Fuel pump with integral vapor trap system and related method
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorJonathan T. Bykowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An in-tank fuel pump assembly and mounting system is disclosed which may be configured for mounting inside a fuel tank. The assembly includes a pump housing, pump mounted to the housing, and pressure relief valve. The housing may comprise upper and lower pump housing units coupled together. The upper housing unit is configured for mounting to a tank opening, which in one implementation may be the fuel fill opening. The lower housing unit extends into the tank to approximately the bottom of the tank. A fuel fill fluid pathway is created through the housing for adding fuel to the tank while the pump assembly remains in situ. The upper housing unit may include a removable fuel cap. The pump housing may include an integral vapor trap.
Claims20
A fuel vapor trap system comprising:
- a fuel tank defining an internal reservoir for storing fuel;
- a fuel pump comprising a pump housing disposed at least partially inside the reservoir,
- the pump housing comprising a vapor vent nozzle fluidly coupled to a vapor recovery canister and the reservoir via a vapor passageway extending through a body of the pump housing to the reservoir;
- the vapor passageway defining a vapor trap configured to allow vaporous fuel to pass through the vent nozzle to the vapor recovery canister, but separate and return liquid fuel entrained in the vaporous fuel to the reservoir.
A fuel pump with integral vapor trap, the fuel pump comprising:
- a pump housing configured for mounting to a wall of a fuel tank through an opening in the wall;
- the pump housing comprising an internal cavity and a vapor vent nozzle fluidly coupled to a vapor recovery canister and a reservoir of the fuel tank via a vapor passageway extending through a body of the pump housing to the reservoir;
- the vapor passageway defining a vapor trap configured to allow vaporous fuel to pass through the vent nozzle to the vapor recovery canister, but separate and return liquid fuel entrained in the vaporous fuel to the reservoir.
A method for removing vaporous fuel from a fuel system, the method comprising:
- providing a fuel tank including an internal reservoir for storing fuel, and a pump housing mounted to the fuel tank and including an internal cavity fluidly coupled to the reservoir;
- drawing accumulated vaporous fuel from the reservoir via a vapor passageway formed through a body of the pump housing;
- and
- flowing the vaporous fuel from the vapor passageway through a vapor vent nozzle on the pump housing to a vapor recovery canister.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.