System and method for fuel tank tube routing and valve placement to prevent fuel leaks into evaporative emissions system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B60K-015/035
B65D-090/22
F02M-037/20
출원번호
US-0836056
(2010-07-14)
등록번호
US-8573183
(2013-11-05)
발명자
/ 주소
Graham, Jason Anthony
Volchko, Scott Jeffrey
Ito, Tetsuhiro
Goma, Hisayuki
출원인 / 주소
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
Plumsea Law Group, LLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
9
초록▼
Systems and methods for fuel tank tube routing and valve placement to prevent fuel leaks into the evaporative emissions system are disclosed. An embodiment provides a vehicle fuel tank venting system that uses strategically placed valves and a low profile tube routing to prevent the leakage of liqui
Systems and methods for fuel tank tube routing and valve placement to prevent fuel leaks into the evaporative emissions system are disclosed. An embodiment provides a vehicle fuel tank venting system that uses strategically placed valves and a low profile tube routing to prevent the leakage of liquid fuel to an evaporative emission system in the event of a valve failure. In one aspect, a first and second outlet valve may be positioned such that at least one of the valves is above a full fuel level for a desired range of fuel tank tilted positions. Among the desired range, when the first valve is submerged in fuel, at least a portion of the first outlet tube may be above the full fuel level, and when the second valve is submerged, at least a portion of the second outlet tube may be above the full fuel level.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel tank venting system comprising: a fuel tank having an upper wall extending generally in a horizontal direction when viewed from a side elevation view, wherein the fuel tank defines a first end region, a central region, and a second end region when viewed from a plan view;a first outlet val
1. A fuel tank venting system comprising: a fuel tank having an upper wall extending generally in a horizontal direction when viewed from a side elevation view, wherein the fuel tank defines a first end region, a central region, and a second end region when viewed from a plan view;a first outlet valve disposed in the upper wall of the fuel tank in the first end region of the fuel tank;a second outlet valve disposed in the upper wall of the fuel tank in the second end region of the fuel tank;a first outlet tube connected to the first outlet valve, wherein the first outlet tube is mounted to the upper wall of the fuel tank and extends generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the first end region to a second end region location that is past the second outlet valve in the second end region; anda second outlet tube connected to the second outlet valve, wherein the second outlet tube is mounted to the upper wall of the fuel tank and extends generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the second end region, through the central region, and to a first end region location proximate to the first outlet valve, and reverses direction extending back through the central region and to the second end region,wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube are configured to connect to a tube in the second end region leading to an evaporative emissions canister,wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are positioned such that at least one of the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve is above a full fuel level for a desired range of fuel tank tilted positions,wherein, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the first outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the first outlet tube is above the full fuel level, andwherein, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the second outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the second outlet tube is above the full fuel level. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet valve is one of a vent shut float valve and a roll over valve, and the second outlet valve is one of a vent shut float valve and a roll over valve. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions comprises 360 degrees of rotation on a tilt angle of 40 degrees. 4. The system of claim 3, the tilt angle is within a range of about 16-22 degrees. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube are each connected to an evaporative emissions tube in the second end region, wherein the evaporative emissions tube is connected to an evaporative emissions canister, and wherein the evaporative emissions tube remains substantially within a horizontal plane. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube, while extending generally in a horizontal direction, include elevation changes to conform to surface irregularities in the upper wall of the fuel tank. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube are connected in the second end region to one of a pressure control valve and a joint. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube are connected to a pressure control valve in the second end region, and wherein the at least a portion of the second outlet tube that is above the full fuel level comprises the pressure control valve. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the fuel tank is viewed from the plan view, the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are disposed on opposite halves of the fuel tank in both in a longitudinal direction of the fuel tank and also a lateral direction of the fuel tank. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube extend to a corner of the fuel tank in the second end region when the fuel tank is viewed from the plan view. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet valve, the first outlet tube, the second outlet valve, and the second outlet tube are contained substantially within a horizontal plane. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are normally open and are configured to close when submerged in fuel. 13. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an evaporative emissions tube connected to the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube in the second end region; andan evaporative emissions canister connected to the evaporative emissions tube. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the evaporative emissions tube does not include any high head height sections. 