# US 8,770,176 B2 · Fluid control valve assembly

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- Number: US 8,770,176 B2
- Document ID: US8770176B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/184,762
- Filed: 2011-07-18
- Published: 2013-01-24
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-18
- Assignees: Eaton Corporation
- Applicants: Girish Sudhir Kulkarni; Subrata Sarkar; Swethaghnya Kusa; Santosh Dadasaheb Pachpund; Bradley Noel Kippe
- Inventors: Girish Sudhir Kulkarni; Subrata Sarkar; Swethaghnya Kusa; Santosh Dadasaheb Pachpund; Bradley Noel Kippe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770176B2

## CPC

- F02M 25/0836: {Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold}
- B60K 15/03504: {adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems}
- B60K 15/03519: {Valve arrangements in the vent line}
- F02B 37/164: {the bypassed air being used in an auxiliary apparatus, e.g. in an air turbine}
- B60K 2015/0325: {Jet pumps}
- B60K 2015/03263: {Ball valves}
- B60K 2015/03269: {Flap valves}
- B60K 2015/03276: {Valves with membranes}
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- Y10T 137/7837: Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]
- Y10T 137/877: With flow control means for branched passages
- Y10T 137/87893: With fluid actuator
- Y10T 137/87909: Containing rotary valve
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A valve assembly includes a housing defining first, second, third, and fourth passages. The first passage channels relatively-high pressure fluid and the second passage channels relatively-low pressure fluid into the valve. The third passage connects to the second passage and releases fluid from the valve. The fourth passage connects to the first passage and the second passage and releases fluid from the valve. The valve assembly also includes a first check-valve that permits fluid flow from the second passage to the third passage and a second check-valve that permits fluid flow from the second passage to the fourth passage. The valve assembly additionally includes a nozzle that controls velocity of the relatively-high pressure fluid entering the fourth passage from the first passage. The relatively-low pressure fluid is pulled from the second passage into the fourth passage on the outer periphery of the nozzle by the relatively-high pressure fluid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A valve assembly comprising:
a housing;
a first passage defined by the housing and configured to channel a relatively-high pressure fluid into the valve assembly;
a second passage defined by the housing and configured to channel a relatively-low pressure fluid into the valve assembly;
a third passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the second passage, and configured to release fluid from the valve assembly;
a fourth passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the first passage and the second passage, and configured to release fluid from the valve assembly;
a first check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the third passage;
a second check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the fourth passage; and
a nozzle arranged between the first and fourth passages and configured to control velocity of the relatively-high pressure fluid entering the fourth passage;
wherein the relatively-low pressure fluid is pulled from the second passage into the fourth passage on the outer periphery of the nozzle by the relatively-high pressure fluid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first check-valve holder arranged inside the housing and configured to retain the first check-valve and a second check-valve holder arranged inside the housing and configured to retain the second check-valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and the second check-valve holders are combined into and configured as a unitary component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a first housing section defining the first passage, a second housing section defining the second passage, and a third housing section defining the third and fourth passages.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the nozzle is defined by the first housing section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the first housing section is secured to the third housing section after the nozzle is arranged between the first and fourth passages, and the second housing section is secured to the third housing section after the first and second check-valve holders are arranged inside the housing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third housing sections are secured to one another via at least one of sonic welding, snapping together, and adhesive bonding.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second check-valves is one of flap-and diaphragm-type.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second check-valves is ball-type.

### Claim 10

A vehicle comprising:
an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and an intake manifold configured to channel an airflow into the cylinder;
a compressor configured to pressurize the airflow for delivery to the intake manifold;
a first air duct configured to deliver airflow to the compressor and a second air duct configured to deliver the pressurized airflow from the compressor to the intake manifold;
a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the cylinder;
a carbon canister configured to collect a fuel vapor from the fuel system; and
a valve assembly including:
a housing;
a first passage defined by the housing and in fluid communication with the second air duct to channel the pressurized airflow into the valve assembly;
a second passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the carbon canister to channel the fuel vapor into the housing;
a third passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the second passage, and configured to release the fuel vapor into the intake manifold;
a fourth passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the first passage and the second passage, and configured to release the fuel vapor into the first air duct;
a first check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the third passage;
a second check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the fourth passage; and
a nozzle arranged between the first and fourth passages and configured to control velocity of the pressurized airflow entering the fourth passage from the first passage;
wherein the fuel vapor is pulled from the second passage into the fourth passage on the outer periphery of the nozzle by the pressurized airflow.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the valve assembly additionally includes a first check-valve holder arranged inside the housing and configured to retain the first check-valve and a second check-valve holder arranged inside the housing and configured to retain the second check-valve.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first and the second check-valve holders are combined into and configured as a unitary component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a first housing section defining the first passage, a second housing section defining the second passage, and a third housing section defining the third and fourth passages.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the nozzle is defined by the first housing section.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first housing section is secured to the third housing section after the nozzle is arranged between the first and fourth passages, and the second housing section is secured to the third housing section after the first and second check-valve holders are arranged inside the housing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third housing sections are secured to one another via at least one of sonic welding, snapping together, and adhesive bonding.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The vehicle of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second check-valves is one of flap-and diaphragm-type.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The vehicle of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second check-valves is ball-type.

### Claim 19

A valve assembly comprising:
a housing;
a first passage defined by the housing and configured to channel a relatively-high pressure fluid into the valve assembly;
a second passage defined by the housing and configured to channel a relatively-low pressure fluid into the valve assembly;
a third passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the second passage, and configured to release fluid from the valve assembly;
a fourth passage defined by the housing, in fluid communication with the first passage and the second passage, and configured to release fluid from the valve assembly;
a first check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the third passage;
a second check-valve configured to permit fluid flow from the second passage to the fourth passage;
a unitary check-valve holder arranged inside the housing and configured to retain the first check-valve and the second check-valve; and
a nozzle arranged between the first and fourth passages and configured to control velocity of the relatively-high pressure fluid entering the fourth passage from the first passage;
wherein:
the housing includes a first housing section defining the first passage, a second housing section defining the second passage, and a third housing section defining the third and fourth passages;
the nozzle is defined by the first housing section; and
the relatively-low pressure fluid is pulled from the second passage into the fourth passage on the outer periphery of the nozzle by the relatively-high pressure fluid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second check-valves is one of a flap-type and a ball-type.