Receptacles – Sectional – Tank for fluids
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-02-20
Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3747)
Receptacles
Sectional
Tank for fluids
C220S562000, C220S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189716
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to fuel tanks for vehicles and, more particularly, to a seal assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide a fuel tank such as a metal fuel tank in a vehicle to hold fuel to be used by an engine of the vehicle. Typically, the fuel tank has a tank opening and a unit installed into the tank via the tank opening. An access cover is placed over the tank opening and is used to assemble and service the fuel pump and other related components. The access cover must be sealed to prevent fuel leakage and evaporative emissions. In most vehicles, the access cover is sealed with an elastomer or metal gasket, not a combination of both the elastomer and metal. An elastomer gasket is typically used to seal metal or plastic surfaces to address assembly tolerances, temperature fluctuations and pressure fluctuations encountered in normal use or extreme conditions such as a vehicle impact. The typical sealing method involves compression of the elastomeric gasket made of an elastomer such as nitrile or viton rubber. However, these materials may not be acceptable to meet zero evaporative emissions. A metal gasket has been used in production for tubing connections, for example inverted flare or compression fittings, and cylinder head gaskets.
It is desirable to provide a seal assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle that has zero evaporative emission. It is also desirable to provide a seal assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle that maintains sealing for assembly tolerances, temperature and pressure variation. It is further desirable to provide a seal assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle that can be taken apart and re-sealed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new seal assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a seal assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle that provides durable seal of an elastomer and zero permeation of a metal.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a seal assembly for a fuel tank having a tank opening therein including an access cover adapted to close the tank opening. The seal assembly also includes a first seal made of a compressible material adapted to be disposed between the access cover and a tank surface of the fuel tank. The seal assembly includes a second seal made of a non-permeating material adapted to be disposed between the access cover and the tank surface. The seal assembly further includes an attachment plate for attachment to the tank surface and adapted to be disposed about the tank opening. The seal assembly includes at least one of attachment fastener cooperating with the attachment plate to secure the access cover to the attachment plate and to seal the tank opening via the first seal and the second seal.
One advantage of the present invention is that a new seal assembly is provided for a fuel tank in a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the seal assembly provides the combination of an elastomeric seal and a metallic seal that is a durable seal with zero permeation that can be taken apart and re-sealed using new seals when necessary. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the seal assembly improves emission performance to meet new emission requirements. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the seal assembly has redundant sealing, which improves quality as assemblies will experience fewer leakage from assembly. A further advantage of the present invention is that the seal assembly improves first time quality, scrap reduction and assembly rework because of the redundant sealing. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the seal assembly is that new seals will be re placed t o maintain sealing after service removal. Still a further advantage of the present invention is that the sealing assembly uses an elastomeric seal to provide durable sealing for assembly tolerancing, temperature and pressure variation and a metallic seal to provide a barrier for permeation to allow zero or very low fuel evaporative emission.
other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3915337 (1975-10-01), Parsels
patent: 4465201 (1984-08-01), Chalfant, Jr.
patent: 4747601 (1988-05-01), Glachet
patent: 4858778 (1989-08-01), Patrick
patent: 4917246 (1990-04-01), Edelhoff
patent: 5071140 (1991-12-01), Rio
patent: 5560511 (1996-10-01), McNerney
patent: 5582799 (1996-12-01), Amorese et al.
Beutler Edward A.
Burke David Howard
Lawrukovich Michael Paul
Pachciarz Mahlon Richard
Castellano Stephen
Cichosz Vincent A.
Delphi Technologies Inc.
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