U.S. patent application number 10/895593 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-21 for closure and vent system for capless filler neck.
Invention is credited to Bell, Lowell R., Griffin, Jeffery, McClung, Chad A..
Application Number | 20050155671 10/895593 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34623302 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050155671 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McClung, Chad A. ; et
al. |
July 21, 2005 |
CLOSURE AND VENT SYSTEM FOR CAPLESS FILLER NECK
Abstract
A filler neck closure assembly includes a housing formed to
include a vent chamber arranged to receive a fuel-dispensing pump
nozzle therein during fuel tank refueling. A flow control valve
assembly is provided to regulate flow of ambient air and/or fuel
vapor through the vent chamber.
Inventors: |
McClung, Chad A.;
(Connersville, IN) ; Griffin, Jeffery;
(Connersville, IN) ; Bell, Lowell R.;
(Indianapolis, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARNES & THORNBURG
11 SOUTH MERIDIAN
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
|
Family ID: |
34623302 |
Appl. No.: |
10/895593 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60536608 |
Jan 15, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/350 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/035 20130101;
B60K 2015/0429 20130101; B60K 2015/0461 20130101; B60K 2015/03547
20130101; B60K 2015/0445 20130101; Y10S 220/33 20130101; B60K
15/0406 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/350 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/04 |
Claims
1. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler
neck, the assembly comprising a housing adapted to be coupled to a
fuel tank filler neck to receive a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle
during fuel tank refueling, the housing including a top wall formed
to include an outer nozzle-receiving aperture, a bottom wall formed
to include an inner nozzle-receiving aperture adapted to open into
the fuel tank filler neck when the housing is coupled to the fuel
tank filler neck, and a side wall arranged to extend between the
top and bottom walls to define an interior region of the housing,
the housing including an outer closure mounted for movement
relative to the top wall to open and close the outer
nozzle-receiving aperture and a flapper door mounted for movement
relative to the bottom wall to open and close the inner
nozzle-receiving aperture, the housing further including a vent
passage having an outer end opening into the interior region and an
inner end adapted to open into the fuel tank filler neck when the
housing is coupled to the fuel tank filler neck, a partition
arranged to divide the interior region of the housing into an outer
and inner vent chamber, the outer vent chamber communicating with
the outer and inner nozzle-receiving apertures and defining a pump
nozzle-receiving passageway adapted to receive the pump nozzle
therein during movement of a pump nozzle through the outer and
inner nozzle-receiving apertures to move the outer closure and
flapper door to opened positions during fuel tank refueling, the
inner vent chamber communicating with the vent passage, the
partition is formed to include a vent channel to place the outer
and inner vent chambers in fluid communication, the housing being
formed to include a vent port to admit ambient air outside of the
housing into the outer vent chamber when the outer closure and
flapper door have been moved to closed positions, and a flow
control valve assembly yieldably biased normally to close the vent
passage to regulate flow of a gas through the vent passage.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the partition includes a funnel
formed to include an outlet aperture in alignment with the inner
nozzle-receiving aperture formed in the bottom wall of the housing,
an upper surface defining a lower boundary of the outer vent
chamber, and a lower surface defining an upper boundary of the
inner vent chamber.
3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the partition further includes
a funnel support coupled to an upper portion of the funnel and
arranged to engage a portion of the side and bottom walls in the
housing to support the funnel in the interior region of the
housing.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of the funnel and
funnel support is formed to include the vent channel.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a base
including the bottom wall and a lower portion of the side wall and
an outer body including an upper portion of the side wall and the
vent port is formed in the upper portion of the side wall.
6. The assembly of claim 5, further comprising a flow control valve
assembly configured normally to close the vent port to regulate
pressure of air and fuel vapor in the outer vent chamber.
7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the flow control valve assembly
includes a vacuum-relief valve having a stem coupled to the upper
portion of the side wall and a valve member located in the interior
region of the housing and movable from a normally closed position
closing the vent port to an opened position opening the vent port
upon development of a negative pressure in the interior region that
is below a selected pressure threshold level.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the upper side wall is formed
to include a mounting hole alongside the vent port, the stem is
arranged to extend through the mounting hole and is formed to
include a pressure-relief passageway having an opening formed in
the valve member, and a pressure-relief valve is coupled to the
stem and configured normally to close the pressure-relief
passageway to block discharge of fuel vapor from the outer vent
chamber through the pressure-relief passageway until pressure of
the fuel vapor extant in the outer vent chamber exceeds a selected
threshold level.
9. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the flow control valve assembly
includes a vacuum-relief valve and a pressure-relief valve.
10. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the partition is mounted in a
cavity formed in the base.
11. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the partition includes a
funnel formed to include an outlet aperture in alignment with the
inner nozzle-receiving aperture formed in the bottom wall of the
housing and a funnel support coupled to the funnel and to the base
to cause the outer vent chamber to lie above the funnel and the
inner vent chamber to lie below the funnel.
