FUEL TANK OPENING-CLOSING DEVICE

• US 20130075399A1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: HAGANO, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/254.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0461 comprising a filler pipe shutter, e.g. trap, door or flap for fuel inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0483 Means to inhibit the introduction of too small or too big filler nozzles

Abstract

The fuel tank opening-closing member has a tank opening forming member having a first opening forming member which has a first opening, and a first flap valve mechanism having a first opening-closing member for opening and closing the first opening, and a first shaft for rotatably supporting one end part of the first opening-closing member. The first opening-closing member is equipped with a pressing part having a push face pressed by the tip of the fueling nozzle, and a restriction wall forming a restriction region which restricts so as to allow insertion only of specified fueling nozzle external shapes established along the outer edge of the push face, enclosing at least a portion of the push face, and a guide member which is formed tilted toward the top part of the restriction wall, and leads the tip of the fueling nozzle to the restriction region.

Claims

1. A fuel tank opening-closing device that opens and closes a fuel passage for supplying fuel discharged by a fueling nozzle to a fuel tank, the fuel tank opening-closing device comprising:

a tank opening forming member that includes (i) the fuel passage and (ii) a first opening forming member, disposed in the fuel passage and having a first opening, and

a first flap valve mechanism having (i) a first opening-closing member for opening and closing the first opening, and (ii) a first shaft rotatably supporting an end part of the first opening-closing member on the first opening forming member,

wherein the first opening-closing member includes;

a pressing part that has (i) a push face pressed by an end of the fueling nozzle and (ii) a restriction wall forming a restriction region that restricts so as to selectively allow insertion of a specific outer form of the fueling nozzle, the restriction wall being configured to be erected along an outer edge of the push face and to enclose at least a portion of the push face, and

a guide member that is formed and inclined to broaden a nozzle guiding space from an upper part of the restriction wall toward an insertion direction of the fueling nozzle, the guide member being configured to guide the end of the fueling nozzle to the restriction region.

2. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the restriction wall has a flat part open at a side of the first opening-closing member and formed in a U-shape, wherein the flat part is disposed at a free end of the first opening-closing member.

3. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an opening and closing activation mechanism that includes (i) a nozzle detection member that is to be pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle and (ii) a locking member that works in conjunction with the nozzle detection member to have a locked position which locks the opening and closing operation of the first opening-closing member and an unlocked position which allows the opening and closing operation,

wherein the nozzle detection member is disposed on the restriction wall, and switches the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position by being pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle inserted in the restriction region.

4. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the tank opening forming member has a second opening forming member having the second opening, and disposed inside the fuel passage and more to the fuel tank side than the first opening forming member, and

further comprises a second flap valve mechanism that includes (i) a second opening-closing member for opening and closing the second opening and (ii) a second shaft rotatably supporting an end part of the second opening-closing member.

5. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 4, wherein

the first opening-closing member includes an are shaped sliding end formed on a free end of the first opening-closing member and at a side opposite a center axis of the fuel passage in relation to the first shaft, and

the second opening-closing member includes a sliding surface that slides the sliding end in line contact by the opening operation of the first opening-closing member.

6. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 5, wherein

the sliding surface is formed in a curved surface, where a first direction is from the second shaft to the free end of the second opening-closing member, and a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, a surface area of the sliding surface in the second direction decreases from a center of the second opening-closing member in the first direction.

7. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 6, wherein

the sliding surface is to receive an opening force of the second opening-closing member when pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle.

8. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 7, wherein

the first opening-closing member and the second opening-closing member are disposed such that the sliding surface receives the opening force of the first opening-closing member by being pressed by the sliding end.

9. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 2, wherein

the first opening-closing member includes an are shaped sliding end formed on a free end of the first opening-closing member and at a side opposite a center axis of the fuel passage in relation to the first shaft, and

the second opening-closing member includes a sliding surface that slides the sliding end in line contact by the opening operation of the first opening-closing member.

10. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 9, wherein

the sliding surface is formed in a curved surface, where a first direction is from the second shaft to the free end of the second opening-closing member, and a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, a surface area of the sliding surface in the second, direction decreases from a center of the second opening-closing member in the first direction.

11. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 10, wherein

the sliding surface is to receive an opening force of the second opening-closing member when pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle.

12. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 11, wherein

the first opening-closing member and the second opening-closing member are disposed such that the sliding surface receives the opening force of the first opening-closing member by being pressed by the sliding end.

13. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an opening and closing activation mechanism that includes (i) a nozzle detection member that is to be pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle and (ii) a locking member that works in conjunction with the nozzle detection member to have a locked position which locks the opening and closing operation of the first opening-closing member and an unlocked position which allows the opening and closing operation,

wherein the nozzle detection member is disposed on the restriction wall, and switches the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position by being pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle inserted in the restriction region.

14. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the tank opening forming member has a second opening forming member having the second opening, and disposed inside the fuel passage and more to the fuel tank side than the first opening forming member, and

further comprises a second flap valve mechanism that includes (i) a second opening-closing member for opening and closing the second opening and (ii) a second shaft rotatably supporting an end part of the second opening-closing member.

15. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the first opening-closing member includes an are shaped sliding end formed on a free end of the first opening-closing member and at a side opposite a center axis of the fuel passage in relation to the first shaft, and

the second opening-closing member includes a sliding surface that slides the sliding end in line contact by the opening operation of the first opening-closing member.

16. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 15, wherein

the sliding surface is formed in a curved surface, where a first direction is from the second shaft to the free end of the second opening-closing member, and a second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, a surface area of the sliding surface in the second direction decreases from a center of the second opening-closing member in the first direction.

17. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 16, wherein

the sliding surface is to receive an opening force of the second opening-closing member when pressed by the end of the fueling nozzle.

18. The fuel tank opening-closing device in accordance with claim 17, wherein

the first opening-closing member and the second opening-closing member are disposed such that the sliding surface receives the opening force of the first opening-closing member by being pressed by the sliding end.