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:
Dec. 28, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 10, 1996
Bob Thomas, Harrison Township, MI (US);
Houng Yue Chang, Canton, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A blocker member is mounted on the vehicle body adjacent the floor mounted door track and includes a housing and a blocker lever which is pivotally mounted on the housing. The blocker lever is operably connected to the fuel filler door by a cable. When the fuel filler door is opened, the cable is tensioned and pivots the blocker lever to an extended position in which the blocker lever extends into the path of sliding movement the door. Thus, whenever the fuel filler door is open, the sliding door is blocked from sliding open into engagement with the fuel filler door. The blocker member preferably includes a resilient bumper against which the blocker lever seats in order to absorb energy when the door is slid into engagement with the blocker lever. The cable is preferably connected to the blocker by an actuator lever and spring arrangement by which the cable and actuator lever have a range of movement beyond the movement of the blocker lever so as to accommodate any misadjustment of the cable connecting the fuel filler and the blocker member.