Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Filling member
Reissue Patent
1999-02-24
2002-07-02
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Receptacles
Container attachment or adjunct
Filling member
C220S203020, C220S203100, C220S203240, C220S203280, C220S367100, C141S059000, C141S325000, C141S348000, C141S351000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037776
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a closure assembly for a tank filler neck, and particularly to a capless closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck that operates to close the filler neck automatically as soon as a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle is removed from the filler neck following refueling of the tank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a filler neck closure assembly that cooperates with a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle, which may be connected to a robotic refueling system, to provide an automatic opening and closing mechanism for the filler neck and that functions automatically to vent excess tank pressure and relieve unwanted tank vacuum after refueling is completed.
A removable fuel cap with a sealing gasket is typically used to close the open end of a fuel tank filler neck. After an attendant fills the fuel tank and withdraws the pump nozzle from the filler neck, the fuel cap is attached to the filler neck so that the sealing gasket forms a seal between the fuel cap and the filler neck. Thus, the fuel cap closes the open end of the filler neck to block discharge of liquid fuel and fuel vapor from the fuel tank through the filler neck. Additionally, some fuel caps are provided with pressure-relief and vacuum-relief valves to permit some controlled venting of fuel vapors in the filler neck while the fuel cap is mounted on the filler neck.
It has been observed that fuel caps are often lost or damaged over time and, as a result, the open end of the filler neck might not be closed and sealed in accordance with original equipment specifications during operations of the vehicle. Accordingly, a filler neck configured to “open” automatically as a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle is inserted into the filler neck during refueling and “close” automatically once the pump nozzle is withdrawn from the filler neck without requiring an attendant to reattach a fuel cap to the filler neck would be an improvement over many conventional capped filler neck systems.
.Although
Although
conventional fuel caps function to close filler necks in a satisfactory manner, it is thought that a capless filler neck could make vehicle refueling more convenient for consumers because no action other than inserting a pump nozzle into the outer end of the filler neck would be required to begin refueling a vehicle. Advantageously, such a capless filler neck system would be configured in accordance with the present invention to include a liquid fuel and fuel vapor control apparatus.
Filler necks with self-closing closure mechanisms are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,938,564 to Jones: 5,056,570 to Harris et al.: and 5,271,438 to Griffin et al. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,195,566 to Ott et al.: 4,986,439 to Ott et al.: 4,702,839 to Boehmer et al.: and 4,424,839 to Otani et al., and German document Nos. DE 42 18 287 A1 to Ott and DE 42 43 883 A1 to Soutter all disclose self-closing caps.
A robotic refueling system operates to detect a vehicle arriving at a vehicle-refueling station, locate a fuel tank filler neck in the vehicle, and move a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle automatically into and out of the filler neck at the proper times so that the fuel tank on board the vehicle can be filled with fuel without any manual movement or operation of the pump nozzle by an attendant. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,238,034 to Corfitsen: 3,642,036 to Ginsburgh, and 3,527, 268 to Ginsburgh: as well as German document No. DE 42 42 243 A1 to Hagele all disclose automatic fueling systems for vehicles provided with filler neck closures suited for use with such systems.
A capless filler neck closure that is configured to control air, vapor, and liquid flow into and out of a fuel tank filler neck and is compatible with robotic refueling systems, yet is configured to be assembled quickly and easily using a minimal number of parts would be an improvement over known filler neck closures. An inexpensive yet effective capless filler neck closure that is reliable, easy to manufacture, and easy to install is needed. This need is expected to grow once robotic refueling systems become widely available. A capless filler neck closure that is configured to open automatically in response to engagement with a moving pump nozzle regardless of whether the pump nozzle is moved manually by an attendant or robotically by a robotic refueling system, and to close automatically after refueling is completed, and that is configured to relieve unwanted excess pressure and vacuum conditions in the tank automatically any time that such conditions develop and the filler neck is closed, would be welcomed by many vehicle manufacturers, vehicle owners, and service station operators.
According to the present invention, a filler neck closure assembly is provided for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck. The filler neck closure assembly includes a housing configured to mount in the filler neck and formed to include a sealing surface. A pressure-relief valve is mounted for movement in the housing and formed to include a nozzle-receiving portion and a sealing portion. The nozzle-receiving portion is formed to include an inner nozzle-receiving opening that receives a pump nozzle during refueling of the fuel tank. The sealing portion normally engages the sealing surface formed in the housing.
The sealing portion of the pressure-relief valve is movable relative to the housing between a closure-sealing position and a pressure-relief position in response to changing pressure conditions in the filler neck so as to relieve excess fuel vapor pressure that develops from time to time in the filler neck. Normally, the filler neck pressure is below a predetermined maximum pressure and the sealing portion of the pressure-relief valve is retained in the closure-sealing position sealingly engaging the sealing surface to block discharge of liquid fuel and fuel vapor from the filler neck to the atmosphere past the pressure-relief valve. However, when filler neck pressure exceeds the predetermined maximum pressure, the sealing portion is moved by such high pressure away from the sealing surface in the housing to the pressure-relief position to define a venting opening between the housing and the pressure-relief valve. This allows pressurized fuel vapor to vent from the fuel tank to the atmosphere through the vent opening.
The pressure-relief valve is configured so that the nozzle-receiving portion formed therein moves along with the sealing portion formed therein when the sealing portion moves between the closure-sealing position and the nozzle-receiving position to vent pressurized fuel vapor from the filler neck to the atmosphere. Illustratively, the sealing portion is arranged to surround the nozzle-receiving portion.
In preferred embodiments, the filler neck closure assembly is installed in the filler neck of a vehicle fuel tank. The filler neck closure assembly is a “capless system” because it does not include a traditional fuel cap that is separate and removable from the filler neck. Significantly, the filler neck closure assembly is configured to allow an attendant or a robotic mechanism to insert a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle into the filler neck during refueling of the fuel tank without first removing a separate fuel cap from the mouth of the filler neck. In addition, after refueling is completed and the pump nozzle is withdrawn, the closure assembly automatically closes the filler neck so that it is unnecessary for an attendant or a robotic mechanism to install a separate fuel cap on the filler neck to close the mouth of the filler neck.
Vehicles having fuel tanks are often operated in environments in which fuel in the fuel tank experiences temperature fluctuations resulting in fuel vapor pressure fluctuations in the fuel tank. The pressure-relief valve is mounted in the housing to relieve unwanted fuel vapor pressure in the fuel tank in excess of a predetermined maximum pressure that can develop, for example, during operation of a vehicle in hot environments.
Illustratively, the pressure-relief
Douglas Steven O.
Stant Manufacturing Inc.
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