Inventor: Richard Allan

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/523,682 filed 22 June 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure pertains to automotive fluid reservoirs, in particular an automotive reservoir assembly that may be expanded to include multiple independently operable fluid reservoirs.

BACKGROU ND

[0003] The automobile has a number of different fluid systems that provide for various operations, including hydraulic power transfer (i.e. as provided by brake, power steering and clutch fluids), lubrication (i.e. as provided by engine and transmission oil), cooling (i.e. as provided by engine and AC coolant fluids), fuel (i.e. as provided by diesel and gasoline), and cleaning (i.e. as provided by windshield washer fluid). With the advancement of automotive technologies, in particular with current mandates to reduce fuel consumption and reliance upon refined petroleum products, new engine systems with additional cooling and/or fluid management requirements are being introduced.

[0004] With modern engine designs, the engine compartment has undergone a considerable redesign, with the available packaging space for reservoirs becoming quite limited. Oftentimes, the available mounting points available on the vehicle structure are limited, creating a problem for additional reservoirs to be placed and securely mounted within the engine compartment.

[0005] In view of these various challenges, in particular to accommodate additional fluid reservoirs in the engine compartment, there is an ongoing need for new fluid management solutions. SUM MARY

[0006] According to an aspect of the disclosure, provided is a fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir comprises a body that defines an interior volume for retaining a fluid, and a mounting system having a first set of attachment fixtures on a first portion of the body of the fluid reservoir, and a second set of attachment fixtures on a second portion of the body of the fluid reservoir. The first set of attachment fixtures may be used to mount the fluid reservoir to a supporting surface. The second set of attachment fixtures may be used to mate and engage a first set of attachment fixtures provided on a second fluid reservoir. The first and second sets of attachment fixtures are usable between adjacent fluid reservoirs to expand the fluid reservoir into an expandable reservoir assembly.

[0007] According to another aspect of the disclosure, provided is an expandable reservoir assembly. The expandable reservoir assembly comprises a first fluid reservoir and a second fluid reservoir, wherein each of the first and second fluid reservoirs include a body that defines an interior volume for retaining a fluid. Also provided is a mounting system having a first set of attachment fixtures on a first portion of the body of the fluid reservoir and a second set of attachment fixtures on a second portion of the body of the fluid reservoir. The first set of attachment fixtures are used to mount the first fluid reservoir to a supporting surface, and wherein the second set of attachment fixtures of the first fluid reservoir are used to mate and engage a first set of attachment fixtures provided on the second fluid reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the following description of the disclosure as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the disclosure. The drawings are not to scale.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the fluid reservoir. [0010] Fig. 2 is a side viewing showing an arrangement of two fluid reservoirs according to the embodiment of Fig. 1.

[0011] Fig. 3 is a top view of the arrangement of two fluid reservoirs of Fig. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the Figures, wherein like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure or the application and uses of the disclosure. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, brief summary or the following detailed description.

[0013] Turning now to Fig. 1, shown is a fluid reservoir 8. The fluid reservoir 8 is presented in the form of an automotive engine coolant reservoir 10. The coolant reservoir 10 (also referred to in the automotive arts as an expansion tank or a surge tank) includes a body 20 that defines an interior volume. The interior volume is configured to hold a select volume of engine coolant according to operational parameters of the engine in question. The body 20 presents an inlet 22 to receive coolant fluid into the interior volume, and an outlet 24 to release coolant fluid therefrom. By virtue of the inlet 22 and the outlet 24, the coolant reservoir 10 may form part of a closed fluid loop, for example as would be found in an automotive coolant system. The body 20 also presents a fill aperture 26 to permit for filling/emptying of the coolant reservoir 10 as needed. The area of the body 20 presenting the fill aperture 26 may be provided with a threaded or bayonet-style interface to receive a closure (i.e. a radiator-style pressure cap; not shown). Pressure caps are known in the art, and generally provide an internal valve arrangement (i.e. a spring loaded disc valve) that opens to permit the venting of fluid from the vessel when the pressure exceeds a predefined threshold. The pressure cap is generally configured to cooperate with a fluid release passage (not shown), which may be an internally formed conduit that directs vented fluid to an area below the body 20. In other arrangements, the pressure cap may be configured to release the vented fluid directly, generally to an area on top of the body 20. Although shown as a coolant reservoir 10, the following discussion will generally refer to the coolant reservoir 10 as the fluid reservoir 8.

