Urea filling device for diesel vehicles

Abstract

Urea filling device for a diesel vehicle, comprising: a urea filler neck (18) having a urea filler gun insertion hole (22) formed in an upper portion thereof and connected at a lower portion thereof to a urea filler pipe (12) and a leveling pipe (14), a urea overflow prevention space (40) formed in the urea filler neck (18) for accommodating urea flowing back from a urea tank (10) for a predetermined time, and wherein the urea filler neck (18) has a urea guide pipe (50) formed in a urea filler hole (32) for guiding urea flowing back through the urea filler line (12) from the urea tank (10) to the urea overflow prevention space (40), and wherein the urea guide pipe (50) has a urea guide wing (52) integrally formed at an upper end portion thereof, the urea guide wing (52) being curved vertically downward from the upper end portion of the urea guide pipe (50) and facing the urea overflow prevention space (40).

Description

Background of the inventionField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a urea filling device for diesel vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a urea filling device for diesel vehicles that is configured to easily prevent urea from overflowing from a filler neck of a urea tank when the urea tank is completely filled with urea. Description of the technology used

[0002] Generally, an exhaust system of a diesel internal combustion engine is provided with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for injecting urea into an exhaust pipe to effectively remove nitrogen oxides.

[0003] Urea is decomposed into a number of ammonia molecules by exhaust heat, and the ammonia reacts with nitrogen oxides contained in emissions, releasing harmless nitrogen and water as products of the reaction.

[0004] Therefore, diesel vehicles (especially commercial vehicles) are provided with a urea tank filled with urea and a diesel fuel tank filled with diesel fuel.

[0005] Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional urea filling device is constructed such that a urea filling pipe 12 and a leveling pipe 14 are connected to a urea tank 10, and a leveling pipe 16 is connected to the lower end portion of the leveling pipe 14 and extends into the urea tank 10.

[0006] The urea filling line 12 and the leveling line 14 are coupled at the upper end portions thereof to a filling nozzle 18 into which a urea filling gun 19 is inserted.

[0007] When the urea filling gun 19 is inserted into the filler neck 18 and then actuated, urea flows through the urea filling line 12 and is filled into the urea tank 10.

[0008] When the urea poured into the urea tank 10 reaches the leveling pipe 16, the urea tank 10 is completely filled with urea.

[0009] The leveling pipe 16 is configured to introduce (e.g., guide) the internal pressure (e.g., the internal pressure) in the urea tank 10 into the (e.g., to the) leveling line 14 and the (e.g., to the) filler neck 18, so that the urea tank 10 can be easily filled with urea.

[0010] When the urea tank 10 is completely filled with urea in a state in which the urea filling gun 19 is inserted into the filler neck 18, the pressure in the urea tank 10 rises sharply (e.g., sharply, suddenly), causing the urea in the urea tank 10 to be pushed toward the filler neck 18 and overflow from the filler neck 18.

[0011] Of course, when the urea flowing back to the filler neck 18 after the urea tank 10 is filled therewith blocks a detection hole formed in a distal end portion of the urea filling gun 19, the filling operation (e.g., filling process) of the urea filling gun 19 is automatically stopped, whereby urea is no longer supplied (e.g., supplied) to the urea tank.

[0012] However, although the filling operation (e.g., filling process) of the urea filling gun 19 has been stopped, when the urea filling gun 19 is removed from the filler neck 18, the increased pressure in the urea tank 10 is still applied, and consequently, a part of the urea that has been pushed from the urea tank 10 to the filler neck 18 overflows from the filler neck 18. Further, the urea that has overflowed from the filler neck 18 is crystallized into white crystals, and the crystallized urea contaminates the surface of the vehicle body.

[0013] Other various urea filling devices for a diesel vehicle are known from DE 10 2016 220 463 A1, DE 10 2014 225 119 A1 and US 2008 / 0 276 853 A1.

[0014] The information disclosed in this "Background of the Invention" section is provided for the sole purpose of facilitating an understanding of the general background of the invention and is not intended as an admission or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes conventional prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Explanation of the invention

[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a urea filling device for diesel vehicles in which a urea overflow preventing space is formed in a portion of a urea filler neck to temporarily accommodate urea flowing back from a urea tank, which easily prevents urea from overflowing from the urea filler neck.

[0016] The above object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0017] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a urea filling device for diesel vehicles, comprising a urea filler neck having a urea filling gun insertion hole formed in an upper portion thereof and connected at a lower portion thereof to a urea filling pipe and a leveling pipe, a urea overflow preventing space formed in the urea filler neck for temporarily accommodating urea flowing back from a urea tank, the urea filler neck having a urea guide pipe formed in a urea filling hole for guiding urea flowing back from the urea tank through the urea filling pipe to the urea overflow preventing space, and the urea guide pipe having a urea guide vane integrally formed on a upper end portion thereof,wherein the urea guide wing is curved (e.g., bent) vertically downward from the upper end portion of the urea guide pipe and points toward the urea overflow prevention space.,

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the urea filler nozzle may further include an upper case having the urea filling gun insertion hole formed in a portion thereof and an upper cover formed at an opposite portion thereof to form the urea overflow prevention space, and a lower case having a urea filling hole formed in a portion thereof to be connected to the urea filling pipe and a lower cover formed at an opposite portion thereof to be connected to the leveling pipe and to form the urea overflow prevention space.

