Adaptor for a capless fuel tank filler pipe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835516-B2
Application number	US-201514719057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for an adaptor for a capless filler pipe of a fuel tank for leak detection testing of a vehicle. In one example, the system may include a threaded hollow shaft having a top end able to receive a nozzle of a leak detection machine, the hollow shaft inserted through a mouth of a filler pipe of a fuel tank, a gasket arranged on the hollow shaft, and an end cylinder having an elastic piece on the hollow shaft configured to create an airtight seal with the fuel mouth. In this way, the adaptor may restrict gas flow through a defined flow path through the adaptor, and not through any other flow paths during leak detection testing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for detecting leaks in a capless fuel tank having a filler pipe of a motor vehicle, comprising:
securing an adaptor in the filler pipe, the adaptor including a hollow shaft having a threaded top end, wherein the hollow shaft is inserted through a fuel mouth of the filler pipe, a rubber gasket arranged on the hollow shaft, wherein a position of the rubber gasket is adjustable only along a longitudinal length of the hollow shaft, and an end cylinder having an elastic piece threaded on the hollow shaft configured to create a seal on the fuel mouth;
attaching a nozzle of a leak detection system to the adaptor via threading the nozzle to the threaded top end of the hollow shaft;
flowing a vapor through the nozzle of the leak detection system and through the adaptor into the filler pipe and the fuel tank; and
wherein creating the seal between the fuel mouth and the end cylinder having the elastic piece is achieved via rotating one or more fastener points on a top surface of the end cylinder so that the elastic piece is positioned at least partially within the fuel mouth.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor further comprises a movable disc threaded on the hollow shaft upstream of the rubber gasket, and wherein the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft is adjusted by rotating the disc to move along the hollow shaft.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein securing the adaptor in the filler pipe further includes displacing an upstream door and a downstream door positioned across the filler pipe with the adaptor.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft comprises rotating one or more fastener points of a top surface of the disc to retain the adaptor in the filler pipe.

5. A method for detecting leaks in a capless fuel tank having a filler pipe of a motor vehicle, comprising:
securing an adaptor in the filler pipe, the adaptor including a hollow shaft having a threaded top end, wherein the hollow shaft is inserted through a fuel mouth of the filler pipe, a rubber gasket arranged on the hollow shaft, wherein a position of the rubber gasket is adjustable only along a longitudinal length of the hollow shaft, and an end cylinder having an elastic piece threaded on the hollow shaft configured to create a seal on the fuel mouth;
attaching a nozzle of a leak detection system to the adaptor via threading the nozzle to the threaded top end of the hollow shaft;
flowing a vapor through the nozzle of the leak detection system and through the adaptor into the filler pipe and the fuel tank;
wherein the adaptor further comprises a movable disc threaded on the hollow shaft upstream of the rubber gasket, and wherein the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft is adjusted by rotating the disc to move along the hollow shaft; and
wherein adjusting the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft comprises rotating one or more fastener points of a top surface of the disc to retain the adaptor in the filler pipe.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein securing the adaptor in the filler pipe further includes displacing an upstream door and a downstream door positioned across the filler pipe with the adaptor.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein creating the seal between the fuel mouth and the end cylinder having the elastic piece is achieved via rotating one or more fastener points on a top surface of the end cylinder so that the elastic piece is positioned at least partially within the fuel mouth.

8. A method for detecting leaks in a capless fuel tank having a filler pipe of a motor vehicle, comprising:
securing an adaptor in the filler pipe, the adaptor including a hollow shaft having a threaded top end, wherein the hollow shaft is inserted through a fuel mouth of the filler pipe, a rubber gasket arranged on the hollow shaft, wherein a position of the rubber gasket is adjustable only along a longitudinal length of the hollow shaft, and an end cylinder having an elastic piece threaded on the hollow shaft configured to create a seal on the fuel mouth, wherein the end cylinder has one or more fastener points on a top surface of the end cylinder and the elastic piece is angled relative to a central axis such that the end cylinder comprises a trapezoidal cross-section;
attaching a nozzle of a leak detection system to the adaptor via threading the nozzle to the threaded top end of the hollow shaft; and
flowing a vapor through the nozzle of the leak detection system and through the adaptor into the filler pipe and the fuel tank.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the adaptor further comprises a movable disc threaded on the hollow shaft upstream of the rubber gasket, and wherein the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft is adjusted by rotating the disc to move along the hollow shaft.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein securing the adaptor in the filler pipe further includes displacing an upstream door and a downstream door positioned across the filler pipe with the adaptor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the position of the rubber gasket along the longitudinal length of the hollow shaft comprises rotating one or more fastener points of a top surface of the disc to retain the adaptor in the filler pipe.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein creating the seal between the fuel mouth and the end cylinder having the elastic piece is achieved via rotating the one or more fastener points on the top surface of the end cylinder so that the elastic piece is positioned at least partially within the fuel mouth.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Thakkar Vishal
• Dezelia Ann Irene
• Schesnuk Roman

Classifications

• B60K2015/047

  Manufacturing of the fuel inlet or connecting elements to fuel inlet, e.g. pipes or venting tubes · CPC title

• B60K2015/0429

  actuated by the nozzle · CPC title

• B60K2015/0461

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

• G01M3/226 Primary

  for containers, e.g. radiators · CPC title

• B60K15/04

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