Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Access cover for gas tank filler pipe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2001-05-22
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Access cover for gas tank filler pipe
C220S086200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234557
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filler cap assembly, and in particular, to a filler cap assembly for fuel tanks of automobiles, which automatically opens with a fuel tank door when an opening lever is manipulated.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Cap assemblies for fuel tanks are well known. Typically, a fuel tank has an opening in a side thereof, a substantially cylindrical tube with a threaded end is inserted into the opening and fixed to the tank, and a filler cap is screwed on to the threaded end.
FIG. 3
shows a prior art cap assembly. As shown in
FIG. 3
, a fuel inlet of a tube
18
which is connected to a fuel tank is secured in a recess formed on an exterior panel
10
of a vehicle and is sealed by a filler cap
16
. The filler cap
16
is protected by a fuel tank door
14
which is pivotally connected to the panel
10
and biased in its opening direction by a torsion spring
12
. The fuel tank door
14
is held closed by a locking device
6
that hooks on a protrusion formed on an inner surface of the fuel tank door
14
. The locking device
6
is connected to an opening lever
2
arranged in a driver's compartment by a cable
4
such that the locking device
6
unlocks if a driver pulls the opening lever
2
to open the fuel tank door.
In this case, the fuel tank is opened by the driver's manipulation from within the vehicle, but the filler cap
16
is manually opened and closed by a service station attendant when refilling the fuel tank, so the driver cannot ensure that the inlet opening is completely sealed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a filler cap assembly which is automatically opened with and at the same time as a fuel tank door by a driver's manipulation of an opening lever.
To achieve the above object, the filler cap assembly comprises a first sensor mounted to one end portion of a cable that connects an opening lever to a fuel tank door locking device, the first sensor detecting if the opening lever is operated to open the fuel tank door, an actuator mounted near a fuel inlet for selectively generating rotational force and being electrically connected to a battery when the first sensor detects that the opening lever is operated to open the fuel tank door; a filler cap fitted into a fuel inlet and connected to the actuator by means of a gear mechanism such that the filler cap screws into or out of the inlet according to a direction of the rotational force generated by the actuator, and a second sensor mounted inside the fuel inlet for detecting if the filler cap is fitted into the fuel inlet, the second sensor electrically connecting the actuator to the battery if the filler cap is fitted into the fuel inlet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5253920 (1993-10-01), Eldridge
patent: 5451927 (1995-09-01), Thompson
patent: 5988238 (1999-11-01), Palvolgyi
Christie Parker & Hale LLP
Hyundai Motor Company
Pape Joseph D.
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