CN106891834A - For protecting vehicle from being particularly the device of fuel hose damage - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (30) for protecting a vehicle (10) from objects, in particular fuel hoses (26), comprising one or more base bodies (32) capable of is fastened or has been fastened to the vehicle (10) and forms a free end (34) facing away from the vehicle (10), wherein the base body (32) is in contact with the object through the free end (34) or in the region of the free end (34) fit in order to keep the object at a certain distance from the vehicle (10). The invention further relates to a vehicle (10) comprising such a device (30).

Description

Devices for protecting vehicles against damage, especially to fuel hoses

technical field

The invention relates to a device for protecting a vehicle, in particular a vehicle body, from damage by objects, in particular fuel hoses. The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising such a device.

Background technique

A particular risk of minor but visually damaging damage to the vehicle, particularly the vehicle bodywork, comes from the fuel hoses that must be routed around the vehicle, especially when the fuel pump is located on the side of the vehicle opposite the fuel tank filler neck, where the The fuel hose is in contact with the vehicle and is pulled through the vehicle's paintwork. Since in most cases neither the fuel hose nor the vehicle will be free from dust or abrasive mineral particles etc., in this case scratches may occur on the paintwork, the number of which increases over time increases with time, and thus considerably detracts from the appearance of the vehicle. When this reaches a certain level, repainting is required and this is associated with substantial costs. If repainting is not carried out, the resale value of the vehicle drops by a non-negligible level simply due to scratches. Similar damage can occur with garden hoses when cleaning vehicles and with vacuum cleaner hoses when vacuuming vehicles.

To protect the vehicle from damage when refueling, very different solutions have been developed. DE 37 22091 A1 proposes a protective device which is attached in the opening of the tank, whereby the fuel nozzle can be fixed in a position in which, when the fuel nozzle is introduced into the neck of the tank filler Its edges do not rest against the vehicle and therefore cannot damage the paint and sheet metal of the body. However, clever placement of the tank filler neck prevents the edge of the fuel nozzle from abutting against the vehicle even without such protection. In both cases, however, the paint damage described in the introduction by flexible fuel hoses cannot be prevented.

EP 0 255 979 A1 proposes a fuel pump in which the fuel hose is deflected by a roller which moves upwards in a rail of the fuel pump which is approximately vertical when the hose is pulled out of the fuel pump extend. In particular, when the fuel pump is located on the side of the vehicle opposite the fuel tank filler neck, the fuel hose emerges from the fuel pump at a higher level, whereby the fuel hose can contact the vehicle in fewer places. However, even in the case of the fuel pump proposed in EP 0 255 979 A1, damage to the paintwork by the fuel hose cannot be prevented.

US 2007/0027594 A1 proposes to provide a corresponding tank filler neck on each vehicle side, so that the tank filler neck always faces the fuel pump. Thus, the necessity of having to guide the fuel hose to the side of the vehicle opposite the fuel pump is eliminated, whereby damage to the paintwork can be minimized, but the construction costs required are thus very high, so that the Proposal not implemented.

Contents of the invention

It is therefore an object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a device for protecting a vehicle, in particular a vehicle body, from flexible objects, which device can be easily implemented and which also provides effective protection from damage. Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention aims to specify a vehicle that can be protected from flexible objects.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claims 1 and 10 .

Advantageous embodiments form the subject of the dependent claims.

One embodiment of the invention relates to a device for protecting a vehicle from one or more flexible objects, in particular fuel hoses, comprising one or more substrates which can be fastened or have been fastened to the vehicle and forms a free end facing away from the vehicle, wherein the base body contains a guide portion arranged at the free end or in the region of the free end and cooperating with a flexible object, in particular a fuel hose, so that the fuel hose is drawn at a distance from the vehicle guide.

The flexible object may be a fuel hose or another element potentially in contact with the body of the vehicle, thus for example a vacuum cleaner hose, a charging cable or the like.

In this case, the number of substrates can be chosen freely. Depending on the shape of the vehicle and the flexible object, one substrate may be sufficient to reliably protect the vehicle from damage by the flexible object. However, in some cases, multiple substrates may be required. The base may be attached to the vehicle in any suitable manner, for example by magnets or by suction cups. The basic body acts as a spacer, which cooperates with the flexible object by its free end facing away from the vehicle and thus keeps the object at a distance from the vehicle. Thus, the flexible object is prevented from coming into contact with the vehicle and damage to the vehicle, such as dents in the sheet metal of the vehicle body and/or scratches in the paintwork, etc. is prevented.

