Fuel filler door catch for vehicles

Details Fuel filler door catch for vehicles Fuel filler door catch for vehicles

2002-03-01

2003-04-29

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Access cover for gas tank filler pipe

Reexamination Certificate

active

06554344

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a fuel filler door catch for vehicles, and more particularly, to a fuel filler door catch for vehicles, which can be manipulated without applying a great force, thereby improving a durability of parts included in the fuel filler door catch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fuel filler door is opened when filling fuel in a fuel tank, and a door catch is used for opening and closing the fuel filler door. The door catch is operated by a release handle, that is, a switch lever disposed within reach of a driver's seat.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional fuel filler door catch as well as a general fuel filler door. The fuel filler door
2
is hinged to a fuel filler housing
1
by means of a hinge
3
and a spring
4
. A hook plate
5
is installed to an opposite side portion of the fuel filler door
2
and locked to the catch mounted to the fuel filler housing
1
.
This door catch includes a catch housing
10
, a catch slide
12
and a coil spring
13
. The catch housing
10
is fastened to the fuel filler housing
1
by fastening members, such as bolts. The catch housing
1
accommodates a catch slide
12
and a coil spring
13
. The catch slide
12
is integrated with a cable extending in a straight line. The catch slide
12
moves rectilinearly in accordance with a manipulation by a driver, thus opening the fuel filler door.
However, since such a door catch is designed to integrate the catch slide
12
with the cable
7
extending in a straight line, the cable
7
must be bent in a U-shape so as to be connected to a release handle disposed within reach of a driver's seat. Thus, a conventional fuel filler door catch has a problem in that a great force must be applied to move the catch slide
12
rearward by means of the release handle for opening the door
2
. Furthermore, since the catch slide
12
is integrated with the cable
7
, the conventional fuel filler door catch has another problem in that it is difficult to repair the fuel filler door catch. In addition, since the catch housing
11
has to be fastened to the fuel filler housing
1
by additional fastening members
11
,
11
′, the conventional fuel filler door catch has still another problem in that it consumes labor and time during its production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fuel filler door catch for vehicles, which can be operated without applying great force, in addition to simplifying its assembly and maintenance due to a modular structure. A fuel filler door catch according to the invention includes a catch body mounted to a fuel filler housing, a rotary unit mounted on the catch body and rotating as a driver manipulates a cable, and a catch slide performing a rectilinear sliding movement as the rotary unit is operated, and released from a hook plate provided on a fuel filler door to open the fuel filler door.


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