Cable support structure

Abstract

Cable holding structure for holding electrical cables (57; 70) connecting an electrical device (47; 49) to an electrical connection (28), wherein the electrical device (45; 49) is arranged inside a fuel tank (12), the electrical connection (28) is arranged on a closure element (14) designed to close an opening (21) of the fuel tank (12), and the electrical connection (28) is designed to be electrically connected to an external device in which the conductor holding structure includes a holding element (84) that defines a holding space (99) for holding the electrical conductors (57; 70); the holding space (99) has a longitudinal direction, so that the electrical conductors (57; 70) can move along the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99); the retaining element (84) further defines an insertion passage (101); the insertion passage (101) has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end being connected to an inlet opening (97) of the holding space (99) and the second end being open as an insertion inlet opening (101a); the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99) corresponds to the depth direction of the fuel tank (12); the insertion passage (101) is designed such that the insertion direction of the guide lines (57; 70) along the insertion passage (101) differs from the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99); the retaining element (84) further comprises a first guide element (95) which can slidably touch an open edge (21a) of the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12) when the retaining element (84) passes through the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12); the retaining element (84) further comprises a hook area (93) which is suitable for elastic movement to open and close an inlet opening (97); the electrical leads (57; 70) can be inserted into the holding space (99) via the inlet opening (97) when the hook area (93) moves in a first direction; and the elastic deformation of the hook area (93) in a second direction opposite to the first direction is limited by contact with the first guide element (95).

Description

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority from JP 2016 - 208 554 A, filed on October 25, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0002] The present invention relates to a wire holding structure for holding electrical wires that electrically connect an electrical device disposed within a fuel tank to an electrical terminal for connection to an external device.

[0003] A fuel supply device for sucking fuel from the interior of a fuel tank installed on a vehicle, such as an automobile, and for supplying the fuel to an internal combustion engine is known from the prior art. The fuel supply device may generally comprise a fuel pump module, a closure element, and electrical leads. The fuel pump module may be located within the fuel tank and may comprise a fuel pump. The closure element may close an opening of the fuel tank and may have an electrical terminal for connection to an external device. The electrical leads may electrically connect the fuel pump of the fuel pump module to the electrical terminal.It may be necessary or preferable to prevent the electrical wires from vibrating (wobbling) due to vibrations transmitted from the vehicle or the fuel pump. JP 2013-221470 A discloses a known wire holding structure for holding electrical wires. The holding structure disclosed in this prior art includes a restriction member having a wire binding portion for binding the electrical wires.

[0004] The wire binding portion of the wire holding structure of JP 2013-221470 A is configured to tightly bind the electric wires such that the electric wires cannot move or are substantially unable to move. When the fuel tank deforms due to a change in the internal pressure or fuel level of the fuel tank, the relative position between the closure member and the fuel pump module may change, and the distance between the closure member and the pump module may decrease in some cases. In the case of the wire holding structure of JP 2013-221470 A, the decrease in the distance between the closure member and the pump module may result in curvature (bending) of the electric wires around the wire binding portion as a center of rotation. Consequently, a load may be applied to the tightly bound portions of the electric wires or near the tightly bound portions.In extreme cases, the sheaths of the cables may be damaged. Furthermore, in the case where the cable binding area has a pin-holding shape, as shown in . Fig. As disclosed in JP 2013-221470 A, the lines bend around the line binding area in such a way that they move away from the line binding area when the closure element and the fuel pump module move toward each other. Further fuel supply devices with electrical connection devices are known from DE 10 2006 000 421 A1 and DE 10 2011 082 418 A1.

[0005] Accordingly, there was a need in the art for a wire retention structure that prevents possible damage and / or removal of electrical wires that electrically connect an electrical device disposed within a fuel tank to an electrical terminal disposed on a closure member.

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a wire holding structure holds electrical wires that electrically connect an electrical device to an electrical terminal. The electrical device is arranged within a fuel tank. The electrical terminal is arranged on a closure member configured to close an opening of the fuel tank. The electrical terminal is configured to be electrically connected to an external device. For example, the electrical device may be a fuel pump or a transmission meter. The external device may be a battery or a control device. Thus, the electrical wires may be power wires or signal wires. The wire holding structure has a holding member defining a holding space for holding the electrical wires.The holding space has a longitudinal direction so that the electrical cables can move along the longitudinal direction of the holding space.

[0007] In this aspect of the present invention, when the internal pressure or fuel level within the fuel tank changes to cause deformation of the fuel tank, the relative position between the closure member and the electrical device may change. However, the holding member holds the electrical wires such that the electrical wires can move along the longitudinal direction of the holding space. Consequently, the electrical wires can move along the longitudinal direction of the holding space in accordance with the change in the relative position between the closure member and the electrical device resulting from the deformation of the fuel tank. Consequently, it is possible to prevent excessive deformation of the electrical wires and reduce the load applied to the electrical wires due to the deformation.As a result, it is possible to prevent possible damage to the electrical wires and to prevent accidental removal of the electrical wires from the holding element.

[0008] The holding element further defines an insertion passage. The insertion passage has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end communicates with an inlet opening of the holding space. The second end is open as an insertion opening. The longitudinal direction of the holding space corresponds to the depth direction of the fuel tank. The insertion passage is formed such that an insertion direction of the electrical wires along the insertion passage differs from the longitudinal direction of the holding space.

[0009] With this arrangement, because the insertion direction of the electrical wires along the insertion passage differs from the longitudinal direction of the holding space, it is possible to prevent the electrical wires from returning from the holding space into the insertion passage. Consequently, by distinguishing the insertion direction from the longitudinal direction, it is possible to effectively prevent the electrical wires from deviating from the holding member.

[0010] The holding member further includes a first guide member that slidably contacts an open edge of the opening of the fuel tank when the holding member passes through the opening of the fuel tank.

