Oil tank lock

Abstract

A fuel tank lock includes a housing, a rotary transmission assembly, a locking assembly, and an electrical connector. The locking assembly comprises a rotating motor, a rotating piece and a locking piece. The center of the rotating part is rotationally connected with the shell, a circle of inner teeth are arranged on the rotating part, the output end of the rotating motor is meshed with the inner teeth, and the rotating part is provided with a circle of guide ring which is eccentrically arranged with the center of the rotating part. One end of the locking piece is arranged on the guide ring in a sliding mode, and the other end of the locking piece is movably arranged on the shell in a penetrating mode and used for locking the rotary transmission assembly. When the rotating piece rotates, the locking piece is driven to move in a reciprocating mode in the direction close to or away from the center of the rotating piece, so that the locking piece is inserted into or pulled out of the locking hole, locking is achieved, and it is guaranteed that the locking piece is free of the risk of self-returning in the locking state. The rotary driving function and the linear locking function are integrated through the guide ring, and additional transmission parts are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile components, in particular to a fuel tank lock. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cap lock is a device used to lock the fuel tank cap in a car. Its importance lies in ensuring fuel safety and preventing theft or leakage. Its primary function is to ensure the fuel tank cap remains closed while the vehicle is in motion, preventing fuel leakage, foreign objects from entering, or accidental opening. Traditional automotive fuel cap locks rely primarily on mechanical control technology, using the cap's own spring or latch mechanism. They typically feature a removable keyhole or button that locks the cap by pressing and rotating it a certain angle. To unlock, simply press the button again and rotate it in the opposite direction a certain angle, causing it to automatically pop open. However, this provides low security, lacks an active locking function, and is prone to accidental opening. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a fuel tank lock to solve the above technical problems.

[0004] A fuel tank lock comprises a housing, a rotary transmission assembly arranged on the housing, a locking assembly arranged on the housing, and an electrical connector arranged on the housing. The locking assembly comprises a rotary motor arranged on the housing, a rotary member rotatably arranged on the housing, and a locking member arranged on the rotary member. The central axis of the rotary member is rotationally connected to the housing, and a circle of internal teeth is provided on the end face of the rotary member facing the rotary motor, and the output end of the rotary motor engages with the internal teeth. The rotary member is driven to rotate by the rotary motor, and a circle of guide rings eccentrically arranged relative to the central axis of the rotary member is provided on the end face of the rotary member away from the rotary motor. One end of the locking member is slidably provided on the guide ring, and the other end of the locking member is movably passed through the housing and is used to lock the rotary transmission assembly. When the rotary member rotates, the locking member is driven to move back and forth in a direction close to or away from the center of the rotary member.

[0005] Furthermore, the housing includes an outer housing and an inner housing disposed in the outer housing, and the inner housing is provided with a guide groove extending in an arc-shaped direction.

[0006] Furthermore, the rotary transmission assembly includes a rotating disk arranged in the shell, a base column rotatably arranged on the rotating disk, a sliding member slidably arranged on the base column, a spring sleeved on the sliding member, a pressing member arranged on the sliding member, an outer cylinder arranged on the pressing member, and a locking hole arranged on the outer cylinder, and a limiting column located in the guide groove is provided on the outer side wall of the outer cylinder.

[0007] Furthermore, one end of the base column is rotatably connected to the rotating disk, and the other end is slidably connected to the sliding member. One end of the sliding member is slidably connected to the base column, and the other end is connected to the pressing member.

[0008] Furthermore, a first limiting flange is provided at the middle position of the base column, and a second limiting flange is provided at the middle position of the sliding member. One end of the spring abuts against the first limiting flange, and the other end abuts against the second limiting flange. The spring drives the sliding member and the pressing member provided on the sliding member to move away from the base column through its own elastic force.

[0009] Furthermore, a plurality of limiting grooves arranged along the axial direction of the outer cylinder are provided on the inner side wall of the outer cylinder, and a plurality of limiting strips whose positions correspond to the positions of the limiting grooves are provided on the first limiting flange, the second limiting flange, and the pressing member, and the limiting strips are slidably arranged in the limiting grooves.

[0010] Furthermore, the two ends of the inner teeth are spaced apart, and when the output end of the rotary motor rotates to the two ends of the inner teeth, they correspond to the locking position and the unlocking position of the locking member respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the position of the locking member is flush with the position of the locking hole of the rotary transmission assembly in the pressed locking state.

[0012] Furthermore, the guide ring and the rotating member are integrally formed.

