KR20070090016A - Plugging system for fuel tank filling pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for blocking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe, the system comprising a stopper which allows the pipe to open automatically through the operation of a fuel dispensing nozzle, which stopper

ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede,

ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position,

The system also includes a movable ring that can prevent the stopper from moving through the bayonet system, and the movement of the bayonet system between the open and closed positions (or vice versa) is controlled by a specific actuator and It consists of a gradual spiral movement that progressively compresses (or decompresses) the seal disposed between the tops.

Description

Plugging system for fuel tank filling pipe {PLUGGING SYSTEM FOR A FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE}

The present invention relates to a system for plugging fuel tank fill pipes.

Filling pipes in fuel tanks, especially tanks mounted on motor vehicles, are blocked outside the normal charging period of the tank. Plugging takes place through a cap that is rotated to seal the pipe against liquid and gas and inserted into the top of the pipe. Various types of caps may be used, which may be made of metal and / or plastic, the sealing being done by compressing the seal, which may be clamped in the middle of the upper part outside the pipe or Is done by turning.

Removing the cap before filling the tank and closing the pipe by repositioning the cap after filling is usually performed manually by the user or by the fueling station staff. At the end of the tank filling operation, it is sometimes forgotten to replace the cap, which causes the cap to be lost and the pipe to remain open to the atmosphere for some time. At this time, loss of liquid fuel may occur and may evaporate into the atmosphere.

In order to prevent loss of the cap and thereby air pollution, a plugging system coupled to the filling pipe has been proposed as a replacement for the conventional cap. An improved version of the plugging system is fixed to prevent the system from opening unexpectedly, for example when the recess (the filling pipe is located in the recess of the vehicle body and is closed by the fuel filling flap) is cleaned using a high pressure washer. Means generally.

Thus, for example, in WO 03/010022, filed by the applicant's company, plugging with fastening means separated by a thrust force parallel to the axis of the upper part of the pipe and automatically reengaged when the fuel filling flap is closed The device is introduced. Such a system has the advantage of being able to operate through the thrust of the nozzle, even with automatic locking in connection with the closing of the filling flap and even if the vehicle has an electrical fault (since separation is manual). However, a high pressure water jet that is directed substantially parallel to the axis of the upper part of the pipe, despite all this, carries the risk of separating the fastening means as the filling nozzle does. In addition, the special system shown in this application (bayonet system including hairpin springs, linkages, rotating collars, two springs, etc.) is complex.

A simpler system that solves the aforementioned problem of unexpected opening is also described in EP 2004/052156 filed by the applicant's company. This system

ㆍ Lever fixed to the plugging mechanism and locking / unlocking the plugging mechanism according to the position,

A lever arm which is secured to the fuel filling flap and which actually acts on the lever only to lock the instrument when the instrument is locked and the fuel filling flap is closed.

In this application a variant comprising a bayonet fitting is shown, which is relatively simple and relates to a simple and simple relative rotational movement of two complementary parts of the device. However, Applicant's company has found that such a system may result in incomplete sealing.

More sophisticated systems have also been proposed, which can solve both the problem of sealing and the problem of unexpected opening, but this is often possible using complex devices. Thus, for example, something like a "capless" top is sold, the top of which includes a turning flap closed by a spring, which spring prevents the unexpected opening of the force necessary to overcome the spring force. It's big enough to do that. Nevertheless, in order for the shutter to open without damage as a result of the manual thrust of the user using the nozzle, the head includes a second (secondary) spring with a low spring ratio, which spring gives the nozzle the correct position ( See eg application FR 2 753 138). After all, in order to prevent the nozzles from jamming on top of the pipe when the return force of the main spring is applied, these devices also often have a retarder, for example as described in application EP 46886. Such a system is therefore extremely complex and expensive.

The present application therefore aims to provide a simple, small size "capless" system that solves both the problem of sealing and the problem of unexpected opening.

To this end, the present invention relates to a system for plugging the top of a fuel tank filling pipe, which system comprises a stopper which allows the pipe to open automatically through the operation of the fuel dispensing nozzle, which stopper

ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede,

ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position,

The system also includes a movable ring that can prevent the stopper from moving through the bayonet system, and the movement of the bayonet system between the open and closed positions (or vice versa) is controlled by a specific actuator and It consists of a gradual spiral movement that progressively compresses (or decompresses) the seal disposed between the tops.