[0011] With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent the retaining element from getting caught or caught on the open edge of the fuel tank opening. Consequently, the retaining element can be smoothly inserted into the fuel tank and it is possible to protect the retaining element from any damage.

[0012] The retaining element may further comprise a wall portion (hook portion) defining one side of the retaining space and arranged along a first side of the insertion passage. The first guide element is arranged along a second side of the insertion passage opposite the first side. The insertion passage is defined between the wall portion (hook portion) and the first guide element.

[0013] With this arrangement, it is possible to insert the electrical cables easily into the holding space via the insertion passage.

[0014] The holding element further includes an elastically deformable portion (hook portion) that can be elastically moved to open and close the inlet opening of the holding space. The electrical wires can be inserted into the holding space via the inlet opening when the elastically deformable portion (hook portion) moves in a first direction. The elastic deformation of the elastically deformable portion (hook portion) in a second direction opposite to the first direction is restricted by contact with the first guide element.

[0015] With this arrangement, because the elastic deformation of the elastically deformable portion (hook portion) in the second direction is restricted by contact with the first guide member, it is possible to reliably prevent the electrical wires from returning from the holding space into the insertion passage. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent any possible removal of the electrical wires from the holding member.

[0016] The holding element can be arranged on a connecting element which is designed to connect the electrical device and the closure element to one another.

[0017] The connecting element may include a second guide element (protrusion) that can slidably contact the open edge of the fuel tank opening when the connecting element passes through the fuel tank opening. The second guide element (protrusion) is arranged such that the retaining element does not contact the open edge of the fuel tank opening when both the first and second guide elements (protrusions) slidably contact the open edge of the opening.

[0018] With this arrangement, it is possible to reliably prevent the retaining element from getting caught or caught on the open edge of the fuel tank opening. As a result, the retaining element can be inserted into the fuel tank even more smoothly, and it is possible to further reliably protect the retaining element from possible damage.

[0019] Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood after reading the following detailed description together with the claims and the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fuel supply device according to a representative embodiment; Fig. Fig. 2 is a front view of the fuel supply device, showing the state where the fuel supply device has been mounted within a fuel tank; Fig. 3 is a right side view of the fuel supply device; Fig. Figure 4 is a plan view of the fuel supply device, with some parts of the same shown in a cross-sectional view; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an area around a retaining element of the fuel supply device; Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a connecting device of the fuel supply device; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the retaining member as viewed from an oblique right and rear side; Fig. Figure 8 is a front view of the retaining element; Fig. 9 is a left side view of the retaining element; Fig. 10 is a right side view of the retaining element; Fig. 11 is a plan view of the retaining element; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII-XII in Fig. 10 is included; and Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in Fig. 12 is recorded.

[0020] A representative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. A pipe support structure according to the representative embodiment is suitably applied to a fuel supply device that supplies fuel stored within a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine installed on a vehicle such as an automobile. Arrows depicted in the drawings indicate front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower directions with respect to the fuel supply device. The upper and lower directions coincide with the direction of gravity acting on the fuel supply device, that is, the vertical direction, in a state where the fuel supply device is installed on the vehicle.The front, back, left, and right directions are relative directions defined with respect to the top and bottom directions, but are not intended to represent any specific direction as such.

[0021] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, a fuel supply device 10 may be disposed within a fuel tank 12. The fuel supply device 10 may generally include a flange unit 14, a pump unit 16, and a connecting element 18. The flange unit 14 may serve as a closure element, and the pump unit 16 may serve as a fuel pump module.

[0022] The fuel tank 12 may be made of resin and may be configured as a hollow container for storing a liquid fuel, such as gasoline. The fuel tank 12 includes a top wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and a side wall (not shown) connecting the top wall 20 and the bottom wall 22. The top wall 20 and the bottom wall 22 extend substantially in a horizontal direction. The fuel tank 12 may deform to change a relative position, i.e., a distance, between the top wall 20 and the bottom wall 22 due to a change in the pressure or fuel level within the fuel tank 12. In other words, the fuel tank 12 may expand or contract to widen or reduce the distance between the top wall 20 and the bottom wall 22.

[0023] The flange unit 14 may also be made of a resin and may include a circular disk-shaped flange body 24. The flange unit 14 is attached to the top wall 20 of the fuel tank 12 to close an opening 21 formed in the top wall 20.

[0024] As in Fig. 1, a drain port 26, an electrical terminal 28, a reservoir 30, etc. may be assembled with the flange body 24. Although not shown in the drawings, a fuel supply line may be connected to the drain port 26 at a position on the top of the flange unit 14 for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine (not shown) of the vehicle. Further, although not shown in the drawings, an external terminal may be connected to the electrical terminal 28 for electrically connecting the electrical terminal 28 to a vehicle battery and a control circuit (ECU) (not shown). Thus, the vehicle battery and the control circuit serve as external devices electrically connected to the electrical terminal 28.

[0025] The container 30 may have a hollow container shape that protrudes downward from the rear portion of the flange body 24. More specifically, the container 30 may have a semi-cylindrical tubular peripheral wall 31 coaxial with the flange body 24, a lower closure portion 32 that closes the open bottom of the peripheral wall 31, and an upper closure portion 33 that closes the open top of the peripheral wall 31. As shown in Fig. 4, a pair of left and right slide rails 35 are formed on the front surface of the peripheral wall 31. The left and right slide rails 35 extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the Fig. 4) along straight lines. A hook member 37, shaped like a pin holder, is formed on the right upper portion of the front surface of the peripheral wall 31. An adsorbent, such as activated carbon (not shown), may be contained in the interior of the canister 30 for adsorbing fuel vapor that may be generated in the fuel tank 12.

