Fluid handling – Control by change of position or inertia of system – Vent opening or closing on tipping container
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-29
2001-09-18
Buiz, Michael Powell (Department: 3763)
Fluid handling
Control by change of position or inertia of system
Vent opening or closing on tipping container
C137S038000, C137S587000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289916
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a venting system for an automobile vehicle fuel tank.
The invention relates more particularly to a venting system for an automobile vehicle fuel tank, of the type in which a valve is provided with a weight in a chamber into which open an inlet orifice connected to the tank and an outlet orifice, the weight of the weight causes it to close the valve when the vehicle is stopped and in a substantially horizontal position, and vibration generated when the vehicle is started or is moving causes the weight to open the valve and vent the tank.
In prior art systems the weight generally takes the form of a spherical ball which rolls on a concave frustoconical surface which is wider at the top and is formed on a bottom horizontal wall of the valve chamber. The orifice which is closed by the ball is at the center of the frustoconical surface.
When the vehicle is stopped and in a substantially horizontal position the weight of the ball causes it to rest at the center of the frustoconical surface, with which it is in bearing engagement around a circle.
Accordingly, the sealing effect of closure by the ball is conditioned by the geometry of the ball and the geometry of the frustoconical surface. In the event of a geometrical defect, contact between the ball and the frustoconical surface does not extend all around the theoretical circle of contact.
An object of the invention is therefore to propose a new simple and economical venting system which can provide a seal between the fuel tank and the atmosphere.
To this end, the invention proposes a venting system for an automobile vehicle fuel tank, of the type in which a valve is provided with a weight in a chamber into which open an inlet orifice connected to the tank and an outlet orifice, the weight of the weight causes it to close the valve when the vehicle is stopped and in a substantially horizontal position, and vibration generated when the vehicle is started or is moving causes the weight to open the valve and vent the tank, characterized in that the weight bears on a concave top face of a cup whose bottom face includes closure means adapted to cooperate with a seat formed in a valve body to shut off one orifice of the valve when the cup is maintained in a closing position by the weight in a stable equilibrium position at the bottom of the top concave surface, and in that when the weight is shifted from its stable equilibrium position by vibration it tilts the cup to interrupt the cooperation of the closure means with the seat and thereby open the valve.
According to other features of the invention:
the cup is substantially conical with a vertical axis;
the bottom face of the cup has a plane annular bearing surface which, in the closing position of the cup, cooperates with an annular seat formed around an orifice in a bottom horizontal wall of the chamber;
the seat is raised relative to a top face of the bottom wall of the chamber;
the seat is formed by the intersection of a vertical inside cylindrical surface which delimits the orifice to be closed and a convex frustoconical surface which faces upward, is coaxial with the cylindrical surface and extends above the top face of the bottom wall of the chamber;
the cup includes a centering member which extends downward through the orifice to be closed and which cooperates with an edge of the orifice to center the cup at least when the cup is in the closing position;
the centering member is at the center of the annular bearing surface;
the chamber includes abutment means which limit the angle of tilting of the cup.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4756328 (1988-07-01), Sherwood
patent: 5518018 (1996-05-01), Roetker
patent: 5666989 (1997-09-01), Roetker
patent: 5687778 (1997-11-01), Harris
patent: 2 740 402 (1997-04-01), None
Buiz Michael Powell
Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques C.O.M.E.T
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
McShane Thomas L.
LandOfFree
Ventilating device for motor vehicle fuel tank does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ventilating device for motor vehicle fuel tank, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ventilating device for motor vehicle fuel tank will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2529538