CAPLESS REFILL ADAPTER FOR A FLUID REFILLING SYSTEM

• US 20180370786A1
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Zitkovic, JR., Mike Terrence, Song, Xiankai, Danowski, Christopher Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/04 concerning exhaust collecting exhaust gases with central suction systems not forming part of vehicles, e.g. in workshops or tunnels B08B15/002, otherwise along carriageways E01C1/005; extensions for melting snow on roads E01H5/00, E01H6/00; exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines per se F01N; pipes, joints or supports therefor F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03309 Tanks specially adapted for particular fuels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03523 Arrangements of the venting tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0432 having a specific connection between the cap and the vehicle or tank opening
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0461 comprising a filler pipe shutter, e.g. trap, door or flap for fuel inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0288 Container connection means for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0829
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1413 Inlet and filling arrangements therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for an adapter for a fluid refilling system. In one example, an adapter configured for use with a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system may include a first end configured to couple with a DEF refill passage, a second end including an aperture shaped to receive a DEF nozzle, a pivotable door closing the aperture and biased against the aperture by a biasing member, and a magnetic ring positioned within the adapter and downstream of the pivotable door. The pivotable door may be formed of a material permeable to DEF vapors and may include a plurality of vent holes configured to flow vapors from the DEF system to atmosphere.

Claims

1. An adapter, comprising:

a body including a first end shaped to couple with a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) refill passage and a second end including an aperture shaped to receive a DEF nozzle;

a pivotable door sealing the aperture and forming an external surface of the adapter; and

a magnetic ring positioned within the body, downstream of the pivotable door between the first end and second end.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein an interior of the body forms a fluid passage, and wherein the fluid passage extends from the first end to the aperture.

3. The adapter of claim 2, further comprising a main ventilation passage formed by the body between the first end and the second end, the main ventilation passage extending in a radial direction relative to a central axis of the body.

4. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the main ventilation passage is fluidly coupled to the fluid passage by a plurality of secondary ventilation passages extending in a direction parallel to the central axis.

5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the magnetic ring is positioned upstream of the main ventilation passage and the plurality of secondary ventilation passages relative to a direction of DEF flow from the DEF nozzle through the adapter.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the second end of the body forms a nozzle insertion passage extending in a direction away from the pivotable door and the first end, with the nozzle insertion passage in fluidic communication with atmosphere, and wherein the nozzle insertion passage has a passage diameter less than 23.8 millimeters and a passage length greater than a length from a nozzle opening of a fuel additive bottle to a shoulder of the fuel additive bottle.

7. The adapter of claim 6, wherein the pivotable door includes a protruding portion extending away from the aperture and into the nozzle insertion passage, and wherein the protruding portion includes a groove shaped to guide the DEF nozzle toward a midpoint of the pivotable door.

8. The adapter of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of protrusions formed along a perimeter of the nozzle insertion passage and extending radially toward a central axis of the body, and wherein a distance between opposing protrusions of the plurality of protrusions is less than 19.8 millimeters.

9. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the pivotable door is coupled to a permeable membrane formed of a material permeable to DEF vapor.

10. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the pivotable door includes a plurality of venting channels configured to flow DEF vapor from an interior of the adapter to atmosphere.

11. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the body includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion removably coupled to the first portion and partially surrounding the first portion, and wherein the first portion forms the first end and the second portion forms the second end.

12. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the body includes a slot shaped to receive the magnetic ring, and wherein the magnetic ring is retained in face-sharing contact with the slot by the second portion of the body.

13. A method, comprising:

delivering a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to a catalyst from a reservoir;

receiving an inserted DEF nozzle against a pivotable door positioned at a first end of an adapter, the adapter having a second end coupled to the reservoir;

coupling a magnetic field from the adapter to the DEF nozzle; and

ventilating DEF vapors along an axis of the adapter and out to atmosphere through a ventilation channel extending through the pivotable door.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein ventilating the DEF vapors along the axis of the adapter and out to atmosphere includes:

flowing the DEF vapors radially into the adapter through a main ventilation passage and then through a membrane permeable to DEF vapors coupled to the pivotable door, the membrane surrounding an end of the ventilation channel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein coupling the magnetic field to the DEF nozzle includes inserting the DEF nozzle through a magnetized ring positioned between the second end and the pivotable door in a direction of the axis of the adapter.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising flowing the DEF vapors radially into the adapter through a main ventilation passage and then to the reservoir through the second end along the axis of the adapter.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein ventilating DEF vapors along the axis of the adapter and then out to atmosphere includes flowing the DEF vapors directly through a portion of the pivotable door formed of a material permeable to DEF vapors.

18. A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system, comprising:

a DEF storage reservoir;

a DEF flow passage including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the DEF storage reservoir; and

a fill adapter coupled to the second end of the DEF flow passage, the fill adapter including;

a first opening and a second opening;

an adapter flow passage formed by an inner surface of the fill adapter and fluidly coupling the first opening to the second opening;

a pivotable door positioned within the adapter flow passage and sealing the first opening; and

a magnetized ring positioned in face-sharing contact with the inner surface between the pivotable door and the second opening.

19. The DEF system of claim 18, wherein the fill adapter includes a biasing member biasing the pivotable door against the first opening, and wherein the biasing member is formed of a polymer material.

20. The DEF system of claim 18, wherein the fill adapter includes a vent passage fluidly coupled with the adapter flow passage and the DEF storage reservoir, wherein the vent passage is positioned between the magnetized ring and the second opening and extends in a direction away from the adapter flow passage, and wherein the vent passage is separated from the adapter flow passage by a grating.