Liquid level detecting device with arm fixing portion having holding groove for receiving float arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018348043-A1
Application number	US-201815982314-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A liquid level detecting device includes a sensor housing, a holder, an arm fixing portion provided in the holder, a float arm, a float, a magnet provided in the holder, and a Hall element. The arm fixing portion includes a lock hole configured to receive a lock end portion of the float arm, a holding portion having a holding groove, and a retaining portion having a claw. The holding portion has a holding piece that extends parallel with a front surface of the holder and thereby forms the holding groove. The holding piece has a holding projection that projects toward the front surface of the holder so that a projection length of the holding projection increases gradually as the holding piece goes away from the lock hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A liquid level detecting device comprising:
a sensor housing; a holder which is held rotatably by the sensor housing; an arm fixing portion provided in the holder; a float arm which has a base portion fixed to the holder by the arm fixing portion; a float which is attached to a tip portion of the float arm and varies in position following a surface level of liquid stored in a tank; a magnet provided in the holder; and a Hall element which is provided in the sensor housing and detects a displacement of the magnet of the holder, wherein the arm fixing portion comprises:
a lock hole configured to receive a lock end portion of the float arm, the lock end portion having a bending shape;
a holding portion having a holding groove configured to receive the float arm; and
a retaining portion having a claw configured to lock on a circumferential surface of the float arm that is fitted in the holding groove;
wherein the holding portion has a holding piece that extends parallel with a front surface of the holder and thereby forms the holding groove; and wherein the holding piece has a holding projection that projects toward the front surface of the holder so that a projection length of the holding projection increases gradually as the holding piece goes away from the lock hole.

2 . The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding projection has a holding surface that is inclined so as to come closer to the front surface of the holder as the holding projection goes toward an opening of the holding groove.

3 . The liquid level detecting device according to claim 2 , wherein the holding surface is inclined so that a projection length of the holding surface in a direction of a rotation axis of the holder increases as the holding surface goes toward the opening of the holding groove.

4 . The liquid level detecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the holding projection has a guide surface which is adjacent to the holding surface and which is arranged closer to the opening of the holding groove than the holding surface; and
wherein the guide surface is inclined so that a projection length of the guide surface in the direction of the rotation axis of the holder decreases as the guide surface goes toward the opening of the holding groove.

5 . The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the lock portion extends from the holder so as to have a flexible cantilever arm structure.

6 . The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the tank is a fuel tank installed in a vehicle for storing fuel as the liquid, and the liquid level detecting device is used for detecting a surface level of the fuel in the fuel tank.

Assignees

• Yazaki Corp

Inventors

• Kato Shinpei
• Nakajima Shintaro

Classifications

• G01F23/38 Primary

  using magnetically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G01F23/56 Primary

  using elements rigidly fixed to, and rectilinearly moving with, the floats as transmission elements · CPC title

• G01D5/145

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title