[0026] An evaporation port 39, an atmosphere port 40, and a purge port 41 are formed on the upper closure portion 33 of the canister 30 and communicate with the interior of the canister 30. Fuel vapor discharged from the interior of the fuel tank 12 can flow into the canister 30 via the evaporation port 39. Atmospheric air can flow into the canister 30 via the atmosphere port 40 during desorption of fuel vapor adsorbed by the adsorbent of the canister 30. The desorbed fuel vapor can be discharged from the canister 30 via the purge port 41. The fuel vapor discharged from the purge port 41 can be discharged into an intake air passage of the engine.

[0027] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the pump unit 16 may include a sub-tank 43, a fuel pump 45, a fuel filter 47, and a transmission meter 49. The sub-tank 43 may be made of resin and has a lower arranged tubular shape. A pair of left and right slide rails 51 are formed on the rear surface of the sub-tank 43. The left and right slide rails 51 extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the Fig. 4) along straight lines. In the following description, the slide rails 35 of the flange unit 14 are also referred to as rear slide rails 35, and the slide rails 51 of the sub-tank 43 are also referred to as front slide rails 51. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the subtank 43 may be placed on top of the upper surface of the lower wall 22 of the fuel tank 12.

[0028] The fuel pump 45 may include an electric motor and a rotary pumping device disposed within a pump housing of the fuel pump 45. The rotary pumping device includes a rotating element, such as an impeller, that is rotatably driven by the electric motor. The fuel pump 45 is configured as an in-tank type fuel pump and is disposed within the sub-tank 42 for pumping fuel from within the sub-tank 43 and discharging the fuel under pressure. A suction filter 53 can remove foreign matter that may be contained in the fuel before the fuel is drawn into the fuel pump 45.

[0029] As in Fig. 3, a jet pump 55 is arranged at the lower end portion of the right side surface of the sub-tank 43. The jet pump 55 can be actuated by the pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 45 (see Fig. 4) and can transfer the fuel from the interior of the fuel tank 12 into the sub-tank 43.

[0030] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the fuel filter 47 has a substantially cylindrical tubular shape and is arranged with its axial direction aligned in the vertical direction. The fuel pump 45 is arranged within the hollow space of the fuel filter 47 so that its axial direction is aligned in the vertical direction. One end of each of the two flexible electric lead wires (electrical wires) 57 is electrically connected to the fuel pump 45 at a position of an upper opening 47a of the fuel filter 47. The other end of each of the two electric lead wires 57 is electrically connected to the electrical terminal 28 at a position on the lower side of the flange unit 14 (see Fig. 3). The electrical power supplied from the vehicle battery to the electrical terminal 28 can also be supplied to the fuel pump 45 via the two electrical lead wires 57. In this way, the fuel pump 45 serves as an electrical device electrically connected to the electrical terminal 28 via the two electrical lead wires 57 for receiving a supply of electrical power from the vehicle battery via the electrical terminal 28.

[0031] The fuel filter 47 can also remove foreign matter from the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 45. After leaving the fuel filter 47, the fuel can be discharged from a discharge port 61 via a pressure regulator 59. The pressure regulator 59 can regulate the pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 45 to a predetermined pressure before the fuel is discharged from the discharge port 61. After regulating the fuel pressure, the excess fuel can be discharged from the pressure regulator 59 into the sub-tank 43.

[0032] One end of a fuel line 63 is connected to the drain port 61. The fuel line 63 may be a corrugated tube made of resin. The other end of the fuel line 63 is connected to the drain port 26 at a position on the lower side of the flange unit 14 (see Fig. 2). The fuel drained from the pump unit 16 can be conveyed to the drain port 26 via the fuel line 63.

[0033] The transmitter meter 49 can detect the level of fuel stored in the fuel tank 12 and can serve as a fuel level detecting device. As shown in Fig. As shown in Fig. 3, a gauge body 65 of the transmission gauge 49 is attached to the upper portion of the right-side peripheral surface of a peripheral wall of the sub-tank 43. An arm 66 is vertically pivotally mounted on the gauge body 65. A float 67 is attached to the protruding end of the arm 66 and can float on the surface of the fuel stored in the fuel tank 12, so that the float 67 can move up and down in accordance with a change in the fuel level.

[0034] One end of each of the three flexible lead wires (electrical wires) 70 is electrically connected to the gauge body 65. The other end of each of the lead wires 70 is electrically connected to the electrical terminal 28 on the lower side of the flange unit 14. For example, two of the lead wires 70 can serve as power lines through which the electrical power supplied from the vehicle battery to the electrical terminal 28 is supplied to the transmitter gauge 49. One of the lead wires 70 can serve as a signal line for transmitting a fuel level signal from the transmitter gauge 49 to the electrical terminal 28. The fuel level signal can then be further transmitted from the electrical terminal 28 to the control circuit (ECU). The lead wires 70 can have a smaller diameter than the lead wires 57.In this manner, the transmitter meter 49 also serves as an electrical device electrically connected to the electrical terminal 28 via the three electrical lead wires 70 for receiving a supply of electrical energy from the vehicle battery via the electrical terminal 28 and for transmitting the fuel level signal to the control circuit.

[0035] The connecting member 18 is arranged between the container 30 of the flange unit 14 and the sub-tank 43 of the pump unit 16. The connecting member 18 may be made of resin and may have a substantially flat band plate shape that is elongated in the vertical direction and has a thickness in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Fig. 6. A front pair of left and right rail grooves 72 and a rear pair of left and right rail grooves 74 are formed in the left and right side portions of the connecting member 18. Each of the rail grooves 72 and 74 defines a left- or right-facing U-shaped groove that extends vertically along a straight line. The left and right rail grooves 72 are oriented opposite to each other. Similarly, the left and right rail grooves 74 are also oriented opposite to each other. The front pair of left and right rail grooves 72 are also referred to as front rail grooves 72, and the pair of left and right rail grooves 74 are also referred to as rear rail grooves 74. The rear rail grooves 74 are arranged such that they are offset to the left by a predetermined distance relative to the front rail grooves 72.

