The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 03, 1989
Filed:
Jan. 12, 1987
Dwight Smith, Connersville, IN (US);
Robert S Harris, Connersville, IN (US);
Stant Inc., Connersville, IN (US);
Abstract
A system is provided for activating a sensor during an initial stage of a vehicle refueling activity. The system includes a fuel tank filler neck having a mouth and a fuel cap having a closure rotatably engaging the filler neck for closing the mouth. A sensor is positioned in close proximity to the filler neck. The fuel cap further includes a seal between the closure and the filler neck, an outer shell providing a hand grip, a hub, and an actuator member movable between an inactive position and a sensor-activating position. The hub interconnects the closure and the outer shell for applying a torque to the closure after a predetermined amount of movement of the shell relative to the filler neck so that a lost motion connection is established between the closure and the shell. The lost motion of the hub acts to move the actuator member to its sensor-activating position before rotating the closure relative to the filler neck in an amount sufficient to break the seal. Thus, fuel vapors in the filler neck are unable to escape therefrom through the mouth until at least the sensor has been activated.