RU2363597C1 - Vehicle fuel tank filler cover - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: automotive industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to machine building, particularly, to ICE fuel systems, namely, to fuel tank filler covers. Tank filler cover comprises a casing, rotary handle and gasket, the said handle accommodating, at least, one permanent magnet. Note that the said magnet is arranged in the handle perimetre area. In compliance with the second version, proposed cover comprises the casing, rotary handle and gasket to seal cover in tank filler. Aforesaid handle is made from magnetic material, the handle face central part being furnished with a recess.

EFFECT: improved performances.

32 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to mechanical engineering, in particular to power systems for internal combustion engines, and also to covers, and can be used during refueling of vehicles and for sealing the filler neck of a fuel tank after refueling.

Known cap filler neck of the fuel tank of the vehicle [Sachkov M. Game on an equal footing? - Driving, 2006, No. 10 (904), p.128-133], comprising a housing with a thread for screwing into the filler neck, a handle for rotation, a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck, and a cord through which the cap is attached to the body vehicle.

The disadvantage of this cover is that at low ambient temperatures, the elasticity of the cord decreases, which can even lead to its rupture. It is also possible free hanging of the lid on the cord and, as a result, damage to the paintwork of the car.

A known filler cap of a vehicle fuel tank [Peugeot-407: Operating Instructions, p. 76], comprising a threaded housing for screwing into the filler neck, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck.

The disadvantages of this cover are the need to equip the filler neck with a hook for hanging the cap during refueling, which complicates its design, and the fact that the cap hanging on this hook interferes with manipulations with the fuel gun. Also, a certain inconvenience lies in the method of fastening the cover.

Known filler cap fuel tank of the vehicle [Aksenov R. Tips experienced. - Driving, 2004, No. 7 (877), p.184], comprising a housing with a thread for screwing into the filler neck, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the lid in the filler neck. A distinctive feature of the lid is the presence of a permanent magnet, which is glued to the end of the lid body. When refueling a vehicle’s fuel tank with fuel, the cover removed from the filler neck is magnetized from the inside to the filler hatch. The retention of the lid is due to the force of magnetic attraction between the magnet and the hatch.

The disadvantages of this cover are as follows. The magnet is glued to that end of the lid body, which is placed inside the filler neck, so if the adhesive joint is broken, the magnet falls into the filler neck of the fuel tank. If the hatch becomes dirty, dirt enters the magnet and then into the fuel tank. Since the magnet is made of hard material and is not coated with anything, damage to the paint on the hatch is possible. The lid magnetized on the inside to the filler hatch interferes with manipulations with the fuel gun and may be accidentally knocked down, fall to the ground and get dirty. If after refueling the driver forgets to leave the lid hanging on the open hatch, when the vehicle is moving, the lid gradually shifts downward along the vertical surface due to shaking and, ultimately, falls to the ground and gets lost. There are designs of hatches made of non-magnetic materials, to which the cover does not magnetize at all.

Known cap filler neck of the fuel tank of a vehicle [DE 4401088 A1, cl. B60K 15/04, B60K 15/05, publ. 07/20/1995], comprising a housing with a thread for screwing into the filler neck, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cover in the filler neck. The lid is equipped with a special kit that includes a permanent magnet, which is fixed on the end of the lid handle in one of two proposed ways: either by glue or using an elastic bandage. During refueling, the lid by means of a magnet is held on the car body in the immediate vicinity of the hatch of the filler neck of the fuel tank, which should prevent loss of the cap in the case when after refueling it is forgotten to screw into the filler neck.

This cover has several disadvantages. A kit with a magnet is not initially included in the factory equipment of the vehicle. The kit is not universal, because there are many caps for the filler neck of the fuel tank, which differ from each other both in size and in shape. Both proposed methods of attaching the magnet to the lid are unreliable, in addition, depending on the temperature, the elastic properties of the bandage material will change, which leads to slipping of the bandage relative to the cover when the latter is unscrewed / twisted. The magnet is located in the central part of the handle almost close to the lock cylinder, which makes it inconvenient to use a steel key, because when you try to insert the key into the keyhole, the key sticks to the magnet. In the case of fixing the magnet with an elastic bandage, there is no access to the lock at all. Due to the fact that the magnet has a flat end, with which it is placed on the body element during refueling, in the case when the element has a curved shape, the area of contact is insignificant. As a result, the forces of magnetic attraction are much weaker than in the case of a flat body element, which can lead to loss of cover.

