Fuel door lock actuator
AssigneeStoneridge Control Devices, Inc.
InventorsJohn C. Holloway, Thomas P. Schregardus, Henry C. Ruff, Eric C. Beishline
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel filler door actuator including a motor, a gear train coupled to the motor and to a latch arm, and a locking cam coupled to the gear train. The locking cam resists movement of the latch arm from an unlocked condition to a locked condition. A manual override cable is disclosed for manually moving the latch arm from the locked condition to an unlocked condition. A push—push mechanism is disclosed for allowing facile opening of a fuel filler door, and a quick connect/disconnect feature is disclosed for allowing facile assembly of the actuator to a fuel filler door housing.
Claims17
A fuel filler door actuator comprising:
- a motor;
- a gear train coupled to said motor for moving a latch arm between locked and unlocked conditions;
- and
- a locking configured to resist movement of said latch arm from said unlocked condition to said locked condition, wherein said gear train comprises a rack and wherein said rack has a first surface with at least one tooth thereon and a second surface opposing said first surface, said second surface having a notch therein positioned to receive said locking cam in said unlocked condition, and wherein said rack is configured to pivot about a pivot point upon engagement and disengagement of said rack with said locking cam.
A fuel filler door actuator comprising:
- a motor;
- a gear train coupled to said motor for moving a latch arm between locked and unlocked conditions,
- a locking cam configured to resist movement of said latch arm from said unlocked conditions to said locked conditions, said gear train comprising a rack, said rack having a first surface with at least one tooth thereon and a second surface opposing said first surface, said second surface further having a notch therein positioned to receive a locking cam in said unlocked condition said rack being configured to pivot about a pivot point upon movement of said latch arm from said unlocked condition to said locked condition;
- a compression spring configured to bias said latch arm to said locking condition;
- and
- a bias spring positioned for biasing said rack against said locking cam in said unlocked condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.