Author: claimsbot

1. A semiconductor target for determining overlay error, if any, between two or more successive layers of a substrate or between two or more separately generated patterns on a single layer of a substrate, the target comprising:
a plurality of first structures that are invariant for a plurality of first rotation angles with respect to a first center of symmetry (COS) of the first structures; and
a plurality of second structures that are invariant for a plurality of second rotation angles with respect to a second COS of the second structures,
wherein the first rotation angles differ from the second rotation angles,
wherein the first structures and the second structures are formed on different layers of the substrate or separately generated patterns on a same layer of the substrate.
2. The target of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of third structures that are invariant for a plurality of third rotation angles with respect to a third COS of the third structures, wherein the third structures, first structures, and the second structures are formed on different layers of the substrate or separately generated patterns on a same layer of the substrate
3. The target of claim 2, wherein the third rotation angles are the same as the first rotation angles.
4. A wafer comprising the target of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of dummy structures that fill areas around the target’s first and second structures so as to substantially eliminate empty areas near the target.
5. The wafer of claim 4, wherein the dummy structures have a density that causes the dummy structures to be measured as an unpatterned area so as to reduce cross-talk in determining overlay error in the target.
6. The target of claim 1, wherein the first layer structures each have a shape that differs from a shape of each of the second layer structures.
7. The target of claim 1, wherein the first and second COS are designed to be the same when there is no significant overlay error between the first and second layer structures.
8. The target of claim 1, wherein the first and second COS are designed to have a predefined offset when there is no significant overlay error between the first and second layer structures.
9. The target of claim 1, wherein the target is formed within an active die region of a wafer.
10. A method for determining overlay error, if any, between two or more successive layers of a substrate or between two or more separately generated patterns on a single layer of a substrate, the method comprising:
acquiring an image of a plurality of first structures that are designed to be invariant for a plurality of first rotation angles with respect to a first center of symmetry (COS) of the first structures and of a plurality of second structures that are designed to be invariant for a plurality of second rotation angles with respect to a second COS of the second structures, wherein the first rotation angles differ from the second rotation angles and wherein the first structures and the second structures are formed on different layers of the substrate or separately generated patterns on a same layer of the substrate;
determining the first COS of the first structures based on rotating the image by the first rotation angles and determining the second COS of the second structures based on rotating the image by the second rotation angles; and
comparing the determined first and second COS to determine whether there is an overlay error between the first and second structures that is out of specification.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the image is defined as an unrotated image and determining the first COS comprises:
automatically placing a rotated first image of the unrotated image that has been rotated a selected one of the first rotation angles with respect to an initial first COS; and
moving the rotated first image and the unrotated image with respect to each other and different COS’s until a best correlation and final COS is found between the first structures in the unrotated image and the rotated first image, wherein the final COS is determined to be the first COS,
wherein determining the second COS comprises:
automatically placing a rotated second image of the unrotated image that has been rotated a selected one of the second rotation angles with respect to an initial second COS; and
moving the rotated second image and the unrotated image with respect to each other and different COS’s until a best correlation and final COS is found between the second structures in the unrotated image and the rotated second image, wherein the final COS is determined to be the second COS.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
for each one of the first rotation angles and for the first structures, repeating the operations for automatically placing and moving and averaging the final COS’s together; and
for each one of the second rotation angles and for the second structures, repeating the operations for automatically placing and moving and averaging the final COS’s together.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second structures are sized and positioned with respect to each other so as to substantially eliminate cross-talk and overlap of the unrotated image and the rotated first and second images when determining the COS for another one of the first or second structures.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein an overlay error is determined when the first COS differs from the second COS by more than a predetermined amount.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
if an overlay error is found, repairing a wafer upon which the first and second structures were formed.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
filtering a plurality of device structures from the first and second image prior to determining the first and second COS’s.
17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor target for determining overlay error, if any, between two or more successive layers of a substrate or between two or more separately generated patterns on a single layer of a substrate, comprising:
forming a plurality of first structures of a target that are invariant for a plurality of first rotation angles with respect to a first center of symmetry (COS) of the first structures; and
forming a plurality of second structures the target that are invariant for a plurality of second rotation angles with respect to a second COS of the second structures,
wherein the first rotation angles differ from the second rotation angles,
wherein the first structures and the second structures are formed on different layers of the substrate or separately generated patterns on a same layer of the substrate.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second structures of the target are formed in a scribe line between active die regions of a wafer.
