Method of venting fuel vapor from a tank and system therefor
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsRobert P. Benjey, Craig H. Allman, Russell C. Jahnke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a fuel tank having an electric fuel pump therein, the fuel pump is connected to discharge into a venturi with a throat pressure tap line connected to the bottom of a vapor vent valve fed by spider tubes to the tank vapor dome areas. Venturi throat suction pumps liquid accumulated in the vent valve for discharge through the venturi into the tank. A one way valve prevents back flow in the throat pressure tap line to the vent valve. Float operated valves are provided on the ends of the spider tubes to restrict fluid flow to the vapor vent valve.
Claims15
A method of controlling fuel vapor venting from a fuel tank, comprising:
- (a) disposing a vent valve with a valve chamber in the tank and porting in the valving chamber to the vapor dome above the liquid in the tank and connecting a venting outlet of the valving chamber to a storage device remote from the tank;
- (b) disposing a float operated valve member in the valving chamber and closing the venting outlet when the float is raised to a certain level by liquid fuel in the tank;
- (c) disposing a one way liquid drain valve in the valving chamber;
- (d) disposing a fuel pump in the tank and discharging fuel from the pump to the inlet of a venturi and permitting the venturi outlet to discharge in the tank;
- and,
- (e) connecting a throat port in the venturi to the liquid drain valve and effecting aspiration of liquid from the drain valve to the throat during pump operation.
A system for controlling fuel vapor venting from a fuel tank comprising:
- (a) a vent valve disposed in vapor dome of the tank having a valving chamber with a moveable valve member therein and an outlet extending externally of the tank for connection to a vapor storage device;
- (b) at least one vapor vent line with one end connected to the valving chamber and the end distal the one end extending to the extremities of the vapor dome;
- (c) a fuel pump disposed in the tank with the output thereof connected to discharge externally of the tank and to discharge to a venturi within the tank;
- with the venturi throat connected to the outlet of a one-way valve with its inlet connected to the valving chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.