[0014] The fluid reservoir 8 is generally mounted within the engine compartment or other area of the vehicle where the operator has access to the fill aperture 26 and closure. As the available space within the engine compartment becomes limited, or for novel reservoir placement options, the fluid reservoir 8 is provided with a mounting system that permits for multiple fluid reservoirs to be mounted upon the vehicle, wherein only one fluid reservoir in the assembly is physically attached to the vehicle.

[0015] To facilitate the following explanation of the expandable reservoir assembly, in an assembly having two or more fluid reservoirs, the first fluid reservoir 8 that is used to mount the assembly to the vehicle is denoted by reference numeral 8A (see Figs. 2 and 3). Each additional fluid reservoir that is supported by the mounting system is referred to as fluid reservoir 8B, fluid reservoir 8C (not shown), etc. The mounting system generally provides a first set of attachment fixtures 30 on a first portion of the body 20 of the fluid reservoir 8, and a second set of attachment fixtures 32 on a second portion of the body 20 of the fluid reservoir 8. For the fluid reservoir 8A that is closest to a supporting surface on the vehicle structure, the first set of attachment fixtures 30 is used to fixedly attach the fluid reservoir 8A to the vehicle structure V (i.e. the body-in-white). For the remaining fluid reservoirs 8B, 8C, etc. making up the expandable reservoir assembly, the first and second set of attachment fixtures 30, 32 (on adjacent fluid reservoirs) are configured to engage and cooperate to provide secure attachment therebetween, therein supporting the additional fluid reservoirs 8B, 8C upon the vehicle-mounted fluid reservoir 8A. Accordingly, where the expandable reservoir assembly includes two fluid reservoirs 8A, 8B the first set of attachment fixtures 30 on the fluid reservoir 8A is used to attach the assembly to an attachment point 34 on the vehicle, while the second set of attachment fixtures 32 of the fluid reservoir 8A is used to engage and attach to the first set of attachment fixtures 30 provided on the fluid reservoir 8B. The second set of attachment fixtures 32 provided on the fluid reservoir 8B are not used, but may remain available for use should a third fluid reservoir be added to the expandable reservoir assembly.

[0016] The first set of attachment fixtures 30 provides at least one anchorage arm 36 that cooperates with the attachment point 34 provided on the vehicle structure V. The anchorage arm 36 is fixedly attached to the attachment point 34 through the use of one or more suitable fasteners. As shown, the anchorage arm 36 and the attachment point 34 on the vehicle are fixedly attached using a threaded fastener 38. In the embodiment shown, and as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the first set of attachment fixtures 30 provides two anchorage arms 36.

[0017] The first set of attachment fixtures 30 may also include a secondary attachment feature that provides additional anchorage to the vehicle structure. As shown, the secondary attachment feature is provided in the form of a bracket 40 which engages an anchorage loop 42 provided on the vehicle structure V.

[0018] The first set of attachment fixtures 30 may further include additional registration or support features to ensure the fluid reservoir 8 remains fixedly attached to the vehicle. As shown, the first set of attachment fixtures 30 may include a reservoir offset 44 which abuts a contact point 46 provided on the vehicle structure V.

[0019] With the first set of attachment fixtures 30 as shown and described above, the at least one anchorage arm 36, the bracket 40, and the reservoir offset 44 cooperate to securely and fixedly mount the fluid reservoir 8A to the vehicle structure V.

