Fuel lid opener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024001760-A1
Application number	US-202118255580-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

When a fuel lid goes from an open state to a closed state and a pressed state and then returns to the closed state, a contact/non-contact switching mechanism switches a signal outputted from a microswitch from an ON signal to an OFF signal by performing a first operation. When the fuel lid goes from the closed state to the pressed state and then returns to the closed state, the contact/non-contact switching mechanism switches the signal outputted from the microswitch from the OFF signal to the ON signal and the OFF signal in that order by performing a second operation. Under a condition at least of the signal outputted from the microswitch switching from the OFF signal to the ON signal and the OFF signal in that order within a prescribed time, a control unit controls a lifter to rotate to another side around an axis line.

First claim

1 . A fuel lid opener comprising:
a case attached to an outer periphery face of a side wall of a lid box, at which a fuel lid is rotatably supported for opening and closing; a lifter that is supported at the case to be rotatable around an axis line along a plate surface direction of the fuel lid in a closed state thereof, wherein the lifter comprises an arm portion configured to:
extend in a rotation radius direction within the lid box and,
when an outer face side of the fuel lid is push-operated, receive a force that causes the lifter to rotate to one side around the axis line; a push lifter mechanism provided in the case comprising an urging member that urges the lifter to another side around the axis line,
wherein:
when the fuel lid is in a pressed state that is pushed in further than the closed state, the urging member urges such that the fuel lid returns to a position thereof in the closed state, and
when a driving unit operates, the push lifter mechanism causes the lifter to rotate to the other side around the axis line and pushing the fuel lid to open;

a contact/non-contact switching mechanism that is provided at the push lifter mechanism and is operated to move in and out of contact with an actuated portion of a switch portion by rotation of the lifter,
the contact/non-contact switching mechanism configured to:
when the fuel lid goes from an open state to the closed state and the pressed state and then returns to the closed state, switch a signal outputted from the switch portion from a first signal to a second signal by performing a prescribed first operation, and
when the fuel lid goes from the closed state to the pressed state and then returns to the closed state, switch the signal outputted from the switch portion from the second signal to the first signal and the second signal in that order by performing a prescribed second operation that is different from the first operation; and

a control unit that, consequent to a condition at least of the signal outputted from the switch portion switching from the second signal to the first signal and the second signal in that order within a prescribed time, causes the driving unit to operate so as to rotate the lifter to the other side around the axis line.

2 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 1 , wherein:
the switch portion comprises a single microswitch disposed in a fixed state within the case, and the switch portion is configured such that a relative movement path of the actuated portion of the microswitch with respect to the contact/non-contact switching mechanism is different when the contact/non-contact switching mechanism performs the first operation and when the contact/non-contact switching mechanism performs the second operation.

3 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 1 , wherein the push lifter mechanism further comprises:
a cam slot provided in the case, a depth direction of the cam slot being a direction along the direction of the axis line; a first link attached to the lifter; and a second link that is rotatably coupled to the first link around an axis parallel to the axis line, the second link including:
an actuation pressing portion in a flat surface shape, the actuation pressing portion pressing the actuated portion of the switch portion when the fuel lid is in the closed state, and
a guided portion that is inserted into the cam slot and is movable along the cam slot.

4 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 3 , wherein the push lifter mechanism is configured such that, when the push lifter mechanism pushes the fuel lid to open, the guided portion is disengaged by driving force of the driving unit from a position at which movement by urging force of the urging member is disabled, and the lifter is rotated to the other side around the axis line by the urging force of the urging member.

5 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 3 , wherein the second link further comprises:
a first angled surface that is continuous with the actuation pressing portion and is configured to:
be angled up toward a side thereof at which the actuation pressing portion is formed, and
press the actuated portion of the switch portion steadily in a final stage of the first operation of the contact/non-contact switching mechanism; and
a second angled surface that is provided separately from the first angled surface, is continuous with the actuation pressing portion and is configured to:
be angled up toward the side thereof at which the actuation portion is formed, and
press the actuated portion of the switch portion steadily in a final stage of the second operation of the contact/non-contact switching mechanism.

6 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 3 , wherein:
the cam slot includes a catch surface in a non-recessed shape, the catch surface touching the guided portion at one side in a direction orthogonal to the axis line when the actuated portion of the switch portion is pressed by the actuation pressing portion; the driving unit includes a drive source and a moving body that, when the actuated portion of the switch portion is pressed by the actuation pressing portion, is movable between a restricting position and a restriction release position, the restricting position being a position at which the moving body restricts operation of the second link, the restriction release position being a position at which this restriction is released, and the moving body being moved from the restricting position to the restriction release position by operation of the drive source; and the moving body includes: a stopper portion configured to:
when the moving body is disposed at the restricting position and restricts operation of the second link, be disposed at one side of the guided portion in a direction orthogonal to the side of the guided portion at which the catch surface is disposed as seen in a direction along the axis line, and the stopper portion restricting movement of the guided portion, and
when the moving body is disposed at the restriction release position, be disposed at a position at which contact thereof with the guided portion is disabled; and
a push-out portion configured to, when the moving body moves from the restricting position to the restriction release position, push out the second link such that the guided portion separates from the catch surface of the cam slot.

7 . The fuel lid opener according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to cause the driving unit to operate such that the lifter is rotated to the other side when the signal outputted from the switch portion switches from the second signal to the first signal and the second signal in that order within the prescribed time and the control unit determines that the initial second signal was outputted continuously for at least a reference time specified in advance.

Assignees

• Nhk Spring Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tani Yoshihisa
• Sasaki Akinori
• Toriyama Ken

Classifications

• B60K15/05 Primary

  Inlet covers · CPC title

• E05C3/12

  with latching action (devices in which the securing part is formed or merely carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps, E05C19/06; tilt-plate latches E05C19/007) · CPC title

• E05F13/00

  Mechanisms operated by the movement or weight of a person or vehicle (through power-operated wing-operating mechanisms E05F15/00) · CPC title

• B60K2015/053

  with hinged connection to the vehicle body · CPC title

• B60K2015/0561

  Locking means for the inlet cover · CPC title