JP2006248459A - Fuel cap tether - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cap tether capable of properly changing the length of a string-shaped portion from a ring portion coupled to a fuel cap to a locking portion coupled to a filler lid, and being shared to a vehicle having different design. <P>SOLUTION: In the fuel cap tether 3, an extending portion 7 capable of extending the length of a basic long string-shaped portion 6 is formed at a middle position in a longitudinal direction of the basic long string-shaped portion 6 from the ring portion formed at a first end and coupled to the fuel cap 2 to the locking portion 5 formed on a second end and coupled to the filler lid 1. At least a part of the basic long string-shaped portion 6 is cut, thereby extending the length from the first end to the second end. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a fuel cap tether whose one end is connected to a fuel cap.

  Generally, in an automobile, a fuel cap tether is connected to a fuel cap at one end and a fuel lid at the other end is connected to a filler lid (fuel filler lid) of a vehicle fuel filler. A configuration for preventing the cap from being lost is adopted.

The fuel cap tether is provided with an elastic bent portion in the longitudinal direction of the string-shaped portion between the fuel cap and the filler lid so that the fuel cap tether is not broken as much as possible by twisting or twisting. Is also known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-136946 A

  By the way, the layout of the fuel filler port part of the vehicle body is severely limited in layout, and if the tether for the fuel cap is too long, the string-like part is caught by the peripheral parts provided in the peripheral part of the fuel filler port when the filler lid is opened and closed. Fuel cap so that the length of the string-like part is appropriate for each vehicle body design from the viewpoint that the string-like part may be caught when closing the filler lid without being able to fit in the fuel filler opening The tether must be molded, and the vehicle bodies with different designs cannot be shared.

  Note that the fuel cap tether disclosed in JP 2004-136946 A has a structure that expands and contracts at the elastic bent portion, so that it is possible to cope with a slight difference in length for each design of the vehicle body. In addition to the possibility that the elastic bent portion interferes with the vehicle body shape, there are disadvantages that cannot be dealt with beyond the length within the elastic limit.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to set the length of the string-like portion from the ring portion connected to the fuel cap to the locking portion connected to the filler lid. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel cap tether that can be changed as appropriate and can be used in common for different body designs.

  The tether for a fuel cap according to the present invention includes a ring portion connected to the fuel cap at one end portion, a locking portion connected to the filler lid at the other end portion, and a backbone connecting the ring portion and the locking portion. In the fuel cap tether comprising a long string-shaped part, the basic long string-shaped part is formed with an elongated part capable of extending the length of the basic long string-shaped part. The length from the ring part to the locking part is extended by cutting at least a part.

  According to the present invention, the length of the string-like portion from the ring portion connected to the fuel cap to the locking portion connected to the filler lid can be appropriately changed, and can be shared for different vehicle bodies. The cost of the fuel cap tether can be reduced.

  At that time, the length of the string-like portion can be changed only by appropriately cutting the portion, so that the operation is also easy.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Example 1
FIG. 1 shows a state in which a fuel cap tether according to the present invention is attached to a fuel filler opening of a vehicle body. In FIG. 1, 1 is a filler lid, 2 is a fuel cap, and 3 is a fuel cap tether. is there.

  The fuel cap tether 3 is formed, for example, by resin molding. A ring portion 4 connected to the fuel cap 2 is formed at one end of the tether 3 as shown in FIG. 2, and a filler lid is formed at the other end. A clip portion 5 is formed as a locking portion that is locked to a fastener (not shown) provided in 1.

  From the ring portion 4 to the clip portion 5 of such a fuel cap tether 3 is a trunk long string-like portion 6. The fuel cap tether 3 has a plurality of branch portions 7 that branch in the circumferential direction of the ring portion 4 in the middle of the longitudinal long string-like portion 6 in the longitudinal direction. Here, the branch part 7 is formed of 7a to 7e.

  The branch portion 7a has a shape extending in an arc along the semicircle of the ring portion 4, and in this embodiment, the branch portion 7a is formed on the ring portion 4 at a portion 180 degrees opposite to the root portion 6a of the trunk long string-like portion 6. It is connected. The branch portions 7 b to 7 e are configured to connect the branch portion 7 a and the ring portion 4 while being spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the ring portion 4.

