Fuel Nozzle Receiving Assembly Drain Cover Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel intake systems often inadvertently drain fuel instead of liquids like water, leading to fuel leakage during refueling due to open drains, which is undesirable and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A fuel nozzle-receiving assembly with a movable drain cover that automatically switches between plugged and unplugged positions based on the presence of a fuel nozzle, ensuring that liquids drain when the nozzle is not inserted and fuel is directed into the tank when it is.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a drain opening is provided in the fuel nozzle-receiving assembly, then pooled liquid (water) can drain out, but fuel may leak through the drain during refueling
Solution Approach 1:
The drain cover is made movable between plugged and unplugged positions, allowing the system to dynamically adapt its state based on operational conditions. When the fuel nozzle is inserted, the drain cover is plugged to prevent fuel leakage; when the nozzle is removed, the drain cover is unplugged to allow water drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the fuel nozzle itself as the actuating mechanism. Insertion of the fuel nozzle automatically triggers the drain cover to plug, and removal automatically triggers it to unplug, eliminating the need for separate sensors or control systems.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the drain cover is plugged to prevent fuel leakage, then fuel is directed to the tank, but pooled liquid cannot drain
Solution Approach 1:
The system alternates the drain cover state between plugged and unplugged based on operational phase. The plugged state prevents fuel leakage during refueling, while the unplugged state enables pooled liquid drainage when the nozzle is not in use.
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel nozzle-receiving assembly may include a main housing having an inlet configured to receive a fuel nozzle, a drain opening formed through a portion of the main housing, and a drain cover configured to be moved between a plugged position in which the drain opening is closed, and an unplugged position in which the drain opening is opened. The drain cover is configured to be in the plugged position when the fuel nozzle is inserted into the inlet so that any leaked fuel passes into the inlet.