U.S. patent application number 11/610095 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for filler neck closure detector.
This patent application is currently assigned to STANT MANUFACTURING INC.. Invention is credited to Dennis M. DeCapua, Douglas O. Gregory.
Application Number | 20070137730 11/610095 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38172043 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070137730 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DeCapua; Dennis M. ; et
al. |
June 21, 2007 |
FILLER NECK CLOSURE DETECTOR
Abstract
A fuel system includes a fuel tank filler neck, a filler neck
closure, and a filler neck closure location monitor associated with
the fuel tank filler neck and the filler neck closure.
Inventors: |
DeCapua; Dennis M.;
(Greenfield, IN) ; Gregory; Douglas O.; (Richmond,
IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARNES & THORNBURG LLP
11 SOUTH MERIDIAN
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
US
|
Assignee: |
STANT MANUFACTURING INC.
1620 Columbia Avenue
Connersville
IN
47331
|
Family ID: |
38172043 |
Appl. No.: |
11/610095 |
Filed: |
December 13, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60743043 |
Dec 15, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/311R ;
220/212; 220/86.2; 220/DIG.32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/0406
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/311.00R ;
220/086.2; 220/DIG.032; 220/212 |
International
Class: |
B65D 47/02 20060101
B65D047/02; B65B 1/04 20060101 B65B001/04; B65D 51/00 20060101
B65D051/00 |
Claims
1. A filler neck closure detector comprising a filler neck, a
filler neck closure adapted to be coupled to the filler neck to
establish a home position closing an open mouth into a
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, and a filler
neck closure location monitor including a warning indicator and
detection means for activating the warning indicator upon movement
of the filler neck closure to an away position uncoupled from the
filler neck to provide a message to a user that the filler neck
closure has been removed from the filler neck and for deactivating
the warning indicator upon movement of the filler neck closure to
the home position coupled to the filler neck to provide a message
to a user that the filler neck closure has been mounted on the
filler neck.
2. The detector of claim 1, wherein the detection means includes a
tag coupled to the filler neck closure, a transceiver coupled to
the filler neck, and a control unit coupled to the transceiver and
to the warning indicator, and the transceiver is formed to include
means for sensing the presence of the tag in the filler neck and
instructing the control unit to activate the warning indicator only
when the tag has been removed from the filler neck.
3. The detector of claim 1, wherein the detection means includes a
tag coupled to the filler neck closure, a transceiver coupled to
the filler neck, and a control unit coupled to the transceiver and
to the warning indicator, the transceiver includes means for
emitting a tag locator signal in the filler neck, the tag includes
broadcast means energized by receipt of the tag locator signal
emitted by the transceiver for broadcasting a tag-located signal to
the transceiver upon movement of the filler neck closure to the
home position in the filler neck, and the transceiver further
includes signal receiver means for receiving the tag-located signal
broadcast by the tag to verify the presence of the tag and the
filler neck closure in the filler neck and instructor means for
instructing the control unit to deactivate the warning indicator
upon receipt of the tag-located signal broadcast by the tag and for
instructing the control unit to activate the warming indicator upon
failure to receive the tag-located signal broadcast by the tag.
4. The detector of claim 1, wherein the filler neck closure
includes a hand grip, a tag carrier, and a retainer configured to
mate with the filler neck to retain the filler neck closure in the
home position and interposed between and coupled to each of the
hand grip and tag carrier, and the tag is coupled to the tag
carrier.
5. The detector of claim 4, wherein the filler neck includes a fuel
pipe and a closure receiver coupled to an outer portion of the fuel
pipe and the transceiver is coupled to the closure receiver.
6. The detector of claim 5, wherein the closure receiver includes
an annular side wall having an upper perimeter edge formed to
include an open mouth adapted to receive the filler neck closure
therein upon movement of the filler neck closure to assume the home
position in the filler neck, the closure receiver further includes
a floor formed to include an opening communicating with a liquid
fuel-receiving passageway formed in the fuel pipe and coupled to
the annular side wall to define an interior region receiving the
tag carrier and the tag upon movement of the filler neck closure to
assume the home position.
7. The detector of claim 6, wherein the transceiver is coupled to
the annular side wall of the closure receiver.
