FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to fuel cap position sensors and more
particularly to an apparatus, assembly and method for monitoring the closed position
of a fuel cap and accordingly .indicate the status of the fuel cap by an
audible/visual/text warning indicator provided in a vehicle information display
instrument of the vehicles such as three wheelers, four wheelers, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The statements in this section merely provide background information related
to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art(s).
In a general trend, the automotive vehicles, running on liquid fuel, are
structured with a fuel tank provided to store the liquid fuel for supplying required
source of energy to the vehicles. These fuel tanks are typically designed with an
opening in a side thereof wherein a substantially cylindrical tube with a threaded end
is inserted into the opening and thus fixed to the fuel tank. The threaded end is
screwed by a fuel filler cap to control the vaporization and theft of the liquid fuel
from the fuel tank. The fuel filler cap is generally protected by a fuel tank door which
is pivotally connected to the extended portion of the cylindrical tube and biased in its
opening direction by a torsion spring. The fuel tank door is held closed by a locking
device that hooks on a protrusion formed on the inner surface of the fuel tank door.
The locking device is connected to an opening lever, provided beside the driver's seat,
by a cable such that the locking device unlocks if the driver pulls the opening lever to
open the fuel tank door. Parallely, an additional manual attention is always required
to take care of the closed status of the fuel cap to lid the fuel tank of the four wheelers.
Sometimes, during refilling of the fuel in the fuel tank, the driver or a fuel
service station attendant unintentionally forget to re-cap the fuel cap on the fuel tank.
Secondly, if the driver is sitting inside the vehicle, he may not know whether the fuel
cap has been screwed or not. On certain occasions, the fuel tank door is closed
without screwing the fuel cap on the fuel tank. In this way, its always a responsibility
.,
to take care of the closure of the fuel cap after refilling the fuel tank with the fuel.
This sometimes lead to driving of vehicle with the fuel cap open throughout the
journey .leading to unawareness of opened fuel cap throughout the way. Further, the
unclosed fuel cap door may lead to the theft of fuel too. Thus, the driver may
accidently run out of fuel if he relies on the fuel last noticed in the fuel tank.
Additionally, the liquid fuel, if left exposed, may vaporize and form fuel vapor
leading to unalarming loss of fuel.
Various automatic and manual attempts have been made in prior arts to
monitor the position of locking of the fuel cap on the fuel tank of the vehicles in case
the fuel cap is either unclosed or partially closed. For instances, magnetic switches
such as reed switches are employed to read and sense the open and closed position of
the fuel cap of the vehicles. However, while desirable from a performance and cost
point of view, the reed switches do not perform reliably over wide range of
temperature ranges, particularly at low temperature due to change in sensitivity of
reed switches at different temperatures. Further, the opening of the fuel tank door are
also sensed by limit switches that must be secured to the inside of the fuel tank during
manufacturing of the fuel tank. However, these limit switches may invite the chance
of spark and subsequent explosion if all the limit switches are not properly grounded
to the chassis of the vehicles. Furthermore, some vehicles are also provided with a
"Check Engine" warning indicator that is also an indication of opened fuel cap of the
vehicle. However, "Check Engine" warning indicator is a broad indication of any
malfunctioning inside and related to the engine. Thus, the same excludes any specific
indication of fuel 'tank door unless specifically checked by mechanics or any service
bay, resulting in further enhanced cost. Sometimes, the fuel cap are also tied by a
thread (of anymaterial) so as to remind the driver or the fuel station service attendant
of screwing the fuel cap after refilling the fuel tank.
Hence, there is an urgent need for a fuel cap sensor that may overcome the
above mentioned drawbacks such as reliability over a wide range of temperature,
safety in terms of usage, cost effectiveness, accurate, customers' satisfaction and the
L,
like. Importantly, there is a demand for the fuel cap sensor that can read the unclosed
fuel cap as well as partially closed fuel cap on the fuel tank of the vehicles.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTMS OF THE INVENTION
The present subject matter relates to a fuel cap warning indicator for
automotive vehicles that mainly includes a fuel tank to receive fuel via a fuel inlet, a
thread ended cylindrical tube inserted into the fuel inlet, a fuel cap screwed on the
thread ended cylindrical tube, and a fuel tank door pivotally connected to an extended
portion of the thread ended cylindrical tube to cover the fuel cap and the fuel tank.
