Evaporative emissions control fuel cap
DCFirst Claim
1. An evaporative emissions control system comprisinga closure structured to mate with and close a fuel tank filler neck, the closure being formed to include a fuel vapor entry port, an atmospheric air entry port, and a fuel vapor-conducting passageway interconnecting the fuel vapor entry port and the atmospheric air entry port,a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit positioned to lie in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway to adsorb hydrocarbon material entrained in fuel vapor passing from the fuel tank filler neck into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port to produce a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air entry port, andwherein the fuel vapor-conducting passageway from the fuel vapor entry port extends along a first direction, a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and through a passageway portion substantially filled with adsorbent material and extending along a third direction different from the first and second directions wherein fuel vapor passes from the fuel tank into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port and produces a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air port.
7 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An evaporative emissions control fuel cap system comprises a closure adapted to mate with a fuel tank. The closure includes a passageway formed therein to conduct vapors from the fuel tank to the atmosphere. The closure includes a filter configured to capture hydrocarbons positioned in the passageway so that fuel vapor flowing from the fuel tank is scrubbed of hydrocarbons before being discharged to the atmosphere.
50 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure structured to mate with and close a fuel tank filler neck, the closure being formed to include a fuel vapor entry port, an atmospheric air entry port, and a fuel vapor-conducting passageway interconnecting the fuel vapor entry port and the atmospheric air entry port, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit positioned to lie in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway to adsorb hydrocarbon material entrained in fuel vapor passing from the fuel tank filler neck into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port to produce a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air entry port, and wherein the fuel vapor-conducting passageway from the fuel vapor entry port extends along a first direction, a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and through a passageway portion substantially filled with adsorbent material and extending along a third direction different from the first and second directions wherein fuel vapor passes from the fuel tank into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port and produces a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air port.
-
13. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure adapted to mate with and close a fuel tank filler neck, the closure being formed to include a fuel vapor entry port, an atmospheric air entry port, and a fuel vapor-conducting passageway interconnecting the fuel vapor entry port and the atmospheric air entry port, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit positioned to lie in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway to adsorb hydrocarbon material entrained in fuel vapor passing from the fuel tank filler neck into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port to produce a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air entry port, purge means for applying a purge vacuum to a region in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway interposed between the fuel vapor entry port and the filter unit to draw atmospheric air through the atmospheric air entry port into and through the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit to entrain hydrocarbon material adsorbed in the filter unit to produce a stream of fuel vapor containing such hydrocarbon material and moving through a vapor-discharge channel formed in the closure toward an engine intake manifold associated with the closure, an engine intake manifold and wherein the purge means includes a tether coupled at one end to the closure and at another end to the engine intake manifold to limit movement of the closure relative to the engine intake manifold upon separation of the closure from a fuel tank filler neck adapted to mate with the closure and the tether is a purge hose formed to include a fluid-conducting passageway interconnecting the vapor-discharge channel and the engine intake manifold in fluid communication to conduct the stream of fuel vapor to the engine intake manifold, a cover arranged to overlie the closure and adapted to be gripped and moved by a user to remove the closure from a fuel tank filler neck, the vapor-discharge channel being arranged to extend through an aperture formed in the cover to mate with the tether, and wherein the cover is mounted for movement relative to the closure and the tether and further comprising a torque-override system interposed between and coupled to each of the cover and the closure and configured to establish a torque-limited connection between the cover and the closure during installation of the closure on the fuel tank filler neck and a direct-drive connection between the cover and the closure during removal of the closure from the fuel tank filler neck and a fresh-air filter interposed in a space provided between the closure and the cover to cause atmospheric air drawn into the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit through the atmospheric air entry port during operation of the purge means to have passed first from the atmosphere into a vapor-discharge passageway formed between the closure and the cover to contain the torque-override system and through the torque-override system and the fresh-air filter.