Known cap filler neck of the fuel tank of a vehicle [US 5224620 A, cl. B60K 15/04, B65D 51/24, publ. 07/06/1993] (prototype), comprising a housing with a thread for screwing into the filler neck, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cover in the filler neck, a permanent magnet is placed inside the handle. For a non-magnetic cover, an adapter is used that contains a permanent magnet and is attached to the cover. During refueling of the vehicle, the cover is removed and magnetized by the end of the handle down to the horizontally or approximately horizontally oriented surface of the vehicle body element.

The lid has the following disadvantages. The lid handle has a flat end, with which it is placed on the body element during refueling, and in the case when this element has a curved shape, the area of contact is insignificant. As a result, the forces of magnetic attraction are much weaker than in the case of a flat body element, which can lead to loss of cover. The magnet closes the central part of the handle, which makes it impossible to equip the lid with a traditional design lock with a larva located in the center of the lid. The adapter mount design is not universal because there are many fuel filler caps that vary in size and shape. Attaching the adapter to the cover is unreliable, since the elastic material that serves for this, when fuel gets on it, and also depending on the temperature changes its properties.

The technical result of the invention is to improve the technical and operational and ergonomic indicators of the vehicle.

The technical result is achieved in that in the cap of the filler neck of the fuel tank of the vehicle, comprising a housing, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck, at least one permanent magnet is placed inside the handle, the new one is that the permanent magnet (permanent magnets ) is placed (placed) in the perimeter of the handle, and in the central part of the handle end there is a recess. The handle is made in conjunction with the body, as a whole. The handle is made separately from the body. The housing has a thread for screwing into the filler neck. The lid is connected to the filler neck with a bayonet mount. The end face of the handle has the shape of a concave surface. The permanent magnet has a ring shape. Inside the handle are several small permanent magnets. On the outer side surface of the handle there are ribs designed to prevent slipping of the hand relative to the handle when unscrewing and screwing the cover. The cover is equipped with a lock. The key end of the castle larva is recessed at the end of the handle. The cover is equipped with a torque limiter. The handle is made of non-magnetic material. As a material for the body and / or handle used mainly thermoplastics. The body and / or handle are either cast or stamped. Magnetic rubber is used as the material for the permanent magnet / permanent magnets. Magnetic plastic is used as the material for the permanent magnet / permanent magnets. A magnet / magnets made / made of these materials protrudes / protrudes beyond the end of the handle. According to a second embodiment of the invention, the technical result is achieved in that in the cap of the filler neck of the fuel tank of the vehicle, comprising a body, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck, the handle is made of magnetic material, new is that in the central part of the end face of the handle there is a recess. The handle is made in conjunction with the body, as a whole. The handle is made separately from the body. The housing has a thread for screwing into the filler neck. The lid is connected to the filler neck with a bayonet mount. The end face of the handle has the shape of a concave surface. On the outer side surface of the handle there are ribs designed to prevent slipping of the hand relative to the handle when unscrewing and screwing the cover. The cover is equipped with a lock. The key end of the castle larva is recessed at the end of the handle. The cover is equipped with a torque limiter. Magnetic plastic is used as a material for the handle. The material used for the handle is magnetic rubber. The material used for the housing is mainly thermoplastics. The body and / or handle are either cast or stamped.

The combination of two technical solutions in one application is due to the fact that both of the claimed devices solve the same problem, consisting in achieving maximum convenience and reliability of fastening the lid during refueling of the vehicle, in the same way - using magnetic material in the handle. Both devices are equivalent in terms of improving the technical, operational and ergonomic indicators of the vehicle.

The drawings show options for the design of the filler cap of the fuel tank of the vehicle (Figs. 1-4).

The cap (Fig. 1) of the filler neck of the vehicle’s fuel tank comprises a housing 1 with an external thread 2 or an internal thread 3 for screwing into the filler neck, a handle 4 for rotation, and a gasket 5 sealing the cap in the filler neck. One or another thread execution on the housing 1 depends on the thread on the filler neck. The rotation handle 4 is made of a non-magnetic material, in particular plastic, and can be made separately or together with the housing 1. At the end 6 of the handle 4 there is a recess 8. Inside the handle 4, in its perimeter region, a permanent magnet 7 is placed , for example, in the form of a ring. The surface of the magnet 7 adjacent to the end face 6 is located at such a distance (~ 1-3 mm) from the end face 6 so that the force of magnetic attraction of the cover to the steel element of the vehicle body is ~ 10-20 N for the case when the end face 6 is adjacent to the specified element . The gasket 5 is made of elastic material, through which the housing 1 is sealed against the end of the filler neck (not shown).

