Fuel overflow restrictor/water intake restraining devices
First Claim
1. A surge restrictor for preventing liquid fuel from discharging from a fuel vent line of a motorized vehicle, comprising:
- a housing defining an interior chamber;
a tubular inlet to said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with conduit in fluid communication with a headspace of a fuel tank;
a tubular outlet from said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with a conduit in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere;
a baffle member including a liquid flow diverting surface disposed within said chamber which causes liquid flowing from said inlet to said outlet to change direction, whereby momentum of the liquid is dissipated, said baffle member including a lower annular shaped baffle plate having a central opening through which fluid flows, and an upper generally circular shaped baffle plate, said baffle plates being integral portions of said baffle member and being maintained in spaced relationship by a slotted cylindrical wall; and
a movable closure member which in response to a surge of liquid into said inlet restricts the flow of liquid through said surge restrictor said movable closure member being movable between a first position wherein fluid flowing into said inlet of said surge restrictor impinges upon and freely flows past said movable closure member and through a passageway between said inlet and said outlet and a second position wherein said movable closure member blocks said passageway to abate fluid flow through said surge restrictor said passageway including an opening in said baffle member which is blocked by said movable closure member when said movable closure member is in said second position.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compact, lightweight, inexpensive surge restrictor for use in the fuel tank vent line of a marine craft includes a housing which defines a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a baffle member disposed within a flow path through the chamber so that liquid passing therethrough impinges upon and is redirected to dissipate liquid momentum, and a movable closure member, which in response to a surge of liquid into the inlet, abates liquid flow through the surge restrictor. More specifically, the movable closure member is movable between a normal rest position wherein vapor and air can easily flow through the surge restrictor to allow venting and atmospheric pressure equalization within a fuel tank, and a liquid fuel surge arresting position wherein the closure member blocks a passageway in the flow path between the inlet and outlet of the surge restrictor to abate fluid flow therethrough. Preferably, small openings allow continuous air/fuel vapor flow even when the movable closure is in its fuel arresting position. On form of the device also provides a combined surge restrictor and water ingestion restrictor. The surge restrictor of the invention provides a simple device for effectively preventing discharge of liquid fuel into the environment on account of fuel surges which can, for example, be caused by overfilling of the fuel tank or by rocking of the marine craft due to wave action.
143 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A surge restrictor for preventing liquid fuel from discharging from a fuel vent line of a motorized vehicle, comprising:
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a housing defining an interior chamber; a tubular inlet to said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with conduit in fluid communication with a headspace of a fuel tank; a tubular outlet from said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with a conduit in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere; a baffle member including a liquid flow diverting surface disposed within said chamber which causes liquid flowing from said inlet to said outlet to change direction, whereby momentum of the liquid is dissipated, said baffle member including a lower annular shaped baffle plate having a central opening through which fluid flows, and an upper generally circular shaped baffle plate, said baffle plates being integral portions of said baffle member and being maintained in spaced relationship by a slotted cylindrical wall; and a movable closure member which in response to a surge of liquid into said inlet restricts the flow of liquid through said surge restrictor said movable closure member being movable between a first position wherein fluid flowing into said inlet of said surge restrictor impinges upon and freely flows past said movable closure member and through a passageway between said inlet and said outlet and a second position wherein said movable closure member blocks said passageway to abate fluid flow through said surge restrictor said passageway including an opening in said baffle member which is blocked by said movable closure member when said movable closure member is in said second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A surge restrictor for use in a fuel tank vent line of a marine craft to prevent liquid fuel from being discharged into the environment through the fuel tank vent line, while allowing continuous venting and atmospheric pressure equalization of the fuel tank, comprising:
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a housing defining an interior chamber; a tubular inlet to said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with conduit in fluid communication with a headspace of a fuel tank; a tubular outlet from said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with conduit in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere; a baffle member including a liquid flow diverting surface disposed within said chamber which causes liquid flowing from said inlet to said outlet to change direction, whereby momentum of the liquid flowing is dissipated; a closure member which is not buoyant in the liquid fuel entering said inlet and which is movable between a first position wherein fluid flowing into the inlet of said surge restrictor impinges upon and flows around said closure member and through an opening in said baffle member, and a second position wherein said closure member blocks said opening to abate fluid flow through said surge restrictor; and an aperture allowing restricted fluid flow through said flow restrictor when said closure member is in said second position. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A fuel vent system for preventing liquid from discharging from the fuel vent line of a marine craft and for preventing water and other contaminants from entering a fuel tank of the marine craft through the fuel vent line, comprising:
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a surge restrictor for preventing liquid fuel from passing therethrough, said surge restrictor including a housing defining an interior chamber, a tubular inlet to said interior chamber, a tubular outlet from said interior chamber, a baffle member including a liquid flow diverting surface disposed within a flow path through said interior chamber such that fluid passing therethrough impinges upon said baffle member and is redirected to dissipate momentum of said fluid, and a movable closure member which in response to a surge of liquid in said inlet abates the flow of liquid through said surge restrictor; conduit means in fluid communication with a headspace of a fuel tank and with said inlet of said surge restrictor; and a water flow restraining device having an inlet in fluid communication with said outlet of said surge restrictor, and an outlet in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere; said movable closure member being a ball check which is movable between a first position wherein fluid flowing into said inlet of said surge restrictor impinges upon and flows around said check ball and through a passageway in a flow path between said inlet and said outlet of said surge restrictor, and a second position wherein said ball check blocks said passageway to abate fluid flow through said surge restrictor; said baffle member including a lower annular shaped baffle plate having a central opening through which fluid flows when said ball check is in said first position and an upper generally circular shaped baffle plate, wherein said baffle plates are integral portions of a top-hat shaped baffle member wherein the lower and upper baffles are maintained in space parallel concentric relationship by a slotted cylindrical wall. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A surge restrictor for preventing liquid fuel from discharging from a fuel vent line of a motorized vehicle, comprising:
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a housing defining an interior chamber; an inlet to said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with a conduit in fluid communication with the head space of a fuel tank; an outlet from said interior chamber which is adapted to be connected with a conduit in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere; a closure member which is movable between a first position wherein fluid flowing into said inlet of said surge restrictor impinges upon and freely flows past said closure member and through a passageway between said inlet and said outlet, and a second position wherein said closure member blocks said passageway to abate fluid flow through said surge restrictor; and a baffle member including a lower annular shaped baffle plate having an opening through which fluid flows when said closure is in said first position, and an upper generally circular shaped baffle plate, said baffle plates being integral portions of said baffle member and being maintained in spaced relationship by a slotted cylindrical wall. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification