Strainer, tank inlet

Abstract

This reduces the flow resistance of the fuel, allowing for a smooth supply of fuel to the fuel tank. [Solution] The strainer (50) is attached to the tank inlet (20) of the fuel tank (13). The strainer is provided with a circumferential wall (51) formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces of a first member having countless holes, and a bottom wall (52) formed with a second member having countless holes to close the lower part of the circumferential wall. The flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing through the second member is smaller than the flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing through the first member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a strainer and a tank inlet.

Background Art

[0002] As a straddle-type vehicle, there is known one in which a strainer is installed at the opening of a tank inlet of a fuel tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The strainer described in Patent Document 1 is a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the outer peripheral surface and the bottom surface of the strainer are formed by punching plates, respectively. A nozzle is inserted into the strainer, and fuel is supplied from the nozzle into the fuel tank through the strainer. By passing the fuel through the punching plate of the strainer, contaminations in the fuel are captured by the punching plate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there are manufacturing restrictions on the hole diameter and pitch of the punching plate, and there are limits to increasing the hole diameter or making the pitch finer. For this reason, the strainer formed by the punching plate has a problem that the flow resistance received by the fuel becomes large and it is difficult to supply.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object thereof is to provide a strainer and a tank inlet that can reduce the flow resistance received by the fuel and smoothly supply the fuel to the fuel tank.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A strainer according to one aspect of the present invention is a strainer attached to the tank inlet of a fuel tank, comprising a circumferential wall formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces of a first member having countless holes, and a bottom wall formed so as to close the lower part of the circumferential wall with a second member having countless holes, thereby solving the above problem by having the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member be smaller than the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the first member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, when a nozzle is inserted into the strainer, fuel is supplied to the fuel tank through the numerous holes in the first peripheral wall member and the numerous holes in the second bottom wall member. The flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member is smaller than that when passing through the first member, making it easier for the fuel to pass through the bottom wall formed by the second member. Contamination is collected by the second member, and fuel is smoothly supplied to the fuel tank through the second member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a top view of the area around the fuel tank in this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the tank inlet in this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel tank cut along line AA. [Figure 4] This is a top view of the strainer in this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the strainer in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the inlet cup and holder of this embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the inlet cup and holder of this embodiment, seen from below. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the installation operation of the strainer in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the installation operation of the strainer in this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the fuel supply operation in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A strainer according to one aspect of the present invention is attached to the tank inlet of a fuel tank. The peripheral wall of the strainer is formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces of a first member having countless holes. The bottom wall of the strainer is formed so as to close the lower part of the peripheral wall with a second member having countless holes. When a nozzle is inserted into the strainer, fuel is supplied to the fuel tank through the countless holes in the first member of the peripheral wall and the countless holes in the second member of the bottom wall. The flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member is smaller than the flow resistance experienced when passing through the first member. This makes it easier for the fuel to pass through the bottom wall formed by the second member, and while contamination is collected by the second member, fuel is smoothly supplied to the fuel tank through the second member. [Examples]

[0010] The tank inlet of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a top view of the area around the fuel tank of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of the tank inlet of this embodiment. In the following figures, arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow Re indicates the rear of the vehicle, arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, and arrow R indicates the right side of the vehicle. Also, in Figure 2, the fuel tank is shown by a dashed line.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a head pipe 10 is provided at the front of the saddle-type vehicle 1, and a handle 11 is provided on the top of the head pipe 10. A tank rail 12 extends rearward from the head pipe 10, and a fuel tank 13 is placed on top of the tank rail 12. A circular filler port 31 (see Figure 3) is formed in the center of the top of the fuel tank 13 by a tank inlet 20 (see Figure 2), and a tank cap 14 that opens and closes the filler port 31 is attached to the tank inlet 20 (see Figure 1). When the tank cap 14 is open, fuel is supplied to the fuel tank 13 by inserting a nozzle into the filler port 31 of the tank inlet 20.