19. An apparatus for determining overlay error, if any, between two or more successive layers of a substrate or between two or more separately generated patterns on a single layer of a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
an optical assembly for acquiring an image of a plurality of first structures that are designed to be invariant for a plurality of first rotation angles with respect to a first center of symmetry (COS) of the first structures and of a plurality of second structures that are designed to be invariant for a plurality of second rotation angles with respect to a second COS of the second structures, wherein the first rotation angles differ from the second rotation angles and wherein the first structures and the second structures are formed on different layers of the substrate or separately generated patterns on a same layer of the substrate;
at least one memory; and
at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory and processor are configured for performing the following operations:
determining the first COS of the first structures based on rotating the image by the first rotation angles and determining the second COS of the second structures based on rotating the image by the second rotation angles; and
comparing the determined first and second COS to determine whether there is an overlay error between the first and second structures that is out of specification.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the image is defined as an unrotated image and determining the first COS comprises:
automatically placing a rotated first image of the unrotated image that has been rotated a selected one of the first rotation angles with respect to an initial first COS; and
moving the rotated first image and the unrotated image with respect to each other and different COS’s until a best correlation and final COS is found between the first structures in the unrotated image and the rotated first image, wherein the final COS is determined to be the first COS,
wherein determining the second COS comprises:
automatically placing a rotated second image of the unrotated image that has been rotated a selected one of the second rotation angles with respect to an initial second COS; and
moving the rotated second image and the unrotated image with respect to each other and different COS’s until a best correlation and final COS is found between the second structures in the unrotated image and the rotated second image, wherein the final COS is determined to be the second COS.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and processor are further configured for performing the following operations:
for each one of the first rotation angles and for the first structures, repeating the operations for automatically placing and moving and averaging the final COS’s together; and
for each one of the second rotation angles and for the second structures, repeating the operations for automatically placing and moving and averaging the final COS’s together.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
maintaining, by a general purpose processor, a page directory and a page table within a system memory of the general purpose processor, the page directory and the page table containing therein information for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses within a physical address space of the system memory;
offloading, by the general purpose processor, virus processing of a content object to a hardware accelerator coupled to the general purpose processor by storing virus scanning parameters, including the content object and information regarding a type of the content object, to the system memory using one or more virtual addresses and indicating to the hardware accelerator that the content object is available for virus processing;
responsive to said indicating, the hardware accelerator:
translating the one or more virtual addresses to one or more corresponding physical addresses based on the page directory and the page table;
accessing the virus scanning parameters based on the one or more corresponding physical addresses;
scanning the content object for viruses by applying a plurality of virus signatures against the content object based on the type of the content object; and
returning a result of the scanning to the general purpose processor by writing the result to the system memory.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual addresses include a directory portion, a page table portion, and an offset portion, the directory portion indicates a particular page table, the page table portion indicates a particular page, and the offset portion indicates a particular entry within the particular page.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual addresses include a directory portion and an offset portion, the directory portion indicates a particular page, and the offset portion indicates a particular entry within the particular page.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
caching a most recently used page directory and page table by one or more translation lookaside buffers of the hardware accelerator;
translating the one or more virtual addresses to the one or more corresponding physical addresses based on the cached page directory and page table.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, by the hardware accelerator, the plurality of virus signatures from an instruction memory, each virus signature of the plurality of virus signatures specifying a pattern comparison of a plurality of pattern comparisons.
6. A method comprising:
maintaining, by a general purpose processor, a page directory and a page table within a system memory of the general purpose processor, the page directory and the page table containing therein information for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses within a physical address space of the system memory;
scanning, by the general purpose processor, a content object for viruses of a first type;
offloading, by the general purpose processor, scanning of the content object for viruses of a second type to a hardware accelerator coupled to the general purpose processor by storing virus scanning parameters, including the content object and information regarding a type of the content object, to the system memory using one or more virtual addresses and indicating to the hardware accelerator that the content object is available for virus processing;
responsive to said indicating, the hardware accelerator:
translating the one or more virtual addresses to one or more corresponding physical addresses based on the page directory and the page table;
accessing the virus scanning parameters based on the one or more corresponding physical addresses;
scanning the content object for viruses of the second type by applying a plurality of virus signatures against the content object based on the type of the content object; and
returning a result of the scanning to the general purpose processor by writing the result to the system memory.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the viruses of the first type comprise software processed viruses and the viruses of the second type comprise hardware processed viruses.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said scanning, by the general purpose processor, the content object for viruses of a first type and said scanning the content object for viruses of a second type are performed in parallel.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein said scanning, by the general purpose processor, the content object for viruses of a first type and said scanning the data segment for viruses of a second type are performed serially.
