Fuel storage tank coupling with vapor recovery
First Claim
1. A gasoline tank vapor recovery coupling comprising a male coupling half and a female coupling half;
- and, said female coupling half includes;
a body;
a cap concentric with said body forming a continuous annular passageway between said cap and said body permitting longitudinal communication of vapor;
said cap includes a radially extending aperture in communication with said continuous annular passageway; and
, said continuous annular passageway of said female coupling half communicates with said male coupling half.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coupling device for fueling automobile gasoline tanks is disclosed and claimed. The coupling has two parts: a cap assembly (female half) and a nozzle assembly (male half). Little or no spillage occurs due to opposing flush faces of the female main valve and the plug of the male. The cap assembly is affixed to an existing gasoline tank (fuel storage tank) or alternatively can be supplied as original equipment on a new automobile. Fuel vapor is extracted from the automobile fuel tank with high efficiency and returned to the pumping station for storage and/or reprocessing. Vapors and/or liquid fuel are extracted through the portion of the gasoline tank cap assembly which resides within the tank. Apertures in the cap assembly communicate with an annular passageway which removes the vapors to ports which mate with peripheral apertures in a concentric nozzle having an outer sheath and an inner fluid conduit. The gasoline tank cap assembly includes a vent valve for relieving pressure within the tank when necessary. A vent sleeve is also provided for supplying air to the gasoline tank when necessary. A method of recovering fuel vapor from a fuel storage tank is also disclosed and claimed.
47 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A gasoline tank vapor recovery coupling comprising a male coupling half and a female coupling half;
- and, said female coupling half includes;
a body;
a cap concentric with said body forming a continuous annular passageway between said cap and said body permitting longitudinal communication of vapor;
said cap includes a radially extending aperture in communication with said continuous annular passageway; and
, said continuous annular passageway of said female coupling half communicates with said male coupling half. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- and, said female coupling half includes;
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4. A cap assembly for a storage tank comprising a body;
- a cap concentric with said body forming an annulus between said cap and said body permitting longitudinal communication of vapor;
said cap includes an aperture in communication with said annulus;
said body includes a port in communication with said annulus; and
, a valve slidably disposed within said body opening and closing said port in said body. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
- a cap concentric with said body forming an annulus between said cap and said body permitting longitudinal communication of vapor;
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8. A nozzle assembly for a storage tank comprising a body;
- a fluid conduit;
an outer sheath concentric with and surrounding said fluid conduit forming an annulus;
said outer sheath secured to said body;
a plug partially residing in said annulus and secured thereto;
said plug includes a port;
a sliding sleeve for covering and uncovering said port;
a sleeve guide;
said sliding sleeve being affixed to said sleeve guide and, a spring operable between said body and said sliding sleeve.
- a fluid conduit;
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9. A coupling for a fuel storage tank comprising a cap assembly and a nozzle assembly;
- said cap assembly comprises;
a body;
said body includes a radially extending aperture in communication with said fuel tank;
a port; and
a passageway interconnecting said aperture and said port; and
, a valve for opening and closing said port; and
, said nozzle assembly comprises;
a fluid conduit and an outer sheath forming a passageway therebetween;
said outer sheath includes an aperture;
said aperture in said passageway of said nozzle communicating with said port, said passageway, and said aperture of said cap assembly enabling communication between said fuel tank and said passageway of said nozzle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- said cap assembly comprises;
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11. A coupling for a fuel storage tank comprising a male coupling half and a female coupling half, said male coupling half includes an inner fluid conduit, an outer sheath having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a body affixed to said outer wall of said outer sheath, said female half includes a body and a cap affixed to said body, said cap of said female half includes a circumferential groove therein and said body of said male coupling half includes a circumferential groove and a seal partially residing in said circumferential groove, and, said seal of said male coupling half engages said circumferential groove of said cap of said female coupling half when said male and female coupling halves are coupled together.
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12. A method of recovering fuel vapor from a fuel storage tank during refueling of said fuel storage tank comprising the steps of:
- inserting an adapter into and through a flapper valve of said fuel tank;
rotating the cap and body of the cap assembly with respect to said adapter securing said cap assembly to said fuel storage tank;
coupling a nozzle assembly and a cap assembly together;
locking said nozzle assembly and said coupling assembly together; and
, extracting vapors from said fuel storage tank into and through said cap assembly and said nozzle assembly.
- inserting an adapter into and through a flapper valve of said fuel tank;
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13. A method of recovering fuel vapor from a fuel storage tank utilizing male and female coupling halves, comprising the steps of:
- affixing a female coupling half to said fuel storage tank by threading said female coupling half to said fuel storage tank;
coupling said male and female halves of said coupling together; and
, extracting vapors from said fuel storage tank into and through annular passageways of said male and female halves of said coupling.
- affixing a female coupling half to said fuel storage tank by threading said female coupling half to said fuel storage tank;
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14. A method of recovering fuel vapor from an existing fuel storage tank having a nozzle receptacle and a gas cap covering and sealing said nozzle receptacle, utilizing a coupling comprising a cap assembly and a nozzle assembly wherein said cap assembly includes an adapter and a body, comprising the steps of:
- removing the existing gas cap from said nozzle receptacle;
inserting an adapter into and through a flapper valve of said fuel tank;
rotating said body with respect to said adapter;
attaching said cap assembly to said existing fuel storage tank;
coupling said nozzle assembly and said cap assembly together; and
, extracting fuel vapor from said fuel storage tank into and through said cap assembly and said nozzle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- removing the existing gas cap from said nozzle receptacle;
Specification