12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the lower side wall of the
base and at least one of the funnel and funnel support cooperate to
define the vent channel therebetween.
13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a base
including the bottom wall and a lower portion of the side wall and
an outer body including an upper portion of the side wall and the
vent port is formed at a junction between the base and the outer
body.
14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the lower portion of the side
wall included in the base is formed to include a fastener receiver
opening, the outer body further includes a fastener extending
downwardly away from the upper portion of the side wall included in
the outer body, and the fastener extends into the fastener receiver
opening to retain the outer body in a fixed position on the base
without occluding the fastener receiver opening to cause an
unoccluded portion of the fastener receiving opening to define the
vent port.
15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a base
including the bottom wall and a lower portion of the side wall and
an outer body including an upper portion of the side wall, and
wherein the partition is mounted in a cavity formed in the base
before the lower portion of the side wall included in the base is
welded to the upper portion of the side wall included in the outer
body to define the interior region formed in the housing and
containing the partition.
16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the partition is selected
from a group comprising a first partition including a funnel formed
to include a narrow-diameter outlet aperture associated with an
unleaded fuel-dispensing pump nozzle and a second partition
including a funnel formed to include a relatively larger
large-diameter outlet aperture associated with a diesel
fuel-dispensing pump nozzle.
17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer closure includes an
appearance door coupled to the side wall for pivotable movement
about a pivot axis between opened and closed positions and an outer
seal coupled to the appearance door, the appearance door including
an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a plurality of holes
extending between the interior and exterior surfaces, the outer
seal is made of an elastomeric material and includes a base on the
interior surface, an annular door seal on the exterior surface, and
tethers extending through the holes to interconnect the base and
the annular door seal and retain the annular door seal in place on
the exterior surface to mate with the top wall upon movement of the
appearance door to the closed position to establish a sealed
connection between the appearance door and the top wall.
18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the top wall is formed to
include an annular lip extending in an axially inward direction
toward the bottom wall, the annular door seal includes an annular
foundation and concentric inner and outer annular rims extending in
an axially outward direction from the annular foundation to define
an annular channel therebetween, and the annular lip extends into
the annular channel to mate with the annular foundation and the
concentric inner and outer annular rims to define a portion of the
sealed connection between the appearance door and the top wall.
19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the appearance door includes
a top wall, an annular upright wall depending from a perimeter edge
of the top wall and engaging a radially inwardly facing surface of
the inner annular rim, and an annular lateral wall extending
radially outwardly from a perimeter edge of the annular upright
wall and engaging an underside of the annular foundation.
20. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the appearance door includes
a top wall, an annular upright wall arranged to depend from a
perimeter edge of the top wall and formed to include the plurality
of holes receiving the tethers, and an annular lateral wall
extending radially outwardly from a perimeter edge of the annular
upright wall and engaging an underside of the annular door
seal.
21. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an annular seal
including concentric first and second seal rings arranged to
contact the flapper door upon movement of the flapper door to the
closed position to establish an annular seal between the housing
and the flapper door and a seal retainer coupled to the housing and
arranged to retain the annular seal in sealing engagement with the
bottom wall of the housing in a position surrounding the inner
nozzle-receiving aperture.
22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the flapper door includes a
pivot arm mounted to pivot on a pivot shaft associated with the
base, a raised dome including a top wall facing toward the bottom
wall of the base and an annular side wall extending in a direction
away from the bottom wall of the base, and a dome support
interposed between the pivot arm and the raised dome, and wherein
the first seal ring is arranged to contact the top wall of the
raised dome and the second seal ring is arranged to contact the
annular side wall of the raised dome when the flapper door is moved
to assume the closed position.
23. A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler
neck, the assembly comprising a housing formed to include an
interior region, an outer nozzle-receiving aperture opening into
the interior region, an inner nozzle-receiving aperture aligned
with the outer nozzle-receiving aperture and opening into the
interior region, a vent port arranged to allow gas flow into and
out of the interior region, and a vent passage having an outer end
opening into the interior region and an inner end adapted to open
into the fuel tank filler neck when the housing is coupled to the
fuel tank filler neck, the housing including an outer closure
mounted for movement to open and close the outer nozzle-receiving
aperture and a flapper door mounted for movement to open and close
the inner nozzle-receiving aperture, and a partition configured to
include funnel means for guiding a moving fuel-dispensing pump
nozzle admitted into the interior region through the outer
nozzle-receiving aperture into the inner nozzle-receiving opening
to move the flapper door to open the inner nozzle-receiving
aperture, the partition being arranged to divide the interior
region into an inner vent chamber communicating with the vent
passage and an outer vent chamber communicating with the outer and
inner nozzle-receiving apertures and the vent port, the partition
also being formed to include a vent channel to place the outer and
inner vent chambers in fluid communication.