Furthermore, the basic body further comprises a guide portion which ensures that the fuel hose is guided at a distance from the vehicle. In order to keep the flexible object at a distance, it is advantageous if the base body has a collision surface which can be designed in substantially any way. However, in order to keep the fuel hose at a distance from the vehicle, especially when the fuel hose is pulled, the guide part should preferably be designed so that the fuel hose cannot slip off the base body in an uncontrolled manner and hit vehicle. For this purpose, the base body can contain correspondingly dimensioned and aligned projections, for example with a fork-like geometry.

In an alternative embodiment, the guide portion may contain a recess or the like for guiding the fuel hose. Fuel hoses generally have a circular cross-section, which varies only to a limited extent from fuel pump to fuel pump. In this respect, the recess can be dimensioned such that the fuel hoses can be introduced into the recess, whereby they are guided. This prevents the fuel hose from slipping off the base body in an uncontrolled manner and striking the vehicle and damaging it.

According to another embodiment, the recess has a width and an opening, wherein, starting from the opening, the width initially decreases and then increases again. The initially reduced width produces a centering effect of the fuel hose, especially in the recess, so that the fuel hose can be easily introduced into the recess and into the region where the width increases again. In this case, the minimum width of the recess is dimensioned so as to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fuel hose. Due to the flexibility of the fuel hose, the minimum width of the recess can be overcome with correspondingly high forces. If the fuel hose is located in the region of increased width, the fuel hose is guided there and can only be removed from this region again with approximately the force with which the fuel hose was introduced into this region. Thus, the fuel hose can move within the recess and also remain in the recess when the fuel hose is pulled by a force that does not extend along the axis defined by the recess. With this embodiment, the fuel hose is prevented from slipping out of the recess in the case of the typical pulling movement during refueling.

In another embodiment, a vehicle includes a plurality of fenders, wherein the base is disposed on the fenders. An embodiment is characterized in that the vehicle comprises an A-pillar and a C-pillar and that the base body is arranged on the A-pillar and/or the C-pillar. Both the fenders and the A-pillars and C-pillars of the vehicle contain areas where laterally oriented portions of the vehicle combine with portions oriented forwardly or rearwardly. In this regard, the trim and the A-pillar and C-pillar, especially during refueling, are often in contact with the fuel hoses and are therefore particularly often damaged. The arrangement of the basic body on the A-pillar and/or C-pillar and/or the trim thus provides a very effective measure for protecting the vehicle from fuel hose damage when refueling. Depending on the type of vehicle, the basic body can also be arranged on the trunk lid or on the tailgate. The arrangement of the basic body around the neck of the fuel tank filler is disadvantageous because the fuel nozzle keeps the fuel hose at a distance from the vehicle, at least around the neck of the fuel tank filler.

In another embodiment, the base is movable between an in-use position and a rest position. In principle, the base body could be manually fastened to the vehicle before refueling, for example using magnets or suction cups. Thus, the base can be attached precisely at the point where the fuel hose comes into contact with the vehicle due to the placement of the fuel pump and the position of the vehicle. However, manual fastening is a relatively expensive and inconvenient task, which may lead to the proposed device not being implemented and, therefore, not effectively preventing the above mentioned damage. In this embodiment, however, the base body is fastened to the vehicle and can be moved between a rest position where it is not engaged with an object, in particular a fuel hose, and a use position where it holds the object at a distance. In the rest position, the basic body can be terminated flush with the vehicle, eg flush with the fender or the A-pillar or C-pillar, so that the basic body is not visually disruptive. In order to move the basic bodies into the use position, they can be folded or pulled, for example. However, it is also possible that, in the rest position, pressure must be exerted on the base body, whereby said base body is unlocked and moved into the use position, for example by means of a pretensioned spring. In this case, it is provided that the base body is arranged on the panel, in particular because of the hollow space behind the panel, the base body can be accommodated therein without high construction costs. However, an arrangement in the tailgate or behind the rear fog lights is also conceivable, so that the basic body is not visually disruptive in the rest position.

