The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicles, and more particularly to a fuel tank lock for use with a fuel system operating with unleaded fuel.
In recent years pollution control laws have required the provision of automotive vehicle fuel systems, operating solely with unleaded fuel. To this end, such fuel systems have included a filler neck which inhibits filling of a fuel tank with leaded fuel delivered from a large diameter nozzle, but permits filling of the fuel tank with unleaded fuel delivered from a smaller diameter nozzle. The filler neck is provided with a baffle plate having a constricted passage, normally closed by a biased-shut valve carried by the baffle plate, with such valve being forced open when engaged by an unleaded fuel nozzle of smaller diameter than the constricted passage. The upper end of the filler neck is provided with a conventional original equipment cap. Such original equipment filler neck caps are generally of the non-locking type. These original equipment caps must meet rigid safety and emissions specifications in order to be approved. Accordingly, it is undesirable that such original equipment non-locking caps be replaced by non-approved locking caps. Replacement of original caps also involves cost consideration.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds