Quick-on torque-override filler neck cap
AssigneeStant Manufacturing Inc.
InventorRobert S. Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cap (10) includes a handle (12), torque-transmission ring (16), a driver (14) coupled to handle (10) and ring (16), and a closure member (20) adapted to close a tank filler neck (42). A connector (18) couples ring (16) to closure member (20) to establish a torque-limited connection (26) during cap installation and a direct-drive connection (28) during cap removal. An axial spring (22) coupled to handle (12) and ring (16) yieldably biases ring (16) toward closure member (20) to maintain the torque-limited connection (26). A rotary spring (24) coupled to handle (12) and ring (16) rotates closure member (20) relative to handle (12) to a reset position upon removal of cap (10) from filler neck (42).
Claims40
A torque-override cap for a fuel filler neck comprising
- a handle,
- an axial spring positioned to lie adjacent to the handle,
- a torque-transmission ring coupled to the axial spring and biased away from the handle by the axial spring,
- a rotary spring positioned to lie between the handle and the torque-transmission ring and being movable between wound and unwound positions, the rotary spring being movable from the unwound to the wound position by rotation of the handle relative to the torque-transmission ring, and
- a closure member in communication with the torque-transmission ring, the closure member rotating in response to rotation of the torque-transmission ring.
A torque-override cap for a fuel filler neck, the cap comprising a handle rotatable about an axis of rotation,
- an axial spring positioned to lie adjacent the handle,
- a torque-transmission ring coupled to the axial spring and biased away from the handle by the axial spring,
- a driver positioned to lie between the handle and the torque-transmission ring and configured to provide a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the torque-transmission ring, the driver including a drive member coupled to the handle and a driven member coupled to the torque-transmission ring and positioned to engage the drive member during rotation of the handle about the axis of rotation upon rotation of the handle through a lost-motion angle relative to the torque-transmission ring, and
- a closure member in communication with the torque-transmission ring, the closure member rotating in response to rotation of the torque-transmission ring.
A cap engageable with a filler neck having a mouth, the cap comprising
- a closure member adapted to close the filler neck,
- a handle,
- a torque-transmission ring positioned to lie between the handle and the closure member and coupled to each of the handle and the closure member to cause the closure member to rotate about an axis of rotation in response to rotation of the handle about the axis, the torque-transmission ring including a deck, an inner edge, and an outer edge, the inner and outer edges extending downwardly from the deck, and
- a rotary spring coupled to the handle and to the torque-transmission ring to turn the closure member and the torque-transmission ring as a unit about the axis of rotation each time the closure member is removed from a filler neck to reset the closure member automatically to a predetermined position relative to the handle about the axis of rotation, the rotary spring including first and second ends and a body extending therebetween, the body of the rotary spring being positioned to lie between the inner and outer edges of the torque transmission ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.