15. A fuel tank venting system comprising: a fuel tank having an upper wall extending generally in a horizontal direction when viewed from a side elevation view, wherein, when viewed from a plan view, the fuel tank defines a first end region, a central region, a second end region, a first side, a second side, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end region to the second end region;a first outlet valve disposed in the upper wall of the fuel tank in the first end region of the fuel tank, wherein the first outlet valve is disposed on a side of the longitudinal axis closer to the first side than the second side;a second outlet valve disposed in the upper wall of the fuel tank in the second end region of the fuel tank, wherein the second outlet valve is disposed on the side of the longitudinal axis closer to the second side than the first side;a first outlet tube connected to the first outlet valve, wherein the first outlet tube is mounted to the upper wall of the fuel tank and extends generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the first end region to a second end region location that is past the second outlet valve in the second end region,wherein the first outlet tube extends from the first outlet valve toward the first side of the fuel tank, extends parallel and proximate to the first side, and after passing the second outlet valve, extends toward a corner of the fuel tank in the second end region at the second side; anda second outlet tube connected to the second outlet valve, wherein the second outlet tube is mounted to the upper wall of the fuel tank and extends generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the second end region, through the central region, and to a first end region location proximate to the first outlet valve in the first end region, and reverses direction extending back through the central region and to the second end region,wherein, in the first end region, where the second outlet tube reverses direction, at least a portion of the second outlet tube is disposed on the side of the longitudinal axis closer to the first side than the second side,wherein, in extending back through the central region and to the second end region, the second outlet tube extends toward the corner of the fuel tank in the second end region at the second side; andan evaporative emissions tube connected to the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube at the corner of the fuel tank in the second end region at the second side. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein, in extending back through the central region and to the second end region, the second outlet tube passes the second outlet valve on a side of the second outlet valve closest to the second side. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube, while extending generally in a horizontal direction, include elevation changes to conform to surface irregularities in the upper wall of the fuel tank. 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are positioned such that at least one of the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve is above a full fuel level for a desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, wherein, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the first outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the first outlet tube is above the full fuel level, andwherein, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the second outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the second outlet tube is above the full fuel level. 19. A method for preventing liquid fuel leaking from a submerged first outlet valve of a fuel tank from reaching an evaporative emissions system connected to the fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank has an upper wall extending generally in a horizontal direction when viewed from a side elevation view,wherein the fuel tank defines a first end region, a central region, and a second end region when viewed from a plan view, andwherein the fuel tank comprises the first outlet valve and a second outlet valve,the method comprising:positioning the first outlet valve in the upper wall of the first end region of the fuel tank;positioning the second outlet valve in the upper wall of the second end region of the fuel tank;connecting a first outlet tube to the first outlet valve, mounting the first outlet tube to the upper wall of the fuel tank, and routing the first outlet tube generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the first end region to past the second outlet valve in the second end region;connecting a second outlet tube to the second outlet valve, mounting the second outlet tube to the upper wall of the fuel tank, and routing the second outlet tube generally in a horizontal direction along the upper wall of the fuel tank from the second end region, through the central region, to a location proximate to the first outlet valve in the first end region, and in a reverse direction extending back through the central region and to the second end region;connecting the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube to a tube in the second end region leading to an evaporative emissions canister;positioning the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve such that at least one of the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve is above a full fuel level for a desired range of fuel tank tilted positions;routing the first outlet tube such that, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the first outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the first outlet tube is above the full fuel level; androuting the second outlet tube such that, among the desired range of fuel tank tilted positions, when the second outlet valve is positioned below the full fuel level, at least a portion of the second outlet tube is above the full fuel level. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising routing the first outlet tube and the second outlet tube, while extending generally in a horizontal direction, through elevation changes to conform to surface irregularities in the upper wall of the fuel tank.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (9)
Mills, Vaughn K., Controlling fuel vapor venting in a fuel tank.
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