-
14. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure adapted to mate with and close a fuel tank filler neck, the closure being formed to include a fuel vapor entry port, an atmospheric air entry port, and a fuel vapor-conducting passageway interconnecting the fuel vapor entry port and the atmospheric air entry port, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit positioned to lie in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway to adsorb hydrocarbon material entrained in fuel vapor passing from the fuel tank filler neck into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port to produce a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air entry port, purge means for applying a purge vacuum to a region in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway interposed between the fuel vapor entry port and the filter unit to draw atmospheric air through the atmospheric air entry port into and through the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit to entrain hydrocarbon material adsorbed in the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit to produce a stream of fuel vapor containing such hydrocarbon material and moving through a vapor-discharge channel formed in the closure toward an engine intake manifold associated with the closure, and further comprising a cover arranged to overlie the closure and adapted to be gripped and moved by a user to remove the closure from a fuel tank filler neck and a fresh-air filter interposed in a vapor-discharge passageway provided between the closure and the cover and opened to the atmosphere and configured to intercept and filter atmospheric air drawn into the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit through the atmospheric air entry port during operation of the purge means.
-
20. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure adapted to mate with and close a fuel tank filler neck, the closure being formed to include a fuel vapor entry port, an atmospheric air entry port, and a fuel vapor-conducting passageway interconnecting the fuel vapor entry port and the atmospheric air entry port, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit positioned to lie in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway to adsorb hydrocarbon material entrained in fuel vapor passing from the fuel tank filler neck into the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the fuel vapor entry port to produce a stream of filtered vapor exiting the fuel vapor-conducting passageway through the atmospheric air entry port, purge means for applying a purge vacuum to a region in the fuel vapor-conducting passageway interposed between the fuel vapor entry port and the filter unit to draw atmospheric air through the atmospheric air entry port into and through the filter unit to entrain hydrocarbon material adsorbed in the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit to produce a stream of fuel vapor containing such hydrocarbon material and moving through a vapor-discharge channel formed in the closure toward an engine intake manifold associated with the closure, and wherein the purge means further includes a valve seat associated with the vapor-discharge channel, a purge hose coupled to the vapor-discharge channel at one end and adapted to be coupled to an engine intake manifold at another end, and a vacuum-actuated regulator mounted for movement from a normally closed position engaging the valve seat to block flow of fuel vapor from the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit through the purge hose toward the engine intake manifold and to an opened position disengaging the valve seat to allow flow of fuel vapor laden with hydrocarbon material separated from the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter unit through the purge hose upon exposure of the vapor-discharge channel to a purge vacuum communicated by the purge hose.
-
22. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure structured to mate with and close an open mouth of a filler neck for a fuel tank, the closure including a fuel vapor entry port adapted for communication with fuel vapor within the fuel tank when the closure is mated with the filler neck and a vapor discharge channel in communication with the fuel vapor entry port and adapted to vent vapor through the closure, the fuel vapor entry port and the discharge channel together defining a vapor passageway through the closure, the fuel vapor-conducting passageway extending along a first direction, a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and through a passageway portion substantially filled with adsorbent material and extending along a third direction generally parallel to the first direction, and a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter in the vapor passageway so that fuel vapor passing along the third direction is filtered before exiting the vapor passageway.
-
31. An evaporative emissions control system comprising
a closure adapted to mate with and close an open mouth of a filler neck for a fuel tank, the closure including a fuel vapor entry port adapted for communication with fuel vapor within the fuel tank when the closure is mated with the filler neck, the closure comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, the lower housing comprising a container having a side wall, the upper housing comprising an outer sleeve arranged to extend into the container and formed to define a vapor chamber between the outer sleeve and the side wall, the upper housing further comprises an inner sleeve surrounded by the outer sleeve and formed to define the vapor discharge channel, the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are formed to define a hydrocarbon filter bed storage area therebetween, and the filter means is located in the hydrocarbon filter bed storage area, a vapor discharge channel in communication with the fuel vapor entry port and adapted to vent vapor through the closure, the fuel vapor entry port and the discharge channel together defining a vapor passageway through the closure, filter means in the vapor passageway for capturing hydrocarbons admitted into the vapor passageway through the fuel vapor entry port, a purge hose coupled to the vapor discharge channel and adapted to channel vapor from the closure to an intake manifold of an engine, and wherein the closure includes a check valve mounted in the vapor passageway, the check valve is movable between an opened position and a closed position, and the check valve is movable in response to a purge vacuum extant in the intake manifold to allow vapor to flow through the filter means and the purge hose for combustion in the engine.
