FILLING SYSTEM ON A MOTOR VEHICLE, HAVING AT LEAST TWO STORAGE TANKS FOR LIQUID OR GASEOUS OPERATING MATERIALS

Abstract

The invention relates to a filling system on a motor vehicle, having at least two storage tanks for liquid or gaseous operating materials, comprising a tank closure cover which closes an opening in the body of the motor vehicle and can be brought from a first position that closes the opening into a second position that releases the opening, wherein at least two filling openings of the storage tanks are arranged below the tank closure cover, which are concealed in the first position of the tank closure cover; a filler trough that forms an enclosure of the filling opening, wherein the filler trough closes the opening in the body of the motor vehicle on the vehicle side and is fixed to the body of the motor vehicle; and at least one filler head, wherein the filling openings are formed as a part of the filler head, the filler head defining at least two mouth-hole necks which are combined to form a common component and are integrally connected to each other, each mouth-hole neck forming a filling opening for another storage tank.

Claims

1. A filling system on a motor vehicle, having at least two storage tanks for liquid or gaseous operating materials, comprising a tank closure cover which closes an opening in the body of the motor vehicle and can be brought from a first position which closes the opening into a second position which releases the opening, wherein at least two filling openings of the storage tanks are arranged below the tank closure cover and are concealed in the first position of the tank closure cover, a filler dish which forms a surround of the filling opening, wherein the filler dish closes the opening in the body of the motor vehicle on the vehicle side and wherein the filler dish is fixed to the body of the motor vehicle, and at least one filler head, wherein the filling openings are formed as part of the filler head, wherein the filler head defines at least two mouthpiece necks which are combined to form a common component and are integrally connected to each other, and wherein each mouthpiece neck forms a filling opening for a different storage tank.

2. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler head is injection-molded from thermoplastic material or is assembled from injection-molded components of thermoplastic material.

3. The filling system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filler head is formed at least partially electrically conductive, and is connected electrically conductively to the body of the vehicle.

4. The filling system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the filler head consists of a thermoplastic material which comprises an electrically conductive filler.

5. The filling system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the filler head has a metal surround and/or a metal insert which is connected electrically conductively to the body of the motor vehicle.

6. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler head is fixed to the body of the motor vehicle.

7. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler dish consists of a thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler head comprises at least one closure flap mechanism which seals at least one filling opening without a filler cap.

9. The filling system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the closure flap mechanism is connected electrically conductively to the body of the motor vehicle.

10. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler head has a filling channel for fuel and a filling channel for a watery additive for selective catalytic exhaust gas denitrification.

11. The filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler head has a filling channel for fuel and a filling channel for water.

12. The filling system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the closure flap mechanism closes the filling channel for fuel.

13. The filling system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the closure flap mechanism can be locked and unlocked electrically, or can be actuated electrically and/or pneumatically.

14-15. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The invention is now explained below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0035] The drawings show:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a top view of the filler dish of the filling system according to the invention on a motor vehicle with the tank closure cover opened;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a section view through the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 during filling; and

[0038] FIGS. 3a and 3b are views which depict a comparison of principle between a filling system according to the prior art and the filling system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Reference is first made to FIG. 1 which shows a top view of the opened filler dish 2 of a filling system 1 according to the invention. The filler dish 2 forms the closure on the vehicle side of an opening 3 in the body 4 of a motor vehicle. It is formed for example from a dish-shaped gaiter made of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). The filler dish 2 comprises an opening 5 which is formed as a receiver for a filler head 6. The filler dish 2 can be closed by means of a tank closure cover 7 hinged pivotably on the body 4 of the motor vehicle.

[0040] In the position of the tank closure cover 7 shown in FIG. 1, the filler dish 2 is open so that the tank closure cover 7 releases two filling openings 8a, 8b, whereas in the closed position (not shown), the tank closure cover 7 conceals the filling openings 8a, 8b. The filling opening 8a shown on the left in FIG. 1 is provided as a filling opening for a watery additive for selective catalytic exhaust gas denitrification, while the filling opening 8b shown on the right in FIG. 1 is provided as a filling opening for fuel.

[0041] The filling openings 8a, 8b are an integral part of the filler head 6, formed integrally of thermoplastic material. Each of the filling openings 8a, 8b comprises a mouthpiece neck 9a, 9b which delimits a respective filling opening 8a, 8b.

[0042] Each of the filling openings 8a, 8b leads into a filling channel 10a, 10b.

[0043] In the filling system 1 shown in the figures, in which the filling channel 10b is configured as a fuel filling channel, said system is formed as a capless system, i.e. without a closing cap which can be screwed on from the outside, but with an integrated closure flap mechanism as shown in FIG. 2. The drawing is greatly simplified in regard to the closure flap mechanism.

[0044] The filler head 6 is provided with an integrally molded fixing bridge 11 which has one or more fixing bores 12 via which the filler head 6 can be fixed to supporting parts of the body 4 of the motor vehicle.

[0045] The fixing bridge 11, like the filler head 6, may be formed from a thermoplastic material with a conductive filling, so that via the fixing bridge 11, a conductive connection can be made to electrically conductive parts of the body 4 of the motor vehicle.

[0046] Reference is now made to the section view in FIG. 2 which shows a section through parts of the filling system 1 in the region of the filling channel 10b with nozzle 13 inserted in the filling channel 10b.

[0047] FIG. 2 does not show the connection of the filler dish 2 to the body 4 of the motor vehicle. Otherwise, the same components carry the same reference numerals.

[0048] The filling channel 10b of the filler head 6 surrounds a closure flap mechanism 14 inserted therein, which comprises a first and a second closing flap 14a, 14b. The first and second closing flaps 14a, 14b may be electrically releasable; these are then opened mechanically by the nozzle 13 when it is inserted in the filling channel 10b, for example against a fail-safe mechanism (not shown).

[0049] The filler head 6 furthermore comprises two outlets 15a, 15b onto which respective filler pipes 16b are connected.

[0050] Reference is now made to FIGS. 3a and 3b. The figures illustrate in principle the difference between a filling system 1 according to the invention (FIG. 3b) and a filling system according to the prior art (FIG. 3a). In the system of the prior art, it is evident that because two filler heads must be provided, and the distance between the respective filling openings must necessarily be selected relatively large; whereas with the filling system 1 according to the invention, evidently much less space or installation space is required because both filling openings 8a, 8b (see FIG. 1) are formed as part of the filler head 6 and the filler head 6 defines at least two mouthpiece necks 9a, 9b combined in a common component and formed integrally with each other, each mouthpiece neck 9a, 9b forming a filling opening 8a, 8b for a different storage tank. The depiction in FIGS. 3a and 3b is shown greatly simplified; other functional elements or components of the filler head are not shown here for reasons of simplification.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1 Filling system

[0052] 2 Filler dish

[0053] 3 Opening

[0054] 4 Body

[0055] 5 Opening in filler dish

[0056] 6 Filler head

[0057] 7 Tank closure cover

[0058] 8a Filling opening for additive

[0059] 8b Filling opening for fuel

[0060] 9a, 9b Mouthpiece neck

[0061] 10a, 10b Filling channel

[0062] 11 Fixing bridge

[0063] 12 Fixing bore

[0064] 13 Nozzle

[0065] 14 Closure flap insert

[0066] 14a First closure flap

[0067] 14b Second closure flap

[0068] 15a, 15b Outlets

[0069] 16b Filler pipe