Fuel Tank Cap Hinge Structure for Low Weight and Higher Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel tank caps for saddle-riding vehicles face challenges in achieving a balance between weight reduction and maintaining mechanical strength and appearance, as the hinge member's design is limited by its proximity to the ring member, making it difficult to increase size without compromising weight or aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A fuel tank cap design featuring a ring member made of a resin material and a hinge member made of a metal material, with the hinge member's second peripheral part having a smaller dimension than the ring member's first peripheral part, allowing for increased size and rigidity while minimizing weight gain, and incorporating a shield structure to enhance appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hinge member is made larger to increase strength and rigidity, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the weight of the cap increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining resin for the cap body and ring member with metal for the hinge member. This allows the hinge member to have the necessary strength and rigidity while keeping the overall cap weight reduced, as the resin components are lighter than metal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the cap from different materials based on their specific functional requirements. The hinge member requires high strength and is made of metal, while the cap body and ring member have aesthetic and weight requirements and are made of resin.
2Strength
If the hinge member is made larger to increase strength, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the appearance of the cap is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the cap from different materials based on their specific functional requirements. The hinge member requires high strength and is made of metal, while the cap body and ring member have aesthetic and weight requirements and are made of resin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the functional requirement of strength from the overall cap design by concentrating it in the hinge member, while the cap body and ring member focus on appearance and weight reduction. This separation allows the hinge member to be optimized for strength without compromising the appearance of the visible cap components.
3Volume of moving object
If the hinge member is positioned close to the ring member to reduce cap size, then the compactness is improved, but the flexibility in design is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the hinge member from resin to metal, which fundamentally alters its mechanical properties including strength, rigidity, and weight. This material parameter change enables the hinge member to achieve sufficient structural performance in a compact configuration while maintaining design flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel tank cap includes: a cap body which opens and closes a fuel supply port of a fuel tank; a ring member which is disposed around the fuel supply port and is shaped so as to surround the cap body; and a hinge member which is coupled to the ring member to support the cap body in a turnable manner between a closed position and an open position. A first peripheral part of the ring member, which is opposed to an outer periphery of the cap body, has a larger dimension in a circumferential direction than a dimension of a second peripheral part of the hinge member, which is opposed to the outer periphery of the cap body. The ring member and the hinge member are made of mutually different materials.