Degassing system for a fuel tank

Abstract

The invention relates to a degassing system for a fuel tank (2) of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle (3), comprising: - at least one supply line (4) which is designed to discharge an at least partially gaseous fuel from the fuel tank (2) of the single-track motor vehicle and - a container (5) which is connected to the at least one supply line (4) and is designed to condense and preferably store the fuel supplied via the at least one supply line (4), in particular by means of a filter device provided in the container (5), wherein the at least one supply line (4) is fluidically connected to a drainage container (7) between a connection point (6) on the fuel tank (2) and the container (5), said drainage container (7) being designed to receive and store fuel accumulated in the supply line (4) in a liquid state.

Description

[0001] Degassing system for a fuel tank

[0002] The present invention relates to a degassing system for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as to a fuel tank and a single-track motor vehicle with such a degassing system.

[0003] Generic degassing systems for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle include:

[0004] - at least one supply line which is designed to discharge an at least partially gaseous fuel from the fuel tank of the single-track motor vehicle, and

[0005] - a container which is connected to the at least one supply line and is designed to condense and preferably store the fuel discharged via the at least one supply line, in particular by means of a filter device arranged in the container.

[0006] Single-track motor vehicles include, for example, motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, mopeds, or similar vehicles. The following briefly outlines the state of the art using a motorcycle as an example. The same applies, however, to single-track motor vehicles in general.

[0007] The problem with motorcycles with combustion engines is that fuel stored in the fuel tank evaporates, and the evaporated fuel must be drained off to avoid destruction of the fuel.

[0008] Understandably, for environmental reasons, the emission of hydrocarbons into the environment must be kept as low as possible. In many countries, it is therefore mandatory to implement devices that suppress the emission of evaporated fuel into the environment as much as possible (evaporative emission control systems).

[0009] Degassing systems are usually used to store evaporated fuel escaping from the fuel tank and then feed it back into the engine.

[0010] For this purpose, corresponding degassing systems often have a container in which, for example, an activated carbon filter is arranged, from which evaporated fuel can be collected, condensed and temporarily stored.

[0011] In order to create optimal operating conditions for the tank and to be able to meet the thermal requirements of the tank (since, for example, the absorption of an activated carbon filter is better in cool conditions), it is important to position the tank accordingly on the motorcycle, which is often a challenge due to the large number of devices and equipment on modern motorcycles and the resulting limited available installation space.

[0012] Consequently, it can be seen that the container cannot usually be positioned directly on the fuel tank and must therefore be connected to the fuel tank via at least one supply line, wherein the at least one supply line is designed to guide the evaporated fuel from the fuel tank into the container.

[0013] However, it has been discovered that condensate residues from the evaporated fuel are already forming in at least one supply line, depositing in liquid form in the supply line. However, if the liquid fuel flows from the supply line into the tank, the activated carbon filter located therein can be damaged or even destroyed.

[0014] It is therefore known from the prior art to connect the supply line to a drainage hose via a 3-way hose connector.

[0015] This drainage hose is closed at one end facing away from the Y-hose connector using a sealing plug and forms a drainage volume in which the condensed, liquid fuel can collect so that it is not pumped further into the container.

[0016] The disadvantage of this, however, has been found to be that this drainage hose is often completely full after only a short period of operation (or it is forgotten to be emptied during servicing work), which leads to liquid fuel being pumped back into the tank and thus to the impairment of the activated carbon filter.

[0017] A further disadvantage is that the drainage hose is often damaged during operation of the motorcycle or the sealing plug comes loose, which means that the degassing system can no longer work efficiently because the evaporated fuel is released into the environment via the drainage hose, thus resulting in the emission of hydrocarbons into the environment due to evaporated fuel.

[0018] The object of the present invention is therefore to implement a degassing system for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in which the previously described disadvantages of the prior art are at least partially improved and / or an emission of evaporated fuel from a fuel tank into the environment can be prevented more efficiently or reliably and / or in which the manufacturing, maintenance and assembly costs can be reduced.

[0019] This object is achieved according to the invention by a degassing system for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, having the features of claim 1, as well as a fuel tank and / or a single-track motor vehicle with such a degassing system.

[0020] According to the invention, a degassing system for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle,

[0021] - at least one supply line which is designed to discharge an at least partially gaseous fuel from the fuel tank of the single-track motor vehicle, and

[0022] - a container which is connected to the at least one supply line and is designed to condense and preferably store the fuel supplied via the at least one supply line, in particular by means of a filter device arranged in the container, wherein the at least one supply line is in fluid communication with a drainage container between a connection point on the fuel tank and the container, which drainage container is designed to receive and store fuel which appears in liquid form in the supply line.