The arrangement for fuel cap warning indicator is also provided with a push switch
compartment positioned beside the fuel inlet, wherein the push switch compartment
includes a push switch provided within the push swjtch compartment to get pushed
downward by a lever via an integrated push pad protruding through a vertical gap in a
door of the push switch compartment. The fuel cap warning indicator provided in a
vehicle information display instrument is actuated by downward push of the push pad
on 'unscrewing of the fuel cap. The warning indicator may be an audible buzzer, a
visible indicator, texts, and the like. The present subject matter discloses a reliable,
compact, less costly and a customer's fiiendly fuel cap warning indicator that
indicates unclosed or partially closed fuel cap for automotive vehicles.
An object of the present subject matter is to design the fuel inlet as an opening
in a side thereof wherein substantially cylindrical tube with the threaded end is
inserted into the fuel inlet and thus fixed to the fuel tank.
An object of the present subject matter is to cover the fuel cap with the he1
tank door.
An object of the present subject matter is to position the push switch
compartment beside the inlet of the fuel tank.
Another object of the present subject matter is to enclose the push switch
within the push switch compartment.
Another object of the present subject matter is to activate the push switch by
the push pad integral to the lever.
Another object of the present subject matter is to fix the lever at one of the
ends of the push switch compartment.
Another object of the present subject matter is to hinge the lever to the wall of
the push switch compartment.
Another object of the present subject matter is to structure the lever with a
flexible material.
Another object of the present subject matter is to provide a door to the push
switch compartment.
Another object of the present subject matter is to snap fit, weld and/or attach
the door to the push switch compartment.
Another object of the present subject matter is to provide the push switch
compartment with at least two terminals to receive and send signals to an electronic
circuit structure.
Another object of the present subject matter is to supply these signals to the
vehicle information display instrument for indicating the status of the fuel' cap.
Another object of the present subject matter is to indicate the said status in
terms of visible and/or audible and/or text indicators.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an easy, compact,
less costly and advanced vehicle information display instrument wherein the
visuallaudible fuel tank warning can be indicated. .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary narrated above and the following detailed description of the
invention can be understood with the drawings appended. to this claim. The
illustrations provide the details of the invention. However, it should be understood
that the invention is not limited to the arrangements shown. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a four wheeler in an embodiment of the present
subject matter.
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a closed fuel cap and a fbel tank door in an
embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective vicw of an ope11 fuel cap in an embodiment of the
present subject matter.
FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a push switch provided in a push switch
compartment in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of a push switch provided with terminals in an
embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view of a push switch compartment in an
embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 6 illustrates a view of a telltale for fbel cap warning indicator in a vehicle
information display instrument in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present subject matter is not
limited to these embodiments which are only provided to explain more clearly the
present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In
the accompanying drawings, like reference alphabets and numerals are used to
indicate like components. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to the scale, and in
some instances the drawings have been exaggerated andlor simplified in places for
illustrative purposes only.
The present invention relates to fuel cap position sensors and more
particularly to an apparatus, assembly and method for monitoring the closed position
of a fuel cap and accordingly indicate the status of the fuel cap by an
audible/visual/text warning indicator provided in a vehicle information display
instrument of the vehicles such as three wheelers, four wheelers, and the like. The
following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the
present disclosure, application, or uses. The present invention will hereinafter be
described in detail below as applied to a four wheeler. However, the principles of the
present invention are also applicable to other vehicles such as three wheelers, and the
like. Upward, lower, front and rear directions (see the directions indicated by the
arrows in FIG. 1) will be described with respect to directions as seated by the driver
in the vehicle. Further, the present subject matter is explained with reference to a fuel
tank cap warning indicator as shown in the vehicle information display instrument of
the four wheelers.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the four wheeler 100 in an accordance
with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The four wheeler 100 include an
internal combustion engine to generate a torque required to propel the four wheeler
100. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the engine may be a gasoline
type engine, diesel powered engine, and the like. The four wheeler 100 is generally
provided with a &el system 200 that supplies liquid fbel and fuel vapor to the engine
of the four wheeler 100. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show that fuel system 200 includes a fuel
tank 102 specifically provided to store the liquid fuel for propelling the four wheeler
100. The liquid fuel is stored in the fuel tank 102 via a fbel inlet (not shown)
structured as an integral part of the fbel system, in an embodiment of the present
subject matter. The fuel inlet is designed as an opening in a side thereof wherein a
substantially cylindrical tube with a threaded end is inserted into the fuel inlet and
thus fixed to the fuel tank 102. The threaded end is screwed by a fuel cap 104 to
control the vaporization and theft of the liquid fuel from the fuel tank 102. In an
embodiment of the present subject matter, the fuel cap 104 is generally protected by a
fuel tank door 106 which is pivotally connected to the extended portion of the
cylindrical tube and biased in its opening direction by a torsion spring (not shown).
