Suction connecting pipe

Abstract

The invention relates to a suction nozzle for arrangement in a liquid container (2), comprising: a suction tube (8), which has an upper opening (27) and a lower opening (28), at least one lateral passage opening (12) and a fastening section (9) in the region of the lower end; a filter screen (14) which laterally surrounds the suction tube (8) and covers the through-hole (12), and a cover (19) which is fitted onto the suction tube (8), closes an upper opening (27) of the suction tube (8), extends laterally at a distance from the suction tube (8), covers the filter screen (14) towards the fastening section (9), and terminates before reaching the fastening section.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a suction connection arranged in a liquid container. BACKGROUND

[0002] Such suction connections are generally applied in liquid containers, through which a liquid contained in the liquid container is sucked off. An example of an application is an oil sump, in which a liquid, in this case oil, is contained. The oil sump is for example part of a power device or a transmission mechanism or an oil tank. In the oil sump a corresponding suction connection is arranged, through which the oil is sucked off. An example of such a suction connection is given in GB 23 05 467 A. Therein an oil sump of an internal combustion engine is described, in which oil is contained which is circulated. In the oil sump a suction connection is provided, which comprises a suction tube which is open at a lower end. The suction tube is surrounded by a cylindrical tube piece which is open at an upper end and at a lower end. The suction tube as well as the tube piece are in the assembled position below the oil level, so that the tube is filled with oil. The open lower end of the suction tube is provided with a filter screen, through which possible particles can be blocked. In operation, oil is sucked from below via the suction tube into the housing and is extracted. Another example of a device for sucking off oil from an oil sump can be found in document KR 1003735372 B1. Therein a convexly shaped filter screen is arranged in the oil sump, which is filled with oil. A suction tube leads into the filter screen from above, so that oil can be sucked off from the oil sump of the oil sump by means of an oil pump provided for this purpose. SUMMARY

[0003] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved suction connection.

[0004] In order to solve this problem, according to the invention a suction connection for arrangement in a liquid container is provided, which suction connection comprises:

[0005] - a suction tube having an upper opening and a lower opening, at least one lateral through hole and a fixing section in the region of a lower end,

[0006] - a filter screen / sieve surrounding the suction tube laterally, covering the through holes, and

[0007] - a cover jacket which is slipped over the suction tube, which cover jacket closes the upper opening of the suction tube and extends laterally spaced apart from the suction tube, covering the filter screen, towards the fixing section and terminates before reaching the fixing section.

[0008] The suction connection according to the application essentially comprises three components, namely a suction tube, a filter screen arranged at the suction tube and a cover which is fitted onto the suction tube. The suction tube itself has an upper opening and a lower opening, i.e. the suction tube is through-going. Furthermore, the suction tube has at least one lateral opening, i.e. the wall of the suction tube is through-going at at least one point and thus the interior of the suction tube can communicate with the outside. In the region of the lower end of the suction tube a fixing section is arranged, by means of which the suction tube and thus the entire suction connection is fitted into a corresponding fixing receptacle or discharge opening of a liquid container, for example an oil sump. Furthermore, a filter screen is provided at the suction tube, which filter screen laterally surrounds the suction tube such that at least one through-going hole is covered by the filter screen. Small particles which can reach the filter screen are intercepted by the filter screen. Finally, a cover is fitted onto the suction tube from above, such that the upper opening is closed by the cover and thus the suction tube is only open on the underside, with the exception of the at least one lateral through-going hole. The cover extends laterally spaced apart from the suction tube up to the fixing section. The cover is spaced apart from the filter screen and covers the filter screen and is terminated spaced apart from the fixing section.

[0009] In the fitted position, when the suction connection is fitted in the liquid container or at the fixing receptacle thereof, for example at an oil sump, the cover terminates slightly above the bottom of the oil sump, i.e. there is a small spacing of a few millimetres to for example 1 cm or slightly more, depending on the dimensions. The filter screen and the at least one through-going hole are located in the region of the upper half of the suction tube, i.e. axially or vertically spaced apart from the lower end of the cover and thus from the annular gap through which the interior of the cover communicates with the interior of the oil sump and through which oil is sucked. If oil is sucked, the oil firstly passes through the annular gap towards the interior of the cover and is sucked upwards, where the oil on the one hand substantially fills the cover volume and on the other hand falls through the filter screen and through the through-going hole into the interior of the suction tube, from which interior the oil is drawn downwards.

