Emissions control system for small internal combustion engines
First Claim
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a carburetor;
a fuel tank;
a fuel line fluidly communicating a volume of fuel within said fuel tank and said carburetor;
a vent line fluidly communicating an air space of said fuel tank and said carburetor; and
a control valve responsive to vacuum produced within said engine during running of said engine, said control valve including a valve member movable between a first position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through at least one of said fuel line and said vent line, and a second position in which said valve member allows fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through said fuel line and said vent line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An evaporative emissions control system for small internal combustion engines includes a control valve associated with a fuel line and with a vent line which each connect the fuel tank to the carburetor. When the engine is not running, the control valve automatically closes the vent line and the fuel line, thereby trapping fuel vapors within the fuel tank and vent line and preventing the supply of liquid fuel to the carburetor. Upon engine start up, actuation of a bail assembly or vacuum produced within the carburetor causes the control valve to open the vent line and the fuel line, venting fuel vapors from the fuel tank through the fuel line to the carburetor for consumption by the engine, and opening the supply of liquid fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. Also, the present evaporative emissions control system may be used in conjunction with one or more fuel tank sealing and venting assemblies, which prevent the escape of fuel vapors from the fuel tank into the atmosphere, yet which allow fluid exchange in a closed manner between the fuel tank and carburetor.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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a carburetor; a fuel tank; a fuel line fluidly communicating a volume of fuel within said fuel tank and said carburetor; a vent line fluidly communicating an air space of said fuel tank and said carburetor; and a control valve responsive to vacuum produced within said engine during running of said engine, said control valve including a valve member movable between a first position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through at least one of said fuel line and said vent line, and a second position in which said valve member allows fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through said fuel line and said vent line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A carburetor, comprising:
a carburetor body, comprising; a throat; a fuel bowl including a fuel inlet and a vent inlet separate from said fuel inlet; and a control valve including a valve member movable between a first position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication through at least one of said fuel inlet and said vent inlet and a second position in which said valve member allows fluid communication through said fuel inlet and said vent inlet. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating an internal combustion engine including a fuel tank and a carburetor, comprising the steps of:
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opening a control valve responsive to vacuum produced within the engine substantially contemporaneously with starting the engine to allow fluid communication between a volume of fuel and an air space within the fuel tank and the carburetor through a vent line and through a fuel line, respectively; and closing the control valve substantially contemporaneously with engine shut down to prevent communication between the fuel tank and the carburetor through at least one of the vent line and the fuel line. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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an intake system; a fuel tank including a filler neck with an inlet, a fuel outlet, and a vent passage formed at least partially within said filler neck, at least another portion of said vent passage is formed within a wall of said fuel tank, said fuel outlet and said vent passage each fluidly communicating said fuel tank with said intake system; a fuel tank cap removably attached to said filler neck and preventing passage of fluid from said fuel tank to the atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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an intake system; a fuel tank having an inlet and containing liquid fuel and fuel vapors therein; a vent assembly attached to said inlet, said vent assembly in fluid communication with said intake system and including a fuel-responsive valve normally disposed in a first position and allowing passage of fuel vapors from said fuel tank to said intake system, said valve responsive to contact with liquid fuel to move to a second position in which passage of liquid fuel from said fuel tank to said intake system is prevented; and a removable fuel tank cap sealingly attached to said vent assembly, whereby liquid fuel and fuel vapors from said fuel tank are prevented from passing from said fuel tank to the atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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a carburetor; a fuel tank containing liquid fuel and fuel vapors and supplying liquid fuel to said carburetor and fuel vapors to said engine; a control valve responsive to vacuum produced within said engine during running of said engine, said control valve including a valve member movable between a first position corresponding to engine shutdown in which said valve member blocks both the supply of liquid fuel from said fuel tank to said carburetor and the supply of fuel vapors from the fuel tank to said engine, and a second position corresponding to running of the engine in which said valve member allows both the supply of liquid fuel from said fuel tank to said carburetor and the supply of fuel vapors from said fuel tank to said engine. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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a carburetor; a fuel tank; separate fuel and vent lines fluidly communicating said fuel tank and said carburetor, said fuel line fluidly communicating a volume of fuel within said fuel tank with said carburetor and said vent line fluidly communication an air space within said fuel tank with said carburetor; and a housing containing a fuel valve member and a vent valve member each responsive to vacuum produced within said engine during running of said engine, said valve members movable between first positions corresponding to engine shutdown in which said valve members prevent fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through said fuel line and said vent line, and second positions corresponding to running of said engine in which said valve members allow fluid communication between said fuel tank and said carburetor through said fuel line and said vent line, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
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a fuel tank containing liquid fuel and fuel vapors; a carburetor, comprising; a carburetor body having an air intake passage; a fuel inlet in communication with the liquid fuel within said fuel tank, and a vent inlet, in fluid communication with the fuel vapors within said fuel tank; and a control valve responsive to vacuum produced within said engine during running of said engine, including a valve member movable between a first position corresponding to engine shutdown in which said valve member prevents fluid communication from said fuel tank to said carburetor through at least one of said fuel inlet and said vent inlet, and a second position corresponding to running of said engine in which said valve member allows fluid communication from said fuel tank to said carburetor through said fuel inlet and said vent inlet. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification