Vapor recovery system with improved ORVR compatibility and performance

• US 7,509,982 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vapor Systems Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vapor Systems Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Grantham, Rodger P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust; Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/672,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 141/46, 141/59, 141/98, 141/286, 141/287, 141/301, 141/302, 251/281, 251/282, 251/330, 251/331
• US Class Current: 141/59
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/048 Vapour flow control means, e.g. valves, pumps
• 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 25/0872 Details of the fuel vapour pipes or conduits

Abstract

A fueling and associated vapor recovery system maintains the same, or lower, vacuum level in the vapor hose during ORVR vehicle refueling as that seen during a non-ORVR refueling. A valve assembly is made as either a part of the end of the vapor recovery hose assembly, a separate unit that is placed between the hose assembly and the nozzle, or incorporated directly into the nozzle. The valve assembly is biased to one position by a spring to which is attached a sliding valve member. The force of the spring is sufficient to keep the valve member in the original position when refueling non-ORVR vehicles so that the vapor hose is unobstructed and an air bleed hole is closed. When refueling an ORVR vehicle, the elevated vacuum level moves the valve member to a second position which blocks off the vapor hose from the vacuum pump and opens up the vapor hose to the air bleed hole.

Claims

1. An ORVR compatibility assembly for use in a fueling system in which fuel from a storage tank is pumped through a hose to a nozzle for discharge into a fuel tank of a vehicle, the fueling system including a vapor recovery system to recover fuel vapors displaced from the fuel tank during fueling, the assembly comprising:

a primary vapor passage adapted to be in fluid communication with the vapor recovery system;

a valve assembly moveable between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve assembly being biased toward the first position;

a diaphragm mounted within a chamber;

a sealing member coupled to the diaphragm;

a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with a first side of the diaphragm and the primary vapor passage;

an air bleed passage communicating a second side of the diaphragm and the valve assembly;

the diaphragm being moveable between open and closed positions, the sealing member in the closed position closing the air bleed passage and in the open position opening the air bleed passage to ambient atmosphere, the diaphragm being biased toward the closed position; and

wherein when the pressure on the first side of the diaphragm is reduced to a predetermined level, the diaphragm with the sealing member moves from the closed position to the open position so that the valve assembly is moved from its first position to its second position to inhibit flow through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the diaphragm with the sealing member moves to the open position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second side of the diaphragm is vented to ambient atmosphere through at least one air bleed port.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein a check valve is mounted in the at least one air bleed port.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve assembly comprises:

a valve member having a valve passage aligned with the primary vapor passage and through which vapors flow when the valve assembly is in the first position; and

a valve body having a bore in which the valve member is seated for reciprocal movement to and between the first and second positions.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises an O-ring for closing the air bleed passage.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the secondary vapor passage is in fluid communication with a downstream end of the primary vapor passage.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the secondary vapor passage is in fluid communication with an upstream end of the primary vapor passage.

8. An ORVR compatibility assembly for use in a fueling system in which fuel from a storage tank is pumped through a hose to a nozzle for discharge into a fuel tank of a vehicle, the fueling system including a vapor recovery system to recover fuel vapors displaced from the fuel tank during fueling, the assembly comprising:

a primary vapor passage adapted to be in fluid communication with the vapor recovery system;

a valve assembly moveable between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve assembly being biased toward the first position;

an air bleed passage in fluid communication with the primary vapor passage;

a sealing member associated with the air bleed passage and moveable between open and closed positions, the sealing member in the closed position closing the air bleed passage;

a diaphragm mounted within a chamber, the sealing member being mounted on the diaphragm which is moveable between open and closed positions to move the sealing member between its open and closed positions, the diaphragm being biased toward the closed position;

a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with a first side of the diaphragm and the primary vapor passage;

the air bleed passage communicating a second side of the diaphragm and the valve assembly; and

wherein when the air pressure in the primary vapor passage is reduced to a predetermined level, the sealing member moves to the open position, the valve assembly moves from the first position to the second position and the primary vapor passage is vented through the air bleed passage.

9. An ORVR compatibility assembly for use in a fueling system in which fuel from a storage tank is pumped through a hose to a nozzle for discharge into a fuel tank of a vehicle, the fueling system including a vapor recovery system to process fuel vapors displaced from the fuel tank during fueling, the assembly comprising:

a primary vapor passage adapted to be in fluid communication with the vapor recovery system;

a valve assembly moveable between first and second positions, the first position permitting the uninterrupted flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage and the second position inhibiting the flow of vapors through the primary vapor passage, the valve assembly being biased toward the first position;

a diaphragm mounted within a chamber and coupled to the valve assembly;

a secondary vapor passage in fluid communication with the chamber and the primary vapor passage;

an air bleed passage in fluid communication at a first end with the primary vapor passage; and

a sealing member moveable between open and closed positions, the sealing member in the closed position sealing a second end of the air bleed passage, the sealing member in the open position opening the second end to ambient atmosphere when the valve assembly is in the second position, the sealing member being moved between the closed and open positions by the valve assembly moving between the first position and the second position;

wherein when the air pressure in the chamber is reduced to a predetermined level the diaphragm and the valve assembly coupled thereto move from the first position to the second position and thereby inhibit flow in the valve assembly through the primary vapor passage and vent the primary vapor passage through the air bleed passage when the sealing member is moved to the open position.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the sealing member is moved by physical contact with the valve assembly as the valve assembly moves from the first position to the second position.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the sealing member is spaced from the valve assembly so that there is a delay between closure of the primary vapor passage and opening of the air bleed passage.

12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the air bleed passage includes a check valve.

13. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the secondary vapor passage is in fluid communication with the chamber at an upstream end of the primary vapor passage.

14. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the secondary vapor passage is in fluid communication with the chamber at a downstream end of the primary vapor passage.