IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0462185
(2003-06-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Brock, Michael S.
- Groom, J Bradley
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
29 |
초록
▼
A fuel tank vent apparatus comprises a housing. The housing comprises inner and outer sleeves providing a fuel vapor transfer passageway therebetween so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor is shed therefrom as fuel vapor flows from a fuel vapor transfer port formed in the outer sleeve through t
A fuel tank vent apparatus comprises a housing. The housing comprises inner and outer sleeves providing a fuel vapor transfer passageway therebetween so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor is shed therefrom as fuel vapor flows from a fuel vapor transfer port formed in the outer sleeve through the fuel vapor transfer passageway to a fuel vapor inlet port formed in the inner sleeve to produce a flow of demoisturized fuel vapor for discharge from the housing.
대표청구항
▼
1. A fuel tank vent apparatus comprisinga housing including an inner sleeve, a plate, and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being formed to include a valve chamber and a fuel vapor inlet port arranged to admit fuel vapor into the valve chamber, the plate being formed to include a fuel vapor outlet p
1. A fuel tank vent apparatus comprisinga housing including an inner sleeve, a plate, and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being formed to include a valve chamber and a fuel vapor inlet port arranged to admit fuel vapor into the valve chamber, the plate being formed to include a fuel vapor outlet port arranged to discharge fuel vapor from the valve chamber, the outer sleeve being mounted to surround the inner sleeve and being formed to include a fuel vapor transfer port positioned farther below the plate than the fuel vapor inlet port and spaced circumferentially about a central axis of the housing from the fuel vapor inlet port, a valve mounted for movement in the valve chamber between an opened position allowing flow of fuel vapor from the valve chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port and a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor from the valve chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port, and means for demoisturizing fuel vapor admitted into the valve chamber through the fuel vapor inlet port by providing a fuel vapor transfer passageway that is between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve and is in communication with the fuel vapor transfer port and the fuel vapor inlet port so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor is shed therefrom as fuel vapor flows laterally through the fuel vapor transfer port into the fuel vapor transfer passageway, upwardly toward the plate and circumferentially about the central axis away from the fuel vapor transfer port through the fuel vapor transfer passageway, and laterally through the fuel vapor inlet port into the valve chamber to produce a flow of demoisturized fuel vapor flowing from the fuel vapor transfer passageway into the valve chamber for discharge through the fuel vapor outlet port. 2. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve includes a lower portion formed to include the fuel vapor transfer port, an upper portion coupled to the plate and having a smaller inner diameter than the lower portion, and a transition portion tapering radially inwardly from the lower portion to the upper portion.3. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inner sleeve is cylinder-shaped and the inner and outer sleeves cooperate so that the fuel vapor transfer passageway is annular.4. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises reservoir means for providing a liquid fuel accumulation chamber to receive liquid fuel droplets present in the fuel vapor transfer passageway.5. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate extending between lower portions of the inner and outer sleeves and the bottom plate and the lower portions of the inner and outer sleeves cooperate to define the reservoir means.6. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 5, wherein a notch formed in the lower portion of the inner sleeve defines a drain port arranged to drain liquid fuel from the liquid fuel accumulation chamber.7. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve includes upper and lower ends and a side wall extending therebetween, the upper end is coupled to the plate, and the fuel vapor inlet port is a perforation formed in the side wall.8. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve includes upper and lower ends and a side wall extending therebetween, the upper end is coupled to the plate, and the fuel vapor transfer port is a perforation formed in the side wall.9. A fuel tank vent apparatus comprisinga housing including an inner sleeve, a plate, and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being formed to include a valve chamber and a fuel vapor inlet port arranged to admit fuel vapor into the valve chamber, the plate being formed to include a fuel vapor outlet port arranged to discharge fuel vapor from the valve chamber, the outer sleeve being mounted to surround the inner sleeve and being formed to include a fuel vapor transfer port positioned farther below the plate than the fuel vapor inlet port and spaced circumferentially about a central axis of the housing from the fuel vapor inlet port, and a valve mounted for movement in the valve chamber between an opened