Evaporative emissions canister with non-adsorbent, low flow-restriction zone

An evaporative emissions canister comprising:

• a casing defining an internal volume therein;
• the casing including an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume;
• the internal volume including a chamber adjacent to the inlet and the outlet;
• a first layer of adsorbent material within the chamber;
• and
• a layer of non-adsorbent material adjacent to the first layer of adsorbent material;
• wherein the non-adsorbent material is one of:
• i) an open cell foam;
• ii) non-adsorbent particles;
• iii) air;
• and iv) any combination of i) through iii).

A fuel vapor canister for adsorbing fuel evaporated in a fuel tank of a vehicle, the fuel vapor canister comprising:

• a casing defining an internal volume therein;
• the casing including a charge port for receiving fuel vapor from the fuel tank into the internal volume;
• the casing including a purge port for delivering fuel vapor from the internal volume to an engine of the vehicle;
• the charge port and the purge port being in fluid communication with the internal volume;
• the internal volume including a chamber adjacent to the charge port and the purge port;
• a first layer of adsorbent material within the chamber;
• and
• a layer of non-adsorbent material adjacent to the first layer of adsorbent material, the layer of non-adsorbent material being closer to the charge port and the purge port than the first layer of adsorbent material;
• wherein the non-adsorbent material is one of:
• i) an open cell foam;
• ii) non-adsorbent particles;
• iii) air;
• and iv) any combination of i) through iii).

A method of making an evaporative emissions canister, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a casing defining an internal volume therein, the casing including an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, the internal volume including a chamber adjacent to the inlet and the outlet;
• disposing a first layer of adsorbent material within the chamber;
• and
• disposing a layer of non-adsorbent material adjacent to the first layer of adsorbent material;
• wherein the non-adsorbent material is one of:
• i) an open cell foam;
• ii) non-adsorbent particles;
• iii) air;
• and iv) any combination of i) through iii).