In these systems

The problem of unexpected opening is solved by a specific actuator that controls the opening of the bayonet system,

The problem of sealing is solved by the seal placed between the stopper and the pipe top, and by the fact that the seal is gradually compressed during the closing motion of the bayonet, this gradual compression reduces the closing force, thereby Improve the durability of,

• The problem of complexity and cost is also solved. In particular, the presence of bayonet mechanisms and seals can reduce the return force of the main spring and thus eliminate the need for the retarder used in the sophisticated measures described above.

As used herein, the term "fuel tank" means any type of tank capable of storing liquid and / or gaseous fuel under varying temperature and pressure conditions. More particularly concerned is the type of tank mounted on the motor vehicle. The expression "motor vehicle" includes cars, motorcycles and trucks.

Filling pipes are pipes connected to the interior of the tank and capable of introducing fuel.

Tanks and pipes can be made of metal or plastic.

1 depicts a section over the top 2 of a fuel tank filling pipe with a fuel filling flap 1 (door of a vehicle body) and a plugging system according to a variant of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by a circle in FIG. 1.

The plugging system according to the invention is suitable for a tank filling pipe assembly in which at least one of the two components of the tank filling pipe assembly is made of plastic. The system is particularly suitable for assemblies in which the filling pipe is made of plastic. Preferably, the plugging system itself comprises one or more parts of plastic. Quite particularly preferably, the plugging system is predominantly plastic.

The term "plastic" means any material comprising at least one synthetic resin polymer.

Any kind of plastic may be appropriate. Particularly suitable plastics are those belonging to thermoplastics.

The term "thermoplastic" refers to any thermoplastic polymer, including thermoplastic elastomers and mixtures thereof. The term "polymer" here refers to both homopolymers and copolymers (particularly binary or ternary copolymers). Examples of such copolymers include, but are not limited to, random copolymers, linear block copolymers, other block copolymers, and graft copolymers.

Any kind of thermoplastic polymer or copolymer whose melting point is below its decomposition point is suitable. Particularly suitable are synthetic thermoplastic materials having a melting range of at least 10 ° C. An example of such a material is a material that exhibits polydispersion in molecular weight.

In particular, polyolefins, polyvinyl halides, thermoplastic polyesters, polyketones, polyamides and copolymers thereof can be used. Mixtures of polymers or copolymers may also be used, such as mixtures of inorganic, organic and / or natural fillers with polymeric materials such as carbon, salts and other inorganic derivatives, natural fibers or polymer fibers. In particular, fiber filled (such as glass fiber filled) polyamides are particularly suitable. Advantageously, at least some such polymeric materials contain conductive fillers (such as carbon black) to avoid problems associated with static electricity. It is also possible to use a multilayer structure consisting of laminated layers bonded together comprising one or more polymers or copolymers described above.

The plugging system according to the invention is adapted to act as a cap that seals the top of the filling pipe to avoid leakage and loss of liquid fuel and evaporation into the atmosphere when the tank contains fuel, except during the period when the tank is being filled. have.

Preferably, the plugging system according to the invention is coupled to the top of the filling pipe, ie to a group of parts mounted on top of the filling pipe, the purpose of which is to guide the fuel distribution nozzle and also to make filling easier. . To do this, the upper part of the pipe comprises an opening (continued with the pipe) in connection with the filling pipe, and the stopper of the system according to the invention can be closed in a closed manner in the closed (locked) position.

The plugging system according to the invention allows the pipe to open automatically, in particular through the action of a filling nozzle. The expression "automatically open" here means an opening made simply by the action of the dispensing nozzle without any other mechanical influence. The dispense nozzle is attached to the fuel pump hose of the gas station.

The plugging system comprises a stopper (ie a device for blocking the passage of gas and liquid through the opening at the top of the pipe). This stopper can take various forms. One particularly suitable form is in the form of a movable plate which closes the passage in the closed position. Preferably, the plate pivots about an axis. The plate is advantageously made of plastic, but is preferably provided with a metal cover, especially for aesthetic reasons and for resistance to wear (wear by a large number of filling nozzles).

This plate can be connected to a rotary plug comprising a cylindrical opening (as in FR 03/12782 filed by the applicant's company, the content of which is therefore related to this application by reference).

The plate also includes a device for regulating the pressure in the filling pipe, in particular the "safety under pressure and depression (SPD) valve described in application FR 2 753 138, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. It includes.

According to the invention, the stopper can be retracted when thrust along an axis parallel to the axis above the pipe is applied. There may be a variety of means to back off the stopper. One means of producing good results is a rod fixed to the top of the pipe and located around the stopper, which can act as an axis of rotation that allows the stopper to pivot.

