiment of FIG. 1 are labeled in the third embodiment of FIG. 3 by the same reference numbers, but increased numerically by 200. Identical and functionally identical components and component sections as in the second embodiment of FIG. 2 are labeled in the third embodiment of FIG. 3 by the same reference numbers, but increased numerically by 100.

[0065] The third embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 is described hereunder only in so far as it differs from the first two embodiments, whose descriptions otherwise serve also for elucidating the third embodiment.

[0066] In the third embodiment, the metal rod 218 of the sensor arrangement 220 is configured identically to the metal rod 118 of the sensor arrangement 120 of the second embodiment. The difference between the third embodiment and the two preceding embodiments lies in the fact that the mounting formations 226 and 228 of the third embodiment are fixed at the metal rod 218 of the sensor arrangement 220 and are braced at the inner surface of the sleeve-like firmly container-mounted structure 224.

[0067] For the fixing of the mounting formations 226 and 228, the metal rod 218 is overmolded by the synthetic material of the respective mounting formation such that the formation of the mounting formations 126 and 128 and their fixing at the metal rod 218 of the sensor arrangement 220 take place simultaneously. In principle, the metal rod 218 could also be configured without radial grooves 240 and 242 and be overmolded by synthetic material of the respective mounting formation. In the present case, in the third embodiment the radial grooves 240 and/or 242 respectively are utilized in order to achieve with the overmolding not only a flow of force of the respective synthetic material with the metal rod 218, but additionally positive locking. To this end, the synthetic material of each mounting formation 226 and 228 fills completely the radial groove 240 or 242 respectively associated with it. Furthermore, each mounting formation 226 and 228 extends preferably axially a little way beyond the radial groove 240 or 242 respectively fixing the respective mounting formation 226 or 228, such that the radial gap between the radial sides of the radial grooves 240 or 242 respectively and the synthetic material lying in-between of the mounting formation 226 or 228 respectively fixed at the respective radial groove 240 or 242 is covered by further synthetic material of the mounting formation.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 3, the first mounting formation 226 can also exhibit in the undeformed state for example a trapezoidal cross-section with a convex abutment contour, when considering a sectional view in a sectional plane containing the longitudinal sensor axis S. This should express, in principle, that the cross-sectional shapes of the mounting formations shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 can differ from the respective depicted shape.

[0069] 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.