Tank venting control assembly

• US 5,065,782 A
• Filed: 01/08/1991
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stant USA Corporation (Vapor Acquisition Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Stant (Vapor Acquisition Corp.)
• Inventors: Szlaga, Emil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US07/638,784
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 137/39, 137/43, 137/110, 137/202
• US Class Current: 137/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03519 Valve arrangements in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/36 actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0777 With second control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0874 Vent opening or closing on tipping container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2562 Dividing and recombining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3099 Float responsive

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for controlling flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank. The apparatus comprises a housing mounted in the aperature, a float valve, a ball, and a mechanism for supporting the ball. The housing is formed to include an outlet, and the float valve is movable in the housing between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the outlet and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet. The float valve is formed to include a float chamber and the ball is positioned in the float chamber. The mechanism for supporting the ball is movable relative to the housing. The support mechanism is configured to support the ball in the float chamber so that the ball is able to move in the float chamber in response to movement of the fuel tank to urge the float valve to its closed position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising

a housing mounted in the aperture and formed to include an outlet,

a float valve positioned in the fuel tank and formed to include a float chamber therein, the float valve being movable in the housing between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the outlet and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet,

a ball positioned in the float chamber, and

means for supporting the ball in the float chamber so that the ball is able to move in the float chamber in response to movement of the fuel tank to urge the float valve to its closed position, the supporting means being movable relative to the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for applying a biasing force to the supporting means to move the supporting means, ball, and float valve relative to the housing during flotation of the float valve in liquid fuel in the fuel tank so that the float valve is moved to its closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the applying means includes a spring acting against the supporting means and the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the supporting means includes a base formed to include a ball-supporting seat and the spring has one end abutting the base and another end abutting the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spring acting against the supporting means and the housing to provide means for moving the supporting means relative to the housing during flotation of the float valve in liquid fuel in the fuel tank.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for assisting in lifting the float valve to its closed position during flotation of the float valve in liquid fuel in the fuel tank, the assisting means including a spring acting against the supporting means and the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the float valve includes a first ramp portion overlying the ball, the supporting means includes a ball-supporting seat configured to provide a second ramp portion situated in spaced-apart opposing relation to the first ramp portion to define a ball-receiving space therebetween, the ball is positioned in the ball-receiving space and sized to lie in substantially camming relation to each of the opposing first and second ramp portions so that the ball acts to move the float valve to its closed position and relative to the supporting means during lateral movement of the ball in the float chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising means for applying a biasing force to the supporting means to move the supporting means, ball, and float valve relative to the housing during flotation of the float valve in liquid fuel in the fuel tank so that the float valve is moved to its closed position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the applying means includes a spring acting against the supporting means and the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supporting means is formed to include a plurality of holes allowing passage of liquid fuel therethrough.

11. An apparatus for controlling flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising

a housing mounted in the aperture and formed to include an outlet,

a float valve positioned in the fuel tank and formed to include a float chamber therein, the float valve being movable in the housing between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the outlet and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet,

a ball positioned in the float chamber for movement in response to movement of the fuel tank,

a base movable relative to the housing and formed to include a ball-supporting seat.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further including means for yieldably biasing the base toward the outlet, the biasing means acting between the housing and the base during flotation of the float valve in liquid fuel in the fuel tank to urge the float valve toward its closed position.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base is formed to include a chamber and the biasing means extends into the chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base extends into the float chamber at least when the float valve is in its open position.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the float valve includes a first ramp portion overlying the ball, the ball-supporting seat is configured to provide a second ramp portion situated in spaced-apart opposing relation to define a ball-receiving space therebetween, and the ball is positioned in the ball-receiving space and sized to lie in substantially camming relation to each of the opposing first and second ramp portions so that the ball acts to move the float valve to its closed position during lateral movement of the ball in the float chamber.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the ball-supporting seat is formed to include a plurality of openings allowing flow of liquid fuel therethrough.

17. An apparatus for controlling flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank, the apparatus comprising

a housing mounted in the aperture and formed to include a discharge orifice and a flow passageway separate from the discharge orifice,

venting means for selectively blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the discharge orifice, the venting means being arranged to receive flow of fuel vapor from the flow passageway, to move from a flow-blocking position to a flow-delivery position, and

closure means for minimizing carryover of liquid fuel past the venting means through the discharge orifice under conditions of sloshing or tank agitation, the closure means including float means for blocking flow of fuel vapor through the flow passageway, the float means being formed to include a float chamber and being movable between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor through the flow passageway to prevent the venting means from exposure to fuel vapor and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the flow passageway to allow the venting means to be exposed to fuel vapor, the closure means further including a ball positioned in the float chamber and means for supporting the ball in the float chamber, the support means being movable relative to the housing in response to sloshing and tank agitation to move the ball so that the float valve is urged to its closed position, thereby preventing the venting means from exposure to fuel vapor so that the venting means assumes its flow-blocking position preventing carryover of liquid fuel through the discharge orifice.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for applying a biasing force to the supporting means to assist in moving the supporting means, ball, and float valve relative to the housing in response to sloshing or agitation of liquid fuel in the fuel tank.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the float means includes a first ramp portion overlying the ball, the support means includes a second ramp portion underlying the ball so that the first and second ramp portions define a ball-receiving space therebetween, and the ball is positioned in the ball-receiving space and sized to lie in substantially camming relation to each of the opposing first and second ramp portions so that the ball acts to move the float means to its closed position during lateral movement of the ball in the float chamber.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the support means includes a ramp portion configured to provide a ball-supporting seat, and the ramp portion is formed to include a plurality of openings allowing flow of liquid fuel therethrough so that buoyant force created by the gradual increase of the liquid fuel level during refueling bypasses the support means and is transmitted to the float means to move the float means to its closed position, whereas the force created by momentary sloshing of agitation acts to move the support means relative to the housing to quickly move the float means to its closed position.