FR2845645A1 - Motor vehicle fuel tank filler has spring-loaded flap that is opened with light pressure and inner seal engaging with bowl surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The tank filler consists of a bowl (2) fitted to the vehicle bodywork to hold the upper end (3) of the filling pipe, and a hinged and spring-loaded flap (7) that opens through 90 degrees to give access to the pipe. The flap consists of an outer panel (8) and an inner liner (9) with a seal (21) that engages with a truncated conical wall (23) adjacent to an outer collar (6) on the bowl, and is opened by applying a light pressure only. In the closed position a tongue (17) on the flap liner engages with a cam-actuated catch (15) inside a compartment (14) formed in the bowl on the opposite side to the hinge (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle fuel filler flap

  automobile. Conventionally, a fuel flap comprises a bowl mounted in the body of the vehicle, at the bottom of which opens the end of the filling pipe for the fuel tank. In the case of vehicles using several fuels such as petrol and liquefied petroleum gas, the ends of two pipes can lead

in the bottom of the bowl.

  To hide the bowl which forms an unsightly recess in the body, there is provided a hinged flap on the bowl. This flap is pivotable between a closed position in which it is located in the extension of the body and an open position in which it is tilted at approximately

  900 and opens access to the end of each filling line.

  Several functional, stylistic and industrial constraints 15 apply to the fuel filler flap.

  Functionally, the handling of the hatch must be the most

simple possible for the user.

  In terms of style, it is important that the flap of the hatch be integrated into the body as completely as possible; in other words, the clearance between the edge of the flap and the edge of the body must be the greatest

  reduced possible to appear imperceptible.

  Finally, from an industrial point of view, it is desirable to mount the hatch from outside the body. Indeed, in many cases, the hatch or the bowl alone is mounted by the interior of the vehicle body, in particular by using the wheel arch as an access route. Such a method of fitting the hatch is particularly complex and, consequently, expensive. In addition, the hatch being suspended from the wall of the

  bodywork, it is necessary to provide superabundant means for its fixing.

  It is known to equip a hatch with a so-called "push-push" system 30 to manage the opening of the shutter. This system uses a finger integral with the flap which cooperates with a substantially heart-shaped cam. In the shutter closed position, the finger is held against the cam by, generally, a spring acting at the axis of rotation of the shutter. The use of such a hatch is particularly easy since it suffices to exert pressure on the flap so that the finger escapes from the cam and releases it. The shutter then opens under the action of the spring acting at its axis of rotation. To close the shutter, the user folds it over the bowl. During the movement, the finger locks in the cam substantially in the shape of a heart and ensures

  locking the shutter in the closed position of the hatch.

  This type of hatch is therefore very attractive to use. However, it is not without drawbacks. In particular, a large stroke of the flap must be provided in the direction of the interior of the bowl. Indeed, to open the flap, you must exert a push of a stroke which can go from 7 to 10 mm towards the inside of the bowl to

that the finger escapes the cam.

  In the case of a hatch mounted inside the body, the

  management of this stroke between the flap and the bowl does not pose any major problem. In fact, in this case, the bodywork has a simple opening, the dimensions of which correspond substantially to those of the shutter, except for the operating clearances. The flap can be pushed inside the bowl with a stroke sufficient to release the finger from the heart-shaped cam.

  However, this type of hatch must be installed from the inside.

  of the body with all the drawbacks described above.

  In the case of a hatch placed from outside the body, the sheet forming the body is stamped to form a support surface surrounding the opening, the bowl coming to rest against this support surface. However, for technical drawing reasons, the depth of the bearing surface is, in practice limited, to a dozen millimeters. In view of the fact that the flap must remain in the extension of the bodywork in the closed position of the hatch, it is therefore understandable that there is no space between the flap and the edge of the bowl for release.

release the "push-push" system.

  An object of the invention is therefore to provide a fuel filler flap

  can be mounted in the body of a vehicle from the outside thereof, while using closing / opening means of the "push30 push" type.

  In a manner known per se, the hatch is of the type comprising - a bowl, mounted in a vehicle body, at the bottom of which opens at least one end of a line for filling a fuel tank, and a flap, articulated on the bowl, capable of occupying a first closed position, in which its outer face is arranged in the extension of the body, and a second open position, in which it is pivoted by approximately 900 to give access to the end of each filling pipe, - an elastic means tending to pivot the flap in an opening direction and means for closing the flap on the bowl such as a thrust 5 on the flap, the latter occupying the first closed position, leads to its opening and a second push on the flap, the latter occupying its second

  open position, causes it to close.

