Fluid filling adapter

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid filling adapter (4) for filling a fluid into a fluid reservoir of a vehicle component, comprising - a base body (5) which is shaped and dimensioned in such a way that it can be placed on a fluid filling nozzle (6) of the vehicle component, - a sealing element (7) which is attached to an outside of the base body (5) and is designed to seal the base body (5) against the fluid filling nozzle (6), - a compression element (8) which is operatively connected to the sealing element (7), - a tension band (9) which is operatively connected to the compression element (8), wherein the tension band (9) is designed to be drawn together by actuating a first handling means and, in the drawn state, to compress the compression element (8) and the sealing element (7) operatively connected thereto, as well as - an opening means designed to selectively open a check valve (3) arranged within the fluid filling nozzle (6).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid filling adapter for filling a fluid into a fluid reservoir of a vehicle component.

[0002] Vehicles with electrified or fully electric drive systems use various fluids for temperature control and lubrication, such as coolant, transmission fluid, and thermal insulation fluids. Cooling fluids, particularly cooling oils, are used especially for temperature control and insulation of high-voltage components like high-voltage batteries and electric motors. Since these high-voltage components are predominantly located in the vehicle underbody, the corresponding fluid filler and drain openings for the cooling fluid are also located on the underside of the vehicle. For design and manufacturing reasons, a downward-facing fluid filler opening is not always possible. In these cases, the fluid filler opening is usually designed as a threaded bore with a sealing screw, its main axis oriented either in the direction of travel or perpendicular to it.Due to packaging restrictions, the space surrounding the fluid filler opening is often enclosed by adjacent components, leaving only a few centimeters of available space for designing a fluid filler adapter for customer service purposes, such as refilling the coolant during servicing. If only limited space remains for a fluid filler adapter within the vehicle's installation space, conventional screw-in solutions are not feasible, as the screw-in depth of the adapter must be included in the vehicle package in addition to its axial dimension.

[0003] Examples of fluid filling adapters for filling a fluid into a vehicle component are provided by EP 2 330 330 A1 and CN 111348610 A.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to further develop a fluid filling adapter for filling a fluid into a vehicle component in such a way that it is oriented towards the existing geometries of the fluid filling openings of vehicle components and requires less axial installation space than a classic screw-in solution, as is frequently used in the prior art.

[0005] The solution to this problem is provided by a fluid filling adapter for filling a fluid into a vehicle component with the features of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0006] The invention provides a fluid filling adapter for filling a fluid into a fluid reservoir of a vehicle component, comprising - a base body that is shaped and dimensioned in such a way that it can be placed on a fluid filling nozzle of the vehicle component, - a sealing element that is attached to an outside of the base body and is designed to seal the base body against the fluid inlet nozzle, - a compression element that is operatively connected to the sealing element, - a tension band that is operatively connected to the compression element, wherein the tension band is designed to be drawn together by actuating a first handling means and, in the drawn state, to compress the compression element and the sealing element operatively connected thereto, as well as - an opening means designed to selectively open a check valve located inside the fluid filling nozzle.

[0007] The fluid filling adapter according to the invention for filling a fluid into a fluid reservoir of a vehicle component is not designed to be screwed into the fluid filling port and, due to its compact design, advantageously requires less axial installation space than the screw-in solutions known from the prior art.

[0008] In one embodiment, the Shore hardness of the sealing element is selected such that, when the fluid filling adapter is installed, an inner surface of the compression element contacts the outer surface of the fluid filling nozzle and effectively clamps it. This ensures a sealing effect of the sealing element when the fluid filling adapter is installed. The sealing element can, for example, be designed as an O-ring. In alternative embodiments, the sealing element can also have other suitable cross-sectional shapes and, for example, be designed as a D-ring, a multi-lip seal, or a seal with a rectangular cross-section.

[0009] In one embodiment, the Shore hardness and coefficient of friction of an inner surface of the compression element are selected such that the compression element can be deformed by tightening the tension band in such a way that it holds the fluid filling adapter to the fluid filling port with a sufficiently large normal force. This ensures a particularly secure hold of the fluid filling adapter to the fluid filling port.

[0010] In order to enable easy handling of the fluid filling adapter, one embodiment provides that the fluid filling adapter has a first Bowden cable which is attached to the pull cord and is connected to the first handling means by means of a first outer cable.