The fuel tank door 106 is held closed by a locking device 108 that hooks on a
I protrusion formed on the inner surface of the fuel tank door 106. The locking device I
108 is pushed by a wedge shaped extrusion (not shown) designed integrally to the
fuel tank door 106, in an embodiment of the present subject matter. The locking
device 108 is connected to an opening lever (not shown), provided beside the driver's
seat, by a cable (not shown) such that the locking device unlocks if the driver pulls
the opening lever to open the fuel tank door 106. The locking device is designed as a
movable protrusion integral to the inner surface of a lock plate (not shown) provided
with the fuel tank 102 as shown in FIG. 3. This concept is further discussed and
enabled in an Indian Patent application number 3096/DEL/2015 filed in the name of
the same applicant i.e. JNS INSTRUMENTS LIMITED.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the fuel tank door 106 covers
the fuel cap 104 whose closure's indication is governed by a push switch 110 housed
in a push switch compartment 112 as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. In a unique
embodiment of the present subject matter, the push switch compartment 112 is
positioned beside the inlet of the fuel tank 102 such that the screwing of the fuel cap
104 subsequently pushes the push switch 110 downward. The push switch
compartment 112 encloses the push switch 110 that gets operational by a lever 114
after being pushed and non-pushed by the screwing and unscrewing fuel cap 104
respectively. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the lever 114 is fixed at
the other end (which is interior) of the push switch compartment 112, as shown in
FIG. 5. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the lever 114 may be
hinged to the wall of the push switch compartment 112. In an embodiment of the
present subject matter, the lever 114 may be made of any flexible material, such as
but not restricted to, metal, plastic, and the like. The lever 114 is structured with a
push pad 116 that actually gets pushed by the fuel cap 104 while screwing the fuel
cap 104 on the fuel inlet 102. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the
push switch compartment 112 is provided with a door 118 to protect the push switch
110 from dust, pollution, unintentional fuel drops, and the like. The door 118 is snap
fitted to the push switch compartment 112 in an embodiment of the present subject
matter. However, the door 118 may be attached by bolts, screws and the like. Further,
the door 118 may be welded to the push switch compartment 112. In an embodiment
of the present subject matter, the push pad 116 provided with the push switch 110 is
kept movably outside the door of the push switch compartment 112 in a gap provided
in the door 118 for a clear vertical movement of the push switch 110, as shown in
FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B fiuther explains that the push switch compartment 112 is provided
with atleast two terminals 120 that receives the signals once the push switch 110 is
pressed on screwing and unscrewing the fuel cap 104, in an embodiment of the
present subject matter. These signals received by the terminals 120 are further
supplied (FIG. 5) to an electronic circuit structure governing a vehicle information
display instrument 122 (speedometer) of the vehicles 100. In a unique embodiment of
the present subject matter, the signals sent by the terminals 120 may be combined
with any other signals such as those of fuel door lock indicator (as described in
3096/DEL/2015) so that a cumulative signal can be evident on the vehicle
information display instrument 122. In an embodiment of the present subject matter,
the present subject matter covers all the possibilities of applying any kind of push
switch with and without compartment for sending the opened status of the fuel cap.
