IP Library Granted Patent US 7,823,611
Granted Patent B2
US 7,823,611 · App. 11/802,963 · Granted Nov 2, 2010

Filler cap of fuel tank

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,823,611
App. No.
11/802,963
Granted
Nov 2, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object is to provide a filler cap of a fuel tank capable of securely preventing a disadvantage that, when the fuel tank tilts, fuel stored in the fuel tank is discharged from an air passage disposed at a cap main body. The cap includes the air passage which is constituted at the cap main body and which allows the inside of the fuel tank to communicate with the outside, and a valve mechanism portion constituted at this air passage. The valve mechanism portion includes a tube main body having a tube-like portion and a reduced diameter portion formed externally and continuously from this tube-like portion, a float stored in the tube main body with a space between the float and an inner surface of this tube main body, a piston positioned on a fuel tank side of the float and stored in the tube main body with a space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body, and a spherical member positioned on an outer side of the float and stored in the tube main body.

Claims (10)

1. A filler cap of a fuel tank comprising: a cap main body attached to a fuel inlet of the fuel tank,

the cap further comprising: an air passage which is constituted at the cap main body and which allows the inside of the fuel tank to communicate with the outside; and a valve mechanism portion constituted at this air passage,

the valve mechanism portion including a tube main body having a cylindrical portion and a reduced diameter portion formed externally and continuously from this cylindrical portion, a float stored in the tube main body with a space between the float and an inner surface of this tube main body, a piston positioned on a fuel tank side of this float and stored in the tube main body with a space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body, and a spherical member positioned on an outer side of the float and stored in the tube main body,

wherein, in a case where the fuel enters the tube main body, the piston moves toward the outside, the float floats toward the outside and the spherical member is pressed onto the reduced diameter portion of the tube main body by the float to close the air passage.

2. The filler cap of the fuel tank according to claim 1 , further comprising: a pipe which is rotatably attached to the cap main body to communicate with the air passage and which is connected to a canister or a vaporizer via a hose.

3. The filler cap of the fuel tank according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the piston is provided with a function of the float and, in a case where the fuel enters the tube main body, the piston obtains buoyancy to float toward the outside together with the float.

4. The filler cap of the fuel tank according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the piston constantly allows the fuel to flow through the space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body and, in a case where the piston moves toward the outside, the space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body is set to such a dimension that the fuel cannot flow through the space, before the spherical member is pressed onto the reduced diameter portion of the tube main body by the float.

5. The filler cap of the fuel tank according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a fuel passage permitting portion which is formed at an outer portion of a side surface of the piston and which permits the fuel to flow through the space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body; and a closing portion which is formed at the side surface of the piston on the side of the fuel tank from the fuel passage permitting portion and which is disposed close to the inner surface of the tube main body than the fuel passage permitting portion,

wherein a space between this closing portion and the inner surface of the tube main body is set to such a dimension that the fuel flows through the space and, in a case where the piston moves toward the outside, the closing portion moves to a position where the closing portion faces the inner surface of the tube main body, and the space between the closing portion and the inner surface of the tube main body is set to such a dimension that the fuel does not flow through the space.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2017
From: SUBARU CORPORATION
To: IWAMI, MASASHI; IWAMI, MASAO
Reel/Frame 043168/0841 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 12, 2017
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SUBARU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042624/0886 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 12, 2014
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 034215/0580 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2010
From: IWAMI, MASASHI; IWAMI, MASAO; KADOI, MITSUO; HORIUCHI, MASANORI
To: IWAMI (25%), MASASHI; IWAMI (25%), MASAO; FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (50%)
Reel/Frame 024878/0705 →