Receptacles – Closures – Removable closure guided in rotary movement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2001-01-30
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Removable closure guided in rotary movement
C220S304000, C220SDIG003, C220S088100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179148
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a fuel cap, and particularly to a fuel cap for closing a vehicle fuel tank filler neck. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrically conductive fuel cap.
Occasionally, vehicle occupants or service station attendants will “carry” a static electricity charge having an electrical potential that is higher than the vehicle itself. A fuel cap in accordance with the present invention is configured to “ground” a person turning the fuel cap relative to the filler neck so as to dissipate to ground, in a controlled manner, any electrostatic charge or potential on the person during rotation of a cover of the fuel cap relative to a filler neck-engaging base of the fuel cap at the outset of a vehicle refueling cycle and before fuel vapor is allowed to vent through the mouth of the filler neck.
The fuel cap includes a closure, a handle for turning the closure to engage and close the filler neck, and a conductor configured to conduct an electrical charge from the handle to the filler neck during rotation of the handle relative to the closure and before movement of the closure to break a seal established between the closure and the filler neck. In preferred embodiments, the closure includes a closure member adapted to close the open mouth of the filler neck and a torque-transmission race configured to provide a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the closure member. In one embodiment, the conductor includes a conductor pin mounted on the closure member and arranged to contact the filler neck and a conductor ring arranged to move relative to the closure member and the torque-transmission race and contact the conductor pin before the closure member is moved to open the filler neck. In another embodiment, the conductor includes an annular band coupled to the torque-transmission race to rotate therewith and a finger appended to the annular band and arranged to be moved by a boss on the handle to establish electrical contact between a tip of the finger and the filler neck before the closure member is moved to open the filler neck.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4065026 (1977-12-01), Williams et al.
patent: 4299102 (1981-11-01), Aro
patent: 4597504 (1986-07-01), Witt
patent: 5449086 (1995-09-01), Harris
patent: 5638975 (1997-06-01), Harris
patent: 5996830 (1999-12-01), Hagano et al.
patent: 6003709 (1999-12-01), Hagano et al.
Barnes & Thornburg
Newhouse Nathan J.
Stant Manufacturing Inc.
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