[0012] The tank inlet 20 is provided with an inlet plate 24 to which the tank cap 14 is attached. An inlet cup 30 is provided in the center of the bottom surface of the inlet plate 24, with an inlet port 31 formed on its upper surface and a connection port 32 (see Figure 3) formed on its bottom surface. A bottomed cylindrical strainer 50 is detachably installed at the connection port 32 on the bottom surface 36 (see Figure 6) of the inlet cup 30. The strainer 50 protrudes significantly from the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30 toward the storage space of the fuel tank 13. A drain pipe 21 is connected to the bottom surface of the inlet plate 24, and liquid droplets on the inlet plate 24 are discharged through the drain pipe 21.

[0013] A separator 22 is supported on the underside of the bottom surface of the inlet plate 24. A gas-liquid separation chamber is formed inside the separator 22, and the fuel that enters the separator 22 is separated into liquid and gaseous components. A breather pipe 23 protrudes from the bottom surface of the separator 22 into the gas-liquid separation chamber, and a return hole (not shown) is formed on the bottom surface of the separator 22. The gaseous component of the fuel is discharged to the outside through the breather pipe 23, and the liquid component of the fuel is returned to the storage space of the fuel tank 13 through the return hole.

[0014] Incidentally, when a fuel containing a high concentration of alcohol is used, contamination may be mixed in the fuel due to the supply facilities in the market. Therefore, a strainer is generally installed at the tank inlet, and the fuel is filtered by the strainer. There are detachable and fixed strainers, but considering the ease of removing contamination, a detachable strainer is desirable. If the entire strainer is formed of a punching plate, the flow resistance received by the fuel increases, and smooth fuel supply is hindered. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a metal mesh with low flow resistance is used for the bottom wall of the strainer.

[0015] The tank inlet will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel tank of FIG. 1 cut along line A-A. FIG. 4 is a top view of the strainer of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of the strainer of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inlet cup and the holder of the present embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inlet cup and the holder of the present embodiment as viewed from below. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the outer cylinder of the inlet cup is omitted. In the following description, the clockwise direction indicates the clockwise direction centered on the inlet in a top view, and the counterclockwise direction indicates the counterclockwise direction centered on the inlet in a top view.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the outer surface of the fuel tank 13 is covered with a tank cover 15. A tank inlet 20 is provided at the opening of the fuel tank 13, and the tank inlet 20 is exposed to the outside from the opening of the tank cover 15. The inlet plate 24 of the tank inlet 20 has a shallower bottom and a bottomed shape, and the peripheral wall of the inlet plate 24 is joined to the opening edge of the fuel tank 13. An inlet cup 30 is joined to the central opening of the inlet plate 24. The inlet cup 30 has a double-cylinder structure of an outer cylinder 33 and an inner cylinder 34, and the inlet cup 30 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape by combining the outer cylinder 33 and the inner cylinder 34.

[0017] The outer cylinder 33 of the inlet cup 30 is joined to the opening edge of the inlet plate 24, and the upper part of the outer cylinder 33 is folded inward to form an injection port 31 on the upper surface of the inlet cup 30. The inner cylinder 34 of the inlet cup 30 is joined to the inner surface of the outer cylinder 33, and an annular bottom plate 35 projects inward from the lower end of the inner cylinder 34 to form a connection port 32 on the lower surface of the inlet cup 30. A holder 40 is joined to the inner surface of the inner cylinder 34 of the inlet cup 30, and the strainer 50 is detachably held in the inlet cup 30 by the holder 40. Details of the holder 40 will be described later.

[0018] The strainer 50 has a punching tube (peripheral wall) 51 made of a punching plate with innumerable holes. The punching tube 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces. A flange ring (connecting member) 55 that catches on the opening edge of the connection port 32 of the inlet cup 30 is joined to the upper part of the punching tube 51. The lower part of the punching tube 51 is closed by a bottom mesh (bottom wall) 52 made of a metal mesh with innumerable holes. A reinforcing member 53 is mounted inside the lower part of the punching tube 51, and the bottom mesh 52 is supported from below by the reinforcing member 53.

