JPH0366229B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to a fuel filler cap with a key.

[Prior Art] For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a conventional keyed fuel filler cap includes a closure 101 that is screwed into an injection port (not shown), and a closure that rotates relative to the closure 101. A race 103, an outer shell member 105 (operating handle) that engages with the race 103, and a coupling mechanism 107 that is assembled inside the closure 101 and connects and releases the closure between the closure 101 and the outer shell member 105. It is completed.

The locking member 109 of the coupling mechanism 107 has a locking portion 11 that engages with a claw portion 113 of the drive finger 11.
5 and is connected to a cylinder lock assembly 117 having a key insertion opening.

Therefore, the lock portion 115 can be moved between a restraining position (solid line in FIG. 7) where the drive finger 111 engaged with the pawl 117 of the race 103 is restrained by a key operation and a restraining release position (FIG. 8) in which the restraint is released. (solid line). As a result, the rotational power (in the loosening direction) of the outer shell member 105 is transmitted to the closure 101 at the restraining position of the lock portion 115. Moreover, the rotational power (tightening direction) of the outer shell member 105 is transmitted to the closure 1011 at the restraint release position. In this case, the key will be locked in the direction of loosening. like this,
For example, those having this structure are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 12984/1984.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such a fuel filler cap with a key, the locking member 109 of the coupling mechanism for coupling and releasing the coupling between the closure 101 and the outer shell member 105 can be moved to and from the constraint position by key operation. Since a key operation is always required to lock the key from the point where the key is switched to the release position, there has been a problem in which the user may forget to lock the key in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a fuel filler cap with a key that automatically locks the key by removing the cap during fuel injection and then tightening the cap again with the key removed after injection is completed. It is an object.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a cap body that is removably screwed into a fuel inlet, and a cap body that is rotatable relative to the pair of cap bodies. a race having a latch pawl that engages with the handle and can be engaged in only one direction; a drive finger that is rotatable to an over-engagement position in which the fingers engage with each other in a deep rotation and further rotates outward from the engagement position; The finger lock position restricts the inward movement of the drive finger, and the lock member rotates to return to the neutral position when the drive finger is in the over-engaged position.

[Function] In such a fuel filler cap with a key, when the cap is removed, the lock member is rotated to the lock position by key operation to restrict inward movement of the drive finger. At this time, since the cap body and the operating handle are integrated, the cap can be loosened by rotating the handle counterclockwise.

Next, to attach the removed cap, rotate the operating handle clockwise to tighten the cap.

During this tightening, the drive finger that engages with the latch pawl rotates to the over-engaged position, so that the lock member rotates back to the neutral position. Therefore, when the operating handle is rotated in the direction of loosening when the final tightening is completed, the latch pawl and the drive finger are undone, causing the operating handle to rotate idly, resulting in a so-called key lock state.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 4.

In the figure, 1 indicates the cap body of the fuel filler cap 3 with a key, 5 indicates an operating handle supported for relative rotation to the cap body 1, and the operating handle 5 has a raceway with a latch pawl 7. It engages with the convex portion 9a of No.9. This allows the race 9 to rotate together with the operating handle 5. The latch pawl 7 has a vertical surface 7a that engages with a pawl portion 13a of a drive finger 13 (described later) when rotated clockwise, and an inclined surface 7b that misses when rotated counterclockwise. There are 4 locations.

A threaded portion 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the cap body 1 and is screwed into a fuel inlet (not shown), and a pair of drive fingers 13 are arranged inside.

The drive finger 13 extends along a tangential direction from a finger base 17 fixedly supported by the inner sleeve 15 of the cap body 1, and has a claw portion 13a at the tip.
faces the engagement position (solid line in FIG. 3) where it faces the latch pawl 7, and its inward movement is regulated by the lock member 19. Furthermore, when a clockwise force (arrow A in FIG. 2) is applied to the claw portion 13a of the drive finger 13, the engagement position (solid line in FIG. 2)
It is possible to rotate further to the over-engaged position (dashed line in FIG. 2), where it rotates further outward.

The lock body 19a of the lock member 19 is connected via a cylinder arm 23 to a key cylinder 21 having a key insertion port 21a, and is normally connected to a key cylinder 21 having a key insertion port 21a.
is biased to the neutral position (broken line in Figure 2). In addition, by key operation, the drive fingers 13 can be freely rotated from the neutral position to the finger lock position (solid line in Figure 2) where they engage with the inside of the claw portion 13a, and when in the finger lock position, the drive finger 13 is restricted from moving inward. be done. Further, when the drive finger 13 is in the over-engaged position, the lock member 19 is rotated back to the neutral position by the spring 25.

In addition, 27 is the inner sleeve 1 of the cap body 1.
5 is a valve assembly that controls the release of pressure and vacuum from the opening 29, and is supported by a cover plate 31.

To remove the keyed fuel filler cap constructed in this way, the lock member 19 in the neutral position is rotated to the finger lock position against the force of the spring 25 by key operation. At this time, since the drive finger 13 is restricted from moving inward,
The claw portion 13a of the drive finger 13 is connected to the lock member 19.
The operation handle 5 is rotated counterclockwise (the fourth
By rotating the cap body 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, the cap body 1 becomes loosened.

Next, to attach the removed cap, place the cap body 1 against the fuel inlet (not shown) and turn the operating handle 5 clockwise (arrow A in FIG. 3). At this time, after the operating handle 5 has idly rotated by a predetermined amount, the vertical surface 7a of the latch pawl 7 and the pawl portion 13 of the drive finger 13
The cap body 1 is in an engaged state where it collides with a.
becomes confined. During this tightening, the claw portion 13a of the drive finger 13 rotates to the over-engaged position (dashed line in FIG. 2), so that the lock member 19 is rotated by the spring 25 back to its original neutral position. The return rotation of the locking member 19 is such that it automatically returns even when the key is removed, and the key is locked in a state where it will not loosen even if the operating handle 5 is rotated counterclockwise when tightening is completed. will be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the keyed fuel filler cap of the present invention, even if the cap is tightened with the key removed, the key is automatically locked as soon as tightening is completed. This eliminates the need to forget to lock the key.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the keyed fuel filler cap of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line - - in Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the lock member, and Fig. 5. is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the conventional example, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the drive finger of the conventional example,
FIGS. 7 and 8 are explanatory views of the same operation as FIGS. 3 and 4. Explanation of main drawing symbols, 1...Cap body, 5
...Operation handle, 7...Latch claw, 9...Race, 13...Drive finger, 13a...Claw portion of drive finger, 19...Lock member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cap body that is removably screwed into the fuel inlet, an operation handle that is rotatably supported relative to the cap pair, and a latch claw that engages with the handle and can be engaged in only one direction. and an over-engaged position in which the race is fixedly supported on the cap body and misses the latch pawl when the operation handle is loosened, and engages with the latch pawl when the operating handle is tightened, and rotates further outward from the engaged position. a drive finger that can be rotated to the opposite direction, a finger lock position that engages with a claw portion of the drive finger to restrict inward movement of the finger by key operation, and a return rotation to a neutral position at an over-engaged position of the drive finger. A fuel filler cap with a key, characterized in that it consists of a movable locking member.