[0036] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the front slide rails 51 of the sub-tank 43 engage the front rail grooves 72 such that the front slide rails 51 can slide vertically within a predetermined range. Similarly, the rear slide rails 35 of the flange unit 14 engage the rear rail grooves 74 such that the rear slide rails 35 can slide vertically within a predetermined range. Preferably, a metallic retainer 76 may be left between each of the slide rails 51 and 35 and the corresponding rail groove 72 or 74 to improve the slidability between them.

[0037] In this way, the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 are connected to each other via the connecting element 18 such that the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 can move vertically relative to each other within a predetermined range (see Fig. 3). Consequently, when the distance between the upper wall 20 and the lower wall 22 of the fuel tank 12 changes due to a change in the internal pressure or fuel level of the fuel tank 12, the relative position between the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 can change appropriately with the change in the distance between the upper wall 20 and the lower wall 22. Consequently, the fuel tank 12, the flange unit 14, the sub-tank 43, etc., do not receive excessive forces.

[0038] The length of the two guide lines 57 for the fuel pump 45, the length of the three guide lines 70 for the transmitter meter 49, and the length of the fuel line 63 for supplying the fuel are each set to be sufficient for the situation in which the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 are positioned furthest apart from each other. For this reason, the guide lines 57 and 70 and the fuel line 63 bend in the originally assembled state (see Fig. 3), and their corresponding curvature amount may increase or decrease in accordance with the change in the distance between the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16.

[0039] As in Fig. 6, a U-shaped recess 78 is formed in the upper end surface of the connecting member 18. A cylindrical tubular guide rod 80 is attached to the top of the upper surface of the U-shaped recess 78 and extends vertically upward therefrom.

[0040] As in Fig. 2, a spring 82, which may be a compression coil spring, is mounted on the guide rod 80 (see Fig. 4). The upper end of the spring 82 contacts the lower surface of the flange unit 14, and the lower end of the spring contacts the top of the upper surface of the U-shaped recess 78. In this way, the spring 82 is arranged between the surfaces of the flange unit 14 and the connecting unit 18, which are directed towards each other in the vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 2. Consequently, the compression of spring 82 exerts a downward biasing force on subtank 43 via connecting member 18. As a result, subtank 43 is elastically pressed and biased downward against the upper surface of bottom wall 22 of fuel tank 12, regardless of any change in the distance between flange unit 14 and pump unit 16.

[0041] In order to prevent the guide lines 57 and 70 from vibrating or wobbling as a result of vibrations of the vehicle or the pump unit 16, the guide lines 57 and 70 are held together by the hook element 37 of the flange unit 14 (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). More precisely, portions of the guide lines 57 and 70 are held immobile by the hook element 37.

[0042] Furthermore, as in Fig. 4, the guide lines 57 and 70 are held together at a position between the fuel pump 45 (and the sending meter 49 (more precisely, the meter body 65)) of the pump unit 16 and the hook member 37 by a holding member 84, which will be described later.

[0043] Next, the operation of the fuel supply device 10 will be briefly described. When electrical power is supplied from the vehicle battery, the fuel pump 45 can be driven. Fuel within the sub-tank 43 is then drawn into the fuel pump 45 through the intake filter 53, thereby pressurizing it. The fuel discharged from the fuel pump 45 is filtered by the fuel filter 47, and the pressure of the discharged fuel is regulated by the pressure regulator 59. The fuel is then delivered to the fuel line 63 and subsequently supplied to the engine via the discharge port 26 of the flange unit 14.

[0044] A line holding structure having the holding member 84 for holding the guide lines 57 and 70 will now be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the holding member 84 is formed on the front surface of a groove wall portion 86, which also forms a front side wall portion of the front rail grooves 72 on the right side, on the right side of the connecting member 18. The holding member 84 is designed to hold the guide lines 57 and 70 such that the guide lines 57 and 70 pass through the holding member 84 from a position obliquely upward on the left side of the holding member 84 to a position obliquely downward on the right side thereof when the guide lines 57 and 70 extend from the side of the pump unit 16 (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 5).

[0045] The location of the support members 84 is selected such that the portions of the guide lines 57 and 70 held by the support member 84 can move in the vertical direction in accordance with any change in the distance between the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16. The arrangement position of the support member 84 is further selected such that the support member 84 does not interfere with the sub-tank 43, particularly its front slide rails 51, when the connecting member 18 is at its lowest position relative to the sub-tank 43.

[0046] The holding element 84 is now with reference to Fig. 7 to 13. As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the holding member 84 includes an upper plate portion 87, a lower plate portion 89, a vertical wall portion 91, a hook portion 93, and a guide portion 95. The lower plate portion 89 protrudes from the front surface of the groove wall portion 86 and has a predetermined width in the left-to-right direction. The lower plate portion 89 also includes an extension portion 89a extending rightward from the front end portion 89 (see Fig. 12). A substantially U-shaped protruding portion 89b is formed extending downward on a lower surface of the lower plate portion 89.

[0047] The upper plate portion 87 projects horizontally forward from the groove wall portion 86 so that its width tapers in the left-to-right direction and increases continuously from the rear to the front direction (see Fig. 11). The upper plate portion 87 and the lower plate portion 89 extend parallel to each other and are vertically spaced from each other by a predetermined distance. The left edge of the upper plate portion 87 extends perpendicularly to the front surface of the groove wall portion 86. A hanging wall portion 87a is formed along the left edge and the front edge of the upper plate portion 87 so as to extend downward therefrom, so that the hanging wall portion 87a has a substantially L-shape in a plan view (see Fig. 8 and Fig. 9). A horizontal rib portion 87b is formed inwardly relative to the foremost end point of 87a on the lower edge of the front portion of the hanging wall portion 87a. The horizontal rib portion 87b extends in the left-to-right direction along the lower edge of the front portion of the hanging wall portion 87a and protrudes from the lower edge at a predetermined distance (see Fig. 10).

