Protection of vehicle fluid conduits
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsJustin E. Dominic, Nobuhiro Nakano, Hiroki Ogasawara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vehicle fluid conduit systems and protectors for such systems are presented. Fluid conduit systems can include a fuel fill system having a fuel filler tube, a re-circulation tube, and a protector. In some embodiments, the protector can include a protector bracket and a bolting plate that extend around the fuel filler tube and re-circulation tube. The protector can include a strap. The strap can extend between the fuel filler tube and re-circulation tube between two or more protector attachment locations.
Claims18
A vehicle fuel fill system, comprising:
- a fuel filler tube configured to allow transfer of fuel into a vehicle fuel storage tank;
- a re-circulation tube in fluid communication with the fuel filler tube;
- and
- a protector, comprising:
- a protector bracket having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- a bolting plate having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- and
- a strap having a plurality of attachment tabs, the attachment tabs positioned between, and directly attached to, the attachment tabs of the protector bracket and the attachment tabs of the bolting plate, the strap being configured to extend between the fuel filler tube and the re-circulation tube.
A vehicle fuel fill system, comprising:
- a fuel filler tube configured to allow transfer of fuel into a vehicle fuel storage tank;
- a re-circulation tube in fluid communication with the fuel filler tube;
- and
- a protector, comprising:
- a protector bracket having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- a bolting plate having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- and
- a strap having a plurality of attachment tabs, the attachment tabs positioned between the attachment tabs of the protector bracket and the attachment tabs of the bolting plate, the strap being configured to extend between the fuel filler tube and the re-circulation tube,
- wherein the protector has three fasteners extending in substantially parallel directions, and the strap extends in a generally triangular shape between each of the three fasteners.
A protector for a vehicle fluid conduit system, the protector comprising:
- a protector bracket having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- a bolting plate having a plurality of attachment tabs;
- and
- a strap having a plurality of attachment tabs, the attachment tabs positioned between the attachment tabs of the protector bracket and the attachment tabs of the bolting plate,
- wherein the protector bracket and bolting plate are configured to form a cavity substantially all the way around a portion of a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit, and the strap is configured to extend between the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit within the cavity.
A method for providing a protector to a vehicle fluid fill system, comprising:
- positioning a strap between a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit;
- bringing together a protector bracket and a bolting plate to form a channel around the first and second conduits such that the strap divides the channel into a first and second region;
- and
- operatively connecting the protector bracket, the bolting plate, and the strap such that attachment tabs of the protector bracket, the bolting plate, and the strap are directed attached to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.