[0019] Here, the punching plate has higher rigidity than the metal mesh, but the metal mesh has a larger opening ratio and less flow resistance than the punching plate. By forming the peripheral wall of the strainer 50 with the punching tube 51, the rigidity of the strainer 50 is increased and the nozzle 65 (see FIG. 10) is properly held during fuel supply. Also, by forming the bottom wall of the strainer 50 with the bottom mesh 52, the flow resistance received when the fuel passes through the bottom mesh 52 is reduced and the fuel is smoothly supplied. Furthermore, by using the punching plate, the productivity of the strainer 50 is also improved.

[0020] A pair of U-shaped stoppers 54 protrude radially inward from the perforated tube 51 at a position above the bottom mesh 52. The nozzle 65 abuts against the pair of stoppers 54, preventing the nozzle 65 from contacting the bottom mesh 52 and thus preventing damage to the bottom mesh 52. The pair of stoppers 54 also function as an operating part on which a tool (not shown) can be attached when attaching or detaching the strainer 50. The U-shape of the pair of stoppers 54 forms an opening, and the strainer 50 can be easily attached to and detached from the inlet cup 30 by hooking the tool into this opening.

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a flange plate 56 with a larger diameter than the connection port 32 of the inlet cup 30 (see Figure 3) is formed on the upper flange ring 55 of the punching tube 51. Four protruding pieces 57 protrude radially outward from the flange plate 56, and the four protruding pieces 57 are positioned at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (90-degree intervals in this embodiment). The upper surfaces of three of the protruding pieces 57 are provided with mountain-shaped protrusions 58, and the upper surface of the remaining protruding piece 57 is provided with a hemispherical projection 59. The protrusions 58 are formed by notching and bending both sides of the protruding piece 57, and the projection 59 is formed by doweling the protruding piece 57.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, at the lower part of the perforated tube 51, the outer edge of the circular bottom mesh 52 is bent downward, and the outer edge of the bottom mesh 52 is sandwiched between the perforated tube 51 and the reinforcing member 53. The bottom mesh 52 is easily fixed by the perforated tube 51 and the reinforcing member 53, improving the productivity of the strainer 50. In addition, the bottom mesh 52 is positioned above the lower end of the perforated tube 51, and the entire bottom mesh 52 is surrounded by the perforated tube 51. The bottom mesh 52 is protected by the perforated tube 51, and deformation and damage to the bottom mesh 52 are suppressed when attaching and detaching the strainer 50.

[0023] Furthermore, a pair of stoppers 54 are installed at the same height on the inner surface of the punching tube 51. The pair of stoppers 54 are formed by bending a solid steel material with a circular cross-section into a U-shape. The pair of stoppers 54 are adjacent to the top of the bottom mesh 52, and the nozzle 65 (see Figure 10) is inserted deeply into the strainer 50. At this time, the length of the punching tube 51 and the height of the pair of stoppers 54 are adjusted so that the sensor 66 (see Figure 10) for stopping the supply of nozzle 65 is below the inlet cup 30. Because the stoppers 54 are close to the bottom mesh 52, the punching tube 51 does not become unnecessarily long.

[0024] The pair of stoppers 54 are spaced apart from each other, leaving a gap in the center of the perforated tube 51, and the pair of stoppers 54 face each other across the center of the perforated tube 51. Even when the nozzle 65 strikes the pair of stoppers 54, the impact is absorbed almost uniformly by the pair of stoppers 54, and deformation of the stoppers 54 is suppressed. The tool can be hooked onto the pair of stoppers 54, making it easier to transmit rotational torque from the tool to the strainer 50 when attaching or detaching the strainer 50 from the inlet cup 30. The procedure for attaching and detaching the strainer 50 from the inlet cup 30 will be described later.

[0025] In cross-sectional view, the upper parts of the pair of stoppers 54 are formed with an upwardly bulging curved surface, and the pair of stoppers 54 are spaced apart, leaving a gap in the center of the punching tube 51. The flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing through the pair of stoppers 54 is reduced, and the flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing between the pair of stoppers 54 is also reduced, allowing fuel to be supplied smoothly to the fuel tank 13. As described above, the pair of stoppers 54 are formed in a U-shape, and the pair of stoppers 54 are installed in the punching tube 51 with the curved portion facing vertically. The rigidity of the pair of stoppers 54 with respect to the insertion direction of the nozzle 65 is increased, and deformation of the pair of stoppers 54 is suppressed even when the nozzle 65 abuts against the pair of stoppers 54.