In an alternative embodiment, the base body is movable between the use position and the rest position by means of a drive. The base body can be moved automatically between the use position and the rest position by means of a drive. This can take place, for example, when the fuel filler cap is opened or unlocked or when the corresponding knob of the ignition key is pressed. Gesture control via the foot or via the hand is also conceivable.

In another embodiment, the base body can be pulled or extended by means of an actuator. For example, the base may be telescopic to enable the free ends to be positioned at a greater or shorter distance away from the vehicle. A person wishing to refuel the vehicle can determine the proper position of the free end, for example by pulling it out manually or by corresponding activation of the drive. Depending on the setting of the fuel pump and the position of the vehicle, it may be sufficient for the free end of the basic body to be positioned only at a short distance from the vehicle, whereas in other cases a greater distance may be required. In this case, the arrangement is designed such that forces acting from the fuel hose on the free end do not cause the main body to move in the direction of the rest position.

In another embodiment, the device comprises positioning means for determining the position of the substrate. For this purpose, the positioning device can generate, in particular, an electrical signal which contains information about the current position of the base body and in particular whether the base body is in the rest position or the use position. This signal can be evaluated by the vehicle's on-board electronics, which generates a warning signal when the user wishes to start the vehicle, even if the base body is accidentally in the use position. In this regard, it is ensured that the substrate is only in use when actually required.

An alternative embodiment is characterized in that the base comprises a damping portion cooperating with the object. On the one hand, the forces transmitted from the object, in particular from the fuel hose, to the base body are damped and some of these forces are absorbed. The forces acting on the fasteners of the basic body are correspondingly reduced, so that the fasteners are less loaded and the risk of failure is correspondingly reduced. Furthermore, objects and especially fuel hoses are also protected and wear is reduced.

According to another embodiment, the damping part is replaceable. In the event that the damping part becomes worn, it can be replaced without great outlay by a new damping part without having to replace or disassemble the entire device.

In another embodiment, the device comprises a receiving portion secured to the base body and pivotable out of the base body. The receiving part can be pivoted out of the base body, in particular when the base body is moved from the rest position to the use position. In this case, the receiving portions may enclose an angle, for example, between 30 and 60° with the longitudinal axis of the base body, so that they protrude from the base body. The receiving part serves as a centering aid, in particular for the fuel hose, so that the fuel hose can be inserted into the recess more easily. The use of the proposed device is further simplified for those wishing to refuel their vehicles.

One embodiment of the invention concerns a vehicle comprising a device according to one of the above-described embodiments. The technical effects and advantages that can be achieved by the proposed vehicle correspond to those already proposed for the proposed device. In conclusion, it should be mentioned that with the proposed device it is possible, in a simple and reliable manner, to protect the vehicle, in particular the paintwork, from the Damage from moving objects such as shopping carts and fuel hoses.

Description of drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a basic plan view of a vehicle incorporating a device according to the invention;

Figure 2a shows a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2b shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2c shows a third embodiment of the device according to the invention; and

Figure 2d shows a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention, in each case shown in a substantially side view and in the position of use.

detailed description

In FIG. 1 , a vehicle 10 is shown in a basic plan view comprising an internal combustion engine 14 arranged in the front region 12 of the vehicle 10 and a fuel tank arranged in the region of the rear 16 for receiving fuel for driving the internal combustion engine 14 18. The type of fuel used in this case is not limited. Fuels can be fossil fuels like petrol or diesel or natural gas, but also hydrogen. The fuel tank 18 is connected to a fuel line 20 leading to a fuel tank filler neck 22 .

In principle, the invention can also be used in conjunction with charging cables for electric vehicles, although such charging cables are associated with an inherently lower risk of damage to the bodywork due to their smaller cross-section, their larger Flexible and generally longer cable lengths compared to fuel hoses.

Furthermore, a fuel pump 24 is shown, which contains a fuel hose 26 with a fuel nozzle 28 . To fill the fuel tank 18 with fuel, the fuel hose 26 is removed from the fuel pump 24 and the fuel nozzle 28 is introduced into the fuel tank filler neck 22 . The fuel nozzles 28 are then activated, for example by means of levers, not shown.

As can be gathered from FIG. 1 , the fuel pump 24 is located on the side of the vehicle remote from the fuel tank filler neck 22 . Fuel hose 26 must therefore be guided around vehicle 10 in order to be able to guide fuel nozzle 28 into tank filler neck 22 . In prior art vehicles, it is almost unavoidable in this case that the fuel hose 26 comes into contact with the vehicle 10, thereby causing damage to the vehicle 10, such as dents in the sheet metal of the body and vehicle 10 for scratches in the paint.

