Fuel vapor control apparatus

• US 6,276,387 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pachciarz, Mahlon Richard, Beutler, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, A MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/535,925
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 137/587, 137/202, 137/43, 123/519, 123/516
• US Class Current: 137/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03519 Valve arrangements in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03509 with a droplet separator in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 24/046 the assembly of float and valve element being a single spherical element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0874 Vent opening or closing on tipping container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3099 Float responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86324 Tank with gas vent and inlet or outlet

Abstract

A fuel vapor control apparatus on a motor vehicle fuel tank including a vapor storage canister, a plurality of vent valves on the fuel tank, a plurality of vapor ducts between the vent valves and the vapor storage canister, a plurality of primary liquid traps, and a secondary liquid trap which cooperates with the primary liquid traps in preventing liquid fuel leaking through the vent valves from reaching and contaminating the vapor storage canister. The primary liquid traps are segments of respective ones of the vapor ducts defining standpipes above corresponding ones of the vent valves when the fuel tank is inclined. The primary liquid traps retain liquid fuel leaking through the vent valves and drain by gravity to the fuel tank when the incline of the fuel tank is reduced to zero. The secondary liquid trap is a secondary tank on the top of the fuel tank interposed between the vapor storage canister and the segments of the vapor ducts defining the standpipes. The secondary tank retains liquid fuel which overflows any one of the standpipes and also drains by gravity to the fuel tank when the incline of the fuel tank is reduced to zero.

Claims

1. A fuel vapor control apparatus for a motor vehicle fuel tank comprising:

a fuel vapor storage canister,

a plurality of vent valves each open when exposed to a mixture of air and fuel vapor and closed when submerged in liquid fuel,

a mounting means operable to mount each of the plurality of vent valves on the fuel tank such that when the fuel tank is inclined a first one of the vent valves constitutes an open tipped-up valve exposed to the mixture of air and fuel vapor in a vapor dome of the fuel tank above a pool of liquid fuel in the fuel tank and a second one of the vent valves constitutes a closed tipped-down valve submerged in liquid fuel,

a plurality of primary liquid trap means between the vapor storage canister and respective ones of the vent valves each operable when the fuel tank is inclined to aggregate any liquid fuel which leaks through a corresponding one of the plurality of vent valves and to drain to the fuel tank by gravity such aggregated liquid fuel when the fuel tank returns to zero incline, and

a secondary liquid trap means between each of the plurality of primary liquid trap means and the vapor storage canister operable to aggregate any liquid fuel which overflows any of the plurality of primary liquid trap means and to drain to the fuel tank by gravity such aggregated liquid fuel when the fuel tank returns to zero incline.

2. The fuel vapor storage apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of primary liquid trap means comprises:

a plurality of primary vapor ducts above the fuel tank each having a first end connected to a corresponding one of the vent valves and a second end in flow communication with the vapor storage canister and including a longitudinal segment and a lateral segment perpendicular to and in series flow relationship to the longitudinal segment,

the longitudinal segment of each of the plurality of primary vapor ducts constituting a standpipe above the one of the plurality of vent valves connected thereto when such vent valve is tipped down and submerged in liquid fuel due to the fuel tank being inclined fore and aft, and

the lateral segment of each of the plurality of primary vapor ducts constituting a standpipe above the one of the plurality of vent valves connected thereto when such vent valve is tipped down and submerged in liquid fuel due to the fuel tank being inclined laterally.

3. The fuel vapor storage apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the secondary liquid trap means comprises:

a secondary tank above the fuel tan connected to each of the plurality of primary vapor ducts at the second end thereof, and

a secondary vapor duct connected to the vapor storage canister and to the secondary tank through a top of the secondary tank.

4. The fuel vapor storage apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein:

the plurality of vent valves comprises a pair of vent valves located at a pair of diagonally opposite corners of a top of the fuel tank.

5. The fuel vapor storage apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein:

the plurality of vent valves comprises a plurality of four vent valves located at respective ones of a plurality of four corners of a top of the fuel tank.