U.S. patent number RE46,009 [Application Number 13/930,960] was granted by the patent office on 2016-05-24 for fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stant USA Corp.. The grantee listed for this patent is Stant USA Corp.. Invention is credited to Lowell R Bell, J Bradley Groom.
United States Patent |
RE46,009 |
Groom , et al. |
May 24, 2016 |
Fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor
Abstract
A nozzle inhibitor is included in a fuel tank filler neck
closure assembly. The nozzle inhibitor blocks full insertion of a
small-diameter unleaded fuel nozzle into the filler neck closure
assembly yet allows full insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel
nozzle into the filler neck closure assembly.
Inventors: |
Groom; J Bradley (Oxford,
OH), Bell; Lowell R (Fountaintown, IN) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Stant USA Corp. |
Connersville |
IN |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Stant USA Corp. (Connersville,
IN)
|
Family
ID: |
40260325 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/930,960 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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60950764 |
Jul 19, 2007 |
|
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Reissue of: |
12172874 |
Jul 14, 2008 |
7967041 |
Jun 28, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K
15/04 (20130101); B60K 2015/0483 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
3/00 (20060101); B60K 15/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;141/346,286,348-350,363,367 ;251/149.1,149.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
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Other References
International Search Report for PCT International Application
Serial No. PCT/US2008/069926, completed Dec. 15, 2008. cited by
applicant .
European Search Report for EP06250718 dated Oct. 4, 2006. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Kaufman; Joseph
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Parent Case Text
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to
U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/950,764, filed Jul. 19,
2007, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, wherein the lock
comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock
opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the
closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
2. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
closure comprises a flapper door pivotably disposed adjacent to the
bottom portion of the nozzle conduit.
3. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 2, wherein the
closure further includes a return spring that operates with the
flapper door to bias the flapper door into the closed position and
to permit the flapper door to be pushed into the opened position
when the fuel-dispensing nozzle applies an opening force on the
flapper door and a door tongue included in the flapper door, that
cooperates with the lock such that the door tongue is retained in
the lock when the flapper door is in the closed position and is
released from the lock when the flapper door is in the opened
position.
4. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 3, wherein the
flapper door further includes a pivot mount and a door plate
arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the
return spring has a coiled portion with a first leg engaging the
nozzle conduit and a second leg engaging the pivot mount of the
flapper door, and the door tongue is cantilevered to the door plate
and arranged to extend in a direction away from the pivot
mount.
5. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
lock opening means comprises separate band movers disposed in an
annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit, the
variable-circumference band comprises spring material that
surrounds the band movers and comprises first and second blockers,
the blockers engage the closure when in the closed position, and
the blockers release the closure when in the opened position.
6. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
lock opening means includes push-head drivers and the push-head
drivers are substantially, equidistantly spaced with respect to one
another in the nozzle conduit.
7. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 6, wherein, to
release the closure, a majority of the push head drivers must
contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle.
8. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 7, wherein the
majority of push head drivers comprises all of the push head
drivers.
9. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, wherein the lock
opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and
push-head drivers, the push heads contact one another and foam a
circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed
position, and the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from
an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a
fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter.
10. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, further
comprising a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to
retain the lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with
respect to the nozzle conduit.
11. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, further comprising
a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to retain the
lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with respect to
the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure includes a flapper door
including a door plate and a plurality of band-mover guards
disposed on the door plate to engage the push heads when the
closure is in the closed position.
12. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 9, wherein the
lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the
lock opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the
closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
13. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, wherein the lock
opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and
push-head drivers, the push heads contact one another and form a
circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed
position, and the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from
an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a
fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter, wherein the lock
comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock
opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the
closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, wherein the
variable-circumference band is a circular band comprising spring
material that surrounds the lock opening means and comprises first
and second blockers, the first and second blockers engage the
closure when in the closed position, and the first and second
blockers release the closure when in the opened position.
14. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
fuel fill tube is capless.
15. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
first diameter is greater than or equal to about 23.5 mm and the
second diameter is less than or equal to about 21.5 mm.
16. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, wherein the lock
opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and
push-head drivers, the push heads contact one another and form a
circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed
position, and the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from
an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a
fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter, wherein the lock
comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock
opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the
closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, wherein the
variable-circumference band has end portions that overlap when the
lock is in the closed position.
17. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the
lock comprises separate band movers disposed in an annular
arrangement within the nozzle conduit, and the separate band movers
are adapted to move away from each other when moving from the
closed position to the opened position.
18. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock to retain the closure in a
closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and lock opening means for actuating the
lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle
conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving
passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock
to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, further comprising
a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to retain the
lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with respect to
the nozzle conduit, wherein the separate band movers are disposed
in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit and include
guide posts, and the guide housing comprises slots that cooperate
with the guide posts to guide the separate band movers move away
from each other from the closed position to the opened
position.
19. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 17, wherein in
the opened position, the separate band movers comprise an annular
circumferential arrangement with narrow spaces between the separate
band movers, and the separate band movers are arranged to extend
along the majority of the annular circumference with the narrow
spaces comprising a relatively small portion of the
circumference.
20. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel
tank filler neck, the assembly comprising inhibitor means for
preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing
pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler
neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a
large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor
means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed
to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted
for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to
the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and
wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door
lock and a multi-part lock opener coupled to the nozzle conduit and
to the hoop-shaped flapper door lock, wherein the hoop-shaped
flapper door lock includes a variable-circumference band that is
expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode
characterized by a first diameter and circumference to a
large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second
diameter and circumference, a first door-motion blocker coupled to
a first end portion of the variable-circumference band, and a
second door-motion blocker coupled to a second end portion of the
variable-circumference band and arranged normally to cooperate with
the first door-motion blocker to assume a drawn-together formation
to trap the flapper door therebetween when the
variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to
retain the flapper door in a closed position closing the
nozzle-receiving aperture, wherein the multi-part lock opener
includes several band movers located in an interior region formed
in the variable-circumference band and arranged to lie along an
interior surface of the variable-circumference band in spaced
relation to one another, and wherein the band movers cooperate to
move relative to the variable-circumference band and to one another
to expand the diameter and circumference of the
variable-circumference band to assume the large-diameter mode and
move the first and second door-motion blockers away from one
another to assume a spread-apart formation disengaging the flapper
door so as to release the flapper door in response to movement of
the large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle through the
nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle conduit to engage
the band movers and move the band movers in radially outward
directions to expand the variable-circumference band.
21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the variable-circumference
band is coiled normally to assume the narrow-diameter mode owing to
elasticity of spring material formed to make the
variable-circumference band, the variable-circumference band in the
narrow-diameter mode is arranged to urge the band movers to move in
radially inward directions toward a central axis passing through a
space bounded by the variable-circumference band, each band mover
is arranged in the space to contact a large-diameter
fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the space and to move
radially outwardly away from the central axis to expand the
variable-circumference band to cause the variable-circumference
band to move from the narrow-diameter mode to assume the
large-diameter mode, and the band movers are arranged in a spread
pattern to cause at least some of the band movers to avoid contact
with a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the
space to block expansion of the variable-circumference band so as
to cause the variable-circumference band to remain in the
narrow-diameter mode in response to movement of the small-diameter
fuel-dispensing nozzle along the central axis and through the
space.
22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein each band mover is arc-shaped
and the variable-circumference band is arranged to apply a radially
inwardly directed force to each band mover normally to arrange the
band movers in a packed relationship forming a circle and causing
ends of adjacent band movers to touch when the
variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode.
23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein each band mover includes an
actuator and a guide coupled to the actuator and arranged to extend
into and move back and forth in a slot formed in the nozzle conduit
during movement of the actuator relative to the nozzle conduit in
response to a force applied to the actuator by a large-diameter
fuel-dispensing nozzle moving along the central axis and in the
space.
24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the guide includes a lower
guide post coupled to a bottom of the actuator and arranged to
extend in a first direction away from the actuator into a companion
first slot formed in the nozzle conduit and an upper guide post
coupled to a top of the actuator and arranged to extend in an
opposite second direction away from the actuator into a companion
second slot formed in the nozzle conduit.
25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the actuator includes a
push-head driver formed to include a sloped ramp arranged to
provide means for engaging a tip of a moving large-diameter
fuel-dispensing nozzle moving downwardly along the central axis
through the space, the push-head driver is arranged to move
radially outwardly away from the central axis in response to
application of an external force to the sloped ramp by the moving
large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle, the actuator further
includes a push head including an exterior wall arranged to
confront the interior surface of the variable-circumference band
and an interior wall arranged to face toward the central axis, and
the push-head driver is coupled to the interior wall of the push
head to urge the push head to move away from the central axis to
apply an expansion force to the interior surface
variable-circumference band to expand the variable-circumference
band to assume the large-diameter mode in response to radially
outward movement of the push-head driver.
26. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the flapper door includes a
pivot mount, a door tongue, and a door plate arranged to
interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the pivot mount
is coupled to the nozzle conduit to support the flapper door for
pivotable movement about a pivot axis between the opened and closed
positions, and the first and second door-motion blockers cooperate
in the drawn-together formation to mate with and restrain the door
tongue when the flapper door is in the closed position to block
pivotable movement of the flapper door from the closed position
toward an opened position.
27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the variable-circumference
band is made of an elastic material configured normally to
establish variable-circumference band in the narrow-diameter mode,
includes a curved strip having the first and second end portions,
and the first and second end portions are arranged to lie in
side-by-side relation to one another to move relative to one
another in slip-sliding relation during change of the
variable-circumference band between the narrow-diameter mode and
the large-diameter mode.
28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second
door-motion blockers is L-shaped and includes a downwardly
extending blade cantilevered to the variable-circumference band and
an inwardly extending latch finger coupled to a free end of a
companion downwardly extending blade, the inwardly extending latch
finger of the first door-motion blocker extends in a first
direction, and the inwardly extending latch finger of the second
door-motion blocker extends in an opposite second direction toward
the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion
blocker.