10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
caching a most recently used page directory and page table by one or more translation lookaside buffers of the hardware accelerator;
translating the one or more virtual addresses to corresponding one or more physical addresses based on cached page directory and page table.
11. The method of claim 7, further comprising retrieving, by the hardware accelerator, the plurality of virus signatures from an instruction memory, each virus signature of the plurality of virus signatures specifying a pattern comparison of a plurality of pattern comparisons.
12. A virus processing system, the virus processing system comprising:
an interconnect bus;
a system memory, coupled to the interconnect bus, having stored therein a page directory and a page table containing information for translating virtual addresses to physical addresses within a physical address space of the system memory;
a general purpose processor, wherein the general purpose processor is communicably coupled to the system memory, and wherein the general purpose processor is operable to store virus scanning parameters, including a content object that is to be scanned for viruses and information regarding a type of the content object, to the system memory using one or more virtual addresses; and
a virus co-processor, coupled to the system memory via the interconnect bus, wherein the virus co-processor is operable to retrieve the virus scanning parameters from the system memory using one or more physical addresses derived based on the one or more virtual addresses, the page directory and the page table and to execute one or more virus signatures against the content object based on the type of the content object.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the virtual addresses include a directory portion, a page table portion, and an offset portion, the directory portion indicates a particular page table, the page table portion indicates a particular page, and the offset portion indicates a particular entry within the particular page.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the virtual addresses include a directory portion and an offset portion, the directory portion indicates a particular page, and the offset portion indicates a particular entry within the particular page.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the virus co-processor is further operable to:
cache a most recently used page directory and page table by one or more translation lookaside buffers;
translate the one or more virtual addresses to the one or more physical addresses based on the cached page directory and page table.
16. The system of claim 12, wherein the virus co-processor is further operable to retrieve the one or more virus signatures from an instruction memory, the one or more virus signatures each specifying a pattern comparison of a plurality of pattern comparisons.

1. A method for visually augmenting an appearance of a physical environment including a real-world object as seen by a user through a transparent display in a head-mounted display device, comprising:
receiving eye-tracking information from an eye-tracking system in the head-mounted display device;
receiving lighting information from an optical sensor system in the head-mounted display device;
receiving depth information from the optical sensor system, the depth information including a distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device;
generating a virtual environment that models the physical environment and is based on the lighting information and the distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device, the virtual environment including a virtual object representation and a real-world object representation;
visually augmenting the virtual object representation in the virtual environment based on the eye-tracking information; and
rendering the virtual object representation on the transparent display of the head-mounted display device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the virtual object representation;
analyzing a contrast pattern behind the virtual object representation in the physical environment; and
adjusting one or more of a color and a brightness of the virtual object representation to enhance contrast of the virtual object representation with respect to the contrast pattern.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the virtual object representation; and
based on the lighting information, rendering a virtual shadow representation on the transparent display in an area adjacent to the virtual object representation.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein rendering a virtual shadow representation further comprises filtering light that enters the transparent display from the physical environment andor rendering color in the area adjacent to the virtual object representation.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining from the depth information that the user is looking at the virtual object representation; and
based on the lighting information, rendering a virtual shadow representation on the transparent display in an area adjacent to the virtual object representation.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising visually augmenting an appearance of the real-world object to render a reflected image of the virtual object representation.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the real-world object; and
blurring the virtual object representation as seen by the user through the transparent display.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein blurring the appearance of the virtual object representation further comprises:
determining a blurring amount based on one or more of the depth information, a focal point distance, and a pupil dilation amount.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising progressively increasing the blurring amount along segments of the virtual object representation as a distance of the segments from a virtual position of the head-mounted display device in the virtual environment increases.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising
generating one or more of a light originating from the virtual object representation and a shadow cast by the virtual object representation; and
when the virtual object representation is not within a current viewing perspective of the user, visually augmenting the real-world object as seen by the user through the transparent display with the one or more of the light originating from the virtual object representation and the shadow cast by the virtual object representation.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
rendering the virtual object representation in a fixed location on the transparent display regardless of an orientation of the head-mounted display device.