  Here, the branch portion 7 serves as an extending portion that extends the length of the fuel cap tether 3, and when the root portion 6a of the trunk long string-like portion 6 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the branch portion 7b newly becomes the root portion 6a of the trunk long string 6 and the trunk long string 6 of the fuel cap tether 3 becomes longer. Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), when the branch portion 7b is cut and removed, the branch portion 7c newly becomes the root portion 6a of the main long string-like portion 6, and the main long string of the fuel cap tether 3 is obtained. The shaped part 6 becomes longer. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), when the branch portion 7c is cut and removed, the branch portion 7d newly becomes the root portion 6a of the trunk long string-like portion 6, and then in FIG. 2 (e). As shown in FIG. 2, when the branch portion 7d is cut and removed, the branch portion 7e becomes a root portion 6a of the trunk long string-like portion 6, and the branch portion 7e is cut as shown in FIG. When removed, the distal end portion of the branch portion 7a becomes a base portion 6a of the long trunk string portion 6, and the base portion of the fuel cap tether 3 is removed by sequentially cutting and removing the root portion 6a and the branch portions 7b to 7e. The length of the long string-like part 6 can be extended.

    As described above, according to the fuel cap tether 3 according to the first embodiment, since the length of the trunk long string-like portion 6 can be changed as appropriate, it is possible to share the vehicle body with different designs.

  At that time, the length can be changed only by cutting an appropriate portion of the trunk long string-like portion 6, and the work is also easy.

In particular, since the branch portions 7 are formed in the vicinity of the ring portion 2, the branch portions 7 are caught by peripheral parts provided in the peripheral portion or bitten into the filler lid 1 even in a narrow space of the fuel filler opening. It is possible to share the fuel cap tether 3 without sagging.
(Example 2)
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a fuel cap tether 3A according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), in the middle of the longitudinal long string-like portion 6 of the fuel cap tether 3 A ring-shaped portion 6b as an elongated portion is formed, and the transverse portion 6c of the trunk long string-shaped portion 3A that crosses the ring-shaped portion 6b in the diametrical direction is a cut portion, as shown in FIG. 3 (b). As described above, by cutting and removing the crossing portion 6c, the length of the main string portion 6 of the fuel cap tether 3 can be extended.

  According to the second embodiment, since the ring-shaped portion 6b has elasticity, the length can be adjusted more easily. Further, when there is a possibility of interference with peripheral parts existing in the vicinity of the fuel cap 2, this can be avoided.

  FIG. 4 shows a plurality of ring-shaped portions 6b formed in the longitudinal direction of the main long string-shaped portion 6, and the length of the fuel cap tether 3B is increased in multiple stages by cutting appropriate portions of the transverse portion 6c. Can be made longer and the degree of freedom of length adjustment is improved.

FIG. 5 shows that a plurality of half-ring-like portions 6b ′ as extension portions are formed in the middle of the longitudinal long string-like portion 6 of the fuel cap tether 3C, and the adjacent half-ring-like portions 6b ′ are formed as the backbone. The long string-like part 6 is formed on the opposite side, and the transverse part 6c ′ of the basic long string-like part that connects each half ring-like part 6b ′ across the diameter direction is a cutting part. According to the fuel cap tether 3C shown in FIG. 5, the molding material can be saved as compared with the fuel cap tether 3B shown in FIG.
(Example 3)
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a fuel cap tether 3D according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The fuel cap tether 3D shown in FIG. The shape curved portion 8 is formed as an elongated portion. As shown in FIG. 7A, the complex shape curved portion 8 is formed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the trunk long string-like portion 6, and here, the complex shape curved portion 8 has a folded portion 8a. As shown in FIG. 6 (b), when the transverse portion 8 b crossing the complex shape curved portion 8 is cut, the folded portion 8 a of the complex shape curved portion 8 is developed, and the length of the basic long string-like portion 6 is obtained. It is supposed to be configured to extend.

According to the fuel cap tether 3D shown in the third embodiment, when there is a possibility of interfering with peripheral parts existing in the vicinity of the fuel cap 2, this can be avoided, and the main long string-like portion This can also be avoided when there are interferences in the periphery of 6.
Example 4
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a fuel cap tether 3E according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, in which a complicatedly curved portion 8A as an extending portion extending in a direction along the ring portion 4 is formed at the base portion of the basic long string-like portion 6. 16a. The complex curved portion 8A is composed of a ladder-like portion 9 that is symmetrical with respect to the main long string-like portion 6, and a plurality of spanning portions 9a, 9b are formed on the ladder-like portion 9, respectively.

  According to the fuel cap tether 3E, if the root portion 16a shown in FIG. 7A is cut and removed, the length of the fuel cap tether 3E is elastically extended as shown in FIG. 7B. Can do. Similarly, if the span 9a is cut as shown in FIG. 7C, the length can be further increased, and if the span 9b is cut, the length becomes longer.

