Receptacles – Closures – With condition responsive vent or valve
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-12
2001-08-14
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
With condition responsive vent or valve
C220S203280, C220S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273286
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the field of ventilating enclosures. More particularly, this invention relates to a ventilating system for relieving underpressure and overpressure conditions in enclosures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Caps are used to seal containers for at least two reasons. First, for many applications it is desirable to keep unwanted materials or contaminants that are outside of the container from entering into the container, which thereby prevents the contents of the container from becoming contaminated. Second, it is important in some applications to prevent the contents of the container from escaping from the container, which thereby prevents contamination of the surrounding environment by the contents of the container.
Many container caps function as a plug or seal for the reasons discussed above. However, it is desirable in certain applications to allow various components to enter into the container, and conversely, to allow these same or other components to exit from the container. More specifically, a sealed container may develop a pressure imbalance with the surrounding environment, such as an underpressure or an overpressure condition within the container. Many caps are not vented and can not exhaust gases from or receive gases into the container to relieve the underpressure or overpressure condition in the container. This may create problems.
For example, an overpressured container with a ventless cap may burst. Thus, a ventless cap is not desirable for a gasoline tank, such as on a car, because the tank presents a safety hazard if it becomes pressurized and ruptures. On the other hand, a cap that vents continuously may allow an overabundance of volatile components to escape from the container into the surrounding environment. In this manner, either the valuable contents of the container are lost, or the surrounding environment is contaminated by the evaporating contents of the container. Thus, a continuously venting cap is not desirable for a gas tank, as the gas tends to evaporate and harm the surrounding atmosphere.
Thus, in some applications it is preferred to have a cap that vents only when necessary, and is sealed at other times. However, these caps tend to have other problems that prevent or discourage their use in some applications, such as on a gas tank, as mentioned above. For example, these types of caps are often constructed from more than one type of material or from materials that are not easily separated, adding complexity to the fabrication and manufacture of the caps. Additionally, the recycling process for such a cap tends to require extra steps to separate the different materials used to make the cap. These additional steps tend to make recycling the cap less attractive, due to the additional cost of material separation before recycling.
Thus, there is a need for a ventilating system composed of recyclable or readily separable components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other needs are met by a ventilating system that equalizes a first pressure within an enclosure, such as a fuel reservoir, and a second pressure outside of the enclosure. The ventilating system includes a body member having an exterior surface adapted to seal against the enclosure. The body member has an interior surface forming a conical section. The conical section has a width, a first major diameter and a first minor diameter. The first major diameter and the first minor diameter of the conical section of the body member are oriented in a first direction relative to one another.
An overpressure relief member vents fluids, such as gas or air, from within the enclosure when the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The overpressure relief member has an outside surface that forms a conical section having a width, a first major diameter and first minor diameter. The first major diameter and the first minor diameter of the overpressure relief member are also oriented in the first direction relative to one another. The outside surface of the overpressure relief member separates from the interior surface of the body member when the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The outside surface of the overpressure relief member is designed to seal more tightly against the interior surface of the body member when the first pressure is less than the second pressure. The overpressure relief member also has an interior surface that forms a conical section having a width, a second major diameter, and a second minor diameter. The second major diameter and the second minor diameter of the conical section of the overpressure relief member are oriented in a second direction relative to one another.
The ventilating system further includes an underpressure relief member for receiving fluids, such as a gas, into the enclosure when the first pressure is less than the second pressure. The underpressure relief member has an outside surface that forms a conical section having a width, a second major diameter, and second minor diameter. The second major diameter and the second minor diameter of the underpressure relief member are oriented in the second direction relative to one another. The outside surface of the underpressure relief member separates from the interior surface of the overpressure relief member when the first pressure is less than the second pressure. Moreover, the outside surface of the underpressure relief member is designed to seal more tightly against the interior surface of the overpressure relief member when the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.
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Evergreen Custom Molding, Inc.
Luedeka Neely & Graham P.C.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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