Housing for integrated pressure management apparatus

• US 6,453,942 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Canada Limited (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Canada Limited (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Perry, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US09/566,137
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 123/516, 123/518, 123/519, 123/520, 123/198.D, 137/493, 137/494, 137/495, 137/560, 137/587, 251/65, 251/129.15, 200/83.Q, 200/61.86
• US Class Current: 137/587
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0836 Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0854 Details of the absorption canister
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7771 Bi-directional flow valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7781 With separate connected fluid reactor surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86324 Tank with gas vent and inlet or outlet

Abstract

An integrated pressure management system manages pressure and detects leaks in a fuel system. The integrated pressure management system also performs a leak diagnostic for the headspace in a fuel tank, a canister that collects volatile fuel vapors from the headspace, a purge valve, and all associated hoses and connections.

Claims

1. A housing for an integrated pressure management apparatus, the housing comprising:

an integral homogenous primary body partially defining an interior chamber;

first and second ports communicating with the interior chamber;

a component opening facilitating installation of a pressure operable device into the interior chamber, the pressure operable device separating the interior chamber into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion communicating with the first port, the second portion communicating with the second port, the pressure operable device permitting fluid communication between the first and second ports in a first configuration and preventing fluid communication between the first and second ports in a second configuration, the component opening also facilitating installation of a solenoid into the interior chamber, the solenoid displacing the device from the first configuration to the second configuration, the solenoid including a stator extending transversely with respect to a displacement direction of the pressure operable device between the first and second configurations; and

a secondary body attachable to the primary body and occluding the component installation opening.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the primary body and the secondary body exclusively enclose the interior chamber having the first and second ports.

3. The housing according to claim 1, further comprising:

a seal member interposed between the primary body and the secondary body, the seal member preventing leakage with respect to the interior chamber.

4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the pressure operable device includes a diaphragm sealingly interposed between the primary body and the secondary body, the diaphragm separating a signal chamber in fluid communication with the first portion of the interior chamber from the second portion of the interior chamber.

5. The housing according to claim 4, further comprising:

a passageway providing the fluid communication between the first portion of the interior chamber and the signal chamber.

6. The integrated pressure management apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the passageway includes an opening generally confronting the first port.

7. The housing according to claim 1, wherein a volume occupied by the attached primary and secondary bodies is minimized.

8. The housing according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of electrical connections interconnected with a switch disposed in the interior chamber, the switch signaling displacement of the pressure operable device in response to negative pressure at a first pressure level in the first portion of the interior chamber.

9. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the primary body includes a first set of connection features and the secondary body includes a second set of connection features, the first and second set of connection features being interengaged to retain the secondary body with respect to the primary body.

10. The housing according to claim 9, wherein the first and second sets of connection features include unidirectional snap fixtures.

11. The housing according to claim 1, further comprising:

an aperture through which the first and second ports communicate in the first configuration, and the pressure operable device includes a poppet occluding the aperture in the second configuration.

12. A housing for an integrated pressure management apparatus, the housing comprising:

an integral homogenous primary body partially defining an interior chamber;

first and second ports communicating with the interior chamber;

a component opening facilitating installation of a pressure operable device into the interior chamber, the pressure operable device separating the interior chamber into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion communicating with the first port, the second portion communicating with the second port, the pressure operable device permitting fluid communication between the first and second ports in a first configuration and preventing fluid communication between the first and second ports in a second configuration, the component opening also facilitating installation of a solenoid into the interior chamber, the solenoid displacing the device from the first configuration to the second configuration;

a passageway providing fluid communication between the first portion of the interior chamber and a signal chamber, the signal chamber being separated from the second portion of the interior chamber by the pressure operable device, and the passageway being defined at least in part by a void between the housing and the solenoid; and

a secondary body attachable to the primary body and occluding the component installation opening.

13. The housing according to claim 12, wherein the primary body and the secondary body exclusively enclose the interior chamber having the first and second ports.

14. The housing according to claim 12, further comprising:

a seal member interposed between the primary body and the secondary body, the seal member preventing leakage with respect to the interior chamber.

15. The housing according to claim 12, wherein the pressure operable device includes a diaphragm sealingly interposed between the primary body and the secondary body, the diaphragm separating a signal chamber in fluid communication with the first portion of the interior chamber from the second portion of the interior chamber.

16. The housing according to claim 15, further comprising:

a passageway providing the fluid communication between the first portion of the interior chamber and the signal chamber.

17. The housing according to claim 16, wherein the passageway includes an opening generally confronting the first port.

18. The housing according to claim 12, wherein a volume occupied by the attached primary and secondary bodies is minimized.

19. The housing according to claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of electrical connections interconnected with a switch disposed in the interior chamber, the switch signaling displacement of the pressure operable device in response to negative pressure at a first pressure level in the first portion of the interior chamber.

20. The housing according to claim 12, wherein the primary body includes a first set of connection features and the secondary body includes a second set of connection features, the first and second set of connection features being interengaged to retain the secondary body with respect to the primary body.

21. The housing according to claim 20, wherein the first and second sets of connection features include unidirectional snap fixtures.

22. The housing according to claim 12, further comprising:

an aperture through which the first and second ports communicate in the first configuration, and the pressure operable device includes a poppet occluding the aperture in the second configuration.