Reserve fuel system
AssigneeS & J 117, LLC
InventorsSamuel S. Conte, Jeffrey Britton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reserve fuel tank retention and control (RTRC) module and a method of operating a vehicle including an engine and a main fuel tank containing a fuel, the method including mounting the RTRC module onto the vehicle; fluidly connecting the RTRC module to the engine and to the main fuel tank; actuating a valve of the RTRC module for a predetermined time to purge moisture in a fuel supply hose into the engine; and upon the main fuel tank becoming empty, actuating the valve to allow fuel from the reserve fuel tank to supply the engine.
Claims18
A reserve fuel tank retention and control (RTRC) module for a vehicle including an engine and a main fuel tank containing a fuel, the RTRC module comprising:
- a fuel supply hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the engine;
- a fuel intake hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the main fuel tank;
- a reserve fuel tank having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is coupled to the fuel intake hose and the outlet is coupled to the fuel supply hose;
- a first fluid circuit fluidly connecting the fuel supply hose and the fuel intake hose with a first check-valve therebetween, the first check-valve allowing flow of the fuel from the fuel intake hose to the fuel supply hose;
- a second fluid circuit fluidly connecting the fuel supply hose and the fuel intake hose, the second fluid circuit including a second check-valve between the fuel intake hose and the reserve fuel tank and a valve arranged directly between the reserve fuel tank and the fuel supply hose, wherein the reserve fuel tank is fluidly coupled with the fuel intake hose and configured to receive fuel from the main fuel tank;
- and
- an actuator operable to open the valve to allow fuel to flow from the reserve fuel tank to the engine.
A method of operating a vehicle including an engine, and a main fuel tank containing a fuel, and a safety cage enclosing a seat, the method comprising:
- mounting a reserve fuel tank retention and control (RTRC) module onto the vehicle at a position rearwardly of the safety cage;
- fluidly connecting the RTRC module to the engine and to the main fuel tank;
- actuating a valve of the RTRC module for a predetermined time to purge moisture in a fuel supply hose into the engine;
- and
- upon the main fuel tank becoming empty, actuating the valve to allow fuel from the reserve fuel tank to supply the engine,
- wherein fluidly connecting the RTRC module to the engine and to the main fuel tank comprises fluidly connecting an inlet of the reserve fuel tank connected to a fuel intake hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the main fuel tank, and fluidly connecting an outlet of the reserve fuel tank connected to the fuel supply hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the engine.
A reserve fuel tank retention and control (RTRC) module for a vehicle including an engine and a main fuel tank containing a fuel, the RTRC module comprising:
- a fuel supply hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the engine;
- a fuel intake hose adapted to fluidly connect the RTRC module and the main fuel tank;
- a reserve fuel tank having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is coupled to the fuel intake hose and the outlet is coupled to the fuel supply hose;
- a first fluid circuit fluidly connecting the fuel supply hose and the fuel intake hose with a first check-valve therebetween, the first check-valve allowing flow of the fuel from the fuel intake hose to the fuel supply hose;
- a second fluid circuit fluidly connecting the fuel supply hose and the fuel intake hose, the second fluid circuit including a second check-valve between the fuel intake hose and the reserve fuel tank and a valve between the reserve fuel tank and the fuel supply hose;
- an actuator operable to open the valve to allow fuel to flow from the reserve fuel tank to the engine, wherein the valve comprises a solenoid valve and the actuator comprises an electric switch operable to open the valve;
- and
- a timer operable to maintain the valve in an open state for a predetermined time responsive to the electric switch causing the valve to open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.