JP2019049242A - Drain device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drain device having a function of a relief valve.SOLUTION: A drain device 20 for discharging a liquid in a container includes: a trunk part 22 for forming a drain passage 24 communicating with a fuel flow passage 9 in which a liquid discharged from a fuel pump flows in a branched manner; a drain valve 40 capable of moving between a valve close position, a relief position and a drain position; and a spring 38 for energizing the drain valve 40 toward the valve close position. The trunk part 22 includes: a relief passage 50 for communicating the drain passage 24 to the inside of the container; and a discharge passage 52 for communicating the drain passage 24 to the outside of the container. When the drain valve 40 moves to the relief position by a fuel pressure in the fuel flow passage 9, the fuel flow passage 9 communicates with the inside of the container via the drain passage 24 and the relief passage 50. Also, when the drain valve 40 moves to the drain position, the inside of the container communicates with the outside of the container via the relief passage 50, the drain passage 24 and the discharge passage 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The technology disclosed herein relates to a drain device.

  Generally, outboard motors for small and medium-sized ships need to discharge internal fuel during maintenance or when they are not used for a long time in off season. Therefore, in the conventional outboard motor, for example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the bottom of the vapor separator and the branch portion of the pipe are provided with the discharge holes. The internal fuel can be discharged by removing the drain bolt attached to the discharge hole.

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 5-248322 JP 2012-77715 A

  The fuel in the vapor separator of the outboard motor is supplied to the injector of the engine by the driving of the fuel pump. At this time, the pressure of the fuel in the fuel flow path between the vapor separator and the injector, that is, the fuel pressure may exceed the appropriate value. Therefore, a relief valve for adjusting the fuel pressure in the fuel flow path is installed in a general outboard motor.

  However, in the conventional outboard motor, since the drain device and the relief valve are separately provided, there is a problem that a large installation space is required and the number of parts is large.

  Therefore, the technique disclosed herein aims to provide a drain device having a function of a relief valve.

  One example is a drain device for discharging the liquid in the container, the drain forming a drain passage communicating in a branched manner in the flow path through which the liquid discharged from the pump for sucking the liquid in the container flows. The first seal member, the second seal member, the third seal member, the third seal member, and the third seal member are disposed in a passage forming member, and an annular first seal member coaxially disposed in the drain passage at predetermined intervals coaxially from the flow path side. A valve body including a valve portion which is movably inserted and whose tip end is inserted in and removed from the first seal member and the second seal member; a biasing member biasing the valve body toward the first seal member; The drain passage forming member includes a relief passage communicating the passage region between the first seal member and the second seal member in the drain passage with the interior of the container, and the second seal member and the third seal member in the drain passage. The passage area between the containers And a discharge passage communicating with the outside, the valve body, against the urging force of the urging member, wherein the valve portion is operable to a position not engaged with the second sealing member.

  According to this configuration, when a force exceeding the biasing force of the biasing member is applied to the valve body from the flow path side and the valve body moves to a position where it does not fit with the first seal member, the flow path and the relief passage are via the drain passage. Communicate. This allows part of the liquid in the flow path to flow into the container through the drain passage and the relief passage. Thus, since the drain device also functions as a relief valve, there is no need to separately provide a relief valve.

  In the drain device described above, the valve body has an engagement protrusion that protrudes radially outward with respect to the axis of the valve portion, and the drain passage forming member is engaged with the engagement protrusion to make the valve body a valve portion It is preferable to provide a locking groove that can be held at a position not fitted to the first seal member and the second seal member.

  According to this configuration, the locking groove of the drain passage forming member engages with the engagement protrusion of the valve body to hold the valve body at a position where the valve portion does not fit into the first seal member and the second seal member. can do. Therefore, it is not necessary to continuously operate the valve against the biasing force of the biasing member during the liquid discharging operation, and the workability can be improved.

  The drain device restricts movement of one seal member to the other seal member at least one of the first seal member and the second seal member and the second seal member and the third seal member. Preferably, a movement restriction member is provided.

  According to this configuration, at least one of the first seal member and the second seal member, and the second seal member and the third seal member can be prevented from coming close to each other.

  The above-mentioned drain device has a function of a relief valve, so it is not necessary to separately provide a relief valve, and the number of parts and the installation space can be reduced.

It is a side sectional view of a vapor separator concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of each member stored in a drain device. It is side surface sectional drawing of a drain apparatus with a drain valve in a valve closing position. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the drain device with the drain valve in a relief position. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the drain device with the drain valve in the drain position. It is a bottom view of a drain apparatus with a drain valve in a valve closing position. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the drain device with the drain valve in the drain position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the technology disclosed in the present specification will be described using the drawings. The drain device according to the present embodiment is applied to a vapor separator of an outboard motor. The vapor separator is a device for separating evaporative fuel by temporarily storing fuel supplied from a fuel tank of a hull and supplying only liquid fuel to an engine. First, the entire structure of the vapor separator will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vapor separator.

[Structure of vapor separator]
As shown in FIG. 1, the vapor separator 1 has a container body 2 having an opening at the top and a lid 3 for closing the top opening of the container body 2. The container body 2 and the lid 3 are made of resin. The lid 3 is detachably fixed to the container body 2 by a snap fit mechanism (not shown). Further, an O-ring 4 seals between the container body 2 and the lid 3.

  The container body 2 has an enlarged portion 5 that spreads in a step-like manner toward the top, and a fuel supply hole 6 is provided at the bottom of the enlarged portion 5. A fuel filter 7 is connected to the fuel supply hole 6. The fuel inlet 8 of the fuel filter 7 is connected to a fuel tank (not shown) via a pump (not shown) provided on the hull. The fuel supplied from the fuel tank by the drive of the pump is filtered by the fuel filter 7 and then flows into the container body 2 through the fuel supply hole 6.

  The container body 2 further includes an L-shaped fuel flow passage 9 extending in the horizontal direction (left direction in FIG. 1) after penetrating the bottom of the container body 2 in the vertical direction. The outer end of the fuel passage 9 is connected to an injector (not shown) of the engine. On the other hand, the fuel discharge port 10 b of the fuel pump 10 accommodated in the container body 2 is connected to the inner end of the fuel flow passage 9. The fuel pump 10 is a motor-integrated electric pump. The fuel pump 10 has an upward fuel inlet 10a at its upper part. One end of a substantially U-shaped suction pipe 11 is connected to the fuel suction port 10a. The other end of the suction pipe 11 extends near the bottom of the container body 2. By driving the fuel pump 10, the liquid fuel in the container body 2 is drawn into the fuel pump 10 through the suction pipe 11 and then pressure-fed to the injector of the engine through the fuel flow path 9.

  The lid 3 has a vapor port 12 and an electrical connector 13 extending upward and communicating the inside and the outside of the container body 2. The vapor port 12 is connected to a canister (not shown) filled with an adsorbent capable of adsorbing evaporated fuel such as activated carbon. The evaporated fuel generated in the vapor separator 1 is adsorbed to the adsorbent in the canister via the vapor port 12. On the other hand, the electrical connector 13 is connected to an external power supply (not shown) to supply power to the fuel pump 10.

  At the bottom of the container body 2, a drain device 20 for discharging the fuel from the inside of the container body 2 is provided. Hereinafter, the drain device will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. In addition, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of each member accommodated in a drain apparatus. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the drain device with the drain valve in the closed position. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the drain device with the drain valve in the relief position. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the drain device with the drain valve in the drain position. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the drain device with the drain valve in the closed position. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the drain device with the drain valve in the drain position. Arrows in FIGS. 3 to 5 indicate the flow of fuel.

[Structure of drain device]
As shown in FIG. 3, the drain device 20 has a hollow cylindrical body 22 integrally formed on the bottom of the container body 2. The body portion 22 has a drain passage 24 formed therein, one end of which communicates with the fuel flow passage 9 in a branched manner. In the drain passage 24, the first O-ring 26, the first collar 28, the second O-ring 30, the second collar 32, the third O-ring 34, the third collar 36, the spring 38, and the drain valve 40 shown in FIG. It is done. For convenience of description, in the drain passage 24, the side (left side in FIGS. 3 to 5) communicating with the fuel flow path 9 is the front side, and the side (right side in FIGS. 3 to 5) facing the outside is the rear side. I assume. The body portion 22 corresponds to the "drain passage forming member" in the present specification.

  The drain passage 24 linearly extends in the horizontal direction, and the front end thereof communicates with the fuel flow passage 9. On the other hand, the rear end of the drain passage 24 is open at the rear end face of the body 22. The body portion 22 has a front end portion 42, a front portion 44, a central portion 46, and a rear portion 48 coaxially in this order from the front side, and the inner diameters thereof are formed so as to gradually increase. The front portion 44 includes, in order from the front, a relief passage 50 communicating the drain passage 24 with the inside of the container, and a discharge passage 52 communicating the drain passage 24 with the outside of the container.

