TANK FLAP OR CHARGING FLAP ARRANGEMENT

• US 20190118644A1
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Published: 04/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: BECK, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 11,407,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0523 with sliding connection to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/053 with hinged connection to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0576 with actuator fixed to the vehicle body

Abstract

A tank flap or charging flap arrangement for a vehicle includes a housing body and a tank flap or charging flap mounted for pivot between a closed position and an open position by means of an actuating arrangement. A locking device releaseably locks the flap in the closed position. The actuating arrangement includes a pivot arm mounted pivotably at a first end on the housing body and connected pivotably at a second end to the flap and a control lever connected pivotably at a first end to the flap. Pivot axes of the pivotable connections of pivot arm and control lever to the flap run parallel to and offset laterally from one another. During movement of the flap between the closed and the open position, the control lever is guided at a second end an elongated hole in the pivot arm and in a guide curve of the housing body.

Claims

1. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement for a vehicle, comprising a housing body (18) and a tank flap or charging flap (10) which is mounted on the housing body (18) so as to be pivotable between a closed position and an open position by means of an actuating arrangement, and comprising a locking device which releaseably locks the tank flap or charging flap (10) in the closed position, characterized in that the actuating arrangement comprises a pivot arm (22) which is mounted pivotably at a first end on the housing body (18) and is connected pivotably at a second end to the tank flap or charging flap (10), and in that the actuating arrangement furthermore comprises a control lever (36) which is likewise connected pivotably at a first end to the tank flap or charging flap (10), wherein the pivot axes of the pivotable connection of pivot arm (22) and control lever (36) to the tank flap or charging flap (10) run parallel to and offset laterally from one another, and wherein, during a movement of the tank flap or charging flap (10) between the closed and the open position, the control lever (36) is guided at a second end firstly in at least one elongated hole (24, 26) in the pivot arm (22) and secondly in at least one guide curve (46) of the housing body (18).

2. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating arrangement furthermore comprises a spring element (50) which prestresses the pivot arm (22) and the control lever (36) into the open position of the tank flap or charging flap (10).

3. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one guide curve (46) of the housing body (18) is designed in such a manner that the tank flap or charging flap (10), at the beginning of its movement from the closed position into the open position, first of all executes a combined pivoting movement and translatory movement in a lateral direction.

4. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that an opening angle of the tank flap or charging flap (10) in the open position is greater than 90°

.

5. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that locking projections (56) on the housing body (18), in the closed position of the tank flap or charging flap (10), are engaged behind by corresponding locking projections (52, 54) of the tank flap or charging flap (10) or of a carrier plate (12) carrying the tank flap or charging flap (10).

6. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot arm (22) has, at its first end, at least one pivot hook (28, 30) which engages around at least one pivot bearing formed on the housing body (18), and in that the pivot arm (22) has, at its second end, at least one pivot hook (32, 34) which engages around at least one pivot bearing which is formed on the tank flap or charging flap (10) or on a carrier plate (12) carrying the tank flap or charging flap (10).

7. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the control lever (36) has, at its first end, at least one pivot hook (38, 40) which engage around at least one pivot bearing formed on the tank flap or charging flap (10) or on a carrier plate (12) carrying the tank flap or charging flap (10).

8. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot arm (22) and/or the control lever (36) are formed integrally.

9. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot arm (22) has a U shape, wherein the free ends of the limbs of the U shape are connected pivotably to the tank flap or charging flap (10), and the connecting portion (32) of the U shape, which connecting portion connects the limbs, is mounted pivotably on the housing body (18), and wherein a respective elongated hole (24, 26) is formed in the two limbs of the U shape.

10. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the control lever (36) is accommodated between the limbs of the U-shaped pivot arm (22), wherein a respective control pin (42, 44) is formed on the outer sides of the control lever (36), which outer sides face the limbs, wherein, during a movement of the tank flap or charging flap (10) between the closed and the open position, the control pins (42, 44) are each guided in one of the elongated holes in the pivot arm (22).

11. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that two guide curves (46) are formed in the housing body (18), wherein, during a movement of the tank flap or charging flap (10) between the closed and the open position, the control pins (42, 44) are furthermore each guided in one of the guide curves (46) of the housing body (18).

12. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one guide ramp (58) is formed in each case on the outer sides of the control lever (36), which outer sides face the inner sides of the limbs of the U-shaped pivot arm (22), wherein the guide ramps (58) bear against the facing inner sides of the limbs of the U-shaped pivot arm (22) in the open position of the tank flap or charging flap (10).

13. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device has push-push kinematics.

14. Tank flap or charging flap arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that a slide of the push-push kinematics is arranged on the tank flap or charging flap (10) or on a carrier plate (12) holding the tank flap or charging flap (10), said slide, in the closed position, being accommodated in a locking manner in a slide receptacle (20) of the push-push kinematics, the slide receptacle being formed on the housing body (18).

15. Tank flang flap arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating arrangement, when preassembled on the tank flap or charging flap (10), can be inserted by an exclusively translatory movement into the housing body (18) and can be mounted on the latter.

17. The flap arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the actuating arrangement further comprises a spring element which prestresses the pivot arm and the control lever into the open position of the flap.

18. The flap arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the at least one guide curve of the housing body is designed such that the flap, upon beginning its movement from the closed position into the open position, executes a combined pivoting movement and translatory movement in a lateral direction.

19. The flap arrangement according to claim 15, wherein an opening angle of the flap in the open position is greater than 90°

.

16. A flap arrangement for a vehicle, comprising a housing body and a flap which is mounted on the housing body so as to be pivotable between a closed position and an open position by an actuating arrangement, and comprising a locking device which releaseably locks the flap in the closed position, wherein the actuating arrangement comprises a pivot arm mounted pivotably about a first pivot axis at a first end on the housing body and connected pivotably about a second pivot axis at a second end to the flap, wherein the actuating arrangement further comprises a control lever connected pivotably about a third pivot axis at a first end to the flap, wherein the first pivot axis, second pivot axis and third pivot axis are parallel to and offset laterally from one another, and wherein, during a movement of the flap between the closed and the open position, the control lever is guided at a second end in at least one elongated hole in the pivot arm and in at least one guide curve of the housing body.