Filling device for a fluid container of a vehicle, having an extendable filling component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486653-B2
Application number	US-201515302137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A filling device for a fluid container of a vehicle is provided. The filling device comprises at least a motorized drive, a filling component which can be extended by means of the drive from a rest position to a filling position on the vehicle, and on which a filling opening is provided which is accessible in the filling position for filling a fluid container with fluid and a filling element which is adjustably mounted on the filling component and defines at least one edge portion on the perimeter of the filling opening when the filling component is in its filling position. The filling opening is in the filling position accessible for filling of fluid irrespective of a position of the filling element on the extended filling component. Only the perimeter of the filling opening can be enlarged by the filling element when the filling component is in its filling position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising a fluid container and a filling device for the fluid container of a vehicle, the fluid container comprising at least:
a filler which is motor-driven and is configured to be extended from a rest position to a filling position on the vehicle, and on which a filling opening is provided which is accessible in the filling position for filling the fluid container with fluid; and
a filling opening expander which is adjustable on the filler and defines at least one edge portion on a perimeter of the filling opening when the filler is in its filling position,
wherein, in the filling position of the filler, the filling opening is accessible for filling of fluid irrespective of a position of the filling opening expander on the filler, and the filling opening expander is adjustable to enlarge the perimeter of the filling opening when the filling component filler is in its filling position in order to facilitate filling fluid to the fluid container via the enlarged perimeter of the filling opening, and
wherein the filling opening expander forms a portion of the perimeter of the filling opening of the filler in the rest position, and the filling opening expander is configured such that retraction of the filler from the filling position to the rest position causes the filling opening expander to decrease a size of the perimeter of the filling opening.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the filling opening expander is mechanically adjustable and can automatically be adjusted into an adjustment position on the filler, in which the perimeter of the filling opening is enlarged by the filling opening expander.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the filling opening expander forms a portion of at least one filling slope.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the filling opening expander is mounted displaceably and/or pivotably on the filler.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the filling opening expander is arranged expandably on the filler.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the filler is displaceably guided in a connecting channel in which fluid filled via the filling opening can flow in the direction of the fluid container.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the connecting channel has at least one curved portion.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a rib structure is provided on a casing surface of the connecting channel the rib structure having at least one rib running longitudinally relative to an extension direction of the connecting channel.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the connecting channel is connected to a filling nozzle of the fluid container.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the filling nozzle comprises a separate filling opening for filling the fluid container with fluid.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the filling device further comprises:
a filling nozzle connected to the fluid container; and
a filling component filler connected to a side connecting portion of the filling nozzle,
wherein the filling nozzle has a separate filling opening for filling the fluid container with fluid, so that the fluid container can be filled with fluid at the filling nozzle also independently of the filling component filler.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a connector is provided to which the filler is movably mounted and the filling device is configured in modular fashion such that the connector and the filler form a module configured for connection to a filling nozzle connected to the fluid container.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 12 , wherein control electronics with at least one sensor are provided to control adjustment of the filler from the filling position to the rest position and/or from the rest position to the filling position.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured for a contactless detection of an activation event triggered by a user in order to adjust the filler.

15. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured for analyzing a fill level of the fluid container for controlling an adjustment of the filler.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a connector is provided to which the filler is movably mounted and the filling device is configured in modular fashion such that the connector and the filler form a module configured for connection to a filling nozzle connected to the fluid container.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the filling opening expander is formed by at least one filling funnel.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the filling opening expander is mounted pivotably on the filler.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a rib structure is provided on a casing surface of the connecting channel comprising several ribs running substantially obliquely relative to the extension direction of the connecting channel.

20. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a rib structure is provided on a casing surface of the connecting channel comprising several ribs running transversely relative to the extension direction of the connecting channel.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Hoeppel Michael
• Rienecker Maik
• Herrmann Christian

Classifications

• B60S1/50 Primary

  Arrangement of reservoir · CPC title

• B60S1/481

  the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means (electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488) · CPC title

• F16L27/12

  allowing substantial longitudinal adjustment or movement (by use of screw-thread F16L15/02) · CPC title