Fuel tube protector for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11473540-B2
Application number	US-202017007275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Nov 13, 2019
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A fuel tube protector for a vehicle includes a protective member configured to surround a circumferential surface of a fuel tube disposed between a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine, and a fixing member provided at both distal ends of the protective member to fix the protective member to the fuel tube, wherein each fixing member includes a body surrounding and holding the circumferential surface of the fuel tube, and first fixing legs protruding from a side surface of the body and fastened to the respective distal end of the protective member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tube protector for a vehicle, the fuel tube protector comprising:
a protective member configured to surround a circumferential surface of a predetermined portion of a fuel tube disposed between a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine; and
a fixing member provided at both distal ends of the protective member, the fixing member configured to fix the protective member to the fuel tube, wherein each fixing member comprises:
a body surrounding and holding the circumferential surface of the fuel tube; and
first fixing legs protruding from a side surface of the body and fastened to the respective distal end of the protective member,
wherein the body comprises a first tube through hole, the fuel tube passing through the first tube through hole,
wherein the first fixing legs protrude from the side surface of the body to be disposed at an edge of the first tube through hole,
wherein the first fixing legs are arranged in a circumferential direction of the first tube through hole,
wherein each of the first fixing legs comprises a tapered part tapering toward an outside of the body and a leg latching protrusion formed at an end of the tapered part, and
wherein each distal end portion of the protective member is latched and fastened to the leg latching protrusion when fitted into the first fixing leg along the tapered part.

2. The fuel tube protector of claim 1 , wherein the tapered part and the leg latching protrusion are formed on an outside surface of the first fixing leg.

3. The fuel tube protector of claim 1 , wherein the tapered part and the leg latching protrusion are formed on an inside surface of the first fixing leg.

4. The fuel tube protector of claim 1 ,
wherein the body is provided with a second tube through hole through which an additional tube passes, and
wherein the second tube through hole is disposed in a line with the first tube through hole.

5. The fuel tube protector of claim 4 ,
wherein second fixing legs fastened to a distal end portion of an additional protective member protrude from the side surface of the body, and
wherein the second fixing legs are disposed at an edge of the second tube through hole.

6. The fuel tube protector of claim 1 ,
wherein the body comprises a first body part and a second body part formed integrally at both sides of a hinge part, and
wherein the first body part and the second body part are configured to be rotated toward each other with respect to the hinge part to be coupled to each other while surrounding the circumferential surface of the fuel tube.

7. The fuel tube protector of claim 6 , wherein a hooking part is provided on either the first body part or the second body part and the other of the first body part or the second body part is provided with a body latching protrusion to which the hooking part is latched and fastened.

8. The fuel tube protector of claim 1 , wherein the protective member is configured to be bendable integrally with the fuel tube when the protective member surrounds the circumferential surface of the fuel tube between the fixing members coupled to the distal ends of the protective member.

9. The fuel tube protector of claim 8 , wherein the protective member is formed in a coil spring shape that spirally surrounds the circumferential surface of the fuel tube.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including an engine room;
a fuel tank disposed within the vehicle body;
an internal combustion engine disposed within the engine room;
a fuel tube disposed between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine;
a protective member surrounding a circumferential surface of the fuel tube, wherein the protective member surrounds a predetermined portion of the fuel tube disposed in the engine room, the fuel tube being disposed between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine; and
a first fixing member and a second fixing member provided at respective distal ends of the protective member and fixing the protective member to the fuel tube, wherein each of the first fixing member and the second fixing member comprises:
a body surrounding and holding the circumferential surface of the fuel tube; and
first fixing legs protruding from a side surface of the body and fastened to the respective distal end of the protective member,
wherein the body comprises a first tube through hole,
wherein the fuel tube passes through the first tube through hole,
wherein the first fixing legs protrude from the side surface of the body to be disposed at an edge of the first tube through hole,
wherein the first fixing legs are arranged in a circumferential direction of the first tube through hole,

wherein each of the first fixing legs comprises a tapered part tapering toward an outside of the body and a leg latching protrusion formed at an end of the tapered part, and
wherein each distal end portion of the protective member is latched and fastened to the leg latching protrusion when fitted into the first fixing leg along the tapered part.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the tapered part and the leg latching protrusion are formed on an outside surface of the first fixing leg or on an inside surface of the first fixing leg.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising a second tube through hole provided in the body,
wherein an additional tube passes through the second tube through hole, and
wherein the second tube through hole is disposed in a line with the first tube through hole.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising second fixing legs fastened to a distal end portion of an additional protective member, the second fixing legs protruding from the side surface of the body, wherein the second fixing legs are disposed at an edge of the second tube through hole.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 ,
wherein the body comprises a first body part and a second body part formed integrally at both sides of a hinge part, and
wherein the first body part and the second body part are configured to be rotated toward each other with respect to the hinge part to be coupled to each other while surrounding the circumferential surface of the fuel tube.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising:
a hooking part provided on either the first body part or the second body part; and
a body latching protrusion provided on the other of the first body part or the second body part, wherein the hooking part is configured to be latched and fastened and with the body latching protrusion.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the protective member is formed in a coil spring shape that spirally surrounds the circumferential surface of the fuel tube and is bendable integrally with the fuel tube.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Ryu Bu Yeol
• Kim Tac Koon
• Park Seung Hwan
• Lee Bo Sung
• Jeon Hyun Do

Classifications

• F02M37/0017 Primary

  related to fuel pipes or their connections, e.g. joints or sealings (F02M55/004 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K15/01

  Arrangement of fuel conduits · CPC title

• F16L57/00

  Protection of pipes or objects of similar shape against external or internal damage or wear ({protection under water F16L1/123;} supporting of pipes inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00; used in connection with end fittings of hoses F16L35/00; protection of pipes or pipe fittings against corrosion or incrustation F16L58/00; protection thereof during transport B65D59/00) · CPC title

• F02M37/007

  characterised by its use in vehicles, in stationary plants or in small engines, e.g. hand held tools · CPC title

• B60Y2200/92

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title