Fuel collection device for a fuel tank in a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862267-B2
Application number	US-201415105324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

In a fuel collection device for a fuel tank in a motor vehicle, a swirl pot is connected, by a catching connection and a locking connection, to a holding element mounted in the fuel tank. The catching connection, along with a supporting element, allows the swirl pot to be secured in a plane. The locking connection retains the swirl pot on the holding element. A sliding element allows the locking connection to be blocked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel collection device for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, the fuel collection device comprising:
a splash pot ( 1 ) configured to collect fuel;
a holding element ( 2 ) fastenable to a bottom of the fuel tank; and
a fastener configured to fasten the splash pot ( 1 ) to the holding element ( 2 ), the fastener having:
(a) a hook-in connection ( 3 ) having at least one hook ( 5 ) and a recess ( 6 ), wherein, for pivoting in of the hook ( 5 ):
the at least one hook ( 5 ) is arranged on the holding element ( 2 ) and the recess ( 6 ) is arranged oppositely on the splash pot ( 1 ), or
the at least one hook ( 5 ) is arranged on the splash pot ( 1 ) and the recess ( 6 ) is arranged oppositely on the holding element ( 2 ), and

(b) a latching connection ( 4 ) arranged so as to lie opposite the hook-in connection ( 3 ) and configured to fix the splash pot ( 1 ) transversely with respect to a mounting direction of the hook-in connection ( 3 ).

2. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hook-in connection ( 3 ) has two recesses ( 6 ) spaced apart from one another, and the hook ( 5 ) comprises two hooks, each hook being configured to penetrate into a respective one of the two recesses ( 6 ).

3. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising a support ( 11 ) arranged between the two recesses ( 6 ), the support ( 11 ) having a width that corresponds to a clearance distance between the two hooks ( 5 ).

4. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising a supporting element ( 10 ) configured to support the splash pot ( 1 ) transversely with respect to the mounting direction of the hook-in connection ( 3 ).

5. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the supporting element ( 10 ) is arranged closer to the latching connection ( 4 ) than to the hook-in connection ( 3 ).

6. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the supporting element ( 10 ) has a centering pin ( 13 ) and an oppositely disposed depression ( 12 ) configured to receive the centering pin ( 13 ) with an accurate fit, wherein:
the centering pin ( 13 ) projects from the holding element ( 2 ) and the splash pot ( 1 ) has the depression ( 12 ) configured to receive the centering pin ( 13 ), or
the centering pin ( 13 ) projects from the splash pot ( 1 ) and the holding element ( 2 ) has the depression ( 12 ) configured to receive the centering pin ( 13 ).

7. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the centering pin ( 13 ) projects perpendicularly from the holding element ( 2 ) and is arranged proximate to the latching connection ( 4 ).

8. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the latching connection ( 4 ) further comprises a spring element arranged on the splash pot ( 1 ), and the holding element ( 2 ) has exclusively fixed components of the latching connection ( 4 ).

9. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the spring element of the latching connection ( 4 ) is configured as a resilient web ( 8 ) integrally formed with the splash pot ( 1 ), and the holding element ( 2 ) has a latching lug ( 7 ) configured to engage behind the resilient web ( 8 ).

10. The fuel collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the splash pot ( 1 ) has a slide ( 9 ) configured to block the latching connection ( 4 ), the slide ( 9 ) being configured such that the slide ( 9 ) is displaceable exclusively when the splash pot ( 1 ) is mounted on the holding element ( 2 ) and the slide ( 9 ) is not displaceable when the splash pot ( 1 ) is not mounted on the holding element ( 2 ).

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Gmbh
• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Gerhardt Marc
• Menzl Peter
• Wellhäuser Markus
• Schneider Tobias
• Heimer Toni

Classifications

• B60K2015/03111

  Swirl pots · CPC title

• B60K2015/0777

  in-tank reservoirs or baffles integrally manufactured with the fuel Tank · CPC title

• B60K2015/03467

  by clip or snap fit fittings · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• B60K15/077 Primary

  with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation · CPC title