29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein the flapper door is formed to
include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel and the
hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug
coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend
upwardly toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel.
30. The assembly of claim 28, wherein the door tongue extends into
a space bordered in part by the first and second end portions of
the variable-circumference band, spaced-apart portions of the
downwardly extending blades of the first and second door-motion
blockers, and end-to-end portions of the first and second
door-motion blockers.
31. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door
lock further includes an anti-rotation tab coupled to the curved
strip of the variable-circumference band and arranged to extend
into a channel formed in the nozzle conduit to provide means for
blocking an operator from using an unauthorized fuel-dispensing
nozzle to pull on one of the first and second door-motion blockers
more than another of the first and second door-motion blockers in
an attempt to unlock the hoop-shaped flapper door lock by
separating the first and second door-motion blockers from the door
tongue of the flapper door.
32. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the flapper door further
includes a pair of upstanding band-mover guards coupled to the door
plate and arranged to extend upwardly toward a fuel-dispensing
nozzle moving through the nozzle-receiving passageway toward the
door plate and the pair of upstanding band-mover guards is formed
to include a channel therebetween to receive a nose portion of one
of the push-head drivers when the variable-circumference band has
assumed the narrow-diameter mode.
33. The assembly of claim 32, wherein the flapper door includes
several more pairs of upstanding band-mover guards coupled to the
door plate and arranged to extend upwardly toward a fuel-dispensing
nozzle moving through the nozzle-receiving passageway toward the
door plate and the pairs of upstanding band-mover guards cooperate
to define means for blocking movement of a small-diameter
fuel-dispensing nozzle in the space formed in the
variable-circumference band to cause all of the band movers to move
in radially outward directions to expand the circumference of the
variable-circumference band and thus unlock the hoop-shaped flapper
door lock by separating the first and second door-motion blockers
from the door tongue of the flapper door.
34. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising an inhibitor
housing adapted to be coupled to an outer end of a filler neck and
formed to include floater means for supporting the nozzle conduit
for lateral floating movement in an interior region of the fill
tube relative to the fill tube to block unauthorized attempts by an
operator to use a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle to unlock a
normally locked flapper door to regulate admission of
fuel-dispensing nozzles through the fill tube and the
nozzle-receiving aperture formed in the wall of the fill tube.
35. The assembly of claim 34, wherein the nozzle conduit includes a
support flange, the inhibitor housing is formed to include an
interior region and a flange-receiving space opening into the
interior region of the inhibitor housing and defining the floater
means, and the support flanges extend into the flange-receiving
space to allow lateral floating movement of the nozzle conduit in
the interior region of the inhibitor housing during unauthorized
attempts to use a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle to unlock
the normally locked flapper door.
36. The assembly of claim 35, wherein the inhibitor housing
includes a base adapted to be coupled to an outer end of a filler
neck and formed to include the interior region of the inhibitor
housing and a crown coupled to an outer portion of the base to form
the flange-receiving space therebetween.
37. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the crown includes an
interior block located in spaced-apart relation to the base to
define the flange-receiving space therebetween and an outer shell
arranged to surround and mate with the interior block and coupled
to the base to retain the interior block in a stationary position
relative to the base.
38. The assembly of claim 35, wherein the nozzle conduit further
includes a carrier shell and a guide housing coupled to the carrier
shell to move therewith in the interior region of the inhibitor
housing, the flapper door is coupled to the guide housing, and the
carrier shell is formed to include the support flange.
39. The assembly of claim 38, wherein the carrier shell includes a
housing mount coupled to the support flange and to the guide
housing.
40. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel
tank filler neck, the assembly comprising inhibitor means for
preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing
pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler
neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a
large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor
means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed
to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted
for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to
the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and
wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door
lock and wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock includes a
variable-circumference band that is expandable to change from a
normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first diameter and
circumference to a large-diameter mode characterized by a
relatively larger second diameter and circumference, a first
door-motion blocker coupled to a first end portion of the
variable-circumference band, and a second door-motion blocker
coupled to a second end portion of the variable-circumference band
and arranged normally to cooperate with the first door-motion
blocker to assume a drawn-together formation to trap the flapper
door therebetween when the variable-circumference band assumes the
narrow-diameter mode to retain the flapper door in a closed
position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture.
41. The assembly of claim 40, wherein the flapper door includes a
pivot mount, a door tongue, and a door plate arranged to
interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the pivot mount
is coupled to the nozzle conduit to support the flapper door for
pivotable movement about a pivot axis between the opened and closed
positions, and the first and second door-motion blockers cooperate
in the drawn-together formation to mate with and restrain the door
tongue when the flapper door is in the closed position to block
pivotable movement of the flapper door from the closed position
toward an opened position.
42. The assembly of claim 41, wherein the flapper door is formed to
include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel and the
hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug
coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend
upwardly toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel.
43. The assembly of claim 41, wherein the variable-circumference
band is made of an elastic material configured normally to
establish variable-circumference band in the narrow-diameter mode,
includes a curved strip having the first and second end portions,
and the first and second end portions are arranged to lie in
side-by-side relation to one another to move relative to one
another in slip-sliding relation during change of the
variable-circumference band between the narrow-diameter mode and
the large-diameter mode.
44. The assembly of claim 43, wherein each of the first and second
door-motion blockers is L-shaped and includes a downwardly
extending blade cantilevered to the variable-circumference band and
an inwardly extending latch finger coupled to a free end of a
companion downwardly extending blade, the inwardly extending latch
finger of the first door-motion blocker extends in a first
direction, and the inwardly extending latch finger of the second
door-motion blocker extends in an opposite second direction toward
the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion
blocker.
45. The assembly of claim 44, wherein the flapper door is formed to
include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel, the hoop-shaped
flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug coupled to
the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly
toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel, the first
retainer lug is coupled to a free end of the inwardly extending
latch flinger of the first door-motion blocker, and the second
retainer lug is coupled to a free end of the inwardly extending
latch finger of the second door-motion blocker.
46. The assembly of claim 43, wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door
lock further includes an anti-rotation tab coupled to the curved
strip of the variable-circumference band and arranged to extend
into a channel formed in the nozzle conduit to provide means for
blocking an operator from using an unauthorized fuel-dispensing
nozzle to pull on one of the first and second door-motion blockers
more than another of the first and second door-motion blockers in
an attempt to unlock the hoop-shaped flapper door lock by
separating the first and second door-motion blockers from the door
tongue of the flapper door.
47. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock comprising a
variable-circumference band that retains the closure in a closed
position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and
releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first
diameter, and a plurality of independently operable actuators
within the nozzle conduit, wherein the actuators are adapted to
contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the
nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the actuators cooperate with
the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has
the first diameter, and wherein the actuators cooperate with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter.
48. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
closure is a flapper door pivotably disposed adjacent to the bottom
portion of the nozzle conduit.
49. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 48, wherein the closure
further includes a return spring that operates with the flapper
door to bias the flapper door into the closed position and to
permit the flapper door to be pushed into the opened position when
the fuel-dispensing nozzle applies an opening force on the flapper
door, and a door tongue, included in the flapper door, that
cooperates with the lock such that the door tongue is retained in
the lock when the flapper door is in the closed position and is
released from the lock when the flapper door is in the opened
position.
50. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 49, wherein the
flapper door further includes a pivot mount and a door plate
arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the
return spring has a coiled portion, a first leg engaging the nozzle
conduit, and a second leg engaging the pivot mount of the flapper
door, and the door tongue is cantilevered to the door plate and
arranged to extend in a direction away from the pivot mount.
51. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the
actuators and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure
in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
52. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
actuators are slidably mounted within the nozzle conduit and move
in a radial direction with respect to a centerline of the nozzle
conduit.
53. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 51, wherein the
variable-circumference band is a band spring that surrounds the
actuators and comprises first and second blockers, the blockers
engage the closure when in the closed position, and the blockers
release the closure when in the opened position.
54. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein each
of the actuators includes a push-head driver, and the push-head
drivers are substantially, equidistantly spaced with respect to one
another in the nozzle conduit.
55. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 54, wherein, to release the
closure, a majority of the push-head drivers must contact the
fuel-dispensing nozzle.
56. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 55, wherein the majority of
the push-head drivers comprises all of the push-head drivers.
57. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
fuel fill tube is capless.
58. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
first diameter is greater than or equal to about 23.5 mm and the
second diameter is less than or equal to about 21.5 mm.
59. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock that retains the closure in
a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has
the first diameter, and a plurality of independently operable
actuators within the nozzle conduit, wherein the actuators are
adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into
the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the actuators cooperate
with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, and wherein the actuators cooperate with
the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, wherein the lock
comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the
actuators and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure
in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
variable-circumference band has end portions that overlap when the
lock is in the closed position.
60. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the
lock comprises separate band movers disposed in an annular
arrangement within the nozzle conduit, and the separate band movers
are adapted to move away from each other when moving from the
closed position to the opened position.
61. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit
positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is
constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle
conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a
fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter
selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second
fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, a lock that retains the closure in
a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second
diameter and releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has
the first diameter, and a plurality of independently operable
actuators within the nozzle conduit, wherein the actuators are
adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into
the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the actuators cooperate
with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle
has the first diameter, wherein the actuators cooperate with the
lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter, separate band
movers disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle
conduit, and the separate band movers are adapted to move away from
each other when moving from the closed position to the opened
position, wherein the separate band movers include guide posts, and
the guide housing comprises slots that cooperate with the guide
posts to guide the separate band movers move away from each other
from the closed position to the opened position.
62. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 60, wherein, in
the opened position, the separate band movers comprise an annular
circumferential arrangement with narrow spaces between the separate
band movers, the separate band movers extending along the majority
of the annular circumference with the narrow spaces comprising a
relatively small portion of the circumference.
63. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel
tank filler neck, the assembly comprising inhibitor means for
preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing
pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler
neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a
large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the
fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor
means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed
to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted
for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to
the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and
wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door
lock and a multi-part lock opener coupled to the nozzle conduit and
to the hoop-shaped flapper door lock, wherein the hoop-shaped
flapper door lock includes a variable-circumference band that is
expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode
characterized by a first diameter and circumference to a
large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second
diameter and circumference, a first door-motion blocker coupled to
a first end portion of the variable-circumference band, and a
second door-motion blocker coupled to a second end portion of the
variable-circumference band and arranged normally to cooperate with
the first door-motion blocker to assume a drawn-together formation
to trap the flapper door therebetween when the
variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to
retain the flapper door in a closed position closing the
nozzle-receiving aperture, wherein the multi-part lock opener
includes several band movers located in an interior region formed
in the variable-circumference band and arranged to lie along an
interior surface of the variable-circumference band, and wherein
the band movers cooperate to move relative to the
variable-circumference band and to one another to expand the
diameter and circumference of the variable-circumference band to
assume the large-diameter mode and move the first and second
door-motion blockers away from one another to assume a spread-apart
formation disengaging the flapper door so as to release the flapper
door in response to movement of the large-diameter fuel-dispensing
nozzle through the nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle
conduit to engage the band movers and move the band movers in
radially outward directions to expand the variable-circumference
band.
.Iadd.64. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle
fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising a nozzle inhibitor
configured to prevent insertion of a small-diameter unleaded
fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway
formed in a filler neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while
allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump
nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler
neck, the nozzle inhibitor including a nozzle conduit formed to
include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a door mounted for movement
relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, and a door anchor coupled to the
nozzle conduit and associated with the door, and an inhibitor
housing formed to include an interior region receiving the nozzle
inhibitor and means for supporting the nozzle conduit for lateral
floating movement in the interior region of the inhibitor housing
relative to the inhibitor housing to block unauthorized attempts by
an operator to use a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle to
unlock a normally locked door to regulate admission of
fuel-dispensing nozzles through the filler neck and the
nozzle-receiving aperture formed in the wall of the filler neck,
wherein the means for supporting the nozzle conduit provides a
flange-receiving space surrounding the interior region of the
inhibitor housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.65. The assembly of claim 64, wherein the nozzle conduit
includes a support flange and the support flange extends into the
flange-receiving space provided by the means for supporting the
nozzle conduit to allow lateral floating movement of the nozzle
conduit in the interior region of the inhibitor
housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.66. The assembly of claim 65, wherein the inhibitor housing
includes a base formed to define at least a portion the interior
region of the inhibitor housing and a crown coupled to an outer
portion of the base and the means for supporting the nozzle conduit
includes a surface provided on the base and a surface provided on
the crown and arranged to cooperate with the surface provided on
the base to form a boundary of the flange-receiving
space..Iaddend.
.Iadd.67. The assembly of claim 66, wherein the crown includes an
interior block and an outer shell, the surface provided on the
crown is included in the outer shell, and the means for supporting
the nozzle conduit further includes a surface provided on the
interior block and arranged to lie above and in spaced-apart
relation to the surface provided on the base..Iaddend.
.Iadd.68. The assembly of claim 64, wherein the door anchor
includes a hoop-shaped door lock and a lock opener coupled to the
nozzle conduit and to the hoop-shaped door lock..Iaddend.
.Iadd.69. The assembly of claim 68, wherein the hoop-shaped door
lock includes an expandable band that is expandable to change from
a normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first diameter to
a large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second
diameter, a first door-motion blocker coupled to a first end
portion of the expandable band, and a second door-motion blocker
coupled to a second end portion of the expandable band and arranged
normally to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume
a drawn-together formation to trap the door therebetween when the
expandable band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the door
in a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving
aperture..Iaddend.
.Iadd.70. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the lock opener
includes several band movers located in an interior region formed
in the expandable band and arranged to lie along an interior
surface of the expandable band in spaced-apart relation to one
another..Iaddend.
.Iadd.71. The assembly of claim 70, wherein the band movers
cooperate to move relative to the expandable band and to one
another to expand the diameter of the expandable band to assume the
large-diameter mode and move the first and second door-motion
blockers away from one another to assume a spread-apart formation
disengaging the door so as to release the door in response to
movement of the large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle through the
nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle conduit to engage
the band movers and move the band movers in radially outward
directions to expand the expandable band..Iaddend.
.Iadd.72. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle
fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising a nozzle inhibitor
configured to prevent insertion of a small-diameter unleaded
fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway
formed in a filler neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while
allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump
nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway, the nozzle inhibitor
including a nozzle conduit formed to include a nozzle-receiving
passageway, a door mounted for movement relative to the nozzle
conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway, and a
door anchor coupled to the nozzle conduit and associated with the
door, and wherein the door anchor includes a hoop-shaped door lock
and the hoop-shaped door lock includes a band that is expandable to
change from a normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first
diameter to a large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively
larger second diameter, a first door-motion blocker coupled to a
first end portion of the band, and a second door-motion blocker
coupled to a second end portion of the band and arranged normally
to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume a
drawn-together formation to trap the door therebetween when the
band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the door in a
closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture, wherein the
door includes a pivot mount, a door tongue, and a door plate
arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the
pivot mount is coupled to the nozzle conduit to support the door
for pivotable movement about a pivot axis between the opened and
closed positions, and the first and second door-motion blockers
cooperate in the drawn-together formation to mate with and restrain
the door tongue when the door is in the closed position to block
pivotable movement of the door from the closed position toward an
opened position, and wherein the door is formed to include a
channel and the hoop-shaped door lock further includes a first lug
coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend
upwardly toward the channel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.73. The assembly of claim 72, wherein each of the first and
second door-motion blockers is L-shaped and includes a downwardly
extending blade cantilevered to the band and an inwardly extending
latch finger coupled to a free end of a companion downwardly
extending blade, the inwardly extending latch finger of the first
door-motion blocker extends in a first direction, and the inwardly
extending latch finger of the second door-motion blocker extends in
an opposite second direction toward the inwardly extending latch
finger of the first door-motion blocker..Iaddend.
.Iadd.74. The assembly of claim 73, wherein the first lug is
coupled to a free end of the inwardly extending latch finger of the
first door-motion blocker and is arranged to extend upwardly into
the channel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.75. The assembly of claim 74, wherein the hoop-shaped door
lock further includes a second lug coupled to the second
door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly into the
channel, and the second lug is coupled to a free end of the
inwardly extending latch finger of the second door-motion
blocker..Iaddend.
.Iadd.76. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle
fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising an inhibitor housing
including a base formed to include an aperture extending around an
axis, an interior block formed to include a first opening extending
around the axis, and a shell coupled to the base and to the
interior block to hold the interior block relative to the base so
that the first opening formed in the block is spaced apart from the
aperture formed in the base along the axis to define a receiving
space between the base and the interior block, the receiving space
being arranged to extend around the aperture formed in the base and
the first opening being formed in the interior block, and a nozzle
inhibitor including a nozzle conduit formed to include a
nozzle-receiving passageway and a closure mounted for movement
relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the nozzle conduit includes a
side wall arranged to extend at least partway around the
nozzle-receiving passageway and a support member arranged to lie
radially outward of the side wall and arranged to lie in the
receiving space between the base and the interior block to allow
floating movement of the nozzle inhibitor radially relative to the
inhibitor housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.77. The assembly of claim 76, wherein the base includes a
first wall formed to include the aperture and a second wall spaced
apart from the aperture and arranged to extend from the first wall
along the axis to define an interior region of the base and at
least a portion of the nozzle inhibitor is arranged to lie in the
interior region of the base..Iaddend.
.Iadd.78. The assembly of claim 77, wherein the interior block is
formed to include a second opening larger than the first opening
and a funnel-shaped nozzle guide surface arranged to extend from
the first opening to the second opening to define an interior
passageway extending between the first opening and the second
opening..Iaddend.
.Iadd.79. The assembly of claim 76, wherein the closure includes a
door coupled to the nozzle conduit to pivot relative to the nozzle
conduit and a return spring coupled to the door and to the nozzle
conduit..Iaddend.
.Iadd.80. The assembly of claim 79, wherein the nozzle inhibitor
includes a door lock including an expandable band that is
expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode
characterized by a first diameter to a large-diameter mode
characterized by a relatively larger second diameter, a first
door-motion blocker, and a second door-motion blocker and arranged
normally to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume
a drawn-together formation to trap the door therebetween when the
expandable band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the door
in a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving
aperture..Iaddend.
.Iadd.81. The assembly of claim 80, wherein the door is formed to
include a channel and the door lock further includes a first lug
coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend
upwardly toward the channel and a second lug coupled to the second
door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly toward the
channel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.82. The assembly of claim 81, wherein the first lug and the
second lug extend into the channel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.83. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle
fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising an inhibitor housing
including a base formed to include an aperture arranged to receive
an axis, an interior block formed to include a first opening
arranged to receive the axis, and a shell coupled to the base and
to the interior block to hold the interior block relative to the
base so that the first opening formed in the interior block is
spaced apart from the aperture formed in the base along the axis to
define a receiving space between the base and the interior block,
the receiving space being arranged radially outward of the aperture
and the first opening relative to the axis, a nozzle inhibitor
including a nozzle conduit formed to include a nozzle-receiving
passageway and a closure mounted for movement relative to the
nozzle conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway,
and a support member arranged to lie in the receiving space formed
between the base and the interior block and to interact with the
inhibitor housing and the nozzle inhibitor to allow floating
movement of the nozzle inhibitor radially relative to the inhibitor
housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.84. The assembly of claim 83, wherein the base includes a
first wall formed to include the aperture and a second wall spaced
apart from the aperture and arranged to extend from the first wall
along the axis to define an interior region of the base and at
least a portion of the nozzle inhibitor is arranged to lie in the
interior region of the base..Iaddend.