[0048] The vertical wall portion 91 extends between the right side of the rear portion of the lower plate portion 89 and the rear portion of the upper plate portion 87 (the upper plate portion 87 includes the hanging wall portion 87a, although it is not an intended part of the rear portion) and is formed as a support strut. A vertical rib portion 91a is formed on the front portion of the vertical wall portion 91 so as to extend vertically along a straight line and protrude from the front portion of the vertical wall portion at a predetermined distance to the right (see Fig. 12). The rear portion of the vertical wall portion 91 is integrally connected to the front surface of the groove wall portion 86. In this way, the vertical wall portion 91 (which has the vertical rib portion 91a) is connected to the groove wall portion 86, the upper plate portion 87 (which has the hanging wall portion 87a), and the lower plate portion 89 of the connecting element 18 (see Fig. 8 to 11).

[0049] The hook portion 93 is formed as a band plate extending downward in a substantially straight line from the right end portion of the front portion of the hanging wall portion 87a of the upper plate portion 87. The lower end portion of the hook portion 93 is vertically opposed to the extension portion 89a of the lower plate portion 89 and is vertically spaced from the extension portion by a predetermined gap 97 (see Fig. 9, Fig. 10 and Fig. 13). Preferably, the size of the gap 97 is set such that it is smaller than the diameter of the guide lines 70, which have a smaller diameter than the guide lines 57.

[0050] A holding space 99 is defined by the lower plate portion 89, the upper plate portion 87, the vertical wall portion 91, and the hook portion 93. The holding space 99 has a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in the vertical direction. The gap 97 serves as an inlet opening at one of the corners (front lower corner) of the rectangular shape of the holding space 99. In the following description, the gap 97 is also referred to as an inlet opening 97 for the holding space 99. The depth (height or vertical length) of the holding space 99 is set such that the holding space 99 can hold the two guide lines 57 and the three guide lines 70, although the guide lines 57 and 70 are movable within the holding space 99 in the same direction as the depth direction (vertical direction) of the fuel tank 12 (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10). In the Fig. In the example shown in Figure 9, three guide lines 70 are positioned at the rear (upward relative to) the two guide lines 57. However, the arrangement of the guide lines 57 and 70 can be appropriately changed. In this way, the depth direction of the holding space 99, which corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the space, is the same direction as the depth direction of the fuel tank 12.

[0051] The hook portion 93 serves as a front wall of the holding space 99 and can resiliently deform (or bend) in the front-to-back direction. When the hook portion 93 bends rearward, such curvature causes the inlet opening 97 of the holding space 99 to enlarge to such an extent that it is vertically larger than the diameter of the guide lines 57 (see two-dot lines A in Fig. 10). Further, the width of the hook portion 93 in the left-to-right direction is set to be larger than the thickness thereof in the front-to-back direction (see Fig. 12). Consequently, the rigidity of the hook portion 93 is improved for holding against the applied force in the left-to-right direction. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the curved deformation of the hook portion 93 in the left-to-right direction when the guide lines 57 and 70 held by the holding member 84 deform to curve in the rightward removal direction.

[0052] A projection portion 93a is formed on the lower end portion of the hook portion 93 to project to the right thereof (see Fig. 13). The protrusion portion 93a has a substantially triangular shape with the bottom of the triangle positioned on the vertical right side edge of the hook portion 93. The protrusion portion 93a increases the surface area of ​​the hook portion 93 that can contact the guide lines 57 and 70 or be pressed by them during insertion of the guide lines 57 and 70 into the holding space 99. As a result, the guide lines 57 and 70 can be easily inserted into the holding space 99 with more room for contact.

[0053] The guide portion 95 is formed as a rectangular rod extending from the front end of the lower plate portion 89 (where the lower plate portion 89 also has the projecting portion 89b at its rear side) so that it is inclined obliquely upward in the front direction (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10), and forms an acute angle with the vertical front surface of the hook portion 93. The guide portion 95 may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape with its size in the left-to-right direction longer than its size in the front-to-back direction. The outer side surface (front surface) of the guide portion 95 is smoothly curved along the vertical direction. The guide portion 95 is designed such that it can contact and slide along an open edge 21a of the opening 21 of the fuel tank 12 when the holding member 84 passes through the opening 21 (see Fig. 12). More specifically, the right end portion of the front surface of the guide portion 95 may contact and slide along the open edge 21a of the opening 21 and may be formed as a rounded surface.

[0054] An insertion passage 101 is defined between the guide portion 95 and the hook portion 93. The lower end of the insertion passage 101 communicates with the inlet opening 97 of the holding space 99. The upper end of the insertion passage 101 is formed as an insertion inlet opening 101a (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10) through which the guide lines 57 and 70 can be inserted into the insertion passage 101. In this arrangement, the insertion passage 101 is formed such that the insertion direction along which the guide lines 57 and 70 are inserted into the insertion passage 101 is inclined backward in the downward direction and is separated from the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the holding space 99. The insertion passage 101 is tapered downward so that the opening width in the front-to-back direction of the insertion passage 101 continuously increases from the lower end to the upper end. The front and rear surfaces of the insertion passage 101, that is, the front surface of the hook portion 93, which is the rear surface of the insertion passage 101, and the oppositely directed rear surface of the guide portion 95, which is the front surface of the insertion passage 101, are formed as flat surfaces.

