Disposable Fuel Cap Cover for Pathogen Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle fuel refilling stations pose a significant risk of exposure to antibiotic-resistant pathogens and noxious chemicals due to the lack of convenient and effective protection measures, particularly during self-service operations.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cap cover made from sturdy, flexible materials with resistance to chemicals and pathogens, featuring flexible pockets for easy grasping and manipulation, which fits over the fuel cap and provides enhanced grip for tightly sealed caps, protects against cold metallic components, and reduces static sparks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional refueling procedures are used without protective equipment, then ease of operation is maintained, but exposure to pathogens and noxious chemicals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel cap cover serves as an intermediary protective barrier between the user and harmful pathogens/chemicals. It is a disposable cover that fits over the fuel cap, allowing users to refuel without direct hand contact with contaminated surfaces, thus reducing exposure while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs disposable fuel cap covers that are inexpensive and single-use. Each cover is discarded after one refueling operation, ensuring continuous protection without the need for cleaning or maintenance, and eliminating cross-contamination risks between uses.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If gloves are worn during refueling to protect against pathogens and chemicals, then protection is improved, but static sparks may be generated and dexterity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable fuel cap cover eliminates the need for reusable gloves that generate static electricity. The thin, non-conductive plastic cover provides adequate protection against pathogens and chemicals without generating static sparks, solving both protection and safety concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential protective function from thick, static-prone gloves and implements it through a thin, disposable plastic cover. This extraction maintains protection against biological and chemical hazards while eliminating the harmful static electricity generation associated with traditional glove materials.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective device is introduced during refueling, then protection against pathogens is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The simple, disposable plastic cover requires minimal structural complexity to provide effective protection. Its single-use nature eliminates the need for complex cleaning, sterilization, or maintenance systems, making it easy to distribute and store while effectively reducing pathogen transmission risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel cap cover is constructed as a flexible thin-film structure that conforms to the fuel cap shape. This simple geometric form provides adequate protection without requiring complex mechanisms, making the device easy to manufacture, store, and deploy.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If sturdy material is used for the fuel cap cover to provide protection, then resistance to chemicals and pathogens is improved, but flexibility and comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cover utilizes flexible plastic film material that provides sufficient chemical and pathogen resistance while maintaining the flexibility needed for user comfort and manipulation. The thin-film construction allows natural hand movements and grasping actions without restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the cover are optimized to achieve the right balance: sufficient thickness and material composition for chemical/pathogen resistance, while controlling flexibility parameters to ensure user comfort and ease of manipulation during refueling operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cap cover is provided which protects its user from the spread of pathogens and inhibits contact with noxious chemicals such as liquid fuel residues in a fuel station environment. The fuel cap cover fits conveniently over the fuel cap in the fuel supply inlet enclosure when not in use. The fuel cap cover is flexible and has pockets which conveniently fit over the user's thumb and fingers. It is dimensioned to readily grasp and manipulate the fuel pump handle, operational controls, and other surfaces in a fuel station environment, and then slip easily off and back onto the fuel cap to be stored until its next use.