초록 ▼

A fuel vapor control valve for use in a vehicle fuel system is provided. The control valve has a rollover valve assembly with a valve member defining a point-bearing surface, a housing with an opening, and a chamber. The housing is mountable to a fuel tank. The valve member is movable within the cha

A fuel vapor control valve for use in a vehicle fuel system is provided. The control valve has a rollover valve assembly with a valve member defining a point-bearing surface, a housing with an opening, and a chamber. The housing is mountable to a fuel tank. The valve member is movable within the chamber and a sealing element is movably located on the point-bearing surface of the valve member. The sealing element may be metallic and is configured to releasably seal the opening when the valve member is urged in a direction towards the opening.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A control valve for regulating fuel vapor in a vehicle having a fuel tank and a recovery canister, the control valve comprising:a mounting portion having an inlet for communicating with an inside of the fuel tank and an outlet for communicating the fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the recovery ca

1. A control valve for regulating fuel vapor in a vehicle having a fuel tank and a recovery canister, the control valve comprising:a mounting portion having an inlet for communicating with an inside of the fuel tank and an outlet for communicating the fuel vapor from the fuel tank to the recovery canister; anda rollover assembly including a valve housing and a float, the valve housing configured for attachment to the mounting portion and having an opening therethrough in communication with the inlet of the mounting portion, the float movable within the valve housing and having a structure and a seal depending from the float in a direction of the mounting portion, the structure having a retention slot therethrough and disposed proximate the seal, the seal defining a skirt configured for movable retention in the retention slot and having an insert substantially free-floating on a pivot of the float, the seal contacting an area about the opening and the structure releasably sealing the opening when a level of fuel from the fuel tank contacts the float and urges the float in the direction of the mounting portion. 2. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the structure is disposed concentrically about the seal. 3. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the retention slot has a contact surface and the skirt has a complimentary contact surface, the complimentary contact surface configured to periodically contact the contact surface when the seal releasably seals the opening. 4. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the seal is a metallic material and the valve housing is a plastic material. 5. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the insert substantially form-fits within the seal and is a plastic material. 6. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the seal and the insert are unitarily constructed. 7. The control valve of claim 6, wherein the unitarily constructed seal and insert are a metallic material. 8. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the float is replaceable through an aperture of the valve housing and further comprising a retainer configured for releasable attachment to the valve housing to substantially close the aperture and retain the float in the valve housing. 9. A rollover valve assembly for use in a vehicle fuel system, the rollover valve assembly comprising:a housing configured to be mounted to a fuel tank, the housing having an opening therethrough, a sealing surface disposed about the opening, and a chamber;a valve member movable in the chamber and defining a point-bearing surface; anda sealing element having a substantially flat surface, the sealing element configured to be substantially harder than the sealing surface and movably located on the point-bearing surface, the flat surface configured to contact the sealing surface to releasably seal the opening when the valve member is urged in a direction towards the opening. 10. The rollover valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the sealing element has a receptacle with a receiving surface to receive the point-bearing surface. 11. The rollover valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the receiving surface is cone shaped. 12. The rollover valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the sealing element defines a skirt disposed apart from the flat surface, the flat surface configured to releasably seal the opening. 13. The rollover valve assembly of claim 12, wherein the flat surface is a metallic material and the receptacle is a plastic material, the metallic and plastic materials affixed to each other such that the skirt moves together with a movement of the receptacle on the point-bearing surface. 14. The rollover valve assembly of claim 12, further comprising a structure disposed about the sealing element, the structure having a slot therethrough for receipt of the skirt such that the skirt restrictively floats in the slot, the structure engageable about the opening and the slot and skirt cooperable to permit the valve member to move in the fuel and to permit the structure to dise ngage from about the opening before the sealing element disengages from the opening. 15. The rollover valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the flat surface and the receptacle are unitarily constructed of metal. 16. The rollover valve assembly of claim 15, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of a stainless steel, an aluminum, a non-corrosive alloy and combinations thereof. 17. The rollover valve assembly of claim 9, further comprising a spring element disposed in the valve member, the spring element configured to urge the valve member in the direction towards the opening by one of a rising fuel or gravity. 18. The rollover valve assembly of claim 9, further comprising a flange-mount guide for mounting on a fuel tank flange. 19. A fuel vapor control valve for a fuel system, the fuel system including a fuel tank and a connection portion attached to a fuel vapor recovery canister, the fuel vapor control valve comprising:a valve housing configured for attachment to the connection portion, the valve housing having a first opening therethrough, a second opening therethrough and a disc holder, the first opening in communication with the fuel tank, the second opening in communication with the fuel vapor recovery canister, the disc holder interposed between the connection portion and the second opening;a disc movably seated in the disc holder, the disc having a hole therethrough and configured to permit a first restricted passage of fuel vapor; anda valve member axially movable in the valve housing, the valve member having a sealing element and a conical point-bearing surface, the sealing element defining a cone-shaped receiving surface to receive the point-bearing surface, the sealing element point balanced on the point-bearing surface such that the receiving surface is movably disposed about the point-bearing surface, the sealing element engageable with the second opening for releasably closing the second opening when the valve member is urged in a direction towards the second opening by a rising fuel. 20. