Patent ID: 6793091
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: B60K,Y10S

Abstract:
A tank cap configured to open and close a tank opening and to engage with an opening engagement element disposed on a circumference of the tank opening, the tank cap comprising:a casing main body for sealing the tank opening, the casing main body including a casing engagement element configured to engage with the opening engagement element via rotation of the casing main body by a predetermined angle; a handle rotatably mounted on the casing main body; and a torque mechanism interposed between the handle and the casing main body, the torque mechanism including (i) a handle engagement element disposed on a lower portion of the handle and (ii) an elastic torque piece with a torque piece engagement element engaging with the handle engagement element, the elastic torque piece configured to transmit rotational torque applied to the handle to the casing main body, wherein: when a first rotational force is applied to the handle by a user in a first rotational direction in order to attach the casing main body in the tank opening, the handle engagement element engages with the torque piece engagement element, and then the elastic torque piece is deformed to release the engagement between the handle engagement element and the torque piece engagement element when the first rotational force causes a first stress exceeding a first value between the handle engagement element and the torque piece engagement element; when a second rotational force is applied to the handle in a second rotational direction opposite from the first rotational direction, the handle engagement element engages with the torque piece engagement element, and then the elastic torque piece is deformed to release the engagement between the handle engagement element and the torque piece engagement element when the second rotational force causes a second stress exceeding a second value between the handle engagement element and the torque piece engagement element, the second value being less than the first value, and the direction of the first stress being different from that of the second stress; and the first force is applied to the torque piece engagement element in a radial direction relative to an axis of the tank cap, and the second force is applied to the torque piece engagement element in the axial direction.