  The first O-ring 26, the second O-ring 30, and the third O-ring 34 are made of a rubber-like elastic material and have the same inner diameter and outer diameter. Each of the O-rings 26, 30 and 34 is coaxially disposed in the drain passage 24 at a predetermined interval. More specifically, the first O-ring 26 is disposed so as to elastically abut on the inner circumferential surface of the front portion 44 in front of the relief passage 50. The second O-ring 30 is disposed so as to resiliently abut on the inner circumferential surface of the front portion 44 between the relief passage 50 and the discharge passage 52. The third O-ring 34 is disposed so as to elastically contact the inner peripheral surface of the front portion 44 at the rear of the discharge passage 52. The first O-ring 26 is restricted from moving forward by coming into contact with the rear wall surface of the front end portion 42.

  A first collar 28 made of resin is disposed between the first O-ring 26 and the second O-ring 30. The first collar 28 restricts the rearward movement of the first O-ring 26 and the forward movement of the second O-ring 30, and can prevent the relief passage 50 from being blocked by the first O-ring 26 or the second O-ring 30. Similarly, a second collar 32 made of resin is disposed between the second O-ring 30 and the third O-ring 34. The second collar 32 restricts the rearward movement of the second O-ring 30 and the forward movement of the third O-ring 34, and can prevent the discharge passage 52 from being blocked by the second O-ring 30 or the third O-ring 34. The first collar 28 and the second collar 32 correspond to the "movement restricting member" in the present specification.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first collar 28 includes two opposing annular plate portions 28 a and a plurality of connecting portions 28 b that couple the annular plate portions 28 a to each other. The second collar 32 similarly has two annular plate portions 32a and a connecting portion 28b, but since the first collar 28 and the second collar 32 have the same shape, the shape of the first collar 28 It will be described, and the description of the shape of the second collar 32 is omitted. The inner diameter of the annular plate portion 28a is designed to be larger than the inner diameter of each of the O-rings 26, 30, 34. The connecting portion 28 b is disposed so as to form gaps at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the outer side surface thereof is curved so as to be concave at the center. Therefore, the fuel flowing into the first collar 28 from the central hole of the annular plate portion 28a can flow radially outward through the gap between the coupling portions 28b. In addition, since the outer surface of the connecting portion 28b is curved inward, a gap is also formed between the connecting portion 28b and the inner peripheral surface of the front portion 44 (see FIG. 3). Thus, the fuel can also flow circumferentially around the first collar 28.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a third collar 36 which restricts the rearward movement of the third O-ring 34 is disposed inside the central portion 46. The third collar 36 is made of resin and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. The inner diameter of the third collar 36 is designed to be larger than the inner diameter of each O-ring 26, 30, 34. In addition, the third collar 36 includes a pair of locking claws 36 a extending rearward and radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the front end portion. The locking claw 36a is formed so as to be elastically deformable radially inward. On the other hand, the side wall of the body 22 is provided with a locking hole (not shown) with which the locking claw 36a is engaged. When the third collar 36 is inserted inside the central portion 46, the locking claw 36a abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the central portion 46 and elastically deforms radially inward. Then, when the third collar 36 reaches the inside of the locking hole, the locking claw 36a is displaced radially outward due to its elastic restoration and engages with the locking hole. Thereby, the third collar 36 is positioned at a predetermined position.

  Behind the third collar 36, a resin drain valve 40 is disposed. As shown in FIG. 2, the drain valve 40 has a valve portion 54, a small diameter portion 56, a large diameter portion 58, and an operation portion 60 which are substantially cylindrical in order from the front. The valve portion 54, the small diameter portion 56, the large diameter portion 58, and the operation portion 60 are coaxially formed, and are configured such that the outer diameter gradually increases toward the rear side.

  The valve portion 54 is formed to have an outer diameter that can be inserted into the first O-ring 26, the first collar 28, the second O-ring 30, the second collar 32, the third O-ring 34, and the third collar 36. It is formed to be elastically slidable with respect to the inner peripheral edge of the rings 26, 30, 34. Thereby, the valve part 54 can seal each location in the state fitted to each O-ring 26, 30, 34 (refer FIG. 3). Further, the tip end portion of the valve portion 54 is formed in a tapered shape so as to be easily inserted into each member.

