A DIESEL EXHAUST FLUID (DEF) FILLING STRUCTURE FOR
VEHICLE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure, in general, relates to a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure in a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Nowadays, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system have been introduced in the vehicles. The SCR system is an advanced active emissions control technology system that requires injection of a liquid-reductant agent through a special catalyst into an exhaust stream of a diesel engine. The reductant agent is usually automotive-grade urea, otherwise known as Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). The DEF is consumed in SCR that lowers the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the diesel exhaust emissions from a diesel engine.
[0003] Further, SCR system is designed to permit nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction reactions to take place in an oxidizing atmosphere. It is called "selective" because it reduces levels of NOx using ammonia as a reductant within a catalyst system. The chemical reaction is known as "reduction" where the DEF is the reducing agent that reacts with NOx to convert the pollutants into nitrogen, water and tiny amounts of CO2. The DEF can be rapidly broken

down to produce the oxidizing ammonia in the exhaust stream. The SCR system alone can achieve NOx reductions up to 90 percent.
[0004] However, to implement an DEF supply pipe and corresponding provisions of the DEF filling system in a fuel box of a vehicle, system, automobile manufacturers have to design the body in white (BIW) parts, i.e., side panels, rear wheel housing and platform of vehicle, having design which ensures that the layout of the DEF supply pipes starting from the fuel box which has a supporting surface at a filler mounting point i.e. rear end of the fuel box. This concept is commonly used in fuel filler system. Then, the DEF supply pipe is mounted under the wheel house panel and later guided to a respective tank location. This arrangement leads to extended mounting face on wheel house outer panel and a bigger joinery closure area of wheel house outer and inner panels. Such a solution is expensive to implement as it requires an entirely new vehicle manufacturing platform, due to larger wheel house inner joinery requirement.
[0005] To address this issue, one solution adapted by the automobile manufacturers is to use the conventional vehicle manufacturing platform in which DEF supply pipe neck is inserted from below the vehicle through a joinery of panels of a wheelhouse outer panel and the fuel box. However, said joinery is required to be of a bigger size to receive filler necks of both the fuel pipe and the DEF supply pipe.
[0006] Further, in cases where the joinery area of the panels in the conventional vehicle manufacturing platform cannot be extended to support mounting of the DEF supply pipe neck in fuel box, the automobile manufacturers adapted another solution of providing a through hole on a panel of the wheel house for DEF supply pipe neck assembly. In this approach, an operator has to pass the DEF supply pipe through two blind holes, one in the fuel box panel and second in the wheelhouse panel, which is also not feasible.

Such an approach possesses a threat of water ingress inside the cabin space through the blind holes. Additionally, posture of the operator to assemble the DEF supply pipe neck poses ergonomic issue.
[0007] It is therefore required to provide an improved solution to install the DEF supply pipe using the conventional or existing vehicle manufacturing platform.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0008] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed herein below.
[0009] It is a general or primary object of the present disclosure to provide a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure which is mounted at apertures of vehicle fuel box without extending or modifying the existing manufacturing structure/platform (wheel house inner).
[0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to configure the DEF filling structure by using a DEF filler port which is disposed adjacent to a fuel filler port inside a fuel box, said DEF filler port comprising an inlet port converging into a DEF supply pipe connection-port and a breather pipe connection-port.
[0011] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to configure a top half of the DEF filler device, wherein the DEF supply pipe connection-port formed with a quick coupler at an end away from the inlet port.
[0012] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to configure the DEF filling structure wherein awheel house outer panel is formed with aflat seating shape having an access hole.

[0013] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to configure a bottom half of the DEF filler device, wherein the DEF supply pipe is fluidically coupled with the quick coupler formed on the DEF supply pipe connection-port and includes a breather pipe fluidically coupled with the breather pipe connection-port.
[0014] It is still yet another object of the present disclosure to provide the DEF filling structure which is configured in the existing vehicle manufacturing platform in efficient manner at low cost and takes less time to configure.
[0015] These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred form of the present disclosure is illustrated.
SUMMARY
[0016] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0017] In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure. The DEF filling structure includes a DEF filler port disposed adjacent to a fuel filler port inside a fuel box, a DEF supply pipe, a breather pipe and awheel house outer panel. Said DEF filler port is comprising an inlet port converging into a DEF supply pipe connection-port and a breather pipe connection-port, wherein the DEF supply pipe connection-port being formed with a quick coupler at an end away from the inlet port. Said DEF supply pipe is fluidically coupled with the quick coupler formed on the DEF supply pipe