12. A virtual environment generating system including a head-mounted display device operatively connected to a computing device, the head-mounted display device including a transparent display through which a user may view a physical environment that includes a real-world object, the virtual environment generating system comprising:
a virtual environment generating program executed by a processor of the computing device, the virtual environment generating program configured to:
receive eye-tracking information from an eye-tracking system in the head-mounted display device;
receive lighting information from an optical sensor system in the head-mounted display device;
receive depth information from the optical sensor system, the depth information including a distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device;
generate a virtual environment that models the physical environment and is based on the lighting information and the distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device, the virtual environment including a virtual object representation and a real-world object representation;
visually augment the virtual object representation in the virtual environment based on the eye-tracking information; and
render the virtual object representation on the transparent display of the head-mounted display device.
13. The virtual environment generating system of claim 12, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to:
determine from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the virtual object representation;
analyze a contrast pattern behind the virtual object representation in the physical environment; and
adjust one or more of a color and a brightness of the virtual object representation to enhance contrast of the virtual object representation with respect to the contrast pattern.
14. The virtual environment generating system of claim 12, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to visually augment an appearance of the real-world object to render a reflected image of the virtual object representation.
15. The virtual environment generating system of claim 12, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to:
determine from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the real-world object; and
blur the virtual object representation as seen by the user through the transparent display.
16. The virtual environment generating system of claim 15, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to determine a blurring amount based on one or more of the depth information, a focal point distance, and a pupil dilation amount.
17. The virtual environment generating system of claim 16, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to progressively increase the blurring amount along segments of the virtual object representation as a distance of the segments from a virtual position of the head-mounted display device in the virtual environment increases.
18. The virtual environment generating system of claim 12, wherein the virtual environment generating program is further configured to:
generate one or more of a light originating from the virtual object representation and a shadow cast by the virtual object representation; and
when the virtual object representation is not within a current viewing perspective of the user, visually augment the real-world object as seen by the user through the transparent display with the one or more of the light originating from the virtual object representation and the shadow cast by the virtual object representation.
19. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon and executable by a computing device to visually augment an appearance of a physical environment including a real-world object as seen by a user through a transparent display in a head-mounted display device, the instructions being executable to:
receive eye-tracking information from an eye-tracking system in the head-mounted display device;
receive lighting information from an optical sensor system in the head-mounted display device;
receive depth information from the optical sensor system, the depth information including a distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device;
generate a virtual environment that models the physical environment and is based on the lighting information and the distance of the real-world object from the head-mounted display device, the virtual environment including a virtual object representation and a real-world object representation;
determine from the eye-tracking information that the user is looking at the real-world object;
blur an appearance of the virtual object representation as seen by the user through the transparent display; and
render the virtual object representation on the transparent display of the head-mounted display device.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to:
determine a blurring amount based on one or more of the depth information, a focal point distance, and a pupil dilation amount.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
2. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a flapper door pivotably disposed adjacent to the bottom portion of the nozzle conduit.
3. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 2, wherein the closure further includes
a return spring that operates with the flapper door to bias the flapper door into the closed position and to permit the flapper door to be pushed into the opened position when the fuel-dispensing nozzle applies an opening force on the flapper door and
a door tongue included in the flapper door, that cooperates with the lock such that the door tongue is retained in the lock when the flapper door is in the closed position and is released from the lock when the flapper door is in the opened position.
4. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 3, wherein the flapper door further includes a pivot mount and a door plate arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the return spring has a coiled portion with a first leg engaging the nozzle conduit and a second leg engaging the pivot mount of the flapper door, and the door tongue is cantilevered to the door plate and arranged to extend in a direction away from the pivot mount.
5. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein
the lock opening means comprises separate band movers disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit,
the variable-circumference band comprises spring material that surrounds the band movers and comprises first and second blockers,
the blockers engage the closure when in the closed position, and
the blockers release the closure when in the opened position.
6. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein
the lock opening means includes push-head drivers and
the push-head drivers are substantially, equidistantly spaced with respect to one another in the nozzle conduit.
7. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 6, wherein, to release the closure, a majority of the push head drivers must contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle.
8. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 7, wherein the majority of push head drivers comprises all of the push head drivers.
9. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
wherein the lock opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and push-head drivers,
the push heads contact one another and foam a circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed position, and
the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter.
10. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, further comprising a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to retain the lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with respect to the nozzle conduit.
11. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
further comprising a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to retain the lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with respect to the nozzle conduit,
wherein the closure includes a flapper door including a door plate and a plurality of band-mover guards disposed on the door plate to engage the push heads when the closure is in the closed position.
12. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 9, wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
13. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
wherein the lock opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and push-head drivers,
the push heads contact one another and form a circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed position, and
the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter,
wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter,
wherein the variable-circumference band is a circular band comprising spring material that surrounds the lock opening means and comprises first and second blockers,
the first and second blockers engage the closure when in the closed position, and
the first and second blockers release the closure when in the opened position.
14. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the fuel fill tube is capless.
15. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the first diameter is greater than or equal to about 23.5 mm and the second diameter is less than or equal to about 21.5 mm.
16. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
wherein the lock opening means comprises actuators that comprise push heads and push-head drivers,
the push heads contact one another and form a circular ring when the lock locks the closure in the closed position, and
the push-head drivers extend radially inwardly from an interior surface of the push heads and are adapted to contact a fuel-dispensing nozzle having the first diameter,
wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the lock opening means and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter,
wherein the variable-circumference band has end portions that overlap when the lock is in the closed position.
17. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the lock comprises
separate band movers disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit, and
the separate band movers are adapted to move away from each other when moving from the closed position to the opened position.
18. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube, wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit, wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock to retain the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
lock opening means for actuating the lock, wherein the lock opening means is disposed within the nozzle conduit, wherein the lock opening means is adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway, wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and wherein the lock opening means cooperates with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
further comprising a guide housing disposed within the nozzle conduit to retain the lock opening means in radially slidable orientation with respect to the nozzle conduit,
wherein the separate band movers are disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit and include guide posts, and
the guide housing comprises slots that cooperate with the guide posts to guide the separate band movers move away from each other from the closed position to the opened position.
19. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 17, wherein
in the opened position, the separate band movers comprise an annular circumferential arrangement with narrow spaces between the separate band movers, and
the separate band movers are arranged to extend along the majority of the annular circumference with the narrow spaces comprising a relatively small portion of the circumference.
20. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
inhibitor means for preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and
wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door lock and a multi-part lock opener coupled to the nozzle conduit and to the hoop-shaped flapper door lock,
wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock includes a variable-circumference band that is expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first diameter and circumference to a large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second diameter and circumference, a first door-motion blocker coupled to a first end portion of the variable-circumference band, and a second door-motion blocker coupled to a second end portion of the variable-circumference band and arranged normally to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume a drawn-together formation to trap the flapper door therebetween when the variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the flapper door in a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture,
wherein the multi-part lock opener includes several band movers located in an interior region formed in the variable-circumference band and arranged to lie along an interior surface of the variable-circumference band in spaced relation to one another, and
wherein the band movers cooperate to move relative to the variable-circumference band and to one another to expand the diameter and circumference of the variable-circumference band to assume the large-diameter mode and move the first and second door-motion blockers away from one another to assume a spread-apart formation disengaging the flapper door so as to release the flapper door in response to movement of the large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle through the nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle conduit to engage the band movers and move the band movers in radially outward directions to expand the variable-circumference band.
21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the variable-circumference band is coiled normally to assume the narrow-diameter mode owing to elasticity of spring material formed to make the variable-circumference band, the variable-circumference band in the narrow-diameter mode is arranged to urge the band movers to move in radially inward directions toward a central axis passing through a space bounded by the variable-circumference band, each band mover is arranged in the space to contact a large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the space and to move radially outwardly away from the central axis to expand the variable-circumference band to cause the variable-circumference band to move from the narrow-diameter mode to assume the large-diameter mode, and the band movers are arranged in a spread pattern to cause at least some of the band movers to avoid contact with a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the space to block expansion of the variable-circumference band so as to cause the variable-circumference band to remain in the narrow-diameter mode in response to movement of the small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle along the central axis and through the space.
22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein each band mover is arc-shaped and the variable-circumference band is arranged to apply a radially inwardly directed force to each band mover normally to arrange the band movers in a packed relationship forming a circle and causing ends of adjacent band movers to touch when the variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode.
23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein each band mover includes an actuator and a guide coupled to the actuator and arranged to extend into and move back and forth in a slot formed in the nozzle conduit during movement of the actuator relative to the nozzle conduit in response to a force applied to the actuator by a large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving along the central axis and in the space.
24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the guide includes a lower guide post coupled to a bottom of the actuator and arranged to extend in a first direction away from the actuator into a companion first slot formed in the nozzle conduit and an upper guide post coupled to a top of the actuator and arranged to extend in an opposite second direction away from the actuator into a companion second slot formed in the nozzle conduit.
