Latching canister vent valve

• US 9,732,705 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Balsdon, David William, Woods, Brian Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): AMICK, JACOB M
• Application Number:
  US14/487,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0845 Electromagnetic valves
• 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 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation

Abstract

A purge vapor system, which includes a fuel tank, a fuel tank isolation valve in fluid communication with the fuel tank, and a carbon canister in fluid communication with the fuel tank isolation valve. The purge vapor system also includes a canister vent valve in fluid communication with the carbon canister, an air filter in fluid communication with the canister vent valve, and a latching mechanism for changing the canister vent valve between an open position and a closed position, where the latching mechanism is part of the canister vent valve. The latching mechanism is energized as the latching mechanism changes the canister vent valve between the open position and the closed position, and the latching mechanism is de-energized as the canister vent valve is held in the open position or the closed position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a vapor purge system, including;

a carbon canister;

a canister vent valve in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

an inlet port being part of the canister vent valve;

a conduit, the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the carbon canister, and the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the inlet port of the canister vent valve;

a sensing unit mounted to the inlet port;

a pressure sensor being part of the sensing unit, the pressure sensor detecting pressure in the inlet port; and

a latching mechanism for changing the canister vent valve between an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism being part of the canister vent valve;

wherein the latching mechanism is energized as the canister vent valve is changed between the open position and the closed position, and the latching mechanism is de-energized when the canister vent valve is held in the open position or held in the closed position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the canister vent valve further comprising:

a valve connected to the latching mechanism; and

a valve seat;

wherein the valve in contact with the valve seat when the canister vent valve is in the closed position, and the valve is moved away from the valve seat when the canister vent valve is in the open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the canister vent valve further comprising:

an overmold assembly;

a reservoir connected to the overmold assembly, the inlet port being integrally formed with the reservoir;

an overmold assembly cavity formed as part of the overmold assembly; and

a reservoir cavity formed as part of the reservoir, the reservoir cavity in fluid communication with the overmold assembly cavity, and the reservoir cavity also in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

wherein the valve and the valve seat are located in the reservoir cavity, and when the valve is placed in the open position, air flows through the reservoir cavity and the overmold assembly cavity.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fuel tank; and

a fuel tank isolation valve in fluid communication with the fuel tank and the carbon canister;

wherein the fuel tank isolation valve controls the flow of purge vapor from the fuel tank to the carbon canister, and the amount of vacuum pressure in the fuel tank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air filter in fluid communication with the canister vent valve, wherein the canister vent valve controls the flow of air between the air filter and the carbon canister.

6. A purge vapor system, comprising:

a carbon canister;

a canister vent valve in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

an inlet port being part of the canister vent valve;

a conduit, the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the carbon canister, and the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the inlet port of the canister vent valve;

a sensing unit mounted to the inlet port;

a pressure sensor being part of the sensing unit, the pressure sensor detecting pressure in the inlet port;

a latching mechanism for changing the canister vent valve between an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism being part of the canister vent valve;

a valve connected to the latching mechanism, the valve being part of the canister vent valve; and

a valve seat being part of the canister vent valve, the valve selectively in contact with the valve seat;

wherein the latching mechanism is energized to change the valve between a closed position to an open position to control airflow from the carbon canister, and the latching mechanism holds the valve in the open position or the closed position when the latching mechanism is de-energized.

7. The purge vapor system of claim 6, further comprising:

a fuel tank; and

a fuel tank isolation valve in fluid communication with the fuel tank and the carbon canister;

wherein the fuel tank isolation valve controls the flow of purge vapor from the fuel tank to the carbon canister, and the amount of vacuum pressure in the fuel tank.

8. The purge vapor system of claim 6, the canister vent valve further comprising:

an overmold assembly;

a reservoir connected to the overmold assembly, the inlet port being integrally formed with the reservoir;

an overmold assembly cavity formed as part of the overmold assembly, the overmold assembly cavity in fluid communication with the atmosphere; and

a reservoir cavity formed as part of the reservoir, the reservoir cavity in fluid communication with the overmold assembly cavity, and the reservoir cavity also in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

wherein the valve and the valve seat are located in the reservoir cavity, and when the valve is placed in the open position, air flows through the overmold assembly cavity, through the reservoir cavity, and into the carbon canister.

9. The purge vapor system of claim 6, further comprising an air filter in fluid communication with the canister vent valve, wherein the canister vent valve controls the flow of air between the air filter and the carbon canister.

10. A purge vapor system, comprising:

a fuel tank;

a fuel tank isolation valve in fluid communication with the fuel tank;

a carbon canister in fluid communication with the fuel tank isolation valve, the fuel tank isolation valve controlling the flow of purge vapor from the fuel tank to the carbon canister, and the amount of vacuum pressure in the fuel tank;

a canister vent valve in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

an inlet port being part of the canister vent valve;

an air filter, the canister vent valve in fluid communication with the air filter; and

a conduit, the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the carbon canister, and the conduit being connected to and in fluid communication with the inlet port of the canister vent valve for providing fluid communication between the canister vent valve and the carbon canister;

a sensing unit mounted to the inlet port;

a pressure sensor being part of the sensing unit, the pressure sensor detecting pressure in the inlet port;

a latching mechanism for changing the canister vent valve between an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism being part of the canister vent valve;

wherein the latching mechanism is energized as the latching mechanism changes the canister vent valve between the open position and the closed position, and the latching mechanism is de-energized as the canister vent valve is held in the open position or the closed position.

11. The purge vapor system of claim 10, the canister vent valve further comprising:

an overmold assembly;

a reservoir connected to the overmold assembly, the inlet port being integrally formed with the reservoir;

an overmold assembly cavity formed as part of the overmold assembly in fluid communication with the air filter;

a reservoir cavity formed as part of the reservoir, the reservoir cavity in fluid communication with the overmold assembly cavity, and the reservoir cavity also in fluid communication with the carbon canister;

a valve connected to the latching mechanism, the valve located in the reservoir cavity; and

a valve seat located in the reservoir cavity, the valve in contact with the valve seat when the canister vent valve is in the closed position, and the valve moves away from the valve seat when the canister vent valve is in the open position;

wherein the latching mechanism is energized to move the valve away from the valve seat to change the valve between the closed position to the open position, and the latching mechanism is de-energized as the latching mechanism holds the valve in the open position or the closed position.

12. The purge vapor system of claim 10, wherein the canister vent valve is changed between the open and closed positions to control the flow of air into and out of the carbon canister.