Fuel accumulator and pressure limiting device

An accumulator and over-pressure relief module constructed to be disposed in a fuel tank of a fuel delivery system which delivers fuel from the fuel tank to a fuel-injected engine through a fuel line comprising:

• a housing comprising a polymeric cap telescopically connected to a polymeric body and an inlet in communication with the fuel line, the cap has at least one opening therethrough communicating the interior of the cap with the fuel tank;
• a flexible diaphragm carried by the housing, defining in part a fuel accumulation chamber in communication with the inlet of the housing and having an opening therethrough, the diaphragm being yieldably biased in a direction tending to reduce the volume of the fuel accumulation chamber and acted on by fuel within the fuel accumulation chamber which tends to displace the diaphragm to increase the volume of the fuel accumulation chamber;
• a valve having a valve stem extending through the opening in the diaphragm and a valve head engageable with the diaphragm through at least a portion of the diaphragm's displacement to selectively communicate the fuel accumulation chamber with the opening through the diaphragm whereby the diaphragm is displaceable to increase the volume of the fuel accumulation chamber and accommodate a limited volumetric increase of the fuel in the fuel system;
• and
• a stop engageable up the valve stem after an increment of displacement of the diaphragm to disengage the valve head from the diaphragm upon further displacement of the diaphragm and thereby permit fuel in the fuel accumulation chamber to flow through the diaphragm opening to be returned to the fuel tank through the opening of the cap to limit the maximum pressure of the fuel in the fuel system.