[0026] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a holder 40 is joined to the inner surface of the inner cylinder 34 of the inlet cup 30. The holder 40 is formed in a substantially annular shape and is provided with four retaining pieces 41 corresponding to the four protruding pieces 57 (see Figure 3) of the strainer 50. A gap is left between the four retaining pieces 41 of the holder 40 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, and when the strainer 50 is installed, the four protruding pieces 57 of the strainer 50 are sandwiched between the four retaining pieces 41 of the holder 40 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. The strainer 50 is held in the axial direction by the holder 40 and the inlet cup 30, suppressing rattling and other issues.

[0027] More specifically, the four retaining pieces 41 are stepped downward toward the radially inward direction, and one of the four retaining pieces 41 is partially bent radially inward. The lower end surfaces of three retaining pieces 41 have bevels 42 corresponding to the protrusions 58 of the three protruding pieces 57, and the lower surface of the remaining retaining piece 41 has a recess 45 corresponding to the projection 59 of the protruding piece 57. The bevels 42 are inclined to become lower along the clockwise direction, and the distance between the bevels 42 of each retaining piece 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30 narrows along the clockwise direction. That is, the clockwise direction is the mounting direction in which the four protruding pieces 57 fit into the gap.

[0028] Furthermore, the holder 40 has notches 46 formed between adjacent retaining pieces 41 so that the protruding pieces 57 do not interfere with each other when attaching or detaching the strainer 50. The width of each notch 46 is formed to be larger than the width of each protruding piece 57, and the recess amount of each notch 46 is formed to be larger than the protrusion amount of each protruding piece 57. As a result, when each protruding piece 57 is positioned in each notch 46, each protruding piece 57 can pass through each notch 46 in the vertical direction. In addition, each notch 46 is connected to the gap between each retaining piece 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, and each notch 46 of the holder 40 is formed to guide each retaining piece 41 into the gap.

[0029] As described above, inclined surfaces 42 are formed on the three retaining pieces 41, and when the strainer 50 is rotated clockwise, the inclined surfaces 42 press down on the protrusions 58, securely holding the strainer 50 in the inlet cup 30. A mountain-shaped retaining portion 43 is formed on one end of the inclined surface 42 in the counterclockwise direction. The protruding length of the retaining portion 43 on each retaining piece 41 is designed to be large enough for each protruding piece 57 to pass through by slightly elastically deforming. When the retaining portion 43 contacts the protrusions 58 of each protruding piece 57, the reverse rotation (rotation in the counterclockwise direction) of the strainer 50 is suppressed, making it difficult for the strainer 50 to come off the inlet cup 30.

[0030] Contact surfaces 44 are connected at the other end in the clockwise direction of the inclined surface 42 of the three retaining pieces 41. The contact surfaces 44 of the three retaining pieces 41 are formed parallel to the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. The contact surface (lower end) 44 of each retaining piece 41 is in contact with the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, ensuring positional accuracy between the inclined surface 42 of each retaining piece 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. As a result, the distance between the inclined surface 42 of each retaining piece 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, and the distance between the retaining portion 43 of each retaining piece 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30 are of an appropriate size, so that the three protruding pieces 57 are stably held by the three retaining pieces 41 and the reverse rotation of the strainer 50 is appropriately suppressed.

[0031] As described above, a recess 45 is formed in one retaining piece 41, and the projection 59 of one protruding piece 57 fits into the recess 45, thereby positioning the strainer 50 in the inlet cup 30. The projection 59 is formed in a hemispherical shape, and the projection 59 of the protruding piece 57 fits into the recess 45 of the retaining piece 41, positioning and holding the strainer 50 with appropriate force relative to the inlet cup 30. Furthermore, when removing the strainer 50, the hemispherical curved shape of the projection 59 makes it easy to remove from the recess 45. The retaining piece 41 with the sloped surface 42 and the retaining piece 41 with the recess 45 are formed simultaneously by press working on the same holder 40, thereby improving the processing accuracy of the holder 40.

