Flow-through diaphragm for a fuel vapor pressure management apparatus

• US 6,953,027 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Veinotte, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Application Number:
  US10/794,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20040173262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 123/516, 123518-520, 123/198.D, 137/102, 137/493.1, 137/493.8, 137/493.9, 137/554, 137/844, 137/845, 137/852, 137/859, 731/181, 73/40, 73/492, 73/497, 277/391
• US Class Current: 123/520
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/048 Vapour flow control means, e.g. valves, pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/19 Equalising valves predominantly for tanks when combined with safety valve by change of position F16K17/36
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7771 Bi-directional flow valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/778 Axes of ports co-axial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7888 With valve member flexing about securement

Abstract

A fuel vapor pressure management apparatus for a fuel system performs leak detection on a headspace of the fuel system, performs excess negative pressure relief of the headspace, and performs excess positive pressure relief of the headspace. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus includes a diaphragm that is deformable between a nearly undeformed configuration that is associated with performing leak detection, a first deformed configuration that is associated with performing excess negative pressure relief, and a second deformed configuration that is associated with performing excess positive pressure relief. A first fluid flow through the diaphragm occurs when the diaphragm is in the first deformed configuration. A second fluid flow through the diaphragm occurs when the diaphragm is in the second deformed configuration, and the second fluid flow is opposite to the first fluid flow. And the diaphragm in the nearly undeformed configuration prevents fluid flow through the fuel vapor pressure management apparatus.

Claims

1. A fuel vapor pressure management apparatus comprising:

a housing defining an interior chamber, the housing including first and second ports communicating with the interior chamber; and

a pressure operable device including a diaphragm separating the interior chamber into a first portion in fluid communication with the first port and a second portion in fluid communication with the second port, the diaphragm including a central portion movable along an axis, a peripheral portion fixed with respect to the housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the central and peripheral portions, the intermediate portion having at least one aperture and sections engaging each other to prevent fluid flow through the at least one aperture, a first arrangement of the pressure operable device occurs when there is a first negative, pressure level at the first port relative to the second port and the diaphragm is in a nearly undeformed configuration, a second arrangement of the pressure operable device permits a first fluid flow through the at least one aperture from the second port to the first port when the diaphragm is in a first deformed configuration, and a third arrangement of the pressure operable device permits a second fluid flow through the at least one aperture from the first port to the second port when the diaphragm is in a second deformed configuration.

6. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure operable device comprises a resilient element biasing the diaphragm toward the nearly undeformed configuration.

7. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein resilient element comprises a compression spring disposed in the second portion of the interior chamber.

8. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the compression spring comprises a coil spring surrounding the axis, the coil spring includes a first end contiguously engaging the housing and a second end contiguously engaging the central portion of the diaphragm.

9. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the housing comprises an adjuster contiguously engaging the first end of the coil spring, the adjuster calibrating a biasing force of the resilient element.

10. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the adjuster comprises a threaded element and a seat, the threaded element cooperatively engaging the housing, and the seat relatively rotatably engaging the threaded element and relatively fixedly engaging the first end of the coil spring.

11. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressure operable device comprises operating components consisting essentially of the diaphragm and the resilient element.

12. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a stop limiting movement of the diaphragm due to the biasing of the resilient element, the diaphragm contiguously engaging the stop in the nearly undeformed configuration.

13. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the diaphragm contiguously engages the stop in the first deformed configuration.

14. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the diaphragm disengages the stop in the second deformed configuration.

15. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second arrangement of the pressure operable device occurs when there is a second negative pressure level at the first port relative to the second port, and the second negative pressure level is less than the first negative pressure level.

16. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third arrangement of the pressure operable device occurs when there is a positive pressure level at the first port relative to the second port.

17. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch signaling the first arrangement of the pressure operable device when the first negative pressure level exists at the first port relative to the second port.

18. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the switch is disposed within the first portion of the interior chamber.

19. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the pressure operable device comprises a resilient element biasing the diaphragm toward the nearly undeformed configuration, the resilient element preloading the switch when there is a non-positive pressure level at the first port relative to the second port, and the non-positive pressure level is greater than the first negative pressure level.

20. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central portion of the diaphragm is substantially rigid and the intermediate portion is relatively flexible with respect to the central portion.

2. A fuel vapor pressure management apparatus comprising:

a housing defining an interior chamber, the housing including first and second port communicating with the interior chamber; and

a pressure operable device including a diaphragm separating the interior chamber into a first portion in fluid communication with the first port and a second portion in fluid communication with the second port, the diaphragm including a central portion movable along an axis, a peripheral portion fixed with respect to the housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the central and peripheral portions, the intermediate portion including;

a convolute including a crest coupling first and second sidewalls,

a first root section coupling the first sidewall and the central portion of the diaphragm, and

a second root section coupling the second sidewall and the peripheral portion of the diaphragm,

a first arrangement of the pressure operable device occurs when there is a first negative pressure level at the first port relative to the second port and the diaphragm is in a nearly undeformed configuration, the second root section sealingly engaging the first root section in the nearly undeformed configuration of the diaphragm, a second arrangement of the pressure operable device permits a first fluid flow from the second port to the first port when the diaphragm is in a first deformed configuration, and a third arrangement of the pressure operable device permits a second fluid flow from the first port to the second port when the diaphragm is in a second deformed configuration, the second root section disengaging the first root section in the first and second deformed configurations of the diaphragm.

3. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate portion further comprises:

an opening penetrating at least one of the crest and the first and second sidewalls, the first and second fluid flows passing through the opening in the first and second deformed configurations of the diaphragm.

4. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the opening comprises a plurality of apertures.

5. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of apertures are uniformly distributed about the axis.

21. A fuel vapor pressure management apparatus for a fuel system supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel vapor pressure management apparatus performing leak detection on a headspace of the fuel system, performing excess negative pressure relief of the headspace, and performing excess positive pressure relief of the headspace, the fuel vapor pressure management apparatus comprising:

a diaphragm including a central portion movable along an axis, a peripheral portion fixed with respect to the housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the central and peripheral portions, the intermediate portion having at least one aperture and sections engaging each other to prevent fluid flow through the at least one aperture, the diaphragm being deformable between a nearly undeformed configuration associated with the performing leak detection, a first deformed configuration associated with the performing excess negative pressure relief, and a second deformed configuration associated with the performing excess positive pressure relief, wherein;

a first fluid flow through the at least one aperture of the diaphragm occurs when the diaphragm is in the first deformed configuration;

a second fluid flow through the at least one aperture of the diaphragm occurs when the diaphragm is in the second deformed configuration, the second fluid flow being opposite to the first fluid flow; and

fluid flow through the fuel vapor pressure management apparatus is prevented by the diaphragm in the nearly undeformed configuration.

22. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a switch being actuated by the diaphragm in the nearly undeformed configuration, the switch being actuated indicates satisfactory results of the performing leak detection.

23. The fuel vapor pressure management apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a resilient element biasing the central portion of the diaphragm toward the nearly undeformed configuration.

24. A diaphragm that is deformable between a nearly undeformed configuration, a first deformed configuration, and a second deformed configuration, the diaphragm comprising:

a central portion;

a peripheral portion; and

an intermediate portion coupling the central and peripheral portions, the intermediate portion including;

a convolute including a crest coupling first and second sidewalls;

a first root section coupling the first sidewall and the central portion of the diaphragm;

a second root section coupling the second sidewall and the peripheral portion of the diaphragm, the second root section sealingly engaging the first root section in the nearly undeformed configuration of the diaphragm, and the second root section disengaging the first root section in the first and second deformed configurations of the diaphragm; and

an opening penetrating at least one of the crest and the first and second sidewalls, a first fluid flow passing through the opening in the first deformed configuration, and a second fluid flow passing through the opening in the second deformed configuration.

25. The diaphragm according to claim 24, wherein the opening comprises a plurality of apertures.

26. The diaphragm according to claim 24, wherein the first fluid flow is opposite to the second fluid flow.

27. The diaphragm according to claim 24, wherein positioning of the central portion with respect to the peripheral portion is maintained in the first deformed configuration.

28. The diaphragm according to claim 24, wherein the central portion is displaced relative to the peripheral portion in the second deformed configuration.