-
33. A fuel cap system for use with a fuel tank, the system comprising a closure structured to mate with and close an open mouth of the fuel tank, the closure including a passageway adapted for passage of vapors from the fuel tank to the atmosphere, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter housed in the closure and configured to filter substantially all of the vapors passing from the fuel tank to the atmosphere via the passageway and to capture hydrocarbons passing through the passageway, and
wherein the passageway is shaped to cause the vapors to flow along a first direction into the closure, along a second direction different from the first direction to advance toward the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter and then along a third direction different from the first direction and second direction to advance the fuel vapor flow through the hydrocarbon fuel filter.
-
37. A fuel cap system for use with a fuel tank, the system comprising a closure adapted to mate with and close an open mouth of the fuel tank, the closure including a passageway adapted for passage of vapors from the fuel tank to the atmosphere, a hydrocarbon adsorbing filter housed in the closure and configured to capture hydrocarbons passing through the passageway, and a purge hose coupled to the closure and adapted to conduct hydrocarbons captured in the filter to an intake manifold coupled to an engine associated with the fuel tank, and
further comprising a check valve positioned in the passageway and mounted for movement between an opened position and a closed position blocking discharge of vapor until a purge vacuum generated in the intake manifold is applied by the purge hose to the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter.
-
38. An evaporative emissions control fuel cap system comprising a closure structured to mate with a fuel tank filler neck of a fuel tank, the closure comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing comprising a top plate, an inner sleeve, and an outer sleeve, the top plate being coupled to the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve at upper ends thereof, the outer sleeve being arranged to surround the inner sleeve to define a chamber therebetween, the lower housing comprising a side wall and a bottom wall coupled to a lower end of the side wall, the bottom wall and the side wall defining a container, the upper housing arranged to extend into the container, a passageway formed in the closure, the passageway being defined between a fuel vapor entry port adapted for communication with fuel vapor in the fuel tank when the closure is in a closed position and a vapor discharge port in communication with the fuel vapor entry port and adapted to conduct vapor from the closure to the atmosphere, and filter means for capturing hydrocarbons passing through the chamber
wherein the passageway is shaped to cause the vapors to flow along a first direction into the closure, along a second direction different from the first direction to advance toward the hydrocarbon adsorbing filter and then along a third direction different from the first direction and second direction to advance the fuel vapor flow through the hydrocarbon fuel filter.
-
43. An evaporative emissions control fuel cap system comprising a closure adapted to mate with a fuel tank filler neck of a fuel tank, the closure comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing comprising a top plate, an inner sleeve, and an outer sleeve, the top plate being coupled to the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve at upper ends thereof, the outer sleeve being arranged to surround the inner sleeve to define a chamber therebetween, the lower housing comprising a side wall and a bottom wall coupled to a lower end of the side wall, the bottom wall and the side wall defining a container, the upper housing arranged to extend into the container, a passageway formed in the closure, the passageway being defined between a fuel vapor entry port adapted for communication with fuel vapor in the fuel tank when the closure is in a closed position and a vapor discharge port in communication with the fuel vapor entry port and adapted to conduct vapor from the closure to the atmosphere,
hydrocarbon adsorbing filter means comprising a filtering material for capturing hydrocarbons passing through the chamber, a purge hose coupled to the vapor-discharge port and adapted to conduct vapor from the closure to an intake manifold of an engine, wherein hydrocarbons captured in the filtering material are drawn therefrom into the intake manifold under a purge vacuum extant in the intake manifold during engine operation, and further comprising a check valve mounted in the passageway, the check valve being movable between an opened position and a closed position, the check valve operable to the opened position by means of a purge vacuum applied by the intake manifold, and the check valve providing for discharge of vapor from the hydrocarbon filtering material to the intake manifold.
Specification