[0020] The second set of attachment fixtures 32 provided on the fluid reservoir 8 (i.e. fluid reservoir 8A) are intended to cooperate with the first set of attachment fixtures 30 provided on the adjacent fluid reservoir 8 (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B). The placement/arrangement of the second set of attachment fixtures 32 is intended to simulate the geometry of the interface provided by the vehicle structure V, permitting attachment of the first set of attachment fixtures 30 of subsequent secondary fluid reservoirs (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B, fluid reservoir 8C, etc.).

[0021] Accordingly, the second set of attachment fixtures 32 includes at least one attachment arm 50, simulating the attachment point 34 of the vehicle structure V, and which is configured to engage the anchorage arm 36 of the adjacent fluid reservoir 8 (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B). As shown, the anchorage arm 36 (of fluid reservoir 8B) and the attachment arm 50 (of fluid reservoir 8A) are fixedly attached using a threaded fastener 38.

[0022] The second set of attachment fixtures 32 may also provide a loop element 52, simulating the anchorage loop 42 of the vehicle structure V, and which is configured to receive the bracket 40 of the adjacent fluid reservoir 8 (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B).

[0023] The second set of attachment fixtures may additionally include a contact element 54, simulating the contact point 46 of the vehicle structure V, and which is configured to abut the reservoir offset 44 of the adjacent fluid reservoir 8 (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B).

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment detailed above, the mounting system comprises three mating/engagement features making up the first and second set of attachment fixtures 30, 32. As shown, the anchorage arm 36 engages and is fastened to the attachment arm 50 (or the attachment point 34 of the vehicle structure V), the bracket 40 engages the loop element 52 (or the anchorage loop 42 of the vehicle structure V), and the reservoir offset 44 engages the contact element 54 (or the contact point 46 of the vehicle structure V). It will be appreciated that the mounting system may include a fewer or greater number of mating/engagement features that present in the first and second set of attachment fixtures 30, 32. For example, where the fluid reservoir is of considerable size, a larger number of mating/engagement features may be used.

[0025] The fluid reservoir 8 disclosed herein may be made of any suitable thermoplastic, including but not limited to polypropylene, polyethylene, and polycarbonate. The thermoplastic may also include various fillers known in the art, including but not limited to mineral fillers (i.e. calcium carbonate, talc, etc.) as well as additives, including but not limited to fibrous additives (i.e. glass fibers, carbon fibers, etc.). The fluid reservoir 8 as presented may be injection molded from two or more reservoir members (i.e. sections A and B, as shown in Fig. 1) with subsequent post-mold assembly (i.e. welded assembly at interface C), although alternative manufacturing methodologies may be suitably implemented to achieve the desired form. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic selected will be selected for a particular translucency/opacity characteristic.

[0026] Although the above disclosure has exemplified the technology with respect to coolant reservoirs, the use of a mounting system as taught herein may be applied to other reservoir systems in both automotive and non-automotive applications. For example, the addition of one or more fluid reservoirs 8 to the reservoir assembly may be used to support other fluid systems including, but not limited to brake fluid systems, windshield washer systems, or any other fluid system requiring a fluid reservoir as part of a closed-loop system. In an assembly comprising multiple fluid reservoirs, each fluid reservoir may be independently operable, and support a different fluid system. For example, on one embodiment comprising 3 fluid reservoirs, the first reservoir (i.e. fluid reservoir 8A) may support the coolant system, the second reservoir (i.e. fluid reservoir 8B) may support the brake fluid system, and the third reservoir (i.e. fluid reservoir 8C) may support the windshield washer system.

[0027] Relative terms should be construed as such. For example, the term "upper" is meant to be relative to the term "lower," the term "horizontal" is meant to be relative to the term "vertical ", the term "top" is meant to be relative to the term "bottom", "inside" is relative to the term "outside", "upwards" is meant to be relative to the term "downwards", and so forth. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are meant solely for purposes of designation and not for order or for limitation.

[0028] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented only as illustrations and examples of the present disclosure, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. It will also be understood that each feature of each embodiment discussed herein, and of each reference cited herein, can be used in combination with the features of any other embodiment. All patents and publications discussed herein are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.