24. The assembly of claim 23, further comprising a flow control
valve assembly yieldably biased normally to close the vent passage
to regulate flow of a gas through the vent passage.
25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the flow control valve
assembly includes a vacuum-relief valve located in the vent passage
and a spring arranged to move the vacuum-relief valve normally to
block flow of gas from the inner vent chamber into the vent
passage.
26. The assembly of claim 25, further comprising a pressure/vacuum
relief valve assembly yieldably biased normally to close the vent
port to regulate flow of a gas through the vent port to regulate
pressure of air and fuel vapor in the outer vent chamber.
27. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the flow control valve
assembly includes pressure-relief means for normally blocking flow
of pressurized fuel vapor from the vent passage into the inner vent
chamber until the pressure of the pressurized fuel vapor in the
vent passage exceeds a selected threshold level so that once the
selected threshold level is exceeded pressurized fuel vapor flows
from vent passage through inner vent chamber, channel, outer vent
chamber, and vapor port to exit the interior region of the
housing.
28. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the partition further
includes a sleeve arranged to engage an inner wall of the housing
to orient the funnel means to cause an outlet aperture defined by
the funnel means to be aligned with the inner nozzle-receiving
opening.
29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein a portion of the sleeve is
formed to include a portion of the channel.
30. The assembly of claim 29, wherein a portion of the funnel means
is formed to include another portion of the channel.
31. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the channel is defined by a
plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart notches formed in an
axially outer portion of the partition at a junction between the
inner and outer vent chambers.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/536,608, filed
Jan. 15, 2004, which is expressly incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a filler neck closure
assembly for a vehicle fuel tank, and particularly to a filler neck
closure for use in a capless fuel tank filler neck. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to closure seals and
to pressure/vacuum-relief valves for use in a filler neck closure
assembly.
[0003] A removable fuel cap with a sealing gasket is typically used
to close the open end of a fuel tank filler neck. After an
attendant fills the fuel tank and withdraws the pump nozzle from
the filler neck, the fuel cap is attached to the filler neck so
that the sealing gasket forms a seal between the fuel cap and the
filler neck. Thus, the fuel cap closes the open end of the filler
neck to block discharge of liquid fuel and fuel vapor from the fuel
tank through the filler neck. Some fuel caps are provided with
pressure-relief and vacuum-relief valves to permit some controlled
venting of fuel vapors in the filler neck, while the fuel cap is
mounted on the filler neck.
[0004] It has been observed that fuel caps are often lost or
damaged over time and, as a result, the open end of the filler neck
might not be closed and sealed in accordance with original
equipment specifications during operation of the vehicle.
Accordingly, a filler neck configured to "open" automatically as a
fuel-dispensing pump nozzle is inserted into the filler neck during
refueling and "close" automatically once the pump nozzle is
withdrawn from the filler neck without requiring an attendant to
reattach a fuel cap to the filler neck would be an improvement over
many conventional capped filler neck systems. Although conventional
fuel caps function to close filler necks in a satisfactory manner,
it is thought that a capless filler neck could make vehicle
refueling more convenient for consumers because no action other
than inserting a pump nozzle into the outer end of the filler neck
would be required to begin refueling a vehicle.
SUMMARY
[0005] According to the present disclosure, a filler neck closure
assembly includes a nozzle-receiving housing associated with a
vehicle fuel tank filler neck. The assembly also includes a
partition arranged to create two vent chambers in the housing and a
flow control valve assembly for regulating flow of ambient air
and/or fuel vapor through the vent chambers.