  According to the invention, - the closing means are such that a thrust of a reduced stroke causes the shutter to open, - the inner face of the shutter is provided with a seal coming to bear against a frustoconical wall formed in the bowl and - the bowl has a collar which can come to rest against a

  bearing surface stamped in the bodywork.

  The reduction in the travel of the closing means therefore allows the mounting from the outside of the vehicle of a hatch equipped with closing means controlled by successive pushes comprising a finger cooperating with a concave face of a cam substantially in the shape of a heart. , the latter being perfectly protected against the intrusion of soiling. 20 It should also be noted that the flap is perfectly maintained in its position

  closed. In fact, thanks to the elastic means, the effect of which is cumulative with that of the seal which bears against the bowl, a slight intensity push on the hatch (for example due to washing of the vehicle) does not lead to opening. of the shutter since the finger is pressed against the concavity of the cam by the elastic means 25 and the seal.

  According to one possibility, the flap comprises an outer panel and a lining articulated with respect to the bowl by means of a bearing on which the seal is attached. The joint can be attached to the lining by gluing,

bolting or other.

  According to another possibility, the shutter comprises an external panel and a lining articulated with respect to the bowl by means of a bearing, the joint being co-molded with the lining, which on an industrial level makes it possible to produce a

  an operation a lining fitted with sealing means.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the flap comprises, on the side of its internal face, at least one link whose free end is substantially parallel to the flap, and the bowl comprises at least one guide track intended to receive the free end of the rod during the closing and opening operations of the shutter, which, opening out on the open side of the bowl, delimits a cam having a convex shape turned towards the edge of the bowl and a concave shape turned towards the opposite side, the free end of the link rod being held pressed in the bottom of the concave surface of the cam, under the action of elastic means acting in an opening direction

  of the shutter, when the shutter is in the closed position.

  In addition, a chimney surrounds the rod.

  According to another embodiment, the bowl is equipped with at least 10 a link, the free end of which is substantially parallel to the flap and the flap being equipped with at least one tab having a guide track intended to receive the free end. of the rod during the closing and opening operations of the shutter, which, opening out on the open side of the bowl, delimits a cam having a convex shape turned towards the edge of the bowl and a concave shape turned towards the opposite side, the free end of the rod being kept pressed against the bottom of the concave surface of the cam, under the action of elastic means acting in a direction of opening of the shutter, when the shutter is in

closed position.

  In addition, the bowl has a partition which delimits a locking compartment 20 in which the tab engages when the flap is in the closed position. Preferably and to obtain a hatch opening with a

  very short stroke, the free end of the link has a diameter substantially equal to one millimeter and the concavity of the cam has a depth substantially equal to three millimeters.

  According to a preferred characteristic, the bowl has a peripheral flange fitted with a seal intended to seal between the

body and bowl.

  To ensure that the free end of the link is pressed against the cam and to assist the opening of the hatch, a spring tends to pivot the

flap in an opening direction.

  According to one possibility, the inner face of the shutter is equipped with a shutter at one end of a fuel tank filling pipe, constituted by a tubular sleeve made of an elastic material 35 and intended to come to cap the end of pipeline coming to take support

against the bottom of the bowl.

  For a good understanding, the invention is described using the

  description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings representing as

  non-limiting examples two embodiments of this fuel filler flap.

  Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of this hatch.

  Figure 2 is a sectional view along Il-l of Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the locking means of a second

  embodiment of this hatch.

  Figure 4 is a sectional view along 111-111 of Figure 3.

  Figure 5 shows in section a seal.

  For simplification, the elements described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 which are found in the second embodiment are designated by the

same reference numbers.

  The fuel flap shown in the drawing includes a bowl 2

  made of plastic intended to be mounted in the body of a vehicle.

  At the bottom of the bowl 2 opens at least one end of a pipe 3 for filling a fuel tank. The body 4 of the vehicle in which an opening is provided for receiving the hatch has, on the periphery of its opening, a bearing surface obtained by stamping. The bowl 2 has a peripheral flange 6 resting against the bearing surface 5 formed in the body. The cooperation of the bearing surface 5 and the flange 6 thus allows mounting of the bowl from the outside of the body 4. The hatch also includes a flap designated by the

general reference 7.