[0013] Furthermore, a gear column is provided on the output end of the rotating motor.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the locking assembly of the fuel tank lock provided by the present invention is connected by rotating the center of the rotating part to the housing, and a circle of internal teeth is provided on the end face of the rotating part facing the rotating motor, and the output end of the rotating motor meshes with the internal teeth. A guide ring is provided on the end face of the rotating part away from the rotating motor, which is eccentric to the center of the rotating part. One end of the locking part is slidably provided on the guide ring, and the other end of the locking part is movably passed through the housing and is used to insert into the locking hole to lock the rotary transmission assembly. When the rotating part rotates, it drives the locking part to move back and forth in a direction close to or away from the center of the rotating part, so that the locking part is inserted into or pulled out of the locking hole to achieve locking. Ensure that the locking part has no risk of self-retraction in the locked state and can only be unlocked by the reverse drive of the rotating motor, which can avoid the phenomenon of accidental triggering and popping up due to vibration or other reasons during driving. The guide ring integrates the rotary drive and linear locking functions, reducing additional transmission components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a fuel tank lock provided by the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the fuel tank lock.

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the rotary transmission component of the fuel tank lock.

[0018] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the fuel tank lock without the outer shell.

[0019] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the locking assembly of the fuel tank lock. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following is a further detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the description of the embodiments of the present invention herein is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] like Figures 1 to 5, which is a schematic structural diagram of a fuel tank lock provided by the present invention. The fuel tank lock comprises a housing 10, a rotary transmission assembly 20 disposed on the housing 10, a locking assembly 30 disposed on the housing 10, and an electrical connector 40 disposed on the housing 10. It is contemplated that the fuel tank lock may also include other functional modules, such as a connection assembly, an electrical connection assembly, and a mounting assembly, etc. These are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be further described here.

[0022] The shell 10 includes an outer shell 11 and an inner shell 12 arranged in the outer shell 11. The inner shell 12 is provided with an arc-shaped guide groove 13. The guide groove 13 is used to limit the rotation angle of the rotating transmission assembly 20. In this embodiment, under the limitation of the guide groove 13, the rotating transmission assembly 20 rotates back and forth 90 degrees. The inner shell 12 is used to carry the above-mentioned functional modules, so the inner shell 12 is also provided with a variety of functional structures, such as screws, mounting holes, etc. to complete the installation and assembly of the above-mentioned functional modules, which can be set according to actual needs and are not described in detail one by one here. The outer shell 11 is the outermost structure of the device, which mainly plays a protective role to prevent dust, moisture, physical impact, etc. in the external environment from damaging the internal components.

[0023] The rotary transmission assembly 20 includes a rotating disk 21 arranged in the housing 10, a base column 22 arranged on the rotating disk 21, a sliding member 23 slidably arranged on the base column 22, a spring 24 sleeved on the sliding member 23, a pressing member 25 arranged on the sliding member 23, an outer cylinder 26 arranged on the pressing member 25, and a locking hole 27 arranged on the outer cylinder 26.

[0024] The rotating disk 21 is used to support the base column 22 and rotate with the base column 22. One end of the base column 22 is connected to the rotating disk 21, and the other end is slidably connected to the sliding member 23. A first limiting flange 221 is provided in the middle position of the base column 22, and the first limiting flange 221 is used to press against one end of the spring 24. One end of the sliding member 23 is slidably connected to the base column 22, and the other end is connected to the pressing member 25. A second limiting flange 231 is provided in the middle position of the sliding member 23, and the second limiting flange 231 is used to press against the other end of the spring 24, that is, one end of the spring 24 presses against the first limiting flange 221, and the other end presses against the second limiting flange 231. The spring 24 uses its own elastic force to drive the slider 23 and the pressing member 25 disposed on the slider 23 toward the base column 22. When the pressing member 25 is pressed, the slider 23 moves toward the base column 22, and the spring 24 is compressed. After a certain distance of pressing, the relative position of the slider 23 and the base column 22 is locked. Pressing the pressing member 25 again unlocks the relative position of the slider 23 and the base column 22. The elastic potential energy of the compressed spring 24 drives the slider 23 toward the base column 22 until the spring 24 is free and no longer compressed. The outer tube 26 and the pressing member 25 are connected together by a connecting member 251, which ensures that the outer tube 26 moves synchronously when the pressing member 25 is pressed. In this embodiment, the connecting member 251 is a latch. The unlocking and locking method between the sliding member 23 and the base column 22 can itself be the existing technology, such as the technical solution disclosed in patent No. 201811123421.8.

