Fuel sender locking ring

A fuel tank assembly comprising:

• (A) a hollow pressurizable tank for storing liquid fuel and having an aperture extending through a generally planar external surface;
• (B) a fuel sender unit at least partially disposed within said aperture and having a radially extending shoulder having generally parallel planar first and second surfaces, said second surface adapted for a mating contact with said planar external surface of said tank, so as to enclose said aperture;
• (C) a sealing means disposed between said second surface of said fuel sender unit and said planar external surface of said tank for producing a fluid-tight seal therebetween;
• (D) a plurality of retaining lugs having a first leg member extending substantially perpendicularly from said planar, external surface of said tank, said first leg member having a first and second surface, and a second leg member continuous with and extending generally orthogonally from an end of said first leg member, said retaining lugs located around the periphery of said aperture and radially outward of said shoulder of said fuel sender unit;
• and
• (E) a locking ring comprising an engaging means for lockingly engaging said retaining lugs, said engaging means adapted to coact with said second leg member of said retaining lugs to bias said shoulder of said fuel sender unit against said external tank surface and said sealing means for locking said fuel sender unit to said tank at a position radially inward of said first surface of said first leg member, said locking ring further comprising one or more tabs for surrounding said second surface of said first leg of said retaining lugs, said tabs inhibiting permanent radially outward deformation of said retaining lugs due to increased pressure within said tank;
• said tabs comprising an inner flange and an outer flange, said inner flange comprising an upstanding projection which is capable of being lockingly engaged by said second leg member of said retaining lugs.

A locking member for use in a fuel tank assembly which comprises a pressurizable tank with an aperture extending through an external surface of said tank and a plurality of retaining lugs transversely extending from said external surface along the periphery of said tank aperture, a fuel sender assembly having a first portion disposed within said tank and a second portion external to said tank having a plate-like shoulder with a lower surface in a mating contact with said external tank surface, a seal element disposed between said tank and said fuel sender assembly in an annular groove or other seal arrangement provided in said external tank surface intermediate said aperture and said retaining lugs, said locking member comprising:

• a locking ring having an aperture through which a portion of said fuel sender assembly extends, said locking ring having a generally planar lower surface in a mating contact with an upper surface of said second portion of said fuel sender assembly and having a plurality of lug supports corresponding to said plurality of retaining lugs, said lug supports having locking means for lockingly engaging said retaining lugs and lug support means surrounding said retaining lugs for inhibiting permanent deformation of said retaining lugs due to greater fluid pressure within said tank;
• said locking ring comprising at least one upwardly projecting protrusion placed in a surface of said ring, said upwardly projecting protrusion enhancing structural integrity of said locking ring.

A locking ring for locking a fuel sender assembly to a fuel tank comprising:

• an aperture through which a portion of said fuel sender assembly extends from said fuel tank;
• a surface adapted for a mating contact with said portion of said fuel sender assembly;
• at least one upwardly projecting protrusion extending in a radial direction of said locking ring, placed in a surface of said locking ring;
• a plurality of lug supports comprising:
• a locking means adapted for lockingly engaging retaining lugs of said fuel tank;
• and,
• a lug support means adapted to surround said retaining lugs.

A locking ring for locking a fuel sender assembly to a fuel tank comprising:

• an aperture through which a portion of said fuel sender assembly extends from said fuel tank;
• a surface adapted for a mating contact with said portion of said fuel sender assembly;
• and
• a plurality of lug supports comprising:
• a locking means adapted for lockingly engaging retaining lugs of said fuel tank;
• and
• a lug support means adapted to surround said retaining lugs,
• said lug support means comprising an opening engaging said retaining lugs, said opening defining an inner flange section and an outer flange section, said outer flange section coming into contact with an outer surface of each of said retaining lugs when each of said retaining lugs undergoes a predetermined amount of bulging due to increased pressure within said fuel tank.