Closure assembly for a tank filler neck
First Claim
1. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprisinga closure for closing the filler neck, the closure including a housing formed to include an interior region for receiving fuel vapor in the filler neck and a vent aperture for discharging fuel vapor from the interior region, closure retainer apparatus appended to the housing and configured to engage the filler neck when the housing is installed in the filler neck to block removal of the closure from the filler neck, a seal member engaging the housing and lying in a position to engage the filler neck to establish a sealed connection between the housing and the filler neck when the housing is installed in the filler neck, and a movable tank pressure control assembly mounted for movement in the interior region of the housing between a filler neck-closing position blocking discharge of fuel vapor in the filler neck through the vent aperture and a filler neck-venting position allowing discharge of fuel vapor in the filler neck through the vent aperture, the movable tank pressure control assembly including a nozzle-receiving opening and a door mechanism normally closing the nozzle-receiving opening.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, comprising: a housing configured to be mounted in the filler neck and formed to include a sealing surface and a pressure-relief valve positioned to lie in the housing and provided with a nozzle-receiving portion and a sealing portion, wherein the nozzle-receiving portion is formed to include a nozzle-receiving opening sized to receive a pump nozzle during refueling of the fuel tank and the sealing portion is movable with the nozzle portion and relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface and a pressure-relief position away from the sealing surface to define an opening to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure. The housing is formed to include a passageway containing the pressure-relief valve therein and defines an annular space around the pressure-relief valve, between the pressure-relief valve and the housing, and with a coiled compression spring positioned in the annular space, the pressure-relief valve including an axially outwardly extending annular guide wall adjacent to the annular space which defines a radially inner side of the annular space, the housing further including a radially inwardly extending annular lip wherein the guide wall slidingly engages the lip of the housing to radially guide the pressure-relief valve during movement of the pressure-relief valve between the closure-sealing position and the pressure-relief position.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a closure for closing the filler neck, the closure including a housing formed to include an interior region for receiving fuel vapor in the filler neck and a vent aperture for discharging fuel vapor from the interior region, closure retainer apparatus appended to the housing and configured to engage the filler neck when the housing is installed in the filler neck to block removal of the closure from the filler neck, a seal member engaging the housing and lying in a position to engage the filler neck to establish a sealed connection between the housing and the filler neck when the housing is installed in the filler neck, and a movable tank pressure control assembly mounted for movement in the interior region of the housing between a filler neck-closing position blocking discharge of fuel vapor in the filler neck through the vent aperture and a filler neck-venting position allowing discharge of fuel vapor in the filler neck through the vent aperture, the movable tank pressure control assembly including a nozzle-receiving opening and a door mechanism normally closing the nozzle-receiving opening.
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33. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck and formed to include a sealing surface, and a pressure-relief valve positioned to lie in the housing, the pressure-relief valve including a nozzle-receiving portion and a sealing portion, the nozzle-receiving portion being formed to include a nozzle-receiving opening sized to receive a pump nozzle during refueling of the fuel tank the sealing portion being movable relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface and a pressure-relief position away from the sealing surface to define an opening therebetween to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, the nozzle-receiving portion moving axially with the sealing portion during movement of the sealing portion between the closure-sealing position and the pressure-relief position, and wherein the housing is formed to include a passageway extending therethrough and containing the pressure-relief valve therein, the housing and the pressure-relief valve cooperate to define an annular space around the pressure-relief valve and between the pressure-relief valve and the housing, and a coiled compression spring is positioned in the annular space, the pressure-relief valve includes an axially outwardly extending annular guide wall adjacent to the annular space and the guide wall defines a radially inner side of the annular space, the housing further includes a radially inwardly extending annular lip appended to the housing and the guide wall slidingly engages the lip of the housing to radially guide the pressure-relief valve during movement of the pressure-relief valve between the closure-sealing position and the pressure-relief position.
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34. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck and formed to include a sealing surface, a pressure-relief valve positioned to lie in the housing, the pressure-relief valve including a nozzle-receiving portion and a sealing portion, the nozzle-receiving portion being formed to include a nozzle-receiving opening sized to receive a pump nozzle during refueling of the fuel tank, the sealing portion being movable relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface and a pressure-relief position away from the sealing surface to define an opening therebetween to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, the nozzle-receiving portion moving axially with the sealing portion during movement of the sealing portion between the closure-sealing position and the pressure-relief position, the housing being formed to include a passageway extending therethrough and containing the pressure-relief valve therein, the pressure-relief valve including an axially outwardly extending annular guide wall, the housing and the pressure-relief valve cooperating to define an annular space around the annular guide wall of the pressure-relief valve and between the annular guide wall and the housing, the annular guide wall being adjacent to the annular space to dating a radially inner side of the annular space, a coiled compression spring positioned to lie in the annular space and surround the annular guide wall between the sealing portion of the pressure-relief valve and the annular lip of the housing, and an outer shell rotatably connected to the housing, the outer shall including a plurality of axially inwardly directed drive teeth, the housing further including a plurality of driven teeth and means for biasing the driven teeth axially outwardly, the driven teeth being configured to engage the drive teeth to provide a torque-limited connection between the outer shell and the housing when the outer shell is rotated in a closure-advancing direction.