  In the present case, the flap 7 comprises a panel 8 and a lining 9. The panel 8 is a piece of plastic material painted in the color of the bodywork 4, the dimensions of which fit into the opening made in it. . The panel 8 is intended to come into alignment with the body when the flap 7 is in the closed position. The lining 9 connects the panel 8 to an axis of rotation 10 secured to the bowl 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the lining 9 has a swan neck portion allowing the flap 7 to be opened substantially at 900 from the body 4 . A

  spring 11 associated with the lining 9 acts in the opening direction of the flap 7.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the bowl 2 comprises a partition 13 delimiting a locking space 14. A connecting rod 15 consisting of a wire 35 bent substantially in the shape of a "C" opens into the locking compartment 14. The connecting rod 15 , at one of its ends, is articulated with respect to the bowl on one of its branches and, at the other of its ends opens into the locking compartment 14 through a slot 25 formed in the partition 13. L the free end 16 of the link 15 opening into the locking compartment 14 is therefore likely to be in oscillating movement. The lining 9 is, for its part, provided with a lug 17 which enters the locking compartment 14, when the flap 7

is in the closed position.

  As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, the tab 17 has, on its face opposite the free end 16 of the link 15, a cam 19 substantially in the shape of a heart surrounded by a guide track 20. The cam 19 has a convex surface facing the side of the opening of the hatch and a concave surface facing the opposite side. The guide path 20 is intended to receive the free end 16 of the

link 15.

  In a manner known per se when the shutter 7 is locked, the free end 16 of the rod 15 circulates in the guide track 20 and is placed in the bottom of the concave surface of the cam 19. The opening of the shutter 7 is done by pushing along the arrow "F", this push allowing to free the free end 16 of the rod 15 from the concave surface 20 of the cam 19 and thus releasing the flap 7 which, under the action of the

  spring 11, switches to substantially 90 of the body 4.

  The essential characteristic of cam 19 is its concavity

  which has a very reduced depth. This results in the fact that a push of a stroke of two to three millimeters makes it possible to release the link 15 from the cam 19 and thus releases the flap 7.

  This reduction to the extreme of the unlocking stroke of the

  flap 7 allows the hatch to be mounted from outside the body 4.

  Indeed, it should be borne in mind that the bearing surface 5 cannot be located at a distance of more than twelve to fourteen millimeters from the surface 30 of the bodywork 4, this distance is dictated by techniques of usual stamping. It is therefore understood that, only, a reduction in the unlocking stroke is compatible with mounting from the outside of the body of the hatch without the flap 7 protruding from the plane of the body 4 in the closed position. It is indeed necessary to place in these twelve to fourteen 35 millimeters the thickness of the flap 7, that of the flange 6 and the operating clearance necessary for locking. Due to its miniaturization, namely the use of a rod with a diameter of about a millimeter and a cam 19 whose concavity is a depth of two to three millimeters, the hatch has a particular sensitivity to foreign bodies, dust and other soiling. These being introduced into the guide track 20 could block the locking system of the hatch. Thus, the other essential characteristic of the hatch resides in a seal 21 which, in the example shown in the drawing, is co-molded with the lining 9 and comes to bear on a conical surface 23, oriented towards the outside. , formed in the wall of the bowl 2. This seal 21, which appears in section in FIG. 5, thus protects against the intrusion of foreign bodies into the interior space of the bowl 2. The reason why the seal 21 rests on a conical surface lies in the fact that the seal 21, by coming to bear on an inclined wall, achieves a surface seal guaranteeing better protection against the intrusion of foreign bodies. 15 Of course, the bowl 2 is equipped with a peripheral seal 22 extending the collar 6. This seal 22 ensures, in a well known manner,

  the seal between the bowl 2 and the body 4.

  It is also noted that a cowling 24 can be placed on the bowl 2 so as to cover the link 15 and prevent any introduction of dust or dirt towards the guide track 20 and the cam 19 through the light 25, ensuring the lateral movement of the link 16, formed in

the partition 13.

  Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the hatch according to the invention in which the link 15 is secured to the flap 7 and the guide track 20 defining a cam 19 in the shape of a heart is provided

  in a molded leg with bowl 2.

  The flap 7 comprises, on the side of its internal face, a link 15 whose free end 16 is protected by a chimney 24. The bowl 2 comprises a lug 17 in which a guide path 20 is provided. This guide path 30 which opens out on the side of the opening of the bowl 2, defines a cam 19 having a convex shape facing the side of the opening of the bowl 2 and a concave shape facing the opposite side. This cam 19 guides the free end 16 of the link during the closing operations

and opening shutter 2.

