Control valve and system for fuel vapor recovery
US5960817A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 3, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/3099
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle on board system for recovering fuel vapors from the fuel tank both during filling of the fuel tank with volatile hydrocarbon liquid fuel and operation of the vehicle engine. A control unit in the fuel tank has a valve assembly actuated by a float to control the flow of fuel vapors from the top of the tank into a receiving canister with activated charcoal for absorbing the fuel vapors which can be purged from the canister by operation of the engine. The valve assembly has a valve seat, a flexible elastomeric closure received on a pivotally mounted carrier plate movable to open and closed positions relative to the seat, and a stripper plate encompassing the seat, overlying the closure and pivotally movable by the float to disengage the closure from the seat to open the valve. Preferably, a pad on the stripper plate bears on only a portion of the flexible closure during initial opening of the valve to thereby decrease the force required to initially open the valve and increase the sensitivity and responseness of the valve assembly. Preferably, to substantially prevent any liquid fuel from passing through the valve assembly while it is open, a depending tube encircles the val…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.