GB2061710A

GB2061710A - Wash liquid reservoir

Info

Publication number: GB2061710A
Application number: GB8026351A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Talbot Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Peugeot Motor Co PLC
Priority date: 1979-10-12
Filing date: 1980-08-13
Publication date: 1981-05-20
Also published as: GB2061710B

Abstract

A reservoir 10 for wash liquid for cleaning windscreens, headlamps, and rear windows is provided with trunnions 14, 18 whereby it can be pivoted on brackets 13 between an upright position and a prone position and releasably held by arms 17 when upright, filling opening 21 and removable cap 22, and an outlet, for example, located in member 20. The reservoir may be supported in the prone position by panel 15 or by cords suspended from panel 12. In this position, the filling opening faces upwardly. The outlet may be connected to a pump by a flexible conduit 19. The cap may be provided with a one-way valve which permits venting and prevents leakage of wash liquid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to vehicle glass washer reservoirs This invention relates to vehicle glass washer reservoirs.

The invention provides a vehicle glass washer reservoir comprising an elongate container to hold a supply of washing fluid for a vehicle glass, means to mount the container at one end thereof for pivotal movement between an upright position and a prone position, means to hold the container releasable in the upright position, means to support the container in the prone position, a filler opening at the other end of the container to the pivotal mounting which is open upwardly in the prone position of the container a closure cap for the opening and an outlet conduit from the container.

Said one end of the container may have an outlet to which a discharge conduit is connected for delivery of washing fluid from the container.

The container may have an outlet conduit at said one end connected to the discharge conduit by an elbow joint rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of pivoting of the reservoir to cater for pivoting of the container between the upright and prone positions.

In any of the above arrangements the filler opening is inclined to the lengthwise direction of the container so that, when the reservoir is in the prone position, the filler opening faces upwardly and away from the vertical plane containing the pivotal axis of the container.

The filler cap may have a one way vent valve to permit air to enter the reservoir without allowing fluid to escape.

The means to support the container in the prone position may comprise an integral foot formed by a projection on the container wall at said other end thereof.

Alternatively the means to support the container in the prone position may comprise one or more flexible tethers attached to the other end of the container at one end thereof and for attachment at the other end thereof to a fixed part of the vehicle.

The outlet conduit of the container may be connected to a jet or jets disposed for directing washing fluid on to a windscreen, back window or lamp glass or glasses of the vehicle.

The invention also provides a motor vehicle having a forward control cab and having a washer reservoir in accordance with any of the above arrangements wherein the container is mounted adjacent the front wall of the cab beneath a fascia of the cab and the means to hold the container in the upright position are mounted on the front wall of the cab, the container being concealed below the fascia when in the upright positioned and, in the prone position, the said other end of the container extending behind and below the fascia to provide access to the filler means forfilling the container.

The following is a description of some specific embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a front part of a tilt cab truck showing the front wall and floor of the cab with a windscreen washer reservoir installed; and Figure 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 on Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings a moulded plastics washer fluid reservoir 10 is mounted below the fascia 11 of a tilt cab truck and adjacent the vertical front panel 12 of the cab. The lower end of the reservoir is pivotally connected to a pair of spaced-apart brackets 13 by means of transversely extending trunnions 14 formed integrally with the reservoir and engaging into holes in the brackets which are secured to the floor structure 15 of the cab. The arrangement enables the reservoir to be swung between the normal upright position illustrated in full lines and a prone position illustrated in chain lines for filling.

The reservoir is held in the upright position against a resilient stop block 16 on the front panel 12 by a pair of spring steel wire retaining arms 17, the free ends of which are formed to respectively snap-engage over a pair of transversely extending trunnions 18 formed integrally with the sides of the reservoir near the top end thereof. The retaining arms 17 may comprise the limbs of a U-shape, the base of which is pivotally connected to the vertical panel 12.

One end of a flexible conduit 19 is connected to an elbow 20 on the lower edge of the face of the reservoir adjacent the panel 12 whilst the other end (not shown) of the conduit is connected to any suitable type of manually operable pump (not shown). The elbow 20 is provided with a bore in communication with the interior of the reservoir.