.Iadd.85. The assembly of claim 83, wherein the interior block is
formed to include a second opening larger than the first opening
and a funnel-shaped nozzle guide surface is arranged to extend from
the first opening to the second opening to define an interior
passageway extending between the first opening and the second
opening..Iaddend.
.Iadd.86. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle
fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising an inhibitor housing
including a base formed to include an aperture extending around an
axis, an interior collar formed to include a first opening
extending around the axis, and a shell coupled to the base and to
the interior collar to hold the interior collar relative to the
base so that the first opening formed in the interior collar is
spaced apart from the aperture formed in the base along the axis to
define a receiving space between the base and the interior collar,
the receiving space arranged around the aperture formed in the base
and the first opening formed in the interior collar, a nozzle
inhibitor including a nozzle conduit formed to include a
nozzle-receiving passageway and a closure mounted for movement
relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, and a support member arranged to lie
in the receiving space between the base and the interior collar and
to interact with the inhibitor housing and the nozzle
inhibitor..Iaddend.
.Iadd.87. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle
conduit adapted for use with a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel
fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein
the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway configured
to receive a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first
diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a
second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first
diameter, a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the
nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to
permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if
the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the
closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the
fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the second diameter, and a lock configured to retain the
closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the
second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing
nozzle has the first diameter, wherein the lock comprises an
expandable band to bias the lock to retain the closure in the
closed position and permit release of the closure if the
fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, a
downwardly-extending door-motion blocker, and an upwardly-extending
lug coupled to the downwardly-extending door motion
blocker..Iaddend.
.Iadd.88. A filler neck closure assembly comprising an inhibitor
housing including a base formed to include an aperture arranged to
receive an axis, a crown formed to include a first opening arranged
to receive the axis, the aperture being formed in the base to lie
in spaced-apart relation from the first opening formed in the crown
along the axis to define a receiving space between the base, and
the crown being arranged radially to lie outward of the aperture
and the first opening relative to the axis, a nozzle inhibitor
including a nozzle conduit formed to include a nozzle-receiving
passageway and a closure mounted for movement relative to the
nozzle conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway,
and a support member arranged to extend into the receiving space
and to interact with the inhibitor housing and the nozzle inhibitor
to allow floating movement of the nozzle inhibitor radially
relative to the inhibitor housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.89. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 88, wherein the
support member is arranged to interact with the inhibitor housing
and the nozzle inhibitor to support the nozzle inhibitor in a
selected axial position relative to the inhibitor
housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.90. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 88, wherein the
closure includes a door having a door plate and a door tongue
formed to include a channel, and wherein the nozzle inhibitor
includes a lock having an expandable band, a first
downwardly-extending motion blocker coupled to the expandable band,
a second downwardly-extending motion blocker coupled to the
expandable band, a first lug extending upwardly from the first
downwardly-extending motion blocker into the channel formed in the
door tongue, and a second lug extending upwardly from the second
downwardly-extending motion blocker into the channel formed in the
door tongue..Iaddend.
.Iadd.91. The filler neck closure assembly of claim 88, wherein the
support member is coupled to the nozzle inhibitor..Iaddend.
.Iadd.92. A nozzle inhibitor comprising a nozzle conduit formed to
include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a door mounted for movement
relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the
nozzle-receiving passageway, the door including a door plate and a
door tongue formed to include a channel, and a lock including an
expandable band, a first downwardly-extending motion blocker
coupled to the expandable band, a second downwardly-extending
motion blocker coupled to the expandable band, a first lug
extending upwardly from the first downwardly-extending motion
blocker toward the channel formed in the door tongue, and a second
lug extending upwardly from the second downwardly-extending motion
blocker toward the channel formed in the door tongue..Iaddend.
.Iadd.93. The nozzle inhibitor of claim 92, wherein the first lug
is arranged to extend into the channel formed in the door tongue
and the second lug is arranged to extend into the channel formed in
the door tongue..Iaddend.
.Iadd.94. A filler neck closure assembly comprising a nozzle
inhibitor housing formed to include an interior region adapted to
receive a fuel-dispensing nozzle and arranged to extend along a
vertical axis and communicate with a filler neck coupled to a fuel
tank and formed to include a receiving space arranged to surround
and communicate with the interior region and a nozzle inhibitor
formed to include a nozzle-receiving passageway adapted to receive
a fuel-dispensing nozzle and arranged to extend along the vertical
axis and communicate with the interior region formed in the nozzle
inhibitor housing, wherein the nozzle inhibitor includes a closure
arranged normally to close the nozzle-receiving passageway to
regulate admission of a fuel-dispensing nozzle through the
nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle inhibitor through
the interior region formed in the nozzle inhibitor housing toward a
filler neck associated with the nozzle inhibitor housing and the
nozzle inhibitor is supported in the receiving space for lateral
floating movement in the interior region formed in the nozzle
inhibitor housing relative to the vertical axis in response to
lateral movement of a fuel-dispensing nozzle in the interior region
relative to the vertical axis..Iaddend.
.Iadd.95. The assembly of claim 94, wherein the nozzle inhibitor is
constrained to lie in a fixed axial position in the nozzle
inhibitor housing yet is free to float laterally relative to the
nozzle inhibitor housing..Iaddend.
.Iadd.96. The assembly of claim 95, wherein the nozzle inhibitor is
mounted to float in radially outward and inward directions relative
to the vertical axis..Iaddend.
.Iadd.97. The assembly of claim 95, wherein the nozzle inhibitor is
free to move laterally from a normal centered position in which a
center of the nozzle inhibitor is aligned with the vertical axis to
an off-center position in which the center of the nozzle inhibitor
is separated from the vertical axis..Iaddend.
.Iadd.98. The assembly of claim 94, wherein the receiving space is
formed between a stationary bottom surface and a stationary top
surface and a surrounding outer surface to open toward the vertical
axis and is characterized by a predetermined volume..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to a fuel tank fill tube, and more
particularly to a device for preventing the introduction of a
nozzle for unleaded fuel into the fill tube of a fuel tank of a
motor vehicle fitted with a diesel internal combustion engine.
Unleaded fuel should not be introduced into a fill tube of a motor
vehicle powered by a diesel engine. It is customary to use a
small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle (e.g., 21.5 mm or less) to
dispense unleaded fuel into a fuel tank fill tube and to use a
large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle (e.g., 23.5 mm or more) to
dispense diesel and leaded fuel into a fuel tank fill tube.
SUMMARY
A nozzle inhibitor is configured to be coupled to a fuel tank fill
tube and arranged to allow only a diesel fuel nozzle having an
outer diameter that is greater than a specified minimum diameter to
be inserted into the fill tube to a depth sufficient so that a user
may dispense diesel fuel from that nozzle into a diesel fuel tank
coupled to the fill tube. Such a nozzle inhibitor inhibits
insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel nozzle into the fill
tube of a diesel fuel tank, yet allows a large-diameter diesel fuel
nozzle to be inserted into the fill tube of the diesel fuel
tank.
In illustrative embodiments, the fill tube includes a filler neck
coupled to the diesel fuel tank and a filler neck closure assembly
coupled to the filler neck. The nozzle inhibitor is included in the
filler neck closure assembly.
The nozzle inhibitor illustratively includes a flapper door lock
comprising a variable-circumference band and a pair of door-motion
blockers coupled to opposite ends of the band. The nozzle inhibitor
also includes a lock opener located inside the
variable-circumference band. In an alternative embodiment, a
modified flapper door lock in accordance with the present
disclosure also includes an upwardly extending retainer lug
appended to a free end of each of the door-motion blockers.
Only a large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle can actuate
the lock opener in accordance with the present disclosure to expand
the circumference of the variable-circumference band and to
disengage the door-motion blockers from the flapper door to allow
passage of the nozzle past an opened flapper door into a filler
neck coupled to the fuel tank. In contrast, a relatively smaller
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle is not wide enough
at the tip to spread apart arc-shaped band movers included in the
lock opener to expand the circumference of the band in the flapper
door lock and cause the door-motion blockers to disengage from the
flapper door. As such, the door-motion blockers continue to engage
a tongue included in the flapper door to retain the flapper door in
a closed position blocking passage of the small-diameter nozzle
through the filler neck closure assembly and admission of the
small-diameter nozzle into the filler neck.
In illustrative embodiments, the nozzle inhibitor is supported for
lateral floating movement in the fuel fill tube in response to
lateral movement of an unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle relative to the nozzle inhibitor while the
nozzle is touching the nozzle inhibitor (e.g., the flapper door
included in the nozzle inhibitor). Such lateral movement causes the
nozzle inhibitor to move to an off-center position in the fuel fill
tube without actuating the lock opener associated with the
variable-circumference band included in the flapper door lock.
