Oil filler decorating part manually opened and closed through knob and rich in mechanical wind style
The fuel filler cap trim, which can be manually opened and closed via a knob, integrates a visible mechanical structure with the fun of manual operation. It solves the problem of traditional fuel filler caps restricting the shape of car side trim, enhances the aesthetic design of the car's exterior, and improves operational convenience.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-07
AI Technical Summary
The traditional fuel filler cap's location limits the design of car side trim pieces, preventing them from covering the area above the car's waistline and leading to user aesthetic fatigue.
A mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece was designed, which can be manually opened and closed by a knob. It includes an upper cover, a hinge, a lower cover, and a linkage mechanism. The lower cover is opened and closed by rotating the knob cover, and the operation of the linkage mechanism can be seen through a transparent cover. A strong magnet is used to keep the lower cover in the open position, and a rubber strip buffers the contact to prevent scratches.
It realizes the visualization of the mechanical structure and the fun of manual operation of the fuel filler cap decoration, enhances the aesthetic design of the car exterior, avoids scratches and improves the ease of operation, and meets the requirements of lightweighting, high temperature resistance and light aging resistance of automobiles.
Smart Images
Figure CN121799150A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive exterior parts technology, specifically to a mechanical-style fuel filler cap trim that is manually opened and closed by a knob. Background Technology
[0002] Side trim pieces are an important part of a car's exterior, enhancing both visual appeal and functionality. Traditional side trim pieces emphasize a natural integration with the car's lines, focusing on a sense of luxury, sportiness, or classic elegance. This pursuit of understated or refined style, prioritizing quality over exaggerated styling, can easily lead to user fatigue. The traditional fuel filler cap, with its flip-up design, seamlessly blends into the body, a microcosm of the "function-first" industrial era.
[0003] The shortcomings and deficiencies of existing technology: The position of the traditional fuel filler cap means that the shape of the car side trim cannot cover the area above the waistline, which greatly limits the design of car exterior parts, especially the side skirts. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that can be manually opened and closed by a knob.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob is characterized by: being embedded in the side skirt around the fuel filler cap and covering the outside of the fuel filler cap, including an upper cover plate, a hinge, and a lower cover plate. The upper cover plate is fixed to the vehicle body; The hinge connects the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, allowing the lower cover plate to flip up relative to the upper cover plate to expose the oil filler cap; The lower cover includes a knob cover, an outer lower cover, a bottom lower cover, and a linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism is connected to the cavity formed by the outer lower cover and the bottom lower cover. The knob cover is connected to the outer lower cover and the shaft end of the knob cover is connected to the linkage. By rotating the knob cover, the locking tongue of the linkage mechanism is extended or retracted to achieve the closing or opening of the lower cover. A transparent cover plate is embedded in the outer plate of the lower cover, through which the operation process of the linkage mechanism can be seen directly.
[0006] Furthermore, the upper cover plate includes an outer upper cover plate, an inner upper cover frame, and an upper cover plate fixing mechanism, which is used to fix the entire fuel filler cap decorative piece to the vehicle body.
[0007] Furthermore, the upper cover fixing mechanism includes 3M adhesive and clips.
[0008] Furthermore, the hinge includes an upper hinge, a lower hinge, and a hinge pin; the upper hinge is connected to the upper cover plate, and the lower hinge is connected to the lower cover plate, and the upper and lower hinges are rotatably connected by the hinge pin; the upper and lower hinges are respectively provided with strong magnets with opposite magnetic properties inside, and when the lower cover plate is opened, the two strong magnets attract each other to keep the lower cover plate in the open position.
[0009] Furthermore, the knob cover includes an outer knob cover plate, an inner knob cover frame, and a knob shaft. The inner knob cover frame is fixed together with the outer knob cover plate, and the knob shaft is fixed on the inner knob cover frame. The knob shaft is connected to the input end of the linkage mechanism.
[0010] Furthermore, the linkage mechanism includes a mechanical air base plate and a linkage assembly connected to the mechanical air base plate.
[0011] Furthermore, the mechanical fan base plate is provided with a locking hole, and the connecting rod assembly is provided with a locking tongue that cooperates with the locking hole; the mechanical fan base plate is pre-embedded with a ball, which is used to cooperate with the locking groove on the connecting rod assembly to achieve position locking.
[0012] Furthermore, a spring is connected between the connecting rod assembly and the mechanical wind base plate.
[0013] Furthermore, the bottom plate of the lower cover is equipped with a rubber strip for cushioning contact with the body sheet metal.
[0014] Furthermore, a scratch-resistant warning sticker is affixed to the back of the lower cover.