The top end of the reservoir is formed with a filler neck 21 sealed with a removable cap 22 incorporating a one-way vent valve (not shown) which permits air to enterthe reservoir as fluid is drawn from it through the flexible conduit 19 but prevents a leakage from the reservoir at the filler cap end.

The upper part of the reservoir on the side opposite the filler cap is formed with a foot 23a to engage the floor 15 of the vehicle cab when the reservoir is swung downwardly into the prone position for filling. The height of the foot and the angle of the filler neck are so designed that when the reservoir is filled full in the prone position, the level of fluid in the reservoir restored to its upright position is just below the edge of the filler neck. Thus the reservoir cannot be over-filled.

A recess 23a is formed in the underside of the foot to provide a finger grip for grasping the reservoir when it is to be released from the upright position and swung into the prone position for filling. It will be seen that, in the prone position, the reservoir projects from below and behind the fascia 11 into the passenger compartment of the cab and the filler neck is then readily accessible for filling the reservoir. When the reservoir is restored to the upright This print embodies corrections made under Section 117(1) of the Patents Act 1977.

position, it is conveniently concealed from the passenger compartment of the cab.

The specific embodiment described hereinbefore is by way of example only and the arrangement can be modified to suit any particular installation. For example, the reservoir can be of any suitable shape or material and may be mounted on any suitable panel or spaced from the floor. In the latter case, the foot may be omitted and the substantially horizontal refilling position of the reservoir may be determined by a pair of flexible cords, the ends of which are secured to the mounting panel and reservoir respec- tively. The elbow 20 may be located in any suitable position on the reservoir or may be replaced by one or more electrically operated pumps communicating with the interior of the reservoir and mounted on the exterior thereof in place of the remotely mounted manually operable pump referred to. The conduit or conduits 19 will then of course be connected between the electric pumps and the washer nozzle or nozzles.

The above embodiment of the invention relates to the application of the invention to a front windscreen washing system for a motor vehicle. It will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to reservoirs for washing fluid for other glasses of the vehicle such as the headlamp glasses and the backlight. In the latter case, the reservoir may conveniently be mounted towards the back of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle glass washer reservoir comprising an elongate container to hold a supply of washing fluid for a vehicle glass, means to mount the container at one end thereof for pivotal movement between an upright position and a prone position, means to hold the container releasable in the upright position, means to support the container in the prone position, a filler opening at the other end of the container to the pivotal mounting which is open upwardly in the prone position of the container, a closure cap for the opening and an outlet from the container.

2. A reservoir as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said one end of the container has an outlet to which a discharge conduit is connected for delivery of washing fluid from the container.

3. A reservoir as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the container has an outlet at said one end connected to the discharge conduit by an elbow joint rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of pivoting of the container to cater for pivoting of the container between the upright and prone positions.

4. A reservoir as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the filler opening is inclined to the lengthwise direction of the container so that, when the container is in the prone position, the filler opening faces upwardly and away from the vertical plane containing the pivotal axis of the container.

5. A reservoir as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the filler cap has a one way vent valve to permit air to enter the container without allowing fluid to escape.

6. A reservoir as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the means to support the container in the prone position comprise an integral foot formed by a projection on the container wall at said other end thereof.

7. A reservoir as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the means to support the container in the prone position comprise one or more flexible tethers attached to the other end of the container at one end thereof and for attachment at the other end thereof to a fixed part of the vehicle.

8. A motor vehicle having a glass washer reser- - voir according to any of the preceding claims, the outlet of the container being connected to a jet or jets disposed for directing washing fluid on to a windscreen, back window, or lamp glass or glasses of the vehicle.

9. A motor vehicle as claimed in any of the preceding claims having a forward control cab wherein the container is mounted adjacent the front wall of the cab beneath a fascia of the cab and the means to hold the reservoir in the upright position is mounted on the front wall of the cab, the container being concealed below the fascia when in the upright position and, in the prone position, the said other end of the container extending behind and below the fascia to provide access to the filler opening for filling the container.

10. A vehicle glass washer reservoir substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A motor vehicle having a forward control cab having a vehicle glass washer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.