JP4236639B2 - Locking device for fuel filler chamber cover - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a locking equipment for locking the filler opening chamber cover according to the preamble of claim 1.

  A locking device of the type discussed herein is known (Patent Document 1). They are used to lock a movable filler compartment cover, for example a tank flap, in a closed position, where the filler compartment cover covers the mounting opening in the vehicle body part of the vehicle. Known locking devices include a locking element for sealing the filler chamber cover, a servo drive for moving the locking element, and a locking element fixed to the partition wall of the mounting opening. And a guide body. The servo drive and the locking element are located behind the side wall of the vehicle, and the servo drive is located out of reach from the outside through the mounting opening and is fixed to the partition of the wheel house . Access to the servo drive or its mounting position is possible only from another position. The installation of the locking device is accordingly time consuming and therefore expensive.

German Patent Application Publication No. 196 12 098 A1

  The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device of the kind mentioned at the outset, which requires less time for its mounting on the motor vehicle, and preferably can be simply implemented. That is. Another object of the present invention is to demonstrate a method for attaching a locking device to an automobile without taking time.

  In order to achieve the above object, a locking device having the features of claim 1 is proposed. The locking device is designed in that it is designed as a pre-assembled modular unit and can be fixed to the edge region of the mounting opening provided in the body part. Since the locking device is assembled before being attached to the vehicle in this manner, the time required for mounting the locking device to the vehicle itself is small, and the reason is that the locking device is assembled as one part, This is because it is possible to approach the attachment point on the vehicle through the attachment opening. Furthermore, an ergonomically improved mounting operation is advantageous over the mounting operation employed in known locking devices.

  In the simplest embodiment, the locking device has a locking element disposed on or above the filler chamber cover so as not to open the filler chamber cover disposed in the closed position. It may be configured to interact directly with the formed coupling element.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the locking device preferably has an engagement opening for the coupling element of the filler chamber cover that interacts with the locking element. When the filler chamber cover is placed in the closed position, the coupling element engages in the engagement opening where it can be sealed using the locking element. The engagement opening ensures an accurate alignment of the coupling element with respect to the locking element, thereby improving the operational stability of the locking device.

  In a preferred embodiment, the locking device comprises a filler chamber cover lifting means, which comprises a push-push mechanism whose operating principle takes a form similar to, for example, the contraction and extension of a ballpoint pen cartridge. Since the structure and operation of such mechanisms are generally known, the following description will therefore only detail the mode of operation, not the structure. Assume that the filler compartment cover is designed as a rotatable tank flap and is placed in a closed position. By applying pressure to the tank flap, the push-push mechanism is opened, thereby assisting the rotation of the tank flap through a certain angular range in the direction of the open position. In other words, the movable end of the tank flap is lifted to such an extent that it can be easily opened by being grasped from the rear side by the operator. When the tank flap is rotated from the open position to the closed position, the tank flap is rotated beyond the closed position, this operation is called “over pushing” and as a result the push-push mechanism is locked. The fuel supply chamber cover lifting means is particularly effective when the tank flap closes a sudden outflow outside the vehicle and cannot hold the tank flap from the rear side in the closed position.

  In the illustrated embodiment of the locking device, it is particularly preferred that the servo drive and the filler chamber cover lifting means are each designed as a modular unit. These are joined together to form a single unit before attaching the locking device. The advantage is that if one of these units is defective, it is not necessary to replace both units. The two units are preferably separable, for example by screwing, so that they can be easily separated from each other.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment of the locking device, holding the flange is arranged in the opening attachment also preferably characterized by at least one retaining groove which can be pressed onto the holding flange . This arrangement ensures that the locking device can be attached to the vehicle body part in an accurate and reproducible manner. The holding flange and the holding groove are preferably fitted to each other so that when pressed against the locking device, a clamping joint is formed which fixes the locking device to the body part so as to be positionally stable. Further, the fixing means may preferably not be used, in other words, the groove / flange joint is connected to the locking device and the vehicle body part until the fuel filler chamber compartment is attached to the mounting opening and fixed thereto. The only fixed point between.

