Self-Attaching Funnel for Hands-Free Fuel Refilling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Manually refilling a vehicle's fuel tank from a container is cumbersome and prone to spills due to the need to hold the funnel in place, limiting the efficiency and speed of the process.
Innovation Solution
A funnel with a wide open inlet and a narrow outlet that can be fixed to a fuel tank inlet using friction-fitting, screw threads, or bayonet fittings, allowing it to remain in a stable position without needing to be held, featuring a locking nut for secure attachment and a design that keeps the inlet periphery horizontal for efficient fuel flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a funnel is used for manual fuel refilling, then fuel can be transferred from container to tank, but the funnel requires manual holding which reduces refilling speed and increases spillage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The funnel is designed to attach itself to the fuel tank opening without requiring manual holding. The self-attaching mechanism allows the funnel to secure itself through friction-fitting or complementary locating features, enabling hands-free operation and improving refilling speed while eliminating spillage risk associated with manual holding
Solution Approach 2:
The funnel incorporates an adjustable mechanism that changes its geometric parameters (such as inlet angle or outlet position) to optimize fuel flow characteristics. This adjustment capability allows the funnel to maintain stable attachment and proper orientation automatically, eliminating the need for manual positioning and holding while maximizing refilling efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If the funnel inlet is made wide to increase fuel flow capacity, then refilling volume increases, but the funnel becomes more difficult to hold stable and spillage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The funnel's wide inlet is designed with integrated locating features that automatically engage with the fuel tank opening. This self-securing mechanism stabilizes the funnel despite the wide inlet configuration, allowing maximum fuel flow capacity without compromising stability or increasing spillage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The funnel employs asymmetric geometry where the wide inlet is positioned at an optimized angle relative to the outlet. This asymmetric design allows the wide inlet to maximize fuel flow capacity while the angled configuration and integrated locating features maintain stability during operation, preventing spillage despite the enlarged inlet size
3Ease of operation
If the funnel is designed to be fixed to the fuel tank inlet, then hands-free operation is achieved, but additional fixing mechanisms increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The funnel incorporates friction-fitting surfaces and complementary locating features that enable automatic attachment to the fuel tank opening. These self-securing elements achieve hands-free operation without requiring complex external fixing mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while enabling stable, hands-free fuel refilling
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing mechanism is segmented into distinct functional elements: friction-fitting surfaces for secure attachment and complementary locating features for precise positioning. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function efficiently, achieving hands-free operation through simple, modular components rather than a single complex fixing mechanism
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
Enables hands-free refilling of fuel tanks, reducing spillage and increasing the speed of the process by allowing both hands to be used for the fuel container, while the funnel's design minimizes interference with the fuel cap and facilitates storage.
Implementation Method 1
an outer surface of the funnel at or adjacent the outlet has a screw thread that is complementary to a screw thread associated with the fuel tank opening
Implementation Method 2
The funnel can be fixed to the fuel tank inlet by any suitable arrangement including friction-fitting arrangement
Implementation Method 3
complementary locating and fixing features associated with both the funnel outlet and fuel tank opening such as screw threads and bayonet fittings
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a funnel for use in refilling a vehicle fuel tank from a container. The funnel is adapted to be fixed to the fuel tank inlet so that a person adding fuel to the vehicle fuel tank does not need to hold it in place during the refilling operation. This allows a person to use both their hands to hold the container containing fuel and decant the fuel in a more controlled manner. The funnel also has an inlet opening where the peripheral rim is substantially horizontal when the funnel is fixed in an operational position. With the peripheral rim being substantially horizontal the funnel is able to receive and direct fuel into the fuel tank with minimal spillage.