Patent ID: 8870241

Claim:
An opening and closing device for a fuel door of a vehicle comprising: a hinged unit rotatably mounting the fuel door to a first side of a fuel filler housing of the vehicle, the hinged unit including a locking slot; a push latch device for opening and closing the fuel door, the push latch device being disposed at a second side of the fuel filler housing; a locking rod movable between locked and unlocked positions by an actuator, wherein the locking rod selectively engages the locking slot of the hinged unit to which the fuel door is attached, thereby locking rotation of the hinged unit when the locking rod is in the locked position; and an anti-thrust lever linearly moveable in conjunction with the locking rod, wherein the anti-thrust lever prevents the fuel door from rotating backwards when the locking rod is in the locked position and allows the fuel door to rotate backwards when the locking rod is in the unlocked position; wherein the actuator includes: a drive motor; a pinion gear mounted to an output shaft of the drive motor; a first gear engaged with the pinion gear; and a second gear extending from a center of the first gear and rotated in conjunction with the first gear; wherein the locking rod includes a rod rack gear engaged with the second gear; and wherein the anti-thrust lever includes: a lever rack gear engaged with the second gear at a first end of the anti-thrust lever; and a door support extending from a second end of the anti-thrust lever adjacent to the push latch device and supporting a rear surface of the fuel door when the locking rod is in the locked position.