The vehicle 10 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 has a device 30 for protecting the vehicle 10 from damage having a total of three base bodies 32 fastened to the vehicle 10 and containing a corresponding 34 of the free end. One of the base bodies 32 faces away laterally with its free end 34 from the vehicle 10 , and both base bodies 32 face away from the vehicle 10 towards the rear. Since the fuel nozzle 28 guides the fuel hose 26 away from the vehicle 10 , it is generally not necessary to arrange a further base body 32 , the free end 34 of which faces away from the vehicle 10 laterally, around the tank filler neck 22 . However, this may vary depending on the distance of the tank filler neck 22 from the rear 16 of the vehicle 10 .

If, as shown, a fuel hose 26 from a fuel pump 24 is guided around the vehicle 10 in order to introduce a fuel nozzle 28 into the tank filler neck 22, this can be implemented by means _of the device 301 according to the invention so that The fuel hose 26 cooperates with the free end 34 of the base body 32 , whereby the fuel hose 26 is kept at a distance from the vehicle 10 . Due to the distance from the vehicle 10 , in particular, the above-mentioned damage to the vehicle 10 is prevented.

In Fig. 2a a _first exemplary embodiment of a device 301 according to the invention for protecting a vehicle 10 from damage is shown using a basic side view. The basic body 32 is fastened to a trim 36 of the vehicle 10 in a manner not shown in detail, for example by means of suction cups. At the free end 34 the base body 32 has a guide portion 37 configured as a recess 38 which extends in an approximately V-shaped manner and has an opening 40 with a width B which is greater than the fuel hose 26 The outer diameter D. Due to the V-shaped path, the width B of the recess 38 from the opening 40 is reduced. The opening 40 faces away from the fender 36 and thus the vehicle 10 . It is therefore relatively simple to introduce the fuel hose 26 into the recess 38 . The recess 38 has the effect that the fuel hose 26 is guided and does not slip off the main body 32 .

In Fig. 2b a _second exemplary embodiment of a device 302 according to the invention is shown again in a basic side view. In this exemplary embodiment, the recess 38 is not provided at the free end 34 , but rather in the region of the free end 34 , wherein the opening 40 of the recess 38 faces upwards with respect to the view selected in FIG. 2 a . Starting from the opening 40, the width B of the recess 38 initially decreases in order to increase again. In the example shown, the width B is then reduced again so that the recess 38 has approximately the shape of a keyhole. From the opening 40 the width B decreases to a value smaller than the outer diameter D of the fuel hose 26 and then widens to a value at least the same size as the outer diameter D of the fuel hose 26 . In the example shown, the width B widens to a value greater than the outer diameter D. As shown in FIG. In this case, the width B of the recess 38 is selected such that the fuel hose 26 can be easily introduced into the recess 38 and, due to its flexibility, is guided into the recess 38 with relatively little force beyond the width of the recess 38 The position where B is smaller than the outer diameter D of the fuel hose 26 . Thus, it is ensured that the fuel hose 26 remains in the recess 38 even if it is not pulled exactly along the axis predetermined by the recess 38 . Since the force for guiding is chosen to be relatively low, it is relatively easy to remove the fuel hose 26 again from the recess 38 using a substantially similar force when the refueling process is complete.

Base body 32 is movable between a rest position and an in-use position. In the rest position, the basic body 32 is intended to spoil the visual appearance of the vehicle 10 as little as possible and is at best invisible or barely visible from the outside. In a second exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the base body 32 is rotatable about an axis extending approximately vertically between a rest position and a use position with respect to the view selected in FIG. 2 b. In a rest position (not shown), the base body 32 can be arranged in a recess of the panel 36 from which the base body 32 can be manually folded out into the use position.

According to a _second exemplary embodiment, the device 302 further comprises positioning means 41, whereby the position of the substrate 32 can be determined. A corresponding signal can be generated which indicates to a vehicle user wishing to move the vehicle again that the base body 32 is still in the use position, especially after a refueling stop.