[0032] The strainer installation operation will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figures 8 and 9 show an example of the strainer installation operation in this embodiment. Figures 8(A) and 9(A) show the strainer installation operation in a plan view, and Figures 8(B) and 9(B) show the strainer installation operation in a cross-sectional view.

[0033] As shown in Figures 8(A) and 8(B), when installing the strainer 50, a pair of stoppers 54 on the punching tube 51 are held using a tool (not shown), and the four protruding pieces 57 of the strainer 50 are aligned with the four notches 46 of the holder 40. The punching tube 51 is then inserted into the connection port 32 of the inlet cup 30 until the flange ring 55 of the strainer 50 contacts the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. At this time, the four protruding pieces 57 pass through the four notches 46, so the strainer 50 does not interfere with the holder 40, and the four protruding pieces 57 are guided to the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30.

[0034] As shown in Figures 9(A) and 9(B), when the flange ring 55 of the strainer 50 contacts the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, the tool rotates the strainer 50 (perforated tube 51) clockwise. The four protruding pieces 57 fit into the gap between the four retaining pieces 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. The hemispherical projection 59 of one protruding piece 57 fits into the recess 45 of one retaining piece 41 and is positioned circumferentially, and the convex portions 58 of the three protruding pieces 57 are pushed from above by the inclined surfaces 42 of the three retaining pieces 41. In addition, the convex portions 58 of the three protruding pieces 57 contact the retaining portions 43 of the three retaining pieces 41, preventing the strainer 50 from rotating in the reverse direction.

[0035] In this way, the four notches 46 of the holder 40 guide the four protruding pieces 57 to the gap between the four retaining pieces 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, and the movement of the strainer 50 in the insertion and removal direction is restricted as the four protruding pieces 57 enter the gap. In addition, the mountain-shaped protrusions 58 of the three protruding pieces 57 are positioned in the valley-shaped portions at the lower ends of the three retaining pieces 41, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the strainer 50. This makes it easy to attach the strainer 50 to the inlet cup 30, and the strainer 50 is held appropriately in the inlet cup 30, suppressing rattling of the strainer 50.

[0036] When removing the strainer 50, the reverse procedure of installation is performed. That is, the strainer 50 (perforated tube 51) is rotated counterclockwise by a tool, and the four protruding pieces 57 are detached from the gap between the four retaining pieces 41 and the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. The four protruding pieces 57 of the strainer 50 are aligned with the four notches 46 of the holder 40, and the strainer 50 is pulled out of the inlet cup 30 so that the four protruding pieces 57 pass through the four notches 46. In this way, the strainer 50 is easily removed from the inlet cup 30.

[0037] The fuel supply operation will now be explained with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the fuel supply operation in this embodiment.

[0038] As shown in Figure 10, during fuel supply, the nozzle 65 is inserted through the inlet 31 of the tank inlet 20 (inlet cup 30). When the nozzle 65 enters the strainer 50, it abuts against a pair of stoppers 54 on the strainer 50. At this point, the sensor 66 for stopping the supply of fuel from the nozzle 65 is positioned below the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30. As a result, fuel is not supplied to a position higher than the bottom surface 36 of the inlet cup 30, preventing fuel from overflowing from the tank inlet 20.

[0039] During fuel supply, the nozzle 65 is held inside the strainer 50. The peripheral wall of the strainer 50 is formed of a perforated tube 51 made of a highly rigid perforated plate. The nozzle 65 is stably held by the perforated tube 51 during fuel supply. In addition, the bottom wall of the strainer 50 is formed of a bottom mesh 52 made of a metal mesh with a high opening ratio. Fuel is smoothly supplied to the fuel tank 13 through the bottom mesh 52. Furthermore, U-shaped stoppers 54 are installed vertically, and the upper part of each stopper 54 is curved in a convex shape, so that the fuel flow is not easily obstructed by each stopper 54.

