FUEL TANK OF AUTOMOTIVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 3,653,537 A
• Filed: 02/06/1970
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Masaji Shiobara, Yoshio Toda
• Original Assignee: Masaji Shiobara, Yoshio Toda
• Inventors: Shiobara, Masaji, Toda, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Raphael H.
• Application Number:
  US05/009,365
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 220/85B,93,26,20,20.5,85VS,85VR,85V 137/572,578,587,454
• US Class Current: 220/746
• 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 for an automotive internal combustion engine, adapted to prevent the liquid fuel from being vapourized and discharged from the breathing vent in the tank wall, which tank has a float having the coverage that is substantially coextensive with the surface of the liquid fuel that is otherwise to be exposed to the atmosphere through the breathing vent.

Claims

1. A fuel tank for an automotive internal combustion engine comprising a partition extending from the top wall of the tank to define a partially separate compartment communicating at its bottom with the remaining compartment and with a fuel line;

a breathing vent being formed in the top wall of said partially separate compartment; and

a float for floating in a liquid fuel in said partially separate compartment, said float having a surface area substantially co-extensive with said surface of the liquid fuel in said partially separate compartment.

2. A fuel tank according to claim 1, including a valve means between said partially separate compartment and remaining compartment, said valve means comprising a valve head depending from the bottom of said float and a valve seat cooperating with said valve head, said valve head being seated on said valve seat when an ample amount of liquid fuel is stored in said partially separate compartment and unseated when the level of the surface of the liquid fuel in said partially separate compartment lowers to a predetermined level.

3. A fuel tank according to claim 2, wherein outlet and inlet check valves are provided on the wall of said remaining compartment, said outlet check valve opening when the pressure in said remaining compartment decreases to a predetermined level and said inlet check valve opening when the pressure in said remaining compartment increases to a predetermined level.

4. A fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein said float is of a material having a specific weight smaller than the liquid fuel.