Marine vessel fuel overflow tank system
First Claim
1. A marine vessel fuel overflow tank system for use in the hull of a marine vessel that has a fuel system including a fuel vent line connecting a fuel tank to a vent that communicates with the atmosphere, said system comprising:
- a first vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line, wherein the internal cross sectional area of said first vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of said fuel vent line;
a second vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line, wherein the internal cross sectional area of said second vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of said fuel vent line; and
a fuel expansion tank comprising;
a plurality of walls defining an enclosed chamber;
a first restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said first vent line fitting, wherein said first restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line;
a second restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said second vent line fitting, wherein said second restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line; and
means for attaching said chamber to the hull with said first restrictive orifice being positioned above said second restrictive orifice and proximate to a top edge of said chamber, and said second restrictive orifice being positioned above said fuel tank and proximate to a bottom edge of said chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A marine vessel overflow tank system for use in the hull of a marine vessel that has a fuel system including a fuel vent line connecting a fuel tank to a vent that communicates with the atmosphere. The system comprises a first vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line. The internal cross sectional area of the first vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line. The system also comprises a second vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line. The internal cross sectional area of the second vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line. The system further comprises a fuel expansion tank. The fuel expansion tank comprises a plurality of walls defining an enclosed chamber and a first restrictive orifice located in one the walls. The first orifice is in direct communication with the first vent line fitting and has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line. The fuel expansion tank also comprises a second restrictive orifice located in one the walls defining the enclosed chamber. The second restrictive orifice is in direct communication with the second vent line fitting and has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line. The fuel expansion tank further comprises means for attaching the chamber to the hull with the first restrictive orifice being positioned above the second restrictive orifice and proximate to a top edge of the chamber, and the second restrictive orifice being positioned above the fuel tank and proximate to a bottom edge of the chamber.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A marine vessel fuel overflow tank system for use in the hull of a marine vessel that has a fuel system including a fuel vent line connecting a fuel tank to a vent that communicates with the atmosphere, said system comprising:
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a first vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line, wherein the internal cross sectional area of said first vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of said fuel vent line;
a second vent line fitting adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel vent line, wherein the internal cross sectional area of said second vent line fitting is approximately the same size as the internal cross sectional area of said fuel vent line; and
a fuel expansion tank comprising;
a plurality of walls defining an enclosed chamber;
a first restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said first vent line fitting, wherein said first restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line;
a second restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said second vent line fitting, wherein said second restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line; and
means for attaching said chamber to the hull with said first restrictive orifice being positioned above said second restrictive orifice and proximate to a top edge of said chamber, and said second restrictive orifice being positioned above said fuel tank and proximate to a bottom edge of said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In combination, a fuel system and a fuel expansion tank for use in the hull of a marine vessel, the fuel system comprising:
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a fuel tank;
a filler tube open to said fuel tank for delivering fuel to the fuel tank; and
a fuel vent line in fluid communication with the fuel tank and the atmosphere, the fuel vent line including a first vent line fitting and a second vent line fitting both adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel expansion tank; and
the fuel expansion tank comprising;
a plurality of walls defining an enclosed chamber;
a first restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct parallel communication with said first vent line fitting, wherein said first restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line;
a second restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct parallel communication with said second vent line fitting, wherein said second restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line; and
means for attaching said chamber to the hull with said first restrictive orifice being positioned above said second restrictive orifice and proximate to a top edge of said chamber, and said second restrictive orifice being positioned above said fuel tank and proximate to a bottom edge of said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of utilizing a fuel expansion tank in the hull of a marine vessel that has a fuel system including a fuel vent line connecting a fuel tank to a vent that communicates with the atmosphere, wherein the fuel vent line includes a first vent line fitting and a second vent line fitting both adapted for direct parallel communication with the fuel expansion tank, the method comprising:
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attaching the fuel expansion tank to the marine vessel, wherein the fuel expansion tank includes;
a plurality of walls defining an enclosed chamber;
a first restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said first vent line fitting, wherein said first restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line;
a second restrictive orifice located in one of said walls in direct communication with said second vent line fitting, wherein said second restrictive orifice has an internal cross sectional area less than the internal cross sectional area of the fuel vent line; and
means for attaching said chamber to the hull with said first restrictive orifice being positioned above said second restrictive orifice and proximate to a top edge of said chamber, and said second restrictive orifice being positioned above said fuel tank and proximate to a bottom edge of said chamber;
attaching said first vent line fitting to said first restrictive orifice;
attaching said second vent line fitting to said second restrictive orifice;
wherein, if the fuel vent line is filled to a level at or above said first restrictive orifice then receiving fuel into said fuel expansion tank via said first restrictive orifice;
wherein, if the fuel vent line is filled to a level at or above said second restrictive orifice then receiving the fuel into said fuel expansion tank via said second restrictive orifice;
wherein, if the fuel vent line is filled to a level at or above said second restrictive orifice and below said first restrictive orifice then venting vapor and air out of said first restrictive orifice;
wherein, if the fuel vent line is filled to a level below said second restrictive orifice then draining the fuel from said fuel expansion tank into the fuel vent line via said second restrictive orifice; and
wherein, if the fuel vent line is filled to capacity and more fuel is flowing into said fuel vent line at a rate higher than the maximum flow rate of said first restrictive orifice and said second restrictive orifice then venting the fuel from said fuel vent line into the vent.
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Specification