Instead of a threaded connection, it is possible to connect the cover to the filler neck with a bayonet mount.

The cover removed from the filler neck is fixed with the end face 6 of the handle 4 down to horizontally or close to the horizontally oriented surface of the vehicle body element, such as the roof, wings, trunk lid, etc. The body elements of most modern vehicle models, in particular cars, on which it is supposed to fasten the filler cap during refueling, have the form of convex (if you look at the body from the outside) curved surfaces with radii of curvature from fractions of a meter to several meters. Therefore, these body elements with their bulge will partially go into the recess 8 at the end face 6 of the handle 4. This, in comparison with the prototype, provides a more snug fit of the perimetric region of the end face 6 of the handle 4 to the body element, reducing the instability of the cover position (the cover does not swing) , an increase in the force of magnetic attraction between the cover and the body member and, as a result, in general, a more reliable retention of the cover on the body member.

The recess at the end of the handle can also be formed by giving the end of the handle the shape of a concave surface.

Instead of one large one, you can use several small permanent magnets of various shapes, also located in the perimeter region of the handle 4 for rotation (figure 2). For the convenience of unscrewing and screwing the cover on the outer side surface 9 of the handle 4 there are ribs 10 that prevent slipping of the hand relative to the handle 4.

The filler cap can be equipped with a locking mechanism of different designs (figure 3). While the handle 4 for rotation, as a rule, is carried out separately from the housing 1. Several options for such covers with a lock, equipped with a turnkey 11 larva, are described, for example, in [RU No. 2067934, class. B60K 15/05, publ. 1996.10.20]. The depth of the recess 8 in the end face 6 of the handle 4 in this case should be such that the key end 12 of the lock larva 11 is recessed in the end face 6 with some margin in order to ensure a tight fit of the end face 6 of the handle 4 to the elements of the vehicle body, as well as to avoid touch key 12 of the painted surfaces of the body elements, so as not to damage the color on the body.

The cover may be equipped with a torque limiter (tightening force). In this case, the handle 4 for rotation is also performed separately from the housing 1.

Technologically, the housing 1 and / or the handle 4 of the lid are made in the usual way of manufacturing plastic products: either by molding or by stamping. As a material for permanent magnets 7, in addition to traditional, modern magnetic materials such as magnetic rubber or magnetic plastic (magnetoplastics) can be used. If the magnets 7 are made of traditional materials with high hardness, in order to avoid damage to the color of the vehicle body elements in contact with the handle 4, they are placed inside the handle 4. If the magnets 7 are made of magnetic rubber or magnetoplastics, which are softer and, moreover, , have less residual induction, it is advisable that the magnets 7 protrude beyond the end face 6 of the handle 4 (figure 4).

Magnets 7 are installed in the handle 4 at the stage of production of the cover, which ensures high strength of their retention in the handle.

A variant of the cover is a design in which the handle is made of magnetic plastic. In this case, the handle includes the function of a magnet.

Example 1. The regular situation.

The driver of the vehicle, having approached the gas station, got out of the vehicle, opened the hatch of the filler neck of the fuel tank, unscrewed the cap from the filler neck and secured it by applying the butt end of the handle down to the horizontally (or approximately horizontally) oriented portion of the trunk of the vehicle. After that, the driver took a fueling gun from a gas station, inserted it into the filler neck and went to pay the required amount of fuel to the cash desk of a gas station. After payment, the driver returned to his vehicle and began to refuel the fuel tank. At the end of the fuel tank refueling, the driver took out the fueling gun from the filler neck and placed it back at the gas station. All this time, the filler cap of the fuel tank was securely held on the trunk lid of the vehicle body. Then the driver took the filler cap and wrapped it in place. After which he closed the hatch of the filler neck of the fuel tank, got into the vehicle and set off.

Example 2. Abnormal situation.