Additional features of the 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
The detailed description particularly refers to the following
figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diesel-engine vehicle provided
with a capless fuel tank fill tube showing an outer filler neck
access door moved to an opened position relative to a vehicle body
panel to expose an illustrative capless filler neck closure
assembly coupled to a filler neck (shown in phantom) leading to a
vehicle fuel tank (also shown in phantom), showing a large-diameter
(diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle coupled to a diesel fuel supply and
configured to be inserted into the filler neck closure assembly
during vehicle refueling to discharge liquid diesel fuel into the
filler neck leading to the vehicle fuel tank, and showing a
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing pump nozzle that is not
authorized for use to refuel the diesel-engine vehicle fuel
tank;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the filler neck
closure assembly of FIG. 1 including an inhibitor housing coupled
to a filler neck leading to the fuel tank and a nozzle inhibitor
mounted for radially inward and outward floating movement in the
inhibitor housing and showing that the inhibitor housing includes
an interior block formed to include a funnel-shaped nozzle guide
surface, an outer shell mounted on the interior block and formed to
include a mouth opening into a nozzle-receiving passageway defined
by the funnel-shaped nozzle guide surface, and a base coupled to
the outer shell to define a flange-receiving space between the
interior block and the base, and also showing that the nozzle
inhibitor includes a nozzle conduit aligned with the
nozzle-receiving passageway and configured to include an annular
support flange arranged to extend into and float in radially inward
and outward directions in the flange-receiving space, a closure
including a spring-biased flapper door mounted for movement on the
nozzle conduit between opened and closed positions, and a closure
anchor coupled to the nozzle conduit and configured to retain the
flapper door in the closed position until contacted by a
large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving downwardly through a
central opening formed in the closure anchor toward the flapper
door as suggested, for example, in FIGS. 8-13;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective assembly view of components
included in the filler neck closure assembly shown in FIG. 2
showing that the inhibitor housing includes (in sequence from top
to bottom on the left side of FIG. 3) an outer shell formed to
include a nozzle-receiving mouth, an interior block arranged to
extend upwardly into an interior region of the outer shell, and a
base arranged to underlie the interior block and formed to include
an interior region sized to house the nozzle inhibitor therein and
showing that the nozzle inhibitor includes (in sequence from top to
bottom on the right side of FIG. 3), a carrier shell included in
the nozzle conduit and formed to include a radially outwardly
extending floating support flange, a guide housing included in the
nozzle conduit, a multi-part lock opener included in the closure
anchor and defined by six separate arc-shaped band movers, a
hoop-shaped flapper door lock included in the closure anchor and
formed to include a variable-circumference band surrounding the
band movers and a door latch including a first door-motion blocker
coupled to the variable-circumference band and a second door-motion
blocker also coupled to the variable-circumference band, and a
closure lying under the closure anchor and including a pivotable
flapper door and a flapper door return spring and showing that the
pivotable flapper door includes a pivot mount, a door tongue, and a
door plate arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door
tongue and carry six pairs of upstanding band-mover guards;
FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of the hoop-shaped flapper
door lock of FIG. 3 showing the variable-circumference band, a
downwardly extending anti-rotation tab coupled to a middle portion
of the variable-circumference band, a downwardly extending L-shaped
first door-motion blocker coupled to a left-end portion of a curved
strip defining the variable-circumference band, and a downwardly
extending L-shaped second door-motion blocker coupled to a
right-end portion of the curved strip that is arranged to lie in
side-by-side sliding relation to the left-end portion of the curved
strip;
FIG. 3B is an inverted perspective view of a portion of the nozzle
inhibitor of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing that the flapper door is mounted
to the guide housing for pivotable movement about a pivot axis and
the flapper door return spring is coupled to a pivot rod included
in the flapper door and arranged to engage the guide housing and a
door plate included in the flapper door to yieldably urge the
flapper door normally to its closed position and showing that the
anti-rotation tab of the flapper door lock is arranged to extend
into a channel formed at a 9 o'clock position in the guide housing
and the first and second door-motion blockers are arranged to lie
in a drawn-together formation to restrain a door tongue included in
the flapper door to block pivotable movement of the flapper door
about the pivot axis from the closed position toward an opened
position;
FIG. 3C is an enlarged perspective view of one of the arc-shaped
band movers included in the multi-part lock opener shown in FIGS. 2
and 3 and showing that each band mover includes an actuator
including a curved push head and a radially inwardly extending
push-head driver coupled to a concave surface on the push head, an
upper guide post coupled to the top of the actuator, and a lower
guide post coupled to the bottom of the actuator;
FIG. 3D is a left-side elevation view of the arc-shaped band mover
of FIG. 3C showing that the push-head driver includes a sloped ramp
arranged to engage the tip of a downwardly moving large-diameter
(diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle during movement of such a nozzle
through the filler neck closure assembly as suggested, for example,
in FIGS. 8, 10, and 12;
FIG. 3E is a front elevation view of the arc-shaped band mover of
FIGS. 3C and 3D;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the nozzle inhibitor of FIGS. 2 and
3 and a tip of a large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle
above the nozzle inhibitor, with a portion of the carrier shell
included in the nozzle conduit removed to show a sub-assembly
comprising the guide housing, closure anchor, and closure, and
showing retention of the pivotable flapper door in the closed
position by the drawn-together first and second door-motion
blockers included in the flapper door lock of the nozzle
inhibitor;
FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle inhibitor taken
along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the variable-circumference band of
the flapper door lock in a normal narrow-diameter mode surrounding
the six arc-shaped band movers and showing that the radially
inwardly extending push-head driver included in each arc-shaped
band mover is arranged normally to extend through a channel formed
between two companion upstanding band-mover guards;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4 after movement of
the tip of the large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle into
a central opening formed in the nozzle inhibitor to contact the
sloped ramps on the six arc-shaped band movers and urge the
push-head drivers of the band movers to slide in radially outward
directions to assume retracted positions in channels formed in the
guide housing of the nozzle inhibitor;
FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle inhibitor taken
along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing expansion of the
variable-circumference band of the flapper door lock in an expanded
large-diameter mode in response to radially outward movement of
each of the six arc-shaped band movers caused by axially inward
movement of the tip of the large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing
nozzle to reach the pivotable flapper door included in the closure
of the nozzle inhibitor;
FIGS. 8-13 comprise a series of sectional views that show how a
large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle expands the
variable-circumference band of the flapper door lock to free the
normally locked flapper door during insertion of the large-diameter
(diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle into the fuel tank filler neck
during a tank refueling activity;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.
5;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial elevation view taken along line 9-9
of FIG. 5 showing the L-shaped first and second door-motion
blockers of the flapper door lock in a drawn-together formation
trapping a door tongue included in the flapper door therebetween to
retain the flapper door affirmatively in the closed position;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 10-10 of
FIG. 7;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial elevation view taken along line
11-11 of FIG. 7 showing the L-shaped first and second door-motion
blockers of the flapper door lock in a spread-apart formation to
release a door tongue included in the flapper door to free the
flapper door for pivotable movement about the axis of rotation
toward an opened position as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 10 and 12 showing
movement of the released flapper door relative to the inhibitor
housing toward an opened position;
FIG. 13 is a partial elevation view similar to FIGS. 9 and 11
showing the flapper door in the partly opened position shown in
FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of the
filler neck closure assembly showing movement of an unauthorized
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle into the inhibitor
housing and the nozzle inhibitor of FIGS. 2 to reach and contact
the flapper door while the flapper door is retained in the closed
position by mating engagement of the door-motion blockers of the
flapper door lock and the door tongue of the flapper door;
FIG. 15 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 15-15 of
FIG. 14 showing the variable-circumference band of the flapper door
lock in the normal narrow-diameter mode surrounding the six
arc-shaped band movers to cause the L-shaped first and second
door-motion blockers to remain in the drawn-together formation
shown, for example, in FIG. 9 so that the flapper door is retained
in the closed position and suggesting that the six pairs of
upstanding band-mover guards are arranged on the door plate to
block movement of the small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing
nozzle to cause all of the arc-shaped band movers to move in
radially outward directions to expand the circumference of the
variable-circumference band and thus unlock the flapper door
lock;
FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing a first unsuccessful
attempt to use an unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle to actuate the lock opener to disable the
flapper door lock in response to application of an operator-applied
force to move the unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle (to the right) relative to the nozzle
inhibitor when the tip of that nozzle contacts an underlying
doorplate of the flapper door as a result of floating movement of
the annular support flange of the nozzle conduit of the nozzle
inhibitor in the space provided above the base and below the
interior block caused by lateral movement of the unauthorized
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle relative to the
nozzle inhibitor against some of the upstanding band-mover guards
appended to a top surface of a door plate included in the flapper
door;
FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 showing another unsuccessful
attempt to use an unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle to actuate the lock opener to disable the
flapper door lock in response to application of an operator-applied
force to move the unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle laterally (to the right) relative to the
nozzle inhibitor when the tip of that nozzle lies above the
upstanding band-mover guards and in spaced-apart relation to the
underlying door plate of the flapper door;
FIG. 18 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 18-18 of
FIG. 17 showing shifting of the nozzle inhibitor from a normal
centered position shown, for example, in FIG. 15 to assume a three
o'clock position in response to the operator-applied force on the
unauthorized fuel-dispensing nozzle owing to the freedom of the
annular support flange included in the carrier shell of the nozzle
conduit to float in the space provided between the base and the
interior block of the inhibitor housing;
FIG. 19 is a perspective view (similar to FIG. 4) of a nozzle
inhibitor including a flapper door lock modified as shown in FIGS.
19A and 28 to provide means on the door-motion blockers for
interlocking with the flapper door (modified as shown in FIG. 28)
when an unauthorized force is applied to the arc-shaped band movers
using a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle as suggested in FIGS.
28-32 affirmatively to retain the first and second door-motion
blockers in a drawn-together formation so that the flapper door is
retained in the closed position as suggested in FIGS. 31 and
32;
FIG. 20 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle inhibitor
taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 19;
FIGS. 21-26 comprise a series of sectional views that show how a
large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle expands the modified
flapper door lock of FIGS. 19 and 19A to free the normally locked
flapper door during insertion of the large-diameter (diesel)
fuel-dispensing nozzle into the fuel tank fill tube during a tank
refueling activity;
FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken along line 22-22 of FIG. 21
showing the L-shaped first and second door-motion blockers of the
flapper door lock in a drawn-together formation trapping a door
tongue included in the flapper door therebetween to retain the
flapper door affirmatively in the closed position;
FIG. 23 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 21 showing
downward movement of the large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing
nozzle into the modified nozzle inhibitor of FIG. 19;
FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23
showing the L-shaped first and second door-motion blockers of the
flapper door lock in a spread-apart formation to release a door
tongue included in the flapper door to free the flapper door for
pivotable movement about an axis of rotation toward an opened
position as suggested in FIGS. 25 and 26;
FIG. 25 is a partial sectional view similar to FIGS. 21 and 23
showing movement of the released flapper door relative to the
inhibitor housing toward an opened position;
FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 25;
FIGS. 27-32 comprise a series of sectional views (similar to FIGS.
