US 6,810,922 B1Granted

Vapor recovery system with improved ORVR compatibility and performance

AssigneeVapor Systems Technologies, Inc.

InventorRodger P. Grantham

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Abstract

A fueling and associated vapor recovery system maintains the same, or lower, vacuum level in the vapor hose during ORVR vehicle refueling as that seen during a non-ORVR refueling. A valve assembly is made as either a part of the end of the vapor recovery hose assembly, a separate unit that is placed between the hose assembly and the nozzle, or incorporated directly into the nozzle. The valve assembly includes a diaphragm biased to one position by a spring to which is attached a sliding valve member. The force of the spring on the diaphragm is sufficient to keep the valve member in the original position when refueling non-ORVR vehicles so that the vapor hose is unobstructed and an air bleed hole is closed. When refueling an ORVR vehicle, the elevated vacuum level moves the diaphragm and valve member to a second position which blocks off the vapor hose from the vacuum pump and opens up the vapor hose to the air bleed hole.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An assembly for use in a fueling system in which fuel from a storage tank is pumped through a hose to a nozzle for discharge into a fuel tank of a vehicle, the fueling system including a vapor recovery system to process fuel vapors displaced from the fuel tank during fueling, the assembly comprising:

a primary vapor passage adapted to be in fluid communication with the vapor recovery system;
a valve assembly moveable between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve assembly being biased toward the first position;
a diaphragm mounted within a chamber and coupled to the valve assembly;
a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with the chamber and the primary vapor passage;
an air bleed passage in fluid communication at a first end with the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
a stop coupled to the valve assembly and moveable between open and closed positions, the stop in the closed position sealing a second end of the air bleed passage when the valve assembly is in the first position, the stop in the open position opening the second end to ambient atmosphere when the valve assembly is in the second position;
wherein when the air pressure in the chamber is reduced to a predetermined level the diaphragm and the valve assembly coupled thereto move from the first position to the second position and thereby inhibit flow in the valve assembly through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the stop moves to the open position.

4 more elements

a primary vapor passage adapted to be in fluid communication with the vapor recovery system;
a valve member moveable within a bore of a valve body between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve member having a valve passage aligned with the primary valve passage and through which vapors pass when the valve assembly is in the first position;
a diaphragm mounted within a chamber and coupled to the valve member;
a spring located in the chamber and coupled to the diaphragm, the spring biasing the diaphragm and valve member toward the first position;
a housing holding the valve assembly and the diaphragm and defining at least in part the chamber;
a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with the chamber and the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
an air bleed passage in fluid communication at a first end with the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
and
a stop coupled to the valve assembly and moveable between open and closed positions, the stop in the closed position sealing a second end of the air bleed passage when the valve assembly is in the first position, the stop in the open position opening the second end to ambient atmosphere when the valve assembly is in the second position;
wherein when the air pressure in the chamber is reduced to a predetermined level the diaphragm and the valve assembly coupled thereto move from the first position to the second position and thereby inhibit flow in the valve assembly through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the stop moves to the open position.

7 more elements

A fueling system comprising:

a storage tank for storing fuel;
a hose for transferring the fuel from the storage tank;
a pump operably coupled to the hose for pumping the fuel through the hose;
a nozzle connected to the hose for dispensing the fuel into a fuel tank of a vehicle;
a vapor recovery system for processing vapors displaced from the fuel tank, the vapor recovery system including a pump for pumping the vapors from the fuel tank and a primary vapor passage in the hose through which the vapors are removed from the fuel tank;
the vapor recovery system further comprising
(a) a valve assembly moveable between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve assembly being biased toward the first position;
(b) a diaphragm mounted within a chamber and coupled to the valve assembly;
(c) a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with the chamber and the primary vapor passage;
(d) an air bleed passage in fluid communication at a first end with the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
(e) a stop coupled to the valve assembly and moveable between open and closed positions, the stop in the closed position sealing a second end of the air bleed passage when the valve assembly is in the first position, the stop in the open position opening the second end to ambient atmosphere when the valve assembly is in the second position;
wherein when the air pressure in the chamber is reduced to a predetermined level the diaphragm and the valve assembly coupled thereto move from the first position to the second position and thereby inhibit flow in the valve assembly through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the stop moves to the open position.

9 more elements

A fueling system comprising:

a storage tank for storing fuel;
a hose for transferring the fuel from the storage tank;
a pump operably coupled to the hose for pumping the fuel through the hose;
a nozzle connected to the hose for dispensing the fuel into a fuel tank of a vehicle;
a vapor recovery system for processing vapors displaced from the fuel tank, the vapor recovery system including a pump for pumping the vapors from the fuel tank and a primary vapor passage in the hose through which the vapors are removed from the fuel tank;
the vapor recovery system further comprising
(a) a valve member moveable within a bore of a valve body between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve member having a valve passage aligned with the primary valve passage and through which vapors pass when the valve assembly is in the first position;
(b) a diaphragm mounted within a chamber and coupled to the valve member;
(c) a spring located in the chamber and coupled to the diaphragm, the spring biasing the diaphragm and valve member toward the first position;
(d) a housing holding the valve assembly and the diaphragm and defining at least in part the chamber;
(e) a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with the chamber and the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
(f) an air bleed passage in fluid communication at a first end with the primary vapor passage upstream from the valve assembly;
and
(g) a stop coupled to the valve assembly and moveable between open and closed positions, the stop in the closed position sealing a second end of the air bleed passage when the valve assembly is in the first position, the stop in the open position opening the second end to ambient atmosphere when the valve assembly is in the second position;
wherein when the air pressure in the chamber is reduced to a predetermined level the diaphragm and the valve assembly coupled thereto move from the first position to the second position and thereby inhibit flow in the valve assembly through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the stop moves to the open position.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.