CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[01] The present application claims the benefits of United States Provisional

Application for Patent, Serial No. 61/416,573, filed November 23, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[02] The present invention relates generally to automotive fuel systems and to the installation of fuel system housings around the refueling inlet portion of automotive fuel systems. More particularly, the invention pertains to the inner seal between the housing and the inner sheet-metal panel of the automobile body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[03] In known fuel systems for automobiles, a refueling inlet pipe extends from a fuel tank to an accessible location on the outside of the vehicle. It is known to provide a housing near the outer end of the refueling inlet pipe for holding the distal end of the pipe into which a refueling nozzle from a refueling pump can be inserted for refueling. A door or other housing closure may be provided to protect the distal end of the pipe. Known fuel system housing designs are made of hard plastic, such as glass filled polypropylene, and are configured to be installed into sheet-metal body panels of the vehicle at both the inner and outer ends of the housing. Generally, both the inner and outer edges of the fuel housing are sealed to the vehicle body sheet metal panels.

[04] It is known to provide seals for the inner and outer edges of a fuel housing as integral portions of the fuel housing assembly by including a thermoplastic elastomer overmolded on the inner and outer ends of the housing. The fuel housing is first molded as a so-called "hard shot" of plastic, and the seals are then formed as so-called "soft shots" that are overmolded onto the housing to form an integral unit of the hard housing and the softer seals. As known to those skilled in the art, so-called "overmolding" is a two-shot molding process which first molds a first component of a first material. The molded component is loading to an injection mold tool cavity and a second shot, typically of a second material different from the first material, is molded around designated areas of the first component to form a bond between the two materials.

[05] It is known to provide the hard shot or housing body with integrated snaps at the outer edge of the housing for attaching the housing to the outer sheet-metal panel. The housing body also provides rigidity to the fuel housing system that supports a hinge arm which holds the fuel door in position as it is opened and closed during the refueling of a vehicle.

[06] Accordingly, a vehicle fuel system housing has two areas to be sealed during assembly. The overmolded soft shot perimeter seal or outer perimeter seal seals to an outer sheet metal panel, and the overmolded inner seal seals to a fuel pipe and to an inner sheet metal panel. While generally performing well, constructions of known designs have been somewhat difficult to install, particularly in positioning the inner seal properly. If proper seals are not established, it is possible that water will leak into the vehicle or that fuel vapors will enter the interior of the vehicle.

[07] In a known design for a fuel housing assembly, the inner seal utilizes only a soft shot which, due to its soft and compliant characteristics, can be difficult to install into the vehicle inner sheet metal and difficult to manipulate into position to form a good seal to the inner sheet metal. It is known to form the soft overmolded inner seal with parallel circumferential ridges on the exterior surface. The seal is inserted through an opening in the sheet-metal, with the first encountered of the aforementioned parallel circumferential ridges being forced through the opening so that the sheet-metal edge resides in a valley between the parallel circumferential ridges. To achieve this positioning, it has been necessary in some installations to work from both sides of the sheet-metal body, both inside and outside the vehicle to manipulate the seal. This can be both difficult and time consuming. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[08] As disclosed herein, an integrated, floating, snap-ring and seal for a plastic fuel housing assembly utilizes known overmolding processes to form an improved inner seal assembly. The inner seal assembly includes a compliant grommet, a rigid locking ring and a compliant inner pipe seal. The rigid locking ring acts as an attachment feature to the vehicle body.

[09] Advantages of this invention in some forms thereof include an overmolded floating inner snap-ring that provides a positive snap attachment to an inner sheet metal panel, while the overmolded soft shot components provide a seal to the inner sheet metal and to the fuel pipe. In addition, the snap-ring can be installed easily into its proper position in an operator-friendly manner that minimizes ergonomic concerns.

[10] In the exemplary embodiment to be described herein, the floating snap- ring seal includes two functional entities, an overmolded hard component snap- ring and an overmolded soft component sealing part. The hard component of an overmolded design utilizes an integrated snap feature that allows it to be attached into the inner sheet metal of a motor vehicle. The soft component of the overmolded inner snap-ring creates a flexible sealing surface when it is urged against the inner sheet metal. Benefits of this design include easy installation and the creation of a positive seal to the inner sheet metal upon engaging the snaps of the ring with the inner sheet metal panel.

[11] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[12] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a vehicle fuel system;

[13] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fuel housing assembly with an overmolded snap-ring inner seal as disclosed herein; and [14] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel housing assembly with an overmolded snap-ring inner seal as disclosed herein.

