This invention generally relates to a closing system for a vehicle supply system. In particu lar, the invention relates to a closing system for a supply system having a diaphragm clo sure mechanism.

A closing system for a supply system, in particular for a fuel filler pipe, having a dia phragm closure mechanism is known, for example, from US patent 8,430,140, in the name of Ford Global Technologies LCC. This document shows a closing system for a fuel filler pipe adapted to seal a fuel filler pipe without a cap, by means of a diaphragm mechanism: a plurality of flat panels is moved on a radial plane between an open position wherein said flat panels jointly define an opening that allows access to said filler pipe and a closed posi tion wherein access to said filler pipe is prevented and a seal is made. However, this clos ing system is rather cumbersome on the panel movement plane: in effect, on this plane, around the closing system, it is necessary to dedicate a space that the panels may occupy when they are in the open position.

Further closing systems are shown, for example, in the prior documents US 2016/068064 Al, JP 2017/007542 A, GB 380 870 A and US 10,000,116 B2, but without the cited draw backs being easily resolved.

An object of this invention is to provide a closing system for a vehicle supply system which does not suffer from the drawbacks of the prior art and which is more compact.

This and other objects are fully achieved according to this invention by a closing system as defined in the appended independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the content of which is to be understood as an integral and integrating part of the description that follows. In short, the invention is based on the idea of providing a closing system adapted to allow or limit access to a supply system of a vehicle, the closing system comprising: a frame, adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body in correspondence with the sup ply system, having an essentially spherical segment shape, extending between a first circu lar section and a second circular section and having a plurality of first guides and a plurali ty of second guides, arranged on the radially outer surface thereof; a plurality of curved panels, each essentially shaped as a part of a spherical cap, each panel being constrained at a first end thereof to slide along a respective first guide of said plurality of first guides and at a second end thereof to slide along a respective second guide of said plurality of second guides between a first position, wherein said panels joint ly define an opening that allows access to said supply system, and a second position, wherein said panels prevent access to the supply system; and control means adapted to control the movement of said plurality of panels between said first and said second positions.

Preferably, moreover, said control means comprise an electric motor.

Advantageously, moreover, each of said first guides and each of said second guides extend on the outer surface of the frame, respectively, along an arc of a circle concentric to said second circular section and along a substantially rounded L shape.

By virtue of the configuration of such a closing system, the overall dimensions of the sys tem are reduced with respect to the prior art.

Further features and advantages of this invention will become clearer from the detailed de scription that follows, given purely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the closing system according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of the closing system in FIG. 1 (in which one of the panels is shown in transparency for clarity), respectively, in four successive moments of closure, starting from a completely open position shown in FIG. 2 until reach- ing a completely closed position shown in FIG. 5, passing through the intermediate posi tions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the closing system in FIG. 1 mounted on a vehicle body.

With reference to the figures, the closing system according to the invention is generally in dicated at 10, and the vehicle supply system is generally indicated at T.

The supply system T may be of any type, and may for example comprise a refueling line for the introduction of liquid fuel, such as diesel, petrol or LPG fuel, or for the introduction into the vehicle’s tank of a gaseous fuel, such as methane. The refueling line may therefore be arranged both for the passage of a fluid fuel under pressure and for the passage of a non- pressurized fuel. Lastly, the supply system T may also comprise, or consist of, an electrical connector for example for charging a vehicle battery, in particular in the case of hybrid- powered (i.e., having both a combustion engine and an electric motor) or purely electric vehicles. It being understood that the supply system T may be provided as just explained, in the following description the invention will be described with reference to a supply sys tem comprising a liquid refueling line. In effect, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the supply system T is provided as a conventional line for the introduction of liquid fuel, having, at least in correspondence with one of its ends for introducing the fuel Tl, a cylin drical tubular shape, and a cap C associated therewith and adapted to seal the refueling line tightly.

The closing system 10 essentially comprises a frame 12, a plurality of curved panels 14, and control means 16.