[0055] Even if the guide lines 57 and 70 held inside the holding space 99 have been deformed (bent) in the forward direction to in turn cause a curving deformation of the hook portion 93 in the forward direction, the lower end of the hook portion 93 may contact the guide portion 95 (see two-dot chain lines B in Fig. 10). Consequently, it is possible to restrict the deformation of the hook portion 93, and the guide lines 50 and 70 can be prevented from returning from the holding space 99 into the insertion passage 101. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the guide lines 57 and 70 from inadvertently moving out of the holding space 99.

[0056] Furthermore, the height position (level) of the upper end of the guide portion 95 is set to be lower than the height position (level) of the upper end of the upper plate portion 87 (including the hanging wall portion 87a) by a predetermined distance. Consequently, the operator can first press the guide lines 57 and 70 against the front surface of the upper end portion of the upper plate portion 87 (including the hanging wall portion 87a) before moving the guide lines 57 and 70 downward to insert the guide lines 57 and 70 into the insertion passage 101. Furthermore, the upper end portion of the guide portion 95 cannot interfere with the pressing operation of the guide lines 57 and 70 against the front surface of the upper end portion of the upper plate portion 87 (including the hanging wall portion 87a).

[0057] As in Fig. 6, a projection 105 is formed on the right edge of the rear groove wall 103 of the front rail groove 72, which is arranged on the right side of the connecting element 18 (see Fig. 11). The projection 105 protrudes rightward from the center portion (with respect to the vertical direction) of the right edge of the rear groove wall 103 and extends along the right edge in the vertical direction. More specifically, the projection 105 is formed to have a trapezoidal shape with its lower side positioned along the vertical right edge of the rear groove wall 103, so that the projection 105 has an upper inclined surface 105a and a lower inclined surface 105b. The upper inclined surface 105a extends obliquely downward in the left-to-right direction from the upper end of the projection 105. The lower inclined surface 105b extends obliquely upward in the left-to-right direction from the lower end of the projection 105. The projection 105 is located behind the guide portion 95 of the holding member 84.In other words, the projection 105 is located on the side opposite the guide portion 95 along the front-to-back axis with respect to the support member 84 and can serve as a guide member that can cooperate with the guide portion 95, as will be explained later.

[0058] A representative process for assembling the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 of the fuel supply device 10 will now be described. First, the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 are connected to each other via the connecting member 18 so that they can slide vertically relative to each other. Next, the two guide lines 57 of the fuel pump 45 and the three guide lines 70 of the transmitter meter 49 are connected to the electrical connector 28 of the flange unit 14. Thereafter, the two guide lines 57 and the three guide lines 70 are held together by the hook member 37 of the flange unit 14. Furthermore, the fuel line 63 connected to the drain port 61 of the pump unit 16 is connected to the drain port 26 of the flange unit 14.

[0059] Next, the two guide pipes 57 and the three guide pipes 70 are held together by the holding member 84 of the connecting member 18. For example, the operator may hold the pump unit side portions of the guide pipes 57 and 70, which are positioned on the pump unit 16 side relative to the holding member 84 (left of 84), with his or her left hand. At the same time, the operator may hold the flange unit side portions of the guide pipes 57 and 70, which are positioned on the flange unit 14 side relative to the holding member 84 (right of 84), with his or her right hand. In this state, the operator can move the guide pipes 57 and 70 such that the intermediate portions of the guide pipes 57 and 70 between the pump unit side portions and the flange unit side portions are collectively inserted into the insertion passage 101 via the insertion inlet port 101a.More specifically, the operator may press the guide lines 57 and 70 (more specifically, the intermediate portions thereof) against the front surface of the upper plate portion 87 (including the hanging wall portion 87a) of the holding member 84, and thereafter, the operator may move the guide lines 57 and 70 downward so that the guide lines 57 and 70 can smoothly enter the insertion passage 101 via the insertion inlet port 101a.

[0060] Next, the operator can move the guide lines 57 and 70 behind the lower end of the insertion passage 101 toward the holding space 99, thereby curving the hook portion 93 backward (see two-dot chain lines A in Fig. 10). As a result, the gap 97 is vertically enlarged to allow the guide lines 57 and 70 to pass therethrough, so that the guide lines 57 and 70 can move into the holding space 99. After the guide lines 57 and 70 have passed through the gap 97, the hook portion 93 can elastically recover its shape, so that the guide lines 57 and 70 can be held within the holding space 99 due to the elastically recovered hook portion 93 forming a vertical barrier to a non-elongated gap 97. In this holding state, the guide lines 57 and 70 extend from a position obliquely upward on the left side of the holding member 84 (i.e., from the pump unit 16 side) to a position obliquely downward on the right side of the holding member 84.In this way, the assembly process of the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 of the fuel supply device 10 can be completed.

[0061] Next, a representative procedure for assembling the fuel supply device 10 with the fuel tank 12 of the vehicle will be described. With the flange unit 14 and the pump unit 16 positioned so that they are farthest apart from each other in the vertical direction, the operator can insert the pump unit 16 into the fuel tank 12 via the opening 21. After that, the operator moves the flange unit 14 together with the pump unit 16 forward, since 14 is originally positioned behind 16, to a position where the flange unit 14 is positioned directly above the opening 21 of the fuel tank 12. After that, the operator moves the flange unit 14 downward to fit it into the opening 21.

[0062] It may be possible for the lower inclined surface 105b of the projection 105 of the connecting member 18 to contact the open edge 21a of the opening 21 during the passage of the connecting member 18 through the opening 21. However, because the lower inclined surface 105b is slightly tapered so that it can slide on the open edge 21a, any possible snagging of the projection 105 on the open edge 21a of the opening 21 is prevented. As a result, it is possible to smoothly insert the connecting member 18 into the fuel tank 12 and protect the holding member 84 from possible damage. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the holding member 84 from contacting or snagging the open edge 21a of the opening. Consequently, it is possible to smoothly insert the holding element 84 into the fuel tank 12 and also to protect the hook portion 93 of the holding element 84 from possible damage.