[0019] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the lower case may further include a partition wall integrally formed at a bottom thereof to separate the urea filling hole and the urea overflow preventing space from each other.

[0020] In still another exemplary embodiment, the partition wall may have a urea passing hole formed in an upper end portion thereof for the urea filling hole and the urea overflow preventing space to communicate with each other.

[0021] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the urea guide pipe may be formed to have a diameter smaller than a diameter of an upper end portion of the urea filling hole so that there is a return gap between an outer peripheral surface of the urea guide pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the urea filling hole.

[0022] In another exemplary embodiment, the lower case may have a step-shaped recess (e.g., notch) in an upper end portion thereof, and the urea guide pipe may have a retaining projection formed at an upper end portion thereof to sit on the step-shaped recess.

[0023] In another exemplary embodiment, the upper case may be provided with a filling gun guide tube inserted into a lower end portion of the urea filling gun insertion hole to guide insertion of the urea filling gun.

[0024] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the filling gun guide tube may have a pressing end portion integrally formed on an outer periphery of a lower end portion thereof for pressing the holding projection of the urea guide tube.

[0025] Other aspects and exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed below.

[0026] It is to be understood that the terms "vehicle" or "vehicle-..." or other similar term used herein includes motor vehicles in general, which include passenger vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, numerous commercial vehicles, and watercraft, including a variety of boats and ships, as well as aircraft and the like, as well as which include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels produced from resources other than petroleum). A hybrid vehicle, as referred to herein, is a vehicle that has two or more power sources, e.g., vehicles that are powered by both gasoline and electricity.

[0027] The above and other features of the invention are discussed below.

[0028] The apparatus of the present invention has further features and advantages which will be apparent from or set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings incorporated herein and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a conventional urea filling device, FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views illustrating a urea filling device for diesel vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a perspective sectional view illustrating the urea filling device for diesel vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating the process in which urea flows to a urea overflow preventing space in a filler neck in the urea filling device for diesel vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] It should be understood that the attached drawings are not necessarily to scale and present a somewhat simplified representation of various features that explain the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and usage environment.

[0030] In the figures, reference numerals refer to the same or essentially identical parts of the present invention throughout the various figures of the drawing. Detailed description

[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments.

[0032] FIGS. 2A and 2B and Fig. 3 are views illustrating a urea filling device for diesel vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a urea tank.

[0033] The urea tank 10 is connected to a urea filling line 12 and a leveling line 14, and the leveling line 14 is connected at (e.g., at) the lower end portion thereof to a leveling pipe 16 extending into the urea tank 10.

[0034] Furthermore, the urea filling line 12 and the leveling line 14 are coupled at (e.g., at) the upper end portions thereof to a urea filling nozzle 18 into which a urea filling gun 19 is inserted.

[0035] When the urea filling gun 19 is inserted into the filler neck (e.g., the urea filler neck) 18 and then actuated, urea flows through the urea filling line 12 and is filled into the urea tank 10.

[0036] Meanwhile, when the urea tank 10 is completely filled (e.g., topped up) with urea in the state in which the urea filling gun 19 is inserted into the filler neck 18, the pressure in the urea tank 10 rises sharply (e.g., sharply, suddenly), causing the urea in the urea tank 10 to flow back to the filler neck 18 and overflow from the filler neck 18.

[0037] The present invention is characterized in that urea flowing from the urea tank 10 back to the filler neck 18 is prevented from overflowing from the filler neck 18.

[0038] For this purpose, the urea filler neck 18 has a urea overflow preventing space 40 formed in a portion thereof, which is configured to temporarily accommodate urea flowing back from the urea tank 10 and to return (e.g., return) the urea to (e.g., into) the urea tank 10.

[0039] To form the urea overflow preventing space 40, the filler neck 18 has an upper case 20 and a lower case 30 bonded or assembled with the upper case 20, and further has a urea guide pipe 50 mounted in the lower case 30.

[0040] The upper case 20 has a urea filling gun insertion hole 22 formed in a portion thereof into which the urea filling gun is inserted, and an upper cover 24 formed at the opposite portion thereof to form the urea overflow preventing space 40.

[0041] The lower case 30 has a urea filling hole 32 formed in a portion thereof aligned with the urea filling gun insertion hole 22 in the vertical direction, and a lower cover 34 formed at the opposite portion thereof to form the urea overflow preventing space 40.

