The present application is based on, and claims priority from, German Application Number 10 2004 035013.2, filed Jul. 20, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
This invention relates to a locking system for a fuel door housing.
A fuel door housing has become known from DE 203 11 149 U1, for example. It comprises a single-piece cup shaped body which is inserted into a through aperture in the body of a vehicle. The cup shaped body pivotally supports a tank flap which, at its inside, has an arresting shoulder which interacts with a closing element of a closing device. The closing device may be driven via a central power door lock control. The closing device is housed in a separate compartment of the cup shaped body.
It is the object of the invention to provide a locking system for a fuel door housing in which the tank flap can be automatically locked by closing it from the opened position, and in which the tank flap is automatically unlocked by applying a pressure thereto while the flap is being swung out through a certain angle and, finally, in which the unlocked position of the locking device is lockable.
In the inventive locking system, a locking projection which has a lateral locking recess is arranged at the inside of the tank flap. The locking recess interacts with a spring leg mounted on one side, e.g. a spring wire, on the cup shaped body. The spring leg may be resiliently movable between a locking position and a releasing position. It will engage the locking recess when it is in a locking position. This is the case when the tank flap is in its closed position. The spring leg is mounted in such a way here as to automatically snap into the locking recess when the tank flap is moved to the closed position.
Furthermore, the cup shaped body has disposed therein an ejector body which is guided along an axis which points to the same direction as the axis of the locking projection with the ejector body being movable between an outer and an inner position. If the terms “inner” and outer” are spoken of above and below they refer to the position in which the fuel door housing is mounted in the vehicle. The tank flap, when in a closed position, is in the same plane as the adjoining outer surfaces of the automobile body. Therefore, the term “inner” suggest that the part concerned is farther inward with respect to the outer shell of the body.
The ejector body is biased by a first biasing spring, namely to the outer position. Therefore, the ejector body attempts to move the locking projection to the outside, but is prevented for a time as long as the spring leg is seated in the locking recess. When the spring leg is moved out of the locking recess the ejector body, while being driven by its biasing spring, will be able to move the locking projection to the outside, thus swinging out the tank flap through a certain angle.
To allow the automobile user to easily open the tank flap, the invention further provides an oblique deflection surface in the area of the locking recess by which the spring leg is deflected sidewards when the locking projection is moved inwardly against the first biasing spring. This causes the spring leg to be swung to its releasing position. However, care should be taken to maintain the spring leg in the releasing position because otherwise it would snap back automatically into the locking recess after the locking projection has moved to the outside. Therefore, the invention provides a locking body which is movably supported in the cup shaped body in parallel with the axis of the ejector body between an outer and an inner position and is biased by a second spring against an abutment of the cup shaped body, the direction of bias being from the outside to the inside. The locking body has a lateral shoulder which is disposed between the spring leg and the tank flap when the tank flap is in the closed position. The second biasing spring attempts to move the locking body from the outside to the inside, but is prevented from doing so by the spring leg. However, if the leg is swung out sidewards in the above-described manner it becomes possible to move the locking body via the second biasing spring from the outside to the inside, which causes the lateral shoulder to come to lie at the level of the spring leg. This way holds the spring leg in its releasing position and the ejector body can move the locking projection and, hence, the tank flap outwardly. During this procedure, a driver portion of the ejector body grasps the locking body and again moves it outwardly against the second biasing spring. As a result, the lateral shoulder releases the spring leg again and the spring leg can maintain the lateral shoulder between the spring leg and tank lid in a biased position for a next actuation.
If the tank lid is swung back to the completely closed position from the open one the locking projection should be given such a shape that the spring leg readily snaps into the locking recess. However, this deflection of the spring leg is insufficient to release the locking body or its lateral shoulder. This will not happen until the locking projection is forced inwards, swinging the spring leg to such an extent that the lateral shoulder is released and the locking body can be swung inwardly against an inner stop.
The inventive locking system needs little constructional space in the fuel door housing and requires a relatively small number of individual components. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the locking recess is formed by an annular groove and the deflection surface is formed by an oblique wall of the annular groove. The spring leg is a leg of a U-shaped wire spring the two spring legs of which preferably are approximately parallel while they engage the locking recess or annular groove.