  As shown in FIG. 3, around the small diameter portion 56, a spring 38 made of a metal tension coil spring is disposed. Both ends of the spring 38 are fixed to the opposite surfaces of the central portion 46 and the large diameter portion 58 of the drain valve 40 by bonding or the like. Thus, the spring 38 biases the drain valve 40 in the valve closing direction, that is, in the forward direction. The spring 38 may be configured to bias the drain valve 40 in the valve closing direction, that is, in the forward direction, when the drain valve 40 moves rearward from the valve closing position shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, when the drain device 20 is in the closed state, the spring 38 may be configured not to bias the drain valve 40 in the valve closing direction. In addition, the operation unit 60 is disposed so as to be exposed to the outside from the body portion 22 so as to be easily operated by the user.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the drain valve 40 includes an engagement protrusion 62 protruding radially outward from the large diameter portion 58. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the body portion 22 has a guide groove 64 which penetrates the bottom wall portion and extends in the front-rear direction. The engagement protrusion 62 is movably disposed in the guide groove 64. The guide groove 64 guides the drain valve 40 between the valve closed position shown in FIG. 3 and the drain position shown in FIG. 5 by guiding the engagement protrusion 62 in the front-rear direction.

  Further, the guide groove 64 has a locking groove 66 extending in the circumferential direction (downward in FIGS. 6 and 7) from the rear end. By arranging the engagement protrusions 62 in the locking grooves 66 as shown in FIG. 7, the drain valve 40 can be held at the drain position.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the body 22 is formed with an insertion groove 68 for moving the engagement projection 62 to the guide groove 64 when the drain valve 40 is inserted into the body 22. There is. The insertion groove 68 extends forward from the rear end of the body 22 and is connected to the front end (the lower end in FIGS. 6 and 7) of the locking groove 66.

[Operation of drain device]
In the valve closed state shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the valve portion 54 of the drain valve 40 is fitted to the first O ring 26 and the second O ring 30, whereby the first O ring 26 and the second O ring 30 are valve portions. Seal between 54 and body 22 (see FIG. 3). As a result, the communication between the fuel flow passage 9, the relief passage 50 and the discharge passage 52 through the drain passage 24 is blocked.

  The high pressure fuel discharged from the fuel pump 10 flows through the fuel flow path 9. When the pressure of the fuel in the fuel flow passage 9, that is, the fuel pressure becomes abnormally high, the drain valve 40 moves rearward (rightward in FIG. 3) against the biasing force of the spring 38 by the fuel pressure. Then, when the valve portion 54 of the drain valve 40 retracts to the relief position (see FIG. 4) not fitted to the first O-ring 26, the fuel flow passage 9 communicates with the relief passage 50 via the drain passage 24. Thereby, a part of the fuel flowing through the fuel flow passage 9 is returned to the inside of the container body 2 via the drain passage 24 and the relief passage 50.

  Thereafter, when the fuel pressure in the fuel flow passage 9 returns to the normal range, the drain valve 40 is moved forward by the biasing force of the spring 38. Then, when the valve portion 54 is fitted to the first O-ring 26, the communication between the fuel flow passage 9 and the relief passage 50 is cut off.

  When discharging the fuel in the container body 2 in a state where the fuel pump 10 is stopped, the operation portion 60 of the drain valve 40 is gripped and pulled backward against the biasing force of the spring 38 and then engaged. The drain valve 40 is rotated so that the projection 62 is located in the locking groove 66. Thereby, the drain valve 40 retracts to the drain position (see FIG. 5) in which the valve portion 54 is not fitted to the first O-ring 26 and the second O-ring 30. In this state, since the relief passage 50 and the discharge passage 52 communicate with each other through the drain passage 24, the fuel in the container body 2 is discharged to the outside through the relief passage 50, the drain passage 24 and the discharge passage 52. be able to. Further, since the fuel flow passage 9 and the discharge passage 52 also communicate with each other through the drain passage 24, a part of the fuel remaining in the fuel flow passage 9 can also be discharged.

  Further, in a state where the drain valve 40 is in the drain position, the drain valve 40 is biased forward by the biasing force of the spring 38. Therefore, the engaging protrusion 62 disposed in the locking groove 66 is pressed against the front wall surface of the locking groove 66 by the biasing force of the spring 38 and held in the locking groove 66. Thereby, the drain valve 40 can be held at the drain position.

