Receptacles – Closures – Closures interconnected for common opening movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-13
2001-03-20
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Closures interconnected for common opening movement
C220S281000, C220S304000, C220S375000, C220SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202879
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Technical Field
The subject invention relates to removable fuel caps for automotive fuel tanks.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Most vehicle fuel tanks include a filler neck extending from the tank to allow a user to refill the tank with fuel. Some type of cap or cover is placed over the filler neck in order to seal the fuel tank from the atmosphere. The most common type of cover is a removable fuel cap or gas cap.
Conventional removable fuel caps typically include a housing for threading onto the filler neck and a handle rotatably mounted to the housing. The housing usually includes at least one seal for sealing engagement with the filler neck. Many of these removable fuel caps have ratcheting mechanisms disposed between the handle and the housing wherein the handle may rotate about the housing. The ratcheting mechanisms ensure that only a predetermined amount of torque is applied to the housing. In other words, the housing cannot be overtightended to the filler neck. Overtightening of the housing could increase the compression of the gasket and prematurely age the gasket. Examples of such mechanisms are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,820,680; 4,299,102; and 4,676,390.
Other conventional fuel caps may also include a “lost motion” feature between the handle and the housing. The lost motion connection provides a level of safety in the event of an impact. Specifically, the handle can rotate independently of the housing such that the seal of the housing remains in sealing engagement with the filler neck. An example of such a design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,055. The prior art fuel cap designs which incorporate lost motion features suffer from a number of deficiencies. One deficiency is the relative complexity of the design which equates to costly manufacturing and assembly. Another deficiency relates to the limitations of the lost motions connects, primarily the limited rotational distance in which the handle may rotate relative to the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
A fuel cap assembly for use with a filler neck of a fuel tank. The cap assembly comprises a housing for removably securing and sealing the cap assembly to the filler neck of the fuel tank. An exterior cover is rotatably mounted to the housing for relative rotation about the housing. The cap assembly is characterized by at least one actuating finger movably mounted within the cover and selectively engageable with the housing to selectively interlock the cover to the housing wherein the rotation of the cover imparts rotation upon the housing.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a lost motion connection between the cover and the housing which inexpensive to manufacture and relatively easy to assemble. In addition, the lost motion connection allows the cover to rotate relative to the housing in either rotational direction through a complete 360°. The actuating finger provides an efficient means for eliminating a conventional lost motion connection and interlocking the cover to the housing when rotation of the housing is desired.
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Eloshway Niki M.
Howard & Howard
Shoap Allan N.
Tesma International Inc.
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