Pilot Industries, Inc.

Martinrea Industries, Inc.

Larry Martin Vandervoort

David J Gabbey

Daniel Paul Cunkle

A fuel tank fill tube assembly is disclosed for use with a conventional gasoline fill nozzle. The assembly includes a fill tube having a first tubular and cylindrical main body with a predetermined inside diameter. The fill tube further includes an enlarged diameter inlet portion joined at one end to one end of the main body. This inlet portion has a second predetermined diameter which is greater than the diameter of the main body. Both the main body and inlet portions are coaxial with each other. The inlet portion is dimensioned so that the gas fill nozzle is insertable through the inlet portion and, upon insertion, a free end of the gasoline fill nozzle is positioned within the interior of the main body. Additionally, the diameter of the main body is configured so that, upon fuel flow from the gasoline fill nozzle into the interior of the main body, a liquid seal is formed by the fuel flow from the gasoline fill nozzle within the main body.

Fuel fill tube assembly

An automotive fuel tank fill assembly for a fuel tank is disclosed having a fuel fill tube with a first end adapted to receive fuel and a second end open to the fuel tank. The fill tube includes a spiral indentation formed around its first end so that the spiral indentation forms both an external and internal thread at the first end of the tube. An inlet valve housing containing a normally closed inlet valve has an external thread. This external thread is dimensioned to threadably engage the internal thread on the fill tube while a latch and detent mechanism locks the inlet valve housing to the fill tube at a predetermined rotational position. Similarly, a mount housing includes an internal thread which threadably engages the external thread on the fill tube. The mount housing includes a locking tab which engages the detent formed on the fill tube at a predetermined rotational position of the mount housing relative to the fill tube.

Growing community of inventors

Spring Arbor, MI, United States of America

Larry Martin Vandervoort