Back to results
US 7,063,101 B2Granted
Fuel tank vent system
AssigneeStant Manufacturing Inc.
InventorsBrian J. Williamson, Michael S. Brock, J Bradley Groom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel tank vent system includes a fuel vapor vent apparatus and a vent controller. The fuel vapor vent apparatus is adapted to be coupled to a fuel tank. The vent controller is coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and configured to control flow of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to a destination outside the fuel tank.
Claims30
A fuel tank vent system comprising
- a fuel vapor vent apparatus adapted to be coupled to a fuel tank to discharge fuel vapor located in the fuel tank to an external destination outside the fuel tank,
- a vent controller including a controller housing coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and a first valve positioned in the controller housing and adapted to control discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination and block discharge of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination, and
- means for blocking discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination in response to displacement of at least a portion of the controller housing relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus due to application of a displacement force to the at least the portion of the controller housing upon deformation of the fuel tank caused by an impact against the fuel tank.
A fuel tank vent system comprising
- a fuel vapor vent apparatus adapted to be coupled to a fuel tank to discharge fuel vapor located in the fuel tank to an external destination outside the fuel tank,
- a first vent controller including a controller housing coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and a first valve positioned in the controller housing and adapted to control discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination and block discharge of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination, and
- a second vent controller mounted for movement relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus from an opened position allowing discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination to a closed position blocking discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination in response to displacement of at least a portion of the controller housing relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus.
A fuel tank vent system comprising
- a fuel vapor vent apparatus formed to include an outlet passageway and adapted to be coupled to a fuel tank to cover a tank aperture formed in the fuel tank to discharge fuel vapor located in the fuel tank through the tank aperture and the outlet passageway to an external destination outside the fuel tank,
- a first vent controller including a controller housing coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and a first valve adapted to control discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the tank aperture and the outlet passageway to the external destination and block discharge of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the tank aperture and the outlet passageway to the external destination, and
- a second vent controller positioned above the first vent controller in the outlet passageway, the second vent controller including a second valve, a valve opener, and a valve closer, the second valve being mounted for movement relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus along a controller axis between an opened position allowing discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the tank aperture and the outlet passageway to the external destination when the controller housing is coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and a closed position blocking discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the tank aperture and the outlet passageway to the external destination, the valve opener being arranged to move the second valve from the closed position to the opened position upon coupling of the controller housing to the fuel vapor vent apparatus, the valve closer being arranged to move the second valve from the opened position to the closed position in response to displacement of at least a portion of the controller housing relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus due to application of a displacement force to the at least the portion of the controller housing in a direction transverse to the controller axis.
A fuel tank vent system comprising
- a fuel vapor vent apparatus adapted to be coupled to a fuel tank to discharge fuel vapor located in the fuel tank to an external destination outside the fuel tank,
- a first vent controller coupled to the fuel vapor vent apparatus and adapted to control discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination and block discharge of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination, and
- a second vent controller mounted for movement relative to the fuel vapor vent apparatus from an opened position allowing discharge of fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination to a closed position blocking discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel vapor vent apparatus to the external destination in response to disablement of the first vent controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.