Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Automatic control of flow cutoff or diversion – Level or overflow responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2001-07-10
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Automatic control of flow cutoff or diversion
Level or overflow responsive
C141S004000, C141S005000, C141S192000, C141S285000, C141S301000, C220S086200, C220S086300, C137S202000, C137S391000, C137S395000, C137S398000, C137S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257287
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle fuel fill pipe shutoff device operable to close off fuel flow through a fuel fill pipe when fuel level in a fuel tank reaches a predetermined level (design “full” level).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Motor vehicles today include a filler tube or pipe communicated to the fuel tank for filling the tank with fuel and means for controlling the level of fuel in the tank during refueling to a predetermined level (design “full” level). Commonly used fuel level control systems control venting of fuel vapor from the fuel tank during refueling using one or more vapor venting valves (e.g. a rollover valve and/or a vapor vent valve to a charcoal fuel vapor storage canister, etc.) to control a fuel “full” level. Closure of the fuel vapor venting path(s) from the fuel tank results in liquid fuel backing up in the fuel fill pipe to shut-off the fuel dispensing nozzle inserted into the fuel pipe.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle fuel fill pipe shut-off device operable to directly close off fuel flow through a fuel fill pipe when fuel level in the fuel tank reaches a predetermined level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fuel fill pipe shut-off device disposed in the path of fuel flow through a fuel fill pipe of a motor vehicle to a fuel tank to close off fuel flow to the fuel tank when fuel level therein reaches a predetermined level (e.g. a design “full” level).
In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle fuel fill pipe shut-off device includes a fuel shut-off valve normally closed relative to a valve seat and disposed in a path of fuel flow through the fuel fill pipe to the fuel tank. The fuel shut-off valve is connected to a diaphragm in a manner to in part define a chamber having an inlet communicated to the fuel fill pipe and an outlet communicated to the fuel tank vented to a fuel vapor storage canister during fueling in a manner that, during fueling, the valve is opened by the liquid fuel introduced through the fuel fill pipe as a result of fluid pressure in the chamber being less than fluid pressure in the fuel fill pipe. A closure is provided for interrupting communication between the outlet of the chamber and the fuel tank when the fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the predetermined level (e.g. design “full” level) so that fluid pressure in the chamber can build up to permit valve movement toward the valve seat and achieve closing thereof to prevent further filling the fuel tank with fuel. The closure may comprise a fuel float with a closure valve, a solenoid actuated closure valve, and other suitable closure valve to interrupt communication between the outlet of the chamber and the interior of the fuel tank when the fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the predetermined level (e.g. design “full” level).
In a particular illustrative embodiment of the invention, the chamber includes an inlet orifice disposed on the shut-off valve and communicated to the fill pipe and an outlet orifice disposed on a diaphragm housing and communicated to the fuel tank with the outlet orifice being larger in size than the inlet orifice such that chamber fluid pressure is lower than that in the fuel fill piping prior to the fuel reaching a predetermined fuel “full” level. A fuel float is provided relative to the diaphragm housing and responsive to fuel level in the fuel tank to close off the outlet orifice of the chamber when fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the predetermined “full” level. The chamber fluid pressure then can build up to permit movement of the fuel shut-off valve in a closure direction toward the valve seat by a valve biasing spring as assisted by the diaphragm to achieve valve closing to prevent further filling of the fuel tank with fuel. The design “full” fuel level in the fuel tank is thereby controlled pursuant to an embodiment of the invention.
The present invention may be better understood when considered in view of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken with the following drawings.
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patent: 4305422 (1981-12-01), Bannink
patent: 5529086 (1996-06-01), Kasugai et al.
patent: 5577526 (1996-11-01), Kasugai et al.
Kippe Bradley N.
Szlaga Emil
Maust Timothy L.
Saturn Electronics & Engineering, Inc.
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