Fluid handling – Line condition change responsive valves – Bi-directional flow valves
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-20
2001-05-22
Hepperle, Stephen M. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Line condition change responsive valves
Bi-directional flow valves
C137S527600, C137S588000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234195
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid and vapor tight check valve for use with the fuel fill pipe of a fuel tank of a vehicle, such as an automobile.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Check valves have been proposed for use with the fuel filler pipe of automobiles and other vehicles to prevent liquid fuel from flowing back upwardly to the exterior fuel filler port of the vehicle as a result of an increase in fuel tank pressure. One such check valve is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,933 and involves a valve plate that is pivotally mounted on a separate hinge pin at the lower end of the filler pipe communicating with the fuel tank. The valve plate is biased by a separate torsion coil spring disposed on the hinge pin to a closed position relative to the fuel filler pipe. The valve is moved to an open position against bias of the coil spring by liquid fuel introduced into the filler pipe by the usual fuel filler nozzle at a fuel filling station.
Current governmental concerns regarding side impact vehicle collisions may result in adoption of vehicle regulations that require a fuel check valve in the fuel filler pipe in order to prevent liquid fuel escaping from the exterior fuel filler port of the vehicle via the filler pipe during side impact collision testing.
In general, a fuel filler pipe check valve must prevent fuel vapor from flowing out of the fuel tank filler pipe during driving of the vehicle, must prevent liquid fuel from flowing out of the filler pipe during fuel filling, vehicle driving, and vehicle rollover resulting from side impact collisions, and must be openable during filling of the fuel tank to an extent to permit rapid fueling of the tank.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel check valve for use with a fuel filler pipe of a vehicle that provides these functions, that is low in cost, and that is simple to manufacture in a mass production environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in an illustrative embodiment provides a fuel check valve for use with a fuel filler pipe of a vehicle wherein the check valve comprises a thin spring-type flapper valve component having an optional resilient seal fastened thereon in a manner to provide a one-piece check valve for assembly relative to a fuel filler pipe of a fuel tank of a vehicle. An optional resilient seal alternately may be disposed on the fuel fill pipe in a position to engage the flapper valve in another illustrative embodiment of the invention. Another illustrative embodiment of the invention envisions a flapper valve directly engaging the fuel fill pipe.
In a particular illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the check valve is formed from a thin sheet of material to have a mounting portion by which the check valve is mounted to a fuel filler pipe, or a fuel filler pipe-to-fuel tank connection and an integrally formed flapper valve that is connected to the mounting portion by an intermediate connecting spring portion in a manner that the flapper valve is normally biased to close off the fuel filling passage to the fuel tank. The flapper valve or fuel fill pipe has a resilient (e.g. elastomeric) seal fastened thereon for providing a liquid and fuel vapor tight seal between the flapper valve and fill pipe when the flapper valve is in the closed position. The flapper valve is movable to an open position against spring bias by liquid fuel introduced into the filler pipe by the usual fuel filler nozzle at a fuel filling station. The flapper valve may cooperate with a stop member disposed on a side of the flapper valve opposite from the resilient seal to define an open position of the flapper valve when fuel is supplied to the filler pipe for fuel tank filling.
The flapper valve can include a pressure relief valve thereon in a manner to vent excess fuel vapor pressure that may develop in the fuel tank to the fuel fill pipe. The fuel fill pipe can include multiple siphon ribs that extend along a length of the filler pipe proximate the flapper valve for directing a siphon tube past the flapper valve into the fuel tank as needed to siphon fuel therefrom.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2864394 (1958-12-01), Hempel
patent: 3382889 (1968-05-01), Heinz et al.
patent: 3809119 (1974-05-01), Cave
patent: 3971406 (1976-07-01), Inada et al.
patent: 4153073 (1979-05-01), Deters
patent: 4304265 (1981-12-01), Sell
patent: 4433702 (1984-02-01), Baker
patent: 5327933 (1994-07-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 5462100 (1995-10-01), Covert et al.
patent: 5590697 (1997-01-01), Benjey et al.
patent: 5630445 (1997-05-01), Horiuchi et al.
patent: 5775357 (1998-07-01), Regna et al.
patent: 597 544 (1976-03-01), None
patent: 2625 057 (1975-07-01), None
Kippe Bradley N.
Thater Barry L.
Hepperle Stephen M.
Saturn Electronics & Engineering, Inc.
LandOfFree
Check valve for fuel tank fill pipe does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Check valve for fuel tank fill pipe, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Check valve for fuel tank fill pipe will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2531546