Delayed actuation fuel cap
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A cap for use in the filler neck of a tank, the cap comprisingclosure means for closing the filler neck,handle means for rotating the closure means relative to the filler neck, anddelayed actuation means for providing a lost motion driving connection between the handle means and the closure means.
6 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cap is provided for closing the threaded filler neck of a fuel tank. The cap includes a housing having threads for engaging the filler neck, a seal for sealingly engaging said filler neck upon rotation of the housing in a first direction, and a handle for rotating the housing relative to the filler neck. The cap further includes a hub for providing a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the housing. The lost motion of the hub acts to permit a predetermined amount of relative movement of the handle and the filler neck before the housing can be rotated relative to the filler neck sufficiently to break the seal.
79 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cap for use in the filler neck of a tank, the cap comprising
closure means for closing the filler neck, handle means for rotating the closure means relative to the filler neck, and delayed actuation means for providing a lost motion driving connection between the handle means and the closure means.
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10. A fuel cap for closing the threaded filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising
a housing having threads for engaging the filler neck, sealing means for sealingly engaging said filler neck upon rotation of the housing in a first direction, a handle for rotating the housing relative to the filler neck, and hub means for providing a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the housing, the lost motion of the hub means acting to permit a predetermined amount of relative movement of the handle and the filler neck before rotating the housing relative to the filler neck sufficiently to break the seal provided by the sealing means, the hub means including drive means for applying a rotation-inducing torque to the housing during continued rotation of the handle past said predetermined amount of rotation, the drive means establishing a lost-motion connection between the handle and the housing to delay rotation of the housing relative to the filler neck and breakage of the seal established by the seal means upon rotation of the handle relative to the filler neck.
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11. A fuel cap for closing the threaded filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising
a housing having threads for engaging the filler neck, sealing means for sealingly engaging said filler neck upon rotation of the housing in a first direction, a handle for rotating the housing relative to the filler neck, and hub means for providing a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the housing, the lost motion of the hub means acting to permit a predetermined amount of relative movement of the handle and the filler neck before rotating the housing relative to the filler neck sufficiently to break the seal provided by the sealing means, the hub means including a torque-transmission race rotatably mounted intermediate the handle and the housing, the torque-transmission race including means for rotating the housing upon rotation of the torque-transmission race, and a drive lug coupled to the handle for rotation therewith and configured to apply rotation-inducing torque to the torque-transmission race in response to predetermined rotational movements of the handle relative to the housing, thereby establishing the lost-motion connection between the handle and the housing to delay rotation of the housing relative to the filler neck and breakage of the seal established by the sealing means upon rotation of the handle relative to the filler neck.
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13. A fuel cap for use in a fuel system filler neck having a mouth, the cap comprising
closure means rotatably engaging the filler neck for closing the filler neck, the closure means including seal means for establishing a seal with the filler neck to block the escape of fuel and fuel vapor in the filler neck to the atmosphere, shell means for providing a hand grip to permit rotation, and actuating means interconnecting the shell means and the closure means for applying a torque to the closure means after a predetermined amount of relative movement of the shell means in the filler neck to establish a lost-motion connection between the closure means and the shell means to delay breaking the seal provided by the seal means until after said predetermined amount of relative movement of the shell means in the filler neck has occurred, the actuating means including a drive hub having first and second drive faces, a race disposed for rotation between the shell means and the closure means, the race cooperating with the closure means to provide a positive connection in the cap-removal direction and a torque-limited connection in the cap-advancing direction, the race including a driven lug having first and second faces, the first drive face of the drive hub engaging the first face of the driven lug of the race during rotation of the drive hub in the cap-advancing direction to impart a rotation-inducing force to the race and the closure means, the second drive face of the drive hub engaging the second face of the driven lug of the race during rotation of the drive hub in the cap-removal direction to impart a rotation-inducing force to the race and the closure means.
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15. A cap for use in the filler neck of a tank, the filler neck having an annular lip defining a mouth, the cap comprising
gasket means, means blocking the filler neck for urging the gasket means against the annular lip to establish a seal blocking outward flow of fluid and vapor in the filler neck through the filler neck mouth, and means for applying a driving force to move the urging means relative to the annular lip of the filler neck from a gasket means-tightening position establishing said seal to a gasket means-releasing position breaking said seal, and the urging means and the applying means cooperating to provide means for permitting relative movement between the urging means and the applying means to delay establishment of a driving connection between the applying means and the urging means during movement of the applying means in a cap-removal direction.
Specification