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US 5,116,257 AGranted
Tank venting control assembly
AssigneeStant Inc.
InventorEmil Szlaga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank. The apparatus comprises a housing mounted in the aperture and formed to include a venting outlet, and a blocking mechanism for blocking the flow of fuel vapor through the venting outlet. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for using pressurized fuel vapor from the fuel tank to move the blocking mechanism from a flow-blocking position to a flow-delivery position. The using mechanism includes a diaphragm appended to the blocking means for movement therewith. The apparatus further includes a second mechanism for using fuel vapor discharged from the fuel tank to provide a pressure cushion acting against the diaphragm to urge the diaphragm from its second position toward its first position.
Claims72
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing mounted in the aperture, the housing being formed to include a venting outlet,
- means for selectively blocking discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the venting outlet, the blocking means being movable between a flow-blocking position closing the venting outlet and a flow-delivery position opening the venting outlet,
- first means for using pressurized fuel vapor in the tank to move the blocking means from the flow-blocking position to the flow-delivery position, the using means including a diaphragm appended to the blocking means for movement therewith, the diaphragm being movable between a first position allowing the blocking means to assume its flow-blocking position and a second position moving the blocking means to its flow-delivery position, and
- second means for using fuel vapor discharged from the fuel tank through the venting outlet to provide a pressure cushion acting against the diaphragm to urge the diaphragm from its second position forward to its first position.
1 more element
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing mounted in the aperture, the housing being formed to include a venting outlet,
- means for selectively preventing fuel vapor from flowing through the venting outlet, the preventing means including a valve member and means for using fuel vapor pressure from the fuel tank to move the valve member to a position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the venting outlet, and
- means for accumulating fuel vapor underneath the using means to provide a pressure cushion to assist in moving the preventing means to a position preventing flow of fuel vapor through the venting outlet.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing mounted in the aperture, the housing being formed in include a discharge orifice,
- a valve member sized to close the orifice and being movable between a flow-blocking position blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the discharge orifice and a flow-delivery position allowing flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the discharge orifice,
- means for yieldably biasing the valve member toward its flow-blocking position,
- a diaphragm assembly positioned in engagement with the valve member, the diaphragm assembly being movable in response to exposure to fuel vapor pressure from the fuel tank between a first position placing the valve member in its flow-blocking position and a second position placing the valve member in its flow-delivery position,
- means for communicating fuel vapor to the diaphragm assembly, and
- a skirt positioned between the diaphragm assembly and the valve member and formed in include a plurality of openings sized to provide means for restricting flow of fuel vapor exiting the venting outlet so that a reservoir of fuel vapor is created to provide a pressure cushion acting against the diaphragm assembly to move it from its first to its second position.
3 more elements
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing mounted in the aperture, the housing being formed to include a chamber and a discharge orifice positioned to communicate fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the chamber,
- means for selectively blocking flow of fuel vapor through the discharge orifice, the blocking means being movable between a flow-blocking position and a flow-delivery position,
- a diaphragm mounted in the chamber so as to partition the chamber into an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion lying in communication with the discharge orifice, the diaphragm being movable in response to exposure to fuel vapor pressure from the fuel tank between a first position placing the blocking means in its flow-blocking position and a second position placing the blocking means in its flow-delivery position,
- means for communicating fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the upper portion to move the diaphragm from the first position to the second position, and
- means for using fuel vapor pressure received in the lower portion from the discharge orifice to provide a pressure cushion to return the diaphragm to its first position from its second position.
2 more elements
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- a housing mounted in the aperture, the housing being formed to include a venting outlet,
- means for selectively preventing fuel vapor from flowing through the venting outlet, the preventing means including a diaphragm, means for communicating fuel vapor pressure from the fuel tank to the diaphragm, and a valve member sized to close the venting outlet and appended to the diaphragm for movement therewith, and
- means for using fuel vapor discharged from the venting outlet to provide a pressure cushion acting underneath the diaphragm, the using means including a skirt positioned beneath the diaphragm and surrounding the venting outlet, the skirt being formed to include chamber means for receiving fuel vapor discharged from the venting outlet and outlet means for restricting the flow of fuel vapor out of the chamber to a rate lower than the rate of flow of fuel vapor into the chamber so that fuel vapor accumulates in the chamber to provide the pressure cushion to assist in moving the preventing means to a position blocking flow of fuel vapor through the venting outlet.
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- means for conducting fuel vapor between the fuel tank and a vapor-receiving device,
- first valve means for selectively blocking flow of fuel vapor through the conducting means, the first valve means being operable between a flow-blocking position and a flow-delivery position,
- means for yieldably biasing the first valve means towards its flow-blocking position, and
- means for using pressurized fuel vapor in the fuel tank having a pressure in excess of a predetermined threshold level to exert an opening force on the first valve means in opposition to the biasing means so that the first valve means is moved to its flow-delivery position, thereby permitting discharge of pressurized fuel vapor in the tank to the vapor-receiving device through the conducting means, and
- second vale means for preventing exposure of the using means to fuel vapor in the fuel tank in response to accumulation of fuel in excess of a predetermined volume during refueling to permit the first valve means to move to its flow-blocking position under forces generated by at least one of the biasing means and pressurized fuel vapor extant in the fuel tank during refueling.
2 more elements
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- means for conducting fuel vapor between the fuel tank and a vapor-receiving device,
- first valve means for selectively blocking flow of fuel vapor through the conducting means, the first valve means being operable between a flow-blocking position and a flow-delivery position,
- means for yieldably biasing the first valve means toward its flow-blocking position,
- control means for receiving and using fuel vapor pressure from the fuel tank having a magnitude in excess of a predetermined threshold level to exert an opening force on the first valve mans in opposition to the biasing means so that the first valve means is moved to its flow-delivery position, thereby permitting discharge of pressurized fuel vapor in the tank to the vapor-receiving device through the conducting means, the control means being formed to include a venting control chamber and passageway means for conducting vapor from the fuel tank to the venting control chamber, and
- second valve means for blocking flow of pressurized fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the venting control chamber through the passageway means in response to accumulation of fuel in the fuel tank in excess of a predetermined volume during refueling to permit the first valve means to move to its flow-blocking position under a closing force generated by pressurized fuel vapor in the fuel tank.
2 more elements
An apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising
- means for conducting fuel vapor between the fuel tank and a vapor-receiving device,
- a first vale member movable between a flow-blocking position blocking flow of fuel vapor through the vent means and a flow-delivery position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the conducting means,
- means for yieldably biasing the first vale member toward its flow-blocking position,
- a pressure-responsive actuator assembly positioned for exposure to pressurized fuel vapor from the fuel tank, the actuator assembly including a pressure-responsive member and an actuation member connected to the pressure-responsive member for movement therewith, the pressure-responsive member having sufficient elasticity so that it moves when the pressure-responsive member is exposed to pressurized fuel vapor having a pressure in excess of a predetermined level to place the actuation member in engagement with the first valve member to move the first valve member in opposition to the biasing means to a flow-delivery position, and
- a second valve member movable between a closed position preventing exposure of the actuator assembly to pressurized fuel vapor from the fuel tank and an open position allowing exposure of the actuator assembly to pressurized fuel vapor from the fuel tank.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.