[0010] The suction connection according to the application allows the liquid to be sucked directly in the vicinity of the bottom, i.e. through the narrow annular gap between the end of the cover and the bottom of the liquid container. Possible dirt particles are already retained in this entry region to the cover, i.e. are not sucked upwards at all, so that the filter screen is not clogged by dirt particles. If nevertheless some dirt particles are individually sucked upwards, these are intercepted by the filter screen, from which they can fall back down again when the suction pressure is no longer present. The suction connection according to the application is therefore particularly suitable, but not exclusively, for dry sumps, since possible dirt particles only collect at the lower end of the suction connection, i.e. in the region of the bottom of the liquid container, and cannot reach the filter screen and also do not clog the filter screen.

[0011] The suction tube, the filter screen and the cover are preferably cylindrical, which simplifies the manufacture. It is likewise conceivable for these elements to have for example a quadrangular cross-section.

[0012] Preferably, a plurality of lateral through-holes are arranged distributed around the circumference of the suction tube, which through-holes are covered by the filter screen. In particular in the case of a cylindrical design, a cylindrical volume space is formed in the interior of the cover, which is directed towards the filter screen or towards the suction tube, so that the oil drawn is directed from all directions towards the filter screen and to the suction tube. The more through-holes are implemented here, the greater the volume of liquid drawn and delivered. The through-holes are preferably arranged distributed symmetrically around the circumference or tube side.

[0013] In an improvement of the application, the filter screen covering one or more through-holes can have a carrier frame, on which the filter screen cloth is arranged, the filter screen being spaced apart from the suction tube by the carrier frame. The carrier frame serves to hold the filter screen cloth, which generates the actual filtering action, wherein the term "filter screen cloth" is to be understood as any open-structured structure, which on the one hand allows the passage of liquid, but on the other hand also intercepts dirt particles of at least a certain size, if necessary. The carrier frame furthermore serves to arrange the filter screen on the suction tube, that is to say, for example, in the case of a suction connection designed as a cylinder, the carrier frame is likewise cylindrical. For example, the carrier frame has an upper flange and a lower flange, which in the assembled position abut against the suction tube, and the upper flange and the lower flange are connected by a respective vertical web, wherein the filter screen cloth is received in a window or similar structure formed thereby.

[0014] In order to fix the filter screen or the carrier frame on the suction tube, the suction tube can have a laterally protruding flange, on which the lower end of the carrier frame rests. The carrier frame can for example abut axially with the lower flange on an annular flange formed on the suction tube. This makes it possible to arrange the filter screen on the suction tube in a simple manner, since the filter screen only has to be slipped onto the suction tube.

[0015] As mentioned above, the cover is also slipped over the suction tube from above, like the filter screen. Here, the cover preferably abuts in the mounted position at the upper end of the carrier frame, so that the carrier frame is fixed between the cover and the flange, if necessary also slightly clamped. A reliable fixing of the filter screen is thereby achieved by receiving and fixing the filter screen between the flange and the cover. If the cover is for example made of plastic, that is to say a material which has a certain elasticity, it is thereby also possible to establish a certain clamping force after the cover has been slipped on, by means of which the filter screen is clamped between the cover and the flange on the suction tube side.

[0016] In order to secure the cover sufficiently firmly on the upper end of the suction tube, a tube-side catch section can be provided in the region of the upper end of the suction tube, with which the cover is secured using a cover-side catch section. If the cover is fitted after the filter screen, the cover is caught in the suction tube by the mutual catching of the tube-side catch section and the cover-side catch section as the cover reaches its end position. In this catch position, the filter screen is also automatically secured accordingly.

[0017] Here, the tube-side catch section can have a preferably circumferential, laterally projecting catch projection, and the cover-side catch section can have a preferably circumferential catch receptacle, or vice versa. A sufficiently stable catch connection or clamping connection can thus be achieved in a simple manner.

