VENTILATED FUEL TANK FOR MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 3,802,596 A
• Filed: 09/18/1972
• Issued: 04/09/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilfried Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Wilfried Schmidt
• Inventors: Schmidt, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Lowrance, George E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Application Number:
  US05/290,061
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 220/86R,85S,85F 137/587,86R,85R,85US,85UR
• 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

Abstract

A ventilated fuel tank assembly suitable for mounting as a structural unit within the body shell of a motor vehicle, comprises a hollow fuel storage tank having an extended hollow filler pipe through which liquid fuel may be introduced, said filler pipe being encircled adjacent the filler opening by a hollow collar, access to the interior of said collar from the interior of the filler pipe being provided by means of a small passage; the base of said collar having two connections therethrough situated diametrically opposite one another, one of said connections being to one end of a hollow breather pipe, the other end of which is secured within the fuel storage tank above the designed fuel level for the storage tank; and the other of said connections being to an overflow pipe, one end of which is located within the interior of said collar and the other end of which is located outside and adjacent the base of the fuel storage tank. When the fuel tank assembly is mounted in position in a motor vehicle and the storage tank is filled with liquid fuel, any undue displacement of the fuel upwards in the filler pipe, due to vehicle movement or external heat, can be offset by the displaced fuel passing from the filler pipe into the collar and then back into the fuel storage tank via the breather pipe. If the quantity displaced is too great for the breather pipe to cope with, the excess fuel is expelled via the overflow pipe.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly having a hollow fuel storage tank with outlet means adapted to be connected to the fuel system of the motor vehicle, flange support means adapted to be connected to the motor vehicle, and elongated filler pipe means;

said assembly including a cap removably closing said filler pipe means at the end thereof remote from the storage tank;

an annular hollow collar having An annular base which encircles said filler pipe means and is secured thereto adjacent said cap;

vent means in the portion of said filler pipe means encircled by said hollow collar for allowing fluid communication between the interior of the filler pipe means and the interior of said hollow collar;

a breather pipe connecting the interior of said collar with the interior of the storage tank, said breather pipe being connected to the annular base of the collar; and

an overflow pipe communicating the interior of said collar to the atmosphere adjacent the base of the storage tank, said overflow pipe being connected to the annular base of the collar at a point diametrically opposite the point of connection of said breather pipe.

2. A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly according to claim 1, in which the axis of said breather pipe extends below, and substantially parallel to, the axis of said filler pipe means;

and the axis of said overflow pipe extends above, and substantially parallel to, the axis of said filler pipe means.

3. A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly having a hollow fuel storage tank with outlet means adapted to be connected to the fuel system of the motor vehicle, flange support means adapted to be connected to the motor vehicle, and elongaged filler pipe means;

said assembly including a cap removably closing said filler pipe means at the end thereof remote from the storage tank;

an annular hollow collar which encircles said filler pipe means and is secured thereto adjacent said cap, said hollow collar comprising two cup-shaped members, each of which has a centrally placed aperture within its base through which passes said filler pipe means, said cup-shaped members being assembled upon said filler pipe means such that the rims of said cup-shaped members face one another, the respective diameters of the rim of these cup-shaped members being such that the rim of one cup-shaped member fits in sealing engagement over the rim of the other cup-shaped member, the assembly of cup-shaped members being secured in position upon said filler pipe means by welding the respective rims of the centrally-placed apertures to the adjacent outer surface of the filler pipe means;

vent means in the portion of said filler pipe means encircled by said hollow collar for providing communication between the interior of said filler pipe means and the interior of said hollow collar;

breather pipe means connecting the interior of said collar with the interior of the storage tank; and

overflow pipe means communicating the interior of said collar to the atmosphere adjacent the base of the storage tank.

4. A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly having a hollow fuel storage tank with outlet means adapted to be connected to the fuel system of the motor vehicle, support means adapted to be connected to the motor vehicle, and filler pipe means;

said assembly including a cap removably closing said filler pipe means at the end thereof remote from the storage tank;

an annular hollow collar which encircles said filler pipe means adjacent said cap defining an overflow fuel volume with a predetermined capacity, the interior of said filler pipe means being in fluid communication with the interior of said hollow collar to direct overflow fuel from said pipe means to said interior, breather pipe means connecting the interior of said collar with the interior of the storage tank for returning fuel from said collar interior to the storage tank, and overflow pipe means communicating the interior of said collar to the atmosphere adjacent the base of the storage tank to conduct excess fuel overflow from said collar interior exteriorly of the assembly thereby to prevent excessive pressure build-up in the tank when the overflow into the collar interior exceeds its capacity.