[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention integrates a visible mechanical structure with the enjoyment of manual operation into a fuel filler cap trim. Located on the outer side of the fuel filler cap, below which is the rear wheel arch, and flanked by side skirt trim panels, the trim creates a seamless front-to-back transition. A multi-link mechanism links the trim to a knob cover; rotating the knob cover activates the latch, opening and closing the lower cover. The entire linkage mechanism's operation is clearly visible through the transparent cover, giving the car's exterior a unique mechanical aesthetic. Attached Figure Description
[0016] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Figure 1 This is a front view of the entire fuel filler cap decorative component of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the top cover plate; Figure 3 This is a breakdown diagram of the hinge; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the lower cover plate; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the knob cover; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembled lower cover outer panel and transparent cover plate; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a linkage mechanism; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the disassembled bottom plate and rubber strip of the lower cover; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the connection between the knob cover and the linkage mechanism. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of the latch on the first connecting rod with the locking hole. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of the slot and the ball bearing at the bottom of the first connecting rod. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the top clasp and hinge being attached together. Figure 13 A cross-sectional view of the hole through which the latch is inserted into the side skirt trim panel; Figure 14 An illustration of a scratch-resistant warning sticker; Figure 15 This is a rendered schematic diagram of the entire fuel filler cap decorative component of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0017] like Figure 1-15 As shown, the present invention provides a mechanical-style decorative piece for the fuel filler neck that is manually opened and closed by a knob. It is embedded in the side skirt around the fuel filler neck and covers the outside of the fuel filler neck cap. It includes an upper cover plate 1, a hinge 2, and a lower cover plate 3.
[0018] The upper cover 1 is fixed to the vehicle body. The upper cover 1 includes an outer upper cover 1-1, an inner upper cover frame 1-2, and an upper cover fixing mechanism 1-3. The upper cover fixing mechanism 1-3 includes 3 pieces of 3M adhesive and 5 clips, which are used to fix the entire fuel filler decorative piece to the vehicle body.
[0019] Hinge 2 connects the upper cover plate 1 and the lower cover plate 3, allowing the lower cover plate 3 to flip up relative to the upper cover plate 1 to expose the oil filler cap; The lower cover 3 includes a knob cover 3-1, an outer lower cover plate 3-2, a bottom lower cover plate 3-4, and a linkage mechanism 3-3. The linkage mechanism 3-3 is connected to the cavity formed by the outer lower cover plate 3-2 and the bottom lower cover plate 3-4. The knob cover 3-1 is connected to the outer lower cover plate 3-2, and the shaft end of the knob cover 3-1 is connected to the linkage mechanism 3-3. By rotating the knob cover 3-1, the locking tongue of the linkage mechanism 3-3 is extended or retracted, so as to realize the closing or opening of the lower cover 3.
[0020] A transparent cover plate 3-2-1 is embedded in the outer panel 3-2 of the lower cover, allowing a direct view of the movement of the linkage mechanism 3-3. A rubber strip 3-4-1 is installed on the bottom plate 3-4 of the lower cover for cushioning contact with the body sheet metal.
[0021] Hinge 2 includes an upper hinge 2-1, a lower hinge 2-2, and a hinge pin 2-3. The upper hinge 2-1 is connected to the upper cover plate 1, and the lower hinge 2-2 is connected to the lower cover plate 3. The upper hinge 2-1 and the lower hinge 2-2 are rotatably connected by the hinge pin 2-3. After the upper hinge 2-1 and the lower hinge 2-2 are placed in the positioning fixture, the oiled hinge pin is inserted and fixed by a C-type retaining spring 2-4 to prevent the hinge pin 2-3 from coming out. Finally, a strong magnet 2-5 is placed in the slots of the upper hinge 2-1 and the lower hinge 2-2, and the upper hinge 2-1 and the lower hinge 2-2 are locked to the upper cover plate 1 and the lower cover plate 3 respectively with eight M6 bolts.
[0022] The upper hinge 2-1 and the lower hinge 2-2 are respectively equipped with strong magnets 2-5 with opposite magnetic properties. When the lower cover 3 is flipped up and opened, the two strong magnets 2-5 attract each other to keep the lower cover 3 in the open position.
[0023] The knob cover 3-1 includes an outer knob cover plate 3-1-1, an inner knob cover frame 3-1-2, and a knob shaft 3-1-3. The inner knob cover frame 3-1-2 and the outer knob cover plate 3-1-1 are assembled and fixed together using a hot-melt process. The knob shaft 3-1-3 is fixed to the inner knob cover frame 3-1-2 and is connected to the input end of the linkage mechanism 3-3. Specifically, after the knob shaft 3-1-3 passes through the hole in the lower cover outer plate 3-2, a bearing 3-1-4 is fitted on it, and it is fixed to the linkage mechanism 3-3 using a C-type retaining spring and a nut 3-1-5. After the lower cover bottom plate 3-4 is installed, the plug 3-5 is installed, and a scratch-resistant warning sticker 3-6 is affixed to the back of the lower cover bottom plate 3-4.
