Receptacles – Closures – Removable closure guided in rotary movement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-04-03
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Removable closure guided in rotary movement
C220S086200, C220SDIG003, C220SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209745
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a removable filler cap assembly for a fuel tank of motor vehicles. Particularly, the invention relates to a pop up gas cap for closing fuel tanks of motorcycles and powerboats.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Numerous filler cap assemblies are known in the art. Many of the known gas cap arrangements use gripping handles, as for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,572 (Llewhellin). This patent discloses a flush-fitting filler cap assembly designed for aircraft, comprising a carrier in the form of a shallow hollow cup having an inwardly directed circumferential flange. The carrier presses down on a diaphragm contacting a sealing ring within a sleeve via a bayonet slot connection. The carrier is rotated by a finger bar. A cover plate having a slot to accommodate the finger bar is necessary to provide a flush surface wherein a spring biases the cover plate up against the carrier's inwardly directed circumferential flange.
Still another arrangements utilize keys which are mounted pivotally on top of the gas caps. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,285 (De Pew) discloses a filler cap assembly, comprising a closure plate formed with a pivotal key thereon and having alternate sections of greater and lesser diameter. A cup-shaped pressure plate having a shaft, a spring biasing the pressure plate upward, a resilient sealing ring. Upon pivoting the key having a curved cam surface operating against a wear plate, the closure plate is forced against the pressure plate when the key is in a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,059 (Shaw) discloses a filler cap assembly comprising a plug member having an O-ring seal, a retaining member, a locking member, a compression spring and an operating shaft. The compression spring biases the locking member away from the plug and retaining members. To lock the plug member in the tank opening, a key is rotated about the axis of the operating shaft, drawing fingers of the locking member upward into engagement with an adapter contacting the retaining member, thereby compressing the O-ring against the plug member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,763 (Kupske) discloses an arrangement of a keyless gas cap for filling motorcycle fuel tanks. The gas cap comprises a short pipe piece housed within a cylinder means, and a coil spring. The gas cap is hingedly mounted on the gas tank and protrudes thereabove in a closed position thereof.
Many of the above discussed arrangements using a handle means for opening and closing of gas tanks may have unappealing designs of gas filling arrangements, which are likely to be particularly noticeable on motorcycles and powerboats.
Further, many of the known gas cap assemblies may likely not have a means adapted to receive an excess of fuel if the gas tank has been overfilled.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The novelty of the present invention is a flush-mount gas cap which is opened by unseating a pop up mechanism which is operatively connected with a lid adapted to be angularly displaced in order to unscrew a seal cap from engagement with a gas tank.
The flush-mount gas cap according to the invention includes a seal cap having a recessed interior which receives a spring-loaded shaft. The shaft's top end is fixed to an underside of the lid, whereas the shaft's lower end has a pin extending transversely to the shaft. The seal cap's bottom is formed with a pair of intersecting shallow and deep recesses having different axial cross-sectional depths, so that the pin selectively engages the recesses upon controllably displacing the lid. When the pin is received in the shallow recess, the cap's lid is in its flush position in which the lid's top surface is juxtaposed with the seal cap's upper surface. Alternatively, upon engagement of the pin in the deep recess, the cap is in its pop up position in which the cap's top surface is spaced from the sleeve's upper surface.
The seal cap includes an overfill compartment which is formed in the seal cap at distance from the bottom thereof and is in flow communication with the gas tank in the pop up position of the cap. This is achieved by having a channel which opens at opposite ends thereof into the overfill compartment and the deep recess respectively.
The flush gas cap according to the invention may be easily adapted for use with existing arrangements for filling fuel tanks of motor vehicles. In order to utilize the inventive gas cap with the existing arrangements, it is necessary that the seal cap of the invention be provided with a means for engaging the inner surface of an outer sleeve which has been mounted on a motor vehicle.
The invention also contemplates a flush-mount gas cap assembly including an outer sleeve or sleeve formed with an upper mounting flange and having a hollow inner surface which receives a fuel discharge nozzle during a filling operation. After the gas tank is filled with fuel, the seal cap releasably engages an interior of the outer sleeve to advance to a position in which the sleeve's top upper mounting flange is located either below or substantially flush with the seal cap's top surface. The spring-loaded seal cap is then displaced inwardly and, upon applying a rotational torque, the pin engages the shallow recess so that the lids 's upper surface is substantially flushed with the seal cap's top surface and with the gas tank's surface.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved gas mount assembly overcoming drawbacks of the prior art.
Still another object of the present invention is provide a pop up gas mount assembly adapted to have an overfill cap, which is in flow communication with the gas tank.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pop us gas mount assembly that may be easily adapted to be used with existing arrangements for filling tanks of motor vehicles.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pop up gas assembly which is aesthetically appealing.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 400838 (1998-11-01), Stahel
patent: D. 402248 (1998-12-01), Triebold
patent: 2866572 (1958-12-01), Llewhellin
patent: 3476285 (1969-11-01), De Pew
patent: 4189059 (1980-02-01), Shaw
patent: 4811763 (1989-03-01), Kupske
patent: 5415316 (1995-05-01), Pemberton et al.
patent: 5524786 (1996-06-01), Skudlarek
patent: 658484 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 2129783 (1984-05-01), None
patent: 2239007 (1991-06-01), None
Jansson and Associates Masterbuilders, Inc.
Newhouse Nathan J.
St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC
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