[0025] The outer wall of the outer cylinder 26 is provided with a retaining post 261 positioned within the guide groove 13. Because the guide groove 13 extends in an arc, the retaining post 261 slides within the guide groove 13 when the outer cylinder 26 moves axially, causing the outer cylinder 26 to simultaneously rotate while moving axially. The length and arc of the guide groove 13 limit the movement distance and rotation angle of the rotary transmission assembly 20. In this embodiment, the length and arc of the guide groove 13 are required to allow the rotary transmission assembly 20 to simultaneously move axially and rotate 90 degrees, thereby allowing the locking tabs on either side of the pressing member 25 to rotate and engage the fuel tank cap. To unlock, the pressing member 25 is pressed again, causing the rotary transmission assembly 20 to move axially and rotate 90 degrees in the opposite direction, allowing the locking tabs on either side of the pressing member 25 to rotate and unengage the fuel tank cap. During unlocking, the retaining post 261 is located on the side of the guide groove 13 facing the pressing member 25. When locked, the limiting post 261 is located on the side of the guide groove 13 facing the rotating disk 21 .

[0026] The inner sidewall of the outer cylinder 26 is provided with a plurality of limiting grooves 262 arranged along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 26. The first limiting flange 221, the second limiting flange 231, and the pressing member 25 are provided with a plurality of limiting strips 263 whose positions correspond to the positions of the limiting grooves 262. The limiting strips 263 slide within the limiting grooves 262, and as the outer cylinder 26 moves axially and rotates, they drive the pressing member 25 to move axially and rotate synchronously, thereby enabling the locking tongues on both sides of the pressing member 25 to rotate synchronously.

[0027] The locking assembly 30 includes a rotating motor 31 disposed on the housing 10 , a rotating member 32 rotatably disposed on the housing 10 , and a locking member 33 disposed on the rotating member 32 .

[0028] The central axis of the rotating member 32 is rotatably connected to the housing 10. A circle of internal teeth 34 is provided on the end surface of the rotating member 32 facing the rotating motor 31. The output end of the rotating motor 31 meshes with the internal teeth 34, thereby driving the rotating member 32 to rotate via the rotating motor 31. It is conceivable that a gear column 311 is provided on the output end of the rotating motor 31 to engage with the internal teeth 34.

[0029] A guide ring 35 is provided on the end surface of the rotating member 32, which is away from the rotating motor 31, and is eccentrically arranged relative to the central axis of the rotating member 32. The eccentric arrangement of the guide ring 35 allows the locking member 33 to switch between locking and unlocking the outer cylinder 26. That is, when the guide ring 35 approaches the outer cylinder 26, the locking member 33 is inserted into the locking hole 27 of the outer cylinder 26. When the guide ring 35 moves away from the outer cylinder 26, the locking member 33 is disengaged from the locking hole 27 of the outer cylinder 26.

[0030] The position of the locking member 33 corresponds to the position of the locking hole 27 of the rotary transmission assembly 20 in the pressed locking state. One end of the locking member 33 is slidably mounted on the guide ring 35, and the other end is movably mounted on the housing 10 and is used to be inserted into the locking hole 27 to lock the outer cylinder 26 of the rotary transmission assembly 20 to prevent the outer cylinder 26 from rotating. Since the locking member 33 is movably mounted on the housing 10, the locking member 33 is not driven to rotate by the guide ring 35 and can only move back and forth. When the rotating member 32 rotates, since the guide ring 35 is eccentrically mounted and one end of the locking member 33 is slidably mounted on the guide ring 35 and the other end is movably mounted on the housing 10, the rotational motion is converted into linear motion, driving the locking member 33 to move back and forth in a direction close to or away from the center of the rotating member 32, so that the locking member 33 can be inserted into or removed from the locking hole 27. The guide ring 35 is formed integrally with the rotating member 32, thereby integrating the rotary drive and linear locking functions in a limited space, reducing the use of additional transmission components such as connecting rods and racks, reducing complexity, and saving space. The two ends of the inner teeth 34 are spaced apart, and when the output end of the rotating motor 31 rotates to the two ends of the inner teeth 34, they correspond to the locking position and unlocking position of the locking member 33 respectively, so that the rotation of the rotating member 32 is limited. When the two ends of the inner teeth 34 are rotated, they will stop, thereby limiting the movement range of the locking member 33 to avoid damage to the mechanical structure due to over-rotation of the motor. The locking or unlocking is controlled by the locking assembly 30 to ensure that the locking member 33 has no risk of self-retraction in the locked state, and can only be unlocked by the reverse drive of the rotating motor 31, which can avoid the phenomenon of accidental touch and pop-up due to vibration or other reasons during driving.