21-26) that show how the modified flapper door lock of FIGS. 19 and
19A functions to interlock with the flapper door to retain the
flapper door in a closed position when a small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle is used in an unauthorized manner in an
attempt to unlock the flapper door lock by expanding the
circumference (diameter) of a variable-circumference band included
in the flapper door lock;
FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 20
except that the downwardly moving nozzle shown partially in section
in FIG. 27 is a small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle
that is not authorized to unlock the flapper door lock;
FIG. 28 is a sectional view taken along line 28-28 of FIG. 27
showing that the underside of the door tongue included in the
flapper door is formed to include a downwardly opening lug receiver
channel and showing that a retainer lug is appended to the free end
of each of the L-shaped first and second door-motion blockers of
the modified flapper door lock and arranged to extend upwardly
toward the overlying lug receiver channel;
FIG. 29 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 27 showing
movement of the small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle in
the direction of the double arrow to engage and move at least one
of arc-shaped band movers located on the right-hand side of the
nozzle inhibitors in a radially outward direction (to the right) in
an unauthorized effort to unlock the flapper door lock;
FIG. 30 is a sectional view taken along line 30-30 of FIG. 29;
FIG. 31 is a partial sectional view similar to FIGS. 27 and 29
showing continued downward movement of the unauthorized
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle to engage the
flapper door; and
FIG. 32 is a sectional view taken along line 32-32 of FIG. 31
showing that the retainer lug appended to the free end of the first
(left side) door-motion blocker (of the modified flapper door lock
of FIGS. 19 and 19A) extends upwardly into the downwardly opening
lug receiver channel formed in the door tongue of the flapper door
in response to slight downward pivoting movement of the flapper
door (as shown in FIG. 31) to interlock the door tongue and the
retainer lug so as to block expansion of the variable-circumference
band, separation of the first and second door-motion blockers
coupled to opposite ends of the variable-circumference band, and
release of the flapper door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A nozzle inhibitor 10 is adapted to be mounted in a capless fill
tube 100 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-3, 14, and 15 to block
use of a small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 to
dispense non-diesel unleaded fuel into a fuel tank 14 of a
diesel-engine vehicle 18. Nozzle inhibitor 10 is configured to
allow a user to dispense diesel fuel into such a tank using a
large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 as shown, for
example, in FIGS. 4-7 and 8-13. Nozzle inhibitor 10 is also
suitable for use in a traditional fill pipe closed by a fuel (gas)
cap. Nozzle inhibitor 10 includes a flapper door lock 86 having a
variable-circumference band 130 shown, in FIGS. 2 and 3A and used
normally to lock a flapper door 80 in a closed position in fuel
tank fill tube 100 as suggested in FIG. 3B and FIGS. 8 and 9. A
modified flapper door lock 286 is included in an alternative nozzle
inhibitor 210 as suggested in FIGS. 19-32.
A nozzle inhibitor 10 is associated with a capless fill tube 100
coupled to a vehicle fuel tank 14 as suggested in FIG. 1 to prevent
a fuel-purchasing customer from using a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle
to discharge unleaded fuel into a vehicle 18 having a diesel engine
(not shown) requiring only diesel fuel. In an illustrative
embodiment, fill tube 100 includes a filler neck closure assembly
11 coupled to a filler neck 12 that is coupled to fuel tank 14.
Nozzle inhibitor 10 is configured to block full insertion of a
small-diameter unleaded fuel nozzle 20 into filler neck 12 as
suggested in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, nozzle inhibitor 10 is
configured to allow full insertion of a relatively large-diameter
diesel fuel nozzle 22 into filler neck 12 as suggested in FIGS. 9
and 10.
As shown in FIG. 1, a filler neck closure assembly 11 containing
nozzle inhibitor 10 is provided in a vehicle 18 normally to close a
filler neck 12 extending from fuel tank 14 onboard vehicle 18.
During refueling, an outer filler neck access door 13 is moved
relative to a vehicle body panel 15 to expose filler neck closure
assembly 11 as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. Filler neck closure
assembly 11 is located in a chamber 17 formed in vehicle 18 so that
filler neck closure assembly 11 is out of sight when access door 13
is closed.
Small-diameter nozzle 20 is coupled to an unleaded fuel supply 19
by a hose 21. Large-diameter nozzle 22 is coupled to a diesel fuel
supply 119 by another hose 21. In many cases, both nozzles 20, 22
will be available at a filling station. Nozzle inhibitor 10 in
filler neck closure assembly 11 in vehicle 18 functions to block a
consumer from inadvertently using small-diameter nozzle 20 to
discharge unleaded fuel into a fuel tank filler neck of a vehicle
that uses only diesel fuel.
As suggested in FIG. 3, filler neck closure assembly 11 includes a
nozzle inhibitor 10 configured to include a minimal number of parts
and an inhibitor housing 24 configured to support nozzle inhibitor
10 in communication with filler neck 12 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and
14. In illustrative embodiments, nozzle inhibitor 10 is mounted to
float in radially outward and inward directions relative to
inhibitor housing 24 as suggested in FIGS. 16-18 to defeat attempts
by an operator to insert a small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 through filler neck closure assembly 11
and into filler neck 12 of diesel-engine vehicle 18. Nozzle
inhibitor 10 is configured to provide means for blocking admission
of small-diameter nozzle 20 into filler neck 12 (as suggested in
FIGS. 14 and 15) without blocking admission of large-diameter
nozzle 22 into filler neck 12 (as suggested in FIGS. 8-13).
Inhibitor housing 24 includes an outer shell 26, an interior block
28, and a base 30 as suggested in FIG. 3. Outer shell 26 cooperates
with interior block 28 to form a crown 27 coupled to base 30 as
suggested in FIG. 16. Base 30 is configured to be coupled to an
outer end of filler neck 12 as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. In
illustrative embodiments, nozzle inhibitor 10 is mounted in a
stable position in an interior region 32 formed in base 30 so that
nozzle inhibitor 10 is constrained to lie in a fixed axial position
in inhibitor housing 24 yet is free to float laterally relative to
base 30 in inhibitor housing 24 without falling through aperture 68
formed in base 30 if an operator attempts to push or otherwise move
components included in nozzle inhibitor 10 relative to inhibitor
housing 24 with the tip of an unauthorized small-diameter nozzle 20
in an unauthorized attempt to defeat security features of nozzle
inhibitor 10.
Outer shell 26 includes a top wall 34 and a cylinder-shaped side
wall 36 depending from a round perimeter edge 37 of top wall 34 as
shown in FIG. 3. Top wall 34 includes an interior edge 38 defining
a mouth 39 opening into an interior region 40 of outer shell 26
bounded by top wall 34 and side wall 36. A lower end 42 of side
wall 36 is formed to include a radially outwardly opening channel
43 sized to receive a retainer band 44 or any suitable retainer
therein as suggested diagrammatically in FIG. 2.
Interior block 28 is formed includes a cylindrical outer wall 46,
an axially outer large-diameter opening 47, an axially inner
relatively small-diameter opening 49, and a funnel-shaped nozzle
guide surface 48 arranged to extend from large-diameter opening 47
to small-diameter opening 49 as shown best in FIG. 2. Funnel-shaped
nozzle guide surface 48 is configured to define an interior
passageway 50 extending between openings 47 and 49. As suggested in
FIGS. 2 and 3, interior block 28 is configured to extend upwardly
into interior region 40 through a bottom opening 45 formed in lower
end 42 of side wall 36 to cause mouth 39 formed in top wall 34 of
outer shell 26 to open into interior passageway 50 formed in
interior block 28. An annular channel 52 is formed in an upper
portion of interior block 28 and arranged to surround
large-diameter opening 47 and open upwardly toward the underside of
top wall 34 of outer shell 26. Annular channel 52 is sized to house
an O-ring seal (not shown) or other suitable seal means for
establishing a sealed connection between interior block 28 and top
wall 34.
Base 30 includes a top wall 54 and a cylindrical side wall 56
depending from an outer perimeter portion of top wall 54 as shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3. Walls 54 and 56 cooperate to form boundaries of
interior region 32 as shown best in FIG. 2. Top wall 54 is formed
to include an interior edge 66 defining an aperture 68 opening into
interior region 32 formed in base 30. An axially upwardly and
radially outwardly opening annular channel 58 is formed on an
exterior portion of base 30 at the intersection of top wall 54 and
side wall 56 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 3. A radially outwardly
facing annular outer edge of top wall 54 of base 30 mates with a
cylindrical inner surface 41 of lower end 42 of outer shell 26 when
outer shell 26 is mounted on base 30 as shown in FIG. 2. An axially
upwardly facing annular top edge 64 of side wall 56 of base 30
mates with a downwardly facing annular bottom edge 51 of lower end
42 of outer shell 26 when outer shell 26 is mounted on base 30 as
shown in FIG. 2.
As suggested in FIG. 2, lower end 42 of outer shell 26 is inserted
in annular channel 58 of base 30 after interior block 28 is lodged
in interior region 40 formed in outer shell 26. This aligns mouth
39 of outer shell 26, interior passageway 50 of interior block 28,
and aperture 68 of base 30 in fluid communication with one another
as shown in FIG. 2 to allow nozzles 20 and 22 to extend
therethrough. Retainer band 44 or other suitable means is provided
to fix outer shell 26 in a stationary position on base 30 while
trapping interior block 28 therebetween so that a laterally
extending flange-receiving space 70 is formed between a bottom
surface of interior block 28 and a top surface of base 30. In an
illustrative embodiment, laterally extending flange-receiving
flange 70 is formed between crown 27 and base 30 as suggested in
FIG. 16. Flange-receiving space 70 is sized to receive a portion
(e.g., support flange 92) of nozzle inhibitor 10 to provide means
for allowing floating movement of nozzle inhibitor 10 relative to
interior block 28 and base 30 during unauthorized attempts to use a
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 to unlock a
normally locked flapper door 80 provided in nozzle inhibitor 10 to
regulate admission of fuel-dispensing nozzles (e.g., nozzles 20 and
22) through filler neck closure assembly 11 into filler neck 12 as
shown, for example, in FIGS. 16-18.
