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A filler neck cap includes a vacuum-relief valve member that moves from a normally closed position to an opened position when exposed to certain vacuum conditions to open a vent aperture and allow atmosphere to flow therethrough. The filler neck cap also includes a pressure-relief valve member forme

A filler neck cap includes a vacuum-relief valve member that moves from a normally closed position to an opened position when exposed to certain vacuum conditions to open a vent aperture and allow atmosphere to flow therethrough. The filler neck cap also includes a pressure-relief valve member formed to include the vent aperture that is closed normally by the vacuum-relief valve member.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief r

The invention claimed is: 1. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief regulator mounted for movement relative to the closure from a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture to an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, retainer means for retaining the vacuum-relief regulator in the opened position after the vacuum-relief regulator has moved from the normally closed position to assume the opened position so that atmosphere and fuel vapor can continue to flow through the vent aperture formed in the closure even after pressure extant in the filler neck rises above the predetermined subatmospheric level, wherein the closure includes an anchor flange and the retainer means includes a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief regulator and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position, and wherein the closure includes a partition member formed to include the vent aperture and the vacuum-relief regulator includes a vacuum-relief valve member arranged to carry the first latch and to mate with the partition member to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the normally closed position and a coiled vacuum-relief control spring arranged to urge the vacuum-relief valve member to mate with the partition member and formed to include a central passageway receiving the first latch therein. 2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the closure further includes an axially inwardly extending sleeve having an upper portion engaging the partition member and a lower portion carrying the anchor flange, the anchor flange is formed to include a vent opening and is arranged to underlie the partition member and cooperate with the axially inwardly extending sleeve to define a vent passageway interconnecting the vent opening and the vent aperture and containing the vacuum-relief valve member and the coiled vacuum-relief control spring therein. 3. The cap of claim 1, wherein the coiled vacuum-relief control spring includes an upper end engaging an underside of the vacuum-relief valve member and a lower end engaging an axially outwardly facing top side of the anchor flange and the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to engage an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position. 4. The cap of claim 1, wherein the retainer means further includes a second latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member and arranged to extend though the central passageway formed in the coiled vacuum-relief control spring and the second latch is formed to include a retainer flange to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to cooperate with the first latch to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position. 5. The cap of claim 1, wherein the first latch is made of an elastic material and is formed to include ramp means for engaging the anchor flange during axially inward movement of the vacuum-relief regulator from the normally closed position toward the opened position to deform the first latch temporarily until the retainer flange included in the first latch has moved past the anchor flange allowing the first latch to move relative to the vacuum-relief regulator so that the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to confront an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange and therefore block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position. 6. The cap of claim 1, wherein the first latch is made of a deformable material and the first latch is deformable to assume a first shape upon mating engagement of the retainer flange included in the first latch and the anchor flange included in the closure and to assume a different deformed shape in response to a force applied manually by a cap operator to move the first latch away from the anchor flange to unmate the retainer flange from the anchor flange to release the vacuum-relief regulator so that the vacuum-relief regulator is free to return to the normally closed position. 7. The cap of claim 6, wherein the vacuum-relief regulator is movable back and forth relative to the closure along a central axis extending through the vent aperture formed in the closure during movement between the opened and normally closed positions, the first latch is cantilevered to the vacuum-relief regulator and oriented to lie in spaced-apart parallel relation to the central axis upon movement of the first latch to assume the first shape, the retainer flange included in the first latch is arranged to lie a first distance from the central axis upon movement of the first latch to assume the first shape, and the retainer flange is arranged to lie a shorter second distance from the central axis upon movement of the first latch to assume the different deformed shape. 8. The cap of claim 1, wherein the retainer means includes a second latch coupled to the vacuum-relief regulator and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the closed position. 9. The cap of claim 8, wherein the anchor flange is formed to include a vent opening located in fluid communication with the vent aperture formed in the closure, each of the first and second latches is made of an elastic material to allow the first and second latches to be yieldably deformed during movement of the vacuum-relief regulator between the opened and normally closed positions, the retainer flanges of the first and second latches are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another separated by a first distance to mate with companion portions of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the opened position, and the first and second latches are deformed and moved toward one another and relative to the vacuum-relief regulator in response to forces applied manually by a cap operator to unmate the retainer flanges included in the first and second latches from the anchor flange to release the vacuum-relief regulator so that it is free to return to the normally closed position to cause the retainer flanges of the first and second latches to move toward one another separated by a shorter second distance and pass through the vent opening defined by the anchor flange during movement of the vacuum-relief regulator from the opened position to the normally closed position. 10. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief regulator mounted for movement relative to the closure from a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture to an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, retainer means for retaining the vacuum-relief regulator in the opened position after the vacuum-relief regulator has moved from the normally closed position to assume the opened position so that atmosphere and fuel vapor can continue to flow through the vent aperture formed in the closure even after pressure extant in the filler neck rises above the predetermined subatmospheric level, wherein the closure includes an anchor flange and the retainer means includes a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief regulator and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position, wherein the first latch is made of a deformable material and the first latch is deformable to assume a first shape upon mating engagement of the retainer flange included in the first latch and the anchor flange included in the closure and to assume a different deformed shape in response to a force applied manually by a cap operator to move the first latch away from the anchor flange to unmate the retainer flange from the anchor flange to release the vacuum-relief regulator so that the vacuum-relief regulator is free to return to the normally closed position, and wherein the vacuum-relief regulator includes a vacuum-relief valve member arranged to carry the first latch and to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the normally closed position and a vacuum-relief control spring arranged to urge the vacuum-relief valve member to move automatically relative to the closure to close the vent aperture upon movement of the first latch to the different deformed shape to unmate the retainer flange from the anchor flange. 