A method and apparatus for assembling a tank isolation valve

Abstract

The application discloses an oil tank isolation valve assembling method and equipment, comprising the following steps: S1: fixing the oil tank isolation valve, and placing the spring to be installed in place; S2: the force pressure head is pressed down on the spring, and the pressure value is stopped after reaching the set range, and the current position of the force pressure head is recorded as the pressing position; S3: the plug is adsorbed to the assembling pressure head, and the assembling pressure head is moved to the upper side of the spring; S4: the assembling pressure head is lowered, and the plug is pressed down according to the pressing position recorded by the force pressure head; S5: whether the pressing position of the assembling pressure head is consistent with the pressing position is judged, if consistent, the pressing is completed, and if inconsistent, the equipment is alarmed. The application has the beneficial effects that the assembling mode of first measuring force to determine the pressing position and then pressing the plug according to the determined position can accurately control the spring pre-tightening force after assembling according to the actual characteristics of the spring, effectively improves the consistency and stability of the opening pressure of the oil tank isolation valve, and can better meet the performance requirements of high precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of valve assembly technology, specifically to a method and equipment for assembling an oil tank isolation valve. Background Technology

[0002] The fuel tank isolation valve is a crucial component in an automotive fuel evaporation control system. It is typically installed between the fuel tank and the carbon canister to control the flow of fuel vapor. In existing technology, fuel tank isolation valves mostly employ a normally closed structure, relying on spring force to maintain the valve's closed state. When the pressure inside the fuel tank is within a certain range, the valve remains closed to prevent fuel vapor from being directly released into the atmosphere, thereby reducing evaporative emissions and lessening the workload on the carbon canister.

[0003] However, traditional tank isolation valves suffer from a lack of precise force control during spring assembly, leading to a deviation between the actual and design spring force values. This, in turn, affects the valve's opening pressure stability and sealing performance. Especially with increasingly stringent requirements for the positive pressure range of tank isolation valves, existing technologies struggle to meet high-performance demands in terms of precise spring force control, assembly consistency, and long-term stability.

[0004] Therefore, the installation method for precisely controlling the spring force of the oil tank isolation valve, and improving the stability and controllability of the spring force after assembly, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides...

[0006] Specifically, this invention discloses a method for assembling a fuel tank isolation valve, comprising the following steps: S1: Secure the oil tank isolation valve and place the spring to be installed in place; S2: The pressure head presses down on the spring, and stops when the pressure value reaches the set range. The current position of the pressure head is recorded as the pressing position. S3: Attach the plug to the assembly head, and move the assembly head to the upper side of the spring; S4: Assemble the pressure head and lower it. Press down the plug according to the pressing position recorded by the pressure head so that the plug is connected to the oil tank isolation valve. S5: Determine whether the pressing position of the assembly head is consistent with the pressing position. If they are consistent, the pressing is completed. If they are inconsistent, the equipment alarms.

[0007] Furthermore, before S1, there is S0: measuring the height of the new batch of plugs and adjusting the height of the assembly press head according to the height of the plugs.

[0008] Furthermore, the setting range in S2 is set according to the pressure requirement for opening the oil tank isolation valve.

[0009] Furthermore, an assembly device for an oil tank isolation valve, employing any of the assembly methods described above, includes: a frame and a movable plate, wherein the movable plate is connected to a horizontal moving module and a vertical moving module, and the movable plate is provided with a force measuring head and an assembly head.

[0010] Furthermore, the force measuring head is connected to a pressure sensor.

[0011] Furthermore, the vertical movement module is a lead screw motor module, and the motor is a servo motor.

[0012] Furthermore, a fixed base is provided on the frame, and the fixed base is provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating the oil tank isolation valve.

[0013] Furthermore, the bottom of the assembly head is provided with an adsorption hole, and the adsorption hole is connected to an adsorption channel.

