초록 ▼

A fuel cap is described as having a top assembly and a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the top assembly. The top assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body concentric with and protruding substantially perpendicularly from, an underside surface of the cap cover.

A fuel cap is described as having a top assembly and a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the top assembly. The top assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body concentric with and protruding substantially perpendicularly from, an underside surface of the cap cover. The bottom assembly having a vacuum valve operatively coupled with a valve body. A wire-form keeper may slidably secure the bottom assembly to the top assembly. A pressure spring may impart a force that biases said bottom assembly away from said top assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A venting apparatus comprising: a cap cover having a cylindrical cap body concentric to, and protruding substantially perpendicularly from, an underside surface of the cap cover;a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the cap cover, wherein the bottom assembly is sized and sha

1. A venting apparatus comprising: a cap cover having a cylindrical cap body concentric to, and protruding substantially perpendicularly from, an underside surface of the cap cover;a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the cap cover, wherein the bottom assembly is sized and shaped to at least partially reside within the cylindrical cap body,the bottom assembly having a vacuum valve slidably engaged with a valve body,wherein the vacuum valve and the valve body are arranged substantially concentric to one another, the vacuum valve being moveable between a first position and a second position,wherein the vacuum valve prevents flow through the valve body in the first position and permits flow through the valve body in the second position;a vacuum spring to bias the vacuum valve in the first position; anda pressure spring residing at least partially within each of the valve body portion and the cylindrical cap body, wherein the pressure spring is configured to impart a force to bias said bottom assembly away from said cap cover. 2. The venting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a keeper device to engage said valve body and said cylindrical cap body, thereby slidably securing the bottom assembly to the cap cover. 3. The venting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum valve comprises a vacuum base and a vacuum stem perpendicularly positioned relative to said vacuum base. 4. The venting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the valve body comprises (1) a cylindrical valve body portion having a first vent hole and (2) a valve base having a second vent hole and a through hole to receive the vacuum stem, wherein the vacuum base and the valve base are arranged substantially concentric and parallel to one another such that the vacuum base prevents flow through the second vent hole in the first position and permits flow through the second vent hole in the second position, the vacuum base being biased in the first position by the vacuum spring. 5. The venting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a slot and the keeper device includes an indentation to engage the slot. 6. The venting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap cover further comprises a securing tab to engage a fill cap base. 7. The venting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pressure spring is configured to impart a sealing force to form a seal between the bottom assembly and the fill cap base when the cap cover engages the fill cap base, wherein the bottom assembly is configured to move toward said cap cover when a positive pressure at the fill cap base overcomes the sealing force, thereby breaking a seal between the bottom assembly and the fill cap base. 8. The venting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the vacuum valve is configured to move to the second position when a negative pressure at the fill cap base overcomes the vacuum spring's force. 9. The venting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pressure gasket positioned on the valve body, the pressure gasket to form an airtight seal between the valve body and a fill cap base. 10. The venting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum gasket positioned on the vacuum valve, the vacuum gasket to form an airtight seal between the vacuum valve and the valve body. 11. The venting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stability shim positioned at the underside surface of the cap cover, whereby the stability shim is configured to mitigate lateral movement of the venting apparatus when installed upon a fill cap base. 12. The venting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vacuum stem passes through the vacuum spring, the vacuum stem being configured to secure an end of the vacuum spring at the vacuum stem's distal end. 13. A fuel cap comprising: a top assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body, the cylindrical cap body protruding substantially perpendicularly from an underside surface of the cap cover;a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the top assembly, the bottom assembly having a vacuum valve operatively coupled with a valve body, wherein the vacuum valve is moveable between a first position to prevent flow through the valve body and a second position to permit flow through the valve body in the second position;a keeper device to slidably secure the bottom assembly to the top assembly, wherein the bottom assembly is sized and shaped to at least partially reside within the cylindrical cap body; anda pressure spring to impart a force to bias said bottom assembly away from said top assembly. 14. The fuel cap of claim 13, further comprising a vacuum spring to bias the vacuum valve in the first position. 15. A venting apparatus comprising: a cap assembly, the cap assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body, the cylindrical cap body protruding substantially perpendicularly from an underside surface of the cap cover;a bottom assembly slidably engaged with, and concentric to, the cap assembly, the bottom assembly having a vacuum valve operatively coupled with a valve body, wherein the valve body comprises a cylindrical valve body portion, the cylindrical valve body portion sized and shaped to reside at least partially within the cylindrical cap body,wherein the vacuum valve is moveable between a first position to prevent flow through the valve body and a second position to permit flow through the valve body in the second position; anda pressure spring, the pressure spring residing at least partially within each of the cylindrical valve body portion and the cylindrical cap body, wherein the pressure spring is configured to impart a force to bias said bottom assembly away from said cap assembly. 16. The venting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the venting apparatus is configured to engage a fill cap base, the bottom assembly being configured to move toward said top assembly when a positive pressure at the fill cap base overcomes the pressure spring to break a seal between the bottom assembly and the fill cap base. 17. The venting apparatus of claim 15, wherein (1) the vacuum valve comprises a vacuum base and a vacuum stem perpendicularly positioned relative to said vacuum base, and (2) the valve body comprises a valve base at a first end of said cylindrical valve body portion, the valve base having a second vent hole and a through hole to receive the vacuum stem. 18. The venting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the vacuum valve is configured to move to the second position when a negative pressure at a fill cap base overcomes the vacuum spring's force, thereby permitting flow through the first vent hole and the second vent hole. 19. The fuel cap of claim 14, further comprising (1) a pressure gasket positioned on the valve body, the pressure gasket to form an airtight seal between the valve body and a fill cap base, and (2) a vacuum gasket positioned on the vacuum valve, the vacuum gasket to form an airtight seal between the vacuum valve and the valve body. 20. The venting apparatus of claim 15, further comprising (1) a pressure gasket positioned on the valve body, the pressure gasket to form an airtight seal between the valve body and a fill cap base, and (2) a vacuum gasket positioned on the vacuum valve, the vacuum gasket to form an airtight seal between the vacuum valve and the valve body.