25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the actuator includes a push-head driver formed to include a sloped ramp arranged to provide means for engaging a tip of a moving large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle moving downwardly along the central axis through the space, the push-head driver is arranged to move radially outwardly away from the central axis in response to application of an external force to the sloped ramp by the moving large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle, the actuator further includes a push head including an exterior wall arranged to confront the interior surface of the variable-circumference band and an interior wall arranged to face toward the central axis, and the push-head driver is coupled to the interior wall of the push head to urge the push head to move away from the central axis to apply an expansion force to the interior surface variable-circumference band to expand the variable-circumference band to assume the large-diameter mode in response to radially outward movement of the push-head driver.
26. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the flapper door includes a pivot mount, a door tongue, and a door plate arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the pivot mount is coupled to the nozzle conduit to support the flapper door for pivotable movement about a pivot axis between the opened and closed positions, and the first and second door-motion blockers cooperate in the drawn-together formation to mate with and restrain the door tongue when the flapper door is in the closed position to block pivotable movement of the flapper door from the closed position toward an opened position.
27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the variable-circumference band is made of an elastic material configured normally to establish variable-circumference band in the narrow-diameter mode, includes a curved strip having the first and second end portions, and the first and second end portions are arranged to lie in side-by-side relation to one another to move relative to one another in slip-sliding relation during change of the variable-circumference band between the narrow-diameter mode and the large-diameter mode.
28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second door-motion blockers is L-shaped and includes a downwardly extending blade cantilevered to the variable-circumference band and an inwardly extending latch finger coupled to a free end of a companion downwardly extending blade, the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion blocker extends in a first direction, and the inwardly extending latch finger of the second door-motion blocker extends in an opposite second direction toward the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion blocker.
29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein the flapper door is formed to include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel and the hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel.
30. The assembly of claim 28, wherein the door tongue extends into a space bordered in part by the first and second end portions of the variable-circumference band, spaced-apart portions of the downwardly extending blades of the first and second door-motion blockers, and end-to-end portions of the first and second door-motion blockers.
31. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes an anti-rotation tab coupled to the curved strip of the variable-circumference band and arranged to extend into a channel formed in the nozzle conduit to provide means for blocking an operator from using an unauthorized fuel-dispensing nozzle to pull on one of the first and second door-motion blockers more than another of the first and second door-motion blockers in an attempt to unlock the hoop-shaped flapper door lock by separating the first and second door-motion blockers from the door tongue of the flapper door.
32. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the flapper door further includes a pair of upstanding band-mover guards coupled to the door plate and arranged to extend upwardly toward a fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the nozzle-receiving passageway toward the door plate and the pair of upstanding band-mover guards is formed to include a channel therebetween to receive a nose portion of one of the push-head drivers when the variable-circumference band has assumed the narrow-diameter mode.
33. The assembly of claim 32, wherein the flapper door includes several more pairs of upstanding band-mover guards coupled to the door plate and arranged to extend upwardly toward a fuel-dispensing nozzle moving through the nozzle-receiving passageway toward the door plate and the pairs of upstanding band-mover guards cooperate to define means for blocking movement of a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle in the space formed in the variable-circumference band to cause all of the band movers to move in radially outward directions to expand the circumference of the variable-circumference band and thus unlock the hoop-shaped flapper door lock by separating the first and second door-motion blockers from the door tongue of the flapper door.
34. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising an inhibitor housing adapted to be coupled to an outer end of a filler neck and formed to include floater means for supporting the nozzle conduit for lateral floating movement in an interior region of the fill tube relative to the fill tube to block unauthorized attempts by an operator to use a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle to unlock a normally locked flapper door to regulate admission of fuel-dispensing nozzles through the fill tube and the nozzle-receiving aperture formed in the wall of the fill tube.
35. The assembly of claim 34, wherein the nozzle conduit includes a support flange, the inhibitor housing is formed to include an interior region and a flange-receiving space opening into the interior region of the inhibitor housing and defining the floater means, and the support flanges extend into the flange-receiving space to allow lateral floating movement of the nozzle conduit in the interior region of the inhibitor housing during unauthorized attempts to use a small-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle to unlock the normally locked flapper door.
36. The assembly of claim 35, wherein the inhibitor housing includes a base adapted to be coupled to an outer end of a filler neck and formed to include the interior region of the inhibitor housing and a crown coupled to an outer portion of the base to form the flange-receiving space therebetween.
37. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the crown includes an interior block located in spaced-apart relation to the base to define the flange-receiving space therebetween and an outer shell arranged to surround and mate with the interior block and coupled to the base to retain the interior block in a stationary position relative to the base.
