Tank cap

• US 5,673,958 A
• Filed: 04/05/1996
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITW Ateco GmbH (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Ateco GmbH (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Gramss, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun, Jonathan J.
• Application Number:
  US08/628,468
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 296/99.22, 296/901, 296/146.5, 280/853, 16/227, 220/86.1, 220/86.2
• US Class Current: 296/97.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers

Abstract

A tank cap which is pivotally supported, preferably about an approximately vertical axis, at an end portion of a tank inlet tray of an automotive vehicle, a carrier element of plastic material being provided having an outer circumference approximately corresponding to that of the tank cap and being pivotally supported by the inlet tray, and a cover element of sheet metal being attached to the outer surface of the carrier element.

Claims

1. A composite cover for covering a recess, defined within an automobile vehicle body, wherein the automobile vehicle body is fabricated from a predetermined material, and operatively associated with a fuel tank pipe and cap, comprising:

a carrier member comprising a first substantially plate-type member, first flange means defined upon edge portions of said first substantially plate-type member of said carrier member, and a plurality of projections disposed upon said first flange means of said carrier member;

means connected to said carrier member for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon an automotive vehicle; and

a cover member, fabricated from a material which is substantially the same as said predetermined material comprising said vehicle body, comprising a second substantially plate-type member, second flange means, defined upon edge portions of said second substantially plate-type member of said cover member for covering said first flange means of said carrier member, and a plurality of apertures defined within said second flange means of said cover member for accommodating said plurality of projections disposed upon said first flange means of said carrier member when said second flange means of said cover member overlies said first flange means of said carrier member so as to enable said cover member to be separably mountable upon said carrier member.

2. A composite cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said carrier member comprises a plastic material; and

said cover member comprises a metal material.

3. A composite cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of projections disposed upon said carrier member and said plurality of apertures defined within said cover member comprise means for snap-fitting said cover member in a separable manner upon said carrier member.

4. A composite cover as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said second flange means of said cover member are inclined toward said first flange means of said carrier member such that said snap-fitting engagement of said cover member upon said carrier member is achieved under tension.

5. A composite cover as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

spacing means defined upon said plate-type carrier member for engaging said plate-type cover member when said plate-type cover member is separably mounted upon said carrier member such that said plate-type cover member is spaced a predetermined distance from said plate-type carrier member.

6. A composite cover as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said spacing means of said carrier member comprises a plurality of ribs projecting outwardly from one surface of said carrier member and engaging a surface of said cover member.

7. A composite cover as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of bracket means integral with said carrier member for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon an automotive vehicle.

8. A composite cover as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

a plurality of bracket means for integral connection to an automotive vehicle; and

trunnion pin and aperture means formed upon said plurality of bracket means of said carrier member for snap-fittingly engaging corresponding aperture and trunnion pin means formed upon said plurality of bracket means for integral connection to an automotive vehicle.

9. A composite cover as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said bracket means for integral connection to an automotive vehicle and said bracket means of said carrier member each comprise three bracket members laterally spaced with respect to each other with a central one of said bracket members for integral connection to an automotive vehicle comprising a forked-type bracket member, while a central one of said bracket members of said carrier member is disposed within a recess defined within said forked-type bracket member.

10. A composite cover for covering a recess, defined within an automotive vehicle body, wherein the automotive vehicle body is fabricated from a predetermined material, and operatively associated with a fuel tank pipe and cap, comprising:

a carrier member comprising a first substantially plate-type member and first flange means defined upon edge portions of said first substantially plate-type member of said carrier member;

means connected to said carrier member for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon an automotive vehicle

a cover member fabricated from a material which is substantially the same as said predetermined material comprising said automotive vehicle body and comprising a second substantially plate-type member having second flange means defined upon edge portions of said second substantially plate-type member of said cover member for covering said first flange means of said carrier member; and

means defined upon said first flange means of said carrier member and said second flange means of said cover member for cooperating together when said second flange means of said cover member overlies said first flange means of said carrier member so as to enable said cover member to be separably mountable upon said carrier member.

11. A composite cover as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said carrier member comprises a plastic material; and

said cover member comprises a metal material.

12. A composite cover as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said means for separably mounting said cover member upon said carrier member comprises snap-fitting means.

13. A composite cover as set forth in claim 12, wherein said snap-fitting means comprises:

a plurality of projections disposed upon one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member, and a plurality of apertures defined within the other one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member for receiving respectively said plurality of said projections of said one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member such that said cover member is able to be snap-fittingly mounted upon said carrier member.

14. A composite cover as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

spacer means defined upon one of said plate-type carrier and cover members for maintaining said plate-type carrier and cover members in a spaced relationship with respect to each other when said cover member is separably mounted upon said carrier member.

15. A composite cover as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said spacer means comprises a plurality of ribs defined upon a surface of said one of said plate-type carrier and cover members and engaging a surface of the other one of said plate-type carrier and cover members.

16. A composite cover as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said means connected to said carrier member for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon an automotive vehicle comprises first bracket means;

second bracket means are provided for integral connection to an automotive vehicle; and

trunnion pin and aperture means are provided upon said first and second bracket means for pivotably mounting said composite cover, comprising said carrier member and said cover member, upon an automotive vehicle as a result of trunnion pin and aperture means of said first bracket means engaging corresponding aperture and trunnion pin means of said second bracket means.

17. In combination, a composite cover for covering a recess defined within an automotive vehicle body and operatively associated with a fuel tank pipe and cap of said automotive vehicle body, comprising:

an automotive vehicle body portion fabricated from a predetermined material;

a carrier member comprising a first substantially plate-type member and first flange means defined upon edge portions of said first substantially plate-type member of said carrier member;

means defined between said carrier member and said automotive vehicle body portion for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon said automotive vehicle body portion;

a cover member fabricated from a material which is substantially the same as said predetermined material comprising said automotive plate-type member having second flange means define upon edge portions of said second substantially plate-type member of said cover member for covering said first flange means of said carrier member and

means defined upon said first flange means of said carrier member and said second flange means of said cover member for cooperating together when said second flange means of said cover member overlies said first flange means of said carrier member so as to separably mount said cover member upon said carrier member.

18. The combination as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

said carrier member comprises a plastic material; and

said cover member and said automotive vehicle body comprise metal materials.

19. The combination as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

said means for separably mounting said cover member upon said carrier member comprises snap-fitting means.

20. The combination as set forth in claim 19, wherein said snap-fitting means comprises:

a plurality of projections disposed upon one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member, and a plurality of apertures defined within the other one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member for respectively receiving said plurality of projections of said one of said first and second flange means of said carrier member and said cover member such that said cover member is able to be snap-fittingly mounted upon said carrier member.

21. The combination as set forth in claims 17, further comprising:

spacer means defined upon one of said plate-type carrier and cover members for maintaining said plate-type carrier and cover members in a spaced relationship with respect to each other when said cover member is separably mounted upon said carrier member.

22. The combination as set forth in claim 21, wherein said spacer means comprises:

a plurality of ribs disposed upon one surface of said one of said plate-type carrier and cover members and engaging one surface of the other one of said plate-type carrier and cover members.

23. The combination as set forth in claim 17, wherein said means for pivotably mounting said carrier member upon said automotive vehicle body portion comprises:

first bracket means integral with said automotive vehicle

second bracket means integral with said carrier member; and

pin and aperture means defined within said first and second bracket means for pivotably connecting said carrier member to said automotive vehicle portion.