JP2000038039A - Breather - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of parts and to reduce cost through improvement of assembly workability by a method wherein a breather is mounted directly on the breather mounting port of a tank, and a need for accessory parts, such as breather hose, is eliminated. SOLUTION: An air passage to intercommunicate the inside and the outside of a tank is formed, and a part of the air passage is provided with cases 30 and 20 having a communication chamber 42 to vertically intercommunicate the cases; and a filter 10 arranged at the upper part of the communication chamber 42 for the cases. A vent hole 44 having a passage area narrower than that of the intercommunication chamber 42 is formed in the lower part of the communication chamber 42. A shielding part 45 is provided to shield splashing of oil to the vent hole 44 from an oil level in a tank.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a breather provided in a tank for storing a liquid such as oil in a vehicle such as a forklift.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional general breather will be described with reference to a front view of FIG. For example, an opening 161 is provided on an upper surface of an oil tank 160 that stores oil (also referred to as hydraulic oil). A tank cover 170 is mounted on the upper surface of the oil tank 160 so as to close the opening 161. The tank cover 170 includes a communication pipe 171 that communicates inside and outside the tank.

[0003] Above the oil tank 160, a breather support 180 is provided. The breather 100 is attached to the breather support 180 by a clip 190. An upper end of a breather hose 102 is connected to a lower connection port of the breather 100. The lower end of the breather hose 102 is connected to the upper end of the communication pipe 171.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Conventional breather 10
According to 0, the function of preventing leakage of oil to the outside of the tank or seepage due to blowing was low,
By using the breather hose 102 or the like, the installation position of the breather 100 is increased to prevent the oil from seeping out. For this reason, breather hose 10
2 without using the breather 100 and the oil tank 1
It is difficult to directly attach the breather 60 to the installation position of the breather 100 because the installation position of the breather 100 is lowered and oil bleeds easily. Therefore, the conventional breather 10
In case of 0, various accessory parts such as the breather hose 102, the clip 190, and the communication pipe 171 are required. As a result, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the assembling workability decreases, resulting in an increase in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to directly attach a tank to a breather mounting opening, and to use a breather hose or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a breather that can reduce the number of parts and improve the assembling workability to reduce the cost by eliminating the need for the accessory parts.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an air passage communicating with the inside and outside of a tank is formed, and a portion of the air passage is vertically communicated with the part of the air passage. A case having a communication chamber, and a filter installed above the communication chamber of the case, wherein a ventilation hole having a passage area smaller than a passage area of the communication chamber is formed in a lower part of the communication chamber, and the tank is formed. A breather provided with a shielding part for preventing liquid from splashing from the liquid level in the inside to the vent hole.

[0007] With this configuration, the repelling of the liquid from the liquid surface in the tank to the vent hole is blocked by the shielding portion. Further, in the process from the air hole to the communication chamber, the liquid film generated in the air hole is ruptured due to an increase in the passage area.
Further, since the filter is provided above the communication chamber, the liquid is prevented from rising to the filter. Further, the passage of the liquid is prevented by the filter installed in the upper part of the communication chamber.

[0008] As described above, even if the liquid in the tank is going to the outside, its flow is blocked in a stepwise manner.
Bleeding of the liquid in the tank is effectively prevented. This makes it possible to directly attach the tank to the breather attachment opening, and it is possible to eliminate the need for a conventionally required accessory such as a breather hose. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, improve the assembling workability, and reduce the cost.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the breather according to the first aspect, wherein a portion including at least a communication chamber of the case can be inserted into a breather mounting port provided in the tank. With this configuration, it is possible to lower the installation position of the breather as compared with a case where the breather is hardly inserted into the breather attachment opening of the tank, which is advantageous in saving the installation space of the breather.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the breather according to the first or second aspect, wherein an oil supply port of the tank is provided on the tank as a breather mounting port, and the tank cap is also used. With this configuration, it is not necessary to separately install the breather and the tank cap, which is advantageous for cost reduction.

The invention according to claim 4 is the breather according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the case is provided with a level gauge. With this configuration, it is not necessary to separately install the breather and the level gauge, which is advantageous for cost reduction.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view of the breather, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the same, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view. This breather is provided, for example, as a filler port of an oil tank of a forklift (two-dot chain line 6 in FIGS. 1 and 2).
See 0. ), Which not only functions as a breather but also functions as a level gauge and a tank cap. In addition, the filler port 60 is formed substantially in a pipe shape.

