Check valve and fuel tank utilizing the same
AssigneeToyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
InventorsNatsushi Miura, Hiroyuki Hagano, Masayuki Nakagawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A check valve (32) includes a cylindrical body (32) and a valve plate (32) attached to one end of the body (32) to open and close a flow outlet. A stepped seat element (36a) having a seat surface (36a) is formed along the periphery of the flow outlet of the body (40). The valve plate (40) is press-cut from a thin stainless steel plate to be integrally formed as a leaf spring. The valve plate includes a leaf element movable with respect to the seat surface so as to close and open the flow outlet, an arm element (41) coupled to the leaf element (41) via a joint element, and a base element connected to the arm element and received by a valve support projection on the cylindrical body.
Claims18
A check valve comprising:
- an axially extending passage-defining member having a first end and an internal hollow tubular passage extending therethrough;
- an annular flange extending inwardly in a radial direction from said first end and defining a fluid flow port;
- a seat element extending axially upward from said annular flange;
- and
- a valve plate positioned over said fluid flow port, said valve plate comprising a leaf element and an integrally formed arm element, said leaf element having a substantially disc shape and being constructed and arranged to alternate between an open-valve position, in which said fluid flow port is open and a closed-valve position where fluid flow is restricted,
- said arm element having a base element fixed to said annular flange and having two annular arm parts each extending from said base element at least partially around a periphery of said leaf element, and each terminating at a distal end connected to said leaf element,
- wherein when said leaf element is biased in the open-valve position, said arm element moves relative to the base element to define a space between said leaf element and said seat element, thereby permitting fluid to flow past through said fluid flow port, and when said bias is removed, said arm element presses said leaf element toward said seat element to close said fluid flow port.
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a tank body for storing fuel;
- a fuel supply mechanism for feeding fuel into said tank body, said fuel supply mechanism having an opening;
- and
- a check valve disposed in said opening, comprising:
- an axially extending passage-defining member having a first end and an internal hollow tubular passage extending therethrough;
- an annular flange extending inwardly in a radial direction from said first end and defining a fluid flow port;
- a seat element extending axially upwardly from said annular flange;
- and
- a valve plate positioned over said fluid flow port, said valve plate comprising a leaf element, and an integrally formed arm element, said leaf element having a substantially disc shape and constructed and arranged to alternate between an open-valve position in which said fluid flow port is open and a closed-valve position where fluid flow is restricted,
- said arm element having a base element fixed to said annular flange and having two annular arm parts each extending from said base element at least partially around a periphery of said leaf element, and each terminating at a distal end connected to said leaf element,
- wherein when said leaf element is biased in the open-valve position, said arm element moves relative to the base element to define a space between said leaf element and said seat element, thereby permitting fuel to flow through said fluid flow port, and when said bias is removed, said arm element presses said leaf element toward said seat element to close said fluid flow port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.