Shut-off valve for a tank

• US 6,415,813 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Kraft, Burkhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US09/694,231
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 137/409, 137/412, 137/413, 137/415, 137/434, 137/442, 137/443, 137/444, 137/446, 137/436, 137/429, 137/430, 137/416, 137/420, 137/432, 141/198
• US Class Current: 137/409
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0772 Floats in the fuel tank float valves B60K2015/03289
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7358 By float controlled valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7439 Float arm operated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7446 With flow guide or restrictor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7465 Assembly mounted on and having reciprocating valve element coaxial with inlet pipe

Abstract

A shut-off valve for a tank, including a filling tube with a filling-side valve seat and a tank-side valve seat. The seats being spaced apart from one another in a throughflow direction of the filling tube. A valve body with a sealing element is movable between the valve seats so as to butt against one of the valve seats depending on position of the valve body in the tube. A component is provided for prestressing the valve body toward the filling-side valve seat so as to seal the filling tube in relation to the filling-side valve seat in a rest position of the valve body, the prestressing component being configured so that the prestressing of the valve body can be overcome by flow pressure of a medium which is to be introduced toward the tank-side valve seat. A filling-level-controlled stop device is operatively arranged for stopping movement of the valve body in the direction of the tank-side valve seat in a position in which the sealing element is kept at a distance from the valve seats so that the medium which is to be introduced can flow around the valve body. The stop action of the stop device is eliminated when a predetermined filling level in the tank is reached.

Claims

1. A shut-off valve for a tank, comprising:

a filling tube with a filling-side valve seat and a tank-side valve seat, said seats being spaced apart from one another in a throughflow direction of the filling tube;

a valve body with a sealing element movable between the valve seats so as to butt against one of the valve seats depending on position of the valve body in the tube;

means for prestressing the valve body toward the filling-side valve seat so as to seal the filling tube in relation to the filling-side valve seat in a rest position of the valve body, the prestressing means being configured so that the prestressing of the valve body can be overcome by flow pressure of a medium which is to be introduced toward the tank-side valve seat; and

a filling-level-controlled stop device operatively arranged so as to be movable between a first position for stopping movement of the valve body in the direction of the tank-side valve seat in a position in which the valve body abuts the stop device so that the sealing element is kept at a distance from the valve seats and so that the medium which is to be introduced can flow around the valve body, and a second position in which the stop action of the stop device is eliminated when a predetermined filling level in the tank is reached so that the valve body moves to a position in which the valve body contacts the tank side valve seat to shut off fuel flow to the tank, the filing tube including a first tube portion via which, during a filling operation, the medium is introduced, a second tube portion arranged downstream of said valve body and having an inner width corresponding substantially to that of the first tube portion, and a widened tube portion with a larger inner width than the first and second tube portions, arranged between the first tube portion and the second tube portion, the valve body being arranged in the widened tube portion.

2. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve seats are wall portions which are inclined in relation to the throughflow direction.

3. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the sealing element has an outer width that is smaller than an inner width of the widened tube portion but greater than the inner width of the throughflow opening of the filling tube.

4. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve body is a hollow piston.

5. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve body has an end side oriented toward the filling-side valve seat which is designed as a convexity that tapers toward the filling-side valve seat.

6. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve body is guided with sliding action on an inner-wall portion of the filling tube. action, by way of the sealing element, against the filling-side valve seat, the sealing being eliminatable by the flow pressure of the medium which is to be introduced.

7. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the prestressing means includes a spring arranged so as to support the valve body against the inner wall of the filling tube, the spring having a prestress so that the valve body is automatically pressed with sealing action, by way of the sealing element, against the filling-side valve seat, the sealing being eliminatable by the flow pressure of the medium which is to be introduced.

8. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, and further comprising an overflow line arranged so as to connect a region between the valve seats to a portion of at least one of the filling tube and the tank downstream of the tank-side valve seat when the sealing element butts against the tank-side valve seat and has a defined throttle location for slow pressure equalization.

9. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve body has a supporting element and the stop device has a displaceable stop protrusion for stopping movement of the valve body, the stop protrusion being arranged in a tube portion of the filling tube between the tank-side valve seat and the tank so that, during a filling operation, the supporting element of the valve body butts against the stop protrusion in a stopped position so as to prevent the valve body from contacting the tank-side valve seat, and further comprising a filling-level signaling device operatively connected to the stop device so that at a predetermined filling level in the tank the stop protrusion is moved out of the stopped position so as to release a further displacement path for the supporting element of the valve body thereby allowing the valve body to contact the tank-side valve seat.

10. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 9, wherein the stop device comprises a flap which is pivotable about a pin in a direction transverse to the throughflow direction, said flap having said displaceable stop protrusion and an opening, the opening being pivotable into a position of the stop protrusion upon displacement of the stop protrusion as a result of a predetermined filling level in the tank being reached so as to permit the supporting element of the valve body to pass through the opening.

11. A shut-off valve as defined in claim 10, wherein the flap is a plate-like element with a border portion which is bent about the transverse pin as the stop protrusion, against a supporting surface of which the supporting element of the valve body can be brought into lateral abutment, the opening on the plate-like element being arranged so as to adjoin the stop protrusion in order to pass into the position of the supporting surface when the plate-like element is pivoted about the transverse pin, the opening being larger than the supporting surface so as to allow the supporting element of the valve body to pass therethrough.

12. A shut-off valve for a tank, comprising:

a filling tube with a filling-side valve seat and a tank-side valve seat, said seats being spaced apart from one another in a throughflow direction of the filling tube;

a valve body with a sealing element movable between the valve seats so as to butt against one of the valve seats depending on position of the valve body in the tube;

means for prestressing the valve body toward the filling-side valve seat so as to seal the filling tube in relation to the filling-side valve seat in a first, rest position of the valve body, the prestressing means being configured so that the prestressing of the valve body can be overcome by flow pressure of a medium which is to be introduced toward the tank-side valve seat;

a filling-level-controlled stop device operatively connected to the valve body for stopping movement of the valve body in the direction of the tank-side valve seat in a position in which the valve body abuts the stop device so that the sealing element is kept at a distance from the valve seats and so that the medium which is to be introduced can flow around the valve body; and

a filling level signaling device operatively connected to the stop device so that the stop action of the stop device is eliminated when a predetermined filling level in the tank is reached thereby allowing the valve body to move into a second position in which the valve body contacts the tank-side valve seat, the filing tube including a first tube portion via which, during a filling operation, the medium is introduced a second tube portion arranged downstream of said valve body and having an inner width corresponding substantially to that of the first tube portion, and a widened tube portion, with a larger inner width than the first and second tube portions, arranged between the first tube portion and the second tube portion, the valve body being arranged in the widened tube portion, the widened tube portion being connected to the first tube portion and the second tube portion via tube wall portions, respectively, which are inclined in relation to the throughflow direction and form said valve seats, the valve body having an end side oriented toward the filling-side valve seat which is formed as a convexity that tapers toward the filling-side valve seat.