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US 12,636,950 B2Granted
Capless closure assembly for fuel-tank filler pipe
AssigneeStant USA Corp.
InventorsPaul C. Wetzel, Arzan Varachhawala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capless closure is provided for a tank filler pipe. The capless closure permits a fuel pump nozzle to be inserted into the tank filler pipe without first removing a fuel cap from the outer end of the tank filler pipe.
Claims20
A capless fuel filler pipe closure for use in a vehicle, the closure comprising
- a nozzle-insertion housing including an outer aperture, an inner aperture spaced from the outer aperture, and an internal cavity arranged between the outer aperture and the inner aperture,
- an outer flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the outer aperture to an opened position upon insertion of a fuel dispensing nozzle through the outer aperture,
- an inner flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the inner aperture to an opened position upon insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inner aperture, and
- an overpressure controller including a pressure-activated valve located along an overpressure path through the nozzle-insertion housing that is independent of a primary nozzle-insertion path through the outer aperture, the internal cavity, and the inner aperture,
- wherein the nozzle-insertion housing includes an inner section and an outer section coupled to an end of the inner section, the inner section shaped to define an overpressure bypass duct forming a portion of the overpressure path, and the outer section shaped to define an overpressure outlet duct in fluid communication with the overpressure bypass duct that forms another portion of the overpressure path,
- wherein the overpressure bypass duct extends axially relative to an axis of the closure so that the overpressure bypass duct is parallel to the primary nozzle-insertion path through the outer aperture, the internal cavity, and the inner aperture, and
- wherein the overpressure outlet duct extends at least circumferentially partway around the outer aperture relative to the axis of the closure so that the overpressure outlet duct directs the flow of fuel vapor around the outer aperture.
4 more elements
A capless fuel filler pipe closure for use in a vehicle, the closure comprising
- a nozzle-insertion housing including an outer aperture, an inner aperture spaced from the outer aperture, and an internal cavity arranged between the outer aperture and the inner aperture,
- an outer flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the outer aperture to an opened position upon insertion of a fuel dispensing nozzle through the outer aperture,
- an inner flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the inner aperture to an opened position upon insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inner aperture, and
- an overpressure controller including a pressure-activated valve located along an overpressure path through the nozzle-insertion housing that is independent of a primary nozzle-insertion path through the outer aperture, the internal cavity, and the inner aperture,
- wherein the nozzle-insertion housing is shaped to define an overpressure bypass duct forming a portion of an overpressure path and an overpressure outlet duct in fluid communication with the overpressure bypass duct that forms another portion of the overpressure path, and
- wherein the overpressure outlet duct extends at least circumferentially partway around the outer aperture relative to an axis of the closure so that the overpressure outlet duct directs the flow of fuel vapor around the outer aperture.
3 more elements
A capless fuel filler pipe closure for use in a vehicle, the closure comprising
- a nozzle-insertion housing including an outer aperture, an inner aperture spaced from the outer aperture, and an internal cavity arranged between the outer aperture and the inner aperture,
- an outer flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the outer aperture to an opened position upon insertion of a fuel dispensing nozzle through the outer aperture,
- an inner flapper door coupled to the nozzle-insertion housing to move from a normally closed position sealing the inner aperture to an opened position upon insertion of the fuel dispensing nozzle through the inner aperture, and
- pressure management means configured to regulate pressure in a fuel filler pipe via venting out to the fuel filler pipe through at least one pathway that bypasses the internal cavity of the nozzle-insertion housing so that fuel extant in the internal cavity is not disturbed by venting such that hydrocarbons in the extant fuel remain sealed in the internal cavity during operation of the vehicle,
- wherein the nozzle-insertion housing is shaped to define an overpressure bypass duct forming a portion of an overpressure path and an overpressure outlet duct in fluid communication with the overpressure bypass duct that forms another portion of the overpressure path, and
- wherein the overpressure outlet duct extends at least circumferentially partway around the outer aperture relative to an axis of the closure so that the overpressure outlet duct directs the flow of fuel vapor around the outer aperture.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.