Patent ID: 7281640
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: B60K,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A cap device equipped with a tether mechanism for linking a cap used to open and close a tank opening to a peripheral member of the tank opening, the tether mechanism comprising: a rotating ring having a ring body that is mounted in a rotatable manner on a ring attachment element formed around an outer circumference of the cap, and a support member that is formed in the ring body; and a linkage member having (i) a cord-like flexible linkage body, (ii) a first support end that is formed on one end of the linkage body and is coupled with the support member, and (iii) a second support end that is formed on the other end of the linkage body and is connectable with the peripheral member of the tank opening, wherein the support member has: a support recess that holds the first support end, and has an insertion opening, a lead opening arranged adjacent to and radially outwardly from the insertion opening and a guide opening that connects the insertion opening with the lead opening, the insertion opening being configured to allow the first support end to be inserted outward in the radial direction from a center of the ring body, the lead opening being configured to enable the linkage body to be led in an axial direction of the ring body, the guide opening being configured to guide the linkage body from the insertion opening to the lead opening, wherein the lead opening and the guide opening open in the axial direction, the guide opening has a neck element, wherein the neck element elastically deforms the linkage body and prevents the first support end held in the support recess from being pulled out from the lead opening when the linkage body is set in the axial direction and the first support end is set to face the insertion opening, and then the linkage body and the first support end move in the radial direction, the ring body includes multiple projections on an inner circumference of the ring body, the multiple projections being configured to reduce a contact area of the ring body against the ring attachment element, and being configured such that an inner circumference of the first support end does not come into contact with the ring attachment element in a state which the first support end is held in the support recess.