Device for recovery of fuel vapors

• US 5,386,811 A
• Filed: 09/23/1993
• Issued: 02/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Societe Anonyme Dite Regie Nationale Des Usines Renault
• Original Assignee: Regie Nationale Des Usines Renault
• Inventors: Rochette, Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, CARL STUART
• Application Number:
  US08/125,217
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 123/518, 123/519, 123/520, 123/521, 123/516, 123/557, 180/69.4, 180/69.5, 180/225, 180/296
• US Class Current: 123/519
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03504 adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems

Abstract

Device for recovery of fuel-vapors from a tank of a motor vehicle includes a filter (1) containing a material that adsorbs these vapors, this filter (1) being connected by a pipe (3) to a source of air for regeneration of the adsorbent material. The intake opening of the pipe (3) comes out in the vicinity of temperature exchanging means element of the engine cooling system.

Claims

1. Device for recovery of fuel vapors from a fuel tank in a motor vehicle having an engine cooling system including a heat exchanger which heats a flow of air, comprising:

a filter unit including a regenerable fuel vapor adsorption material;

a first pipe communicating said filter unit to a fuel tank so as to supply fuel vapors to the fuel vapor adsorption material; and

a second pipe supplying a source of regenerative air to the fuel vapor adsorption material, wherein said second pipe has an intake opening for the regenerative air, said intake opening being positioned directly behind said radiator and adjacent the flow of heated air so as to draw a portion of the flow of heated air into said second pipe.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger comprises a radiator including two radiator tanks connected by a core of finned tubes,

wherein said filter unit is fastened to one of said tanks.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said filter unit is positioned outside of the heated air flow.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said filter unit is pivotally mounted on said one of said radiator tanks via a pivot pin.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said pivot pin comprises a male knuckle fittable in a female knuckle.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said filter unit and said one of said radiator tanks comprise corresponding fastening lugs, including a screw securing said lugs to one another.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein said one of said tanks extends substantially vertically and said filter unit is fastened to a lower end of said at least one of said tanks, and wherein said second pipe is adjacent a bottom of said one of said tanks.