[0024] The linkage mechanism 3-3 includes a mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1 and a linkage assembly connected to the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1. The mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1 is provided with a locking hole 3-3-15, and the linkage assembly is provided with a locking tongue that mates with the locking hole 3-3-15; a ball bearing 3-3-3 is pre-embedded in the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1, which is used to engage with the locking groove on the linkage assembly to achieve position locking.
[0025] The specific structure of the linkage assembly: First, the ball bearing 3-3-3 is pre-embedded in the mechanical wind base plate 3-3-1, and the end of the knob shaft 3-1-3 is connected and fixed to the lower end of the first linkage 3-3-2 through a nut and a C-type snap ring 3-1-5. Next, connect the first link 3-3-2, the second link 3-3-4, the third link 3-3-5, the fourth link 3-3-7, the fifth link 3-3-8, the sixth link 3-3-9, the seventh link 3-3-10, the eighth link 3-3-12, and the ninth link 3-3-13 with bolts and nuts. Then, pass the middle pivot pin 3-3-11 through the hole in the middle of the seventh link 3-3-10 and fix it to the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1. Finally, fix the guide bracket 3-3-6 to the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1 with bolts, and fix the spring 3-3-14 to the ninth link 3-3-13 and the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1. There are three guide brackets 3-3-6, which are used for sliding guidance of the fourth link 3-3-7, the fifth link 3-3-8, and the ninth link 3-3-13 respectively.
[0026] Operating principle of the linkage assembly: When the knob cover 3-1 is manually rotated counterclockwise, the force is transmitted to the first linkage 3-3-2 through the knob shaft 3-1-3, which in turn drives the second linkage 3-3-4, the third linkage 3-3-5, the fourth linkage 3-3-7, the fifth linkage 3-3-8, the sixth linkage 3-3-9, the seventh linkage 3-3-10, the eighth linkage 3-3-12, and the ninth linkage 3-3-13 to move in a related manner. When the knob cover 3-1 is rotated to the open position, the latch on the first linkage 3-3-2 will insert into the latch hole of the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1, and at the same time, the ball hole on the first linkage 3-3-2 will be fully engaged with the ball 3-3-3 to keep the latch 3-3-16 in the retracted position. After the cover plate 3 is flipped down and closed, manually rotate the knob clockwise to the closed position. The knob cover 3-1 drives the first link 3-3-2, which in turn drives the second link 3-3-4, the third link 3-3-5, the fourth link 3-3-7, the fifth link 3-3-8, the sixth link 3-3-9, the seventh link 3-3-10, the eighth link 3-3-12, and the ninth link 3-3-13 to move in a related manner. The locking tongues 3-3-16 on both sides are inserted into the holes of the side skirt decorative panels on both sides.
[0027] To ensure smooth operation of each link, clearances are provided at the hinged joints of each link in this linkage assembly: the clearance between the link and the locking bolt is defined as 0.15mm on one side, and the clearance between the link and the bolt washer is 0.3mm.
[0028] Knob cover reset structure: When the knob cover 3-1 is rotated to the open position, due to the 2mm long and 40° angled guide angle of the free end of the latch of the first connecting rod 3-3-2, the latch is precisely inserted into the latch hole 3-3-15 of the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1. The ball bearing 3-3-3 (radius 1.2mm) on the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1 slides into its slot along the 10° guide angle of the first connecting rod 3-3-2. Since the entire connecting rod assembly is a loose fit, to avoid abnormal noise caused by vibration of the connecting rod during the formation process, a spring 3-3-14 (spring wire diameter 1.5mm, length (excluding hook) 14mm, outer diameter: 8.5mm) is added below the ninth connecting rod 3-3-13 and connected to the mechanical fan base plate 3-3-1.
[0029] The magnetic attraction mechanism of the hinge allows the lower cover plate 3 to be opened by flipping it up 170°. The lower hinge 2-1 and the upper hinge 2-2 then come into surface-to-surface contact, and the strong magnets 2-5 inside the lower hinge 2-1 and the upper hinge 2-2 attract each other. This keeps the lower cover plate 3 in an upward-flipped position, preventing it from falling off and avoiding the latch from scratching the side skirt panels. It also frees up your hands and improves the convenience of refueling operations.
[0030] To prevent users from scratching the side skirt due to improper operation (such as opening the knob cover 3-1 without turning it to the open position before opening the lower cover 3, which could easily scratch the side skirt when closing the lower cover 3 later), thus reducing user satisfaction, an anti-scratch warning sticker (operation instruction label) 3-6 has been added to the back of the lower cover 3. This sticker reminds users to check the position of the latches on both sides before closing the lower cover 3: if the latches are not extended, the lower cover 3 can be closed; otherwise, it cannot be closed. The anti-scratch warning sticker has a yellow background for better visibility.
