Gas cap and components therefor

• US 7,954,660 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fishman Thermo Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fishman Thermo Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Fishman, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELOSHWAY, NIKI MARINA
• Application Number:
  US11/728,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20080237179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 220/304, 220/86.1, 220/86.2
• US Class Current: 220/304
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks

Abstract

A plastic gas cap having a cap element with a plastic skirt having an inner skirt diameter and including ring retaining tabs extending inwardly from the inner skirt, a plug element having a flange at one end sized and shaped to fit within the plastic skirt and past the ring retaining tabs; and a plastic retaining ring having an outer ring diameter and being secured between the flange and the tabs to secure the plug element in the cap element by an interference fit within the inner skirt diameter which reinforces said plastic skirt and makes it more rigid.

Claims

1. A plastic gas cap comprising:

a cap element having a plastic skirt, said plastic skirt having an inner skirt diameter and including ring retaining means extending inwardly from said inner skirt diameter;

a plug element having a flange at one end sized and shaped to fit within said plastic skirt past said ring retaining means;

a plastic retaining ring having an outer ring diameter, said plastic retaining ring being secured between said flange and said inwardly directed ring retaining means to secure said plug element in said cap element, wherein said plastic retaining ring is made from glass reinforced plastic

wherein said outer ring diameter is sized and shaped to form an interference fit within said inner skirt diameter to reinforce said plastic skirt;

wherein said flange includes engaging means for permitting said flange to slip within said gas cap in the tightening direction, but not in the untightening direction; and

wherein said engaging means comprise teeth oriented to engage in slots formed into the gas cap.

2. The plastic gas cap of claim 1 wherein said interference fit is between 1 and 3 millimeters.

3. The plastic gas cap of claim 1 wherein said interference fit is two millimeters.

4. The plastic gas cap of claim 1 wherein said ring includes a slip surface and a locking surface in cross section.

5. The plastic gas cap of claim 4 wherein said slip surface is a smoothly curved surface to facilitate passing said ring past said inwardly extending ring retaining means.

6. The plastic gas cap of claim 5 wherein said inwardly extending ring retaining means are in the form of a tab, having a sloped surface and a stop surface.

7. The plastic gas cap of claim 1 wherein said ring includes a locking surface to engage said stop surface after said ring is slipped past said tab.

8. The plastic gas cap of claim 1 wherein said ring includes a locking surface to engage said stop surface after said ring is slipped past said tab.

9. A plastic gas cap comprising:

a cap element having a plastic skirt, said plastic skirt having an inner skirt diameter and including ring retaining means extending inwardly from said inner skirt diameter;

a plug element having a flange at one end sized and shaped to fit within said plastic skirt past said ring retaining means; and

a plastic retaining ring having an outer ring diameter, said plastic retaining ring being secured between said flange and said inwardly directed ring retaining means to secure said plug element in said cap element;

wherein said outer ring diameter is sized and shaped to form an interference fit within said inner skirt diameter to reinforce said plastic skirt;

wherein said flange includes engaging means for permitting said flange to slip within said gas cap in the tightening direction, but not in the untightening direction; and

wherein said engaging means comprise teeth oriented to engage in slots formed into the gas cap.

10. The plastic gas cap of claim 9 wherein said interference fit is between 1 and 3 millimeters.

11. The plastic gas cap of claim 9 wherein said interference fit is two millimeters.

12. The plastic gas cap of claim 9 wherein said ring includes a slip surface and a locking surface in cross section.

13. The plastic gas cap of claim 12 wherein said slip surface is a smoothly curved surface to facilitate passing said ring past said inwardly extending ring retaining means.

14. The plastic gas cap of claim 13 wherein said inwardly extending ring retaining means are in the form of a tab, having a sloped surface and a stop surface.