As shown in FIG. 4, the breather includes a case 30, a filter 10, and a cover 20. Hereinafter, each part will be described in detail in order. The description starts with the case body 30. 2 and 4, the case body 30 is made of a resin molded product, and is formed mainly of a main case portion 31 having a substantially cup shape.

As shown in FIG. 2, an appropriate number (two are shown) of annular O-ring grooves 32 and a flange 33 located above the O-ring grooves 32 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the case body 30. ing. An O-ring 52 is mounted in each O-ring groove 32. A filter fitting part 34 having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the case body 30 is extended from the upper end of the main case part 31 via a supporting step surface 34a (see FIG. 4). The plan view of the case body 30 is shown in FIG.
The bottom view is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, a substantially cylindrical outer ring portion 35 is concentrically supported on the outer peripheral surface of the filter fitting portion 34 via, for example, four support pieces 36 which are radially arranged. . The inner diameter of the outer ring portion 35 is
Larger than the outer diameter of Therefore, a predetermined gap is provided between the outer ring part 35 and the filter fitting part 34.
Also, as shown in FIG.
3 is also provided with a predetermined gap. The upper end surface of the outer ring portion 35 projects above the upper end surface of the filter fitting portion 34 by a predetermined amount.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, on the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring portion 35, for example, four pin-like convex portions 37 projecting outward in the radial direction are formed. Convex part 37
Are formed at regular intervals on the circumference, that is, at 90-degree intervals.

As shown in FIG. 2, a substantially cylindrical central cylindrical portion 4 for closing the upper surface is provided at the axial center of the main case portion 31.
0 is formed. The upper end of the level gauge 50 is integrally connected to the central cylindrical portion 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, four partition plates 41 are formed radially between the inner peripheral surface of the main case portion 31 and the outer peripheral surface of the central cylindrical portion 40. The partition plate 41 partitions the inside of the main case 31 into four communication chambers 42. The upper end surfaces of the central cylindrical portion 40 and the partition plate 41 are substantially flush with the supporting step surface 34a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom plate 31a of the main case portion 31 is substantially tapered so that the outer peripheral portion is made higher and the axial center side is made lower.
It is inclined in a par. At the bottom plate 31a of each of the communication chambers 42 near the central cylindrical portion 40, a ventilation hole 44 communicating between the inside and the outside of the communication chamber 42 is formed. Vent 44
Is smaller than the passage area of the communication chamber 42, for example, 1/6 to
It is formed with a passage area as small as about 1/8 (see FIG. 5).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the central cylindrical portion 40 projects below the bottom plate 31a of the case body 30 by a predetermined amount. A substantially disk-shaped shielding plate 45 protruding in the radial direction is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a lower end portion of the central cylindrical portion 40. The shielding plate 45 shields the lower peripheral portion of the ventilation hole 44. As a result, the shielding plate 45 holds the liquid level (also referred to as oil level) in the oil tank.
It has a function of blocking oil splashing from the air into the vent hole 44. Note that the shielding plate 45 corresponds to a shielding portion in the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the central cylindrical portion 4 between the bottom plate 31a of the case body 30 and the shielding plate 45 is provided.
On the outer peripheral surface at 0, for example, four reinforcing plates 46 are formed radially.

Next, the filter 10 will be described. 7 is a front view of the filter 10, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of the same. 7 and 8, the filter 10 is formed of a resin molded product, and includes a mesh 11 and a vertically symmetric holding frame 12 sandwiching the mesh 11. Each holding frame 12 includes a central shaft portion 13 that holds an axial center portion of the mesh 11, an annular outer frame portion 14 that holds an outer peripheral portion of the mesh 11, and the central shaft portion 13 and an outer frame portion 14. And four connecting pieces 15 which are formed radially and hold the mesh 11 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 2, the filter 10 comprises:
It is formed in a size that can be fitted into the filter fitting portion 34 of the case body 30. The height of the filter 10, that is, the height of the two holding frames 12 is determined by the filter fitting portion 34.
Is almost the same as the protrusion height. Therefore, when the filter 10 is set in the filter fitting portion 34 of the case body 30 and installed on the communication chamber 42, and supported by the upper surface of the central cylindrical portion 40 and the partition plate 41 and the supporting step surface 34a, the filter 10 Upper end face and filter fitting portion 34
Are almost flush with each other.

