Fuel filler structure
AssigneeNissan North America, Inc.
InventorJeffrey Pecnak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel filler structure includes a vehicle body panel, a filler housing, a filler tube cap and a tether. The vehicle body panel defines a fuel filler opening. The filler housing has an outboard side and an inboard side. The outboard side is installed to the vehicle body panel at least partially surrounding the fuel filler opening and is dimensioned to receive and surround a portion of a fuel filler tube. The filler tube cap is configured to removably attach to the fuel filler tube at least partially within the filler housing. The tether is attached at a first end to the filler tube cap and is attached at a second end to the filler housing for pivoting movement about a vertical axis.
Claims17
A fuel filler structure comprising:
- a vehicle body panel having an inboard surface and an outboard surface with a fuel filler opening extending from the outboard surface to the inboard surface;
- a filler housing having an outboard side and an inboard side, the outboard side being installed to the vehicle body panel at least partially surrounding the fuel filler opening dimensioned to receive and surround a portion of a fuel filler tube, the outboard side of the filler housing including an outer peripheral edge that is fixedly attached to the inboard surface of the vehicle body panel and includes a horizontally extending surface below the fuel filler tube, the horizontally extending surface having a fixture opening;
- a filler tube cap configured to removably attach to the fuel filler tube at least partially within the filler housing;
- and
- a tether attached at a first end to the filler tube cap and attached at a second end to the filler housing for pivoting movement about a vertical axis.
A fuel filler structure comprising:
- a vehicle body panel defines a fuel filler opening;
- a filler housing having an outboard side and an inboard side, the outboard side being installed to the vehicle body panel at least partially surrounding the fuel filler opening dimensioned to receive and surround a portion of a fuel filler tube;
- a filler tube cap configured to removably attach to the fuel filler tube at least partially within the filler housing;
- and
- a tether attached at a first end to the filler tube cap and attached at a second end to the filler housing for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, the vertical axis being defined by a pivot pin, and a pin receiving fixture that are installed to the filler housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.