[0042] As a result of the upper case 20 and the lower case 30 being assembled together, the urea overflow preventing space 40 is formed between the upper cover 24 and the lower cover 34.

[0043] The upper end portion of the urea filling pipe 12 is connected to the lower end portion of the urea filling hole 32 in the lower case 30, and the upper end portion of the leveling pipe 14 is connected to the lower portion of the lower cover 34.

[0044] The upper case 20 is provided with a filling gun guide tube 26 which is inserted into the lower end portion of the urea filling gun insertion hole 22 to ensure the straight (e.g., rectilinear) insertion of the urea filling gun 19, and the filling gun guide tube 26 has a pressing end portion 28 which protrudes integrally or monolithically from the outer periphery of the lower end portion of the filling gun guide tube 26 to press a holding projection 54 of the urea guide tube 50, which will be described later.

[0045] The urea guide pipe 50 is mounted in the urea filling hole 32 in the lower case 30 and is configured to guide the urea flowing back through the urea filling pipe 12 from the urea tank 10 to the urea overflow preventing space 40.

[0046] Furthermore, the urea guide pipe 50 has a urea guide wing 52 integrated with and curved vertically downward from the upper end portion of the urea guide pipe 50 to face the urea overflow prevention space 40. The urea flowing back from the urea tank 10 through the urea filling line 12 smoothly flows to the urea overflow prevention space 40 by means of the urea guide wing 52.

[0047] The urea guide pipe 50 is formed to have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the upper end portion of the urea filling hole 32 in the lower case 30. Therefore, a return gap 56 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the urea guide pipe 50 and the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the urea filling hole 32.

[0048] When the increased pressure in the urea tank 10 is released (e.g., relieved), a part of the urea temporarily accommodated in the urea overflow preventing space 40 flows over a partition wall 29 and returns to the urea tank 10 through the urea filling line 12 by way of the return gap 56, which will be described in detail later.

[0049] The partition wall 29 extends integrally upward from the lower portion of the lower housing 30 to serve as a boundary (e.g., interface) between the urea filling hole 32 and the urea overflow prevention space 40. Therefore, the urea filling hole 32 and the urea overflow prevention space 40 each become independent spaces. The partition wall 29 prevents the urea flowing back to the urea overflow prevention space 40 through the leveling pipe 14 from the urea tank 10 from flowing directly to the urea filling hole 32.

[0050] If the partition wall 29 is not present, the urea flowing back to the urea overflow prevention chamber 40 through the leveling pipe 14 from the urea tank 10 directly collides with the urea flowing back to the urea filling hole 32, preventing the urea overflow prevention chamber 40 from functioning properly. For this reason, the partition wall 29 extends upward from the lower portion of the lower housing 30 as a boundary (e.g., interface) between the urea filling hole 32 and the urea overflow prevention chamber 40.

[0051] The partition wall 29 has a urea passing hole 29-1 formed in an upper end portion thereof to allow communication between the urea filling hole 32 and the urea overflow preventing space 40. When the urea overflow preventing space 40 is completely filled with urea, the urea passing hole 29-1 functions to guide a portion of the urea to the return gap 56.

[0052] In order to secure (e.g., fix, fasten) the urea guide tube 50 to the interior (e.g., the inside) of the lower case 30, the lower case 30 has a step-shaped recess (e.g., notch) 36 formed in the upper end portion thereof, and the urea guide tube 50 has a holding projection 54 extending outward from the upper end portion thereof in the radial direction to sit on (e.g., rest on) the step-shaped recess 36.

[0053] As a result of the holding projection 54 of the urea guide pipe 50 being seated on the stepped recess 36 in the upper end portion of the lower housing 30, the urea guide pipe 50 is coupled to the interior of the lower housing 30.

[0054] Further, the pressing end portion 28 of the filling gun guide tube 26 inserted into the lower end portion of the urea filling gun insertion hole 22 in the upper case 20 presses the upper portion surface of the holding projection 54 of the urea guide tube 50, which further (e.g., additionally) securely couples the urea guide tube 50 to the inside (e.g., to the inside) of the lower case 30.

[0055] Hereinafter, the operational effects (e.g., the practical effect) of the urea filling device for diesel vehicles of the present invention having the above-described structure will be described with reference to Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.

[0056] First, the urea filling gun 19 is inserted into the urea filling gun insertion hole 22 in the upper case 20, so that urea is supplied (e.g., supplied) to the urea tank 10 through the urea filling pipe 12.

[0057] When the urea tank 10 is completely filled with urea (e.g., filled up), the pressure in the urea tank 10 rises sharply (e.g., sharply, suddenly), and accordingly, the urea in the urea tank 10 flows back to the urea guide pipe 50 through the urea filling line 12 (compare Fig. 4).