[0040] As described above, with the strainer 50 of this embodiment, when the nozzle 65 is inserted into the strainer 50, fuel is supplied to the fuel tank 13 through the perforated tube 51 and the bottom mesh 52. The flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing through the bottom mesh 52, which is made of metal mesh, is smaller than that when passing through the perforated tube 51, which is made of perforated plate, making it easier for the fuel to pass through the bottom mesh 52. Contamination is collected by the bottom mesh 52, and fuel is smoothly supplied to the fuel tank 13 through the bottom mesh 52.

[0041] In this embodiment, a perforated plate was used as the first member and a metal mesh as the second member, but the first and second members are not limited to a perforated plate and a metal mesh. The first and second members are members with countless holes, and the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member is less than the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the first member.

[0042] Furthermore, although the stopper is formed in a U-shape in this embodiment, the shape of the stopper is not particularly limited as long as it protrudes radially inward from the punching tube at a position above the bottom mesh. For example, the stopper may be made of a steel material with a thick wire diameter, or it may be made of a plate material.

[0043] In this embodiment, the strainer is provided with a pair of stoppers, but the punching tube may be provided with one stopper, or with three or more stoppers.

[0044] Furthermore, although the strainer is provided with four protruding pieces in this embodiment, it is sufficient for the strainer to be provided with multiple protruding pieces. For example, the strainer may be provided with two protruding pieces. Similarly, although the holder is provided with four retaining pieces, it is sufficient for the holder to be provided with multiple retaining pieces. For example, the holder may be provided with two retaining pieces.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, three protruding pieces are provided with convex portions and three retaining pieces have inclined surfaces. However, it is sufficient if at least one protruding piece is provided with a convex portion and at least one retaining piece has an inclined surface corresponding to the convex portion. For example, all four protruding pieces may be provided with convex portions and all four retaining pieces may have inclined surfaces, or one protruding piece may be provided with a convex portion and one retaining piece may have an inclined surface.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a projection is provided on one protruding piece and a recess is formed on one retaining piece, but it is sufficient if a projection is provided on at least one protruding piece and a recess corresponding to the projection is formed on at least one retaining piece. For example, projections may be provided on all four protruding pieces and recesses may be formed on all four retaining pieces, or projections may be provided on two protruding pieces and recesses may be formed on two retaining pieces.

[0047] In this embodiment, the outer edge of the bottom mesh is bent downwards and sandwiched between the punching tube and the reinforcing member, but the method of attaching the bottom mesh is not particularly limited.

[0048] Furthermore, the strainer in this embodiment is not limited to saddle-type vehicles, but may also be used in other vehicles or machines that use fuel tanks.

[0049] As described above, the first embodiment is a strainer (50) attached to the tank inlet (20) of a fuel tank (13), comprising a peripheral wall (perforated tube 51) formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces of a first member having countless holes, and a bottom wall (bottom mesh 52) formed so as to close the lower part of the peripheral wall with a second member having countless holes, wherein the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member is smaller than the flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the first member. With this configuration, when a nozzle is inserted into the strainer, fuel is supplied to the fuel tank through the countless holes in the first member of the peripheral wall and the countless holes in the second member of the bottom wall. The flow resistance experienced by the fuel when passing through the second member is smaller than that experienced by the first member, making it easier for the fuel to pass through the bottom wall formed by the second member, and while contamination is collected by the second member, fuel is smoothly supplied to the fuel tank through the second member.

[0050] In the second embodiment, the first member is a perforated plate, and the peripheral wall is made of the perforated plate, forming a perforated tube (51), and the second member is a metal mesh, and the bottom wall is made of the metal mesh, forming a bottom mesh (52). With this configuration, the rigidity of the peripheral wall is increased by the perforated tube, and the nozzle is properly held during fuel supply. The flow resistance experienced by the fuel is reduced by the bottom mesh, allowing for smooth fuel supply. The productivity of the strainer is improved by using a perforated tube for the peripheral wall.

[0051] In the third embodiment, the bottom mesh is positioned above the lower end of the perforated tube, and the entire bottom mesh is surrounded by the perforated tube. With this configuration, the bottom mesh is protected by the perforated tube, and deformation or damage to the bottom mesh is suppressed when attaching or detaching the strainer.