Next, the cover body 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the cover body 20 is formed of a resin molded product, and has a substantially disk-shaped top plate portion 21, and a cover tube projecting downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top plate portion 21 in a substantially cylindrical shape. And a part 22. The cover tube portion 22 is formed so as to be fitted to the outer ring portion 35 of the case body 30 (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 4, the cover tube portion 22 is provided with concave portions 23 which penetrate the inner and outer surfaces thereof and can be engaged with the respective convex portions 37 of the case body 30.
In FIG. 10 showing a front view of the periphery of the concave portion, the concave portion 23 is shown.
The access groove 23a which allows the convex portion 37 to enter and exit from the fitting distal end side of the inner peripheral surface of the cover cylindrical portion 22, and the convex portion 37 inserted in the access groove 23a is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the cover cylindrical portion 22 and the outer peripheral portion. Ring 3
5 is elastically deformed at an engaging groove 23b which can be disengaged by a relative rotation with respect to the outer peripheral surface (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 10), and at a connecting portion between the in / out groove 23a and the engaging groove 23b. And a retaining portion 23c for allowing the convex portion 37 to pass therethrough and preventing the convex portion 37 from coming off when engaged with the engagement groove 23b. Note that the access groove 23a is formed with an opening width that is, for example, two to three times larger than the outer diameter of the protrusion 37.

The cover cylinder 22 has a horizontally elongated slit groove 24 which penetrates the inner and outer surfaces thereof and is substantially parallel to the upper edge of the recess 23 at a predetermined interval. Thereby, the access groove 23a and the engagement groove 2
The deformed portion 23d between the groove 3b and the slit groove 24 can be elastically deformed, that is, bendable (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 10). The retaining portion 23c increases or decreases the opening width by utilizing the bending deformation of the deforming portion 23d.
7 (in the left-right direction in FIG. 10), and at the time of engagement of the protrusion 37 with the engagement groove 23b, the protrusion 37 is prevented from coming off.

In FIG. 9 showing a bottom view of the cover body 20, a substantially annular filter holding portion 25 protrudes from the lower surface of the top plate portion 21. The filter holder 25 is
As shown in FIG. 2, when the cover body 20 is attached to the case body 30, the connecting pieces 15 (see FIG. 4) of the filter 10 are pressed by the case body 30.

In the breather described above, FIGS.
As shown in the figure, when the cover body 20 is attached to the case body 30, the filter 10 set on the upper part of the case body 30 is pressed by the filter pressing portion 25 of the cover body 20 as described above. Is pressed down.
As shown in FIG. 3, the convex portion 37 of the case body 30 is engaged with the engaging groove 23b of the concave portion 23 of the cover body 20, and is prevented from coming off by the retaining portion 23c. The case 30 and the cover 20 constitute a case referred to in the present invention.

The breather is used as a tank cap for closing the oil supply port 60 by inserting the case body 30 including the communication chamber 42 into an oil supply port 60 (see a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2) of an oil tank (not shown). Functions as a breather. At this time, the O-ring 52 of the case body 30 seals between the case body 30 and the oil supply port 60. Also,
The flange 33 of the case body 30 abuts on the upper end surface of the oil filler port 60, thereby preventing further insertion of the case body 30.

In this state, when the pressure in the oil tank increases, the air in the tank (see the arrow in FIG. 2)
Are the ventilation holes 44 of the bottom plate 31a of the case body 30, the communication chamber 4
2. The mesh of the mesh 11 of the filter 10, the filter 10
The air is exhausted to the outside through the space between the cover body 20 and the top plate portion 21 of the cover body 20 and between the filter fitting portion 34 of the case body 30 and the cover tube portion 22 of the cover body 20. When the pressure in the tank decreases, the external air is sucked into the tank in the reverse order of the discharge. The passage for discharging the air in the tank and sucking the outside air into the tank corresponds to the air passage in the present invention.