[0023] A drainage container makes it possible to prevent liquid fuel or other liquid components occurring in the at least one supply line from being conveyed further into the container, whereby damage to a filter device present in the container - in particular an activated carbon filter - can be prevented.

[0024] In addition, the drainage container ensures safe

[0025] Possibility created to collect a liquid which has a low risk of damage due to an increased moment of resistance to external influences.

[0026] The risk that the degassing system becomes inactive due to damage to the drainage container can also be reduced to a minimum.

[0027] In addition, a drainage tank provides a sufficient volume to collect liquid, so that even during continuous operation of the single-track vehicle, an impairment of the degassing system due to a maximum filling level is not to be expected in the near future.

[0028] A further advantage is that the drainage tank can be easily checked for fill level, thus providing a simple way to monitor whether the drainage tank needs to be emptied. Furthermore, the drainage tank itself provides a quick and easy way to empty it, especially if a drainage opening is provided on the drainage tank.

[0029] An additional advantage is that a drainage container can be easily connected to the container or even the fuel tank, which makes it possible to pre-assemble the degassing system as a stand-alone system during production of a single-track motor vehicle and to arrange the pre-assembled system on the single-track motor vehicle in just a few steps during assembly of the single-track motor vehicle.

[0030] Thus, a system according to the invention not only reduces the assembly effort of the system itself, but also efficiently improves the assembly of the entire single-track motor vehicle in terms of labor and logistical effort. Disassembly and maintenance options, as well as the replacement of the degassing system or the drainage container in the event of damage, can also be simplified and improved by a degassing system according to the invention.

[0031] The function of the drainage tank, to collect and store liquid fuel in the supply line, can preferably be achieved by having the drainage tank located at the lowest point in the supply line or connected there, preferably in an upright position of the motorcycle in the assembled state. Other possibilities are conceivable in principle, for example, with an active conveying device or the like.

[0032] Single-track motor vehicles can include, for example, motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, mopeds or similar vehicles.

[0033] A system according to the invention does not necessarily have to be created through the production of a new motor vehicle. A corresponding system can also be implemented, for example, in existing single-track motor vehicles—such as those described in the introduction to the description—and thus also be retrofitted.

[0034] The drainage tank can be designed as a separate drainage tank and / or a separate component.

[0035] The fuel may preferably be volatile hydrocarbons, particularly preferably gasoline, which are filled in the liquid state and then form an atmosphere with evaporated fuel in the tank.

[0036] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. Preferably, the container may be provided with a filter device, in particular a filter device comprising an activated carbon filter.

[0037] It can be provided that the drainage container is designed as a plastic container, preferably a thermoplastic one.

[0038] Preferably, it can be provided that the drainage container is produced by extrusion blow molding.

[0039] Other manufacturing processes, such as injection molding, are also conceivable for the production of the drainage container.

[0040] It can be provided that the at least one supply line has a first supply line part and a second supply line part, wherein the drainage container is fluidically connected in series between the first supply line part and the second supply line part.

[0041] For example, it can be provided that the first supply line part is designed to connect the connection point on the fuel tank to the drainage container and the second supply line part is designed to connect the drainage container to the container.

[0042] Preferably, it can be provided that the at least one supply line between

[0043] - the connection point on the fuel tank and the drainage tank and / or

[0044] - the drainage container and the container is designed as an elastic hose element. It can be provided that the drainage container has at least one discharge opening for discharging the stored fuel.

[0045] Preferably, it can be provided that the drainage container has at least one fastening means which is designed to fasten the drainage container to the single-track motor vehicle, the fuel tank and / or the container.

[0046] It can be provided that the drainage container is at least partially made of a transparent material so that the fill level of the drainage container is visible.

[0047] It can be provided that a discharge line is connected to the tank, which is designed to discharge the fuel stored in the tank. It can be provided that the discharge line connects the tank, preferably via a valve, particularly preferably an actively controlled or regulated valve, to a fuel supply of an internal combustion engine of the single-track motor vehicle.

[0048] Furthermore, protection is sought for a fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, with a degassing system according to the invention, wherein the at least one supply line of the degassing system is fluidically connected to an interior of the fuel tank.

[0049] Preferably, it can be provided that the at least one supply line of the degassing system is connected to the interior of the fuel tank only when the tank cap of the fuel tank is closed.

[0050] It can be provided that the drainage container, in particular the entire degassing system, is arranged on the fuel tank by means of a fastening device, preferably a screw connection.

[0051] It can be provided that the drainage container is connected to the container via a fastening device and preferably the container in turn is connected to the single-track motor vehicle (for example a frame of the single-track motor vehicle) or the fuel tank.