11. The cap of claim 10, wherein the vacuum-relief control spring includes an upper end engaging the underside of the vacuum-relief valve member and a lower end engaging an axially outwardly facing top side of the anchor flange and the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to engage an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position. 12. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief regulator mounted for movement relative to the closure from a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture to an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, retainer means for retaining the vacuum-relief regulator in the opened. position after the vacuum-relief regulator has moved from the normally closed position to assume the opened position so that atmosphere and fuel vapor can continue to flow through the vent aperture formed in the closure even after pressure extant in the filler neck rises above the predetermined subatmospheric level, wherein the closure includes an anchor flange and the retainer means includes a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief regulator and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position, wherein the retainer means includes a second latch coupled to the vacuum-relief regulator and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the closed position, wherein the anchor flange is formed to include a vent opening located in fluid communication with the vent aperture formed in the closure, each of the first and second latches is made of an elastic material to allow the first and second latches to be yieldably deformed during movement of the vacuum-relief regulator between the opened and normally closed positions, the retainer flanges of the first and second latches are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another separated by a first distance to mate with companion portions of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the opened position, and the first and second latches are deformed and moved toward one another and relative to the vacuum-relief regulator in response to forces applied manually by a cap operator to unmate the retainer flanges included in the first and second latches from the anchor flange to release the vacuum-relief regulator so that it is free to return to the normally closed position to cause the retainer flanges of the first and second latches to move toward one another separated by a shorter second distance and pass through the vent opening defined by the anchor flange during movement of the vacuum-relief regulator from the opened position to the normally closed position, and wherein the vacuum-relief regulator includes a vacuum-relief valve member arranged to carry the first and second latches and to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the normally closed position and a vacuum-relief control spring arranged to urge the vacuum-relief valve member to move automatically relative to the closure to close the vent aperture upon movement of the first and second latches toward one another and relative to the vacuum-relief regulator to cause the first and second retainer flanges to be separated by the shorter second distance to allow the first and second retainer flanges to pass through the vent opening defined by the anchor flange. 13. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief regulator mounted for movement relative to the closure from a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture to an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, retainer means for retaining the vacuum-relief regulator in the opened position after the vacuum-relief regulator has moved from the normally closed position to assume the opened position so that atmosphere and fuel vapor can continue to flow through the vent aperture formed in the closure even after pressure extant in the filler neck rises above the predetermined subatmospheric level, and wherein the closure includes a valve housing formed to include an interior region containing the vacuum-relief regulator and an annular valve seat defining a vent passageway, the closure further includes a pressure-relief regulator including a movable partition member formed to include the vent aperture and a pressure-relief control spring arranged to urge the partition member normally to mate with the annular valve seat normally to close the vent passageway, the vacuum-relief regulator includes a vacuum-relief valve member arranged to mate with the partition member to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to assume the normally closed position, and the vacuum-relief valve member is arranged to lie between the partition member and the retainer means. 14. The cap of claim 13, wherein the valve housing further includes an anchor flange and the retainer means includes a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member to move therewith and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief regulator to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief regulator to the normally closed position. 15. The cap of claim 14, wherein the valve housing includes an axially extending shank portion adapted to mate with the filler neck and a valve support fixture coupled to and surrounded by the axially extending shank portion and formed to define the interior region, and the valve support fixture includes an axially inwardly extending sleeve having an upper portion configured to define the annular valve seat and a lower portion configured to carry the anchor flange. 16. The cap of claim 14, wherein the vacuum-relief regulator further includes a vacuum-relief control spring having an upper end engaging the underside of the vacuum-relief valve member and a lower end engaging an axially outwardly facing top side of the anchor flange and the vacuum-relief control spring is arranged yieldably to urge the vacuum-relief valve member in an axially outward direction to mate with the partition member. 17. The cap of claim 14, wherein the vacuum-relief regulator further includes spring means for yieldably urging the vacuum-relief valve member to move in an axially outward direction toward the partition member in response to unmating of the retainer flange and the anchor flange so that the vacuum-relief regulator is returned to the normally closed position. 18. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mote with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief valve member, a vacuum-relief control spring arranged yieldably to urge the vacuum-relief valve member from an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level to a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture, a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief value member to move therewith relative to the closure, the first latch including a retainer flange arranged to mate with the closure upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member against the vacuum-relief control spring to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the closed position, wherein the first latch is made of an elastic material and is arranged to assume a first shape upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve to the opened position and mating engagement of the retainer flange on the first latch with the closure and the first latch is deformed to assume a different second shape in response to a force applied manually by a cap operator to move the first latch relative to the closure to unmate the retainer flange of the first latch and the closure so that the vacuum-relief valve member is released and free to return under an urging force applied by the vacuum-relief control spring to the normally closed positions, wherein the closure includes a partition member formed to include the vent aperture, the vacuum-relief valve member is arranged to mate with the partition member to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to assume the normally closed position, and the vacuum-relief control spring is arranged to urge the vacuum-relief valve member to mate with the partition member and formed to include a central passageway receiving the first latch therein, and wherein the closure further includes an axially inwardly extending sleeve having an upper portion engaging the partition member and a lower portion carrying an anchor flange, the anchor flange is formed to include a vent opening and is arranged to underlie the partition member and cooperate with the axially inwardly extending sleeve to define a vent passageway interconnecting the vent opening and the vent aperture and containing the vacuum-relief valve member and the vacuum-relief control spring therein. 19. The cap of claim 18, wherein the closure further includes an anchor flange, the vacuum-relief control spring includes an upper end engaging an underside of the vacuum-relief valve member and a lower end engaging an axially outwardly facing top side of the anchor flange, and the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to engage an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to the opened position. 20. The cap of claim 18, further comprising a second latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member and arranged to extend through the central passageway formed in the vacuum-relief control spring and the second latch is formed to include a retainer flange to mate with the closure upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to the opened position to cooperate with the first latch to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the normally closed position. 21. The cap of claim 18, wherein the closure further includes an anchor flange and the first latch is made of an elastic material and is formed to include ramp means for engaging the anchor flange during axially inward movement of the vacuum-relief valve member from the normally closed position toward the opened position to deform the first latch temporarily until the retainer flange included in the first latch has moved past the anchor flange allowing the first latch to move relative to the vacuum-relief valve member so that the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to confront an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange and therefore block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the normally closed position. 22. The cap of claim 18, wherein the closure further includes an anchor flange, the vacuum-relief control spring includes an upper end engaging an underside of the vacuum-relief valve member and a lower end engaging an axially outwardly facing top side of the anchor flange, and the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to engage an axially inwardly facing underside of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to the opened position. 23. The cap of claim 18, wherein the closure further includes an anchor flange, and further comprising a second latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member to move therewith and formed to include a retainer flange arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the normally closed position. 24. The cap of claim 23, wherein the anchor flange is formed to include a vent opening located in fluid communication with the vent aperture formed in the closure, each of the first and second latches is made of an elastic material to allow the first and second latches to be yieldably deformed during movement of the vacuum-relief valve member between the opened and normally closed positions, the retainer flanges of the first and second latches are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another separated by a first distance to mate with companion portions of the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to assume the opened position, and the first and second latches are deformed and moved toward one another and relative to the vacuum-relief valve member in response to forces applied manually by a cap operator to unmated the retainer flanges included in the first and second latches from the anchor flange to release the vacuum-relief valve member so that it is free to return to the normally closed position to cause the first and second retainer flanges to move toward one another separated by a shorter second distance and pass through the vent opening defined by the anchor flange during movement of the vacuum-relief valve member from the opened position to the normally closed position. 25. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being funned to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief valve member, a vacuum-relief control spring arranged yieldably to urge the vacuum-relief valve member from an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level to a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture, a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member to move therewith relative to the closure, the first latch including a retainer flange arranged to mate with the closure upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member against the vacuum-relief control spring to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the closed position, and wherein the closure includes a valve housing formed to include an interior region containing the vacuum-relief valve member and an annular valve seat defining a vent passageway, the closure further includes a pressure-relief regulator including a movable partition member formed to include the vent aperture and a pressure-relief control spring arranged to urge the partition member normally to mate with the annular valve seat normally to close the vent passageway, the vacuum-relief valve member is arranged to mate with the partition member to close the vent aperture upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to assume the normally closed position, and the vacuum-relief valve member is arranged to lie between the partition member and the retainer flange of the first latch. 26. A cap for a filler neck of a fuel tank, the cap comprising a closure adapted to mate with a filler neck to close a mouth opening into the filler neck, the closure being formed to include a vent aperture opened to the atmosphere surrounding the closure, a vacuum-relief valve member, a vacuum-relief control spring arranged yieldably to urge the vacuum-relief valve member from an opened position allowing flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture into the filler neck when the closure is mated with the filler neck and pressure in the filler neck drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level to a normally closed position blocking flow of atmosphere through the vent aperture, a first latch coupled to the vacuum-relief valve member to move therewith relative to the closure, the first latch including a retainer flange arranged to mate with the closure upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member against the vacuum-relief control spring to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the closed position, and wherein the valve housing includes an anchor flange, an axially extending shank portion adapted to mate with the filler neck, and a valve support fixture coupled to and surrounded by the axially extending shank portion and formed to define the interior region, the valve support fixture includes an axially inwardly extending sleeve having an upper portion configured to define the annular valve seat and a lower portion configured to carry the anchor flange, and the retainer flange of the first latch is arranged to mate with the anchor flange upon movement of the vacuum-relief valve member to the opened position to block return of the vacuum-relief valve member to the normally closed position.