Back to results
US 4,991,615 AGranted
Tank pressure control apparatus
AssigneeStant Inc.
InventorsEmil Szlaga, Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for controlling flow of liquid through an aperture. The apparatus includes a housing and a float valve disposed in and unattached to the housing. The float valve is formed to include a float chamber and is movable in the housing between an aperture-blocking position and an aperture-unblocking position. The apparatus further includes a mechanism for controlling movement of the float valve by selectively venting fluid from the float chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve.
Claims62
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a fuel tank of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising
- a valve housing mounted in the fuel tank, the valve housing being formed to include outlet means for discharging fuel vapor from the tank to a point of use outside the tank and inlet means for receiving liquid fuel from the tank, and
- means disposed in the valve housing for controlling venting of fuel vapor through the outlet means, the controlling means including first valve means for seating in the outlet means to block flow of fuel vapor therethrough, the first valve means being movable between an outlet means--blocking position and an outlet means--unblocking position, float means for floating in liquid fuel introduced into the valve housing through the inlet means when the liquid fuel level in the valve housing rises above a predetermined level, the float means being formed to include chamber means for holding a volume of pressurized fuel vapor therein and aperture means for venting at least a portion of the volume of pressurized vapor from the chamber means, the first valve means being appended to the float means for movement therewith, and second valve means for controlling discharge of fuel vapor through the aperture means in response to normal movement of the vehicle, the second valve means having a predetermined weight sufficient to cause the second valve means to be normally gravitationally urged to a position blocking flow of fuel vapor out of the chamber means through the aperture means so that pressurized fuel vapor is retained n the chamber means to buoyantly support the float means in liquid fuel received in the valve housing, the predetermined weight being selected so that the second valve means moves relative to the float means to allow discharge of fuel vapor through the aperture means to reduce the buoyancy of the float means in response to normal movement of the vehicle, thereby sinking the float means in the valve housing so that the first valve means is moved to its outlet means--unblocking position to allow venting of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the outlet means.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a vapor space of a vehicle fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- housing means mounted in the fuel tank for conducting fuel vapor from the fuel tank to a point outside the fuel tank, the housing means being formed to include first inlet means for receiving liquid fuel from the fuel tank, second inlet means for receiving fuel vapor from the vapor space of the fuel tank, and an outlet for discharging fuel vapor, and
- means disposed within the housing means for controlling flow of fuel vapor through the outlet, the controlling means including first float means for floating between an outlet-closing position and an outlet-opening position in liquid fuel introduced into the housing means through the first inlet means, the first float means being configured to float to the outlet-closing position when liquid fuel rises to a predetermined level in the housing means, the first float means being formed to include first chamber means for holding a volume of fuel vapor therein and aperture means for venting at least a portion of the volume of fuel vapor from the first chamber means, and blocking means for normally blocking flow of fuel vapor from the first chamber means through the aperture means, the blocking means being positioned so as to be normally gravitationally urged into a blocking position preventing flow through the aperture means, thereby retaining fuel vapor in the first chamber means to aid in floating the first float means to the outlet-closing position so that a pressurized vapor barrier is provided in the vapor space of the fuel tank to assist in preventing overfilling of the tank during refueling, the blocking means having a predetermined mass selected so that the blocking means will move away from the aperture means to an unblocking position in response to normal movement of the vehicle to vent fuel vapor from the first chamber means so that the first float means will move to the outlet-opening position whereby fuel vapor can vent from the fuel tank through the outlet.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a vapor space of a vehicle fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a valve housing mounted to the fuel tank and extending axially therein, the valve housing being formed to include a valve chamber, a plurality of lower inlet apertures through which liquid fuel from the tank enters the valve chamber, a plurality of upper inlet apertures through which vapor from the vapor space enters the valve chamber, and a first valve seat defining an outlet aperture for discharging fuel vapor from the valve chamber to a point outside the fuel tank,
- a hollow float valve positioned within the valve chamber for axial movement between an outlet-closing position in which the float valve floats on liquid fuel introduced into the valve chamber to seat against the first value seat and an outlet-opening position in which the float valve sinks away from seating engagement with the first valve seat, the float valve being formed to include a first chamber having a volume of fuel vapor trapped therein, a second chamber, a transversely extending wall separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the wall being formed to include a second valve seat defining an orifice for venting fuel vapor from the first chamber to the second chamber, the float valve further being formed to include a vapor transmission opening for allowing fuel vapor flow between the second chamber and the valve chamber, and
- a ball sized and weighted to seat against the second valve seat in the second chamber to close the orifice, thereby preventing fuel vapor from escaping from the first chamber so that the float valve is buoyantly supported in liquid fuel received in the valve chamber to float to the outlet-closing position, the ball having a mass selected so that the ball will temporarily move away from seated engagement on the second valve seat in response to normal movement of the vehicle, thereby temporarily uncovering the orifice and allowing fuel vapor to escape from the first chamber through the orifice so that the float valve sinks to the outlet-opening position allowing flow of fuel vapor to vent from the fuel tank through the outlet aperture.
An apparatus for controlling flow of fluid through a venting aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing,
- a float valve disposed in an unattached to the housing, and formed to include a float chamber therein, the float valve being moveable in the housing between a closed position blocking flow of fluid through the venting aperture and an open position allowing flow of fluid through the venting aperture, and
- means for venting the float chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve so that the float valve moves away from the closed position toward the open position.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a vapor space of a vehicle fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- means for conducting fuel vapor from the fuel tank to a point outside the fuel tank,
- float means for closing the conducting means during refueling to prevent discharge of fuel vapor therethrough, the float means being supported for movement in the conducting means between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor through the conducting means and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the conducting means, and
- means for assisting in positively moving the float means away from its closed position toward the open position in response to vehicle movement after refueling has been completed.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a vehicle fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a valve housing mounted in the fuel tank, the valve housing being formed to include at least one vapor outlet opening,
- a float valve disposed in the housing and movable between an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet opening and a closed position preventing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet opening, the float valve being formed to include a first chamber, and
- a valve member disposed on the float valve and movable relative to the float valve selectively to vent the first chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve so that the float valve moves away from the closed position toward the open position.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a vehicle fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a valve housing mounted in the fuel tank, the valve housing being formed to include at least one vapor outlet opening,
- a float valve disposed in the housing and movable between an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet opening and the closed position preventing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet opening, the float valve being formed to include a first chamber,
- a valve member movable relative to the float valve to selectively vent the first chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve so that the float valve moves away from the closed position toward the open position, and
- an auxiliary float member appended to the float valve, the auxiliary float member being formed to include an auxiliary float chamber.
1 more element
An apparatus for controlling flow of fluid through an aperture, the apparatus comprising
- a housing,
- a float valve disposed in and unattached to the housing and formed to include a float chamber, the float valve being moveable in the housing between an aperture blocking position and an aperture-unblocking position, and
- means for controlling movement of the float valve by selectively venting fluid from the float chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.