[0052] Furthermore, protection is sought for a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, with a degassing system according to the invention.

[0053] It can be provided that the drainage container is positioned relative to the fuel tank and the container in such a way that in an upright vertical position of the motor vehicle a liquid fuel flows in the at least one supply line into the drainage container.

[0054] Further details and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0055] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a motorcycle,

[0056] Fig. 2 shows the fuel tank of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in isolation,

[0057] Fig. 3 shows the fuel tank from Fig. 2 in perspective view from below,

[0058] Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a degassing system according to the invention,

[0059] Fig. 5 shows the embodiment of Fig. 4 as an isolation representation, and

[0060] Fig. 6 shows the drainage container from Figures 4 and 5 in isolation. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a motorcycle as known from the prior art.

[0061] Motorcycle 3 (the single-track motor vehicle) is shown without a radiator to improve clarity.

[0062] It can be seen that the motorcycle 3 has a fuel tank 2 arranged above the combustion engine 14.

[0063] This fuel tank 2 is connected to a container 5 via a supply line 4 in order to discharge fuel evaporating in the fuel tank and to supply it to the container 5 via the supply line 4.

[0064] The fuel tank 2 of the embodiment of the motorcycle 3 of Fig. 1 is shown in isolation in Fig. 2.

[0065] The embodiment of the fuel tank 2 of Fig. 2 known from the prior art is further shown in Fig. 3 in a perspective view from below.

[0066] It can be seen how the supply line 4 branches off from the fuel tank 2 in the area of ​​the tank cap 15. By arranging the connection point 6 of the supply line 4 in the upper area of ​​the fuel tank 2—more precisely, in the area of ​​the tank cap 15—a gaseous fuel present in the fuel tank 2—in other words, an evaporated fuel—can be optimally discharged from the fuel tank 2.

[0067] In this embodiment, the supply line 4 is guided transversely through the fuel tank 2 and connected to the container 5.

[0068] The tank 5 is designed to condense and preferably temporarily store the fuel supplied via the supply line 4. For this purpose, the tank 5 contains an activated carbon filter, through which the evaporated fuel can be optimally condensed and temporarily stored.

[0069] The container 5 in turn has a discharge line 12 for discharging the temporarily stored and condensed fuel, which is designed to discharge the fuel stored in the container 5 and preferably to supply it to the internal combustion engine 15 of the motorcycle 3.

[0070] In the discharge line 12, the valve 13 - a so-called vent valve - is provided, whereby the supply of fuel gas re-emitted from the container 5 to the internal combustion engine 14 can be controlled or regulated depending on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 14.

[0071] The valve 13 of this embodiment is thus implemented as an electrically controlled or regulated valve.

[0072] Furthermore, the fuel supply 16 of the internal combustion engine 14 can be seen particularly in Fig. 3, wherein fuel is taken from the fuel tank 2 and supplied to the internal combustion engine 14 via the fuel line 18.

[0073] Furthermore, a fuel filter 17 can be seen for filtering the fuel taken from the fuel tank 2 from foreign particles.

[0074] As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, which show a motorcycle 3 known from the prior art, it can be seen in particular that the supply line 4 has a relatively long line section and, before entering the container 5, is also at a lower elevation than the container 5 in a vertical position of the motorcycle 3. As can be seen from this, it is not a surprising effect that evaporated fuel transported in the supply line 4 condenses in the supply line 4 and is deposited therein as liquid fuel.

[0075] If these liquid deposits are now transported further into the container 5, it is to be expected that the activated carbon filter arranged in the container 5 will become blocked and thus damaged, as a result of which the degassing system 1 will lose its effectiveness.

[0076] In contrast, a degassing system 1 according to the invention is shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows the embodiment of the degassing system 1 shown in Fig. 4 as an exploded view, and Fig. 6 shows the drainage container of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5 in isolation.

[0077] The exemplary embodiment of a degassing system 1 according to the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 comprises a supply line 4 which, as in the prior art, is designed to supply an at least partially gaseous fuel from a fuel tank to a container 5.

[0078] In this exemplary embodiment, the container 5 comprises an activated carbon filter through which the at least partially gaseous fuel or the evaporated fuel can be condensed, dissolved and temporarily stored before the re-emitted fuel can be fed from the container 5 to the internal combustion engine 14 of the motorcycle 3 via the discharge line 12.

[0079] In order to be able to control or regulate this supply of the re-emitted fuel via the discharge line 12, a valve 13 is again provided.

