Fill limit vapor valve with variable vapor venting capability
AssigneeSaturn Electronics & Engineering, Inc.
InventorEmil Szlaga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fill limit vapor valve assembly includes a housing, a float disposed in the housing, and a bypass valve. The bypass valve includes a vertical passage enveloping a weighted metering rod. The includes a substantially cylindrical upper portion, a substantially cylindrical bottom portion, and a seat portion that rests on a shoulder of the float. As the float raises and lowers, the substantially cylindrical upper portion varies the size of a second opening to control the flow rate of fuel vapor from the fuel tank to an emission device.
Claims18
A fill limit vapor valve assembly for a vehicle fuel tank for venting fuel vapor from the fuel tank to a fuel vapor emission device disposed external of the fuel tank, said assembly comprising:
- a housing including a housing skirt having a first and second vent openings communicating with the interior of said fuel tank and with said fuel vapor emission device;
- a float disposed in said housing for movement in response to level of fuel;
- and
- a bypass valve in said housing for varying a size of said second vent opening, thereby controlling a flow rate of fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the fuel vapor emission device.
A method of controlling a flow rate of fuel vapors from a fuel tank to a fuel vapor emission device disposed external to the fuel tank, comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing including a housing skirt having first and second vent openings communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and with the fuel vapor emission device;
- providing a float disposed in the housing for movement in response to level of fuel;
- controlling a flow rate of fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the fuel vapor emission device by providing a bypass valve in the housing that varies a size of the second vent opening.
A fill limit vapor valve assembly for a vehicle fuel tank for venting fuel vapor from the fuel tank to a fuel vapor emission device disposed external of the fuel tank, said assembly comprising:
- a housing including a housing skirt having a first and second vent openings communicating with the interior of said fuel tank and with said fuel vapor emission device,
- a float disposed in said housing for movement in response to level of fuel, and
- a bypass mechanism positioned in said housing for varying a size of said second vent opening, thereby controlling a flow rate of fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the fuel vapor emission device.
A method of controlling a flow rate of fuel vapors from a fuel tank to a fuel vapor emission device disposed external to the fuel tank, comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing including a housing skirt having first and second vent openings communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and with the fuel vapor emission device;
- providing a float disposed in the housing for movement in response to level of fuel;
- controlling a flow rate of fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the fuel vapor emission device by providing a bypass mechanism in the housing that varies a size of the second vent opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.