Misfueling Preventing Apparatus

• US 20150102031A1
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asteer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Asteer Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiromitsu, Ono, Takami
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/86.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/077 with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation
• 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

Present disclosure is a misfueling preventing apparatus discriminating a fuel filler nozzle based on an outer diameter of the fuel filler nozzle. The misfueling preventing apparatus includes a base, a first link arm, a second link arm, a flapper and the stopper. The first link arm has a first trigger projection. The second link arm has a second trigger projection. If the fuel filler nozzle of light diesel oil pushes the first trigger projection and the second trigger projection, the first link arm and second link arm swing to a direction to which the first link arm and second link arm open to allow the flapper rotates to open.

Claims

1. A misfueling preventing apparatus discriminating a fuel filler nozzle based on an outer diameter of the fuel filler nozzle, the misfueling preventing apparatus comprising:

a base provided with a through hole inserting a fuel filler nozzle, placed across an inserting direction of the fuel filler nozzle to open and close a fuel filler port or a fuel filler pipe;

a first link arm swung about a pivot shaft whose position is fixed to the base, provided around the through hole of the base, having a shape bending around the through hole of the base, swinging on a plane in parallel with a plane of the through hole, biased against a direction to which the first link arm and a second link arm close, having a first trigger projection projecting to an inside of the through hole of the base;

the second link arm pivotally jointed to the first link arm with a joining shaft at one end, provided around the though hole to face the first link arm, having a shape bending around the through hole of the base, swinging on the plane in parallel with the plane of the through hole, biased against the direction to which the first link arm and the second link arm close, having a stopper on another end thereof and a second trigger projection projecting to the inside of the through hole of the base; and

a flapper biased against the through hole of the base, whose position rotatably fixed to the base with a rotation shaft, having a stopper projection;

wherein a liner distance of the first trigger projection and the second trigger projection facing each other is larger than an outer diameter of a fuel filler nozzle of gasoline, the liner distance is smaller than an outer diameter of a fuel filler nozzle of light diesel oil, and wherein

the stopper projection of the flapper is supported by the stopper of the second link arm to prevent the flapper from rotating to an opening position, and wherein

if the fuel filler nozzle of light diesel oil pushes the first trigger projection and the second trigger projection, the first link arm and second link arm swing to a direction to which the first link arm and second link arm open to disconnect the stopper projection and the stopper.

2. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first trigger projection and the second trigger projection has an inclining face or an inclining edge on its upper side, the inclining face or the inclining edge descends to projecting direction of each of the first trigger projection or the second trigger projection.

3. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first link arm and the second link arm are biased to the direction to which the first link arm and the second link arm close with an elastic ring, one end of the elastic ring engages to the first link arm, another end of the elastic ring engages to the second link arm, the elastic ring is externally fitted to the first link arm and the second link arm over the joining shaft.

4. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first link arm and the second link arm are biased to the direction to which the first link arm and the second link arm close with an elastic ring having a liner portion, one end of the elastic ring slidably contacts to the first link arm, another end of the elastic ring slidably contacts to the second link arm, the elastic ring is externally fitted to the first link arm and the second link arm over the joining shaft, the liner portion of the elastic ring is supported by the base.

5. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the flapper is a plate having at least one concaved groove on or next to the stopper projection.

6. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the flapper is a plate having at least one pair of slits along an extending direction of the stopper projection.

7. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus further comprising an upper housing coupled to the base, the first link arm and the second link arm are supported by a plurality of supporting projections provided on the base and a plurality of supporting projections provided on the upper housing to swing.

8. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus further comprising a spacer, the spacer is externally fitted to the base.

9. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if a side on which a tip of the flapper at closing position locates is defined as a tip side, and

if a side on which the rotation shaft of the flapper locates is defined as a base end side, and wherein

the stopper projection of the flapper is provided on the tip side,

the joining shaft joining the first link arm and the second link arm is on the base end side, the pivot shaft and the stopper are on the tip side so that the first link arm and the second link arm open at the stopper.

10. The misfueling preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first link arm has a shape of half arc and the second link arm has a shape of half arc to configure a circular link.