Patent Application
20170298872
The present invention relates to an attachment structure for a solenoid valve to a carburetor unit which is inserted into an opening formed in one surface of the carburetor unit and communicating with a fuel path therein.
Conventionally, as shown in
The solenoid valve 2 typically includes a hard synthetic resin cover 22 placed there over in which a connector 21 is formed as a protrusion for supplying power to a built-in solenoid and an exposed tip (insertion portion) 23 which is inserted into the opening 12. However, if inserted this way it will come out. Therefore, as shown in
However, with the conventional attachment structure of the solenoid valve 2 as shown in
One known example of an attachment structure using attachment securing implements is presented in JP 2005-163816 A.
This attachment structure for a solenoid valve 2, as shown in
This has resulted in problems in manufacturing, since the attachment work is troublesome and the tightness of the bolt 13 has to be checked, too. The bolt 13 can come loose due to vibration over many years of use, and it is also a hassle to remove them for repair or exchange, which is a problem.
The present invention was devised to solve these issues, and to provide an attachment structure for a solenoid valve to a carburetor unit which can not only be attached to and removed from a carburetor unit stably, but can be attached and removed with a single touch and without increasing the number of parts.
The present invention, which has been devised to solve such issues, is such that a rod-like supporting portion is disposed a predetermined distance away from a surface of a carburetor unit and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of and installed near an opening in the surface of the carburetor unit, and a cylindrical engaging portion is provided in which is formed a groove-like engagement portion that is narrower than the diameter of the rod-like supporting portion. The engaging portion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial line along which the rod-like supporting portion is inserted and supported, and is installed on an outer circumferential face of a cylindrical cover that is fitted over a main valve unit of the solenoid valve so as to expose an insertion portion in the axial direction. The rod-like supporting portion is inserted into the groove-like engagement portion when the insertion portion of the solenoid valve is inserted into the opening.
Furthermore, in the present invention, at least one of the engaging portion or the rod-like supporting portion is formed from a suitably elastic hard material, and can therefore serve for elastic engagement.
Furthermore, in the present invention the groove-like engagement portion of the engaging portion is formed substantially perpendicularly to the axial line direction of the cover, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the solenoid valve is inserted into the opening, and therefore an advantageous effect of preventing slipping out can be expected.
In addition, the carburetor unit is a molded aluminum die cast product, a molded resin product, or another type of molded product and a holding portion which holds both ends of the rod-like supporting portion at a predetermined distance away from the surface is formed integrally with the carburetor unit, which is advantageous in terms of ease of manufacturing and strength.
In particular, the rod-like supporting portion is formed so as to be longer than the engaging portion by at least a predetermined length, and the engaging portion can be rotated in the axial direction around the supporting portion and inserted or removed, by rotating around the axial center with the insertion portion inserted into the opening, making it possible to engage and disengage with one movement.
With the present invention, not only can the solenoid valve be attached to the carburetor unit in a stable manner, but attachment and removal can be done with a single movement, without increasing the number of parts.
Next, a preferred mode for carrying out the present invention is described.
The carburetor unit 1 of the present embodiment is formed through aluminum die cast molding or the like. An opening 12, which communicates with a fuel supply path formed inside (not shown in the drawings), is formed in a surface 11 thereof. The tip (insertion portion) 23 of the solenoid valve 2 is inserted into the opening 12.
A rod-like supporting portion 4 is disposed near the opening 12 at a predetermined distance from the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 and extending in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the opening 12 in the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 into which the tip (insertion portion) 23 of the solenoid valve 2 is inserted.
In particular, with the present embodiment, the rod-like supporting portion 4 is supported a predetermined distance from the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 at both ends by protrusions 41, 41 protruding from the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 and opposing one another at a predetermined distance.
The solenoid valve 2 is such that the cylindrical cover 22, which is formed from a hard material having suitable elasticity, has a cylindrical engaging portion 5 which is supported on an outer circumferential surface and extending in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the axial line along which the rod-like supporting portion 4 is inserted and supported. The cylindrical engaging portion 5 includes a groove-like engagement portion 51 which is narrower than the diameter of the rod-like supporting portion 4.
With the present embodiment, the length of the rod-like supporting portion 4 is longer than the engaging portion 5 which is fitted onto the rod-like supporting portion 4 by at least a predetermined length.
To attach the solenoid valve 2 having this configuration to the carburetor unit 1, the tip (insertion portion) 23 of the solenoid valve 2 is inserted into the opening 12 formed in the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1, and which communicates with the fuel supply path (not shown in the drawings), and the engaging portion 5, which is formed on the cylindrical cover 22 of the solenoid valve 2, is coupled, via the groove-like engagement portion 51, to and supported by the rod-like supporting portion 4, which is supported on the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1.
Note that the present embodiment is designed such that the distance of the rod-like supporting portion 4 from the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 is the same as the distance from the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1 in the engaging portion 5 when the tip (insertion portion) 23 of the solenoid valve 2 is inserted into the opening 12. Therefore, as shown in
Thus, with the present embodiment the solenoid valve 2 is attached solidly and simply into the carburetor unit 1 simply by inserting the solenoid valve 2 into the opening 12 of the carburetor unit 1 and fitting the engaging portion 5 and the rod-like supporting portion 4 together.
The solenoid valve 2 is such that the cylindrical cover 22, which is formed from a hard material having suitable elasticity, has a cylindrical engaging portion 5 which is supported on an outer circumferential surface and extending in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the axial line along which the rod-like supporting portion 4 is inserted and supported. The cylindrical engaging portion 5 includes a groove-like engagement portion 51 which is narrower than the diameter of the rod-like supporting portion 4. The rod-like supporting portion 4 is supported on the surface 11 of the carburetor unit 1. Therefore, attachment is solid.
Note that it is also possible to remove the solenoid valve 2 simply by rotating it in the opposite direction from the attachment position, as shown in
All features, elements, components, functions, and steps described with respect to any embodiment provided herein are intended to be freely combinable and substitutable with those from any other embodiment. If a certain feature, element, component, function, or step is described with respect to only one embodiment, then it should be understood that that feature, element, component, function, or step can be used with every other embodiment described herein unless explicitly stated otherwise. This paragraph therefore serves as antecedent basis and written support for the introduction of claims, at any time, that combine features, elements, components, functions, and steps from different embodiments, or that substitute features, elements, components, functions, and steps from one embodiment with those of another, even if the following description does not explicitly state, in a particular instance, that such combinations or substitutions are possible. Express recitation of every possible combination and substitution is overly burdensome, especially given that the permissibility of each and every such combination and substitution will be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this description.
In many instances entities are described herein as being coupled to other entities. It should be understood that the terms “coupled” and “connected” (or any of their forms) are used interchangeably herein and, in both cases, are generic to the direct coupling of two entities (without any non-negligible (e.g., parasitic) intervening entities) and the indirect coupling of two entities (with one or more non-negligible intervening entities). Where entities are shown as being directly coupled together, or described as coupled together without description of any intervening entity, it should be understood that those entities can be indirectly coupled together as well unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
While the embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that these embodiments are not to be limited to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, these embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, any features, functions, steps, or elements of the embodiments may be recited in or added to the claims, as well as negative limitations that define the inventive scope of the claims by features, functions, steps, or elements that are not within that scope.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/728,257, filed Jun. 2, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14728257 | Jun 2015 | US |
| Child | 15438236 | US |