[0052] The fourth aspect is a configuration of the third aspect in which the strainer is provided with a reinforcing member (53) installed inside the punching tube so as to support the bottom wall from below, the outer edge of the bottom mesh is bent downward, and the outer edge of the bottom mesh is sandwiched between the punching tube and the reinforcing member. With this configuration, the bottom mesh can be easily fixed inside the punching tube by sandwiching the outer edge of the bottom mesh between the punching tube and the reinforcing member, thereby improving the productivity of the strainer.

[0053] The fifth embodiment is one of the second to fourth embodiments, in which the strainer is equipped with a stopper (54) that protrudes radially inward from the perforated tube at a position above the bottom mesh. With this configuration, the nozzle abuts against the stopper, preventing the nozzle from contacting the bottom mesh and thus preventing damage to the bottom mesh.

[0054] In the sixth embodiment, the stopper is installed adjacent to the top of the bottom mesh, as in the fifth embodiment. This configuration allows the nozzle to be inserted deeply into the strainer.

[0055] The seventh aspect is a configuration in the fifth or sixth aspect in which the stopper is a plurality of stoppers, spaced apart from each other so as to leave a gap in the center of the perforated tube. With this configuration, even if the nozzle strikes the plurality of stoppers, the impact is absorbed by the plurality of stoppers, and deformation of the stoppers is suppressed. In addition, the flow resistance that the fuel experiences as it passes between the plurality of stoppers is reduced, allowing fuel to be supplied smoothly to the fuel tank.

[0056] The eighth aspect is that, in the seventh aspect, the stopper is a pair of stoppers, and the pair of stoppers are facing each other. With this configuration, even if the nozzle strikes the pair of stoppers, the impact is absorbed substantially uniformly by the pair of stoppers, thereby suppressing deformation of the stoppers.

[0057] The ninth embodiment is one of the embodiments from the fifth to the eighth embodiment, in which the upper part of the stopper is formed as a curved surface that bulges upward in cross-sectional view. This configuration reduces the flow resistance that the fuel experiences when passing through the stopper, allowing the fuel to be supplied smoothly to the fuel tank.

[0058] The tenth embodiment is one of the embodiments from the fifth to the ninth, in which the stopper is formed in a U-shape and is installed in the punching tube with the curved portion facing vertically. This configuration increases the rigidity of the stopper with respect to the nozzle insertion direction, and prevents deformation of the stopper even when the nozzle hits the stopper.

[0059] The eleventh embodiment is a tank inlet comprising a strainer as described in any one of the first to tenth embodiments, an inlet cup (30) having an inlet (31) on its upper surface and a connection port on its bottom surface, and a holder (40) for holding the strainer in the inlet cup, wherein the strainer is detachably installed in the connection port (32) of the inlet cup, the strainer is provided with a plurality of protruding pieces (57) that project radially outward, and the holder is provided with a plurality of retaining pieces (41) corresponding to the plurality of protruding pieces, with a gap between the plurality of retaining pieces and the bottom surface (36) of the inlet cup, and the holder is formed to guide the plurality of retaining pieces into the gap. With this configuration, the plurality of protruding pieces of the strainer are guided by the holder and positioned in the gap between the plurality of retaining pieces and the bottom surface of the inlet cup. The plurality of protruding pieces of the strainer are sandwiched between the plurality of retaining pieces of the holder and the bottom surface of the inlet cup. The inlet cup securely holds the strainer, preventing the nozzle from coming loose even when inserted, and also suppressing rattling of the strainer due to engine vibrations. Furthermore, the strainer can be easily removed from the inlet cup as multiple protruding pieces of the strainer can escape through the gaps between the multiple retaining pieces and the bottom surface of the inlet cup.

