초록 ▼

A fuel tank apparatus is adapted to conduct fuel toward the fuel tank of a vehicle. The fuel tank fill apparatus includes a fuel-tank filler neck for conducting fuel to the fuel tank and a capless closure assembly the couples to the fuel-tank filler neck in such a way so as to be removed for service

A fuel tank apparatus is adapted to conduct fuel toward the fuel tank of a vehicle. The fuel tank fill apparatus includes a fuel-tank filler neck for conducting fuel to the fuel tank and a capless closure assembly the couples to the fuel-tank filler neck in such a way so as to be removed for serviceability.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A capless closure assembly for a fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising a nozzle-insertion housing formed to include a nozzle-receiving aperture and sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway,a flapper door mounted on the nozzle-insertion housing for movement relative to the nozzle

1. A capless closure assembly for a fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising a nozzle-insertion housing formed to include a nozzle-receiving aperture and sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway,a flapper door mounted on the nozzle-insertion housing for movement relative to the nozzle-insertion housing from a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture to an opened position opening the nozzle-receiving aperture, anda closure retention system including installation-and-detachment guide means coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing for engaging the fuel-tank filler neck in response to rotation of the nozzle-insertion housing in an installation direction to retain the nozzle-insertion housing temporarily in a stationary installed position in a fuel-conducting passageway formed in the fuel-tank filler neck and for rotatably disengaging the fuel-tank filler neck in response to rotation of the nozzle-insertion housing in a removal direction, opposite the installation direction, so as to allow for removal of the capless closure assembly from the fuel-tank filler neck to thereby facilitate service of the capless closure assembly, and anti-rotation means for blocking rotation in the removal direction upon arrival of the capless closure assembly at a stationary installed position after a predetermined amount of rotation of the nozzle-insertion housing in the installation direction so that unintentional removal of the capless closure assembly is avoided. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation means includes a lock tab provided by a resilient tooth-support finger and a pawl tooth sized to fit into a tooth-receiving notch formed in the fuel-tank filler neck, the resilient tooth-support finger having a proximal end coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing and a distal end that is coupled to the pawl tooth. 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the pawl tooth is shaped to include a cam surface arranged to contact the fuel-tank filler neck during rotation of the capless closure assembly in the installation direction before the capless closure assembly reaches the stationary installed position and cause the resilient tooth-support finger to deform until the capless closure assembly reaches the stationary installed position. 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the pawl tooth is shaped to include a blocker surface that extends parallel to a rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when rotated in the installation direction, the blocker surface adapted to face a surface that defines the tooth-receiving notch of the fuel tank filler neck when the capless closure assembly reaches the stationary installed position. 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the installation-and-detachment guide means includes external threads coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing and configured to mate with companion threads included in the fuel-tank filler neck. 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the external threads extend continuously more than 360 degrees around the nozzle-insertion housing such that rotation of the nozzle-insertion housing in the installation direction requires at least 360 degrees of rotation to reach the stationary installed position. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the installation-and-detachment guide means includes a lug-receiving channel having a radial portion that extends parallel to a rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when rotated in the installation direction and a circumferential portion that extends around the rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when rotated in the installation direction, the lug-receiving channel sized to accept a lug that extends from the fuel-tank filler neck toward the rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when rotated in the installation direction. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the circumferential portion of the lug-receiving channel extends about one-eighth of the way around the nozzle-insertion housing and rotation of the nozzle-insertion housing in the installation direction requires about 45 degrees of rotation to reach the stationary installed position. 9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the lug-receiving channel is defined by an upper rim of the nozzle-installation housing and a plurality of channel walls coupled to the nozzle-installation housing. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation means includes a lock bolt that extends through the nozzle-insertion housing to engage the fuel-tank filler neck associated with the capless closure assembly when the capless closure assembly is coupled to the fuel-tank filler neck. 11. A fuel tank fill apparatus adapted to conduct fuel toward a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising a fuel-tank filler neck including a side wall that defines a fuel-conducting passageway and threads coupled to the side wall, anda capless closure assembly coupled to the fuel tank filler neck, the capless closure assembly including a nozzle-insertion housing formed to include a nozzle-receiving aperture and sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway, a flapper door mounted on the nozzle-insertion housing for movement relative to the nozzle-insertion housing from a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture to an opened position opening the nozzle-receiving aperture, and a closure retention system including threads coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing engaged with the threads of the fuel-tank filler neck and an anti-rotation feature that blocks rotation of the capless closure assembly relative to the fuel-tank filler neck. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the anti-rotation feature includes a pawl tooth received in a tooth-receiving notch formed in the fuel-tank filler neck and a resilient tooth-support finger having a proximal end coupled to another component of the nozzle-insertion housing and a distal end that is coupled to the pawl tooth. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pawl tooth is shaped to include a blocker surface that extends parallel to a rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when installed onto the fuel-tank filler neck. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the threads of the capless closure assembly extend continuously more than 360 degrees around the nozzle-insertion housing. 15. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the anti-rotation feature includes a lock bolt that extends through the nozzle-insertion housing to engage the fuel-tank filler neck. 16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the nozzle-insertion housing includes a tab formed to include an aperture through which the lock bolt extends, the fuel-tank filler neck includes a tab formed to include an aperture through which the lock bolt extends, and the lock bolt extends along an axis parallel to a rotation axis about which the capless closure assembly rotates when installed onto the fuel-tank filler neck. 17. A fuel tank fill apparatus adapted to conduct fuel toward a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising a fuel-tank filler neck including a side wall that defines a fuel-conducting passageway and threads coupled to the side wall, anda capless closure assembly coupled to the fuel tank filler neck, the capless closure assembly including a nozzle-insertion housing formed to include a nozzle-receiving aperture and sized to extend into a fuel-conducting passageway, a flapper door mounted on the nozzle-insertion housing for movement relative to the nozzle-insertion housing from a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture to an opened position opening the nozzle-receiving aperture, and a closure retention system including a rotational engagement mechanism configured to engage the fuel-tank filler neck upon rotation of the capless closure assembly relative to the fuel-tank filler neck in an installation direction and an anti-rotation feature that blocks rotation of the capless closure assembly relative to the fuel-tank filler neck in a removal direction. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the anti-rotation feature includes a pawl tooth received in a tooth-receiving notch formed in the fuel-tank filler neck. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the anti-rotation feature includes a resilient tooth-support finger having a proximal end coupled to an outer rim of the nozzle-insertion housing and a distal end that is coupled to the pawl tooth. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the anti-rotation feature includes a lock bolt that extends through an aperture formed in the nozzle-insertion housing to engage the fuel-tank filler neck and block rotation of the capless closure assembly relative to the fuel-tank filler neck.