Receptacles – Closures – Removable closure guided in rotary movement
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-11
2004-03-16
Hylton, Robin A. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Removable closure guided in rotary movement
C220SDIG003, C220S304000, C220S293000, C220S295000, C220S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06705483
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel tank fueling device, and more specifically to a fuel cap for a fuel tank fueling device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional fuel tank fueling devices, the fuel cap is opened when fuel is supplied through a fuel inlet pipe. The fuel cap is sealed by pressing a sealing component against the opening (filling neck) of the fuel inlet pipe to prevent fuel vapor in the fuel tank from escaping into the atmosphere. That is, the fuel cap is provided with the sealing component around the periphery of a cylindrical casing. When the fuel cap is screwed onto the opening of the filling neck, the sealing component provides air-tight sealing force, while subject to torque, against the filling neck.
Conventional fuel caps, however, close off the opening by being rotated when attached to the filling neck, so the sealing component is subject to the torque accompanying friction with the filler neck. It has been found that such torque is not readily applied uniformly across the sealing component as a whole, and complicates efforts to improve the sealing properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, by providing a fuel tank fueling device that is easier to operate when opening and closing the fuel cap, and that has better properties in sealing the fuel tank against the outside air.
Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a fuel tank fueling device for fueling a fuel tank, through the fuel passage of a fuel inlet pipe. The fuel tank fueling device includes: a casing main body detachably attached to the inlet pipe; a handle provided on the casing main body, the handle being operable to open and close the fuel passage; a sealing component interposed between the casing main body and a seat surface of the fuel inlet pipe; a spring constructed and arranged to press the sealing component against the seat surface; and a cam mechanism constructed and arranged to convert an operating force applied to the handle in a closing direction into a spring pressing force, thereby pressing the sealing component against the seat surface.
In the fuel tank fueling device of an exemplary embodiment, the handle is operated to open the casing main body, and the casing main body is taken out of the fuel inlet pipe, so that fuel passes through the fuel passage of the fuel inlet pipe into a tank main body. When the casing main body is then attached to the fuel inlet pipe, and the handle is operated to close it, the cam mechanism converts the rotating force of the handle into force pressing on the seal member via a spring. This causes the spring to press the seal means against the seat surface, sealing the space between the casing main body and the fuel inlet pipe. The sealing component creates a seal between the casing main body and the fuel inlet pipe by means of the pressure of the urging force of the spring, thus allowing the space subject to torque to be shorter than in the prior art, affording more uniform sealing force, and providing better durability.
The fueling mechanism may have a structure in which a guide is mounted on the inner wall of the fuel dispensing device to rotatably and non-extractably support the casing main body against the fuel inlet pipe.
In an exemplary embodiment, the casing main body includes a rotating casing that has the handle and that is rotatably supported by the guide, and a sliding casing that is equipped with the sealing component and that is slidably disposed in the axial direction relative to the rotating casing by means of the guide, and a spring being disposed between the rotating casing and sliding casing.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cam mechanism can convert the rotating force when the handle is rotated in the closing direction into pressure force against the sealing component via the spring. That is, in cases where the casing main body is formed separate from the rotating casing and the sliding casing, the cam mechanism may comprise a cam surface, interposed between the rotating casing and sliding casing, whereby the rotating force of the rotating casing is converted to force in the direction in which the sliding casing acts as a seal via the sealing component.
The cam surface may be disposed in a location apart from the sealing component, including a passage passing from the inside the tank main body of the fuel inlet pipe to the outside. This dispenses with the need for providing separate the sealing component on the cam surface, with the cam mechanism, and simplifies the structure.
The cam surface may also include a detent location, where the seat surface is not sealed by the seal means, while the spring is compressed into a state in which the spring force is accumulated, and a sealing location, where the seat surface is sealed by the sealing component when the sliding casing is allowed to slide in the axial direction against the rotating casing upon the release of the urging force accumulated in the spring when the handle is rotated.
Here, the sealing member may create a seal in the direction allowing the seal force to be increased by the urging force of the spring, and may be mounted on the casing main body or the fuel inlet pipe.
The sealing component may also provide greater sealing force by being pressed against the seat surface by the spring. Accordingly, it is not subject to friction force and torque as in the prior art, thus enabling design with higher sealing properties and greater freedom in the materials for the seal member, surface treatment (state), and shape.
The spring may be a coil spring mounted around the periphery of the casing main body.
In an exemplary embodiment, a pressure valve for adjusting the pressure of the tank main body to within the prescribed range may be housed in the casing main body. This structure allows a pressure regulating valve to be provided in a more compact manner.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a fuel tank fueling device for fueling a tank main body, through the fuel passage of an inlet pipe. The fuel tank fueling device of this embodiment includes: a casing main body detachably mounted on the inlet pipe; a handle disposed on the casing main body for opening and closing the fuel passage; a gasket disposed at an upper part of the casing main body for sealing against a seat surface of the inlet pipe; a spring disposed on the casing main body, the spring constructed and arranged to press the gasket against the seat surface; neck engagement threading formed on an inner wall of the inlet pipe; an upper cam ring disposed rotatably on a periphery of the casing main body and the gasket, rotation of the upper cam ring being blocked by the neck engagement threading; and a lower cam ring movably mounted in an axial direction on a periphery of the casing main body, wherein the lower cam ring is guided along the upper ring at the beginning of the rotating operation of the handle, and is positioned by the neck engagement threading after moving in an axial direction when rotated subsequent to the initial rotation, and is guided in such a way as to press the spring while thus positioned so that the gasket seals the seat surface.
In an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a fuel tank fueling device for fueling a tank main body, through the fuel passage of an inlet pipe. The fuel tank fueling device of this embodiment includes: a rotating casing having support ends and a handle for opening and closing the fuel passage, the rotating casing being detachably and rotatably supported at an opening of the inlet pipe; a sliding casing that is slidably supported in an axial direction relative to the rotating casing, the sliding casing having guide protrusions; a gasket mounted at a bottom of the sliding casing, the gasket sealing a seat surface of the inlet pipe; a spring interposed between the rotating casing and the sliding casing, the spring urging the gasket to press against the seat s
Hagano Hiroyuki
Nakagawa Masayuki
Hylton Robin A.
Toyoda Gosei Co,., Ltd.
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