The driver of the vehicle, having approached the gas station, got out of the vehicle, opened the hatch of the filler neck of the fuel tank, unscrewed the cap from the filler neck and secured it by applying the butt end of the handle down to the horizontally (or approximately horizontally) oriented section of the trunk of the vehicle. After that, the driver took a fueling gun from a gas station, inserted it into the filler neck and went to pay the required amount of fuel to the cash desk of a gas station. After payment, the driver returned to his vehicle and began to refuel the fuel tank. At the end of the fuel tank refueling, the driver took out the fueling gun from the filler neck and placed it back at the gas station. Forgetting to screw in the filler cap of the fuel tank, the driver closed the filler cap, got into the vehicle and set off. Having traveled some distance, the driver suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to screw the lid into the filler neck. Stopping at the curb and stepping out of the vehicle, he found the lid in the same place where he had magnetized it before. During movement, despite the headwind and shaking of the vehicle due to road irregularities, the filler cap of the fuel tank did not change its location, since due to its design features it was reliably held on the trunk lid of the vehicle due to magnetic forces of attraction. Opening the hatch of the filler neck of the fuel tank, the driver took the filler cap, wrapped it in place, closed the hatch and, sitting in the vehicle, continued on his way.

Thus, in comparison with the known, the claimed filler cap of the vehicle fuel tank has a number of advantages that improve the technical, operational and ergonomic characteristics of the vehicle:

- simplicity and convenience of fastening the lid during refueling;

- universality;

- for mounting the cover does not require any additional devices in the design of the vehicle;

- the cover does not interfere with manipulations with the fueling gun;

- pollution of that part of the lid body that is placed inside the filler neck is prevented;

- excluded falling magnet in the filler neck;

- reduced the force of mechanical action from the side of the lid on the painted surface of the body elements;

- the execution of the filler hatch of non-magnetic material does not affect the reliability of the lid mounting;

- convenient key access to the lock cylinder;

- high strength retention of the magnet / magnets in the handle;

- retention of the cover on the body element has become more reliable;

- the cap is not lost, even if after refueling the fuel tank with fuel, the driver of the vehicle forgets to screw it into the filler neck.

Claims (32)

1. The cap of the filler neck of the fuel tank of the vehicle, comprising a housing, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck, at least one permanent magnet is placed inside the handle, characterized in that the magnet / magnets are placed / placed in the perimeter of the handle, and in the central part of the end of the handle there is a recess. 2. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle is made in conjunction with the housing, as one unit. 3. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle is made separately from the housing. 4. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing has a thread for screwing into the filler neck. 5. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover is connected to the filler neck with a bayonet mount. 6. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the end face of the handle has the shape of a concave surface. 7. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the permanent magnet has a ring shape. 8. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that several small permanent magnets are placed inside the handle. 9. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that on the outer side surface of the handle there are ribs designed to prevent slipping of the hand relative to the handle when unscrewing and screwing the cover. 10. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover is provided with a lock. 11. The lid of claim 14, wherein the key end of the lock larva is recessed at the end of the handle. 12. The cover according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover is equipped with a torque limiter. 13. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle is made of non-magnetic material. 14. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that mainly thermoplastics are used as the material for the body and / or handle. 15. The cover of claim 14, characterized in that the housing and / or handle are made either by casting or by stamping. 16. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that magnetic rubber is used as the material for the permanent magnet / permanent magnets. 17. The cover according to claim 1, characterized in that magnetic plastic is used as the material for the permanent magnet / permanent magnets. 18. The cover according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the magnet / magnets made / made of these materials protrudes / protrudes beyond the end of the handle. 19. The cap of the filler neck of the fuel tank of the vehicle, comprising a housing, a handle for rotation and a gasket sealing the cap in the filler neck, the handle is made of magnetic material, characterized in that there is a recess in the central part of the end face of the handle. 20. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the handle is made in conjunction with the housing, as one unit. 21. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the handle is made separately from the housing. 22. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the housing has a thread for screwing into the filler neck. 23. The lid according to claim 19, characterized in that the lid is connected to the filler neck with a bayonet mount. 24. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the end face of the handle has the shape of a concave surface. 25. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that on the outer side surface of the handle there are ribs designed to prevent slipping of the hand relative to the handle when unscrewing and screwing the cover. 26. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the cover is provided with a lock. 27. The cover of claim 26, wherein the key end of the lock larva is recessed at the end of the handle. 28. The cover according to item 21, wherein the cover is equipped with a torque limiter. 29. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that magnetic plastic is used as the material for the handle. 30. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that magnetic rubber is used as the material for the handle. 31. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that mainly thermoplastics are used as the material for the housing, 32. A cover according to any one of paragraphs.29, 30 and 31, characterized in that the housing and / or handle are made either by molding or by stamping.

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