Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving... – Filling with exhausting the receiver
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-06
2001-07-17
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving...
Filling with exhausting the receiver
C141S052000, C141S086000, C141S094000, C220S086200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260587
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collection and disposal of fumes and liquids from the vicinity of a fuel tank filling neck of a motor vehicle which utilizes a volatile fuel. The vehicle is modified to include powered apparatus for collecting the fumes. The apparatus is interlocked with the cover of the filling neck compartment. The invention finds application in the field of motor vehicles generally which must periodically be filled with liquid fuel. Passenger and freight wheeled vehicles, aircraft, and boats exemplify possible applications for the invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Powered motor vehicles which utilize liquid fuels must periodically be refueled. Refueling entails certain hazards due to exposure to fumes of vaporized fuel. Most notably, gasoline fueled vehicles are subject to discharge of hazardous fumes. These fumes are known or suspected to promote cancer among humans, and certainly present fire hazards.
Small gasoline fueled motor vehicles such as passenger cars and light trucks are now required to have apparatus for collecting fuel fumes from fuel tanks. This apparatus typically includes conduits extending from sources of fumes, such as the open interior of the fuel tank, to a trap having, for example, charcoal collector elements. Typical motor vehicle systems of this type rely upon engine manifold vacuum to draw in fumes and conduct the fumes to the collector element or trap. Eventually, fumes collected in the trap will be introduced into the air stream serving the engine, where the fumes will be burned.
This system is considered satisfactory for general purposes, but is operative only when the engine is running, when there is a source of vacuum. Since hazard of ignition of fumes during refueling is great, operating an engine while refueling is not permitted. Therefore, due to lack of vacuum in combination with exposure of fuel being discharged into the filling neck of a fuel tank with the open atmosphere, there exists significant likelihood that gasoline vapors will concentrate at the filler neck and disperse into the air. This will at the least aggravate air pollution and may threaten to present fire hazards.
A fuel vapor recovery system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,022, issued to David R. Gimby on Sep. 14, 1993. This system employs a venturi established by flow of fuel when refueling. By contrast, the present invention utilizes an electrically powered fan to induce vacuum. Also, the plural vapor conduits and filler neck door interlock feature of the present invention are not present in the device of Gimby.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,807, issued to James W. Healy on Apr. 26, 1994, describes a vapor recovery device for a fuel dispensing system. The device of Healy lacks the filler neck door interlock feature and plural independent, redundant vapor conduits of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,730, issued to Douglas A. Keehn, Jr., et al. on Nov. 5, 1996, describes a fuel ventilation system for boats. This system lacks a powered suction fan and filler neck door interlock feature of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,287, issued to Yoshihiko Hyodo et al. on Oct. 6, 1998, describes apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel vapors in motor vehicles. This apparatus lacks a suction fan and filler neck door interlock feature of the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a powered fumes or vapor interceptor and collector which operates when the associated vehicle is being refueled. Whereas most fume control systems operate when the engine is running, that of the present invention operates with the engine not running, when refueling occurs. It has been hypothesized that significant pollution is unleashed when refueling gasoline fueled vehicles due to vapors which escape to the open atmosphere due to spontaneous evaporation. Of course, although the invention is presented in terms of gasoline fueled vehicles, it is equally applicable to vehicles utilizing any volatile liquid fuel and also gaseous fuels.
The present invention addresses this issue by providing a dedicated powered suction device to collect fumes, controlled by an interlock feature which senses when the fuel tank filling neck compartment door is open. The invention includes plural conduits which open to the filling neck compartment at diverse points, and collect both vapors and liquids which may accumulate. The number of conduits assures that if one or more conduits should become clogged, others will still enable the system to operate. Liquids may include gasoline ejected from the fuel tank due to internal pressure, and water from rain, washing, and other sources. Liquids are discharged by a flapper valve device. Vapors are directed to suitable disposal points, such as intake manifold, charcoal canister for trapping fumes, carburetor, or the throttle body for fuel injected vehicles.
Electrical power is derived from the electrical system of the vehicle. A fan is connected to power and generates vacuum which draws fumes away from the filler neck compartment to a suitable disposal point. While it is preferred to trap the fumes for destructive disposal in the combustion chambers of the engine, it is also possible to discharge the fumes away from the filler neck so they will not be as concentrated as they are at the filler neck. Disposal of fumes will result in reduced exposure to the person attending to fueling, as well as reducing likelihood of a catastrophic fire resulting from ignited fumes.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide a fume interception and disposal system for disposing of concentrated fuel fumes located at the filler neck of a motor vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fume interception and disposal system which operates when the engine of the associated vehicle is not running.
It is a further object of the invention to provide plural pick up points and transmission paths for entrapped fumes.
Still another object of the invention is to enable discharge of liquids from the filler neck compartment.
An additional object of the invention is to infer when fueling occurs by monitoring position of the filler neck compartment door.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4759458 (1988-07-01), Fischer
patent: 4874020 (1989-10-01), Bucci
patent: 4877146 (1989-10-01), Harris
patent: 5038838 (1991-08-01), Bergamini et al.
patent: 5054520 (1991-10-01), Sherwood et al.
patent: 5156178 (1992-10-01), Harris
patent: 5205330 (1993-04-01), Sekine
patent: 5244022 (1993-09-01), Gimby
patent: 5305807 (1994-04-01), Healy
patent: 5309957 (1994-05-01), Saisuu
patent: 5386811 (1995-02-01), Rochette
patent: 5462100 (1995-10-01), Covert et al.
patent: 5570730 (1996-11-01), Keehn, Jr. et al.
patent: 5816287 (1998-10-01), Hyodo et al.
patent: 5868175 (1999-02-01), Duff et al.
Maust Timothy L.
Siemens Patent Services, LL
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