[0031] Furthermore, when locked, the limiting post 261 is located on the side of the guide slot 13 facing the rotating disk 21. At this time, the guide ring 35 approaches the outer cylinder 26, and the locking member 33 is inserted into the locking hole 27 of the outer cylinder 26, thereby fixing the position of the limiting post 261 and the guide slot 13. This prevents the outer cylinder 26 from moving away from the rotating disk 21 under the pressure of the spring 24, thereby locking the fuel tank cap. When unlocked, the guide ring 35 moves away from the outer cylinder 26, and the locking member 33 disengages the locking hole 27 of the outer cylinder 26. At this time, the outer cylinder 26 moves away from the rotating disk 21 under the pressure of the spring 24, and the limiting post 261 is located on the side of the guide slot 13 facing the pressing member 25. At this point, the fuel tank cap is unlocked and can be opened.

[0032] The electrical connector 40 is an interface for plugging in a power source and is electrically connected to the rotary motor 31, thereby providing power to the rotary motor 31. Compared to the prior art, the locking assembly 30 of the fuel tank lock provided by the present invention is rotatably connected to the housing 10 by the center of the rotary member 32. A circle of internal teeth 34 is provided on the end surface of the rotary member 32 facing the rotary motor 31, and the output end of the rotary motor 31 meshes with the internal teeth 34. A guide ring 35 eccentrically arranged with respect to the center of the rotating member 32 is provided on the end surface of the rotating member 32 away from the rotating motor 31. One end of the locking member 33 is slidably provided on the guide ring 35. The other end of the locking member 33 is movably provided on the housing 10 and is used to be inserted into the locking hole 27 to lock the rotating transmission assembly 20. When the rotating member 32 rotates, it drives the locking member 33 to move back and forth in a direction close to or away from the center of the rotating member 32, so that the locking member 33 is inserted into or removed from the locking hole 27, thereby achieving locking and ensuring that the locking member 33 has no risk of self-retraction in the locked state and can only be unlocked by the reverse drive of the rotating motor 31. This can avoid the phenomenon of accidental opening due to vibration or other reasons during driving. The guide ring 35 integrates the rotary drive and linear locking functions, reducing the number of additional transmission components.

[0033] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements or improvements within the spirit of the present invention are included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel tank lock, characterized by: The fuel tank lock includes a shell, a rotating transmission assembly arranged on the shell, a locking assembly arranged on the shell, and an electrical connector arranged on the shell, the locking assembly includes a rotating motor arranged on the shell, a rotating member rotatably arranged on the shell, and a locking member arranged on the rotating member, the central axis of the rotating member is rotatably connected to the shell, the rotating member is provided with a circle of internal teeth on the end face facing the rotating motor, the output end of the rotating motor is engaged with the internal teeth, and the rotating member is driven to rotate by the rotating motor, and the end face of the rotating member away from the rotating motor is provided with a circle of guide ring eccentrically arranged relative to the central axis of the rotating member, one end of the locking member is slidably arranged on the guide ring, and the other end of the locking member is movably penetrated through the shell and used to lock the rotating transmission assembly, and when the rotating member rotates, it drives the locking member to move back and forth in a direction close to or away from the center of the rotating member.

2. The fuel tank lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell includes an outer shell and an inner shell arranged in the outer shell. The inner shell is provided with a guide groove extending in an arc shape.

3. The fuel tank lock according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotary transmission assembly includes a rotating disk arranged in the shell, a base column rotatably arranged on the rotating disk, a sliding member slidably arranged on the base column, a spring sleeved on the sliding member, a pressing member arranged on the sliding member, an outer cylinder arranged on the pressing member, and a locking hole arranged on the outer cylinder, and a limiting column located in the guide groove is provided on the outer side wall of the outer cylinder.

4. The fuel tank lock according to claim 3, characterized in that: One end of the base column is rotatably connected to the rotating disk, and the other end is slidably connected to the sliding member. One end of the sliding member is slidably connected to the base column, and the other end is connected to the pressing member.

5. The fuel tank lock according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first limiting flange is provided in the middle position of the base column, and a second limiting flange is provided in the middle position of the sliding member. One end of the spring abuts against the first limiting flange, and the other end abuts against the second limiting flange. The spring drives the sliding member and the pressing member provided on the sliding member to move away from the base column through its own elastic force.

6. The fuel tank lock according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of limiting grooves arranged along the axial direction of the outer cylinder are provided on the inner side wall of the outer cylinder, and a plurality of limiting strips whose positions correspond to the positions of the limiting grooves are provided on the first limiting flange, the second limiting flange, and the pressing member, and the limiting strips are slidably arranged in the limiting grooves.

7. The fuel tank lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two ends of the inner teeth are spaced apart, and when the output end of the rotary motor rotates to the two ends of the inner teeth, they correspond to the locking position and the unlocking position of the locking member respectively.

8. The fuel tank lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position of the locking member is flush with the position of the locking hole of the rotary transmission assembly in the pressed locking state.

9. The fuel tank lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide ring and the rotating member are integrally formed.

10. The fuel tank lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: A gear column is provided on the output end of the rotating motor.

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