Method and apparatus for generating and delivering gaseous fuel vapor to an internal combustion engine
US4249502A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 4, 1979 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T10/30
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hermetically sealed housing provides an enclosure for low and high pressure gaseous fuel vapor chambers and for a liquid fuel receiving reservoir which receives liquid fuel such as gas from the fuel tank of a vehicle. The reservoir has a vapor space above the liquid fuel therein, and a pair of vacuum operated pumps serve to pump vapor from the vapor space sequentially to the low and high pressure chambers. Check valves are provided to prevent backflow of gaseous vapor toward the vapor space, and the high pressure chamber is provided with an outlet connectable to the air induction passage of an internal combustion engine for delivering gaseous vapor thereto. The outlet from the high pressure chamber is connected to the air induction passage through a pressure regulator valve and throttle valves which are closed when the engine is shut down so that vapor is maintained in the second chamber at the high pressure thereof when the engine is stopped. The liquid fuel reservoir includes a unique dual needle valve arrangement to provide positive shutoff of liquid fuel flow into the reservoir and to minimize turbulance of liquid fuel flow into the reservoir.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.