connection-port. In addition to this, a breather pipe is also fluidically coupled with the breather pipe connection-port.
[0018] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the DEF filling structure includes a top half of a DEF filler device passing through the opening and fixed in the opening, said top half includes an inlet port converging into a DEF supply pipe connection-port and a breather pipe connection-port, wherein the DEF supply pipe connection-port being formed with a quick coupler at an end away from the inlet port.
[0019] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the wheel house outer panel extends from a common joinery with a wheel house inner panel to the vehicle outer body panel, the wheel house outer panel is formed with a flat seating shape having an access hole.
[0020] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the DEF filling structure includes a bottom half of a DEF filler device passing through the access hole inside the wheel house outer panel, the bottom half includes a DEF supply pipe fluidically coupled with the quick coupler formed on the DEF supply pipe connection-port and includes a breather pipe fluidically coupled with the breather pipe connection-port.
[0021] In an aspect, the DEF filling structure comprises a seal, inter-positioned between said bottom half of the DEF filler device and peripheral edge of the access hole. And the seal is a flexible seal and connects the DEF filler device and the wheel house outer panel near the access hole so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the DEF filler device and the wheel house outer panel.
[0022] In an aspect, the DEF supply pipe and the breather pipe are inserted a grommet sealing unit mounted at access hole of the flat seating shape of the vehicle wheel house outer panel. Further the grommet sealing unit has a

geometrical dimension including oval, rectangular, square and triangle. The grommet sealing unit has a geometrical dimension in accordance to the shape of the access hole.
[0023] In an aspect, the grommet sealing unit seals around peripheries of the DEF supply pipe and the breather pipe.
[0024] In an aspect, the top half of the DEF filler device and the bottom half of the DEF filler device up to seal are located in-between the vehicle outer body panel and the wheel house outer panel. In addition to this, the quick coupler includes an external locking rings formed at its distal end from the inlet port. And the quick coupler is having a varying diameter decreasing towards its distal end from the inlet port.
[0025] In an aspect, the DEF filler port is formed from a non-metallic material.
[0026] In an aspect, the DEF supply pipe and the breather pipe are formed of flexible engineering resin.
[0027] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made regarding the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0028] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0030] FIG. 1A illustrates an unassembled view of a diesel fluid exhaust (DEF) filling structure (100) as shown in line diagram, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. IBillustrates an assembled view of a diesel fluid exhaust (DEF) filling structure (100) as shown in line diagram, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0032] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate perspective views of a fuel box (204), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition to this, FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a perspective view of a diesel fluid exhaust (DEF) filler port (102) disposed adjacent to a fuel filler port (202) inside a fuel box (204) shown in the vehicle outer body panel (206), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0033] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate different perspective views of DEF supply pipe (102-DEF) and breather pipe (102-BR) accommodated in a wheel house outer panel (300) of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of the DEF supply pipe in assembled view, starting from vehicle outer body panel (206), fuel box (204), DEF inlet port (102-1), quick coupler (102-C), grommet (108), and wheel house

outer panel (300) extending from a common joinery (300-1) with awheel house inner panel (304) to the vehicle outer body panel (206), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0035] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to con all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0037] FIG. 1A illustrates an unassembled state of a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure (100) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The DEF filling structure (100) includes a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filler port (102). In an aspect, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the DEF filler port (102) is disposed adjacent to a fuel filler port (202) inside a fuel box (204).
[0038] In addition to this FIGS. 1B and 4 illustrates an assembled state of a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure (100) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Said DEF filling structure (100) includes

a DEF filler port (102) defined as an opening adjacent to a fuel filler port (202) inside a fuel box (204) defined in a vehicle outer body panel. And a top half (100a) of a DEF filler device passing through the opening and fixed in the opening, said top half includes an inlet port (102-1) converging into a DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) and a breather pipe connection-port (102-BR), wherein the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) being formed with a quick coupler (102-C) at an end away from the inlet port (102-1). In addition to this, the DEF filling structure (100) includes a wheel house outer panel (300) extending from a common joinery (300-1) with a wheel house inner panel (304) to the vehicle outer body panel (206), the wheel house outer panel (300) is formed with aflat seating shape (302) having an access hole. Further the DEF filling structure (100) includes a bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device passing through the access hole inside the flat seating shape (302) of the wheel house outer panel (300), the bottom half includes a DEF supply pipe (104) fluidically coupled with the quick coupler (102-C) formed on the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) and includes a breather pipe (106) fluidically coupled with the breather pipe connection-port (102-BR).
[0039] Moreover, the DEF filling structure includes the vehicle outer body panel (206), fuel box (204), the top half (100a), the wheel house outer panel (300) and the bottom half (100b). The top half (100a) and the bottom half (100b) are divided by a quick coupler location (102-C). The DEF filler device includes the DEF filling structure (100) excluding the vehicle outer body panel (206), fuel box (204) and wheel house outer panel (300).
[0040] The DEF filler port (102) includes an inlet port (102-1). The inlet port (102-1) converges into a DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) and a breather pipe connection-port (102-BR). The inlet port (102-1) converges in such a manner that the inlet port (102-1) is used for filling (supplying) DEF though the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF). The breather pipe

