초록 ▼

A threaded cap for sealing an automotive vehicle fuel tank is provided with a unitary molded central plastic core and a bonnet rotatably mounted on the plastic core. A pair of concentric races are defined on the plastic core. The inner race carries a unitary molded plastic frame which has a pair of

A threaded cap for sealing an automotive vehicle fuel tank is provided with a unitary molded central plastic core and a bonnet rotatably mounted on the plastic core. A pair of concentric races are defined on the plastic core. The inner race carries a unitary molded plastic frame which has a pair of resilient, closely spaced transverse cantilevered arms defining a gap therebetween. The frame is also provided with a resilient catch. A unitary molded plastic bolt is reciprocally movable along the gap to engage and disengage the core for rotation with the bonnet. The bolt has two detents which coact with the catch on the frame to hold the bolt at selected unlocking and locking dispositions of movement. The bolt includes a stud which projects into the gap between the arms so that the arms spring bias the bolt toward the locking disposition. A lock mechanism is used to shift the bolt to an unlocking disposition so that the fuel cap be disengaged from the fuel tank inlet pipe. Counter-rotation of the bonnet returns the bolt to a locking position.

대표청구항 ▼

A locking fuel tank cap comprising: a hollow central unitary plastic core externally threaded at one end for mating engagement with a corresponding internally threaded fuel tank inlet pipe, and having a radially outwardly directed circumferential sealing lip at the other end, and said core defines a

A locking fuel tank cap comprising: a hollow central unitary plastic core externally threaded at one end for mating engagement with a corresponding internally threaded fuel tank inlet pipe, and having a radially outwardly directed circumferential sealing lip at the other end, and said core defines a central axial recess with inner and outer annular transversely disposed races located within said lip, a bonnet for providing a hand grip and positioned to coaxially encircle said sealing lip of said central core, means for securing said bonnet against axial movement relative to said core, a unitary transverse plastic frame rotatably supported by said inner race and including a resilient detent catch, a pair of smooth, elastically resilient transverse cantilevered arms joined at proximately located bases on said frame and extending radially inwardly from said frame to define a narrow gap therebetween which widens to a mouth at the cantilevered extremities thereof, a unitary plastic bolt reciprocally movable relative to said frame along said gap and having diametrically opposite lugs facing in opposite clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and having a stud depending into said gap between said cantilevered arms, and a plurality of recesses that receive said detent catch when said bolt is moved along said track, whereby said stud forces said cantilevered arms apart when moved toward said bases thereof, and the countervailing elasticity of said arms tends to force said guide stud toward said mouth, thereby pushing said bolt away from said bases of said arms, and said detent catch coacts with said recesses in said bolt to resist the force of said arms, a transverse track to restrict movement of said bolt to a longitudinal path along said gap, a locking mechanism actuable for moving said bolt along said track, and a latching ring mounted in said outer race and having at least one radially inwardly directed tooth which is engagable by opposite ones of said lugs of said bolt moving in opposite directions of rotation, and said latching ring is engageable with said core in torque limiting fashion when rotated in a direction to tighten said core onto said fuel tank inlet pipe.