# US 10,118,481 B1 · Fuel housing assemblies having fuel nozzle boot deflector assemblies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,481 B1 - Document ID: US10118481B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/622,940 - Filed: 2017-06-14 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-14 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Brandon W. Burnett; Corey B. Sargent - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118481B1 ## CPC - B60K 15/04: Tank inlets (B60K15/077 takes precedence) - B60K 15/05: Inlet covers - B60K 2015/053: {with hinged connection to the vehicle body} - B60K 2015/0553: {Details concerning the inlet box or bowl in the vehicle car body panel} - B60K 2015/0576: {with actuator fixed to the vehicle body} - B60K 2015/0584: {the locking bolt is linearly moved to lock or unlock} - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract A fuel housing assembly for a vehicle includes a fuel housing having a sidewall and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving cavity for receiving a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle boot. A fuel door locking assembly having a locking pin moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. A deflector assembly having a base portion and a deflector. The base portion is connected to the sidewall. The deflector extends outwardly from the base portion to extend beyond the locking pin to deflect the fuel nozzle boot from contacting the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel housing assembly for a vehicle, the fuel housing assembly comprising: a fuel housing having a sidewall and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving cavity for receiving a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle boot; a fuel door locking assembly having a locking pin moveable between an extended position and a retracted position; and a deflector assembly having a base portion and a deflector, the base portion is connected to the sidewall, the deflector extends outwardly from the base portion to extend beyond the locking pin to deflect the fuel nozzle boot from contacting the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel housing assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion includes an opening, the locking pin extends through the opening of the base portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel housing assembly of claim 2, wherein the deflector includes an offset portion that at least partially surrounds the opening formed in the base portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fuel housing assembly of claim 3, wherein the offset portion includes an upper surface spaced apart from the opening formed in the base portion, and wherein the deflector includes at least one rib that extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion, the at least one rib extends beyond the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel housing assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one rib is a pair of ribs, each of the pair of ribs extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel housing assembly of claim 5, wherein the pair of ribs are spaced apart in a vehicle-lateral direction to receive a locking plate of a fuel door. ### Claim 7 A fuel housing assembly for a vehicle, the fuel housing assembly comprising: a fuel door having a locking plate; a fuel housing having a sidewall and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving cavity for receiving a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle boot; a fuel door locking assembly having a locking pin, the fuel door locking assembly having a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, in the locked configuration the locking pin is in a retracted position and engaged with the locking plate to inhibit opening of the fuel door, in the unlocked position the locking pin is in an extended position and disengaged from the locking plate to allow opening of the fuel door; a deflector assembly having a base portion and a deflector, the base portion is connected to the sidewall, the deflector extends outwardly from the base portion to extend beyond the locking pin to deflect the fuel nozzle boot from contacting the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fuel housing assembly of claim 7, wherein the base portion includes an opening, the locking pin extends through the opening of the base portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fuel housing assembly of claim 8, wherein the deflector includes an offset portion that at least partially surrounds the opening formed in the base portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuel housing assembly of claim 9, wherein the offset portion includes an upper surface spaced apart from the opening formed in the base portion, and wherein the deflector includes at least one rib that extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion, the at least one rib extends beyond the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fuel housing assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one rib is a pair of ribs, each of the pair of ribs extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fuel housing assembly of claim 11, wherein the pair of ribs are spaced apart. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The fuel housing assembly of claim 12, wherein a portion of the locking plate is positioned between the pair of ribs of the deflector when the fuel door is in a closed position. ### Claim 14 A vehicle comprising: a fuel door having a locking plate; a fuel door locking assembly having a locking pin, the fuel door locking assembly having a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, in the locked configuration the locking pin is in a retracted position and engaged with the locking plate to inhibit opening of the fuel door, in the unlocked position the locking pin is in an extended position and disengaged from the locking plate to allow opening of the fuel door; a body panel; a fuel housing connected to the body panel, the fuel housing having a sidewall and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving cavity for receiving a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle boot; and a deflector assembly having a base portion and a deflector, the base portion is connected to the sidewall, the deflector extends outwardly from the base portion to extend beyond the locking pin to deflect the fuel nozzle boot from contacting the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the base portion includes an opening, the locking pin extends through the opening of the base portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the deflector includes an offset portion that at least partially surrounds the opening formed in the base portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the offset portion includes an upper surface spaced apart from the opening formed in the base portion, and wherein the deflector includes at least one rib that extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion, the at least one rib extends beyond the locking pin in the extended position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the at least one rib is a pair of ribs, each of the pair of ribs extends outwardly from the upper surface of the offset portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the pair of ribs are spaced apart in a vehicle-lateral direction to receive the locking plate of the fuel door. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle of claim 19, wherein a portion of the locking plate is positioned between the pair of ribs of the deflector when the fuel door is in a closed position.