Capless filler neck structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745582-B2
Application number	US-202017020119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A capless filler neck structure including a filler tube configured to be fixed into a vehicle and define a transfer passage for fuel to be transferred to a fuel tank of the vehicle, a first retainer fitted into the filler tube, a first flapper positioned adjacent to the first retainer to be sealed from the outside, a second retainer positioned adjacent to the first retainer and fitted into the filler tube, a cover fitted to the second retainer to define an opening configured to receive a fuel gun, a second flapper positioned adjacent to the second retainer to be sealed from the outside, and an anti-error-injection member fitted to the second retainer and configured to be unlatched when the fuel gun having a predetermined diameter or more is inserted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A capless filler neck structure comprising:
a filler tube configured to be fixed into a vehicle and to define a transfer passage for fuel to be transferred to a fuel tank of the vehicle;
a first retainer fitted into the filler tube;
a first flapper positioned adjacent to the first retainer to be sealed from the outside, wherein, absent any external force, the first flapper maintains a closed position by a tension of a first hinge spring;
a second retainer positioned adjacent to the first retainer and fitted into the filler tube;
a cover fitted to the second retainer to define an opening configured to receive a fuel gun;
a second flapper positioned adjacent to the second retainer to be sealed from the outside, wherein, absent any external force, the second flapper maintains a closed position by a tension of a second hinge spring; and
an anti-error-injection member fitted to the second retainer and configured to be unlatched when the fuel gun having a predetermined diameter or more is inserted, wherein, when the fuel gun is inserted, the first flapper is configured to be opened by applying pressure to overcome the tension of the first hinge spring and the second flapper is configured to be opened by applying pressure to overcome the tension of the second hinge spring wherein the anti-error injection member comprises: first and second flaps spaced apart from each other while facing each other in a width direction of the anti-error injection member, the first and second flaps configured to move in a direction away from each other when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted; a third flap positioned in a lower space between the first flap and the second flap and configured to be locked to the first flap and the second flap, the third flap configured to be unlocked when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted, so as to be movable outward of an outer peripheral surface of the fuel gun; and a spring formed at one end of each of the first flap, the second flap, and the third flap, the spring being elastically supported by the second retainer.

2. The capless filler neck structure of claim 1 , wherein the first flapper comprises a first seal forming its outer peripheral surface and wherein the first hinge spring is hinged to the first flapper such that the first flapper is configured to be opened when the fuel gun is inserted.

3. The capless filler neck structure of claim 1 , wherein the second flapper comprises a second seal forming its outer peripheral surface and wherein the second hinge spring is hinged to the second flapper such that the second flapper is configured to be opened when the fuel gun is inserted.

4. The capless filler neck structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the first flap has a first latching protrusion formed to be locked to a first end of the third flap;
the second flap has a second latching protrusion formed to be locked to a second end of the third flap; and
the third flap has a first latching groove formed at the first end thereof to have a shape corresponding to the first latching protrusion, and a second latching groove formed at the second end thereof to have a shape corresponding to the second latching protrusion.

5. The capless filler neck structure of claim 4 , wherein, when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted, a distance between the first flap and the second flap increases and the first and second latching protrusions are configured to be unlatched from the first and second latching grooves, so that the third flap is movable downward.

6. The capless filler neck structure of claim 1 , wherein the third flap has a third latching protrusion formed to be locked to the second flapper, and the second flapper has a flapper latching groove formed to have a shape corresponding to the third latching protrusion.

7. The capless filler neck structure of claim 6 , wherein when the third flap is moved downward, the third latching protrusion is configured to be unlatched from the flapper latching groove so that the second flapper is opened upward by tension of the fuel gun applied thereto.

8. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a fuel tank within the vehicle body;
a filler tube fixed into the vehicle body and configured to define a transfer passage for fuel to be transferred to the fuel tank;
a first retainer fitted into the filler tube;
a first flapper positioned adjacent to the first retainer to be sealed from the outside, wherein, absent any external force, the first flapper maintains a closed position by a tension of a first hinge spring;
a second retainer positioned adjacent to the first retainer and fitted into the filler tube;
a cover fitted to the second retainer to define an opening configured to receive a fuel gun;
a second flapper positioned adjacent to the second retainer to be sealed from the outside, wherein, absent any external force, the second flapper maintains a closed position by a tension of a second hinge spring; and
an anti-error-injection member fitted to the second retainer and configured to be unlatched when the fuel gun having a predetermined diameter or more is inserted, wherein, when the fuel gun is inserted, the first flapper is configured to be opened by applying pressure to overcome the tension of the first hinge spring and the second flapper is configured to be opened by applying pressure to overcome the tension of the second hinge spring wherein the anti-error injection member comprises: first and second flaps spaced apart from each other while facing each other in a width direction of the anti-error injection member, the first and second flaps configured to move in a direction away from each other when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted; a third flap positioned in a lower space between the first flap and the second flap and configured to be locked to the first flap and the second flap, the third flap configured to be unlocked when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted, so as to be movable outward of an outer peripheral surface of the fuel gun; and a spring formed at one end of each of the first flap, the second flap, and the third flap, the spring being elastically supported by the second retainer.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first flapper comprises a first seal forming its outer peripheral surface and wherein the first hinge spring is hinged to the first flapper such that the first flapper is configured to be opened when the fuel gun is inserted.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the second flapper comprises a second seal forming its outer peripheral surface and wherein the second hinge spring is hinged to the second flapper such that the second flapper is configured to be opened when the fuel gun is inserted.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein:
the first flap has a first latching protrusion formed to be locked to a first end of the third flap;
the second flap has a second latching protrusion formed to be locked to a second end of the third flap; and
the third flap has a first latching groove formed at the first end thereof to have a shape corresponding to the first latching protrusion, and a second latching groove formed at the second end thereof to have a shape corresponding to the second latching protrusion.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein, when the fuel gun having the predetermined diameter or more is inserted, a distance between the first flap and the second flap increases and the first and second latching protrusions are configured to be unlatched from the first and second latching grooves, so that the third flap is movable downwa

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Korea Fuel Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lee Tae Yoon
• Park June Young
• Choi Seung Hoon
• Lim Jun Sik
• Lee Sung Won
• Lee Dong Chui
• Kim Ki Hong

Classifications

• B60K15/05 Primary

  Inlet covers · CPC title

• B67D7/36

  Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves (associated with nozzles B67D7/42) · CPC title

• B60K2015/0461

  comprising a filler pipe shutter, e.g. trap, door or flap for fuel inlet · CPC title

• B60K2015/0474

  Arrangement of fuel filler pipes in relation to vehicle body · CPC title

• B60K15/04 Primary

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