Fuel tank vapor vent valve assembly and method of making same
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsRobert P. Benjey, Gill E. Eisenstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel vapor vent valve and method of making same for installation in an access opening of non-metallic fuel tanks. The valve body is formed of material not weldable to the tanks and an annular seal member formed of resilient material seals between the body upper portion exterior to the access opening and an overmold formed of material weldable to the tanks for retaining and sealing the valve thereon. In one embodiment the seal member is received in a groove and retained by a ring; and, in another embodiment the seal is formed by potting material cured in the groove prior to the overmolding.
Claims16
A method of making a fuel vapor vent valve for mounting in an access opening in a veiled fuel tank comprising:
- (a) forming a valve body having a lower portion for insertion through the access opening in the fuel tank and an upper portion extending exteriorly of the tank and forming a vapor port in the upper portion opening to the tank exterior and forming the valve body of fuel impervious material not weldable to the tank;
- (b) forming an annular groove in the upper portion of the body and disposing a resilient sealing material in the annular groove;
- (c) overmolding at least a part of the upper portion and the annular groove with material weldable to the fuel tank and sealing the overmolding with potting material.
A vapor vent valve for installation in an access opening in a fuel tank:
- (a) a valve body having a lower portion for insertion in the access opening and an upper portion for extending externally of the tank with a vapor port formed in the upper portion and communicating with the lower portion, the valve body being formed of material not weldable to the tank;
- (b) a resilient annular seal disposed on the upper portion of the body;
- and,
- (c) an overmold formed of material weldable to the tank disposed about the annular seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.