[0018] The cover-side catch section can be embodied in the form of a catch flange which extends in the longitudinal direction of the cover and surrounds the suction tube. A catch receptacle is formed on the inner side of this catch flange which receives the upper end of the suction tube, or in an alternative design a catch projection is formed. The axial length of the catch flange is so dimensioned that in the catch position the catch flange acts on the carrier frame and secures this carrier frame relative to the flange of the suction tube.

[0019] As described above, the securing of the suction tube is achieved by means of a securing section provided at the lower end. This securing section can have at least one laterally open slot in which a laterally projecting sealing element, for example a simple sealing ring, is received. A radial sealing of the fixed receiving or discharge opening of the liquid container is achieved by means of this sealing element, wherein the sealing is achieved by simply inserting the securing section into the fixed receiving or discharge opening.

[0020] In addition to the suction tube itself, the invention also relates to a liquid container which comprises a container body which has a receiving space for a liquid, wherein the container body has a bottom at which a discharge opening for the liquid located in the receiving space is provided, and the liquid container also has a suction tube of the aforementioned type arranged in the container body, which is sealingly received in the discharge opening using a securing section, wherein a cover is arranged spaced apart from the bottom using its lower end. Depending on the dimensions, the spacing of the lower end of the cover to the bottom is very small as described, in the range of a few millimetres to for example 1 cm or slightly more.

[0021] The container body is for example an oil sump of a power device, a transmission mechanism or a clutch device, the application of which is not limited thereto.

[0022] Finally, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle which has at least one liquid container of the type described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] Further advantages and details of the application result from the embodiments described below and from the figures.

[0024] Figure 1 A suction connection according to the application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Figure 1 A suction connection 1 according to the application is shown as part of a liquid container 2 according to the application, which comprises a container body 3, for example in the form of a tank, which comprises a bottom 4 with a discharge opening 5 into which the suction connection 1 is inserted. The liquid container 2 contains a liquid 6, for example oil, which is filled up to a level 7 and can be output via the discharge opening 5.

[0026] The suction connection 1, which is cylindrical here, comprises a cylindrical suction pipe 8, for example made of metal, which has an upper opening 27 and a lower opening 28. The suction pipe 8 has a fixing section 9 at which an annular groove 10 is provided in which a sealing element 11, for example a simple sealing ring, is received. When the fixing section 9 of the suction connection 1 is inserted into the discharge opening 5, the sealing element seals radially against the likewise cylindrical fixing receptacle 5. Furthermore, the suction pipe 8 has a plurality of circumferentially distributed, lateral and preferably likewise sized through-holes 12 in the region of its upper half. Furthermore, an annular flange 13 is provided, which lies in the middle region of the suction pipe 8 and projects radially laterally.

[0027] Furthermore, a filter screen 14 is provided, which is also cylindrical like the suction pipe 8. The filter screen comprises a carrier frame 15 in which or at which a filter screen cloth 16 is received. The filter screen 14 surrounds the suction pipe 8 in the upper region, so that the filter screen cloth 16 covers all through-holes 12. The carrier frame 15 itself has a lower annular flange 17 and an upper annular flange 18, wherein, in the assembled position, the lower flange 17 of the carrier frame lies on the pipe-side flange 13. The carrier frame 15 can likewise be made of metal, but a production from plastic is also conceivable. The filter screen cloth 16 can be a metal cloth, but a production from plastic is also conceivable.

[0028] Finally, there is also a cover 19, which can likewise be made of metal or plastic. The cover 19 is fitted from above on the suction tube 8 and has a cover section 20 with which the upper end of the suction tube 8 is closed. At the cover section 20, there is an annular latching flange 21 which extends in the axial direction and receives the upper end of the suction tube 8. On the inner periphery of the latching flange 21, there is a latching element 22 in the form of a groove here. In the region opposite, of the suction tube 8, there is a further latching element 23 in the form of a lateral projection here which is annular. In the fitted position, the latching element 23 of the suction tube 8 is latched into the latching element 22 of the latching flange 21, whereby a secure fixing of the cover 19 on the suction tube 8 is achieved. The axial length of the latching flange 21 is dimensioned such that it rests against the upper flange 18 of the carrier frame 15, so that the carrier frame is fixed between the flange 21 and the flange 13 of the suction tube 8 and is preferably clamped slightly axially.