8. The detector of claim 7, wherein the transceiver is positioned
to lie outside the liquid fuel-receiving passageway formed in the
fuel pipe.
9. The detector of claim 6, wherein the transceiver is coupled to
the floor of the closure receiver.
10. The detector of claim 9, wherein the transceiver is positioned
to lie inside the liquid fuel-receiving passageway formed in the
fuel pipe.
11. A filer neck closure detector comprising a filler neck, a
filler neck closure adapted to be coupled to the filler neck to
establish a home position closing an open mouth into a
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, and a filler
neck closure location monitor including a tag coupled to the filler
neck closure, a transceiver coupled to the filler neck, a control
unit coupled to the transceiver, a power supply coupled to the
control unit, and a warning indicator coupled to the control
unit.
12. The detector of claim 11, wherein the transceiver includes
means for emitting an electromagnetic tag locator signal that has
an effective range generally inside the filler neck that can be
received by the tag upon movement of the filler neck closure to
assume the home position, the tag includes means for converting
electromagnetic energy received from the tag locator signal into a
tag-located signal upon movement of the filler neck closure to
assume the home position and broadcasting the tag-located signal to
the transceiver, the transceiver includes means for receiving the
tag-located signal broadcast by the tag and sending a
closure-is-home signal to the control unit whenever a tag-located
signal is received by the transceiver, and the control unit
includes means for turning the warning indicator off whenever a
closure-is-home signal is received from the transceiver and means
for turning the warning indicator on whenever a closure-is-home
signal is not received from the transceiver.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/743,043, filed
Dec. 15, 2005, which is expressly incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to closures, and particularly
to fuel tank filler neck closures. More particularly, the present
disclosure relates to filler neck closure detectors.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to the present disclosure, a vehicle fuel system
comprises a fuel tank, a fuel tank filler neck coupled to the fuel
tank, and a filler neck closure adapted to be coupled to the fuel
tank filler neck to close an open mouth into a liquid
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the fuel tank filler neck. A
filler neck closure location monitor associated with the filler
neck closure and with the fuel tank filler neck is also included in
the vehicle fuel system.
[0004] In illustrative embodiments, the filler neck closure
location monitor is configured to provide means for indicating
removal of the filler neck closure from a home position closing an
open mouth of the filler neck. The filler neck closure location
monitor is used to alert a user that the filler neck closure has
been removed from the filler neck, for example, when the fuel tank
is being refueled.
[0005] In illustrative embodiments, the filler neck closure
location monitor includes a tag coupled to the filler neck closure
and a transceiver coupled to the filler neck. The tag and the
transceiver cooperate to provide information to a control unit also
included in the filler neck closure location monitor to cause the
control unit to turn a dashboard warning indicator "on" in the
vehicle when the closure is separated from the filler neck and to
turn the dashboard warning indicator "off" when the closure is
mounted on the filler neck.
[0006] The tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device in
one embodiment of the present disclosure. The transceiver energizes
the RFID tag to create a "closure-is-home" signal that is sent by
the transceiver to the control unit when the filler neck closure is
mounted on the filler neck in the home position. The control unit
is programmed to turn the dashboard warning indicator "off" as long
as the transceiver receives a closure-is-home signal sent by the
RFID tag on the closure. The control unit is programmed to turn the
dashboard warning indicator "on" whenever the transceiver does not
receive a closure-is-home signal sent by the tag on the filler neck
closure.
[0007] Additional features of the present disclosure will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the
following detailed description of illustrative embodiments
exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as
presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The detailed description particularly refers to the
accompanying figures in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle provided with a
fuel system including a fuel tank, a fuel tank filler neck, a
filler neck closure, and a filler neck closure location monitor in
accordance with the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a closure mounted in a
home position in a filler neck (with portions broken away) to close
a mouth opening into the filler neck and a diagrammatic view of the
filler neck closure location monitor of FIG. 1 wherein the filler
neck closure location monitor includes a radio frequency
identification (RFID) "tag" coupled to the closure, a transceiver
coupled to the fuel tank filler neck, a power supply, a control
unit, and an indicator (OFF) providing a message that the closure
is mounted in the home position in the filler neck; and
[0011] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing movement of the
closure away from the filler neck and the transceiver to cause the
RFID tag on the closure to be removed from the effective signal
range of the transceiver on the filler neck, causing the control
unit to activate the indicator (ON) providing a message that the
closure has been removed from the filler neck.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] A fuel tank filler neck closure detection apparatus 10
includes a filler neck closure 12 adapted to be coupled to a fuel
tank filler neck 14 coupled to a fuel tank 15 associated with a
vehicle 17 and a filler neck closure location monitor 18, as shown,
for example, in FIG. 1. Filler neck closure 12 includes a hand grip
20, a tag carrier 22, an O-ring seal 23, and a retainer 24.