The frame 12 is adapted to be mounted on the body Z at the supply system T: therefore, in the illustrated example, it is adapted to be mounted on the refueling line, and in particular on its fuel introduction end Tl, for example through a plurality of support plates 18 and conventional threaded mechanical connection means (such as screws and bolts). Prefera bly, the refueling line is also supported in position by the same support plates 18, fixed by means of threaded mechanical connection means. The frame 12 has the shape of a spherical segment, i.e., the shape of a portion of spherical surface which extends between two parallel planes intersecting the sphere to which said spherical surface belongs. Clearly, as is clear and evident to a person skilled in the art, an only slightly different shape, such as that of a spheroid or an ellipsoid, or an imprecise or deformed spherical surface, is included in the scope of the invention. In particular, the frame 12 extends between a first circular section 20 and a second circular section 22. Said first circular section 20 and said second circular section 22 are coaxial, i.e., the straight line passing through the centers of the circumferences which define these circular sections is perpendicular to both planes on which these circumferences lie. The frame 12 is arranged so as to surround the refueling line, i.e., so that the first circular section 20 and the second circular section 22 are coaxial with the refueling line, and so that the fuel introduction end T1 is between the first circular section 20 and the second circular section 22 of the frame 12.

On the second circular section 22, the frame 12 is provided with a flange 24, adapted to al low, in a manner known per se, the mechanical connection of the frame 12 to the support plates 18, and therefore to the body Z.

A plurality of first guides 28 and a plurality of second guides 30 are arranged on the frame 12, in particular on a radially outer surface 26 thereof, in a number equal to the number of panels 14; for example, in the embodiment shown in the figures, the closing system 10 comprises four first guides 28, four second guides 30 and four panels 14. Clearly, it is also possible to use a different number of guides and panels, for example constructing the clos ing system 10 according to the invention with six first guides 28, six second guides 30 and six curved panels 14.

Both the first guides 28 of the plurality of first guides 28 and the second guides 30 of the plurality of second guides 30 are arranged angularly evenly spaced from each other on the outer surface 26 of the frame 12. Each of said first guides 28 extends on the outer surface 26 of the frame 12 along an arc that is part of a circle concentric to said first and said sec ond circular section 20 and 22, or a circular arc the center of which is on the same straight line, or axis, on which the centers of the first and second circular sections 20 and 22 lie. Each of said second guides 30, on the other hand, extends on the outer surface 26 of the frame 12 with a substantially rounded L shape.

The panels 14 are slidably mounted on the frame 12. The panels 14 are curved, and have a shape substantially of a spherical cap portion, i.e., a shape adapted to that of the frame 12, and in particular a shape having three ends joined by curved sides (similar to a curved tri angle constructed on an eighth of a sphere; see FIG. 1 in particular). In particular, each panel 14 is constrained at a first end 14a thereof to slide along a respective guide of said first guides 28, and at a second end 14b thereof to slide along a respective guide of said second guides 30. In this way, the panels 14 are slidably mounted on the frame 12 between a first position (i.e., a fully open position, shown in FIG. 2) wherein the panels 14 jointly define an opening 32 which allows access to said supply system T (in the embodiment shown by way of example, in particular, to the refueling line), and a second position (i.e., a fully closed position, shown in FIG. 5) wherein the panels prevent access to said supply system. In the movement between the first position, i.e., the fully open position, and the second position, i.e., the fully closed position, the panels 14 pass through a plurality of in termediate partially open positions, two of which are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shape of the panels 14 and the arrangement and shape of the first guides 28 and of the second guides 30 is such to allow the opening 32 to correspond substantially with the inner area of the first circular section 20 and, in the fully closed position, for the profiles of the panels 14 to fit together so as to prevent access to the supply system T, preferably by closing it fully.

