# US 7,610,905 B2 · Passive evaporative emission control module

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- Number: US 7,610,905 B2
- Document ID: US7610905B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/963,146
- Filed: 2007-12-21
- Published: 2008-04-24
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-22
- Inventors: Douglas J. Callahan; Brent J. Ertl; Juris J. Pruzinskis; Michael P. Farrey; Hans Bishop
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610905B2

## CPC

- F02M 37/0076: {Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank (vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/03)}
- B01D 53/0431: {Beds with radial gas flow}
- F02M 25/0854: {Details of the absorption canister}
- B01D 2259/4516: for fuel vapour recovery systems
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

An emission control module (14) includes a housing (52) that includes an atmospheric air opening (102) and a vapor emission inlet (104) for communication with a vapor region (32) of a fuel reservoir (16). A hydrocarbon filter (56) is disposed between the atmospheric air opening (102) and the vapor emission inlet (104) to passively filter vapor emissions within the vapor region (32). The housing (52) is configured for purging of the hydrocarbon filter (56) due to a low-pressure draw from the vapor emission inlet (104).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel reservoir assembly comprising:
(a) a fuel reservoir having a quantity of fuel and a quantity of fuel vapor, said fuel reservoir comprising;
an enclosure with an exterior wall; and
an internal holding volume with a vapor region having said quantity of fuel vapor;
(b) a body securely mounted to said exterior wall, comprising;
a fuel inlet; and
a fuel outlet in communication with said internal holding volume;
(c) a center fuel flow axis defined along the length of said body from said fuel inlet to said fuel outlet;
(d) a housing disposed around a circumference of said body and secured to said exterior wall, comprising;
at least one atmospheric air opening; and
at least one vapor emission inlet for communication with said vapor region; and
a hydrocarbon filter disposed between said at least one atmospheric air opening and said at least one vapor emission inlet and passively filtering said quantity of fuel vapor emissions within said vapor region, said hydrocarbon filter being purged due to draw of fuel from said fuel reservoir; and
(e) an evaporative emission line coupling said housing to said fuel reservoir through said exterior wall;
wherein said housing comprises a hydrocarbon filter purge path for air and said quantity of fuel vapor to flow in said at least one atmospheric air opening, across said hydrocarbon filter, substantially along a plane that is not parallel to said center fuel flow axis, and through said at least one vapor emission inlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a fuel cap, said body configured for reception of said fuel cap.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one vapor emission inlet is fluidically coupled to said fuel reservoir through said evaporative emission line coupling.

### Claim 4

A fuel tank assembly, comprising:
a fuel reservoir having an interior for housing fuel and accumulated fuel vapor, said fuel reservoir being formed of a non-hydrocarbon permeation material;
a control module mounted proximate a highest elevation point on said fuel reservoir, said control module including a body portion and a housing portion;
said body portion includes a fuel inlet portion and a fuel outlet portion in fluid communication with said interior of said fuel reservoir;
said body portion defining a center fuel flow axis defined along the length of said body from said fuel inlet portion to said fuel outlet portion;
a fuel cap for releasable engagement with said fuel inlet portion of said control module;
said housing portion disposed circumferentially around said body portion;
said housing portion having an upper portion and a lower portion;
a hydrocarbon filter disposed in said housing portion;
a plurality of atmospheric openings formed in said upper portion of said housing portion to allow free flow of gas into and out of said housing;
a plurality of vapor emission openings formed in said lower portion of said housing portion and open to said fuel reservoir to allow free flow of gas into and out of said fuel reservoir;
wherein when the pressure in said fuel reservoir decreases, air is pulled into said fuel reservoir through said plurality of said atmospheric openings and said plurality of vapor emission openings, and when the pressure in said fuel reservoir increases, fuel vapor exits said fuel reservoir through said plurality of vapor emission openings, passes through said hydrocarbon filter and exits to the atmosphere through said plurality of atmospheric openings.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 4, wherein said plurality of atmospheric openings are not in communication with or coupled to an intake manifold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 4, wherein said housing is integrally formed as part of said fuel reservoir.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 4, wherein said housing is integrally formed as part of a fuel reservoir neck.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 4, wherein said plurality of atmospheric air openings are out of alignment with said plurality of vapor emission openings.

### Claim 9

A fuel tank assembly, comprising:
a fuel reservoir having a quantity of fuel and a quantity of fuel vapor, said fuel reservoir including an exterior wall defining an interior of said fuel reservoir, said fuel reservoir being formed of a non-hydrocarbon permeation material;
a control module mounted proximate a highest elevation point on said fuel reservoir,
a body portion of said control module including a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet in communication with said interior of said fuel reservoir, said body portion defining a center fuel flow axis defined along the length of said body from said fuel inlet portion to said fuel outlet portion;
a fuel cap for releasable engagement with said fuel inlet portion of said control module;
a housing portion of said control module disposed circumferentially around said body portion; said housing portion having an upper portion and a lower portion;
a plurality of atmospheric openings formed in said upper portion of said housing portion to allow free flow of gas into and out of said housing;
a plurality of vapor emission openings formed in said lower portion of said housing portion and open to said fuel reservoir to allow free flow of gas into and out of said fuel reservoir;
a hydrocarbon filter disposed between said plurality of atmospheric openings and said plurality of vapor emission openings and passively filtering said quantity of fuel vapor within said vapor region, said hydrocarbon filter being purged due to draw of fuel from said reservoir;
wherein when the pressure in said fuel reservoir decreases, air is pulled into said fuel reservoir through said plurality of said atmospheric openings and said plurality of vapor emission openings.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said plurality of atmospheric openings are not in communication with or coupled to an intake manifold.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said housing is integrally formed as part of said fuel reservoir.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said housing is integrally formed as part of a fuel reservoir neck.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The fuel tank assembly of claim 9, wherein said plurality of atmospheric air openings are out of alignment with said plurality of vapor emission openings.