[0006] Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent
to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following
detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the
best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently
perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The detailed description particularly refers to the
following figures in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer filler neck
access door moved to an opened position relative to a vehicle body
panel to expose an illustrative filler neck closure assembly
coupled to a filler neck leading to a vehicle fuel tank and showing
a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle coupled to a fuel supply and
configured to be inserted into the filler neck closure assembly
during vehicle refueling to discharge liquid fuel into the filler
neck leading to the vehicle fuel tank;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the filler neck
closure assembly of FIG. 1 coupled to the filler neck and showing
an outer shell formed to include an outer aperture, a pivotable
appearance door closing the outer aperture, and a mounting bracket,
with a portion broken away, to show one of the vent ports formed in
a first embodiment of the filler neck closure assembly to allow
ambient air to flow into an interior region of the assembly to
reach a vacuum-relief valve and/or pressure-relief valve included
in the assembly;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the filler neck
closure assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing (in sequence top to
bottom and left to right) an outer shell, a pivotable appearance
door, a door-biasing spring, an outer body, a partition formed to
include a funnel, a base that couples to the outer body to form an
interior region containing the partition and defining vent ports of
the type shown in FIG. 2, a large-diameter sealing gasket sized to
mate with the base, a small-diameter annular seal sized to mate
with a flapper door, a seal retainer, a pivot shaft, a flapper
door, a door-biasing spring, and components included in an
illustrative vacuum-relief valve assembly;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of
FIG. 2 showing the appearance and flapper doors in their sealed,
closed positions, the partition located in an interior region
defined by the flapper door-carrying base and the appearance
door-carrying outer body to divide that interior region into an
inner vent chamber below the funnel included in the partition and
an outer vent chamber above the funnel and in communication with
the ambient air vent ports formed at a junction between the base
and outer body and showing a pressure-relief apparatus for venting
pressurized fuel vapor from the filler neck into the inner vent
chamber and a vacuum-relief apparatus for admitting ambient air
extant in the inner vent chamber into the filler neck;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing
movement of the vacuum-relief valve to an opened position to allow
ambient air to flow into the upper vent chamber through the vent
ports, then into the lower vent chamber through vent channels
formed in the partition, and then past the opened vacuum-relief
valve into the filler neck while the appearance and flapper doors
remain closed to reach the fuel tank in response to development of
predetermined "vacuum" conditions in the fuel tank;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 showing
a pump nozzle passing through the nozzle-receiving aperture formed
in the outer shell and through the nozzle-receiving apertures
formed in the funnel and base while holding the spring-loaded
appearance and flapper doors in opened positions;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective assembly view showing a lower
sub-assembly comprising the base and pivotable spring-loaded
flapper door before it is mated with a higher sub-assembly
comprising the outer body, pivotable spring-loaded appearance door,
and outer shell to produce the illustrative filler neck closure
assembly shown in FIGS. 1-6;
[0015] FIGS. 8-12 show an illustrative method of producing a
closure comprising the appearance door and an overmolded seal on
the appearance door;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an illustrative appearance
door;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a plastic injection mold
having an upper mold portion and a lower mold portion, here shown
spaced-apart in an opened position, and also showing the appearance
door positioned between the upper and lower mold portions;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 showing the
appearance door positioned on the lower mold portion;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 9 and 10
showing the upper and lower molds in a closed position prior to
injection of a plastics material into a mold cavity containing the
appearance door;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 9-11 showing
injection of a plastics material into the mold cavity by a plastics
material injector through channels formed in the lower mold portion
in order to fill the mold cavity defined by both of the upper and
lower mold portions for purpose of "over-molding` plastics material
onto the appearance door to form an annular seal on the appearance
door;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing
alternative embodiments of an outer body "welded" to a base to form
a housing having an interior region containing a partition, an
"over-molded" annular seal for the appearance door, a
small-diameter annular seal sized to mate with the flapper door,
and a seal retainer, and showing a pressure/vacuum-relief valve
mounted on the outer body to regulate pressure in the outer vent
chamber;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the pressure/vacuum-relief
valve of FIG. 13 showing an umbrella-style vacuum-relief valve in
an opened position to admit ambient air into the outer vent
chamber;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing a
duckbill-style pressure-relief valve in an opened position to
discharge pressurized fuel vapor from the outer vent chamber;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of
an annular seal held in place by a retainer and arranged to mate
with a movable flapper door;
[0025] FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a portion of the section
shown in FIG. 16 showing mating engagement of the annular seal and
the flapper door;
[0026] FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 16 of yet another
embodiment of an annular seal arranged to mate with a movable
flapper door; and
[0027] FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of a portion of the section
shown in FIG. 18 showing mating engagement of the annular seal and
the flapper door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a filler neck closure assembly 10
is provided in a vehicle 12 normally to close a filler neck 14
extending from a fuel tank 16 onboard vehicle 12. During refueling,
an outer filler neck access door 18 is moved relative to a vehicle
body panel 20 to expose filler neck closure assembly 10 as shown,
for example, in FIG. 1. Filler neck closure assembly 10 is located
in a chamber 22 formed in vehicle 12 so that assembly 10 is "out of
sight" when access door 18 is closed. A bracket 25 is used to
support filler neck closure assembly 10 in chamber 22 as suggested
in FIGS. 1 and 2. A fuel-dispensing pump nozzle 24 is coupled to a
fuel supply 26 by a hose 28 and configured to be inserted into
filler neck closure assembly 10 during vehicle refueling to
discharge liquid fuel 29 into filler neck 14 as suggested in FIG.
6.
[0029] Filler neck closure assembly 10 is assembled as shown, for
example, in FIG. 4 using components illustrated in FIG. 3. In the
illustrated embodiment, a vacuum-relief apparatus 30 is included in
assembly 10 to provide means for admitting ambient air 32 into
filler neck 14 as suggested, for example, in FIG. 5 whenever
certain predetermined vacuum conditions develop in fuel tank 16 and
filler neck 14. A pressure-relief apparatus 34 can be used (alone
or in tandem with vacuum-relief apparatus 30) to discharge excess
pressurized fuel vapor from filler neck 14 through assembly 10 to
the surroundings.