[0011] Preferably, the first handling means can have a handle with an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever is connected to the first outer pull and is preferably designed to be lockable.

[0012] In an advantageous embodiment, the opening means may comprise a disc spring and a second handling means which is connected to the disc spring.

[0013] To enable easy handling, in one embodiment the fluid filling adapter may have a second Bowden cable which is attached to the disc spring and is connected to the second handling means by means of a second outer cable.

[0014] In one embodiment, it is proposed that the second handling means has a handle with an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever is connected to the second outer pull and is preferably lockable.

[0015] In one embodiment, the disc spring is mounted within the base body in such a way that, when a tensile force is applied to the second Bowden cable, it changes its shape from convex to concave. Specifically, the disc spring is mounted within the base body in such a way that, when a tensile force is applied to the second Bowden cable, it flips according to the so-called "clicking frog" effect, changing its shape from convex (second Bowden cable slack) to concave (second Bowden cable under tension). In this way, the tensile movement of the second Bowden cable, which is caused in particular by manually actuating the lever of the second handling device, can be converted into a compressive movement at the outer diameter of the disc spring.This pressure movement then presses on a valve cage of the check valve against the spring force of the check valve and opens a sealing seat of the check valve, thus allowing the fluid to flow through for filling into or draining from the fluid reservoir.

[0016] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 a sectional view of a fluid filling adapter designed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 a partially cutaway top view of the fluid filling adapter according to Fig. 1.

[0017] With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 comprises a vehicle component, which may in particular be a high-voltage component of a motor vehicle, a housing 1 with a fluid filling opening 2, which is usually closed by means of a sealing screw (not explicitly shown) during the operation of the motor vehicle equipped with the vehicle component. The fluid filling opening 2 is in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir of the vehicle component (also not explicitly shown).

[0018] The fluid filling opening 2 has a check valve 3, so that when the sealing screw is removed and the check valve 3 is closed, no fluid escapes from the fluid reservoir of the vehicle component 1. In the embodiment shown here, the fluid filling opening 2 is formed in an outwardly projecting fluid filling nozzle 6 of the housing 1, which has a machined outer surface.

[0019] Furthermore, a fluid filling adapter 4 is provided, which is used in particular for filling the fluid into the fluid reservoir of the vehicle component 1 in the event of maintenance and will be described in detail below.

[0020] The fluid filling adapter 4 has a base body 5 in which all other components of the fluid filling adapter 4 are installed or arranged. To attach the fluid filling adapter 4 to the vehicle component 1, it is first placed over the fluid filling port 6. This causes an inner wall of a sealing element 7 of the fluid filling adapter 4 to come into contact with the outer wall of the fluid filling port 6. In the embodiment shown here, the sealing element 7 is designed as an O-ring. Alternatively, the sealing element 7 can also have other suitable cross-sectional shapes and, for example, be designed as a D-ring, a multi-lip seal, or a seal with a rectangular cross-section.

[0021] As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, the sealing element 7, which in this embodiment is designed as an O-ring, is seated in a compression element 8, which in this embodiment is also ring-shaped. A pull cord 9 is attached ring-shaped, in particular concentrically, around the compression element 8, the first end of which is fixed in the base body 5 of the fluid filling adapter 4 by means of a bolt 10. A first Bowden cable 11 is attached to a second end of the pull cord 9, which is opposite the first end. This first Bowden cable 11 is guided over a first outer cable 12, which is attached to a handle 13 – technically comparable to the handle of a bicycle brake. The handle 13, together with an actuating lever 14 and a locking device 15, which in this embodiment is designed as a locking lever, forms a first handling means of the fluid filling adapter 4.

[0022] When the actuating lever 14 of the handle 13 is pulled by a mechanic and locked in the closed position on the handle 13 via the pivotable locking lever 15, the first Bowden cable 11 pulls the pull cord 9 together, so that the compression element 8 and the sealing element 7 are also compressed and thus reduce their diameter, in order to achieve a sealing effect by means of the sealing element 7 and to effect the fastening of the fluid filling adapter 4 to the fluid filling port 6 by means of the compression element 8.