[0014] The advantages of this invention are that, by first measuring the force to determine the press-fit position and then pressing the plug into the predetermined position, the preload force of the assembled spring can be precisely controlled according to the actual characteristics of the spring. This solves the problem of excessive preload deviation caused by the dimensional tolerance of the spring itself in traditional assembly methods, effectively improving the consistency and stability of the opening pressure of the oil tank isolation valve, and better meeting the high-precision performance requirements. At the same time, by adding a plug height calibration step, the dimensional errors of plugs from different batches can be offset, further improving the assembly accuracy and adapting to the stable requirements of mass production. The equipment has a simple structure, clear control logic, and good practicality and scalability. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the oil tank isolation valve assembly method and assembly equipment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the force measuring indenter and the assembled indenter structure of the present invention.

[0017] The reference numerals used in the attached figures are as follows: Spring 1; Fixing base 11; Force measuring head 2; Plug 3; Contact surface 31; Assembled head 4; Pressure sensor 41; Frame 5; Moving plate 51; Horizontal moving module 6; Vertical moving module 7; Height sensor 8. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this invention discloses a method for assembling a fuel tank isolation valve, comprising the following steps: S0: The staff measures the height of the new batch of plugs 3 and adjusts the height of the assembled pressure head 4 according to the height of the plugs 3, so that the contact surface 31 after the plugs 3 are connected to the spring 1 is on the same plane as the bottom surface of the force measuring pressure head 2. Multiple shims of different thicknesses can be prepared and the height of the assembled pressure head can be adjusted by using the shims. S1: Fix the oil tank isolation valve and place the spring 1 to be installed in place; S2: The pressure head 2 presses down on the spring 1. The pressure value stops when it reaches the set range. The current position of the pressure head 2 is recorded as the pressing position. S3: Attach the plug 3 to the assembly head 4, and move the assembly head 4 to the upper side of the spring 1; S4: Assemble the pressure head 4 and lower it. Press down the plug 3 according to the pressing position recorded by the force measuring pressure head 2, so that the plug 3 is connected to the oil tank isolation valve, the spring 1 is connected to the plug, and the end of the plug extends into the spring 1 and is fixed with the spring 1. S5: Determine whether the pressing position of the assembly head 4 is consistent with the pressing position. If they are consistent, the pressing is completed. The staff takes out the pressed product and puts in the product to be pressed for the next processing. If they are inconsistent, the equipment alarms. The staff takes out the product that has not been pressed and checks it, and puts in the new product to be pressed.

[0020] Furthermore, the setting range in S2 is set according to the pressure requirement for opening the oil tank isolation valve. A sealing cover is installed at the end of the spring 1 that extends into the oil tank isolation valve. The sealing cover forms a seal with the channel inside the oil tank isolation valve. When the pressure in the oil tank connected to the oil tank isolation valve is too high, the pressure acts on the sealing cover, and the sealing cover moves downward against the elastic force of the spring 1, opening the channel inside the oil tank isolation valve, thereby releasing the pressure in the oil tank and preventing the danger of excessive oil tank pressure.

[0021] This invention also discloses an assembly device for an oil tank isolation valve, employing any of the assembly methods described above, comprising: a frame 5 and a movable plate 51, the movable plate 51 being connected to a horizontal moving module 6 and a vertical moving module 7, the movable plate 51 being provided with a force measuring head 2 and an assembly head 4, the vertical moving module 7 being a lead screw motor module, the motor being a servo motor, the horizontal moving module 6 being provided with a connecting plate, the horizontal moving module 6 being mounted on the frame and driving the connecting plate to move, the vertical moving module 7 being mounted on the connecting plate, and a height sensor 8 being mounted on the side of the vertical moving module 7, which can be a photoelectric or ultrasonic sensor, to realize the position sensing of the movable plate 51 and transmit the position of the movable plate 51 to the control system, the horizontal moving module being a lead screw motor module.

