VENTED FUEL TANK

• US 3,643,690 A
• Filed: 09/10/1970
• Issued: 02/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Sarai
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Sarai
• Inventors: Sarai, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/070,695
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 220/44,86 137/583,587,588,589
• US Class Current: 137/587
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03504 adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86324 Tank with gas vent and inlet or outlet

Abstract

A fuel tank comprising a fuel tank body, a first vent pipe, one end of which extends for a desired length into the tank body from an upper faceplate while its other end is in communication with the upper part of a fuel filling pipe which is connected at its lower end to the fuel tank body. For forming an air chamber having a desired capacity in the upper part of the tank body, the lower end of the fuel filling pipe opens into the inside of fuel tank body at a position below the lower opened end of the first vent pipe, a second vent pipe is provided with its lower end opening into the upper part of the fuel filling pipe and with its upper end opening into the atmosphere, and a third vent pipe communicating between the second vent pipe and the air chamber in the fuel tank body through a check valve. By means of the check valve the third vent pipe is opened into the atmosphere through the second vent pipe only when the fuel overflows out of the fuel filling pipe.

Claims

1. A fuel tank comprising a fuel tank body including a faceplate located in the upper part of said fuel tank body, a fuel filling pipe having its first end opening into said fuel tank body below said upper faceplate and its second end being located upwardly from the first end thereof, a first vent pipe having one end extending through said upper faceplate into the interior of said fuel tank body at a position spaced above the first end of said fuel filling pipe opening into said fuel tank body for forming an air chamber therein having a desired capacity in the upper part of said tank body, the other end of said first vent pipe opening into said fuel filling pipe adjacent the second end thereof, an upwardly extending second vent pipe connected at its lower end into said fuel filling pipe adjacent its second end and its upper end being opened to the atmosphere, a check valve positioned within said second vent pipe intermediate the ends thereof, and a third vent pipe connected at its upper end to said check valve and at its lower end to said upper face plate communicating with the interior of said fuel tank body at a position above the one end of said first vent pipe, means displaceable within said check valve between a first position for blocking flow therethrough between said third vent pipe and said second vent pipe and a second position for admitting flow from said third vent pipe to said second vent pipe for discharge to the atmosphere when fuel flow overflows out of said fuel filling pipe through said second vent pipe into said check valve.

2. A fuel tank, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the lower end of said third vent pipe is branched forming a pair of vent pipe sections each connected at its end spaced from the branched connection to said upper faceplate for communicating with the interior of the upper part of said fuel tank body at spaced locations on opposite sides of said fuel tank.

3. A fuel tank, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said check valve comprises a valve body, said means displaceable within said check valve comprising a float positioned within said valve body and having a specific gravity smaller than that of the fuel, and a needle valve positioned within said valve body in the path of the connection of said upper end of said third vent pipe to said valve body, said float being arranged for displacing said needle valve from a first position blocking flow through said third vent pipe into said valve body to a second position for admitting flow through said third vent pipe into said valve body and then into said second vent pipe.

4. A fuel tank, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a gas storage case containing activated carbon is positioned at the upper end of said second vent pipe for absorbing vaporized fuel issuing through said second vent pipe.