[15] Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use herein of "including", "comprising" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[16] Referring now more specifically to the drawings and to Fig. 1 in particular, a fuel housing assembly 10 in a vehicle fuel system is shown. A hard plastic fuel housing 12 has two areas that require a seal. An overmolded soft shot perimeter seal 14 or outer perimeter seal 14 is provided to seal the fuel housing 12 to an outer sheet-metal panel 16. An overmolded inner seal 18 is provided to seal housing 12 to a fuel pipe 22 and to an inner sheet-metal panel 24. Generally, as disclosed herein, improvements are made to the inner seal 18. Fuel housing assembly 10 further includes a fuel door 40 which can be opened and closed selectively to expose and cover fuel pipe 22.

[17] As disclosed herein for an exemplary embodiment, an integrated, floating, snap-ring and seal for a plastic fuel housing assembly 110 is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3. Exemplary fuel housing assembly 110 includes a fuel housing 112 and an outer perimeter seal 114 sealed to an outer sheet-metal panel 116. Fuel housing 112 can include integrated snaps or other structures for physically connecting fuel housing 112 to outer sheet-metal panel 116 while creating a seal between outer perimeter seal 114 and outer sheet metal panel 116.

[18] An inner seal assembly 120 provides a sealing structure to a fuel pipe similar to fuel pipe 22 shown for fuel housing assembly 10 and to an inner sheet- metal panel 124. Inner seal assembly 120 includes a fuel housing pocket grommet 126, an inner seal lock ring 128 and an inner pipe seal 130. Inner seal lock ring 128 is integrated with pocket grommet 126 in an overmolded relationship, with pocket grommet 126 also being integrated with fuel housing 112 in a similar overmolded relationship. Inner pipe seal 130 is integrated with inner seal lock ring 128 by a similar overmolded relationship.

[19] Fuel housing 112 and inner seal lock ring 128 are so called "hard shot" injection molded structures of hard plastic, such as glass filled polypropylene. Fuel housing pocket grommet 126 and inner pipe seal 130 are so called "soft shot" injection molded structures of softer, yieldable compliant plastics such as a thermoplastic elastomer. The hard shot components are molded and positioned in an injection mold tool cavity so that the soft shot components are molded thereon and bonded thereto. Material selections can be made so that the hot molten soft shot material permanently bonds to the solidified hard shot components. Further, various undercuts, cavities, ports or apertures can be used to create mechanical connections of the subsequently formed soft shot components to the previously formed hard shot components. Such overmolding techniques and processes are well-known to those skilled in the art and will not be described further herein.

[20] Inner seal lock ring 128 provides a rigid attachment structure for connecting fuel housing assembly 110 to inner sheet-metal panel 124. Inner seal lock ring 128 establishes a physical attachment to inner sheet-metal panel 124. Accordingly, inner seal lock ring 128 can include one or several latching feature 132, such as a snap feature 132 to engage inner sheet metal panel 124. In the exemplary embodiment show, inner seal lock ring 122 is generally "L"-shaped, having an annular hoop 134 and a flange 136 extending outwardly from annular hoop 134. Snap features 132 are provided on hoop 134 of the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.

[21] Fuel housing 112 provides rigidity to fuel housing assembly 110 and can support a hinge arm which holds a fuel door, which may be similar to fuel door 40 shown in Fig. 1. The fuel door is supported in changing positions by the hinge arm as the fuel door is opened and closed during a refueling operation. [22] Fuel housing pocket grommet 126 encapsulates an outer perimeter edge of flange 136 of inner seal lock ring 122, and defines a seal skirt 142 projecting outwardly therefrom. Seal skirt 142 engages a surface 144 of inner sheet-metal panel 124 to create an effective seal. Accordingly, there is both a rigid attachment of inner seal lock ring 128 and a compliant seal of the soft shot material in fuel housing pocket grommet 126. Snap or latching features 132 hold the rigid ring to the sheet-metal panel and urge the softer material of the overmolded seal, and particularly seal skirt 142 thereof against the outer surface of the sheet-metal to effect a proper and adequate seal.

[23] Inner pipe seal 130 is generally annularly shaped and defines an opening

150 therethrough for snuggly receiving a fuel pipe therein and creating a seal there against.

[24] Inner seal lock ring 128 is said to float in that the flexibility of fuel housing pocket grommet 126 allows limited movement of inner seal lock ring 128 relative to fuel housing 112. Accordingly, installation during assembly of a vehicle is facilitated and easily completed by connecting snap features 132 to inner sheet-metal panel 124. Physical connection of snap features 132 to inner sheet-metal panel 124 ensures that the sealing portions of fuel housing pocket grommet 126 and inner pipe seal 130 are held in proper positions for sealing against surfaces of the panel and pipe. Seal skirt 142 thereby is held against surface 144.

[25] Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.

[26] Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.