Antitheft and Anti-Overflow Device for Liquid Tank, in Particular Fuel Tank

Abstract

An anti-theft, anti-intrusion and anti-overflow device having a plunger formed of a cylindrical retractable filling tube and a coaxial cylindrical plunger tube. The filling tube slides within the plunger tube between a retracted anti-overflow position and an extended filling position and has a security closure. The plunger tube has a surface with a series of openings to allow liquid to pass through during filling of a tank. The plunger tube has an anti-intrusion device to prevent the passage of foreign devices through the plunger. The plunger is designed to be mounted on a neck component of the tank.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . An anti-theft, anti-intrusion, and anti-overflow device for a liquid tank comprising:
 a coaxial plunger unit ( 6 ) having a cylindrical retractable filling tube ( 7 ) and a cylindrical plunger tube ( 8 );
 the filling tube ( 7 ) being slidable inside the tubular plunger ( 8 ) and movable between a retracted anti-overflow position and an extended filling position in which the filling tube ( 7 ) projects to an exterior and serves the tank ( 2 ) as an external filling conduit; 
 the plunger tube ( 8 ) having on a lateral surface, at a desired height at a level of an upper space, a series of openings ( 19 ) for the passage of liquid during filling, the openings ( 19 ) define an upper filling space which is in fluid communication with the tank ( 2 ), a lower space ( 12 ) of the plunger tube ( 8 ) being closed on at least the lateral surface; 
 the coaxial plunger unit ( 6 ) being attached to an original neck piece ( 3 ) of the tank ( 2 ) instead of a gas cap, and the new neck piece ( 16 ) defining a new tank filling orifice ( 4 ) and being compatible with an original tank filling device. 
   
   
   
       34 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the lower space ( 12 ) of the plunger tube ( 8 ) is closed for collection and recovery of at least one of objects and products introduced through the new neck piece ( 16 ), and to form, between the upper filling space and the lower space ( 12 ), a limit to block introduction of a conduit that might be forcibly introduced through the new neck piece ( 16 ) of the anti-theft, anti-intrusion, and anti-overflow device. 
   
   
       35 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the upper filling space in the coaxial plunger unit ( 6 ), in fluid communication with an internal tank space, is occupied by an anti-penetration device ( 23 ). 
   
   
       36 . The device according to  claim 35 , wherein the anti-penetration device ( 23 ) of the coaxial plunger unit ( 6 ) is a closure equipped with a closure unit ( 24 ) making access to the openings ( 19 ) difficult, the closure unit ( 24 ) has at least two closure pieces ( 26 ) with radial branches, each of the at least two closure pieces ( 26 ) being attached and superimposed on a support shaft ( 25 ) and angularly offset from each other. 
   
   
       37 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the closure unit ( 24 ) is one of a complex arrangement of flat and wire-like forms. 
   
   
       38 . The device according to  claim 36 , wherein a supporting and reinforcing ring is attached to an upper portion of the closure unit ( 24 ) around the closure pieces ( 26 ,  28 ) to prevent latter closure pieces ( 26 ) from being at least one of forced and twisted by an exterior tool. 
   
   
       39 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein an upper end of the plunger tube ( 8 ) has an attaching flange ( 13 ) by which the anti-theft, anti-intrusion, and anti-overflow device is attached to an orifice piece of the tank. 
   
   
       40 . The device according to  claim 39 , wherein the attaching flange ( 13 ) is surmounted by a second neck piece with an end flange ( 15 ) forming the new neck piece ( 16 ) defining the new tank filling orifice ( 4 ) for attaching the gas cap ( 5 ). 
   
   
       41 . The device according to  claim 40 , wherein the new neck piece ( 16 ) with the end flange ( 15 ) is connected to the attaching flange ( 13 ) on the tubular plunger ( 8 ) by solder points which are designed to break during an attempt to fraudulently extract the anti-theft, anti-intrusion, and anti-overflow device ( 1 ) from the original neck piece ( 3 ) of the tank ( 2 ). 
   
   
       42 . The device according to  claim 40 , wherein an upper portion of the attaching flange ( 13 ) has at least one passageway ( 53 ) therethrough, allowing any liquid present in a upper space of the tubular body ( 8 ) on an upper surface of the attaching flange ( 13 ) to flow back into the tank ( 2 ). 
   
   
       43 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) comprises a gripping means 
   
   
       44 . The device according to  claim 43 , wherein the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) is joined to the cap ( 5 ) by a connector. 
   
   
       45 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) comprises a safety closure ( 29 ) comprising a movable closure piece ( 30 ) to ensure closure of an upper opening of the retractable filling tube ( 7 ). 
   
   
       46 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is at least one of a folding piece, a removable interior piece and a removable exterior piece. 
   
   
       47 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is a pivotably mounted piece ( 31 ) pivotable about a longitudinal axle, and the pivotably mounted piece ( 31 ) is a flat piece having a shape similar to a shape of the upper opening of the retractable filling tube ( 7 ). 
   
   
       48 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein a lower surface ( 38 ) of the movable closure piece ( 30 ) comprises a projecting stop ( 39 ) to stop the movable closure piece ( 30 ) when pivoting between an open and closed position. 
   
   
       49 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is a pivotable piece ( 40 ) that is pivotably attached about a transverse axle ( 41 ) on the retractable filling tube ( 7 ). 
   
   
       50 . The device according to  claim 49 , wherein a repelling force maintains the movable closure piece ( 30 ) in a closed position against a rim ( 42 ), that forms an interior shoulder within the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) that serves as a seating for the movable closure piece ( 30 ). 
   
   
       51 . The device according to  claim 46 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is formed of two pivotable pieces facing each other ( 43 ,  44 ) each of the two pivotable pieces pivot about a respective transverse axle ( 45 ,  46 ) on the retractable filling tube ( 7 ). 
   
   
       52 . The device according to  claim 51 , wherein a repelling force maintains each of the two pivotable pieces ( 43 ,  44 ) in a closed position against a rim ( 42 ), the rim ( 42 ) forming an interior shoulder for the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) and serving as a seating for the two pivotable pieces ( 43 ,  44 ) of the movable closure piece ( 30 ), each of the two pivotable pieces ( 43 ,  44 ) having a staggered formation to ensure sealing between the two pivotable pieces ( 43 ,  44 ). 
   
   
       53 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is a pivotable piece ( 47 ) mounted to pivot about a central transverse axle on the retractable filling tube ( 7 ). 
   
   
       54 . The device according to  claim 53 , wherein a repelling force maintains the movable closure piece ( 30 ) in a closed position against a semi-circular ( 49 ) interior rim and a semi-circular exterior rim ( 50 ) forming an interior shoulder for the retractable filling tube ( 7 ) and which serves as a contact stop for the movable closure piece ( 30 ). 
   
   
       55 . The device according to  claim 45 , wherein the movable closure piece ( 30 ) is inseparably attached to the tank cap ( 5 ) with a flexible and deformable connector ( 22 ). 
   
   
       56 . The device according to  claim 43 , wherein the attaching flange ( 13 ) is prevented from pivoting on the original neck piece ( 3 ) of the tank ( 2 ) by a stop piece ( 55 ). 
   
   
       57 . The device according to  claim 56 , wherein the stop piece ( 55 ) is a flat clamp with a rounded end ( 56 ), an opposite extremity of which has a projecting wedged rim ( 57 ) extending perpendicular to a body of the clamp to engage in a slot and ensure blocking.