[0029] Furthermore, the cover 19 has a cylindrical wall section 24 which radially surrounds the suction tube 8 and the filter screen 14 and is spaced apart therefrom. The lower end of the cover 19 ends above the bottom 4 in the vicinity thereof, so that an annular gap 25 is formed which has only a very small gap width h. The liquid 6 is sucked in operation through the annular gap 25. This is the only point at which the liquid 6 can enter the interior of the cover 19 and thus reach the filter screen 14 and enter the suction tube 8.

[0030] In operation, a suction pressure is applied by a liquid pump which is not shown in detail, by means of which the liquid 6 is sucked through the annular gap 25 into the interior of the cover 19, as indicated by the arrow Pl. The liquid is sucked upwards and fills the cover volume. The liquid reaches the filter screen 14 and, as indicated by the arrow P2, passes through the filter screen to the through-passage hole 12. The liquid then flows through the through-passage hole into the interior of the suction tube 8 and flows downwards (see arrow P3) and finally leaves the suction tube 8 via the discharge opening 5. Possible dirt particles 26 accumulate in the region of the annular gap 25 and thus on the bottom, as shown. The dirt particles are not sucked upwards together, i.e. do not reach the filter screen 14, so that the filter screen is not thereby clogged. If, despite this, individual dirt particles are nevertheless sucked upwards, the particles are intercepted by the filter screen 14 in any case and do not enter the suction tube 8.

Claims

1. A suction spout for arrangement in a liquid container (2), comprising: - a suction tube (8) having an upper opening (27) and a lower opening (28), at least one lateral through-opening (12), and a fixing section (9) in the region of the lower end, - a filter screen (14) laterally surrounding the suction tube (8) and covering the through-opening (12), and - a cover (19) which is fitted onto the suction tube (8), which cover closes the upper opening (27) of the suction tube (8) and extends laterally spaced apart from the suction tube (8) covering the filter screen (14) towards the fixing section (9) and terminates before reaching the fixing section.

2. The suction spout as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the suction tube (8), the filter screen (14) and the cover (19) are cylindrical.

3. The suction spout as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of lateral through-openings (12) are arranged distributed around the circumference of the suction tube (8), which through-openings are covered by the filter screen (14).

4. The suction spout as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter screen (14) has a carrier frame (15) which bears against the suction tube (8), on which carrier frame a filter screen gauze (16) is arranged, which is spaced apart from the suction tube (8) by the carrier frame (15).

5. The suction spout as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a laterally projecting flange (13) is provided at the suction tube (8), one end of the carrier frame (15) being supported on the flange.

6. The suction spout as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the cover (19) bears against the upper end of the carrier frame (15), so that the carrier frame (15) is fixed between the cover (19) and the flange (13).

7. The suction spout as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tube-side latching section (23) is provided in the region of the upper end of the suction tube, the cover (19) being fixed at the tube-side latching section with a cover-side latching section (22).

8. The suction spout as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the tube-side latching section (23) has a preferably circumferential, laterally projecting latching projection, and the cover-side latching section (22) has a preferably circumferential latching receptacle, or vice versa.

9. The suction spout as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the cover-side latching section (22) is embodied in the form of a latching flange (21) which surrounds the suction tube (8) and extends in the longitudinal direction of the cover (19).

10. The suction spout as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing section (9) has at least one laterally open slot (10) in which a laterally projecting sealing element (11) is received. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11. A liquid container, the liquid container comprising: A container body (3) having a receiving space for a liquid (6), wherein the container body (3) has a bottom (4) at which a discharge opening (5) for the liquid (6) located in the receiving space is provided, and a suction connection (1) according to any one of the preceding claims arranged in the container body (3), which is sealingly received in the discharge opening (5) with the fixing section (9), wherein the cover (19) is arranged spaced apart from the bottom (4) with the lower end of the cover.

12. Liquid container according to claim 11, characterized in that The container body (3) is an oil sump of a power device, a transmission or a clutch device.

13. Motor vehicle having at least one liquid container (2) according to claim 11 or 12.

Images