  According to a developed embodiment of the present invention, the holding groove is provided in the housing of the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means. The housing is preferably made of plastic so that the retaining groove can be formed on the housing in a simple manner during manufacture of the housing.

  In a particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment of the locking device, the filler chamber cover lifting means has at least two holding bellows arranged at a distance from each other, each holding bellows having a holding groove. . Multiple groove / flange joints improve the retention of the locking device against the body part and prevent twisting or tilting of the locking device pre-attached to the mounting opening when properly positioned relative to each other Will be able to. The holding belly plate is preferably formed integrally with the housing.

In the illustrated embodiment of the locking device, when installed, the filler chamber, i.e. the compartment of the filler chamber, engages the free space between the holding belly plates and fills the chamber with respect to the mounting opening. Are preferably characterized by enabling the realization of an accurate alignment of The fuel filler chamber compartment itself is fixed to the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means, to the vehicle body part, or to the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means and the vehicle body part. The filler chamber compartment and the locking device are preferably fixed to the body part using one and the same fixing means. For this purpose, for example, a screw may be used, which screw is mounted in a suitable position in the mounting opening.

  In the illustrated embodiment of the locking device, a guide for the locking element is preferably provided in the servo drive. The locking element is preferably anchored and held on the servo drive, but can move back and forth. If the locking element makes a linear movement as it moves between the release position and the blocking position, the guide is formed in a simple manner by a passage opening suitably provided in the housing part of the servo drive. May be.

  Another advantageous exemplary embodiment of the locking device results from the combination of features described in the dependent claims.

To achieve the above object, Methods in further also proposed. Thereby, in the first step, the completely assembled locking device is inserted into the mounting opening from the outside and connected to the vehicle body part by a forced fitting method and / or a shape fitting method, for example, as described above. The It is also conceivable that the locking device is fastened to the body part using at least one clip-like connection. In the second step, the fuel filler chamber is then attached from the outside to the mounting opening and fixed to the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means and / or the vehicle body portion.

The subject of the invention is to further, and also relates to the arrangement method in a vehicle locking device according to the invention, in this arrangement method, when in the installed state, the locking device through the mounting opening Arranged within reach.

  Another advantageous exemplary embodiment relating to the arrangement method results from the combination of features described in the dependent claims.

  The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows details of a vehicle body portion 1 of an automobile (not shown). The vehicle body part 1 is probably formed, for example, by a side wall of the vehicle, and has a mounting opening 3 that serves to accommodate the locking device 5 shown in FIG. 2 and the filler compartment compartment 7 shown in FIG.

The pot-shaped filler port compartment 7 is made of plastic, for example, and is disposed on top of a tank flap (not shown). The tank flap is located between the closed position and the open position around the shaft. And can serve to cover the mounting opening 3. The coupling element provided on the tank flap, which will not be described in further detail here, engages the filler compartment compartment 7 through the passage opening 9 when the tank flap is in the closed position. The support point of the tank flap is formed by a thickened portion 11 protruding beyond the side wall of the filler chamber compartment 7. The upper end portion of the fuel supply port chamber defining member 7 and the peripheral flange 13 is formed by this flange, when the installed state, the fuel supply port chamber defining member 7 is provided in the mounting opening 3 and the vehicle body portion 1 It is supported by the flange 15 which is arranged so as to be shifted inward from the outer surface.

Filler opening chamber partition body 7 has an opening 17 in the bottom surface, engaging through the opening, when the state where the fuel supply port chamber defining member 7 is installed, the refueling tube projecting into the fuel supply port chamber partition body 7 To do.

  The tank flap is provided with an over-center auxiliary spring mechanism (not shown) that keeps the tank flap in a closed or open position. The structure and operation of the overcenter auxiliary spring mechanism is generally known and will not be described in further detail here.

  The illustrated embodiment of the locking device 5 shown in FIGS. 5A-5C includes two separable units, a servo drive 19 for moving the locking element 20 and a filler chamber cover lifting means 21. These units are connected to each other by a fixing means 23 to form a modular unit.