According to another aspect of the invention, the spring leg or U-shaped wire spring can be attached to the inside of a lid by which the compartment which accommodates the described components of the locking system can be closed from the outside. For a pre-assembly, the locking body is pre-mounted on the lid by arranging the outer shoulder between the spring legs and the lid. The spring accommodated in the locking body is supported on the lid here and urges the extension against the upper side of the spring legs. The remaining components are introduced in the compartment of the cup shaped body that was opened before, and are fixed in an appropriate fashion.
If the tank lid is intended to be opened only if the power door locks produce an opening signal a locking mechanism should be provided for the ejector body such as to prevent the ejector body from being forced inwardly against its biasing spring from the tank lid. According to an aspect of the invention, the purpose is served by a locking element which is guided in a guide of the cup shaped body and is actuated by an electric motor via transmission means to shift the locking element to the locking position or unlocking position.
Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In
The compartment 12 accommodates a locking system 14 which is shown individually in
In
An annular groove 22 the upper groove wall 24 of which is configured as an oblique surface is formed between the portions 18, 20. Via the cylindrical portion 18, the locking projection 16 is connected to the inside of a tank flap which is hinged to the cup shaped body. This is not illustrated. Reference is made here to the German Utility Model which was repeatedly mentioned already.
In
An ejector body 16 is arranged below the locking projection 16. It has a sleeve-shaped portion 42 which accommodates a biasing spring 44 which is supported by the bottom (not shown) of the compartment 12 (
The U-shaped spring 26 is attached to a lid for the compartment 12. More reference to this fact will be made below. The sleeve-shaped portion 32 of the locking body 30 is axially guided in a cylindrical guide 56 in the compartment 12. An appropriate guide in the compartment 12 is also provided for the cylindrical portion or sleeve portion 42 of the ejector body 40. The radial extension 54 is guided in a guiding slot 58 of a wall 60 in the compartment 12 (also see
While the ejector body 40 is moving outwardly as described it finally strikes against the inside of the lid (not shown) that faces it. At this stage, the rib 50 grips under the flange 34 so as to carry along the locking body 30 upwards to the position shown in
The design of the locking system 14 is identical in all embodiments which now follow. This is why reference is no longer made to the locking system. By the way, those components of the locking system 14 which are shown there are given the same reference numbers as the locking system of
In
In a variation from
As ensues from
While the axis of rotation of the electric motor 66 extends in parallel with the axes of the locking body 30 and ejector body 40 in the previously described Figures the axis of the electric motor 66 of
In
The lid 100 has a circular hole 110 through which the cylindrical portion 18 of the locking projection 16 extends for a connection to the tank flap, which is not shown. The opening may be circumferentially provided with an annular gasket which provides a seal between the locking projection 16 and the opening 110. When the ejector body 40 is shifted upwards while the tank flap is opened the flange 46 comes to rest against the underside of the lid 100 and the conical extension 48 engages the opening 110 where it interacts with the gasket mounted there to establish a seal also in this condition. The seal mentioned is not shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2004 035 013 | Jul 2004 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3915491 | Montgomery | Oct 1975 | A |
4179143 | Shy | Dec 1979 | A |
4811763 | Kupske | Mar 1989 | A |
5238138 | Bois | Aug 1993 | A |
5580258 | Wakata | Dec 1996 | A |
6607224 | Hodges | Aug 2003 | B2 |
6702357 | Joerg et al. | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6786353 | Gourand | Sep 2004 | B2 |
7185938 | Beck | Mar 2007 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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197-11-331 | Sep 1998 | DE |
197 47 707 | May 1999 | DE |
101 37 035 | Feb 2003 | DE |
203 11 149 | Nov 2003 | DE |
203 11 149 | Nov 2003 | DE |
0 846 585 | Jun 1998 | EP |
1 281 558 | Feb 2003 | EP |
2 149 447 | Jun 1985 | GB |
2004041575 | May 2004 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060016814 A1 | Jan 2006 | US |