IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0719130
(2003-11-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Crowley, Allen G.
- Chen, David D.
- Tsai, Mingchi Michael
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
31 |
초록
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A fuel filler assembly collar comprising: a first semicircular shaped structure having a first pair of terminal ends which lie in a common vertical plane, each of the terminal ends including at least two locking means, a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim, a bottom edge forming a lower semic
A fuel filler assembly collar comprising: a first semicircular shaped structure having a first pair of terminal ends which lie in a common vertical plane, each of the terminal ends including at least two locking means, a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim, a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim, the top edge and the bottom edge lying in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other, a chamber duct in the top edge of the first semicircular structure, and an outer circumferential side separating the top edge and the bottom edge, and an elbow-shaped tubular structure connected to a fuel vapor vent tube; and a second semicircular shaped structure having a second pair of terminal ends which lie in a common vertical plane, the two terminal ends including at least two locking means, a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim, a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim, the top edge and the bottom edge lying in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other, and one or more vent holes, wherein the first semicircular shaped structure and the second semicircular structure are locked together at the first and the second pair of terminal ends.
대표청구항
▼
1. An annular fuel filler assembly collar, said annular collar formed from two interlocking structures comprising:a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including; a first pair of terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane, each of said terminal
1. An annular fuel filler assembly collar, said annular collar formed from two interlocking structures comprising:a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including; a first pair of terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane, each of said terminal ends including at least one locking means; a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said first semicircular shaped structure; a semicircular chamber duct in said top edge, intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said semicircular chamber duct extending from said outer surface to said inner surface; a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a first outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said first circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; and an elbow-shaped tubular member integrally formed on said first semicircular member intermediate said first pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member extending outwardly and downwardly from said bottom edge of said first semicircular shaped structure and intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member communicating with the inner surface of said first semicircular shaped tubular structure, and b) a second semicircular shaped structure including; a second pair of terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane, each of said terminal ends including at least one locking means, a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure; a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a second outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said outer circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; and one or more spaced apart openings in the lower surface of said second semicircular shaped structure, wherein said first semicircular shaped structure and said second semicircular structure are locked together at said first and said second pair of terminal ends in a simple one-motion step by pushing said structures together until locking of said structures is accomplished, said locking being accomplished in the absence of a separate annular locking structure. 2. The collar of claim 1 wherein said first semicircular shaped structure further comprises a vent tube having a first end connected to said elbow-shaped tubular member and a second end connected to a fuel vapor adsorption canister, for transporting fresh air therefrom.3. The collar of claim 1 wherein each of said terminal ends in said first semicircular structure includes at least one locking member and each of said terminal ends in said second semicircular structure includes at least one corresponding locking member.4. The collar of claim 3 wherein said at least one locking member in each of said terminal ends in said first semicircular structure comprises at least one protruding shaft having a barbed member extending from the terminal end of said protruding shaft, said protruding shaft designed to be inserted into a corresponding opening and coupled therewith, and wherein said second locking member in each of said terminal ends in said second semicircular structure comprises at least one corresponding opening designed to accept said at least one corresponding protruding shaft.5. The collar of claim 4 wherein said at least one locking member on each of said terminal end in said first semicircular structure comprises at least one protruding shaft and said at least one locking member on each of said terminal ends in said second semicircular structure comprises at least one opening corresponding to said at least one protruding shaft wherein said at least one protruding shaft and said at least one corresponding opening are configured such that said first semicircular structure and said second semicircular structure can be locked together in only one way to form said annular, fuel filler assembly collar.6. The collar of claim 1 wherein said at least one locking member on a first end of said first semicircular structure comprises a first protruding shaft having a first configuration and a second protruding shaft having a second configuration, and said at least locking member on a first end of said second semicircular structure comprises a first opening corresponding to said first protruding shaft and a second opening corresponding to said second protruding shaft.7. The collar of claim 1 wherein said first semicircular structure and said second semicircular structure further includes an upper shoulder area tapered inwardly from said outer circumferential side to said top edge and extending uniformly from one of said pair of terminal ends to the other of said terminal ends.8. The collar of claim 1 wherein said first semicircular shaped tubular structure and said second semicircular shaped tubular structure further includes a lower shoulder area tapered inwardly from said outer circumferential side to said bottom edge and extending uniformly from one of said pair of terminal ends to the other of said terminal ends.9. The collar of claim 1 wherein said first semicircular structure further includes a barb member extending outwardly from said upper surface intermediate said pair of terminal ends.10. The collar of claim 1 wherein said first semicircular tubular structure and said second semicircular tubular structure are made from a rigid plastic material.11. The collar of claim 10 wherein said plastic material is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene, nylon, polyethyleneterephthalate