  According to the fuel cap tether 3E described in the fourth embodiment, since the extension portion is formed in the vicinity of the ring portion 2, the extension portion is formed in the peripheral portion even in a narrow space of the fuel filler opening. In addition to the effect of the fuel cap tether 3E of the first embodiment, the fuel cap tether 3E can be shared without being caught in the peripheral parts provided or being bitten into the filler lid 1. Even when a part of the trunk long string-like part 6 of the tether 3E is cut and lengthened, it is possible to avoid the trunk long string-like part 6 from being bent unnaturally. Even when a part of the tether 3E is cut and extended in length, there is an advantage that there is little fatigue.

It is an external view showing an example of the vicinity of a fuel filler opening of a vehicle body to which a fuel cap tether according to the present invention is attached. It is explanatory drawing of the tether for fuel caps of Example 1 of this invention, (a) shows the top view of the tether for fuel caps before a cutting | disconnection, (b) cut | disconnected the root part 6a shown to (a) (C) shows a state in which the branch part 7b shown in (b) is cut, (d) shows a state in which the branch part 7c shown in (c) is cut, and (e) shows in (d). The branch part 7d shown is cut, and (f) shows the state where the branch part 7e shown in (e) is cut. It is explanatory drawing of the tether for fuel caps of Example 2 of this invention, Comprising: (a) shows the top view of the tether for fuel caps before a cutting | disconnection, (b) cut | disconnected the crossing part 6c shown to (a). Indicates the state. FIG. 6 is a further explanatory view of a fuel cap tether according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a fuel cap tether in which a plurality of ring-shaped portions 6 b are formed in the longitudinal direction of the trunk long string-shaped portion 6. FIG. 6 is a further explanatory view of a fuel cap tether according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a fuel cap tether in which a plurality of half ring-shaped portions 6 b ′ are formed in the longitudinal direction of the trunk long string-shaped portion 6. is there. It is a top view of the tether for fuel caps of Example 3 of the present invention, and (a) shows a state in which a complicatedly curved part extending close to this is formed in the middle of the trunk long string-like part 6; b) shows a state in which a complicated curved portion is developed by cutting a part of the backbone long string-like portion. It is a top view of the tether for fuel caps concerning Example 4 of the present invention, and (a) shows the state where the complicated shape part prolonged in the direction along a ring part was formed in the base part of a backbone long string-like part, (b), (c) is a figure which shows the state which cut | disconnected one part of the complicated shape curved part sequentially.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Filler lid 2 ... Fuel cap 3 ... Tether 4 for fuel caps ... Ring part 5 ... Clip part (locking part)
6 ... long trunk string part 7 ... branch part (extension part)
6b ... Ring-shaped part 6b '... Semi-ring-shaped part 6c, 6c' ... Crossing part 8, 8A ... Complex curved part 9 ... Ladder-like part 9a, 9b ... Crossing part

Claims (7)

A fuel comprising: a ring portion connected to a fuel cap at one end; a locking portion connected to a filler lid at the other end; and a trunk long string-like portion connecting the ring portion and the locking portion. In the tether for caps,
The trunk long string-like part is formed with an elongated part that allows the length of the trunk long string-like part to be elongated, and by cutting at least a part of the trunk long string-like part, A fuel cap tether characterized in that the length to the stop is extended.   2. The fuel cap tether according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the extending portions are branched and formed in a circumferential direction of the ring portion. 3.   The elongated portion is composed of a ring-shaped portion formed in the longitudinal direction of the backbone long string-shaped portion, and the ring is formed by cutting a transverse portion of the trunk long string-shaped portion that crosses the ring-shaped portion in the diameter direction. The fuel cap tether according to claim 1, wherein a length from a portion to the locking portion is extended.   4. The fuel cap tether according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the ring-shaped portions are formed in a longitudinal direction of the backbone long string-shaped portion.   The elongated portion is composed of a plurality of half ring-shaped portions formed in the longitudinal direction of the backbone long string-shaped portion, and the adjacent half ring-shaped portions are opposite to each other with the trunk long string-shaped portion as a boundary. The length from the ring part to the locking part is extended by cutting the transverse part of the long string-like part that is formed and connects the half ring-like parts across the diameter direction. The fuel cap tether according to claim 3.   2. The fuel cap tether according to claim 1, wherein the elongated portion is a complex-shaped curved portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the trunk long string-like portion.   The complex-shaped curved portion extends in a direction along the ring portion and has a ladder-like portion. By cutting a span portion provided on the ladder-like portion, the ring portion to the locking portion. The fuel cap tether according to claim 6, wherein the length of the fuel cap is extended.

Images