connection-port (102-BR) is used for receiving gases from a DEF tank (not shown in figures) through the breather pipe (106).
[0041] Further, the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) is formed with the quick coupler (102-C) at an end away from the inlet port (102-1). In an aspect, the quick coupler (102-C) includes an external locking rings formed at its distal end from the inlet port (102-1). Also, the quick coupler (102-C) is having a varying diameter decreasing towards its distal end from the inlet port (102-1).
[0042] The quick coupler (102-C) enables the quick fluidic coupling of the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) with the DEF supply pipe (104).
[0043] Further, the breather pipe connection-port (102-BR) is fluidically coupled with the breather pipe (106).
[0044] The DEF filler structure comprises a seal inter-positioned between said bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device and peripheral edge of the access hole. The seal is a flexible seal and connects the DEF filler device and the flat seating shape (302) of the wheel house outer panel (300) near the access hole so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the DEF filler device and the flat seating shape (302) of the wheel house outer panel (300). The seal is a grommet sealing unit (108) positioned between said the bottom half of the DEF filler device and peripheral edge of the access hole. In order to couple the DEF supply pipe (104) and the breather pipe 106 with the respective connection ports of the DEF filler port (102), the DEF supply pipe (104) and the breather pipe (106) are inserted through a grommet sealing unit (108) mounted at access hole of a wheel house outer panel (300), as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. The grommet sealing unit (108) seals around peripheries of the DEF supply pipe (104) and the breather pipe (106).

[0045] In an aspect, the diesel fluid exhaust (DEF) filler port (102) is disposed adjacent to a fuel filler port (202) inside a fuel box (204) shown in the vehicle outer body panel (206) as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
[0046] In an aspect, the DEF filler port (102) is formed from a non-metallic material, while the DEF supply pipe (104) and the breather pipe (106) are formed of flexible engineering resin.
[0047] In an aspect, the grommet sealing unit (108) can have any regular geometrical dimension including, but not limited to, oval, rectangular, square, triangle, and so forth. The shape of the grommet sealing unit (108) is in accordance with the shape of the access hole provided on the flat seating shape (302) of the wheel house outer panel (300).
[0048] In an aspect, the wheel house outer panel (300) has a matching surface covering a portion of a rear end of the fuel box (not shown). The wheel house outer panel (300) extends downward from the matching surface to form an essentially vertical surface (306) while leaving a remaining portion of the rear end of the fuel box uncovered.
[0049] In an aspect, the wheel house outer panel (300) extends horizontally from the essentially vertical surface (306) in a direction towards rear of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 3A.
[0050] In an aspect, the wheel house outer panel (300) forms the flat seating shape (302) having the access hole (shown along with mounted grommet sealing (108)) as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 4. The flat seating shape (302) extends from a common joinery (300-1) with the wheel house inner panel (304) to the vehicle outer body panel (206).
[0051] Further, in an aspect, the wheel house outer panel (300) comprises of a plurality of stiffener beads (310) formed on the lower area of vertical surface (306) and on the surface vertically downward from the common joinery

(300-1) as shown in FIG. 3A. The plurality of stiffener beads (310) strengthen the local areas formed in the wheel house outer panel (300).
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
[0052] There is a plurality of features which are listed as technical advantages below:
[0053] The present disclosure provides a DEF filling structure used in the existing platform with extended surface to match/support fuel box, fuel filler area where DEF filler neck is attached.
[0054] The present disclosure provides a DEF filling structure with low cost.
[0055] The present disclosure provides solution which is simple in design and require less time for manufacturing and configuring time.
[0056] Further, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope.
[0057] Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.
[0058] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without

departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions, or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

WE CLAIM
1. A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) filling structure (100), comprising:
a DEF filler port (102) defined as an opening adjacent to a fuel filler port (202) inside a fuel box (204) defined in a vehicle outer body panel (206);
a top half (100a) of a DEF filler device passing through the opening and fixed in the opening, said top half (100a) includes an inlet port (102-I) converging into a DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) and a breather pipe connection-port (102-BR), wherein the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) being formed with a quick coupler (102-C) at an end away from the inlet port (102-1);
a wheel house outer panel (300) extending from a common joinery (300-1) with a wheel house inner panel (304) to the vehicle outer body panel (206), the wheel house outer panel (300) is formed with a flat seating shape (302) having an access hole; and
a bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device passing through the access hole inside the wheel house outer panel (300), the bottom half (100b) includes a DEF supply pipe (104) fluidically coupled with the quick coupler (102-C) formed on the DEF supply pipe connection-port (102-DEF) and includes a breather pipe (106) fluidically coupled with the breather pipe connection-port (102-BR).
2. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DEF
filler structure (100) comprises a seal (108), inter-positioned between
said bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device and peripheral edge of
the access hole.

3. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal (108) is a flexible seal and connects the DEF filler device and the wheel house outer panel (300) near the access hole so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the DEF filler device and the wheel house outer panel (300).
4. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal is a grommet sealing unit (108) positioned between said the bottom half of the DEF filler device and peripheral edge of the access hole.
5. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the grommet sealing unit (108) has a geometrical dimension including oval, rectangular, square, and triangle.
6. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top half (100a) of the DEF filler device and the bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device up to seal (108) are located in-between the vehicle outer body panel (206) and the wheel house outer panel (300).
7. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom half (100b) of the DEF filler device after the seal (108) is located under the wheel house outer panel (300).
8. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quick coupler (102-C) includes an external locking rings formed at its distal end from the inlet port (102-1).

9. The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quick coupler (102-C) is having a varying diameter decreasing towards its distal end from the inlet port (102-1).
10.The DEF filling structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein wheel house outer panel (300) comprises of stiffener beads (310) to distribute pipe load in local area.