[0023] The Shore hardness of the sealing element 7 is selected such that an inner surface of the compression element 8 also contacts the outer surface of the fluid filling port 6 and can clamp effectively. The Shore hardness and the coefficients of friction of the inner surface of the compression element 8 are selected such that the compression element 8 can be sufficiently deformed by tightening the tension band 9 to thereby hold the fluid filling adapter 4 on the fluid filling port 6 with a sufficiently large normal force.

[0024] To open the check valve 3 within the fluid filler neck 6, an opening element is provided on the fluid filler adapter 4. This opening element is inserted into the fluid filler opening 2 of the vehicle component 1 when the fluid filler adapter 4 is attached. The main component of the opening element is a disc spring 16, which is attached at its center to a second Bowden cable 17. The second Bowden cable 17 is guided rearward through the base body 5 of the fluid filler adapter 4 and, via a metallic end piece 18, into a second outer cable 19. This outer cable is connected to a second handling element, which comprises a handle 20 with an actuating lever 21 and a locking device 22. The locking device 22 is also designed as a locking lever.

[0025] The disc spring 16 is mounted within the base body 5 such that, when a tensile force is applied to the second Bowden cable 17, it flips according to the so-called "clicking frog" effect, changing its shape from convex (second Bowden cable 17 untensioned) to concave (second Bowden cable 17 under tension). In this way, the tensile movement of the second Bowden cable 17, caused by manually actuating the lever 21 of the second handling device, can be converted into a compressive movement at the outer diameter of the disc spring 16. This compressive movement then presses on a valve cage 23 of the check valve 3 against the spring force of the check valve 3, opens a sealing seat 24 of the check valve 3, and thus allows the fluid to flow through for filling into or draining from the fluid reservoir.

[0026] The fluid flows through bores 25 in the base body 5 of the fluid filling adapter 4 and is guided into the base body 5 via a filling fitting 26 and a fluid line 27. The fluid line 27 can be connected to a hand syringe or pump 28 to pump the fluid from a container 29 into the fluid reservoir of the vehicle component.

Claims

[1] Fluid filling adapter (4) for filling a fluid into a fluid reservoir of a vehicle component, comprising - a base body (5) which is shaped and dimensioned in such a way that it can be placed on a fluid filling nozzle (6) of the vehicle component, - a sealing element (7) which is attached to an outside of the base body (5) and is designed to seal the base body (5) against the fluid filling nozzle (6), - a compression element (8) which is operatively connected to the sealing element (7), - a tension band (9) which is operatively connected to the compression element (8), wherein the tension band (9) is designed to be drawn together by actuating a first handling means and, in the drawn state, to compress the compression element (8) and the sealing element (7) operatively connected thereto, as well as - an opening means designed to selectively open a check valve (3) arranged within the fluid filling nozzle (6). [2] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to claim 1, characterized by , that a Shore hardness of the sealing element (7) is selected such that, in the assembled state of the fluid filling adapter (4), an inner surface of the compression element (8) touches the outer surface of the fluid filling nozzle (6) and effectively clamps. [3] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that the Shore hardness and the coefficients of friction of an inner surface of the compression element (8) are selected such that the compression element (8) can be deformed by tightening the tension band (9) in such a way that it holds the fluid filling adapter (4) on the fluid filling nozzle (6) with a sufficiently large normal force. [4] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, that the fluid filling adapter (4) has a first Bowden cable (11) which is attached to the pull strap (9) and is connected to the first handling means by means of a first outer cable (12). [5] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the first handling means has a handle (13) with an actuating lever (14), wherein the actuating lever (14) is connected to the first outer pull (12) and is preferably designed to be lockable. [6] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the opening means comprises a disc spring (16) and a second handling means which is connected to the disc spring (16). [7] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to claim 6, characterized by , that the fluid filling adapter (4) has a second Bowden cable (17) which is attached to the disc spring (16) and is connected to the second handling means by means of a second outer cable (19). [8] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to claim 7, characterized by , that the second handling means has a handle (20) with an actuating lever (21), wherein the actuating lever (21) is connected to the second outer pull (19) and is preferably designed to be lockable. [9] Fluid filling adapter (4) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by , that the disc spring (16) is mounted within the base body (5) in such a way that when a tensile force is applied to the second Bowden cable (17) it changes its shape from convex to concave.

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