  In these two embodiments of the hatch, the

  operation of it is identical.

  Thus the embodiments according to the invention described provide hatches that can be mounted from outside the vehicle body while having both great simplicity of use and great reliability in use since the locking means are fully protected.

5 It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this hatch, described above by way of example, on the contrary, it embraces all of its variants. Thus, the inner face of the flap 7 is equipped with a shutter at one end of the line for filling a fuel tank, consisting of a tubular sleeve made of an elastic material and intended to cover the end of the line in coming to bear against the bottom of the bowl 2. Such a sleeve is therefore redundant since its action of protecting the pipe 3 is superimposed on the action of the seal 21 which prevents the introduction of foreign bodies into the space delimited by the bowl 2 and hatch 7. 15

Claims (11)

  1. Motor vehicle fuel flap, of the type comprising - a bowl (2), mounted in a vehicle body, in the bottom 5 of which opens at least one end of a line for filling a fuel tank, and a flap (7), articulated on the bowl (2), capable of occupying a first closed position, in which its outer face is arranged in the extension of the body, and a second open position, in which it is pivoted by approximately 900 to give access to the end of each filling pipe, and - an elastic means tending to pivot the flap (7) in an opening direction and means for closing the flap (7) on the bowl (2) such that a push on the shutter (7), the latter occupying the first closed position, causes it to open and a second push on the shutter, the latter occupying its second open position, causes its closure, characterized in that - the m closing means are such that a push of a reduced stroke causes the opening of the shutter (7), - the inner face of the shutter is provided with a seal (21) coming to bear against a frustoconical wall (23) formed in the bowl (2) and - the bowl has a collar (6) which can come to rest against a   bearing surface (5) stamped in the bodywork (4).   2. Fuel flap according to claim 1, characterized in that the flap (7) comprises an outer panel (8) and a lining (9) articulated relative to the bowl by means of a bearing (10) on which the seal ( 21) is reported. 3. Fuel flap according to claim 1, characterized in that   that the flap (7) comprises an outer panel (8) and a lining (9) articulated with respect to the bowl by means of a bearing (10), the seal (21) being co-molded with the lining (9).   4. Fuel flap according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that the flap (7) comprises, on the side of its internal face, at least one connecting rod (15) whose free end is substantially parallel to the flap (7), and the bowl comprises at least one guide track ( 20) intended to receive the free end of the link (15) during the closing and opening operations of the flap (7), which, opening on the open side of the bowl (2), delimits a cam (19) having a convex shape turned on the side of the edge of the bowl (2) and a concave shape turned on the opposite side, the free end of the rod (15) being held pressed in the bottom of the concave surface of the cam (19), under the action of elastic means acting in a direction of opening of the shutter (7), when the shutter is in the closed position. 5. hatch according to claim 4, characterized in that a   chimney (24) surrounds the link (15).   6. Fuel flap according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bowl (2) is equipped with at least one link (15), the free end of which is substantially parallel to the flap (7) and the flap (7) being equipped with at least one tab (17) having a guide track (20), intended to receive the free end (16) of the rod (15) during the closing and opening operations of the flap (7), which, opening on the open side of the bowl (2), delimits a cam (19) having a convex shape turned on the side 15 of the edge of the bowl (2) and a concave shape turned on the opposite side, the free end of the rod (15) being held pressed in the bottom of the concave surface of the cam (19), under the action of elastic means acting in a   direction of opening of the flap (7), when the flap (7) is in the closed position.   7. Fuel flap according to claim 6, characterized in that the bowl has a partition (13) which delimits a locking compartment (14) in which the tab (17) engages when the flap (7) is in closed position.   8. Fuel flap according to one of claims 4 to 7,   characterized in that the free end (16) of the link (15) has a diameter substantially equal to one millimeter and the concavity of the cam (19)   has a depth substantially equal to three millimeters.   9. Fuel flap according to one of claims 1 to 8,   characterized in that the peripheral flange (6) equipped with a seal (22)   intended for sealing between the body and the bowl (2).   10. Fuel flap according to one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized in that a spring (11) tends to pivot the flap in an opening direction.   11. Fuel flap according to one of claims 2 to 10,   characterized in that the inner face of the flap (7) is fitted with a shutter at one end of the line for filling a fuel tank, consisting of a tubular sleeve made of an elastic material   and intended to cap the end of the pipe by coming to bear against the bottom of the bowl (2).