FUEL TANK OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE

• US 20140091095A1
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: HAGANO, Hiroyuki, ENOMOTO, Kentaro, OUE, Go
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/562
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03552 the venting means are integrated into the fuel filler pipe
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0429 actuated by the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0458 Details of the tank inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0461 comprising a filler pipe shutter, e.g. trap, door or flap for fuel inlet

Abstract

A fuel tank opening and closing device is equipped with a tank opening forming member equipped with an injection port forming member having an insertion path and a tank side path arranged outside and inside an injection port, an injection port opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the injection port, an insertion path forming member, and a drainage mechanism having a drainage path that connects the insertion path and the outside, and exhausts to the outside fuel that has accumulated inside the insertion path, and barrier members arranged on the drainage path. The barrier members are arranged with a labyrinth as the drainage path so that the insertion path cannot be seen from outside.

Claims

1. A fuel tank opening and closing device for opening and closing a fuel path for supplying fuel discharged from a fueling nozzle to a fuel tank, the device comprising:

an injection port forming member that has (i) an injection port that constitutes a part of the fuel path, and (ii) a tank side path that is in a downstream side of the injection port and constitutes a part of the fuel path;

an insertion path forming member that has an insertion path that is in an upstream side of the injection port and constitutes a part of the fuel path, wherein the insertion path forming member guides a fueling nozzle inserted through the insertion path to the injection port;

a drainage mechanism that has (i) a drainage path that connects the insertion path to the outside and exhausts fuel accumulated inside the insertion path to the outside, and (ii) a barrier member arranged in the drainage path; and

an injection port opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the injection port,

wherein the barrier member is arranged in the drainage path so as to guide the fuel accumulated in the insertion path to the outside, the barrier member being configured such that the insertion path is to be invisible from the outside, and the ventilation resistance from the outside to the insertion path is greater than the ventilation resistance from the insertion path to the outside.

2. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 1 wherein

the barrier member includes walls that forms a labyrinth in the drainage path.

3. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 2 wherein

the insertion path forming member includes an opening forming member having an insertion opening in an upstream side of the insertion path, and

the device further comprises an insertion side opening and closing mechanism having an opening and closing member for opening and closing the insertion opening.

4. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 1 wherein

the drainage mechanism includes a one-way valve that opens the drainage path by a valve plate with a filter moving from the insertion path side to the outside.

5. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 4 wherein

the insertion path forming member includes an opening forming member having an insertion opening in an upstream side of the insertion path, and

the device further comprises an insertion side opening and closing mechanism having an opening and closing member for opening and closing the insertion opening.

6. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 1 wherein

the insertion path forming member includes a path forming member that encloses the insertion path and a cover member that covers an outer surface of the path forming member, and

the drainage path is arranged extending across the path forming member and the cover member.

7. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 6 wherein

the insertion path forming member includes an opening forming member having an insertion opening in an upstream side of the insertion path, and

the device further comprises an insertion side opening and closing mechanism having an opening and closing member for opening and closing the insertion opening.

8. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 1 wherein

the insertion path forming member includes an opening forming member having an insertion opening in an upstream side of the insertion path, and

the device further comprises an insertion side opening and closing mechanism having an opening and closing member for opening and closing the insertion opening.

9. A fuel tank opening and closing device for opening and closing a fuel path for supplying fuel discharged from a fueling nozzle to a fuel tank, the device comprising:

an injection port forming member that has (i) an injection port that constitutes a part of the fuel path, and (ii) a tank side path that is in a downstream side of the injection port and constitutes a part of the fuel path;

an insertion path forming member that has an insertion path that is in an upstream side of the injection port and constitutes a part of the fuel path, wherein the insertion path forming member guides a fueling nozzle inserted through the insertion path to the injection port;

a drainage mechanism that has a drainage path that connects the insertion path to the outside and exhausts fuel accumulated inside the insertion path to the outside;

an injection port opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the injection port; and

a base plate for supporting an outside wall of the tank opening forming member on a car body,

wherein the drainage path has an opening part facing the outside, wherein the opening part is arranged near the base plate, so as to be visible from the outside during fueling.

10. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 9,

further comprising a liquid reservoir for temporarily accumulating fuel that flowed out from the drainage path to the outside, wherein the liquid reservoir is arranged at a position to be visible from the outside during fueling.

11. The fuel tank opening and closing device according to claim 10 wherein

the liquid reservoir is integrally formed on the base plate.