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36. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck and formed to include a sealing surface, and a pressure-relief valve positioned to lie in the housing, the pressure-relief valve including a nozzle-receiving portion and a sealing portion, the nozzle-receiving portion being formed to include a nozzle-receiving opening sized to receive a pump nozzle during refueling of the fuel tank, the sealing portion being movable relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface and a pressure-relief position away from the sealing surface to define an opening therebetween to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, the nozzle-receiving portion moving axially with the sealing portion during movement of the sealing portion between the closure-sealing position and the pressure-relief position, wherein the housing is formed to include a radially inwardly extending lip appended to an axially outer portion of the housing, the filler neck closure further comprises a spring engaging the lip of the housing mad the pressure-relief valve to yieldably bias the pressure-relief valve toward the closure-sealing position, an outer shell adjacent to an axial outer end of the housing, and a radially outwardly extending flange appended to the housing and interconnecting the outer shell and the housing, the flange including a frangible section configured to fracture in response to an impact to the outer shell leaving the housing intact to seal the filler neck, the flange being appended to the housing axially adjacent to the lip.
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38. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck, the housing being formed to include an interior region having an outlet in fluid communication with the filler neck and a vent aperture for discharging fuel vapor extant in the interior region from the housing, an outer shell rotatably coupled to the housing, a pressure-relief valve movable relative to the housing between a closed position partitioning the interior region to define an inner chamber communicating with the outlet and an outer chamber communicating with the vent aperture and blocking the flow of fuel vapor from the inner chamber to the outer chamber and a pressure-relief position allowing the flow of fuel vapor from the inner chamber to the outer chamber to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the interior region of the housing and the vent aperture formed in the housing when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, and a spline interposed between the outer shell and the housing, the spline imparting rotational movement from the outer shell to the pressure-relief valve to rotate the pressure-relief valve relative to the housing in response to rotational movement of the outer shell relative to the housing, the spline blocking independent rotational movement of the outer shell relative to the pressure-relief valve.
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44. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck and formed to include an interior region and a sealing surface, a pressure-relief valve positioned to lie in the interior region of the housing, the pressure-relief valve being movable relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface and a pressure-relief position away from the sealing surface to define an opening therebetween to vent fuel vapor from the fuel tank when tank pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, and an outer shell mounted on the housing for rotation about an axis passing through the interior region formed in the housing, the outer shell including a side wall and a front wall cooperating with the side wall to define an enclosed space receiving an axially outer portion of the pressure-relief valve when the pressure-relief valve is in the pressure-relief position.
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56. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the filler neck closure assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck, a closure portion mounted in the housing and having an aperture for receiving a nozzle to introduce fuel into the filler neck, a plate, means for supporting the plate for movement relative to the closure portion between a closed position blocking the flow of air through the aperture means and an open position allowing the flow of air through the aperture means when the tank pressure is less than a predetermined minimum pressure, the supporting means being appended to the closure portion, a spring lying in the housing and yieldably biasing the plate against the closure portion, the spring having a spring constant such that the plate sealingly engages the closure portion when the tank pressure is above the predetermined minimum pressure and such that the plate disengages from the closure portion when tank pressure is below the predetermined minimum pressure to form an opening therebetween allowing the flow of air through the aperture means, through the opening, and into the fuel tank, the closure portion being formed to include a spline, and an outer shell rotatably connected to the housing and formed to include a spline-receiving space positioned to receive the spline so that the closure portion rotates relative to the housing with the outer shell as the outer shell rotates relative to the housing.
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57. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the filler neck closure assembly comprising
a housing configured to mount in the filler neck, a closure portion mounted in the housing and having aperture means for receiving a nozzle to introduce fuel into the filler neck, a plate, means for supporting the plate for movement relative to the closure portion between a closed position blocking the flow of air through the aperture means and an open position allowing the flow of air through the aperture means when the tank pressure is less than a predetermined minimum pressure, the supporting means being appended to the closure portion, a spring lying in the housing and yieldably biasing the plate against the closure portion, the spring having a spring constant such that the plate sealingly engages the closure portion when the tank pressure is above the predetermined minimum pressure and such that the plate disengages from the closure portion when tank pressure is below the predetermined minimum pressure to form an opening therebetween allowing the flow of air through the aperture Weans, through the opening, and into the fuel tank, the closure portion being mounted for movement relative to the housing between a closed position blocking the flow of fuel vapor between the housing and the closure portion and an open position allowing the flow of fuel vapor between the closure portion and the housing when the tank pressure is above a predetermined maximum pressure, and a compression spring yieldably biasing the closure portion toward the closed position, the compression spring having a first end engaging the closure portion, a second end engaging the housing, and the compression spring being positioned to lie axially outward of the spring yieldably biasing the plate against the closure portion.
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58. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck, the assembly comprising
a housing configured to be received by the filler neck, a sealing gasket positioned to lie between the housing and the filler neck, the sealing gasket being subject to damage due to overtightening of the closure assembly on the filler neck, an outer shell rotatably connected to the housing, the outer shell being formed to include a nozzle-receiving opening, and a torque-override mechanism for providing a torque-limited connection between the outer shell and the housing to protect the gasket from over tightening of the closure assembly on the filler neck resulting from the application of torque above a predetermined maximum torque on the outer shell, the torque-override mechanism including drive teeth appended to the outer shell.
Specification