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A direct method is developed for designing a vehicle fuel filler door with torsional spring. The design parameters include the door's geometrical parameters and spring dimensions. The design requirements are based on the finger force curve during closing and opening, and the bending stress in the spring. An example is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method.

A mathematical model was developed for the analysis of a fuel filler door with a torsional spring. The model calculates performance indices such as opening and closing forces, kinetic energy during opening and closing and the maximum spring stress. The model was integrated with an optimization program. Two types of optimization problems were formulated: the traditional problem which does not include the effects of random design parameters, and the stochastic type optimization, which does. An example shows how the mathematical model, in conjunction with optimization techniques, can help determine fuel filler door designs.