[0031] The gap between the latch of the linkage assembly and the side skirt trim panel is defined as 0.6mm on one side. To avoid the lower cover plate 3 impacting the sheet metal and making abnormal noises during driving, four rubber plugs 3-5 are added to the back of the lower cover plate 3 for cushioning. The plugs 3-5 protrude from the lower cover plate 3 by a height of 1.7mm, and the surface is evenly distributed with raised dots to form a point contact with the sheet metal. This can avoid the problem of rubber marks remaining on the sheet metal after surface contact and improve the aesthetics.
[0032] Regarding materials: The materials for the upper cover outer plate 1-1, upper cover inner frame 1-2, knob cover outer plate 3-1-1, lower cover outer plate 3-2-1, and lower cover bottom plate 3-4 of the fuel filler cap decorative part are defined as PA+PPE material (flexural strength ≥50MPa, flexural modulus ≥1900 MPa; notched impact strength ≥12kJ / m² at 23℃, ≥2.5kJ / m² at -40℃, heat distortion temperature (1.8 MPa): ≥112℃), which can meet the requirements of high temperature resistance, impact resistance, and light aging resistance of the side skirt decorative part. Furthermore, the upper cover outer plate 1-1 and upper cover inner frame 1-2 are made of the same material, allowing the molds for the two products to be combined into one mold, reducing development costs. The linkage mechanism 3-3 of the fuel filler cap trim is made of ASA+PC, which can simultaneously meet the product's requirements for high temperature resistance (100℃) and light aging resistance (1500 hours). Compared with metal materials, the product is lighter, reducing the product weight by about 500g, which is beneficial for automotive lightweighting. The screws, nuts, and other standard parts of the fuel filler cap decorative parts are made of 303 stainless steel, while the machined parts such as bearings and shafts are made of 65Mn material. The surface is coated with a silver-white Dacromet coating. After the parts have passed the CASS salt spray test for 720 hours, no red rust will be produced, and they have excellent corrosion resistance.
[0033] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this is merely an example. Those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to this embodiment without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, but all such changes and modifications fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A decorative oil filler cap with a mechanical style that is manually opened and closed by a knob, characterized by: The side skirt, which is embedded around the fuel filler neck and covers the outside of the fuel filler neck cover, includes an upper cover plate, a hinge, and a lower cover plate. The upper cover plate is fixed to the vehicle body; The hinge connects the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, allowing the lower cover plate to flip up relative to the upper cover plate to expose the oil filler cap; The lower cover includes a knob cover, an outer lower cover, a bottom lower cover, and a linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism is connected to the cavity formed by the outer lower cover and the bottom lower cover. The knob cover is connected to the outer lower cover and the shaft end of the knob cover is connected to the linkage. By rotating the knob cover, the locking tongue of the linkage mechanism is extended or retracted to achieve the closing or opening of the lower cover. A transparent cover plate is embedded in the outer plate of the lower cover, through which the operation process of the linkage mechanism can be seen directly.
2. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper cover includes an outer upper cover, an inner upper cover frame, and an upper cover fixing mechanism. The upper cover fixing mechanism is used to fix the entire fuel filler decorative piece to the vehicle body.
3. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper cover fixing mechanism includes 3M adhesive and clips.
4. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge includes an upper hinge, a lower hinge, and a hinge pin; the upper hinge is connected to the upper cover plate, and the lower hinge is connected to the lower cover plate. The upper and lower hinges are rotatably connected by the hinge pin; strong magnets with opposite magnetic properties are respectively provided inside the upper and lower hinges. When the lower cover plate is opened, the two strong magnets attract each other to keep the lower cover plate in the open position.
5. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The knob cover includes an outer knob cover plate, an inner knob cover frame, and a knob shaft. The inner knob cover frame is fixed together with the outer knob cover plate, and the knob shaft is fixed on the inner knob cover frame. The knob shaft is connected to the input end of the linkage mechanism.
6. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linkage mechanism includes a mechanical air base plate and a linkage assembly connected to the mechanical air base plate.
7. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 6, characterized in that: The mechanical fan base plate is provided with a locking hole, and the connecting rod assembly is provided with a locking tongue that cooperates with the locking hole; the mechanical fan base plate is pre-embedded with a ball, which is used to cooperate with the locking groove on the connecting rod assembly to achieve position locking.
8. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 7, characterized in that: A spring connects the linkage assembly to the mechanical wind base plate.
9. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom plate of the lower cover is equipped with a rubber strip for cushioning contact with the body sheet metal.
10. The mechanical-style fuel filler cap decorative piece that is manually opened and closed by a knob according to claim 1, characterized in that: The back of the lower cover plate has a scratch-resistant warning sticker.