[0030] As suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4, filler neck closure assembly
10 includes a housing 36 adapted to be coupled to a mouth 15 of
filler neck 14 in the manner shown, for example, in FIG. 4. A
sealing gasket 37 is interposed between housing 36 and filler neck
14 to establish a sealed connection therebetween.
[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, housing 36 comprises a base
38, an outer body 40 coupled to base 38, and an outer shell 42
coupled to outer body 40. Assembly 10 also includes a partition 44
mounted, for example, in a cavity 46 formed in base 38 to lie in an
interior region 48 formed in housing 10 between base 38 and outer
body 40. Partition 44 is arranged as shown, for example, in FIG. 4
to divide interior region 48 into an inner vent chamber 50 below
partition 44 and an outer vent chamber 52 above partition 44.
Partition 44 and base 38 cooperate to form channel means 53 for
conducting air and/or fuel vapor between inner and outer vent
chambers 50, 52 while partition 44 is mounted in interior region 48
to define inner and outer chambers 50, 52. Partition 44 is arranged
to shield components defining vacuum-relief apparatus 30 and
pressure-relief apparatus 34 from any contaminant material
inadvertently introduced into outer vent chamber 52.
[0032] As suggested in FIG. 4, housing 36 also includes a vent
passage 54 and/or 54' having an outer end opening into inner vent
chamber 50 located in interior region 48 and an inner end adapted
to open into fuel tank filler neck 14 when housing 36 is coupled to
filler neck 14. A flow control valve assembly such as a
vacuum-relief apparatus 30 or pressure-relief apparatus 34 can be
placed in vent passage 54 or 54' to regulate flow of a gas (e.g.,
air or fuel vapor) through vent passage 54 of 54'.
[0033] As suggested in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, housing 36 is adapted to
be coupled to fuel tank filler neck 14 to receive fuel-dispensing
pump nozzle 24 during refueling of fuel tank 16. Housing 36
includes a top wall 56 provided, for example, on outer shell 42 and
formed to include an outer nozzle-receiving aperture 58 normally
closed by outer closure 60. Outer closure 60 can be moved (e.g.,
pivoted) by pump nozzle 24 to assume an opened position during
refueling as suggested in FIG. 6. Housing 36 also includes a bottom
wall 62 provided, for example, on base 38 and formed to include an
inner nozzle-receiving aperture 64 normally closed by flapper door
66. Flapper door 66 can be moved (e.g., pivoted) by pump nozzle 24
to assume an opened position during refueling as suggested in FIG.
6.
[0034] As suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4, outer closure 60 includes an
appearance door 59 mounted for pivotable movement relative to outer
body 40 and configured to carry a seal member 61. When outer
closure 60 is moved to assume the closed position, appearance door
59 occludes outer nozzle-receiving opening 58 and seal member 61
establishes a sealed connection between top wall 56 of outer shell
42 and appearance door 59.
[0035] As also suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4, an annular seal 65 is
configured to mate with flapper door 66 upon movement of flapper
door 66 to assume the closed position. Seal retainer 67 is coupled
(e.g., welded) to base 38 to retain annular seal 65 in a position
surrounding inner nozzle-receiving opening 64 and engaging flapper
door 66 upon movement of flapper door 66 to assume the closed
position.
[0036] Partition 44 is arranged to divide interior region of 48
into outer and inner vent chambers 52, 50. Outer vent chamber 52
communicates with both outer and inner nozzle-receiving apertures
58, 64 as suggested in FIG. 4. Outer vent chamber 52 also defines a
pump nozzle-receiving passageway adapted to receive pump nozzle 24
therein as suggested in FIG. 6 during movement of pump nozzle 24
through outer and inner nozzle-receiving apertures 58, 64 to move
outer closure 60 and flapper door 66 to opened positions during
fuel tank refueling. Inner vent chamber 50 communicates with vent
passages 54, 54' as suggested in FIG. 4. Inner vent chamber 50 also
communicates with outer vent chamber 52 via channel means 53.
[0037] Outer shell 42 includes an annular skirt 68 and an upper
portion 70 having an L-shaped cross-section and interconnecting top
wall 56 and skirt 68 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. Means 72 is
appended to an underside of upper portion 70 for coupling outer
shell 42 to outer body 40. As suggested in FIG. 7, a lug 74
appended to skirt 68 fits into one of notches 76 formed in outer
body 40 to fix rotary orientation of outer shell 42 in relation to
outer body 40.