In Fig. 2c a _third exemplary embodiment of a device 303 according to the invention is shown. Compared with the first exemplary embodiment, the recess 38 does not have a V-shaped cross section, but has an approximately semicircular cross section. The outer diameter of the semicircle is slightly larger than the outer diameter D of the fuel hose 26 , so that even with a semicircular cross section, the fuel hose 26 can be easily inserted into the recess 38 and guided there. Furthermore, the device ₃₀₃ comprises a drive 42, the base 32 being able to move between a rest position (not shown) and a use position. The base body 32 is of telescopic construction and can be pulled apart along the longitudinal axis L, so that the distance of the free end 34 from the guard 36 can be freely selected up to a maximum value. The drive 42 ensures that the base 32 remains in the selected position even when a force directed toward the fender 36 is applied to the base 32 by movement of the fuel hose 26 . According to this third exemplary embodiment, it is conceivable to manually pull the basic body 32 away from the guard 36 until the free end adopts the desired position. For this, it may be necessary that the user has to actuate a lever or a knob in order to release the lock and to be able to pull the base body 32 apart in a telescopic manner (not shown).

In the rest position, the base 32 may be fully incorporated in the guard 36 so that it does not protrude thereover (not shown). In this case, in the rest position, the base body 32 cannot be seen from the outside and is therefore not visually disruptive.

In Fig. 2d, a _fourth exemplary embodiment 304 substantially identical to the third exemplary embodiment 303 is shown. Furthermore, the device ₃₀₄ comprises a damping part 44 arranged on the base body 32, which may for example be made of an elastic material and which absorbs at least a part of the force exerted by the fuel hose 26 _on the base body 32, whereby the overall load of the device 304, And in particular the load on the fasteners on the vehicle 10 is reduced. In addition, the damper portion 44 also protects the fuel hose 26 . The damping portion 44 can be designed to be replaceable so that it can be easily replaced in case of wear without the need to replace the entire base body 32 .

Furthermore, the device 304 according to the _fourth exemplary embodiment comprises a receiving portion 46 which, in the position of use, protrudes from the longitudinal axis at a certain angle α, and which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis in the rest position (not shown) . Insertion of the fuel hose 26 is thus further simplified since the receiving part 46 serves as a centering aid.

In the third and fourth exemplary embodiments, the means 30 ₃ , 30 ₄ may comprise a positioning device 41 , but its function may also be performed by a drive 42 depending on the design. If the vehicle moves again after the refueling stop, the drive 42 can be activated by the on-board electronics of the vehicle 10 so that, if this is not already the case, the base body 32 is moved into the rest position.

List of reference signs

10 vehicles

12 Front area

14 Internal combustion engine

16 rear

18 fuel tank

20 fuel pipe

22 Fuel tank filler neck

24 fuel pump

26 fuel hose

28 fuel nozzle

30, 30 ₁ -30 ₄ devices

32 substrate

34 free ends

36 Guard

37 Boot section

38 concave

40 openings

41 positioning device

42 drives

44 Damping section

46 Receiving section

B width

D Outer diameter

L longitudinal axis

alpha angle

Claims (10)

1. A device for protecting a vehicle (10) from damage to flexible objects, in particular fuel hoses (26), characterized in that one or more substrates (32), said one or more substrates (32) Can be fastened or has been fastened to said vehicle (10) and forms a free end (34) facing away from said vehicle (10), wherein said base body (32) comprises a guide portion (37), said guide portion (37) is arranged at or in the region of the free end (34) and cooperates with the flexible object, in particular with the fuel hose (26), so that the flexible object ( 26) Be guided at a distance from said vehicle (10). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide part (37) comprises a recess (38) for guiding the fuel hose (26) or the like. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said recess (38) has a width (B) and an opening (40), wherein starting from said opening (40) said width (B) is initially divided by decreased and then increased again. 4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (10) comprises a plurality of panels (36) and the base body (32) is arranged on the panels (36) superior. 5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (10) comprises an A-pillar and a C-pillar, and the base (32) is arranged on the A-pillar and/or the On the C pillar. 6. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (32) can be moved between the use position and the rest position by means of a drive (42) or manually, in particular the base body can Pulled or extended by said drive (42). 7. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises positioning means (41) for determining the position of the base body. 8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (32) comprises a damping portion (44) cooperating with the flexible object and configured to be replace. 9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a receiving part (46) which is fastened to the base body (32) and which can be pivoted The base body (32) is swung out. 10. A vehicle (10) characterized by a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.