Fuel cap device
First Claim
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1. A fuel cap device for closing an inlet of a rearwardly located automobile fuel tank, comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical closer for closing said inlet, and an operating portion formed on an upper part of said closer, wherein;
said operating portion comprises a projection passing through a center of the upper part of said closer and bridging in a radial direction;
said operation portion being rotatable to thereby engage said projection with said closer, and said closer with said inlet when said closer is inserted into said inlet;
said operating portion being positioned when said operating portion is rotated until said closer is in a fully engaged state with said inlet such that said operating portion transmits to said closer a torque in an engaging direction of rotation when an external rear impact force acts on said operating portion;
a longitudinal orientation of said operating portion is at an angle more than 90° and
180°
when the closer is in the fully engaged state with said inlet; and
a relative orientation of said operating portion and said closer in a non-torqued state after said closer closes said inlet remains a predetermined angle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The fuel cap is disposed at the rear part of the automobile, and is furnished with a casing main body, the cover having an operating portion, and a gasket. Where an external force directing from a rear part to a front part is received at a position which is at an outer peripheral edge of the operating portion and at a rearmost part, the operating portion is determined to be at the closing position such that the operating portion transmits a moment turning in the closing direction to the closer.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A fuel cap device for closing an inlet of a rearwardly located automobile fuel tank, comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical closer for closing said inlet, and an operating portion formed on an upper part of said closer, wherein;
said operating portion comprises a projection passing through a center of the upper part of said closer and bridging in a radial direction;
said operation portion being rotatable to thereby engage said projection with said closer, and said closer with said inlet when said closer is inserted into said inlet;
said operating portion being positioned when said operating portion is rotated until said closer is in a fully engaged state with said inlet such that said operating portion transmits to said closer a torque in an engaging direction of rotation when an external rear impact force acts on said operating portion;
a longitudinal orientation of said operating portion is at an angle more than 90° and
180°
when the closer is in the fully engaged state with said inlet; and
a relative orientation of said operating portion and said closer in a non-torqued state after said closer closes said inlet remains a predetermined angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13)
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8. A fuel cap device for closing an inlet of an automobile fuel tank, comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical closer for closing said inlet, and an operating portion formed on an upper part of said closer, wherein;
said operation portion comprises a projection passing through a center of the upper part of said closer and bridging in a radial direction; and
said operating portion being rotatable to engage said projection with said closer, and said closer with said inlet, and said operating portion is oriented with respect to a horizontal rearward direction in an operation wherein said operating portion is positioned such completed state so that said operating portion transmits to said closer a torque turning in the closing direction when a rear external force extend in a forward direction is received at an outer peripheral edge of said an external force exerting from the rear part of the automobile to the front part is received at an outer peripheral edge of said operating portion situated in a rearmost part of the automobile. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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9. A fuel cap device adapted for an automobile body comprising:
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an inlet connected to a fuel tank;
a substantially cylindrical closer for closing said inlet;
an operating portion formed on an upper portion of said closer for bringing said closer to an engaged position with said inlet when said operating portion is rotated to an angle between 90° and
180°
relative to a longitudinal orientation, wherein said operating portion includes a projection passing through a center of an upper part of said closer and bridging in a radial direction;
a torque mechanism structurally coupled to said operating portion by at least said projection, wherein said torque mechanism is for permitting said operating portion to transmit to said closer a torque turning in a closing direction when an external force exerted from the rear part of the automobile body to the front part is received at an outer peripheral edge of said operating portion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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10. A fuel cap device for closing an inlet of a rearwardly located automobile fuel tank, comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical closer including both a cover portion and a closer main body for closing the inlet, the cover portion and the closer main body having a predetermined relative orientation therebetween;
a downwardly extending projection formed on and passing through a center of the cover portion of the closer, the cover portion being rotatable upon application of a rotational force to the projection, thereby causing the closer to engage with the inlet when inserted therein;
a torque mechanism for connecting the cover portion and the closer main body through the projection so as to enable continued rotation of the cover portion even when the closer main body is in a fully engaged state with the inlet and cannot be further rotated; and
a spring mechanism located between the cover portion and the closer main body for causing the cover portion to return to the predetermined relative orientation with the closer main body when the cover portion is rotated past a position corresponding to the fully engaged state of the closer main body with the inlet and when the rotational force is no longer applied to the projection. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification