Valve assembly for a fuel tank
AssigneeAlfmeier Corporation
InventorsMarkus T. Farrenkopf, Wade V. Williams, Ralf Leonhardt, Scott C. Gaynor, David Eisenbacher, Robert Petroskie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly for admitting a tube or fuel into a vehicle fuel tank is disclosed. The valve assembly has a fixed housing with an inlet, an outlet, a middle section and an inner surface with an opening. At least one projection depends from the inner surface between the inlet and the outlet. The projection deflects the tube toward and through the opening. A piston element, which is slidably mounted to the housing, is normally urged in a direction to close the outlet and the opening until the tube or fuel urges the piston element in an opposite direction.
Claims34
A valve assembly for admitting a tube or fuel into a fuel tank, the valve assembly comprising:
- a fixed housing with an inlet, an outlet and a middle section disposed between the inlet and outlet, and defining an inner surface therein, the inner surface defining an opening therethrough;
- at least one projection disposed between the inlet and the outlet and depending from the inner surface, the at least one projection configured to deflect the tube toward and through the opening;
- and.
- a piston element slidably mounted to the housing and urged in a first direction to close the outlet and the opening, the piston element being movable in a second direction opposite the first direction by the tube or fuel to open the outlet and the opening.
A fuel valve assembly for a fuel tank filler neck, the fuel valve assembly comprising:
- a frame fixed in the filler neck, the frame defining a central axis and including an inlet, an outlet, a middle channel having an inner surface therein, at least one axially extending opening therein spaced apart from the outlet for passage of a hose, the inlet in selective communication to an atmosphere external to the vehicle fuel tank, the outlet in selective communication with the vehicle fuel tank, and the inlet and outlet spaced apart from each other to define the middle channel;
- a finger element having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attached to the inner surface, the distal end projecting radially inward and substantially perpendicular to the central axis;
- a circumferential shoulder element disposed about the inner surface proximate the at least one axially extending opening;
- and
- a piston arrangement having a piston element with a guide end, a seal spaced apart from the guide end, and a spring attached to the piston element configured to urge the seal against the shoulder element and further configured to resistively open the at least one opening for passage of the hose, the guide end configured to retain the piston element in the frame in substantial axial alignment with the central axis.
A check valve assembly for a fuel tank filler neck comprising:
- a support frame coupled to the filler neck, the support frame having a centerline and an inlet in communication with the filler neck and defining an inner surface area therein, an opening therethrough, an outlet in communication with a fuel tank with the opening spaced axially apart from the outlet, the inlet configured for receiving fuel and a siphon tube;
- means for deflecting the tube through the opening, the means for deflecting disposed on the inner surface area;
- and
- a blocking element movably disposed within the support frame proximate the opening and the outlet for sealing the opening and the outlet, the blocking element cooperating with the means for deflecting such that the tube passes through the opening when the tube is extended into and through the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.