[0080] However, in order to be able to collect accumulations of liquid or fuel that accumulate in the supply line 4, in front of the container 5, the drainage container 7 is provided. The drainage container 7 is fluidically connected to the supply line 4 between the connection point 6 on the fuel tank 2 and the container

[0081] 5 and designed to receive and store fuel accumulating and occurring in the supply line 4 .

[0082] For this purpose, the supply line 4 is divided into two parts, with a first supply line part 8 connecting the fuel tank 2 at a connection point

[0083] 6 with the drainage tank 7 .

[0084] The second supply line part 9 of the supply line 4 connects the drainage tank 7 to the tank 5 .

[0085] The supply line 4 as well as the discharge line 12 of this design are formed by elastic hose elements.

[0086] For the removal of liquids or liquid fuel from the drainage container 7, a discharge opening 10 is provided, which in this embodiment is also connected to an elastic hose element.

[0087] It could possibly be provided that the fuel drained from the drainage tank 7 is returned to the system of the motorcycle 3, for example the fuel tank 2, or for example is provided directly to the fuel supply 16 of the internal combustion engine 14.

[0088] The drainage tank 7 is connected to the tank 5 via the fastening elements 11. Strictly speaking, the fastening elements 11 of this exemplary embodiment comprise screw connections that screw the drainage tank 7 to the tank 5. The tank 5 can, in turn, be connected to the motorcycle 3 and / or the fuel tank 2 (for example, as shown in Figures 1 to 3).

[0089] Reference symbol list:

[0090] 1 Degassing system

[0091] 2 fuel tank

[0092] 3 Motorcycle

[0093] 4 Supply line

[0094] 5 containers

[0095] 6 Junction

[0096] 7 drainage tanks

[0097] 8 first supply line section

[0098] 9 second supply line section

[0099] 10 Discharge opening

[0100] 11 Fastening element

[0101] 12 discharge line

[0102] 13 Valve

[0103] 14 Internal combustion engine

[0104] 15 fuel caps

[0105] 16 fuel to drove

[0106] 17 Fuel filter

[0107] 18 Fuel line

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Degassing system for a fuel tank (2) of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle (3), comprising: - at least one supply line (4) which is designed to discharge an at least partially gaseous fuel from the fuel tank (2) of the single-track motor vehicle, and - a container (5) which is connected to the at least one supply line (4) and is designed to condense and preferably store the fuel supplied via the at least one supply line (4), in particular by means of a filter device arranged in the container (5), characterized in that the at least one supply line (4) is in fluid connection with a drainage container (7) between a connection point (6) on the fuel tank (2) and the container (5), which drainage container (7) is designed to receive and store fuel which appears in liquid form in the supply line (4).

2. Degassing system according to claim 1, wherein the drainage container (7) is designed as a, preferably thermoplastic, plastic container.

3. Degassing system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage container (7) is produced by extrusion blow molding.

4. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one supply line (4) has a first supply line part (8) and a second supply line part (9), wherein the drainage container (7) is fluidically connected in connected in series between the first supply line part (8) and the second supply line part (9).

5. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one supply line (4) is arranged between - the connection point (6) on the fuel tank (2) and the drainage container (7) and / or - the drainage container (7) and the container (5) is designed as an elastic hose element.

6. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage container (7) has at least one discharge opening (10) for discharging the stored fuel.

7. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage container (7) has at least one fastening element (11) which is designed to fasten the drainage container (7) to the single-track motor vehicle, preferably the fuel tank (2) and / or the container (5).

8. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the drainage container (7) is at least partially formed from a transparent material so that a fill level of the drainage container (7) is visible.

9. Degassing system according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein a discharge line (12) is connected to the container (5) and is designed to discharge fuel stored in the container (5). 10 Degassing system according to the preceding claim, wherein the Discharge line (12) the container (5), preferably via a valve (13), particularly preferably an actively controlled or controlled valve, with a fuel supply (16) of a internal combustion engine (14) of the single-track motor vehicle.

11. Fuel tank of a single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle (3), with a degassing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one supply line (4) of the degassing system (1) is fluidically connected to an interior of the fuel tank (2).

12. Fuel tank according to the preceding claim, wherein the Drainage tank (7), in particular the entire degassing system (1) , on the fuel tank (2) by means of a Fastening device (11), preferably a screw connection, is arranged.

13. Single-track motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle (3), with a degassing system (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 10 and / or a fuel tank (2) according to one of claims 11 or 12.

14. Single-track motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the drainage container (7) is positioned relative to the fuel tank (2) and the container (5) such that, in an upright vertical position of the motor vehicle, a liquid fuel in the at least one supply line (4) flows into the drainage container (7).

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