[0022] Furthermore, the pressure head 2 is connected to a pressure sensor 41, which can be a piezoresistive, strain gauge, capacitive, piezoelectric, or other types of pressure sensor 41.

[0023] Furthermore, a fixed seat 11 is provided on the frame 5. The fixed seat 11 is provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating the oil tank isolation valve. A clamping block can be provided on the fixed seat 11. The clamping block can be driven by a pneumatic cylinder. The clamping block is clamped by the pneumatic cylinder, and the clamping block clamps the entire product, so that the product will not move during the assembly process and ensures accurate installation position.

[0024] Furthermore, the bottom of the assembly head 4 is provided with an adsorption hole, which is connected to an adsorption channel. The adsorption channel is connected to an adsorption tube, which is connected to a vacuum generator. Before pressing, the plug 3 is manually adsorbed onto the assembly head 4, and then the head is pressed down. After pressing down to the position, the vacuum state between the product and the assembly head is broken, and the assembly head rises.

[0025] The working process begins with the manual placement of the oil tank isolation valve onto the fixed base 11. Then, the spring 1 to be assembled is placed inside the oil tank isolation valve. The vertically moving module moves, causing the force measuring head 2 to press down. The force measuring head 2 presses down on the spring 1, measuring the pressure until the pressure value is within the system's set range. At this point, the pressing position of the force measuring head 2 is recorded. Then, the force measuring head 2 moves, and the moving plate 51 moves horizontally, aligning the assembly head with the product. It then moves downwards to the position detected by the force measuring head 2. At this point, one end of the spring 1 connects to the plug 3, and the spring is fitted onto the plug 3. The plug 3 is interference-fitted with the opening of the oil tank isolation valve housing, thus fixing the plug 3 and completing the assembly. The height sensor 8 determines whether the positions of the assembly head 4 and the force measuring head 2 are consistent. If they are consistent, the assembly is complete; otherwise, the equipment alarms. After the alarm, the operator removes the product from the fixed base for inspection and places a new product for the next pressing cycle.

[0026] For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of this invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a fuel tank isolation valve, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Fix the oil tank isolation valve and place the spring (1) to be installed in place; S2: The pressure head (2) presses down on the spring (1). The pressure value stops when it reaches the set range. The current position of the pressure head (2) is recorded as the pressing position. S3: Attach the plug (3) to the assembly head (4) and move the assembly head (4) to the upper side of the spring (1); S4: Assemble the pressure head (4) and lower it. Press down the plug (3) according to the pressing position recorded by the force measuring pressure head (2) so that the plug (3) is connected to the oil tank isolation valve. S5: Determine whether the pressing position of the assembly head (4) is consistent with the pressing position. If they are consistent, the pressing is completed. If they are inconsistent, the equipment alarms.

2. The method for assembling the tank isolation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before S1, there is also S0: measuring the height of the new batch of plugs (3) and adjusting the height of the assembly press head (4) according to the height dimension of the plugs (3).

3. The method for assembling the tank isolation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The setting range in S2 is set according to the pressure requirement for opening the oil tank isolation valve.

4. An assembly device for an oil tank isolation valve, characterized in that, The assembly method described in any one of claims 1-3 includes: a frame (5) and a movable plate (51), wherein the movable plate (51) is connected to a horizontal movable module (6) and a vertical movable module (7), and a force measuring head (2) and an assembly head (4) are provided on the movable plate (51).

5. The oil tank isolation valve assembly equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure head (2) is connected to a pressure sensor (41).

6. The oil tank isolation valve assembly equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The vertical movement module (7) is a lead screw motor module, and the motor is a servo motor.

7. The oil tank isolation valve assembly equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, A fixed seat (11) is provided on the frame (5), and a receiving cavity for accommodating the oil tank isolation valve is provided on the fixed seat (11).

8. The oil tank isolation valve assembly equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bottom of the assembly head (4) is provided with an adsorption hole, and the adsorption hole is connected to an adsorption channel.

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