  The servo drive 19 preferably comprises a plastic housing 25 in which a guide 27 for the pin-like locking element 20 is provided. The guide 27 is formed by a part 29, which is integrally formed in the housing 25 and has a guide opening through which the locking element 20 is guided. The locking element 20 can be moved back and forth in the direction of the double arrow 31 between the release position and the blocking position, and is realized by using an appropriate motor accommodated in the housing 25, for example, a linear motor. . Alternatively, the locking element may be moved using a piston / cylinder device or the like. The servo drive 19 is controlled by a central locking system of the vehicle, and the locking element 20 is moved to the closed position when the vehicle is closed and to the release position when the vehicle is opened.

  The filler chamber cover lifting means 21 has a housing 33, preferably a plastic housing, in the form of a vertical hole into which the coupling element of the tank flap engages when the tank flap is placed in the closed position. The engagement opening 35 is provided. Arranged in the housing 33 is a push-push mechanism that interacts with the connecting elements of the tank flap as described above. Further provided in the housing 33 is a passage opening extending into the engagement opening 35 transversely to the insertion direction of the coupling element of the tank flap, this opening appearing laterally in the engagement opening 35. . The locking element 20 engages into the passage opening by its free end. In the closed position, the locking element 20 protrudes into the engagement opening 35 to the extent that it prevents the tank flap coupling element from being pulled out of the engagement opening 35, whereby the tank flap is sealed in the closed position and opened. It cannot be rotated to a position.

As can be seen in FIG. 5A, two holding webs 37, 39 spaced apart from each other are formed in the housing 33 and extend substantially parallel to each other, each having a holding groove 41 formed in its terminal region. Have. The holding groove 41 can be pressed against the holding flange 43 of the vehicle body portion 1. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the holding flange 43 is formed in the peripheral cutout 45 of the mounting opening 3. Each of the holding belly plates 37 and 39 is provided with a hole 47, which is provided in the vehicle body portion 1 in a state where the locking device 5 is installed, that is, in a state where the holding groove 41 is pressed against the holding flange 43. Aligned with the through hole 49 provided. The fuel filler chamber compartment 7 further has a through hole 51, and this hole is aligned with the through hole 49 and the hole 47 in a state where the filler port compartment 7 is attached to the attachment opening 3. A screw 53, preferably a self-cutting screw, is used to fix the locking device 5 and the filler chamber compartment 7 with respect to the vehicle body portion 1 so that the position is stable. Through and engages and is screwed into the bore 47 of the housing 33. The screw 53 is indicated by a broken line in FIG. 4B.

A method of attaching the locking device 5 and the fuel filler chamber compartment 7 to the vehicle body portion 1 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. The locking device 5 designed as a modular unit is inserted into the mounting opening 3 from the outside and is held in the edge region of the mounting opening 3 by its holding groove 41 as indicated by the arrow 55 in FIG. 4A. It is pressed against the flange 43, specifically, to the extent that the hole 47 is aligned with the through hole 49 of the vehicle body portion 1. In FIG. 4A, the locking device 5 is shown in a fully pushed or pressed position. As can be seen from the viewpoint of the attachment opening 3 seen from the outside, the locking device 5 is almost covered with the vehicle body portion 1 and only a part of the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means 21 is still visible. . In the second step, the filler compartment 7 is attached to the mounting opening 3 from the outside, if appropriate together with the tank flap already preassembled, with its flange 13 on the mounting opening 3. It comes into contact with the flange 15. FIG. 4B shows the filler chamber compartment 7 in a properly attached position. In the vicinity of the passage opening 9 placed at the position of alignment with the engagement opening 35 of the filler chamber cover lifting means 21, the filler chamber compartment 7 is placed in a free space between the holding stomach plates 37, 39. It can be seen that it has a shaped portion that is made to fit and engages the free space, that is, the filler compartment 7 is aligned with the mounting opening 3 in the desired manner and secured to prevent twisting. The fuel filler chamber compartment 7 almost completely covers the portion of the locking device 5 disposed in the mounting opening 3 so that only the portion disposed at the position overlapping the passage opening 9 of the locking device 5 can be seen. It is formed as follows. In order to complete the mounting operation, the fuel filler chamber compartment 7 and the locking device 5 are finally screwed to the vehicle body portion 1 using the screws 53.