[0038] Outer body 40 includes an outer side wall 78 sized to fit in
and mate with annular skirt 68 of outer shell 42, a lower rim 80
including an annular inner side wall 82 extending upwardly toward
top wall 56 of outer shell 42, three small fasteners 84 extending
downwardly from lower rim 80, and one large fastener 86 extending
downwardly from lower rim 80 as suggested in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7. A
spaced-apart pair of pivot mounts 88 is coupled to annular inner
side wall 82 and arranged to extend into a cavity 90 formed in
outer body 40 to support pivot arms 92 appended to appearance door
59 so that appearance door 59 is able to pivot about a pivot axis
93 extending through pivot arms 92 as appearance door 59 moves
between opened and closed positions. A spring mount 94 is also
provided in cavity 90 of outer body 40 and located midway between
pivot mounts 80 to receive a portion of a torsion spring 96
provided to bias outer closure 60 normally to assume the closed
position.
[0039] Appearance door 59 is shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 4, 8,
and 9. Seal member 61 is "over-molded" onto appearance door 59 to
produce outer closure 60 in the manner shown, for example, in FIGS.
8-12.
[0040] As suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9, appearance door 59 is made of
a plastics material and includes a round top wall 110, an annular
upright wall 112 depending from a perimeter edge of top wall 110
and formed to include a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart
tether-receiving holes 114, and an annular lateral wall 116
extending radially outwardly from a perimeter edge of annular
upright wall 112. Arm mounts 118 are appended to portions of
annular lateral wall 116 and configured to support cantilevered
pivot arms 92 thereon as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 8.
[0041] Seal member 61 is over-molded onto appearance door 59 to
produce outer closure 60 using, for example, an injection mold 120,
as suggested in FIGS. 8-12. In this process, appearance door 59 is
pre-molded and inserted into injection mold 120 as suggested in
FIGS. 9 and 10. Injection mold 120 includes an upper mold portion
122 and a lower mold portion 124. Upper and lower mold portions
122, 124 are movable between an opened position shown in FIG. 10
and a closed position shown in FIG. 11. Lower mold portion 124, for
example, is coupled to a plastics material injector 126 provided
for injecting liquid plastics material into lower mold portion 124
of injection mold 15.
[0042] Upper mold portion 122 is formed to define an appearance
door-receiving cavity 128 as shown in FIG. 9. Lower mold portion
124 is formed to include channels 131, 132, 133 for conducting
liquid plastics material 130 injected by plastics material injector
126 after mold portions 122, 124 have been moved to the closed
position as shown, for example, in FIG. 11 to retain appearance
door 59 within mold 120. As shown in FIG. 12, the injected liquid
plastics material 130 fills channels 131, 132, 133, an inner cavity
134 defined between appearance door 59 and lower mold portion 124
(as shown in FIG. 11), tether-receiving holes 114 formed in
appearance door 59, and an empty portion of cavity 128. The result
is that seal member 61 is over-molded onto appearance door 59.
[0043] Once cavities formed in upper and lower mold portions 122,
124 have been filled, the liquid plastics material 130 in those
cavities is allowed to cool. After the liquid plastics material 130
has cooled to a solid form, a mechanical bond is established
between seal member 61 and appearance door 59. Once cooled, upper
and lower mold portions 122, 124 are moved to the opened position
and outer closure 60 is removed.
[0044] Seal member 61 is made of an electrometric material and, as
shown, for example, in FIG. 4, includes a base 136 on an interior
surface of appearance door 59 (e.g., annular upright wall 112), an
annular door seal 138 on an exterior surface of appearance door 59
(e.g., annular upright wall 112 and annular lateral wall 116), and
tethers 140 extending through holes 114. Tethers 140 interconnect
base 136 and annular door seal 138 and retain annular door seal 138
in place on the exterior surface to mate with top wall 56 upon
movement of appearance door 59 to the closed position to establish
a sealed connection between appearance door 59 and top wall 56.
[0045] As shown best in FIG. 6, top wall 56 of outer shell 42 is
formed to include an annular lip 142 extending in an axially inward
direction toward bottom wall 62. Annular door seal 138 includes an
annular foundation 144 and concentric inner and outer annular rims
146, 148 extending in an axially outward direction from annular
foundation 144 to define an annular channel 150 therebetween.
Annular lip 142 extends into annular channel 150 to mate with
annular foundation 144 and concentric inner and outer annular rims
146, 148 to define a portion of the sealed connection between
appearance door 59 and top wall 56. Annular lateral wall 116 of
appearance door 59 engages an underside of annular foundation 144
of annular door seal 138.
[0046] Torsion spring 96 is used to bias outer closure 60 normally
and yieldably to the closed position. As shown, for example, in
FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, torsion spring 96 includes a U-shaped anchor 152
interconnecting first and second coils 154, 156, a first arm 158
extending from first coil 154, and a second arm 160 extending from
second coil 156. Anchor 152 extends downwardly through a spring
anchor receiver 162 formed in spring mount 95 to lie adjacent to an
inner side of one of fasteners 94 as suggested, for example, in
FIG. 7. First and second arms 158, 160 are biased to engage an
inner surface of appearance door 59 as suggested, for example, in
FIGS. 4 and 7 normally to move outer closure 60 to assume the
closed position.
