Refueling retainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10703196-B2
Application number	US-201515315013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A refueling retainer comprises a body portion of a tubular shape inserted into and arranged at a fueling-side end portion of an inlet pipe through which fuel is introduced to a fuel tank. The body portion comprises at a leading end portion thereof: a tapered portion, which is an inner peripheral surface of the leading end portion inclined radially inward toward a leading end of the body portion; and a claw portion that projects from the leading end of the body portion in an inwardly bent manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refueling retainer comprising:
a body portion of a tubular shape configured for insertion into an inlet pipe of a fuel tank through which fuel may be introduced, wherein the body portion is arranged at a fueling-side end portion of the inlet pipe,
wherein the body portion comprises a first component positioned on an upstream side and a second component positioned on a downstream side, and
wherein the second component comprises:
an upstream end portion that comprises a cylindrical cross-sectional shape and that is sized to mate with the first component;
a central portion that comprises a reduced diameter portion and an air vent hole;
a downstream end portion that includes:
an elliptical portion having an elliptical shape that is non-circular, wherein the elliptical shape has a major axis with a dimension D 1 and a minor axis with a dimension D 2 , wherein D 2 is sized to receive an outer diameter of a nozzle of a refueling gun for unleaded gasoline, and wherein D 2 is sized to reject an outer diameter of a nozzle of a refueling gun for leaded gasoline,
a tapered portion extending downstream from the elliptical portion,
a sensor cutout portion extending downstream from the elliptical portion and located below the tapered portion, and
a claw portion extending downstream and radially inwardly from the tapered portion;

wherein the claw portion includes first and second claws that bend inwardly toward each other and that extend from a downstream edge of the tapered portion, and
wherein the sensor cutout portion extends from a lower edge of the first claw to a lower edge of the second claw.

2. The refueling retainer according to claim 1 ,
wherein an inner circumference of the elliptical portion is configured such that the dimension D 2 of the minor axis is sized to be smaller than the outer diameter of the nozzle of a refueling gun for leaded gasoline.

3. The refueling retainer of claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are fixed together by a welded interface.

Assignees

• Futaba Ind Co Ltd
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kikuya Kazunobu
• Kato Makoto
• Miki Masaharu

Classifications

• B60K2015/049

  Means for determining the position of the filler nozzle in the filler pipe · CPC title

• B60K15/04 Primary

  Tank inlets (B60K15/077 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K2015/0477

  Details of the filler neck tank side · CPC title

• B60K2015/0487

  Means to shield vehicle bodywork from fuel, e.g. during filling · CPC title

• B60K2015/0458

  Details of the tank inlet · CPC title