[0058] At the given time, a small amount of urea flows back to the urea overflow preventing space 40 through the leveling line 14 from the urea tank 10.

[0059] Subsequently, when the urea flowing back to the urea guide pipe 50 contacts a detection hole formed in the lower end portion of the urea filling gun 19, the filling operation (e.g., the filling process) of the urea filling gun 19 is automatically stopped, and urea is no longer supplied (e.g., supplied) to the urea tank 10.

[0060] The urea flowing back to the urea guide pipe 50 does not overflow from the filler neck 18, but flows to the urea overflow preventing space 40 by means of the surface of the urea guide wing 52 formed at the upper end portion of the urea guide pipe 50 (see Fig. 5).

[0061] Accordingly, thanks to the urea overflow preventing space 40 into which the urea flowing back from the urea tank 10 is introduced, it is possible to easily prevent the urea from overflowing from the filler neck 18 and thus prevent the surface of the vehicle body from being contaminated with the urea that has overflowed from the filler neck 18.

[0062] On the other hand, when the steep (e.g., strong, sudden) pressure increase (e.g., increase in pressure) in the urea tank 10 is released (e.g., relieved), the urea that has flowed back to the urea guide pipe 50 returns to the urea tank 10 through the urea filling line 12, and the urea that is temporarily accommodated in the urea overflow prevention space 40 also returns to the urea tank 10 through the leveling line 14 (see Fig. 6).

[0063] Further, when the urea overflow preventing space 40 is completely filled with urea, a part of the urea passes through the urea passing hole 29-1 in the partition wall 29 and returns to the urea tank 10 through the return gap 56.

[0064] As is apparent from the above description, various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a urea filling device for diesel vehicles in which a urea overflow preventing space is formed in a portion of a urea filler neck so that, when a urea tank is completely filled with urea, the urea flowing back to the urea filler neck is temporarily accommodated in the urea overflow preventing space and returns to the urea tank, thus easily preventing urea from overflowing from the urea filler neck.

[0065] For ease of explanation and adequate definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "top", "bottom", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "backward", "inside", "outside", "in", "outside...", "forward", and "backward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as shown in the figures.

[0066] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application in order to enable one skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

[1] Urea filling device for a diesel vehicle, comprising: a urea filler neck (18) having a urea filler gun insertion hole (22) formed in an upper portion thereof and connected at a lower portion thereof to a urea filler pipe (12) and a leveling pipe (14), a urea overflow prevention space (40) formed in the urea filler neck (18) for accommodating urea flowing back from a urea tank (10) for a predetermined time, and wherein the urea filler neck (18) has a urea guide pipe (50) formed in a urea filler hole (32) for guiding urea flowing back through the urea filler line (12) from the urea tank (10) to the urea overflow prevention space (40), and wherein the urea guide pipe (50) has a urea guide wing (52) integrally formed at an upper end portion thereof, the urea guide wing (52) being curved vertically downward from the upper end portion of the urea guide pipe (50) and facing the urea overflow prevention space (40). [2] Urea filling device according to claim 1, wherein the urea filler neck (18) further comprises: an upper housing (20) having the urea filling gun insertion hole (22) formed in one portion thereof, and an upper cover (24) formed at an opposite portion thereof to form the urea overflow prevention space (40), and a lower housing (30) having the urea filling hole (32) formed in a portion thereof to be connected to the urea filling pipe (12), and a lower cover (34) formed at an opposite portion thereof to be connected to the leveling pipe (14) and to form the urea overflow preventing space (40). [3] The urea filling device according to claim 2, wherein the lower case (30) further comprises a partition wall (29) integrally formed at a bottom thereof for separating the urea filling hole (32) and the urea overflow preventing space (40) from each other. [4] The urea filling device according to claim 3, wherein the partition wall (29) has a urea passing hole (29-1) formed in an upper end portion thereof for communicating the urea filling hole (32) and the urea overflow preventing space (40) with each other. [5] The urea filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the urea guide pipe (50) is formed to have a smaller diameter than a diameter of an upper end portion of the urea filling hole (32), a return gap (56) being formed between an outer peripheral surface of the urea guide pipe (50) and an inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the urea filling hole (32). [6] A urea filling device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the lower case (30) has a step-shaped recess (36) formed in an upper end portion thereof, and the urea guide pipe (50) has a holding projection (54) formed at an upper end portion thereof to fit on the step-shaped recess (36). [7] A urea filling device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the upper case (20) is provided with a filling gun guide pipe (26) inserted into a lower end portion of the urea filling gun insertion hole (22) for guiding insertion of a urea filling gun (19). [8] A urea filling device according to claim 7, wherein the filling gun guide tube (26) has a pressing end portion (28) integrally formed at an outer periphery of a lower end portion thereof for pressing a holding projection (54) of the urea guide tube (50).

Images