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19, wherein the sealing element defines a substantially flat surface for releasably closing the second opening, the flat surface having a skirt disposed radially and axially apart from the flat surface. 21. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 20, wherein the point-bearing surface depends from the valve member in a direction of the second opening and further comprising a closing element disposed about the point-bearing surface, the closing element engageable about the second opening and defining a slot therethrough for receipt of the skirt, the skirt axially and radially movable in the slot, the slot and skirt cooperable to permit the valve member to move independent of the sealing element when the sealing element engages the second opening, the closing element operable to disengage from about the engaged sealing element before the sealing element disengages from the second opening. 22. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19, wherein the disc is substantially coin-shaped. 23. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19, wherein the hole is a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes disposed radially apart from the second opening. 24. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19, wherein the disc holder defines at least one raised portion with a notch, the disc configured to seat substantially constantly on the at least one raised portion to permit the first restricted passage of fuel vapor through the notch, the disc operable to momentarily unseat from the at least one raised portion to permit a second restricted passage of fuel vapor. 25. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 24, wherein the mounting portion defines a disc stop disposed substantially opposite the at least one raised portion, the disc stop configured to stop an axial movement of the disc when the disc is operating to permit the second restricted passage of fuel vapor. 26. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19 , wherein the disc is diametrically smaller than the disc holder to permit a third substantially constant restricted passage of fuel vapor at a point between the disc and the disc holder. 27. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 19, further comprising attachment means for attaching the valve housing to the connection portion, the connection portion configured to matingly receive the attachment means. 28. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 27, wherein the attachment means includes an O-ring configured to be compressibly disposed between the attachment means and the connection portion, the O-ring operable to at least partially seal the valve housing together with the connection portion. 29. A fuel vapor control valve for a vehicle fuel tank comprising:a housing configured for attachment to the fuel tank and defining a vapor path therethrough in communication with means for receiving fuel vapor, the housing having a float chamber in communication with the vapor path;a vapor restriction device movably disposed proximate the vapor path to restrict a vapor bleed from the vapor path substantially constantly; anda float movable in the float chamber, the float having a collar and a seal, the collar configured to loosely hold the seal and further configured to approach the vapor path in a first fuel condition, the seal configured to close the vapor path in a second fuel condition, the collar operable to recede from proximate the vapor path in a third fuel condition, the seal configured to open the vapor path in a fourth fuel condition. 30. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 29, wherein the first fuel condition is selected from the group consisting of fuel contacting the float at a predetermined level during refueling, fuel contacting the float when the vehicle fuel tank is inclined beyond a preset inclination angle, and combinations thereof. 31. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 29, wherein the second fuel condition occurs subsequent to the first fuel condition. 32. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 29, wherein the third fuel condition is selected from the group consisting of fuel receding from the float below a predetermined level, fuel receding from the float when the vehicle fuel tank is substantially level, and combinations thereof. 33. The fuel vapor control valve of claim 29, wherein the fourth fuel condition occurs subsequent to the third fuel condition. 34. A rollover valve assembly for use in a vehicle fuel system, the rollover valve assembly comprising:a housing configured to be mounted to a fuel tank, the housing having an opening therethrough and a chamber;a valve member defining a needle disposed thereon, the valve member movable in the chamber; anda metallic sealing element movably located on the needle of the valve member and configured to releasably seal the opening when the valve member is urged in a direction towards the opening. 35. The rollover valve assembly of claim 34, wherein the housing defines a plastic surface disposed about the opening and the metallic sealing element defines a substantially flat surface configured to substantially uniformly contact the plastic surface and seal about the opening when the valve member is urged in the direction by a force, wherein the force is a rising fuel, a gravity, a spring constant, or combinations thereof. 36. The rollover valve assembly of claim 35, wherein the flat surface is polished such that the flat surface is substantially smooth and flat. 37. The rollover valve assembly of claim 34, wherein the metallic sealing element is a metal selected from the group consisting of a stainless steel, an aluminum, a non-corrosive alloy and combinations thereof. 38. The rollover valve assembly of claim 34, wherein the needle is a plastic material and further comprising an insert disposed in the metallic sealing element, the needle operable to seat against the insert. 39. The rollover valve assembly of claim 38, wherein the insert is a plastic material. 40. The rollo ver valve assembly of claim 38, wherein the insert is an elastomeric material.