Fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415679-B2
Application number	US-201414222224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2014
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A nozzle inhibitor is adapted to be arranged in a filler neck included in a fuel tank fill tube and is configured to allow only a diesel fuel nozzle having an outer diameter that is greater than a specified minimum diameter to be inserted into the fill tube to a depth sufficient so that a user may dispense diesel fuel from that nozzle into the fill tube. The nozzle inhibitor inhibits insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel nozzle into the fill tube, yet allows insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel nozzle into the fill tube so that only diesel fuel is dispensed into a diesel fuel tank coupled to the fill tube.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a lower mount sized to be located in a filler neck and arranged to extend around a central axis of a fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, and
inhibitor means for preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway while allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck,
wherein the inhibitor means includes a flapper door coupled to the lower mount for movement relative to the mount and the filler neck to open and close the fuel-conducting passageway, a flapper door lock including a first lock ring mounted for rotation about the central axis in a first direction from a flapper door-locking position blocking movement of the flapper door relative to the filler neck to a flapper door-unlocking position allowing movement of the flapper door from the closed position to the opened position and a second lock ring mounted for rotation about the central axis in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from a flapper door-locking position blocking movement of the flapper door relative to the filler neck to a flapper door-unlocking position allowing movement of the flapper door from the closed position to the opened position, and a door lock opener coupled to the flapper door lock, the door lock opener configured to (1) impart rotation to the first lock ring to rotate the first lock ring in the first direction from the flapper door-locking position to the flapper door-unlocking position and (2) impart rotation to the second lock ring to rotate the second lock ring in the second direction from the flapper door-locking position to the flapper door-unlocking position in response to exposure to the large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle during movement of the large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle in the filler neck toward the flapper door.

2. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lock ring includes a rotatable frame ring and a door-motion blocker coupled to the rotatable frame ring to rotate therewith, the flapper door includes a door plate mounted in the fuel-conducting passageway in the filler neck for movement between a closed position closing the fuel-conducting passageway and an opened position opening the fuel-conducting passageway and a door-position retainer coupled to the door plate to move therewith, and the door-position retainer is arranged to confront and mate with the door-motion blocker included in the first lock ring upon movement of the first lock ring to the flapper door-locking position to block movement of the door plate from the closed position to the opened position and to separate from the door-motion blocker included in the first lock ring upon rotation of the first lock ring about the central axis to the flapper door-unlocking position to free the door plate to be moved from the closed position to the opened position.

3. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lock ring and the second lock ring each include a rotatable frame ring and a door-motion blocker coupled to the rotatable frame ring to rotate therewith, the flapper door includes a door plate mounted in the fuel-conducting passageway in the filler neck for movement between a closed position closing the fuel-conducting passageway and an opened position opening the fuel-conducting passageway and a door-position retainer coupled to the door plate to move therewith, and the door-position retainer is arranged to confront and mate with the door-motion blockers included in the first lock ring and the second lock ring upon movement of the first lock ring and the second lock ring to the flapper door-locking position to block movement of the door plate from the closed position to the opened position and to separate from the door-motion blockers included in the first lock ring and the second lock ring to separate from the door-motion blocker included in the first lock ring upon rotation of the first lock ring about the central axis to the flapper door-unlocking position to free the door plate to be moved from the closed position to the opened position.

4. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 3 , wherein each door-position retainer includes a first retainer tab having an inverted L-shape coupled to the door plate and a second retainer tab coupled to the door plate having an inverted L-shape coupled to the door plate.

5. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door lock opener includes a plurality of movers mounted to pivot independent of one another relative to the filler neck during movement of the large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle in the filler neck toward the flapper door.

6. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 5 , wherein the flapper door lock includes a first elastic deformable wire band coupled to the first lock ring, the plurality of movers included in the door lock opener are arranged to engage the first elastic deformable wire band and to expand the first elastic deformable wire band from an undeformed mode to a temporary deformed mode during movement of the large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle in the filler neck toward the flapper door, and the expansion of the first elastic deformable wire band to the temporary deformed mode causes movement of the first lock ring about the central axis in the first direction from the flapper door-locking position to the flapper door-unlocking position.

7. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 6 , wherein the flapper door lock includes a second elastic deformable wire band coupled to the second lock ring, the plurality of movers included in the door lock opener are arranged to engage the second elastic deformable wire band and to expand the second elastic deformable wire band from an undeformed mode to a temporary deformed mode during movement of the large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing nozzle in the filler neck toward the flapper door, and the expansion of the second elastic deformable wire band to the temporary deformed mode causes movement of the second lock ring about the central axis in the second direction from the flapper door-locking position to the flapper door-unlocking position.

8. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a lower mount sized to be located in a filler neck and arranged to extend around a central axis of a fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, and
a nozzle inhibitor including a flapper door coupled to the lower mount for movement relative to the mount and the filler neck to open and close the fuel-conducting passageway, a flapper door lock including a first lock ring mounted for rotation about the central axis in a first direction from a flapper door-locking position blocking movement of the flapper door relative to the filler neck to a flapper door-unlocking position allowing movement of the flapper door from the closed position to the opened position and a second lock ring mounted for rotation about the central axis in a second direction opposite the first direction from a flapper door-locking position blocking movement of the flapper door relative to the filler neck to a flapper door-unlocking position allowing movement of the flapper door from the closed position to the opened position, and a door lock opener coupled to the flapper door lock and configured to (1) impart rotation to the first lock ring to rotate the first lock ring in the first direction from the flapper door-locking position to the flapper door-unlocking position and (2) impart rotation to the second lock

Assignees

• Stant Usa Corp

Inventors

• Frank Louis T
• Young Kevin L
• Boles Mike W

Classifications

• B60K2015/03019

  Filling of gas tanks · CPC title

• B60K15/03006 Primary

  Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K2015/0483

  Means to inhibit the introduction of too small or too big filler nozzles · CPC title

• B60K15/04 Primary

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

• B60K2015/0461

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