38. The assembly of claim 35, wherein the nozzle conduit further includes a carrier shell and a guide housing coupled to the carrier shell to move therewith in the interior region of the inhibitor housing, the flapper door is coupled to the guide housing, and the carrier shell is formed to include the support flange.
39. The assembly of claim 38, wherein the carrier shell includes a housing mount coupled to the support flange and to the guide housing.
40. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
inhibitor means for preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door lock and wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock includes a variable-circumference band that is expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first diameter and circumference to a large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second diameter and circumference, a first door-motion blocker coupled to a first end portion of the variable-circumference band, and a second door-motion blocker coupled to a second end portion of the variable-circumference band and arranged normally to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume a drawn-together formation to trap the flapper door therebetween when the variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the flapper door in a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture.
41. The assembly of claim 40, wherein the flapper door includes a pivot mount, a door tongue, and a door plate arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the pivot mount is coupled to the nozzle conduit to support the flapper door for pivotable movement about a pivot axis between the opened and closed positions, and the first and second door-motion blockers cooperate in the drawn-together formation to mate with and restrain the door tongue when the flapper door is in the closed position to block pivotable movement of the flapper door from the closed position toward an opened position.
42. The assembly of claim 41, wherein the flapper door is formed to include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel and the hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel.
43. The assembly of claim 41, wherein the variable-circumference band is made of an elastic material configured normally to establish variable-circumference band in the narrow-diameter mode, includes a curved strip having the first and second end portions, and the first and second end portions are arranged to lie in side-by-side relation to one another to move relative to one another in slip-sliding relation during change of the variable-circumference band between the narrow-diameter mode and the large-diameter mode.
44. The assembly of claim 43, wherein each of the first and second door-motion blockers is L-shaped and includes a downwardly extending blade cantilevered to the variable-circumference band and an inwardly extending latch finger coupled to a free end of a companion downwardly extending blade, the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion blocker extends in a first direction, and the inwardly extending latch finger of the second door-motion blocker extends in an opposite second direction toward the inwardly extending latch finger of the first door-motion blocker.
45. The assembly of claim 44, wherein the flapper door is formed to include a downwardly opening lug receiver channel, the hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes a first retainer lug coupled to the first door-motion blocker and arranged to extend upwardly toward the downwardly opening lug receiver channel, the first retainer lug is coupled to a free end of the inwardly extending latch flinger of the first door-motion blocker, and the second retainer lug is coupled to a free end of the inwardly extending latch finger of the second door-motion blocker.
46. The assembly of claim 43, wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock further includes an anti-rotation tab coupled to the curved strip of the variable-circumference band and arranged to extend into a channel formed in the nozzle conduit to provide means for blocking an operator from using an unauthorized fuel-dispensing nozzle to pull on one of the first and second door-motion blockers more than another of the first and second door-motion blockers in an attempt to unlock the hoop-shaped flapper door lock by separating the first and second door-motion blockers from the door tongue of the flapper door.
47. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube,
wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and
wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit,
wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock comprising a variable-circumference band that retains the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
a plurality of independently operable actuators within the nozzle conduit,
wherein the actuators are adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway,
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter.
48. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the closure is a flapper door pivotably disposed adjacent to the bottom portion of the nozzle conduit.
49. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 48, wherein the closure further includes
a return spring that operates with the flapper door to bias the flapper door into the closed position and to permit the flapper door to be pushed into the opened position when the fuel-dispensing nozzle applies an opening force on the flapper door, and
a door tongue, included in the flapper door, that cooperates with the lock such that the door tongue is retained in the lock when the flapper door is in the closed position and is released from the lock when the flapper door is in the opened position.
50. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 49, wherein the flapper door further includes a pivot mount and a door plate arranged to interconnect the pivot mount and the door tongue, the return spring has a coiled portion, a first leg engaging the nozzle conduit, and a second leg engaging the pivot mount of the flapper door, and the door tongue is cantilevered to the door plate and arranged to extend in a direction away from the pivot mount.
51. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the actuators and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter.
52. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the actuators are slidably mounted within the nozzle conduit and move in a radial direction with respect to a centerline of the nozzle conduit.
53. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 51, wherein
the variable-circumference band is a band spring that surrounds the actuators and comprises first and second blockers,
the blockers engage the closure when in the closed position, and
the blockers release the closure when in the opened position.
54. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein
each of the actuators includes a push-head driver, and
the push-head drivers are substantially, equidistantly spaced with respect to one another in the nozzle conduit.
55. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 54, wherein, to release the closure, a majority of the push-head drivers must contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle.
56. The fuel-dispensing nozzle of claim 55, wherein the majority of the push-head drivers comprises all of the push-head drivers.
57. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the fuel fill tube is capless.
58. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the first diameter is greater than or equal to about 23.5 mm and the second diameter is less than or equal to about 21.5 mm.
59. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube,
wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and
wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit,
wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock that retains the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
a plurality of independently operable actuators within the nozzle conduit,
wherein the actuators are adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway,
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
wherein the lock comprises a variable-circumference band, operable with the actuators and the closure, to bias the lock to retain the closure in the closed position and permit release of the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the variable-circumference band has end portions that overlap when the lock is in the closed position.
60. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 47, wherein the lock comprises
separate band movers disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit, and
the separate band movers are adapted to move away from each other when moving from the closed position to the opened position.
61. A fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor comprising
a nozzle conduit positionable on a fuel fill tube,
wherein the fuel fill tube is constructed to direct fuel to a fuel tank, and
wherein the nozzle conduit defines a nozzle-receiving passageway for receiving a fuel-dispensing nozzle with at least one of a first diameter selected for a first fuel type and a second diameter for a second fuel type, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter,
a closure positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of the nozzle conduit,
wherein the closure has an opened position to permit insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
wherein the closure has a closed position to prevent insertion of the fuel-dispensing nozzle past the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
a lock that retains the closure in a closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter and releases the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter, and
a plurality of independently operable actuators within the nozzle conduit,
wherein the actuators are adapted to contact the fuel-dispensing nozzle when inserted into the nozzle-receiving passageway,
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to release the closure if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the first diameter,
wherein the actuators cooperate with the lock to maintain the lock in the closed position if the fuel-dispensing nozzle has the second diameter,
separate band movers disposed in an annular arrangement within the nozzle conduit, and
the separate band movers are adapted to move away from each other when moving from the closed position to the opened position,
wherein the separate band movers include guide posts, and
the guide housing comprises slots that cooperate with the guide posts to guide the separate band movers move away from each other from the closed position to the opened position.
62. The fuel-dispensing nozzle inhibitor of claim 60, wherein, in the opened position, the separate band movers comprise an annular circumferential arrangement with narrow spaces between the separate band movers, the separate band movers extending along the majority of the annular circumference with the narrow spaces comprising a relatively small portion of the circumference.
63. A filler neck closure assembly associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
inhibitor means for preventing insertion of a small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into a fuel-conducting passageway formed in a filler neck coupled to a vehicle fuel tank while allowing insertion of a large-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the fuel-conducting passageway formed in the filler neck, the inhibitor means including a nozzle conduit formed in the fill tube and formed to include a nozzle-receiving passageway, a flapper door mounted for movement relative to the nozzle conduit to open and close the nozzle-receiving passageway, and a flapper-door anchor coupled to the nozzle conduit and associated with the flapper door, and
wherein the flapper-door anchor includes a hoop-shaped flapper door lock and a multi-part lock opener coupled to the nozzle conduit and to the hoop-shaped flapper door lock,
wherein the hoop-shaped flapper door lock includes a variable-circumference band that is expandable to change from a normal narrow-diameter mode characterized by a first diameter and circumference to a large-diameter mode characterized by a relatively larger second diameter and circumference, a first door-motion blocker coupled to a first end portion of the variable-circumference band, and a second door-motion blocker coupled to a second end portion of the variable-circumference band and arranged normally to cooperate with the first door-motion blocker to assume a drawn-together formation to trap the flapper door therebetween when the variable-circumference band assumes the narrow-diameter mode to retain the flapper door in a closed position closing the nozzle-receiving aperture,
wherein the multi-part lock opener includes several band movers located in an interior region formed in the variable-circumference band and arranged to lie along an interior surface of the variable-circumference band, and
wherein the band movers cooperate to move relative to the variable-circumference band and to one another to expand the diameter and circumference of the variable-circumference band to assume the large-diameter mode and move the first and second door-motion blockers away from one another to assume a spread-apart formation disengaging the flapper door so as to release the flapper door in response to movement of the large-diameter fuel-dispensing nozzle through the nozzle-receiving passageway formed in the nozzle conduit to engage the band movers and move the band movers in radially outward directions to expand the variable-circumference band.