As suggested in FIG. 3, nozzle inhibitor 10 includes a nozzle
conduit 72 comprising a carrier shell 74 and a guide housing 76, a
closure 78 comprising a flapper door 80 and a flapper door return
spring 82, and a closure anchor 84 comprising a hoop-shaped flapper
door lock 86 and a multi-part lock opener 88. Closure 78 is coupled
to a bottom portion of guide housing 76 and is configured normally
to close a nozzle-receiving passageway 90 formed in guide housing
76 as suggested in FIG. 2. Closure anchor 84 is mounted on guide
housing 76 as suggested in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 and configured to
provide means for retaining flapper door 80 in a closed position
relative to guide housing 76 to block admission of small-diameter
(unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 through nozzle-receiving
passageway 90 into filler neck 12 as suggested in FIGS. 14 and 15
and for releasing flapper door 80 upon contact with a moving
large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 so that flapper
door 80 is moved by large-diameter nozzle 22 relative to guide
housing 76 from the closed position to an opened position to allow
passage of large-diameter nozzle 22 through nozzle-receiving
passageway 90 into filler neck 12 as suggested in FIGS. 6-7 and
8-13. Carrier shell 74 includes a radially outwardly extending
annular support flange 92 that is sized to fit into
flange-receiving space 70 provided between interior block 28 and
base 30 to support carrier shell 74, guide housing 76, closure 78,
and closure anchor 84 in a selected axial position in interior
region 32 of base 30 and to allow floating movement of nozzle
inhibitor 10 in radially outward and inward directions relative to
inhibitor housing 24 as suggested in FIGS. 16-18.
Carrier shell 74 includes a floating annular support flange 92 and
a housing mount 94 coupled to an interior edge 93 of annular
support flange 92 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 3. Annular support
flange 93 also includes a round exterior edge 95. Housing mount 94
is formed to include a funnel-shaped nozzle guide wall 96, an
annular top wall 97, and an annular side wall 98 formed to include
a door notch 91 and a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart
lug-receiving slots 99. An outer edge of annular top wall 97 is
appended to a top edge of annular side wall 98. Funnel-shaped
nozzle guide wall 96 is arranged to interconnect an interior edge
93 of annular support flange 92 and an inner edge of annular top
wall 97 and to converge in a direction extending from annular
support flange 92 to annular top wall 97 as suggested in FIGS. 2
and 3.
An illustrative guide housing 76 is shown in FIG. 3 and includes an
annular top wall 110, an outer rim 112, and an inner rim 114
arranged to interconnect outer rim 112 and annular top wall 110.
Guide housing 76 also includes a pair of circumferentially
spaced-apart curved lugs 116 arranged to extend in radially outward
directions into lug-receiving slots 99 formed in annular side wall
98 of carrier shell 74 to fix guide housing 76 in a stationary
mounted position in carrier shell 74 to establish a subassembly
defining nozzle conduit 72.
Guide housing 76 is configured to include guide means for
supporting components included in lock opener 88 for movement
relative to guide housing 76 to operate flapper door lock 86 and
cause flapper door 80 to be released and thus free to be moved from
a closed position to an opened position. In an illustrative
embodiment, inner rim 114 is formed to include six
circumferentially spaced-apart head-receiving guide apertures 118
and has an internal diameter that is less than the internal
diameter of outer rim 112. Outer rim 112 is formed to include five
circumferentially spaced-apart lower guide slots 120 and each lower
guide slot 120 is associated with only one of the head-receiving
guide apertures 118 as suggested in FIG. 3. In the illustrated
embodiment, outer rim 112 subtends an angle of about 270.degree.
and first and second ends 121, 122 of outer rim 112 are arranged to
lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to define a
finger-motion area 124 therebetween.
Guide housing 76 also includes a cantilevered platform 126 coupled
to inner rim 114 at one of the head-receiving guide apertures 118
and arranged to extend radially outwardly away from inner rim 114
midway between first and second ends 121, 122 of outer rim 112 as
shown in FIG. 3. Cantilevered platform 126 is formed to include a
guide slot 120 associated with the head-receiving guide aperture
118 aligned with cantilevered platform 126. Annular top wall 110 is
formed to include a downwardly opening upper guide slot 123
associated with each of the six head-receiving guide apertures 118
and arranged to lie in alignment with each of the six lower guide
slots 120.
Flapper door lock 86 is shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 3A.
Flapper door lock 86 includes a variable-circumference band 130, a
downwardly extending first door-motion blocker 131 coupled to a
first end portion 134 of band 130, and a downwardly extending
second door-motion blocker 132 coupled to an opposite second end
portion 136 of band 130. In an illustrative embodiment, flapper
door lock 86 is a monolithic element made of spring steel or other
suitable elastic material and band 130 is defined by a curved strip
having first and second end portions 134, 136. End portions 134,
136 are arranged to lie in side-by-side relation to one another as
suggested in FIGS. 3 and 3A and to move relative to one another in,
for example, mating and/or slip-sliding relation as suggested, for
example, in FIGS. 4 and 6. Each door-motion blocker 121, 122 is
L-shaped and includes a downwardly extending blade 138 cantilevered
to band 130 and an inwardly extending latch finger 139 coupled to a
free end of a companion blade 138 as suggested in FIG. 3A.
A downwardly extending anti-rotation tab 140 is coupled to a middle
portion 135 of band 130 and arranged to extend into one of the
lower guide slots 120 formed in guide housing 76 as suggested in
FIG. 3B to limit rotation of band 130 about vertical axis 146
relative to guide housing 76 and to locate latch fingers 139 of
first and second door-motion blockers 131, 132 in finger-motion
area 124 formed in guide housing 76. The circumference (and
diameter) of variable-circumference band 130 will vary (i.e.,
change) in response to movement of end portions 134, 136 relative
to one another. This allows variable-circumference band 130 to
shift back and forth between a normal narrow-diameter mode (wherein
band 130 has a small circumference) shown, for example, in FIGS. 2,
3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 14-18 and a radially outwardly expanded
large-diameter mode (wherein band 130 has a relatively larger
circumference) shown, for example, in FIGS. 6, 7, and 10-13.
Multi-part lock opener 88 is shown, for example, in FIG. 3 and, in
an illustrative embodiment, comprises six separate arc-shaped band
movers 142. Band movers 142 are arranged to lie in an interior
region 144 formed inside variable-circumference band 130 as
suggested in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7. Normally band 130 is coiled owing
to elasticity of the spring material used to make band 130 to
assume a narrow-diameter mode as shown in FIG. 5 to arrange band
movers 142 in a packed relationship forming a circle and causing
ends of adjacent band movers 142 to touch.
The outer diameter of small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing
nozzle 20 is not large enough to contact all the band movers 142 of
multi-part lock opener 88 and move them in radially outer
directions to expand the circumference (and diameter) of
variable-circumference band 130 and cause band 130 to assume the
large-diameter mode shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 when small-diameter
nozzle 20 is inserted into filler neck closure assembly 11.
However, large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 has a
relatively larger diameter and is able to spread arc-shaped band
movers 142 away from a central axis 146 extending through flapper
door lock 86 when large-diameter nozzle 22 is moved downwardly
through nozzle-receiving passageway 90 formed in guide housing 76
toward flapper door 80 as suggested in FIGS. 8, 10, and 12. The
spreading arc-shaped band movers 142 cooperate to expand the
circumference (and diameter) of variable-circumference band 130 and
move first and second door-motion blockers 131, 132 to assume a
spread-apart formation releasing flapper door 80.
An illustrative band mover 142 is shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E.
Each band mover 142 includes an actuator 147, a lower guide post
148 coupled to the bottom of actuator 147, and an upper guide post
149 coupled to the top of actuator 147. Actuator 147 comprises a
curved push head 150 and a radially inwardly extending push-head
driver 152 coupled to a concave interior wall 154 of curved push
head 150. A convex exterior wall 156 of curved push head 150 is
formed to include three convex curved rails 161, 162, 163 sized and
arranged to engage an interior surface of variable-circumference
band 130. Push-head driver 152 includes a sloped ramp 158 shown in
FIGS. 3C and 3D and arranged to provide means for engaging a tip of
a downwardly moving large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle
22 during movement of such a nozzle 22 through filler neck closure
assembly 11 toward filler neck 12 as suggested in FIGS. 8, 10, and
12. Lower guide post 148 is elongated and oblong and arranged to
extend in a radial direction along a bottom portion of curved push
head 150 and oblong push-head driver 152 and slide back and forth
in a companion lower guide slot 120. Upper guide post 149 is
cylindrical and sized to fit into and slide back and forth in a
companion upper guide slot 123. Push-head driver 152 is sized to
fit into and slide back and forth in a companion head-receiving
guide aperture 118 formed in guide housing 76. Push-head driver 152
also includes a forward face 160 extending downwardly from sloped
ramp 158 toward lower guide post 148.
Flapper door 80 includes a pivot mount 170, a door tongue 172, and
a door plate 174 arranged to interconnect pivot mount 170 and door
tongue 172 as shown in FIG. 3. Flapper door 80 also includes six
pairs of upstanding band-mover guards 176 as shown in FIG. 3. Each
pair of band-mover guards 176 is formed to include a channel 178
therebetween arranged to receive a nose portion of push-head driver
152 as suggested in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 when variable-circumference
band 130 has assumed the narrow-diameter mode. Pivot mount 170 is
coupled to guide housing 76 as suggested in FIG. 3B to establish a
pivot axis 180. Door tongue 172 is arranged to extend through door
notch 91 formed in carrier shell 74 to mate with first and second
door-motion blockers 131, 132 normally to retain flapper door 80 in
the closed position relative to guide housing 76 as shown, for
example, in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5.
