Filling device for a vehicle, and vehicle having such a filling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583418-B2
Application number	US-202218285395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2022
Priority date	Apr 8, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A filling device for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, includes: a vehicle body flap which forms at least part of a skin of the vehicle and is designed to pivot between a first position and a second position that differs from the first position, the vehicle body flap having an opening; a container for storing a fluid; and a filler neck which is mounted on the vehicle body flap such that the filler neck can pivot along with the vehicle body flap relative to the container between the first position and the second position and is connected to the opening. When the vehicle body flap is in the first position, an end portion of the filler neck is partially inserted into an opening portion of the container such that the container can be filled with fluid via the opening and the filler neck. A bearing is provided to support the opening portion of the container or the end portion of the filler neck in a starting position and allow the opening portion or end portion to move from the starting position to a compensating position within one or more specified degrees of freedom such that an offset of the other portion when the end portion is inserted into the opening portion is compensated by the movement of opening portion or end portion into the compensating position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A filling apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body flap which forms at least part of a skin of the vehicle and is designed to be pivoted between a first position and a second position that differs from the first position, wherein the vehicle body flap has an opening therethrough; a container for storing a fluid; a filler neck which is mounted on the vehicle body flap such that the filler neck is pivotable along with the vehicle body flap relative to the container between the first position and the second position and is connected to the opening, wherein when the vehicle body flap is in the first position, an end portion of the filler neck is partially inserted into an opening portion of the container such that the container is fillable with fluid via the opening and the filler neck; and a bearing configured to support the opening portion of the container or the end portion of the filler neck in a starting position and allow the opening portion or end portion to move from the starting position to a compensating position within one or more specified degrees of freedom, such that an offset between the opening portion and the end portion when the end portion is inserted into the opening portion is compensated by the movement of the opening portion or end portion into the compensating position.

2 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing is configured to support the opening portion of the container in a starting position and to allow a movement of the opening portion from the starting position to a compensating position within one or more specified degrees of freedom, such that when the end portion is inserted into the opening portion an offset of the filler neck is compensated by the movement of the opening portion into the compensating position.

3 . The filling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the bearing is configured to compensate for an offset of the filler neck only as far as a maximum compensating position and, when the maximum compensating position is reached, to counteract a further movement of the opening portion or to block the further movement.

4 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing is a floating bearing.

5 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the opening portion is configured in a funnel-shaped manner, such that, when the vehicle body flap is pivoted from the second position thereof into the first position thereof, the filler neck is centered by the opening portion, while the bearing compensates for the offset.

6 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the opening portion is held in the starting position by a restoring force and/or the opening portion is moved back from a compensating position into the starting position by the restoring force of the bearing.

7 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the filler neck has a sealing ring on the end portion thereof, and the sealing ring on the outer periphery thereof has a peripheral sealing lip which is in contact with an internal peripheral surface of the opening portion when the vehicle body flap is in the first position.

8 . The filling apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the opening portion is partially configured as a folding bellows which, when the vehicle body flap is in the first position, is configured to exert a counter-force as a reaction to a force applied by inserting the end portion of the filler neck into the opening portion, whereby the seal is pushed further into the opening portion.

9 . The filling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover element having an emblem arranged on an outer side thereof, the cover element being provided on the opening, and/or the vehicle body flap is a vehicle body outer part of the vehicle.

10 . The filling apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle body flap is a front flap or an engine hood.

11 . A vehicle comprising a filling apparatus according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Hambusch Thorsten
• Rehtanz Nico

Classifications

• B60S1/50 Primary

  Arrangement of reservoir · CPC title