  The servo drive device 19 fixed to the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means 21 does not have a fixed point dedicated to the vehicle body portion 1, but only by the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means 21 directly connected to the vehicle body portion 1. It is emphasized that the vehicle body 1 is held.

  Depending on the position of the connecting portion of the servo drive device 19 and the cable guide, the servo drive device 19 is connected to the central locking system and the power supply of the automobile before or after the locking device 5 is attached to the vehicle body part 1. And the cable guide is preferably arranged or selected such that it can be connected from the outside through the mounting opening.

FIG. 4C shows the inside of the vehicle body portion 1 provided with the locking device 5 installed in the attachment opening 3 and the fuel filler chamber compartment 7. It can be seen that the locking device 5 is supported against the inside of the vehicle body portion 1 by the housing 25 of the servo drive device 19, and as a result, rattling noise is avoided.

In summary, in the illustrated embodiment described with reference to the drawings, all the mounting operations required to mount the locking device 5 and the filler compartment compartment 7 to the vehicle body part 1 are ergonomically good. It is emphasized that it can be carried out from the outside through the mounting opening 3 so that a secure mounting operation is ensured. This allows the installation to be carried out quickly and thus cost-effectively. Furthermore, it is also advantageous that the entire working range can be viewed by the installer, thereby providing a high degree of processing reliability.

The perspective view showing the detail of the vehicle body part which has the attachment opening part for fueling port chambers. The perspective view showing exemplary embodiment of the latching device for the fuel supply chamber cover. The perspective view showing exemplary embodiment of a fuel filler chamber compartment . The figure which shows the vehicle body part provided with the latching device attached to the attachment opening part. The figure which shows the vehicle body part provided with the latching device attached to the attachment opening part, and the filler-portion chamber division body . The perspective view which shows the back surface of the vehicle body part provided with the latching device attached to the inside of a vehicle body part, and an oil filler chamber compartment . FIG. 3 is a front view of the locking device according to FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a side view of the locking device according to FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the locking device according to FIG. 2.

Claims (9)

A locking device (5) for locking a fuel filler chamber cover of a vehicle that can be moved to an open position and a closed position, and a locking element for sealing the fuel filler chamber cover to the closed position (20) and a locking device having a servo drive (19) for moving the locking element (20) from a release position to a blocking position,
The locking device (5) is designed as a pre-assembled modular unit and is provided in the vehicle body part (1) and is mounted on the mounting opening (7) serving to accommodate the filler compartment compartment (7) 3) having at least one holding groove (41) that can be fixed to the edge region and that can be pressed against a holding flange (43) arranged in the mounting opening (3). The locking device is characterized in that the portion pressed against the holding flange (43 ) by the holding groove (41) can be screwed directly to the holding flange (43) together with the fuel filler chamber compartment (7) .   Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting opening (3) has a peripheral notch (45).   The locking device according to claim 2, wherein the holding flange (43) is formed in the peripheral notch (45).   The locking device according to claim 3, wherein the holding groove (41) is provided in a housing (33) of the fuel filler chamber cover lifting means (21).   The fuel filler chamber cover lifting means (21) has at least two holding belly plates (37, 39) arranged at a distance from each other, and each holding belly plate (37, 39) has a holding groove (41). The locking device according to claim 4, further comprising:   6. Locking device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises an engagement opening (35) for a coupling element of the filler chamber cover that interacts with the locking element (20).   The locking device according to claim 6, further comprising a fuel supply chamber cover lifting means having a push-push mechanism.   8. The servo drive device (19) and the oil filler chamber cover lifting means (21) are each designed as a modular unit, preferably detachably connected to each other. The locking device as described. When installed, the filler chamber compartment (7) engages with the free space between the holding belly plates (37, 39), and the filler chamber compartment (7) is connected to the filler port. 9. The clerk according to claim 8, characterized in that it can be fixed to the chamber cover lifting means (21), in particular to the holding belly plate (37, 39) and / or to the body part (1). Stop device.

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