According to the breather described above, the shielding plate 45
This prevents the liquid from splashing from the oil level in the tank to the vent hole 44 (see the white arrow in FIG. 2). Further, in the process from the air hole 44 to the communication chamber 42, the air hole 4
The liquid film generated in 4 is ruptured due to an increase in the passage area. Further, since the filter 10 is provided above the communication chamber 42, the oil is prevented from rising to the filter 10.
Further, the passage of oil is prevented by the filter 10 installed above the communication chamber 42.

As described above, even if the oil in the tank is going to the outside, the flow is prevented in a stepwise manner, so that the oil in the tank is effectively prevented from seeping out.
This makes it possible to directly attach the tank to the filler port 60, and the breather hose (FIG. 1) required conventionally.
1 (see 102) can be eliminated. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, improve the assembling workability, and reduce the cost.

Further, the communication chamber 42 is connected to the fuel supply port 60 of the tank.
Can be inserted, the installation position of the breather can be lowered as compared with the case where the breather is installed almost without being inserted into the fuel filler port 60 of the tank, and the installation space of the breather can be saved. It is advantageous for conversion.

Further, as described above, since the breather also serves as the tank cap, it is not necessary to separately install the breather and the tank cap, which is advantageous for cost reduction.

Further, since the case body 30 is provided with the level gauge 50, the breather and the level gauge 50 do not have to be separately installed, which is advantageous for cost reduction.

When the filter 10 is replaced,
After removing the breather from the filler port 60, the case 3
The cover body 20 is rotated by hand operation with respect to 0. In the case of this embodiment, the cover body 20 is rotated clockwise as viewed in a plane.
Thereby, the convex portion 37 with respect to the engaging groove 23b of the concave portion 23 is formed.
Is released by utilizing the elastic deformation of the deforming portion 23d (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 10). Subsequently, by raising the cover body 20 upward with respect to the case body 30, the protrusion 37 is disengaged from the access groove 23 a of the recess 23, and the case body 30
Is opened. Next, the used filter 10 is removed from the case body 30 and a new filter 10 is removed.
Set again. Thereafter, the cover body 20 is attached to the case body 30 by performing the above-described operation in the reverse order of removal. Then, the breather may be attached to the fuel filler 60 again.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the breather may be installed separately from the tank cap. The breather may be installed separately from the level gauge. Further, the ventilation hole 44 may be provided on the lower peripheral wall of the communication chamber 42 in addition to the bottom plate 31a. In addition, the shielding portion is not limited to the plate-shaped shielding plate 45, and may be formed of another shape.

[0038]

According to the breather of the present invention, the bleeding of the liquid in the tank can be effectively prevented, so that the tank can be directly attached to the breather mounting opening of the tank, and no additional parts such as a breather hose are required. It can be. As a result, the number of components can be reduced, assembling workability can be improved, and costs can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a breather.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of a breather.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a breather.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the breather.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a case body.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the case body.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the filter.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a filter.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the cover body.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a periphery of a concave portion of the cover body.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Filter 20 Cover body 30 Case body 31a Bottom plate 42 Communication chamber 44 Vent hole 45 Shielding plate (shielding part) 50 Level gauge 60 Oil supply port (breather attachment port)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Nobuhiko Aizu 2-1-1 Toyota-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi F-term in Toyota Industries Corporation (reference) 3D038 CA16 CA22 CA26 CA27 CB01 CC03 CC07 CC15 3H055 GG09 HH08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A case having an air passage communicating between the inside and outside of a tank and having a communication chamber vertically communicating with a part of the air passage, and a filter installed above the communication chamber of the case, A breather having a ventilation hole formed in a lower part of the communication chamber with a passage area smaller than a passage area of the communication chamber, and a shielding portion for preventing liquid from splashing from a liquid surface in the tank to the ventilation hole. 2. The breather according to claim 1, wherein a portion including at least a communication chamber of the case can be inserted into a breather attachment port provided in the tank. 3. The breather according to claim 1, wherein a refueling port of the tank is provided on the tank as a breather mounting port, and the tank cap is also used. 4. A case wherein a level gauge is provided in the case.
The breather according to any one of Items 1 to 3.