  Even when the drain valve 40 is in the drain position, as shown in FIG. 5, since the valve 54 is fitted to the third O-ring 34, the third O-ring 34 is formed of the valve 54 and the body 22. There is a seal between them. Therefore, the fuel flowing from the inside of the container body 2 into the drain passage 24 is prevented from leaking to the space behind the third O-ring 34.

  When closing the drain device 20, the drain valve 40 may be rotated by gripping the operation unit 60. When the engagement projection 62 reaches the guide groove 64, the drain valve 40 moves forward by the biasing force of the spring 38 and returns to the valve closing position shown in FIG.

[Advantages of the present embodiment]
According to this embodiment, when the fuel pressure in the fuel flow passage 9 is abnormally high, the drain valve 40 is retracted by the fuel pressure, and the fuel flow passage 9 is in the container main body 2 via the drain passage 24 and the relief passage 50. It communicates with As a result, part of the fuel in the fuel flow passage 9 is returned to the inside of the container body 2 via the drain passage 24 and the relief passage 50. As described above, since the drain device 20 also has a function as a relief valve, it is not necessary to separately provide a relief valve. Therefore, the installation space and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Further, by sealing between the valve portion 54 and the body portion 22 of the drain valve 40 by the second O-ring 30, the communication between the inside and the outside of the container body 2 via the drain passage 24 is shut off. Therefore, the container body 2 and the drain valve 40 can be made of metal or the like in addition to resin, and the degree of freedom of material selection can be enhanced.

  Also, a first collar 28 is disposed between the first O-ring 26 and the second O-ring 30. Therefore, the relief passage 50 can be prevented from being blocked by the first O-ring 26 or the second O-ring 30. Similarly, since the second collar 32 is disposed between the second O-ring 30 and the third O-ring 34, the second O-ring 30 or the third O-ring 34 can prevent the discharge passage 52 from being blocked.

  When the fuel is discharged from the container body 2, the drain valve 40 is operated by hand to move it to the drain position, whereby the inside and the outside of the container body 2 are communicated. Therefore, the opening and closing operation does not require a tool and can be easily performed.

  Further, the guide groove 64 penetrates the trunk portion 22 so that the position of the engagement protrusion 62 can be visually recognized from the outside. Therefore, the open / close state of the drain device 20 can be visually confirmed.

[Other embodiments]
The art disclosed herein is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the drain device can be applied to various containers for storing liquid in addition to the vapor separator. Further, the drain device may be provided not in the bottom of the container directly but in piping etc. communicating with the inside of the container.

2 Container body (container)
9 Fuel flow path (flow path)
10 Fuel pump (pump)
20 drain device 22 body (drain passage forming member)
24 drain passage 26 first O-ring (first seal member)
28 1st color (movement restriction member)
30 2nd O-ring (2nd seal member)
32 second color (movement restriction member)
34 3rd O-ring (3rd seal member)
38 Spring (biasing member)
40 drain valve (valve body)
Reference Signs List 50 relief passage 52 discharge passage 54 valve portion 60 operation portion 62 engagement protrusion 66 locking groove

Claims (3)

A drain device for discharging liquid in the container,
A drain passage forming member forming a drain passage communicating with the flow passage through which the liquid discharged from the pump for sucking the liquid in the container flows in a branched manner;
An annular first seal member, a second seal member, and a third seal member, which are disposed coaxially in the drain passage in order from the flow path side at predetermined intervals coaxially.
A valve body including a valve portion slidably inserted in the third seal member and having a tip inserted and removed in the first seal member and the second seal member;
A biasing member for biasing the valve body toward the first seal member;
Equipped with
The drain passage forming member includes a relief passage communicating the passage region between the first seal member and the second seal member in the drain passage with the interior of the container, the second seal member in the drain passage, and the second passage. A discharge passage communicating the passage area between the three seal members with the outside of the container;
The said valve body resists the urging | biasing force of the said urging member, and can operate it in the position where the said valve part does not fit with a said 2nd sealing member, The drain apparatus. The drain device according to claim 1, wherein
The valve body has an engagement protrusion that protrudes radially outward with respect to the axis of the valve portion,
The drain device includes a locking groove capable of holding the valve body at a position where the valve portion is not fitted to the first seal member and the second seal member by engaging with the engagement protrusion. . It is a drain apparatus of Claim 1 or 2, Comprising:
A movement restricting member that restricts the movement of one seal member toward the other seal member on at least one of the first seal member and the second seal member and between the second seal member and the third seal member , A drain device.

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