LOCKING CAP

Abstract

A cap for selective attachment with a threaded opening includes an outer cover and an inner portion, the inner portion lying at least partially within the outer cover and having threads engageable with the threaded opening and a set of circumferentially-spaced teeth arranged to selectively receive torque from manual rotation of the outer cover. A slider in constant driving engagement with the outer cover is selectively engageable with the teeth of the inner portion to transmit torque from the outer cover to the inner portion. An actuator is provided to actuate the slider into and out of engagement with the teeth of the inner portion. A lock is provided accessible from outside the outer cover and being coupled to the actuator. A locked state of the cap is one in which the slider is removed from engagement with the teeth of the inner portion by the lock and actuator and an unlocked state of the cap is one in which the slider is engaged with the teeth of the inner portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a locking cap according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly view of the locking cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the locking cap of FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the locking cap of FIG. 1 shown in the unlocked state with the cover removed.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the locking cap of FIG. 1 shown in the locked state with the cover removed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a slider of the locking cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the locking cap of FIG. 1 with a dust cover opened;

FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly view of a locking cap according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the locking cap of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the locking cap of FIG. 8, taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an outer cover portion of the locking cap of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the outer portion of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a slider of the locking cap of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an actuator of the locking cap of FIG. 8.

Claims

1. A cap for selective attachment with a threaded opening, the cap comprising: an outer cover defining an axis and being manually rotatable about the axis, the outer cover further defining an interior space and providing guide portions;an inner portion lying at least partially within the interior space and including threads engageable with the threaded opening and set of circumferentially-spaced teeth;a slider in constant driving engagement with the outer cover and being selectively engaged with the teeth of the inner portion to transmit torque from the outer cover to the inner portion, the slider having an axial opening with screw threads;an actuator having external screw threads engageable with the screw threads of the slider; anda lock accessible from outside the outer cover and being coupled to the actuator, wherein, in a locked state of the cap, the slider is axially removed from the teeth of the inner portion by the lock and actuator, and, in an unlocked state of the cap, the slider is engaged with the teeth of the inner portion;wherein axial movement of the slider is guided by sliding contact with the guide portions of the outer cover upon rotation of the lock and actuator.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the outer cover includes a transverse wall extending perpendicular to the axis, and the guide portions include posts that protrude from the transverse wall into the interior space.

3. The cap of claim 2, wherein the slider includes notches formed to receive the posts.

4. The cap of claim 3, wherein the notches are circumferentially-spaces about a flange portion of the slider and are each open on a radially outward side.

5. The cap of claim 3, wherein the slider is formed with ratchet members, which extend radially outwardly from the flange portion.

6. The cap of claim 1, wherein the slider is formed with ratchet members configured to drive the inner portion in a cap-removing direction without slippage and to drive the inner portion in a cap-installing direct on with a torque-limited connection.

7. The cap of claim 1, further comprising a cam lobe on the lock, rotatable upon rotation of the key in the lock, and further comprising a pocket formed in the actuator for receiving the cam lobe and rotatably coupling the actuator thereto in a substantially 1:1 drive ratio.

8. The cap of claim 1, wherein the threads of the inner portion are formed on an interior sidewall of the inner portion.

9. A method of locking and unlocking a threaded cap having a manually-rotatable outer cover and a threaded portion that are selectively coupled to each other for torque transmission by a slider, the method comprising the acts of: providing at least one male/female coupling between the outer cover and the slider that allows sliding movement between the outer cover and the slider along a central axis of the cap and prevents any substantial relative rotation between the outer cover and the slider;providing an actuator coupled to a key-operated lock for direct rotation therewith and coupled to the slider with inter-engaging screw threads;rotating the lock and the actuator in a first direction to move the slider along the central axis and into engagement with the threaded portion and establish a driving connection between the outer cover and the threaded portion, thereby unlocking the cap; androtating the lock and the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the slider along the axis and out of engagement with the threaded portion to sever the driving connection between the outer cover and the threaded portion, thereby locking the cap.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the act of maintaining the actuator in one predetermined position along the central axis during unlocking and/or locking of the cap.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein an act of unlocking the cap includes the act of meshing teeth of the slider with teeth of the threaded portion.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein an act of locking the cap includes the act of removing teeth of the slider from meshing engagement with teeth of the threaded portion.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the act of transforming rotational movement of the lock to linear movement of the slider via the inter-engaging screw threads.

14. A locking mechanism for changing the locked/unlocked sate of a threaded cap by selectively coupling an decoupling an outer cover and threaded member, the mechanism comprising: a lock having a locked state and an unlocked state;an actuator coupled to a portion of the lock for rotation therewith and being formed with a screw thread; anda slider formed with a screw thread for engaging the screw thread of the actuator, the slider being fixed against relative rotation with respect to the outer cover;wherein the slider is spaced from the threaded member when the lock is in the locked state, and the slider is engaged with the threaded member when the lock is in the unlocked state, the slider being movable in axial position and fixed in rotational orientation and transverse position with respect to the outer cover and threaded member; andwherein the actuator is axially and transversely stationary with respect to the outer cover and threaded member.

15. The locking mechanism of claim 14, wherein the slider includes a plurality of guideways engaging a plurality of protrusions on the outer cover.

16. The locking mechanism of claim 15, wherein the protrusions are integrally-formed posts extending axially from a transverse wall of the outer cover.

17. The locking mechanism of claim 14, wherein the actuator is formed with a pocket that receives a cam lobe of the lock for 1:1 rotation therewith.

18. The locking mechanism of claim 14, wherein the screw thread of the actuator is formed on an exterior surface thereof, and the screw thread of the slider is formed on an interior surface thereof.

19. The locking mechanism of claim 14, wherein the connection between the slider and the threaded member is torque-limited by ratchet members on the slider to prevent over-lightening.

20. A lockable fuel cap configured for threaded engagement with a fill tube or tank opening, the fuel cap comprising: an outer cover having a transverse wall and a plurality of posts extending from the transverse wall into an interior space of the outer cover;a slider having a plurality of open-ended notches around a periphery thereof for engagement with the plurality of posts and having a plurality of flexible ratchet members, each being formed with a ratchet tooth at a distal end there;a lock operable by a key having a locked condition and an unlocked condition, the lock including a cam lobe;a screw actuator coupled to the cam lobe to be rotatably driven by rotation of the lock, the screw actuator being further engaged with the slider via inter-engaging screw threads; anda threaded portion positioned substantially within the outer cover an having an inwardly-facing set of ratchet teeth;wherein in ratchet teeth are selectively engageable by the ratchet teeth of the slider to establish a driving connection between the outer cover and the threaded portion suitable to allow removal and/or installation of the fuel cap.