US 5,327,946 AGranted

Fuel filling and venting device with surge protector

AssigneePerko, Inc.

InventorFrederick M. Perkins

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A liquid fuel tank filling and venting device includes a hollow body member containing a chamber, an inlet opening for supplying fuel downwardly into the chamber, a fuel outlet opening for supplying fuel from the chamber, and a vent opening connected with the chamber, each of the fuel outlet and vent outlets being independently connected with the fuel tank, whereby overflow fuel is returned to the chamber via the vent outlet. A fuel cap is provided for closing the inlet opening, the fuel cap containing a vent passageway including both a back-flame arresting screen and a fuel surge protector, so that the tank is normally vented to atmosphere when the fuel cap is in the closed position, but the venting passageway automatically closed upon the occurrence of a fuel surge, thereby avoiding undesirable fuel leakage.

Claims11

Dependent claims

Liquid fuel tank filling and venting apparatus, comprising:

(a) a housing containing:
(1) a chamber;
(2) fuel inlet and fuel outlet openings in communication with, and arranged above and below, said chamber, respectively;
and
(3) a fuel tank vent opening in communication with said chamber, each of said fuel outlet and fuel vent openings being adapted for separate connection with the fuel tank;
(4) said fuel outlet and fuel vent openings being so arranged relative to said fuel inlet opening that during the filling of the tank, the tank is vented by, and excess fuel is returned to, said chamber via said fuel vent opening;
(b) closure means operable between closed and open positions relative to said housing for closing and opening said fuel inlet opening, respectively, said closure means containing means defining a vent passageway for continuously affording communication between said chamber and atmosphere when said closure means is in the closed position;
and
(c) normally-open surge protector means for closing said vent passageway upon the occurrence of a fuel surge in said chamber.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/113,686Filed 31 Aug 1993 · continuation in part
Priority: 22 Jan 1993
Granted: 12 Jul 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60K 15/035
Fuel tanks: characterised by venting means
B60K 15/0406
Tank inlets: filler caps for fuel tanks
B60K 2015/0445
Having a specific connection between the cap and the vehicle or tank opening: using hinges
Y10S 220/33
Receptacles: gasoline tank cap