The stopper is held in the closed position by the return spring. One kind of spring that is particularly suitable is a torsion spring which is located around the rod and whose one end is fixed to the stopper.

When the stopper is in the closed position, the stopper may have a conical shape at a portion suitable for interacting with the circumference of the opening in the upper part of the pipe. In general, the conical shape reduces the stopper closing force and allows the use of less strong springs.

According to the invention, the stopper is fixed to the movable ring by a bayonet system, and the cooperative portion of the bayonet system is preferably located around the stopper and the inner cylindrical surface of the movable ring. This portion of the bayonet device needs to have a structure that allows gradual spiral movement of the ring between the locked and unlocked positions of the bayonet. Thus, for example, one part (eg a ring) may comprise a recess of appropriate size and shape so that lugs located in the other part (stopper) can pass and move. The rotary ring can be made of plastic (as described above) or metal.

In particular, the recessed portion of the ring (or stopper) advantageously comprises a spiral ramp and a number of notches corresponding to the number of lugs placed on the stopper (or ring). Such lugs / notches are generally evenly positioned around the ring and stopper, and may generally be two or more, preferably three, or four, or six. A system with three lugs / notches produces good results.

It is preferred if the stopper has lugs and the rings have concave portions. For example, it is thus possible to easily install the device according to the invention on top of an existing pipe. In practice, it is only necessary to provide a shield with lugs to the existing stopper, insert a seal between the shield and the pipe top, and fix the movable ring with the above-mentioned concave portion on top of all of them.

The present invention therefore also relates to a method for sealingly locking the top of a fuel tank filling pipe comprising a stopper for automatically opening the pipe through the action of a fuel dispensing nozzle.

ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede,

ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position,

The method provides a stopper with a lug around the stopper, inserts a seal between the shield and the top of the pipe, if possible, and secures a movable ring with a spiral ramp and a notch on top of them, and The shape, number and position of the notches are adapted to correspond to the case of lugs on the stopper.

Alternatively, the method provides a stopper with a lug around the stopper, inserts a movable ring with a spiral lamp and a notch between the shield and the top of the pipe, and welds the assembly to one or more additional parts. It is fixed to the top of the pipe, the shape, number and position of the notches corresponding to the case of lugs of the stopper. The add-on can be, for example, a ring flange. As a variant, the shield may be provided with a lug directly, in which case the movable ring is inserted directly underneath this lug.

In such a system, when the bayonet is in the locked position, the concave portion engages the ramp and secures the stopper (the stopper does not turn even when thrust along the axis is applied). When the bayonet device is open, the ring is in helical motion, which in fact is a rotational motion (eg, at least 1/8 rotation, or 1/6 rotation and preferably at least 1 / rotation about the axis of the stopper). 4 turns (this value actually depends on the number of lugs) and translational motion parallel to this axis (e.g., several milliseconds, or 1 mm, depending on the nature of the seal, thus the seal provides the required level of sealing) As a result, the lug can move along the ramp (or vice versa, since the lug is in fact fixed) and thus the stopper can pivot until it reaches the notch formed in the ramp for this purpose. To make sure.

One important feature of the system according to the invention is that there is a fixed seal between the stopper and the pipe top or, more precisely, around the opening in the pipe top where the stopper is blocked. The spiraling of the ring should allow the seal to compress when the bayonet is closed and to decompress when open. This seal can be of any kind. O-ring seals produce good results. The material of this seal should preferably be resistant to fuel vapors. Fluorinated elastomers are particularly suitable for this purpose.

In the case where the stopper has a conical contour, the sealing between this contour and the circumferential contour of the opening in the upper part of the pipe can be made by means of a seal of suitable shape, for example a spindle seal.

Finally, another important feature of the invention is the use of actuators which must be operated, in particular so that the ring can move. Any type of actuator is suitable for this. This may be for example a "manual" actuator (lever, cable, ignition key, etc.). In addition, the actuator may be an automatic actuator (mechanical (motor), electronic or pneumatic).

The present invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a plugging system as described above.

Preferably, the vehicle is provided with a supervisory sensor (luminescent or audible indicator) for confirming that the plugging system is locked correctly and this sensor is advantageously installed in the vehicle interior to improve safety.

For the same reason (safety), it is possible to adopt a plugging system in which the actuator is operated only by the use of a ignition key.