[0060] In the 12th aspect, as in the 11th aspect, a convex portion (58) is provided on at least one of the multiple protruding pieces, and projections (59) are provided on the remaining protruding pieces. A bevel (42) corresponding to the convex portion is formed on at least one of the multiple retaining pieces, and a recess (45) corresponding to the projection is formed on the remaining retaining surface. As the strainer is rotated in a direction in which the multiple protruding pieces enter the gap, the convex portion is pressed against the bevel and the projection fits into the recess, thereby positioning the strainer in the inlet cup. With this configuration, the convex portion of the protruding piece is pressed against by the bevel of the retaining piece, so the strainer is securely held in the inlet cup, and the projection of the protruding piece enters into the recess of the retaining piece, so the strainer is positioned and held in relation to the inlet cup.

[0061] Although this embodiment has been described, other embodiments may include combinations of the above embodiment and its modifications, either entirely or partially.

[0062] Furthermore, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be modified, substituted, or transformed in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Moreover, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way by advances in the technology or by other derived technologies, it may be implemented by that method. Accordingly, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 13: Fuel tank 20: Tank inlet 30: Inlet Cup 31: Inlet 32: Connection port 36: Bottom 40: Holder 41: Holding piece 42: Slope 44: Contact surface 45: Indentation 50: Strainer 51: Perforated tube 52: Bottom mesh 53: Reinforcement member 54: Stopper 57:Protruding piece 58: Convex part 59: Protrusion

Claims

1. A strainer that is attached to the tank inlet of a fuel tank, A circumferential wall formed in a cylindrical shape with openings on both the upper and lower surfaces, using a first member that has countless holes, It comprises a bottom wall formed to close the lower part of the peripheral wall with a second member having countless holes, A strainer characterized in that the flow resistance experienced by the fuel as it passes through the second member is smaller than the flow resistance experienced by the fuel as it passes through the first member.

2. The first member is a punching plate, and the peripheral wall is a punching tube made of a punching plate. The strainer according to claim 1, characterized in that the second member is a metal mesh and the bottom wall is a bottom mesh made of metal mesh.

3. The strainer according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom mesh is positioned above the lower end of the perforated tube, and the entire bottom mesh is surrounded by the perforated tube.

4. The punching tube is provided with a reinforcing member installed inside it so as to support the bottom wall from below, The strainer according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer edge of the bottom mesh is bent downward and the outer edge of the bottom mesh is sandwiched between the punching tube and the reinforcing member.

5. The strainer according to claim 2, further characterized by having a stopper that protrudes radially inward from the perforated tube at a position above the bottom mesh.

6. The strainer according to claim 5, characterized in that the stopper is installed adjacent to the top of the bottom mesh.

7. The strainer according to claim 5, characterized in that the stopper is a plurality of stoppers, and the plurality of stoppers are spaced apart from each other so as to leave a gap in the center of the punching tube.

8. The strainer according to claim 7, characterized in that the stopper is a pair of stoppers, and the pair of stoppers are facing each other.

9. The strainer according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper part of the stopper is formed as a curved surface that bulges upward when viewed in cross-section.

10. The strainer according to claim 5, characterized in that the stopper is formed in a U-shape, and the stopper is installed in the punching tube such that the curved portion is oriented vertically.

11. A strainer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, An inlet cup with an inlet on the top surface and a connection port on the bottom surface, The inlet cup is provided with a holder for holding the strainer, The strainer is detachably installed in the connection port of the inlet cup. The strainer is provided with a plurality of protruding pieces that extend radially outward. The holder is provided with a plurality of retaining pieces corresponding to the plurality of protruding pieces, A gap is left between the plurality of retaining pieces and the bottom surface of the inlet cup. A tank inlet characterized in that the holder is formed in such a way that it can guide the plurality of retaining pieces up to the gap.

12. Of the plurality of protruding pieces, at least one protruding piece is provided with a convex portion, and the remaining protruding pieces are provided with projections. Of the plurality of retaining pieces, at least one retaining piece has a slope corresponding to the convex portion, and the remaining retaining surfaces have recesses corresponding to the protrusions. The tank inlet according to claim 11, characterized in that the strainer is rotated in a direction in which the plurality of protruding pieces enter the gap, the convex portion is pressed against the inclined surface, and the projection fits into the recess, thereby positioning the strainer in the inlet cup.

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