IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,142,063
Granted Patent B2
US 11,142,063 · App. 16/935,601 · Granted Oct 12, 2021

Filler neck for filling an operating substance or additive into a vehicle tank by means of a fuel pump nozzle

Inventor: Julian Klug (Ochsenfurt, DE)
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
B60K15/04B60K2015/03348B60K2015/048B60K2015/0461B60K2015/0477
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,142,063
App. No.
16/935,601
Granted
Oct 12, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A filler neck ( 1 ) for filling an operating substance, such as fuel or AdBlue® or urea, or an additive, such as water, into a vehicle tank by way of a fuel pump nozzle. The filler neck ( 1 ) has a filler neck body ( 2 ), which can be accommodated in a filler pipe leading to the vehicle tank. The filler neck ( 1 ) furthermore has a fuel pump nozzle guide with an insertion section ( 4 ) for guiding a fuel pump nozzle, which is accommodated or is to be accommodated in the filler neck body ( 2 ), in the direction of the vehicle tank. The filler neck body ( 2 ) and the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide are formed together as an integral casting, in particular plastics injection moulding.

Claims (50)

1. A filler neck ( 1 ) for filling an operating substance into a vehicle tank by way of a fuel pump nozzle, wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) includes:

a filler neck body ( 2 ) configured for positioning in a filler pipe leading to the vehicle tank; and

a fuel pump nozzle guide with an insertion section ( 4 ) for guiding a fuel pump nozzle, which is accommodated or is to be accommodated in the filler neck body ( 2 ), in a direction of the vehicle tank,

wherein the filler neck body ( 2 ) and the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide are formed together as an integral casting formed by plastics injection moulding;

wherein the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide has a first segment ( 5 ) which is formed integrally with the filler neck body ( 2 ) and is connected fixedly to the filler neck body ( 2 ) in the interior of the filler neck body ( 2 ) and at least one second segment ( 6 ) which is connected in an articulated manner to the filler neck body ( 2 ), wherein the second segment ( 6 ) is pivotable relative to the filler neck body ( 2 ) between a first position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present outside the filler neck body ( 2 ), and a second position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present within the filler neck body ( 2 ) and, together with the first segment ( 5 ), forms the fuel pump nozzle guide.

2. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one second segment ( 6 ) is connected via at least one film hinge ( 7 ) to the filler neck body ( 2 ) so as to be pivotable relative to the filler neck body ( 2 ), wherein a pivot axis defined by the film hinge ( 7 ) runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filler neck body ( 2 ).

3. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the filler neck body ( 2 ) at least in regions has a cylindrical lateral surface with a window region ( 8 ), wherein the window region ( 8 ) is closed when the at least one second segment ( 6 ) is pivoted into the filler neck body ( 2 ) and is present in its second position.

4. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one second segment ( 6 ) of the insertion section ( 4 ) has at least one latching or locking element for fixing the second segment ( 6 ) on the filler neck body ( 2 ) when the second segment ( 6 ) is pivoted into the filler neck body ( 2 ) and is present in its second position.

5. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) furthermore has the following:

a first closure element ( 3 ), in the form of a closure flap, which is assigned to the vehicle-tank-facing end region of the filler neck body ( 2 ) and which, in its closed position, closes the passage to the vehicle tank,

wherein the first closure element ( 3 ) is prestressed into its closed position.

6. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide narrows at least in regions in the direction of the vehicle tank, wherein a narrow cross section of the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide is larger than the cross section of a petrol nozzle or an auxiliary agent nozzle and is smaller than the cross section of a diesel fuel pump nozzle or is larger than the cross section of an auxiliary agent nozzle and is smaller than the cross section of a petrol nozzle.

7. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 5 ,

wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) furthermore has the following:

a misfuelling block, with an actuating element,

wherein the actuating element has a locking section, wherein the locking section acts directly or indirectly on the first closure element ( 3 ) and holds the first closure element ( 3 ) in its closed position, wherein the locking section releases the first closure element ( 3 ) when the actuating element is expanded by a fuel pump nozzle.

8. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) is designed in such a manner that expansion of the actuating element is limited by a stop, at least when the filler neck is inserted into the filler pipe, in such a manner that expansion of the actuating element is possible only to the extent that it is required for the next largest fuel pump nozzle outside diameter.

9. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the actuating element is connected pivotably to the filler neck body ( 2 ) and to enable the actuating element be pivoted or folded into the filler neck body ( 2 ); or wherein the actuating element is constructed from at least two segments, wherein each segment of the actuating element is connected pivotably to the filler neck body ( 2 ) and to enable the actuating element to be pivoted or folded into the filler neck body ( 2 ).

10. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the actuating element or the segments of the actuating element and the filler neck body ( 2 ) are formed together as an integral casting formed by plastics injection moulding.

11. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 5 ,

wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) furthermore has the following:

a misfuelling block, with an actuating element,

wherein the actuating element has a locking section, wherein the locking section acts directly or indirectly on the first closure element ( 3 ) and holds the first closure element ( 3 ) in its closed position, wherein the locking section releases the first closure element ( 3 ) when the actuating element is expanded by a fuel pump nozzle;

wherein the actuating element is connected to the filler neck body ( 2 ) in a pivotable manner via at least one film hinge; or wherein the segments of the actuating element are each connected to the filler neck body ( 2 ) in a pivotable manner via at least one film hinge.

12. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the filler neck body ( 2 ) at its end region opposite the vehicle tank has a second closure element ( 9 ) in the form of a closure flap, which is prestressed into a closed state and is moved into an open position by insertion of a fuel nozzle or AdBlue® or urea or additive nozzle into that end region of the filler neck body ( 2 ) which is opposite the vehicle tank.

13. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide is designed to surround a fuel pump nozzle, which is accommodated in the filler neck body ( 2 ), circumferentially by more than 180 degrees.

14. A fuel filler system with a filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fuel filler system is preferably a capless fuel filler system.

15. The filler neck ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the fuel pump nozzle guide is designed to surround a fuel pump nozzle, which is accommodated in the filler neck body ( 2 ), in a completely encircling manner annularly.

16. A filler neck ( 1 ) for filling an operating substance into a vehicle tank by way of a fuel pump nozzle, wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) includes:

a filler neck body ( 2 ) configured for positioning in a filler pipe leading to the vehicle tank, wherein in the filler neck body includes an internal passage and a window opening ( 8 ) through the opening to the internal passage;

a fuel pump nozzle guide with an insertion section ( 4 ) for guiding a fuel pump nozzle inserted into the filler neck body ( 2 ) in a direction of the vehicle tank;

a first closure element ( 3 ) located at a vehicle-tank-facing end region of the filler neck body ( 2 ) and which, in its closed position, closes a vehicle tank fill passage;

wherein the filler neck body ( 2 ) and the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide are formed together as an integral casting formed by plastics injection moulding;

wherein the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide has a first segment ( 5 ) which is formed integrally with the filler neck body ( 2 ) and is connected fixedly to the filler neck body ( 2 ) in the interior of the filler neck body ( 2 ) and at least one second segment ( 6 ) which is connected in an articulated manner to the filler neck body ( 2 ), wherein the second segment ( 6 ) is pivotable relative to the filler neck body ( 2 ) between a first position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present outside the filler neck body ( 2 ) and away from the window opening ( 8 ) such that the closure element ( 3 ) is accessible through the window opening ( 8 ) in the filler neck body, and a second position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present within the filler neck body ( 2 ) and prevents access to the closure element ( 3 ) through the window opening ( 8 ) in the filler neck body;

wherein, when the second segment ( 6 ) is in the second position, the second segment ( 6 ), together with the first segment ( 5 ), forms a misfuelling block of the fuel pump nozzle guide.

17. A filler neck ( 1 ) for filling an operating substance into a vehicle tank by way of a fuel pump nozzle, wherein the filler neck ( 1 ) includes:

a filler neck body ( 2 ) configured for positioning in a filler pipe leading to the vehicle tank, wherein in the filler neck body includes an internal passage and a window opening ( 8 ) through the opening to the internal passage;

a fuel pump nozzle guide with an insertion section ( 4 ) for guiding a fuel pump nozzle inserted into the filler neck body ( 2 ) in a direction of the vehicle tank;

wherein the filler neck body ( 2 ) and the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide are formed together as an integral casting formed by plastics injection moulding;

wherein the insertion section ( 4 ) of the fuel pump nozzle guide has a first segment ( 5 ) which is formed integrally with the filler neck body ( 2 ) and is connected fixedly to the filler neck body ( 2 ) in the interior of the filler neck body ( 2 ) and at least one second segment ( 6 ) which is connected in an articulated manner to the filler neck body ( 2 ), wherein the second segment ( 6 ) is pivotable relative to the filler neck body ( 2 ) between a first position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present outside the filler neck body ( 2 ), and a second position, in which the second segment ( 6 ) is present within the filler neck body ( 2 );

wherein the second segment ( 6 ) is connected via at least one film hinge ( 7 ) to the filler neck body ( 2 ) so as to be pivotable relative to the filler neck body ( 2 ), wherein a pivot axis defined by the film hinge ( 7 ) runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filler neck body ( 2 ).

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2020
From: KLUG, JULIAN
To: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 053279/0752 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2020
From: KLUG, JULIAN
To: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 053279/0796 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2019 120 841.6 · Aug 1, 2019 · national
DE 10 2020 107 169.8 · Mar 16, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210031619A1 · Feb 4, 2021