The movement of the panels 14 between the fully open position and the fully closed posi tion, and vice versa, is controlled by the control means 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the control means 16 comprise an electric motor 34. The electric motor 34 is arranged to drive a shaft 36 in rotation therewith; a first gear wheel 38 is mounted on the shaft 36 to ro tate together therewith, meshing in turn with a second gear wheel 40. The coupling be tween the first gear wheel 38 and the second gear wheel 40 defines a transmission ratio as required by the dimensional design specifications. Fastly, the second gear wheel 40 trans mits the rotational movement to a rotatable ring 42 having at least one outer gear portion meshing with said second gear wheel 40. The ring 42 is rotatably mounted on the frame 12 and is connected to the panels 14 to drag them in rotation when thus controlled by the electric motor 34. In particular, the ring 42 is mounted on the frame 12 at the first circular section 20 thereof, and is connected to each panel 14 at the respective first ends 14a.

As shown in the figures, a cover ring 44 may be mounted integral in rotation with the ro tatable ring 42 and above it to cover the rotation mechanism and protect it from any foreign bodies. Lastly, a cover frame 46 may be mounted on the frame 12 in such a way to cover the panels 14 and protect their operation with respect to any foreign bodies. Said cover frame 46 may also be connected, by means of shape coupling, to a support assembly 48 adapted to support the electric motor 34 and the transmission mechanism consisting of the first and second gear wheels 38 and 40.

As is clear to a person skilled in the art, the transmission mechanism adapted to transmit the motion imparted by the control means 16 to the panels 14 may also be implemented in an alternative way.

Lastly, the control means 16, in particular the electric motor 34, may be configured for re mote control, for example they may be associated with data transmission means, for exam ple wireless, such as short-range radio transmission means, so as to allow control of the opening or closing of the closing system 10 by means of a common remote control, for ex ample a remote control associated with the vehicle keys, or by means of a personal elec tronic device, such as, for example, a mobile phone, a smartphone and/or a smartwatch.

The operational functioning of the closing system 10 according to the embodiment of the invention shown in the figures will now be briefly described.

Starting from a configuration wherein the closing system 10 is closed (see FIG. 5), i.e., the panels 14 are arranged in a fully closed position as defined above, when it is necessary or desired to refill the tank of the vehicle, a user wishing to have access to the supply system T (in particular, in the embodiment shown by way of example in the figures, to the refuel- ing line) may control the control means 16, and in particular the electric motor 34. This control may be imparted through a vehicle control unit configured to transmit this control following the manual control of a button arranged on the vehicle’s dashboard, or through an electronic control, for example via remote control or smartphone, as described above. When the electric motor 34 is activated, it rotates the shaft 36 connected thereto, the first gear wheel 38, and the second gear wheel 40. In turn, the second gear wheel 40 transmits the rotary motion to the rotatable ring 42, which, being connected to the first ends 14a of the panels 14, drags the curved panels 14 of the diaphragm mechanism. In this way, the panels 14 are moved between the fully open position (see FIG. 5) and the fully closed posi tion (see FIG. 2), passing through a plurality of partially open positions (see FIGS. 4 and 3). Clearly, depending on the movement required (closing movement or opening move ment), the electric motor 34 may control the rotation of the rotatable ring 42 in one direc tion or in the opposite direction, and therefore the movement of the closing system 10 may be represented consecutively by FIGS. 2 to 5 (when the closing system 10 is closing) or, in reverse order, by FIGS. 5 to 2 (when the closing system 10 is opening).

As is clear from the above description, the closing system according to the invention has several advantages.

Firstly, by virtue of the three-dimensional configuration and movement along an essential ly hemispherical frame, the size of the closing system is reduced with respect to the prior art. In this way, it is possible to use the space around the closing system in another way, or, similarly, it is possible to position the supply system and the closing system associated therewith closer to other elements of the vehicle body (such as a rear window or a handle for a rear door of the vehicle, for example), thus loosening the dimensional design con straints.

Furthermore, by virtue of the presence of the control means, the closing system may be ac tuated, for example electrically, and controlled, for example by means of a wireless elec tronic device such as a remote control. Naturally, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the embodiments and the de tails of construction may be widely varied with respect to that which has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.