[0047] Partition 44 includes a funnel 164 formed to include an
outlet aperture 166 in alignment with inner nozzle-receiving
aperture 64 formed in bottom wall 62 of housing 36. An upper
surface 168 of funnel 164 defines a lower boundary of outer vent
chamber 52. A lower surface 170 of funnel 164 defines an upper
boundary of inner vent chamber 50. Partition 44 further includes a
funnel support 172 coupled to an upper portion of funnel 164 and
arranged to engage a portion of side and bottom walls of base 62 to
support funnel 164 in interior region 48 of housing 36. As
suggested in FIG. 4, funnel support 172 is coupled to funnel 164
and to base 39 to cause outer vent chamber 52 to lie above funnel
64 and inner vent chamber 50 to lie below funnel 64.
[0048] At least one of funnel 164 and funnel support 172 is formed
to include vent channel means 53. As suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4,
upper portions of funnel 164 and funnel support 172 are formed to
include a series of spaced-apart notches which cooperate to define
vent channel means 53 to allow flow of air and/or fuel vapor
between inner and outer vent chambers 50, 52.
[0049] Fasteners 94, 96 are used to couple outer body 40 to base 38
in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-7. As suggested in FIGS.
3, 4, and 7, a lower portion 176 of the housing side wall extending
between top wall 56 and bottom wall 62 of housing 36 is formed to
include a fastener receiver opening 194 for each of fasteners 94
and a fastener receiver opening 196 for fastener 96. Each of
fasteners 94, 96 extends into its companion fastener receiver
opening 194, 196 to retain outer body 40 in a fixed position on
base 38 without occluding the fastener receiver opening to cause an
unoccluded portion of the fastener receiver opening to define a
vent port 178 to allow flow of gas (e.g., ambient air or
pressurized fuel vapor) into and out of outer vent chamber 52
through vent ports 178. As suggested in FIG. 7, fastener receiver
opening 194 has a width 195 that is wider than the width 196 of
fastener 94 and fastener receiver opening 196 has a width 197 that
is wider than the width 198 of fastener 96. It is within the scope
of this disclosure to provide vent ports to communicate flow of
ambient air into and out of vent chamber 52, which vent ports are
separated from fasteners 94, 96.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, annular seal 65 includes concentric
first and second seal rings 181, 182 arranged to contact flapper
door 66 upon movement of flapper door 66 to the closed position to
establish an annular seal between housing 36 and flapper door 66.
Flapper door 66 includes pivot arms 184 mounted to pivot on a pivot
shaft 185 associated with base 38, a raised dome 186 including a
top wall 187 facing toward a bottom wall 62 of base 38 and an
annular side wall 188 extending a direction away from bottom wall
62, and a dome support 189 interposed between pivot arms 184 and
raised dome 186. First seal ring 181 has a first profile height and
is arranged to contact top wall 187 of raised dome 186. Second seal
ring 182 has a second profile height greater than the first profile
height (as shown in FIG. 4) and is arranged to contact at least
annular side wall 188 of raised dome 186. Annular seal 65 also
includes an annular flange 189 gripped by seal retainer 67. An
inclined nozzle-engaging surface 190 is appended to raised dome 186
to contact pump nozzle 24 during opening of flapper door 66.
[0051] A torsion spring 210 is provided to bias flapper door 66
normally and yieldably to the closed position. As shown in FIG. 3,
torsion spring 210 includes first arm 211, first coil 212, second
arm 213, second coil 214, and a U-shaped pusher 215 interconnecting
first and second coils 212, 214. First and second coils 212, 214
are mounted on pivot shaft 185 and arranged to locate both pivot
arms 184 therebetween as suggested in FIG. 7.
[0052] Base 38 of housing 36 includes first and second shaft mounts
285, 385 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3. Each shaft mount 285,
385 is adapted to be coupled to pivot shaft 185 to support pivot
shaft 185 for movement relative to shaft mounts 285, 385 as
suggested, for example, in FIGS. 4-7.
[0053] Each shaft mount 285, 385 includes a slot 400 adapted to
receive pivot shaft 185 therein so as to provide a "shaft
receiver." In the illustrated embodiment, slot 400 is L-shaped and
includes a horizontally extending entry portion 401 and a
vertically extending shaft-retainer portion 402 as shown, for
example, in FIGS. 3-7 and 16-19. During assembly, pivot shaft 185
is moved through entry portion 401 to reach shaft-retainer portion
402. Once pivot shaft 185 is located in shaft-retainer portion 402,
flapper door 66 can be pivoted about a longitudinal axis of pivot
shaft 185 between opened and closed positions. Vertically extending
shaft-retainer portion 402 is sized and configured to allow flapper
door 66 to "float" in up-and-down vertical directions so as to seal
or otherwise mate properly with annular seal 65. Ease of assembly
is promoted owing to the location of shaft mounts 285, 385 on the
underside of housing 36 and accessibility of openings into entry
portions 401 formed in shaft mounts 285, 385.