[0063] Furthermore, it is also possible for the guide portion 95 of the holding element 84 to touch the open edge 21a of the opening 21 while the connecting element 18 passes through the opening 21. However, because the guide portion 95 can slide on the open edge 21a, a possible snagging of the holding element 84 on the open edge 21a of the opening 21 is prevented. As a result, it is possible to smoothly insert the connecting element into the fuel tank 12 at both its rear and front sides with the holding element 84 and to protect the hook portion 93 from possible damage. Consequently, if the holding element 84 is not formed as in this embodiment but is designed as a simple hook element, it may be possible for the hook element to get caught on the open edge 21a during insertion of the hook element into the opening 21.In the worst case, a problem may arise that the hook element is damaged to such an extent that it loses its function of holding the guide lines 57 and 70. Such a problem cannot occur with the holding element 84 of this embodiment.

[0064] Furthermore, the sliding contact of the connecting member 18 with the open edge 21a of the opening 21 of the fuel tank 12 at two positions by the projection 105 and the guide portion 95 can reliably prevent the retaining member 84 from getting caught on the open edge 21a. Consequently, it is possible to smoothly insert the retaining member 84 of the connecting member 18 into the fuel tank 12 and effectively protect the retaining member 84 from any damage.

[0065] Furthermore, the contact of the projection 105 and the guide portion 95 with the open edge 21a of the opening of the fuel tank 12 can form a protective space E (see Fig. 12) for the guide lines 57 and 70 between the holding element 84 and the open edge 21a. In this way, it is possible to effectively protect the guide lines 57 and 70 from any damage during the passage of the holding element 84 of the connecting element 18 through the opening 21.

[0066] After the flange unit 14 has moved downward to fit the opening 21 such that the container 30 is fitted into the opening 21, the flange unit 14 is mounted (fixedly attached) on the upper wall 20 of the fuel tank 12 to close the opening 21. In this assembled state, the biasing force of the spring 82 can force the connecting member 18 downward to be positioned at the lowest position integral with the sub-tank 43, and thus can force the sub-tank 43 to be pressed against the upper surface of the lower wall 22 of the fuel tank 12. The assembly process of the fuel supply device 10 to the fuel tank 12 can then be completed.

[0067] According to the pipe support structure of the above embodiment, the guide pipes 57 and 70, which electrically connect the pump unit 16 and the electrical terminal 28 within the fuel tank 12, are supported within the support space 99 of the support member 84 of the connecting member 18 such that the supported pipes can move parallel to the vertical axis in the longitudinal direction of the support space 99, which corresponds to the depth direction of the tank. Consequently, the guide pipes 57 and 70 are prevented from vibrating or shaking due to vibrations of the vehicle or the pump unit 16 via the support member 84, while allowing the pipes to move in the longitudinal direction. As a result, it is possible to prevent any interference of the guide pipes 57 and 70 with the other components of the fuel supply device 10.

[0068] When the fuel tank 12 deforms due to a change in the internal tank pressure or fuel level, where such deformation causes a change in the position of the flange unit 14 relative to the fuel pump 45 and the transmitter gauge 49 of the pump unit 16, the guide lines 57 and 70 can then move vertically within the holding space 99 in response to the change in relative position. Consequently, it is possible to prevent excessive deformation of the guide lines 57 and 70 to reduce the stress applied to the guide lines 57 and 70. As a result, it is possible to prevent any damage to the guide lines 57 and 70 and prevent any removal of the guide lines 57 and 70 from the holding space 99.

[0069] Furthermore, the direction along which the guide lines 57 and 70 are inserted into the insertion passage 101 differs from the longitudinal direction of the holding space 99, where the longitudinal direction corresponds to the depth direction of the fuel tank 12, parallel to the vertical up-down axis. Consequently, because the insertion direction differs from the movement direction, it is possible to prevent the guide lines 57 and 70 from accidentally returning from the holding space 99 to the insertion passage 101. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the guide lines 57 and 70 from accidentally being removed.

[0070] Furthermore, the hook portion 93 defining the holding space 99 is arranged along one side (rear side) of the insertion passage 101, while the guide portion 95 is arranged along the other side (front side) of the insertion passage 101 opposite to the hook portion along the front-to-back axis. Thus, the hook portion 93 and the guide portion 95 define the insertion passage 101 therebetween. Consequently, the guide wires 57 and 70 can be smoothly inserted into the holding space 99 from the insertion inlet port 101a via the insertion passage 101.

[0071] Furthermore, the guide supports 57 and 70 can be inserted from the insertion passage 101 into the holding space 99 by causing the elastic deformation of the hook portion 93 in the rearward direction. The elastic deformation of the hook portion 93 in the opposite direction (forward direction) is restricted by contact of the hook portion 93 with the guide portion 95 (see two-dot chain lines B in Fig. 10). Consequently, it is possible to prevent the guide lines 57 and 70 from returning from the holding space 99 into the insertion passage 101.

[0072] Furthermore, the guide lines 57 and 70 are held at two positions in the fuel supply device via the holding member 84 and the hook member 37. Consequently, the guide lines 57 and 70 are reliably prevented from swinging (wobbling) in the left-to-right direction, so that it is possible to maintain a stable desired routing direction of the guide lines 57 and 70.

[0073] Furthermore, because the vertical rib portion 91a is formed on the vertical wall portion 91 of the support member 84, which forms a solid barrier in the left-right direction, it is possible to further restrict the movement of the guide lines 57 and 70 in the left direction while preventing any damage to the guide lines 57 and 70. In addition, it is possible to prevent any interference of the guide lines 57 and 70 with the spring 82 and the slide rails 35 of the flange unit 14 located on the adjacent rear side of 91.

