Granted Patent B2

US 7,922,231 · App. 12/427,110 · Granted Apr 12, 2011

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. In a fuel door and hinge arm combination, wherein the fuel door of said combination is slidably interfaced with respect to the hinge arm, and wherein said fuel door is releasably held in position relative to said hinge arm by a resilient locking tab; an improvement thereto comprises a fuel door locking system comprising:

said fuel door having a pin aperture;

an abutment of said hinge arm disposed adjacent said pin aperture; and

a locking pin adapted for being inserted into said pin aperture with an interfering relationship with respect thereto which impedes said locking pin from being removed from said pin aperture;

wherein when said fuel door is slidably interfaced on said hinge arm such that said fuel door is releasably held in position relative to said hinge arm by said resilient locking tab, and further when said locking pin is inserted into said pin aperture, then said abutment interferingly abuts said locking pin to prevent said fuel door from being slid off from said hinge arm irrespective of said resilient locking tab.

2. The improved combination of claim 1 , wherein said abutment is a primary abutment; said improvement further comprising:

a secondary abutment of said hinge arm superposed said pin aperture;

wherein when said locking pin is fully inserted into said pin aperture, said secondary abutment abuts an end of the locking pin and the other end of the locking pin is generally flush with a portion of said fuel door adjoining said pin aperture.

3. The improved combination of claim 2 , wherein said locking pin comprises:

a resilient cylinder wall having a longitudinal slot formed therein;

wherein said cylinder wall has a first outside diameter which is larger than a diameter of said pin aperture; and wherein a width of said slot of said cylinder wall is reduced to provide a second outside diameter of said cylinder wall which is substantially equal to said diameter of said pin aperture when said locking pin is inserted into said pin aperture.

4. The improved combination of claim 3 , wherein said cylinder wall is free of a drive head.

5. A fuel door, hinge arm and locking system, comprising:

a fuel door;

a hinge arm;

a sliding interface of said fuel door and said hinge arm, wherein said fuel door is slidably interfaced with respect to the hinge arm;

a resilient locking tab releasable holding said fuel door in said sliding interfaced position with respect to said hinge arm; and a fuel door locking system comprising:

said fuel door having a pin aperture;

an abutment of said hinge arm disposed adjacent said pin aperture; and

a locking pin adapted for being inserted into said pin aperture with an interfering relationship with respect thereto which impedes said locking pin from being removed from said pin aperture;

wherein when said fuel door is slidably interfaced on said hinge arm such that said fuel door is releasably held in position relative to said hinge arm by said resilient locking tab, and further when said locking pin is inserted into said pin aperture, then said abutment interferingly abuts said locking pin to prevent said fuel door from being slid off from said hinge arm irrespective of said resilient locking tab.

6. The fuel door, hinge arm and locking system of claim 5 , wherein said abutment is a primary abutment; further comprising:

a rib being connected with an inside surface of said fuel door, wherein said pin aperture is formed in said rib;

a secondary abutment of said hinge arm superposed said pin aperture;

wherein when said locking pin is fully inserted into said pin aperture, said secondary abutment abuts an end of the locking pin and the other end of the locking pin is generally flush with said rib.

7. The fuel door, hinge arm and locking system of claim 6 , wherein said locking pin comprises:

a resilient cylinder wall free of a drive head, said cylinder wall having a longitudinal slot formed therein;

wherein said cylinder wall has a first outside diameter which is larger than a diameter of said pin aperture; and wherein a width of said slot of said cylinder wall is reduced to provide a second outside diameter of said cylinder wall which is substantially equal to said diameter of said pin aperture when said locking pin is inserted into said pin aperture.

8. A method for locking a fuel door to a hinge arm, comprising the steps of:

sliding a fuel door onto a hinge arm;

holding the fuel door in sliding relation on the hinge arm by selectively releasable operation of a resilient locking tab;

inserting a locking pin into a pin aperture of the fuel door;

establishing an interference relationship between the locking pin and the pin aperture which impedes the locking pin from being removed from the pin aperture; and

abuttingly interfering the hinge arm with respect to the inserted locking pin such that the fuel door is prevented from being slid off the hinge arm by the abutting interference irrespective of the selectively releasable operation of the resilient locking tab.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

abuttingly interfering the hinge arm with respect to the inserted locking pin such that the locking pin is located with respect to the pin aperture so as to be prevented from being inserted, during said step of inserting, entirely through the pin aperture.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of establishing comprises:

squeezing said locking pin to a small diameter thereof which is substantially equal to a diameter of said pin aperture;

wherein when said step of squeezing is terminated, the locking pin resiliently presses upon an aperture wall which defines the pin aperture.

Assignments (8)