One example of such a system is a system in which the ring of bayonet fitting is driven by a series of gears that are rotated by a cylinder under the action of a vehicle start key. For example, turning the key 1/4 turns the bayonet, which allows the stopper to turn. When the bayonet is in the unlocked position, it is preferably impossible to remove the key from the cylinder (in such a system). This key cannot be removed until the bayonet is locked by a quarter turn in the opposite direction. This device ensures that the vehicle cannot be restarted if the top of the pipe is locked and unprotected, while also protecting access to the head filling orifice (acts as an anti-theft cap).

The present invention is illustrated non-limitingly in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The upper part shown in these figures is provided with a stopper 3 comprising an SPD valve 4, as in the FR application described above (see the text of this application for more details on how this stopper works). wind). This stopper can move while pivoting about an axis 5 fixed to the pipe top 2, and a return spring 6, which serves to hold the stopper in the normal closed position (position shown in the figure), is mentioned above. It is wound around the axis 5.

The stopper 3 has a shield 7 comprising a lug 7 ′ and a spiral lamp and a notch (not shown) between the circumference of the shield 7 and the upper portion 2 ′ of the upper part of the pipe. One rotary ring 8 is inserted. The lug 7 ′ of the shield 7 has a shape, size and position which can cooperate with the notch of the rotary ring 8 and the concave portion 12 of the upper part 2 ′ above the pipe, whereby the bay When the yonet mechanism (composed of a shield with lugs and a pair of rotating rings with notches) is in the open position, the stopper can pivot under the action of the axial thrust applied by the filling nozzle.

The shield 7 and the ring 8 are fixed to the upper part 2 of the pipe via a ring flange 9 which is welded to the upper part 2 of the pipe.

The rotational movement of the ring 8 is caused by a specific actuator, the actuating rod 10 (fixed to the ring 8) of the actuator is shown. Since the ring 8 is equipped with a spiral lamp, the rotational movement of this ring causes a spiral movement of the shield 7. Upon opening, this helical motion is directed downward, so that the load on the seal 11 disposed between the stopper 3 and the upper portion 2 'of the pipe upper part is reduced. In closing, the helical motion is directed upward, compressing the seal 11.

The system is shown in the closed position, the shield 7 and the stopper 3 are upwards and the seal 11 is compressed.

Claims (10)

A system for blocking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe, the system comprising a stopper which allows the pipe to open automatically through the operation of a fuel dispensing nozzle, which stopper ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede, ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position, The system also includes a movable ring that can prevent the stopper from moving through the bayonet system, and the movement of the bayonet system between the open and closed positions (or vice versa) is controlled by a specific actuator and A system for blocking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe consisting of a gradual spiral movement that progressively compresses (or decompresses) seals disposed between the tops. The system of claim 1, wherein the stopper is in the form of a movable plate pivoting about an axis. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plate is made of plastic and has a metal cover. 4. A system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the plate comprises a device for setting the pressure in the filling pipe. 5. The device of claim 1, comprising a rod fixed to the top of the pipe and positioned around the stopper, the rod allowing the stopper to pivot, wherein the rod moves the stopper to the closed position. 6. And a torsion spring for retaining, one end of the spring being fixed to the stopper. The stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stopper comprises a lug, the movable ring comprises a spiral ramp and a notch, and the shape, number and position of the notches correspond to the case of the lug of the stopper. A system for blocking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe, characterized in that. A method for sealingly locking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe comprising a stopper for automatically opening the pipe through the operation of a fuel distribution nozzle. ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede, ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position, The method provides a stopper with a lug around the stopper, inserts a seal between the shield and the top of the pipe, if possible, and secures a movable ring with a spiral ramp and a notch on top of them, and A method for sealing locking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe, the shape, number and location of the notches being adapted to correspond to the case of lugs on the stopper. A method for sealingly locking the top of a fuel tank fill pipe comprising a stopper for automatically opening the pipe through the operation of a fuel distribution nozzle. ㆍ When thrust along the axis parallel to the axis of the upper pipe is applied, it can recede, ㆍ It is fixed to the return spring which holds the stopper in the closed position, The method provides a stopper with a lug around the stopper, inserts a movable ring with a spiral lamp and a notch between the shield and the top of the pipe and welds the assembly to one or more additional parts to the top of the pipe. And a shape, number and position of the notches corresponding to the case of the lug of the stopper to seal-lock the top of the fuel tank filling pipe. A motor vehicle provided with a plugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 10. The motor vehicle of claim 9 including a sensor for monitoring whether the plugging system is correctly locked.

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