position allowing flow of fuel vapor from the valve chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port and a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor from the valve chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port, wherein the inner and outer sleeves provide a fuel vapor transfer passageway that is between the inner and outer sleeves and in communication with the fuel vapor transfer port and the fuel vapor inlet port so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor is shed therefrom as fuel vapor flows laterally through the fuel vapor transfer port into the fuel vapor transfer passageway, upwardly toward the plate and circumferentially about the central axis away from the fuel vapor transfer port through the fuel vapor transfer passageway, and laterally the fuel vapor inlet port into the valve chamber to produce a flow of demoisturized fuel vapor flowing from the fuel vapor transfer passageway into the valve chamber for discharge through the fuel vapor outlet port. 10. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fuel vapor transfer port and the fuel vapor inlet port are spaced circumferentially about 90° apart from one another.11. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 9, wherein the outer sleeve is formed to include another fuel vapor transfer port, the fuel vapor transfer ports are spaced circumferentially about 180° apart from one another, the inner sleeve at least partially defines another fuel vapor inlet port, the fuel vapor inlet ports are spaced circumferentially about 180° apart from one another, and the fuel vapor transfer ports are spaced circumferentially about 90° apart from the fuel vapor inlet ports.12. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate extending between lower portions of the inner and outer sleeves and the bottom plate and the lower portions of the inner and outer sleeves cooperate to define an annular liquid fuel accumulation chamber arranged to receive liquid fuel shed from fuel vapor flowing through the fuel vapor transfer passageway.13. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 12, wherein a notch formed in the lower portion of the inner sleeve defines a drain port arranged to drain liquid fuel from the liquid fuel accumulation chamber.14. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 13, wherein the drain port and the fuel vapor inlet port are aligned vertically with one another.15. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the inner and outer sleeves includes upper and lower ends and a side wall extending therebetween, each upper end is coupled to the plate, the fuel vapor inlet port is a perforation formed in the side wall of the inner sleeve, and the fuel vapor transfer port is a perforation formed in the side wall of the outer sleeve.16. A fuel tank vent apparatus comprisinga housing including a cylinder-shaped inner sleeve, a plate, and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve including upper and lower ends and a side wall extending therebetween, the side wall of the inner sleeve being formed to include a chamber and a fuel vapor inlet port arranged to admit fuel vapor into the chamber, the plate being formed to include a fuel vapor outlet port arranged to discharge fuel vapor from the chamber, the outer sleeve including upper and lower ends and a side wall extending therebetween and around the wall of the inner sleeve and including a lower portion, an upper portion positioned closer to the plate than the lower portion and having a smaller inner diameter than the upper portion, and a transition portion tapering radially inwardly from the lower portion to the upper portion, the lower portion being formed to include a fuel vapor transfer port positioned farther below the plate than the fuel vapor inlet port and spaced circumferentially about a central axis of the housing from the fuel vapor inlet port, wherein the side walls of the inner and outer sleeves provide an annular fuel vapor transfer passageway in communication with the fuel vapor transfer port and the fuel vapor inlet port so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor is shed therefrom as fuel vapor flows laterally through the fuel vapor transfer port into the fuel vapor transfer passageway, upwardly toward the plate and circumferentially about the central axis away from the fuel vapor transfer port through the fuel vapor transfer passageway, and laterally through the fuel vapor inlet port into a valve chamber. 17. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a valve mounted for movement in the chamber between an opened position allowing flow of fuel vapor from the chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port and a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor from the chamber through the fuel vapor outlet port.18. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transition portion is positioned farther below the plate than the fuel vapor inlet port.19. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 16, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate extending between the lower ends of the side walls of the inner and outer sleeves and the bottom plate and the lower ends cooperate to define an annular liquid fuel accumulation chamber arranged to receive liquid fuel shed from fuel vapor flowing through the fuel vapor transfer passageway.20. The fuel tank vent apparatus of claim 16, wherein the upper ends of the inner and outer sleeves are coupled to the plate.
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