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US 11,014,444 B2Granted
Capless closure assembly for fuel-tank filler pipe
AssigneeStant USA Corp.
InventorPaul C. Wetzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capless filler pipe closure is provided for a tank filler pipe. The capless closure permits a fuel pump nozzle to be inserted into the tank filler pipe without first removing a fuel cap from the outer end of the tank filler pipe.
Claims20
A capless filler pipe closure for a fuel filler pipe associated with a vehicle fuel tank, the filler pipe closure comprising
- an outer module formed to include an outer nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway of a fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable outer flapper door arranged normally to close the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, and
- a separate inner module formed to include an inner nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to lie in the fuel-conducting passageway of the fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable inner flapper door that is arranged normally to close the inner nozzle-receiving aperture and to lie in a position that is below and in spaced-apart relation to the outer module,
- wherein the outer module includes an outer section formed to include the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, a separate middle section, and a door-support pin mounted in a pin receiver formed in the separate middle section and arranged to support the movable outer flapper door for pivotable movement about a pivot axis established by the door-support pin to open and close the outer nozzle-receiving aperture,
- wherein the separate middle section is interposed between the inner module and the outer section of the outer module, and
- wherein the separate middle section includes a pad arranged to engage a first downwardly facing surface of a center portion of the outer section and an upwardly facing surface that is arranged to engage a second downwardly facing surface of the center portion of the outer section.
2 more elements
A capless filler pipe closure for a fuel filler pipe associated with a vehicle fuel tank, the filler pipe closure comprising
- an outer module formed to include an outer nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway of a fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable outer flapper door arranged normally to close the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, and
- a separate inner module formed to include an inner nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to lie in the fuel-conducting passageway of the fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable inner flapper door that is arranged normally to close the inner nozzle-receiving aperture and to lie in a position that is below and in spaced-apart relation to the outer module,
- wherein the outer module includes an outer section formed to include the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, a separate middle section, and an outer door-pivot pin coupled to the middle section to support the movable outer flapper door for pivotable movement about an outer door-pivot axis from a closed position closing the outer nozzle-receiving aperture to an opened position opening the outer nozzle-receiving opening, and wherein the outer section includes a center portion formed to include the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, a rim portion arranged to surround the center portion and trap an outer end of the fuel filler pipe therebetween when the outer section is mounted on the fuel filler pipe to position the outer and inner modules in the fuel-conducting passageway of the fuel filler pipe, and a series of frangible circumferentially spaced-apart break-away segments coupled at one end to the center portion and at another end to the rim portion.
A capless filler pipe closure for a fuel filler pipe associated with a vehicle fuel tank, the filler pipe closure comprising
- an outer module formed to include an outer nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway of a fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable outer flapper door arranged normally to close the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, and
- a separate inner module formed to include an inner nozzle-receiving aperture, sized to lie in the fuel-conducting passageway of the fuel filler pipe, and configured to include a movable inner flapper door that is arranged normally to close the inner nozzle-receiving aperture and to lie in a position that is below and in spaced-apart relation to the outer module,
- wherein the outer module comprises an outer section including a center portion formed to include the outer nozzle-receiving aperture, a rim portion arranged to surround the center portion and trap an outer end of the fuel filler pipe therebetween when the outer section is mounted on the fuel filler pipe, and a series of frangible break-away segments coupled at one end to the center portion and at another end to the rim portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.