Retainer 24 is interposed between and coupled to each of hand grip
20 and tag carrier 22 in an illustrative embodiment. Retainer 24 is
formed to include external threads 26 and configured to carry
O-ring seal 23 as suggested, for example, in FIG. 2.
[0013] Filler neck 14 includes a fuel pipe or conduit 19 coupled to
fuel tank 15 and a closure receiver 21 coupled to an outer portion
of fuel pipe 19 in an illustrative embodiment suggested in FIGS. 2
and 3. Fuel pipe 19 is formed to include liquid fuel-conducting
passageway 119 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 3. Closure receiver 21
is sized and shaped to receive tag carrier 22 and retainer 24 of
filler neck closure 12 therein when filler neck closure 12 is
mounted in a filler neck-closing "home" position on filler neck 14
as shown, for example, in FIG. 2.
[0014] In an illustrative embodiment, closure receiver 21 includes
a threaded portion 28 configured to mate with external threads 26
on closure 12. It is within the scope of this disclosure to
configure retainer 24 to include any suitable means for mating with
filler neck 14 to retain closure 12 in the home position on filler
neck 14.
[0015] Closure receiver 21 also includes a floor 43 formed to
include an opening 45 and an annular side wall 42 positioned to lie
adjacent to threaded portion 28 and arranged to interconnect
annular side wall 42 and floor 43 as suggested in FIG. 3. Filler
neck 14 is formed to include an open mouth 44 configured to receive
a portion of filler neck closure 12 therein as also shown in FIGS.
2 and 3. Closure receiver 21 is formed to include open mouth 44 in
the illustrated embodiment and open mouth 44 is defined, for
example, by an upper perimeter edge 47 of annular side wall 42.
Threaded portion 28, floor 44, and annular side wall 42 cooperate
to define an interior region 46 of closure receiver 21 as suggested
in FIG. 3.
[0016] Hand grip 20 of closure receiver 21 is adapted to be grasped
by a user to allow the user to move filler neck closure 12 from a
"home" position mating with filler neck 14 and substantially
covering open mouth 44 of filler neck 14 to an "away" position in
which filler neck closure 12 is moved away from and uncovers open
mouth 44 of filler neck 14. Tag carrier 22 is arranged to extend
coaxially away from retainer portion 24 in direction 27 as
suggested in FIG. 3. Tag carrier 22 is configured to be smaller in
diameter than the larger diameter retainer 24 in an illustrative
embodiment. External threads 26 of retainer 24 are configured to
engage threaded portion 28 of filler neck 14 to couple filler neck
closure 12 to filler neck 14 in the home position substantially
covering mouth 44. It is within the scope of this disclosure to use
any suitable means for coupling filler neck closure 12 to filler
neck 14 in a filler neck-closing home position.
[0017] Filler neck closure location monitor 18 includes a tag 16
coupled to filler neck closure 12, a transceiver 34 coupled to
annular side wall 42 of closure receiver 21, a control unit 36, a
power supply 38, and a "warning" indicator 40. In an illustrative
embodiment, tag 16 is coupled to tag carrier 22 of filler neck
closure 12 as suggested in FIG. 3. It is within the scope of this
disclosure to mount or locate tag 16 elsewhere on filler neck
closure 12.
