Collar with integral vent for fuel filler pipe

A plastic fuel filler assembly collar comprising:

• a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including;
• first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a pair of protruding shafts and said second terminal end includes a second pair of protruding shafts, said first pair of protruding shafts being of a first configuration and said s cond pair of protruding shafts being of a second configuration;
• a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said first semicircular shaped structure;
• a semicircular chamber duct in said top edge, int rmediate said pair of terminal ends, said semicircular chamber duct xtending from said outer surface to said inner surface;
• a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other;
• a first outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge;
• one or more notches in the upper surface of said first circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends;
• an elbow-shaped tubular member integrally formed on said first semicircular structure, said elbow-shaped tubular member extending outwardly and downwardly from said bottom edge of said first semicircular shaped structure and intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member communicating with the inner surface of said first semicircular shaped tubular structure;
• and a vent tube, said vent having a first end connected to said elbow-shaped tubular member and a second end connected to a fuel vapor adsorption canister, for transporting fresh air therefrom;
• and
• b) a second semicircular shaped structure including:
• first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a first pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the first pair of protruding shafts on the first terminal end of said first semicircular shaped structure and said second terminal end includes a second pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the second pair of protruding shafts on the second terminal end of second semicircular shaped structure;
• a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure;
• a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other;
• a second outer circumf r ntial side separating said top dge and said bottom edge;
• one or more notches in the upper surface of said outer circumf rential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends;
• and
• one or more spaced apart op nings in the low r surface of said second semicircular shaped structure,
• wherein said first semicircular shaped structure and said second semicircular shaped structure are locked together at said first and said second pair of terminal ends in a simple one-motion step by pushing said structures together until locking of said structures is accomplished, said locking being accomplished in the absence of a separate annular locking structure.

In a fuel filler system including a fuel filler pipe attached at its lower end to a fuel receiving tank and at its upper end to a fuel filler inlet tube adapted to receive a fuel cap, a vent tube, a fuel filler assembly collar surrounding said fuel pipe and a rubber boot surrounding said fuel filler assembly collar, said fuel filler assembly collar comprising a three-component collar which includes a first semicircular member, a second semicircular member and an annular unitary circumferential member wherein the first semicircular member and the second semicircular member are placed together in a first action to form a sub-assembly and, in a second different directional action, the sub-assembly is locked together using an annular unitary structure wherein the annular unitary structure is snapped in place around the sub-assembly, the improvement comprising:

• employing, as the fuel filler assembly collar, a two component plastic collar to surround said fuel filler pipe, said two component collar comprising:
• a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including;
• first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a pair of protruding shafts and said second terminal end including a second pair of protruding shafts, said first pair of protruding shafts being of a first configuration and said second pair of protruding shafts being of a second configuration;
• a top edg forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface p rpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said first semicircular shaped structure;
• a semicircular chamber duct in said top edge, intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said semicircular chamber duct extending from said outer surface to said inner surface;
• a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other;
• a first outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge;
• one or more notches in the upper surface of said first circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends;
• and
• an elbow-shaped tubular member extending outwardly and downwardly from said bottom edge of said first semicircular shaped structure and intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member communicating with the inner surface of said first semicircular shaped tubular structure, and
• b) a second semicircular shaped structure including:
• first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a first pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the first pair of protruding shafts on the first terminal end of said first semicircular shaped structure and said second terminal end includes a second pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the second pair of protruding shafts on the second terminal end of said second semicircular shaped structure;
• a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure,
• a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other;
• a second outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom dge;
• one or more notches in the upper surface of said outer circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends;
• and
• one or more spaced apart openings in th lower surface of said second semicircular shaped structure;
• wher in said first semicircular shaped structure and said second semicircular structure are locked together at said first and said second pair of terminal ends in a simple one-motion step by pushing said structures together until locking of said structures is accomplished, said locking being accomplished in the absence of a separate annular locking structure.