During the refilling of the fuel in the four wheeler 100, the driver pulls the
opening lever to open the fuel tank door 106. In this course, the locking device 108
connected to the opening lever also gets pulled resulting in the opening of the he1
tank door 106. Further, the driver or any service station attendant unscrew the fuel
cap 104 to fill the fuel via the fuel inlet. This operation of unscrewing the fuel cap
104 will release the pressed push switch 110 as the fuel cap 104 rotates anticlockwise
during its unscrewing. Thence, the upward movement of the push pad 116 brings the
push switch 110 to its normal position that subsequently sends corresponding signals
via terminals 120 to the electronic circuit structure and then to the vehicle
information display instrument 122 in the vehicles 100. Thus, the opening of the fuel
cap 104, as a result, will automatically actuate signals for displaying the status of the
opened fuel cap 104 as warning indicator 300 in vehicle information display
instrument 122 of the four wheeler 100 to switch ON the visible warning indicator
300 for glowing in the vehicle information display instrument 122 of the four wheeler
100. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the warning indicator 300 may
be an audible buzzer to inform the driver about the opened status of the fuel cap. In
another embodiment of the present subject matter, the warning indicator 300 may be
in the form of texts displayed on a liquid crystal display in the vehicle information
display instrument of the four wheeler.
The fuel cap indicator according to the present subject matter advantageously
facilitates an automatic and assured arrangement for sensing, indicating and thus
correcting the status of the fuel cap. This subject matter reduces any chance of theft
nf file1 from the four \vheolcr to a great tszte~ll. Furilier, since there are no electronical
components involved in the present subject matter, hence the possible chances of
spark and explosion also are foreshortened. Additionally, the status of the he1 cap is
indicated by a separate warning indicator 300 (as is evident fiom FIG. 6) which is
different fiom a 'check engine' warning indicator as present in prior technologies,
hence the additional cost of cross checking the exact malfunction gets diminished.
Furthermore, the fuel cap indicator according to the present subject matter
beneficially works on any temperature range since the basic components involved are
mechanical in nature. Therefore, the present subject matter ensures an efficient and
reliable arrangement for indicating the status of fuel cap of four wheelers. Moreover,
since there are no major complexities involved in terms of the components and their
functions, hence the arrangement is less costly too. In other words, the driver can
enjoy a hassle-fiee travel without the headache of opened fuel cap (esp during traffic
and on highways) with the advantages of reliability, less cost, customer's satisfaction,
and the like.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to
the embodiments described above without departing fiom the broad inventive concept
thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all variations,
substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency
of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
WE CLAIM:
1. A fuel cap warning indicator 300 for automotive vehicles 100 comprising:
a fuel tank 102 to receive fuel via a fuel inlet;
a thread ended cylindrical tube inserted into the fuel inlet;
a fuel cap 104 screwed on the thread ended cylindrical tube;
a fuel tank door 106 pivotally connected to an extended portion of the thread
ended cylindrical tube to cover the fuel cap 104 and the fuel tank 102;
a push switch compartment 112 positioned beside the fuel inlet, wherein the
push switch compartment 112 comprising;
a push switch 110 provided within the push switch compartment 112 to get
pushed downward by a lever 114 via an integrated push pad 116 protruding
through a vertical gap in a door 118 of the push switch compartment 112;
the fuel cap warning indicator 300 provided in a vehicle information display
instrument 122 to get actuated by downward push of the push pad 116 on
unscrewing the fuel cap 104.
2. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever ,114
is fixed at the other end (which is interior) of the push switch compartment 112.
3. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever 114
may be hinged to the wall of the push switch compartment 112.
4. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door may
be welded andlor attached by bolts, screws and the like.
5. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the push
switch compartment 112 is provided with atlcast two terminals 120 to receive
and send signals to an electronic circuit structure once the push switch 110 is
pressed on screwing and unscrewing the fuel cap 104.
6. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic
circuit structure sends signals to the vehicle information display instrument 122
of the vehicles 100.
7. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warning
indicator 300 may be an audible buzzer, a visible indicator, texts, and the like.
8. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1 is evident on a vehicle
information display instrument 122 of automotive vehicles 100.
9. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim '1 indicates unclosed or
partially closed fuel cap 104 also.
10. The fuel cap warning indicator 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever 114
is made of any flexible material, such as but not restricted to, metal, and
the like.