and halogenated polyolefins.12. The collar of claim 11 wherein said plastic material is polypropylene.13. A plastic fuel filler assembly collar comprising:a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including; first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a pair of protruding shafts and said second terminal end includes a second pair of protruding shafts, said first pair of protruding shafts being of a first configuration and said second pair of protruding shafts being of a second configuration; a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said first semicircular shaped structure; a semicircular chamber duct in said top edge, intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said semicircular chamber duct extending from said outer surface to said inner surface; a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a first outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said first circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; an elbow-shaped tubular member integrally formed on said first semicircular structure, said elbow-shaped tubular member extending outwardly and downwardly from said bottom edge of said first semicircular shaped structure and intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member communicating with the inner surface of said first semicircular shaped tubular structure; and a vent tube, said vent having a first end connected to said elbow-shaped tubular member and a second end connected to a fuel vapor adsorption canister, for transporting fresh air therefrom; and b) a second semicircular shaped structure including: first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a first pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the first pair of protruding shafts on the first terminal end of said first semicircular shaped structure and said second terminal end includes a second pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the second pair of protruding shafts on the second terminal end of second semicircular shaped structure; a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure; a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a second outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said outer circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; and one or more spaced apart openings in the low r surface of said second semicircular shaped structure, wherein said first semicircular shaped structure and said second semicircular shaped structure are locked together at said first and said second pair of terminal ends in a simple one-motion step by pushing said structures together until locking of said structures is accomplished, said locking being accomplished in the absence of a separate annular locking structure. 14. The plastic collar of claim 13 wherein said plastic collar is made from a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene, nylon, polyethyleneterephthalate and halogenated polyolefins.15. The plastic collar of claim 14 wherein said polymeric material is polypropylene.16. In a fuel filler system including a fuel filler pipe attached at its lower end to a fuel receiving tank and at its upper end to a fuel filler inlet tube adapted to receive a fuel cap, a vent tube, a fuel filler assembly collar surrounding said fuel pipe and a rubber boot surrounding said fuel filler assembly collar, said fuel filler assembly collar comprising a three-component collar which includes a first semicircular member, a second semicircular member and an annular unitary circumferential member wherein the first semicircular member and the second semicircular member are placed together in a first action to form a sub-assembly and, in a second different directional action, the sub-assembly is locked together using an annular unitary structure wherein the annular unitary structure is snapped in place around the sub-assembly, the improvement comprising:employing, as the fuel filler assembly collar, a two component plastic collar to surround said fuel filler pipe, said two component collar comprising: a) a first semicircular shaped structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, including; first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a pair of protruding shafts and said second terminal end including a second pair of protruding shafts, said first pair of protruding shafts being of a first configuration and said second pair of protruding shafts being of a second configuration; a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said first semicircular shaped structure; a semicircular chamber duct in said top edge, intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said semicircular chamber duct extending from said outer surface to said inner surface; a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a first outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said first circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; and an elbow-shaped tubular member extending outwardly and downwardly from said bottom edge of said first semicircular shaped structure and intermediate said pair of terminal ends, said elbow-shaped tubular member communicating with the inner surface of said first semicircular shaped tubular structure, and b) a second semicircular shaped structure including: first and second terminal ends residing in a common vertical plane wherein said first terminal end includes a first pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the first pair of protruding shafts on the first terminal end of said first semicircular shaped structure and said second terminal end includes a second pair of openings having a configuration conforming to the second pair of protruding shafts on the second terminal end of said second semicircular shaped structure; a top edge forming an upper semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, a bottom edge forming a lower semicircular rim having a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second semicircular shaped structure, said top edge and said bottom edge residing in spaced apart horizontal planes with respect to each other; a second outer circumferential side separating said top edge and said bottom edge; one or more notches in the upper surface of said outer circumferential side intermediate said pair of terminal ends; and one or more spaced apart openings in the lower surface of said second semicircular shaped structure; wherein said first semicircular shaped structure and said second semicircular structure are locked together at said first and said second pair of terminal ends in a simple one-motion step by pushing said structures together until locking of said structures is accomplished, said locking being accomplished in the absence of a separate annular locking structure. 17. The fuel filler system of claim 16 wherein said plastic collar is made from a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene, nylon, polyethyleneterephthalate and halogenated polyolefins.18. The fuel filler system of claim 17 wherein said polymeric material is polypropylene.19. The fuel filler system of claim 16 wherein said elbow-shaped tubular structure is integrally formed on said first semicircular structure.20. The fuel filler system of claim 16 wherein said first semi-circular shaped structure further comprises a vent tube having a first end connected to said elbow-shaped tubular member and a second end connected to a fuel vapor adsorption canister, for transporting fresh air therefrom.
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