[0074] Furthermore, because the horizontal rib portion 87b is formed on the hanging wall portion 87a of the upper plate portion 87 of the holding member 84, it is possible to restrict the movement of the guide lines 57 and 70 in the upward direction while preventing any damage to the guide lines 57 and 70.

[0075] The present invention should not be limited to the above embodiment, but may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the piping structure of the above embodiment has been described in connection with being used for a fuel tank of an automobile, the present invention can also be applied to piping structures used for fuel tanks of vehicles other than automobiles. Furthermore, although the fuel pump 45 and the transmission meter 49 disposed within the fuel tank 12 are assembled as a unit in the above embodiment, they may be mounted within the fuel tank 12 as elements separate from each other.Furthermore, the canister 30 may be mounted within the fuel tank 12 as a member separate from the flange unit 14 or another closure member, and in such a case, the sender meter 49 may be mounted on the modified canister 30. Furthermore, although the fuel pump 45 and the sender meter 49 serve as electrical devices connected to the electrical terminal 28 in the above embodiment, the electrical devices may include any devices other than the fuel pump 45 and the sender meter 49. For example, the electrical devices may include a control valve of a vent module disposed within the fuel tank 12. The vent module may serve to vent gas from the interior of the fuel tank 12 to the outside and may be mounted within the fuel tank 12 as a member separate from the flange unit 14 or a closure member.If necessary or desired, some of the components of the flange unit 14 and / or the pump unit 16 may be omitted or replaced by the other components, or additional components may be added to the flange unit 14 and / or the pump unit 16. The connecting member 18 may be fixedly attached to the pump unit 16 or the flange unit 14. The holding member 84 may be arranged on the container 30, the sub-tank 43, or any other component instead of the connecting member 18. It may be possible to provide two or more holding members 84. The guide lines 57 and 70 may be bundled into a single wiring harness or two or more wiring harnesses. The longitudinal direction of the holding space 99 may not be limited to the depth direction of the fuel tank 12 (i.e., the vertical direction), but may be any other suitable direction.

[0076] It is explicitly emphasized that all features disclosed in the description and / or the claims are to be considered separate and independent of each other for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, regardless of the feature combinations in the embodiments and / or the claims. It is explicitly stated that all range specifications or specifications of groups of units disclose every possible intermediate value or subgroup of units for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention, in particular also as a limit of a range specification.

Claims

[1] A line holding structure for holding electrical lines (57; 70) connecting an electrical device (47; 49) to an electrical terminal (28), wherein the electrical device (45; 49) is arranged within a fuel tank (12), the electrical terminal (28) is arranged on a closure element (14) which is designed to close an opening (21) of the fuel tank (12), and the electrical terminal (28) is designed such that it is electrically connected to an external device in which the line holding structure has a holding element (84) which defines a holding space (99) for holding the electrical lines (57; 70); the holding space (99) has a longitudinal direction so that the electrical lines (57; 70) can move along the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99); the holding member (84) further defines an insertion passage (101); the insertion passage (101) has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end communicating with an inlet opening (97) of the holding space (99) and the second end being opened as an insertion inlet opening (101a); the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99) corresponds to the depth direction of the fuel tank (12); the insertion passage (101) is formed such that an insertion direction of the guide lines (57; 70) along the insertion passage (101) differs from the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99); the holding member (84) further comprises a first guide member (95) which can slidably contact an open edge (21a) of the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12) when the holding member (84) passes through the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12); the holding element (84) further comprises a hook portion (93) adapted to move elastically to open and close an inlet opening (97); the electrical lines (57; 70) can be introduced into the holding space (99) via the inlet opening (97) when the hook region (93) moves in a first direction; and the elastic deformation of the hook portion (93) in a second direction opposite to the first direction is limited by contact with the first guide element (95). [2] A line holding structure according to claim 1, wherein: the holding member (84) further comprises the hook portion (93) defining one side of the holding space (99) and disposed along a first side of the insertion passage (101); the first guide element (95) is arranged along a second side of the insertion passage (101) opposite the first side; and the insertion passage (101) is defined between the hook region (93) and the first guide element (95). [3] A wire holding structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the longitudinal direction of the holding space (99) is a top-down direction; the insertion passage (101) is inclined in a front-to-back direction relative to the longitudinal direction; the inlet opening (97) is formed such that the electrical wires (57; 70) are inserted from the insertion passage (101) via the inlet opening (97) in the front-to-back direction into the holding space (99); the first side and the second side of the insertion passage (101) are located on opposite sides in the front-to-back direction, and the first direction and the second direction of elastic deformation of the hook portion (93) are opposite to each other in the front-to-back direction, so that the inlet opening (97) enlarges in the top-to-bottom direction when the hook portion (93) deforms in the first direction. [4] A line holding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the holding element (84) is arranged on a connecting element (18) which is designed to connect the electrical device (45; 49) and the closure element (14) to one another. [5] A line holding structure according to claim 4, wherein: the connecting element (18) has a projection (105) which can slidably contact an open edge (21a) of the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12) when the connecting element (18) passes through the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12); and the projection (105) is arranged such that the holding element (84) does not contact the open edge (21a) of the opening (21) of the fuel tank (12) when both of the first guide element (95) and the projection (105) slidably contact the open edge (21a) of the opening (21). [6] A line holding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: the electrical device (45; 49) is fixed at a position relative to a bottom wall (22) of the fuel tank (12) such that a distance between the closure element (14) and the electrical device (45; 49) changes based on a deformation of the fuel tank (12). [7] A line holding structure according to claim 6, wherein the electrical device comprises a fuel pump (45) and / or a transmitter measuring device (49).

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