[0054] Vacuum-relief apparatus 30 includes a spring retainer 220
including a floor 222 carrying an upstanding spring post 224 and a
pair of upstanding spaced-apart side walls 226, 228 formed to
include fastener receivers to mate with fasteners 230, 232 included
in housing 36 and depending from bottom wall 62 of base 38 as
suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. A vacuum-relief valve 234 is mounted to
move up and down in vent passage 54 and include a seal member 236
and a seal carrier 238. A spring 240 is positioned to lie in vent
passage 54 centered in part by spring post 224 to engage seal
carrier 238 and floor 222 normally to urge seal member 236 to
engage a valve seat formed on bottom wall 62 of base 38 to close an
aperture 242 opening into inner vent chamber 50. Funnel 164 of
partition 44 is arranged to overlie aperture 242 to shield
components included in vacuum-relief apparatus 30 from exposure to
contaminants admitted inadvertently into outer vent chamber 52.
[0055] Owing to the modularity of partition 44, assembly 10 can be
configured easily to accept small-diameter unleaded fuel-dispensing
pump nozzles or larger-diameter diesel fuel-dispensing pump
nozzles. Assembly 10 can be adapted to work with either style of
pump nozzle by manufacturing assembly 10 to include a partition 44
configured to work with the desired style of pump nozzle. During
manufacture, partition 44 is selected from a group comprising a
first partition including a funnel formed to include a
narrow-diameter outlet aperture associated with an unleaded
fuel-dispensing pump nozzle and a second partition including a
funnel formed to include a relatively larger large-diameter outlet
aperture associated with a diesel fuel-dispensing pump nozzle.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 13-15, filler neck closure assembly 11
includes a base 38' welded to outer body 40' to define a housing.
Outer closure 60' includes a seal member 61' coupled to appearance
door 59'. Flapper door 66' is arranged to mate with first and
second rings included in annular seal 65', which seal 65' is
retained in place on bottom wall 62 by seal retainer 67'. Housing
36' includes a base 38' including bottom wall 62 and a lower
portion 176 of a housing side wall and an outer body 40' including
an upper portion 312 of the housing side wall and a vent port 314
is formed in upper portion 312 of the side wall. In the illustrated
embodiment, a vertically extending shaft-retainer portion 402' of
slot 400' is formed in flapper door 66' and arranged to receive
pivot shaft 185.
[0057] A flow control valve assembly 316 is configured normally to
close vent port 314 to regulate pressure of air and fuel vapor in
outer vent chamber 52. In the illustrated embodiment, several vent
ports 314 are provided. By using flow control valve assembly 316,
it is possible to control and regulate pressure conditions in outer
vent chamber 52 more precisely in a way that is useful in certain
vehicle emission regulatory environments.
[0058] Flow control valve assembly 316 includes an umbrella
vacuum-relief valve 318 having a stem 320 coupled to upper portion
312 of the side wall and a valve member 322 located in interior
region 48 of housing 36 and movable from a normally closed position
closing vent port 314 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 15 to an opened
position opening vent port 314, as shown in FIG. 14, upon
development of a negative pressure in interior region 48 that is
below a selected pressure threshold level. Upper portion 312 of the
side wall is formed to include a mounting hole 324 alongside vent
port 314. Stem 320 is arranged to extend through mounting hole 324
and is formed to include a pressure-relief passageway 326 having an
opening 328 formed in valve member 322. A duck-bill pressure-relief
valve 330 is coupled to stem 320 and configured normally to close
pressure-relief passageway 326 to block discharge of fuel vapor
from outer vent chamber 32 through pressure-relief passageway 326
until pressure of the fuel vapor extant in outer vent chamber 52
exceeds a selected threshold level. In the illustrated embodiment,
flow control valve assembly 316 includes a vacuum-relief valve and
a pressure-relief valve.
[0059] Umbrella vacuum-relief valve 318 is useful when used with a
particular vapor-recovery fuel-dispensing pump nozzle which draws a
vacuum on the filler neck while sealing the upper end. The umbrella
valve provides make-up air to prevent excessive vacuum and
premature nozzle shut-offs. The duck-bill pressure-relief valve 330
in the center provides a vent passage when outer closure 60 is
closed and the pressure-relief valve is activated.
[0060] Alternative annular seals and flapper door designs are shown
in FIGS. 16-19. As suggested in FIGS. 16 and 17, flapper door 66"
mates with a normally unsplayed annular seal 65" held in place by
seal retainer 67". As suggested in FIGS. 18 and 19, flapper door
66'" mates with a normally splayed annular seal 65'" held in place
by seal retainer 67'". In each case, pivot shaft 185 is retained in
slots 400 formed in shaft mounts 285, 385.
* * * * *