초록 ▼

A nozzle assembly for a portable fuel can has the following. A cap provision for generally sealing vapors inside a contained volume inside the combined nozzle assembly and portable fuel can. A spout to dispense liquid fuel. A main valve for the liquid fuel which automatically closes in the absence o

A nozzle assembly for a portable fuel can has the following. A cap provision for generally sealing vapors inside a contained volume inside the combined nozzle assembly and portable fuel can. A spout to dispense liquid fuel. A main valve for the liquid fuel which automatically closes in the absence of manual operation. A manual operator for manually and selectively opening the main valve. Porting providing vacuum venting whereby gases are admitted into the contained volume as the liquid fuel level pours out of the can, whereby the vacuum venting allows for gaseous exchange between the can as liquid fuel empties therefrom and the target container liquid-fuel fills in and flushes out gases due to the rising fuel level therein. Wherein the vacuum venting comprising and intake port disposed to provide automatic overflow cutoff. At least one over-pressurization relief break, and at least one under-pressurization relief break.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22), comprising: a hollow plastic portable fuel can (20) that has only a single opening, which serves both re-fill and pour functions;a nozzle assembly (22) affixed to the fuel can (20)'s single opening;said nozzle assembly (22) comprising a plastic c

1. A portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22), comprising: a hollow plastic portable fuel can (20) that has only a single opening, which serves both re-fill and pour functions;a nozzle assembly (22) affixed to the fuel can (20)'s single opening;said nozzle assembly (22) comprising a plastic cap portion (30); a pour port (54); a main valve (34) operable between OPENED for dispensing liquid fuel and CLOSED for generally sealing vapors inside a combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) during extended non-use; a manual operator (36) for manually operating the main valve (34) to OPENED; and, a closing device (44) for maintaining the main valve (34) CLOSED in the absence of manual operation and during extended non-use;at least one over-pressurization relief break (34,44,46,56) configured for relieving over-pressurization conditions in the plastic portable fuel can (20) at times long after pour operations were discontinued and thus during the extended non-use of said plastic portable fuel can (20), all while the self-closing main valve (34) is maintained closed by the closing device (44) therefor, and for the purpose of preventing damage to said plastic portable fuel can (20) due to over-pressurization during extended non-use; andat least one under-pressurization relief break (40,86,97,99) configured for relieving under-pressurization conditions in the plastic portable fuel can (20) at times long after pour operations were discontinued and thus during extended non-use of said plastic portable fuel can (20), all while the self-closing main valve (34) is maintained closed by the closing device (44) therefor, and for the purpose of preventing damage to said plastic portable fuel can (20) due to under-pressurization during extended non-use;wherein, the at least one under-pressurization relief break (97,99) comprises:a hollow tubular conduit (74) extending inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) and being formed with an under-pressurization relief port (99) therein;said hollow tubular conduit (74) engaging the cap portion (30) to form a seal (46,78) for generally sealing vapors inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) during extended non-use;said hollow tubular conduit (74) having at least one port (72, 82) outside of the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22), which port (72, 82) is open to ambient pressure during non-use and thereby pressurizes the hollow tubular conduit (74) to ambient pressure during non-use;further comprising a resilient band (97) encircling the hollow tubular conduit (74) and covering the under-pressurization relief port (99) which is inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22), whereby over-pressurization tends to more forcefully force the resilient band (97) to seal off the under-pressurization relief port (99) against the escape of vapors; andwherein circumference and resiliency of the resilient band (97) are sized and selected such that, if the under-pressurization pressure between ambient and the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) dips below a set-point, the resilient band (97) resiliently yields over the under-pressurization relief port (99) and leaks ambient gases inside. 2. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 1, wherein: the resilient band (97) comprises an O-ring. 3. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 1 wherein: all said over-pressurization relief breaks (34,44,46,56) and all said under-pressurization relief breaks (40,86,97,99) are provided by the nozzle assembly (22) and none by the portable fuel can (20). 4. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 3 wherein: the over-pressurization relief break (34,44,46,56) has a biasing member (44) which determines the pressure set-point for the over-pressurization relief, andthe under-pressurization relief break (40,86,97,99) has an independent biasing member (96,97) which determines the pressure set-point for the under-pressurization relief. 5. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 4 wherein: the manual operator (36) further comprises a biasing member (44); andthe over-pressurization relief break (34,44,46,56)'s biasing member (44) also serves as the manual operator (36)'s biasing member (44). 6. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 2, wherein: the hollow tubular conduit (74) comprises an outer surface in which the under-pressurization relief port (99) is formed therein; andthe hollow tubular conduit (74)'s outer surface is formed with a retention formation (98) for axially retaining the O-ring (97) over the under-pressurization relief port (99). 7. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 6, wherein: the retention formation (98) comprises at least a pair of retention seats (98), each of the pair of retention seats axially flanking the O-ring (97) on opposite sides of the under-pressurization relief port (99). 8. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 1, further comprising a combined vacuum venting/automatic overflow cutoff provision (62,72,74,82), comprising: a hollow tubular conduit (74,62) extending inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) and originating in a gas-exchange intake port (76,72) proximate the liquid-fuel pour port (54,64) such that flooding the liquid-fuel pour port (54,64) contemporaneously floods the gas-exchange intake port (76,72) and thereby provides automatic overflow cutoff;wherein manually operating the manual operator (36) furthermore OPENS a ventilation port (82) to the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) and thereafter CLOSES the ventilation port (82) thereto during extended non-use. 9. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 1, wherein, the at least one under-pressurization relief break (40,86,97,99) comprises: the nozzle assembly (22) being formed with at least one under-pressurization relief port (86,99) inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) through some portion of a sidewall (50,74) of the nozzle assembly (22), which said at least one under-pressurization relief port (86,99) is open to ambient pressure during non-use; andfurther comprising an elastomeric cover (96,97) supported by the sidewall (50,74) for covering the under-pressurization relief port (86,99) inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22);wherein over-pressurization tends to more forcefully force the elastomeric cover (96,97) to seal off the under-pressurization relief port (86,99) against the escape of vapors; andwherein under-pressurization pressure between ambient and the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) below a set-point un-covers the elastomeric cover (96,97) off the under-pressurization relief port (86,99) and thereby leaks ambient gases inside. 10. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 9, wherein: the elastomeric cover (96) comprises a canopy of an umbrella valve (40). 11. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 9, wherein: the elastomeric cover (97) comprises an O-ring (97). 12. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 11, further comprising a combined vacuum venting/automatic overflow cutoff provision (62,72,74,82), comprising: a hollow tubular conduit (74,62) extending inside the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) and originating in a gas-exchange intake port (76,72) proximate the liquid-fuel pour port (54,64) such that flooding the liquid-fuel pour port (54,64) contemporaneously floods the gas-exchange intake port (76,72) and thereby provides automatic overflow cutoff;wherein manually operating the manual operator (36) furthermore OPENS a ventilation port (82) to the combined contained volume of the portable fuel can (20) and affixed nozzle assembly (22) and thereafter CLOSES the ventilation port (82) thereto during extended non-use; andwherein the under-pressurization relief port (99) is formed in the hollow tubular conduit (74). 13. The portable fuel can (20) and nozzle assembly (22) of claim 12, wherein: the main valve (34) and manual operator (36) are cooperatively linked to serve the over-pressure relief valve (34,44,46,56).