Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2001-10-09
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S469000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298540
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the installation of fuel pumps, fuel level senders and rollover/venting valves for motor vehicle fuel tanks.
In order to provide protection against fuel spilling from the vapor vent line in a fuel tank, in the event of a vehicle rollover, it has been mandated that motor vehicle fuel tanks be equipped with valves which close the vapor vent when the vehicle is tilted beyond a threshold amount from the normal upright position. Such rollover/vent valves typically employ a float which closes the valve when the liquid level of the fuel rises above a predetermined level in order to prevent liquid fuel from sloshing out of the vapor vent either during normal operation or in the event of rollover. Further, it is necessary to locate the valve in the highest portion or the location of the deepest fuel level in order to provide vapor venting at all levels of fuel up to the maximum fuel level.
Heretofore, such rollover/vent valves have been installed through an access opening provided in the fuel tank at the highest location thereon and sealed and secured over the opening.
This requirement for the placement of the rollover/vent valve has required plural access openings in the top of the fuel tank in order to properly locate the rollover/vent valve and also to provide an access opening for the installation of the fuel pump and level sender mechanism for providing remote readout of the fuel level to the vehicle operator. The plural access openings in the top of the fuel tank require a seal around each opening and thus the probability of a faulty seal and leakage has been increased. In addition the need for plural access openings has weakened the structural integrity of the top of the fuel tank and has increased the cost of fabricating the tank.
Furthermore, in many of the recent passenger and light truck vehicle designs, it has been necessary to provide a dished out or recessed area in the top of the fuel tank in order to properly locate and fit the fuel tank underneath the vehicle platform. This structural arrangement has made it extremely difficult to provide installation and connection of the vapor vent lines to the rollover/vent valve upon installation of the tank onto the vehicle during vehicle assembly. Such an arrangement has also complicated the routing of the vent and fuel feed lines and the electric supply leads to the fuel pump.
It has thus long been desired to find a way or means of simplifying the installation of the rollover/vent valve, fuel pump and fuel sender devices onto a fuel tank in a manner which reduces the number of access openings in the top of the tank and enables all the lines to be commonly routed to a single access opening. It has further been desirable to eliminate the plural access openings in the top of the fuel tank to reduce the number of areas requiring seals and thus the probability of leakage in the event of faulty sealing either during installation or in service.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a combination fuel pump, level sender and rollover/vent valve assembly capable of being installed as an integral unit through a single access opening in the top of a fuel tank. The assembly of the present invention includes a rollover valve having a resilient mounting strip attached thereto and the rollover valve is connected to the fuel pump/level sender module by a substantially rigid conduit. The rollover valve with the mounting strip and one end of the conduit for vapor venting attached thereto is inserted in the fuel tank; and, one end of the retaining strip is moved along the bottom of the tank until ratchet surfaces provided in the bottom of the tank are engaged. The conduit and rollover valve are pivoted to cause the opposite end of the retaining strip to engage corresponding ratchet surfaces in the top of the tank to secure the rollover valve in a predetermined location at the highest point in the tank. The fuel pump/level sender module is then attached to the conduit and sealed over the access opening. In an alternate arrangement, the conduit connecting the rollover/vent valve and the fuel pump module maybe configured to conform to the recessed or dished shape of the top of the fuel tank to enable locating the rollover/vent valve at the highest level in the tank. The present invention thus provides a convenient way of installing a rollover/vent valve in a region of the tank remote from the access opening to provide proper location of the vent valve at the top of the deepest section of the tank. The arrangement of the present invention reduces the number of openings requiring sealing in the top of the tank. and permits all of the electrical and fluid conduit connections to be made at a common location on the top of the tank, thereby facilitating installation of the tank on the motor vehicle.
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Benjey Robert P.
Mills Vaughn K.
Eaton Corporation
Hughes S. Thomas
Jimenez Marc
Johnston Roger A.
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