FUEL CAP OPENING/CLOSING STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE

• US 20180334028A1
• Filed: 10/30/2017
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: KIM, Hyun Wook, HAN, Jeong Hoon
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0409 Provided with a lock
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0438 using screw or bayonet

Abstract

A vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure may include a stopper hinged to a fuel inlet to rotate when a fuel cable is pulled via operation of a switch provided inside a vehicle, a fuel cap external device configured to be held in place by the stopper, the fuel cap external device being discharged in a longitudinal direction of the fuel inlet via rotation of the stopper, a fuel cap internal device fitted inside the fuel cap external device to close the fuel inlet, the fuel cap internal device being engaged with the discharged fuel cap external device, and a fuel cap handle coupled to the fuel cap internal device and held in place by the fuel cap external device to rotate the fuel cap external device and cause the fuel cap internal device to be rotated, guiding opening of the fuel inlet.

Claims

1. A vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure comprising:

a stopper hinged to a first side of a fuel inlet, the stopper being rotated when a fuel cable is pulled via operation of a switch provided inside a vehicle;

a fuel cap external device configured to be held in place by the stopper, the fuel cap external device being discharged in a longitudinal direction of the fuel inlet via a rotation of the stopper;

a fuel cap internal device fitted inside the fuel cap external device to close the fuel inlet, the fuel cap internal device being engaged with the discharged fuel cap external device; and

a fuel cap handle located inside the fuel cap external device and coupled to the fuel cap internal device, the fuel cap handle being held in place by the fuel cap external device to rotate the fuel cap external device and cause the fuel cap internal device to be rotated via a rotation of the fuel cap external device, guiding an opening of the fuel inlet.

2. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 1, further including an elastic member disposed inside the fuel cap external device, the elastic member providing an elastic force in a direction in which the fuel cap external device is discharged.

3. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 2, wherein the elastic member is provided in a plurality inside the fuel cap external device to interconnect the fuel cap external device and the fuel cap handle.

4. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 1, wherein the fuel cap external device includes:

a first holding member configured to be bent toward opposite side surfaces of the fuel cap internal device;

a second holding member configured to be bent in a direction in which the second holding member faces the first holding member to be held in place by the stopper; and

a coupling member integrally coupled inside the second holding member, the coupling member having a toothed internal circumferential surface.

5. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 4, wherein the first holding member has a fastening groove configured to allow the fuel cap handle to be held in place.

6. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 4, wherein the fuel cap internal device includes:

a body disposed to face the coupling member inside the fuel cap external device, the body having a shape corresponding to a shape of the internal circumferential surface of the coupling member; and

an insertion member integrally coupled to a bottom portion of the body and configured to be inserted into inside of the fuel inlet to selectively open the fuel inlet via a rotation of the body.

7. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 6, wherein the insertion member has a screw-thread formed on an external circumferential surface thereof to correspond to an internal shape of the fuel inlet.

8. The vehicular fuel cap opening/closing structure of claim 1, wherein the fuel cap handle is coupled to the fuel cap internal device to rotate freely with respect to the fuel cap internal device, wherein the fuel cap handle is disposed in the fuel cap external device.