Oil Tank Cap With One-Piece Venting for Rivet-Free Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil tank caps are costly to manufacture due to multiple components riveted together, leading to potential structural weakness and safety issues from stress concentration at riveted junctions.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece plastic cap base with integrated air accommodation and ventilation features, including a spring strip and air valve for pressure balancing, reduces manufacturing costs and enhances structural integrity while preventing air leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple components are riveted together to form the cap body, then the cap body can be assembled from separate parts, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly and stress gathers around riveted junctions causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (cap body, cap base, air valve housing, etc.) into a single integrated cap body structure. This eliminates the need for riveting multiple parts together, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while eliminating stress concentration points at riveted junctions, thus improving structural strength and reliability.
2Device complexity
If multiple components are riveted together to form the cap body, then the cap body can be assembled from separate parts, but stress gathers around the riveted junctions which may break the rivets or cause components to be loose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple components into a single unified cap body structure, eliminating the need for multiple riveted joints. This reduces the number of potential failure points and eliminates stress concentration at riveted junctions, thereby improving safety and reliability while reducing device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece plastic cap base is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced and structural integrity is enhanced, but the cap body must be designed to include integrated air accommodation and ventilation features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cap base to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, creates air accommodation space, includes ventilation holes for pressure equalization, and integrates the air valve mechanism. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single piece structure, reducing manufacturing cost while managing structural complexity through functional integration rather than adding separate components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances safety and reduces manufacturing costs by ensuring structural strength and preventing air leaks, while maintaining effective pressure regulation.
Implementation Method 1
The spring strip extends through the accommodating slot, and is adapted to be disposed in the oil storing space and adjacent to the oil inlet
Implementation Method 2
The air seal is disposed in the tube portion of the cap body, abuts against the separation portion, and encircles the at least one ventilation hole
Implementation Method 3
The air valve is inserted into the tube portion, is connected airtightly to the air seal, and is operable to open or close for balancing pressure of the oil storing space and pressure of the external environment
Data Source
AI summary
An oil tank cap adapted to be removably engaged with an oil tank having an oil storing space. The oil tank cap includes a cap body, an air seal, and an air valve. The cap body includes an outer casing, and a cap base being plastic and one-piece, and defining an accommodation space with the outer casing. The cap base has an annular seat portion that has at least one exhaust hole, a tube portion, a separation portion having at least one ventilation hole. The air seal has a protrusion portion, and an annular body that encircles the ventilation holes. The air valve is inserted into the tube portion, is connected airtightly to the air seal, and is operable to open or close for balancing pressure of the oil storing space and pressure of an external environment.