# US 9,038,605 B2 · Purge valve noise attenuation system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,605 B2 - Document ID: US9038605B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/622,982 - Filed: 2012-09-19 - Published: 2014-03-20 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Ahsanul Karim; Abdelkrim Zouani; Kevin William Plymale; Paul Zeng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038605B2 ## CPC - F02M 25/08: adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir {(electrical control of purge system F02D41/003)} - 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} - F02M 25/0872: {Details of the fuel vapour pipes or conduits} - F02M 2025/0845: {Electromagnetic valves} - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract A vapor purge valve in an engine is provided. The vapor purge valve includes a purge valve inlet, a purge valve outlet, and a muffler including a housing at least partially enclosing a diffuser in fluidic communication with the purge valve inlet and the purge valve outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vapor purge valve comprising: a purge valve inlet; a purge valve outlet; an actuable seal; and a muffler including a housing enclosing a diffuser except for a diffuser inlet in fluidic communication with the purge valve inlet and a diffuser outlet in fluidic communication with the purge valve outlet, the diffuser inlet axially aligned with the diffuser outlet, the actuatable seal closing the purge valve by sealing with the diffuser inlet and the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vapor purge valve of claim 1, where the diffuser includes a diffuser housing defining a boundary of a diffuser passage and a plurality of muffling passages extending through the diffuser housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vapor purge valve of claim 2, where the plurality of muffling passages are radially aligned. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vapor purge valve of claim 2, where at least two of the plurality of muffling passages extend in opposing directions, and wherein the diffuser housing includes a first upstream diffuser housing section defining an upstream chamber separated from a second downstream diffuser housing section defining a separate, downstream chamber, each chamber radially outside of the diffuser passage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vapor purge valve of claim 2, where a cross-sectional area of each of the plurality of muffling passages is substantially constant along their length. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The vapor purge valve of claim 2, where the muffler includes a noise attenuation chamber enclosed by the muffler housing, the plurality of muffling passages in fluidic communication with the noise attenuation chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vapor purge valve of claim 6, where the noise attenuation chamber is hollow. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The vapor purge valve of claim 6, where the noise attenuation chamber comprises metal or a polymeric material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The vapor purge valve of claim 6, where the noise attenuation chamber surrounds at least a portion of the diffuser, and wherein the diffuser passage has a central axis, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the diffuser passage perpendicular to the central axis increases in cross-sectional area in a downstream direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The vapor purge valve of claim 2, where the muffler housing comprises a different material than the diffuser housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vapor purge valve of claim 1, where a central axis of the purge valve inlet and a central axis of the purge valve outlet are arranged perpendicular with respect to one another, and where the muffler is positioned between an actuation assembly seal and the purge valve outlet, the actuation assembly seal coupled to a solenoid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vapor purge valve of claim 1, where purge flow enters the muffler from an inlet passage in fluidic communication with the purge valve inlet, flows through the diffuser included in the muffler, and exits the muffler in the purge valve outlet, the inlet passage at least partially enclosing the muffler. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vapor purge valve of claim 12, where a portion of the muffler housing is in contact with an actuation assembly seal when the vapor purge valve is in a closed configuration. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: a vapor storage canister; a vapor purge valve, including a purge valve inlet in fluidic communication with the vapor storage canister and a muffler including a noise attenuation chamber in fluidic communication via holes with a diffuser passage, the diffuser passage in fluidic communication with a purge valve outlet and the purge valve inlet, the muffler having a housing enclosing the noise attenuation chamber, the purge valve further having a movable seal engaging with the housing to close the purge valve; and an intake passage in fluidic communication with the purge valve outlet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, where the muffler housing defines a boundary of the noise attenuation chamber, and a cross-sectional area of the diffuser passage perpendicular its central axis increases non-linearly in a downstream direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, where the muffler housing extends to a radial edge of an actuation assembly seal inhibiting flow into the diffuser inlet when the vapor purge valve is in a closed configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, where the muffler further comprises a plurality of muffling passages extending through a diffuser housing defining a boundary of the diffuser passage, the plurality of muffling passages in fluidic communication with the diffuser passage and the noise attenuation chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, where the plurality of muffling passages are radially aligned. ### Claim 19 A method for purging fuel vapors in an engine comprising: flowing purge gas through a central diffuser passage of a muffler in a vapor purge valve via a seal spaced away from a muffler housing, the diffuser passage enclosed by a noise attenuation chamber except for a diffuser passage inlet and outlet, the noise attenuation chamber in fluidic communication with the diffuser passage via holes, the noise attenuation chamber fully enclosed by the muffler housing except for the holes; and flowing purge gas from the muffler to an intake conduit in the engine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, where flowing purge gas through the muffler is implemented during idle engine operation when engine speed is below a threshold value.