Flapper door return spring 82 includes a coiled portion 182 coupled
to pivot mount 170 of flapper door 80, a first leg 184 arranged to
engage guide housing 76, and a second leg 186 arranged to engage
door plate 174 as suggested in FIG. 3B. Coiled portion 182 is
arranged to interconnect first and second legs 184, 186. Return
spring 82 is configured to provide means for yieldably moving
flapper door 80 about pivot axis 180 normally to assume the closed
position on guide housing 76 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and
3B.
Flapper door 80 normally is held in its closed position by flapper
door return spring 82. Anti-rotation tab 140 of hoop-shaped door
lock 86 is arranged to extend into a channel 120 formed at a 9
o'clock position in guide housing 76 and first and second
door-motion blockers 131, 132 are arranged to lie in a
drawn-together formation as suggested in FIGS. 4 and 9 to mate with
and restrain a door tongue 172 included in the flapper door 80
while flapper door 80 is urged by return spring 82 to assume the
closed position to block pivotable movement of the flapper door 80
about pivot axis 180 from the closed position toward an opened
position. Anti-rotation tab 140 is coupled to guide housing 76 to
block an operator from using an unauthorized nozzle to pull on one
door-motion blocker 131, 132 more than the other door-motion
blocker 131, 132 in an attempt to unlock flapper door lock 86.
As shown in FIG. 4, a tip of a large-diameter (diesel)
fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 can be positioned above nozzle inhibitor
10 by a user. Pivotable flapper door 80 is retained in the closed
position by the drawn-together first and second door-motion
blockers 131, 132 included in flapper door lock 86 of nozzle
inhibitor 10. Variable-circumference band 130 of flapper door lock
86 is shown in FIG. 5 in a normal narrow-diameter mode surrounding
six arc-shaped band movers 142. Radially inwardly extending
push-head driver 152 included in each arc-shaped band mover 130 is
arranged normally to extend through a channel 178 formed between
two companion upstanding band-mover guards 176.
After movement of the tip of large-diameter (diesel)
fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 into a central opening formed in nozzle
inhibitor 10, the tip of nozzle 22 contacts sloped ramps 158 on the
six arc-shaped band movers 142 and urges push-head drivers 152 of
band movers 142 to slide in radially outward directions to assume
retracted positions in channels (i.e., head-receiving guide
apertures 118) formed in guide housing 76 of nozzle inhibitor 10 as
suggested in FIGS. 6 and 7. Resulting expansion of
variable-circumference band 130 of flapper door lock 86 to assume
an expanded large-diameter mode is shown in FIG. 7. Such expansion
is effected in response to radially outward movement of each of the
six arc-shaped band movers 142 caused by axially inward movement of
the tip of the large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle 22 to
reach the pivotable flapper door 80 included in closure 84 of
nozzle inhibitor 10.
L-shaped first and second door-motion blockers of flapper door lock
86 are aligned normally as shown in FIG. 4 in a drawn-together
formation trapping a door tongue 172 included in flapper door 80
therebetween to retain flapper door 80 affirmatively in the closed
position. The L-shaped first and second door-motion blockers 131,
132 of flapper door lock 86 are shown in FIG. 11 after they have
been moved to assume a spread-apart formation to release door
tongue 172 included in flapper door 80 to free flapper door 80 for
pivotable movement about pivot axis 180 toward an opened position
as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13. Movement of the released flapper
door 80 relative to inhibitor housing 24 toward an opened position
is shown in FIG. 12.
Movement of an unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded)
fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 into inhibitor housing 24 and nozzle
inhibitor 10 to reach and contact flapper door 80 while flapper
door 80 is retained in the closed position by mating engagement of
door-motion blockers 131, 132 of flapper door lock 86 and door
tongue 172 of flapper door 80 is shown in FIG. 14.
Variable-circumference band 130 of flapper door lock 86 is shown in
FIG. 15 in the normal narrow-diameter mode surrounding six
arc-shaped band movers 142 to cause the L-shaped first and second
door-motion blockers 131, 132 to remain in the drawn-together
formation shown, for example, in FIG. 9 so that flapper door 80 is
retained in the closed position. The six pairs of upstanding
band-mover guards 176 are arranged on door plate 174 to block
movement of small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 in
the space formed in variable-circumference band 130 to cause all of
arc-shaped band movers 142 to move in radially outward directions
to expand the circumference of variable-circumference band 130 and
thus unlock flapper door lock 86.
A first unsuccessful attempt to use an unauthorized small-diameter
(unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 to actuate lock opener 88 to
disable flapper door lock 86 is shown in FIG. 16. An
operator-applied force 101 is applied to move unauthorized
small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 (to the right)
relative to nozzle inhibitor 10 when the tip of that nozzle 20
contacts an underlying door plate 174 of flapper door 80 and lies
in a space surrounded by a ring of band-mover guards 176. Floating
movement of annular support flange 92 of nozzle inhibitor 10 in the
space 70 provided above base 30 and below interior block 28 is
caused by lateral movement of the unauthorized small-diameter
(unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 176 relative to nozzle inhibitor
10 against some of the surrounding upstanding band-mover guards 176
appended to a top surface of a door plate 174 included in flapper
door 80. Such lateral movement causes nozzle inhibitor 10 to move,
for example, to an off-center position shown in FIG. 16 without
causing any retracting motion of one of the arc-shaped band movers
142 into a companion guide aperture 118 formed in guide housing
76.
Another unsuccessful attempt to use an unauthorized small-diameter
(unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 to actuate lock opener 88 to
disable flapper door lock 86 is shown in FIG. 17 in response to
application of an operator-applied force 101 to move the
unauthorized small-diameter (unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20
laterally (to the right) relative to nozzle inhibitor 10 when the
tip of that nozzle 20 lies in a space above the ring of upstanding
band-mover guards 176 and in spaced-apart relation to underlying
door plate 174 of flapper door 80. Shifting of nozzle inhibitor 10
from a normal centered position shown, for example, in FIG. 15 to
assume an off-center three o'clock position shown in FIG. 18 occurs
in response to application of operator-applied force 101 on
unauthorized fuel-dispensing nozzle 20 owing to the freedom of
annular support flange 92 included in carrier shell 74 of nozzle
conduit 72 to float in space 70 provided between base 30 and
interior block 28 of inhibitor housing 24.
A nozzle inhibitor 210 in accordance with another embodiment of the
present disclosure is shown in FIGS. 19-32. Nozzle inhibitor 210
includes a modified flapper door lock 286 shown, for example, in
FIGS. 19, 19A, and 20. In all other respects, nozzle inhibitor 210
is similar in construction to nozzle inhibitor 10.
Flapper door lock 286 is shown in FIGS. 19-32. As suggested in
FIGS. 19, 19A, and 20, flapper door lock 286 includes
variable-circumference band 130, downwardly extending first
door-motion blocker 131, downwardly extending second door-motion
blocker 132, a first retainer lug 231 coupled to first door-motion
blocker 131, and a second retainer lug 232 coupled to second
door-motion blocker 132.
As shown in FIG. 19A, first retainer lug 231 is appended to a free
end of inwardly extending latch finger 139 of first door-motion
blocker 131. First retainer lug 231 is arranged to extend upwardly
therefrom to lie in spaced-apart relation to downwardly extending
blade 138 of first door-motion blocker 131 to define a first
rail-receiving channel 331 therebetween.
As also shown in FIG. 19A, second retainer lug 232 is appended to a
free end of inwardly extending latch finger 139 of second
door-motion blocker 132. Second retainer lug 232 is arranged to
extend upwardly therefrom to lie in spaced-apart relation to
downwardly extending blade 138 of second door-motion blocker 132 to
define a second rail-receiving channel 332 therebetween.
Nozzle inhibitor 210 includes a flapper door 280 that is similar to
flapper door 80 except that it is formed to include a downwardly
opening lug receiver channel 283 as shown, for example, in FIGS.
22, 24, 28, and 30. Each of retainer lugs 231, 232 is arranged to
lie under and extend upwardly toward downwardly opening lug
receiver channel 283 when flapper door 280 lies in a normally
closed position in fill tube 100 as suggested in FIGS. 22, 24, 26,
and 28. Flapper door 280 includes first and second rails 281, 282 a
suggested in FIG. 28. Rails 281, 282 are arranged to lie in
spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the downwardly
opening lug receiver channel 283 therebetween.
Use of the tip of large-diameter (diesel) fuel-dispensing nozzle 22
to unlock modified flapper door lock 286 and open flapper door 280
is shown, for example, in FIGS. 21-26. Opening of flapper door 280
of nozzle inhibitor 210 using nozzle 22 is very similar to opening
of flapper door 80 of nozzle inhibitor 10 shown in FIGS. 8-13.
If an attempt is made by a consumer to open flapper door 280 of
nozzle inhibitor 210 using an unauthorized small-diameter
(unleaded) fuel-dispensing nozzle 20, then, as suggested in FIGS.
27-32, the downwardly moving nozzle 20 will push downwardly against
flapper door 280 as suggested in FIG. 31 and cause flapper door
lock 286 and flapper door 280 to interlock as suggested in FIG. 32.
The interlocking connection between flapper door lock 286 and
flapper door 280 is established when flapper door 280 moves
relative to flapper door lock 286 to cause (1) first and second
retainer lugs 281, 282 in flapper door lock 286 to extend upwardly
into downwardly opening lug receiver channel 283 formed in flapper
door 280 and/or (2) one of the first and second rails 281, 282 in
flapper door 280 extends downwardly into a companion one of the
rail-receiving channels 331, 332 formed in flapper door lock
286.
* * * * *