[0018] In an illustrative embodiment, tag 16 is arranged to be
coupled to and lie generally flush along an outer surface 32 of tag
carrier 22. Tag 16 may be configured, for example, as an
inductively coupled or a capacitively coupled radio frequency
identification (RFID) "tag" transceiver, a magnetic "smart card",
an infrared receptor, a transponder, or any other suitable
electronic or non-electronic tracking device. Illustratively, tag
16 is an RFID tag coupled to tag carrier 22 of filler neck closure
12. When filler neck closure 12 is moved to the filler neck-closing
home position in closure receiver 21 of filler neck 14, tag 16 is
generally positioned to lie within an electromagnetic field 30
emitted by transceiver 34 as suggested diagrammatically in FIG.
2.
[0019] Transceiver 34 may be configured, for example, continuously
to emit electromagnetic "tag locator" signal 30 generally within a
certain region of filler neck 14 (e.g., interior region 46 of
closure receiver 21) in which tag 16 on filler neck closure 12 will
reside when filler neck closure 12 is mounted in the home position
in filler neck 14. Transceiver 34 alternatively can emit an
intermittent signal, emit a signal at predetermined times, project
a magnetic field, or emit an electro-optical signal therein.
Transceiver 34 is coupled electrically to control unit 36 to
process signal data received by transceiver 34. Transceiver 34 is a
radio transmitter-receiver that uses many of the same components
for both transmission and reception in an illustrative
embodiment.
[0020] In an illustrative embodiment, transceiver 34 is coupled to
annular side wall 42 of closure receiver 21 as suggested in FIG. 2.
Illustratively, transceiver 34 is positioned to lie outside liquid
fuel-conducting passageway 119 formed in fuel pipe 19. In an
alternative embodiment suggested in FIG. 3, a transceiver 34' is
coupled to floor 44 and positioned to lie inside liquid
fuel-conducing passageway 119 formed in fuel pipe 19.
[0021] Power supply 38 is coupled electrically to control unit 36
and provides electrical power for operation of filler neck closure
location monitor 18. Indicator 40 is electrically coupled to
control unit 36 and is configured to provide a user with a visual
and/or an aural and/or a sensory report when control unit 36
determines that filler neck closure 12 has been removed from within
filler neck 14. In an illustrative embodiment, indicator 40 is
mounted on a vehicle dashboard (not shown) or other suitable
location in a vehicle.
[0022] Illustratively, transceiver 34 emits an electromagnetic tag
locator signal 30 that has an effective range generally within a
portion of filler neck 14 (e.g., interior region 46 of closure
receiver 21) that can be received by tag 16 when filler neck
closure 12 is received by filler neck 14 in the home position to
close open mouth 44 as shown best in FIG. 2. In response, tag 16 is
able to convert the electromagnetic energy received from tag
locator signal 30 into a "tag-located" signal 31. Tag 16 then
broadcasts tag-located signal 31 and tag-located signal 31 is
received by transceiver 34 and further processed by control unit 36
to verify the presence of tag 16 (and thus filler neck closure 12)
within filler neck 14 to establish that filler neck closure 12 has
been placed in the home position in filler neck 14.
[0023] While filler neck closure 12 is in the home position in
filler neck 14, control unit 36 will receive a "closure-is-home"
signal from transceiver 34 indicating the presence of tag 16 in
filler neck 14 and filler neck closure 12 in the home position in
filler neck 14 as suggested diagrammatically in FIG. 2. In this
situation, control unit 36 does not generate an indicator-actuated
signal. Therefore, warning indicator 40 is inactive (i.e., off) and
does not issue a "closure-is-away" report to a person in the
vehicle. This absence of a report suggests to a user that filler
neck closure 12 is located in the home position mounted on filler
neck 14 to close open mouth 44 of filler neck 14.
[0024] As the user disengages filler neck closure 12 from filler
neck 14 and moves filler neck closure 12 to the away position
during fuel tank refueling, tag 16 moves "out of" and "away from"
from the effective range of tag-locator signal 30 emitted by
transceiver 34. Under these conditions, transmitter 34 is unable to
generate and thus transmit tag-located signal 31 to control unit
36. Upon a failure to receive tag-located signal 31 from
transceiver 34, control unit 36 generates a "closure-is-away"
indicator-activation signal 39 and sends that signal to indicator
40 to energize indicator 40 (e.g., turn indicator 40 "on") to alert
the user that filler neck closure 12 has been moved from the home
position to the away position as shown diagrammatically in FIG.
3.
* * * * *