Pipe joints or couplings – Materials – Nonmetallic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-30
2004-05-11
Bochna, David (Department: 3679)
Pipe joints or couplings
Materials
Nonmetallic
C285S141100, C137S043000, C137S202000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06733048
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority under 35U.S.C. 119 to Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 2000-336766, 2001-50087 and 2001-307115, filed Nov. 2, 2000, Feb. 26, 2001 and Oct. 3, 2001, respectively, entitled “Fuel Tank Connector”. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel tank connector, in particular a connector capable of effectively decreasing leakage of evaporative emissions from a fuel tank.
2. Discussion of Background
As shown in
FIGS. 23 and 24
, a fuel tank
100
usually has a pipe
101
, such as a fuel feeding pipe and a pipe for guiding gas generating from the fuel, connected thereto. The connection of the pipe
101
is made by use of a connector
110
fitted to the fuel tank
100
as shown in
FIGS. 23 and 24
.
The connector
110
, which is shown in
FIGS. 23 and 24
, includes a tubular portion
111
for connection with the pipe
101
, a flanged portion
112
projecting laterally from a peripheral portion of one end of the tubular portion
111
melt-bonded to the tank
100
so as to cover an opening
100
a
in the tank
100
, and a fuel cutoff valve
113
provided in the flanged portion
112
on a side opposite the tubular portion
111
. The tubular portion
111
and the flanged portion
112
are integrally molded from high-density polyethylene.
The fuel cutoff valve
113
in the shown connector
110
includes a float chamber forming box
113
b
formed in a cylindrical shape, having a valve seat unit
113
a
with a valve seat
113
a
′ at the opening of a bore in communication with a bore in the tubular portion
111
, having a bottom opened and made of polyacetal; a float
113
c
having an upper portion integrally formed with a valve
113
e
and housed in the box
113
b
so as to be slidable therein; and a lid
113
d
closing the opened bottom of the box
113
b
and cooperating with the box to form the float chamber with the float
113
c
incorporated therein. As the float
113
c
rises, the valve
113
e
makes close contact with the valve seat
113
a
′ to close the opening.
In the connector
110
, the box
113
b
of the fuel cutoff valve
113
is configured to be integrally fitted to the flanged portion
112
so as to have an upper side of the box
113
b
embedded in the flanged portion
112
by, e.g., plastic molding wherein the box is integrally united to the flanged portion with the box being inserted in a mold. A peripheral portion of the flanged portion
112
with the box
113
b
is melt-bonded to a surface of the tank
100
around the opening
100
a
of the tank
100
with the box
113
b
being inserted into the tank
100
through the opening
100
a
of the tank
100
.
In the connector
110
thus configured, the flanged portion
112
and the tubular portion
111
are made of high-density polyethylene. The evaporative emissions generating from the fuel in the tank
100
or another member have been predicted to leak out, though at a regulated value or less, through a portion of the flanged portion
112
provided between an edge of the opening
100
a
of the tank and the box
113
b
of the connector
110
melt-bonded to the tank
100
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-mold connector capable of effectively decreasing leakage of evaporative emissions from a fuel tank, which is predicted in the conventional connector.
In order to attain the object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel tank connector adapted to be fitted to an opening of a fuel tank to connect the fuel tank and a pipe in communicating fashion, comprising:
a gas barrier member made of a synthetic resin having a gas barrier property, the gas barrier member including a tubular portion and a flanged portion provided on a peripheral side of the tubular portion and having a greater side than an opening of the fuel tank;
wherein the gas barrier member is made of polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, a liquid crystal polymer, aliphatic polyketone, aromatic polyamide, a blended polymer of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and high-density polyethylene, a blended polymer of polyamide and polyethylene, a blended polymer of polyamide and high-density polyethylene, or polyethylene terephthalate;
the gas barrier member has at least a portion of a surface covered with an outer shell made of an olefin resin having an adhesive property, polyethylene or high-density polyethylene; and
the outer shell includes an annular projected portion, which covers a leading end of the flanged portion and projects toward an outer surface of the fuel tank.
The fuel tank connector thus constructed can effectively minimize that evaporative emissions deriving from the fuel in the fuel tank leak from the connector.
Additionally, the gas barrier member with the outer shell can be melt-bonded to the fuel tank at the outer shell in reliable and easy fashion.
With regard to a fuel tank with an outer surface layer made of high-density polyethylene, the connector can be fitted to the fuel tank through the annular projected portion of the outer shell with high bonding strength maintained, effectively minimizing the leakage of the evaporative emissions from the fuel tank by the gas barrier member.
In order to attain the object, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the flanged portion has a peripheral portion melt-bonded to a synthetic resin having a gas barrier property and forming a fuel tank to fit the connector to the fuel tank, in the first aspect.
The fuel tank connector thus constructed can further effectively minimize the leakage of the evaporative emissions from the fuel tank, in addition to the advantages stated earlier.
In order to attain the object, according to a third aspect of the present invention, at least a portion of the outer shell made of an olefin resin having an adhesive property, and at least a portion of a surface of the gas barrier member uncovered with the outer shell are covered with an additional outer shell made of high-density polyethylene, in the first or the second aspect.
In the fuel tank connector thus constructed, the outer shell, which is made of high-density polyethylene, can be fitted to the gas barrier member in easier and more reliable fashion, allowing the connector to be fitted to the fuel tank in more reliable and easier fashion, in addition to the advantages stated earlier.
In order to attain the object, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the gas barrier member has the leading end of the flanged portion provided with an annular projected portion, which projects toward the outer surface of the fuel tank, in the first, the second or the third aspect.
In the fuel tank connector thus constructed, design freedom in fitting of the connector to the fuel tank can increase in such a manner to effectively minimize the leakage of evaporative emissions from the fuel tank in addition to the advantages stated earlier.
In order to attain the object, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the gas barrier member has the leading end of the flanged portion provided with an annular projected portion, which projects toward the outer surface of the fuel tank, and the connector has the annular projected portion melt-bonded to the outer surface of the fuel tank, thereby being fitted thereto, in the first aspect.
With regard to a fuel tank with an outer layer made of high-density polyethylene, the fuel tank connector thus constructed can be fitted to the fuel tank through the annular projected portion of the outer shell and the annular projected portion of the gas barrier member with high bonding strength maintained, effectively minimizing the leakage of evaporative emissions from the fuel tank by the gas barrier member.
In order to attain the object, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, one of the annular projected portion of the outer shell and the
Kato Tsuyoshi
Kimisawa Toshihide
Kobayashi Yasutomo
Kurihara Kazumasa
Bochna David
Nifco Inc.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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