U.S. patent application number 11/495800 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for mounting a vent valve on a plastic fuel tank.
This patent application is currently assigned to Eaton Corporation. Invention is credited to Robert P. Benjey, Rosemary Bergsma, Rudolph Bergsma, Carl Binder.
Application Number | 20060260129 11/495800 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34136816 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060260129 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bergsma; Rudolph ; et
al. |
November 23, 2006 |
Mounting a vent valve on a plastic fuel tank
Abstract
A method of mechanical twist lock attachment of a vent valve or
fitting over an aperture in a plastic fuel tank having an embedded
vapor barrier layer. A ring having circumferentially spaced
internal lugs is secured to the tank by weldment around an aperture
in the tank wall exposing an edge of the barrier layer. A seal ring
on the vent valve is located in the aperture to seal the exposed
vapor barrier edge. Outwardly extending projections on the vent
valve attach the vent valve by twist locking engagement with the
projections on the ring.
Inventors: |
Bergsma; Rudolph; (Ann
Arbor, MI) ; Bergsma; Rosemary; (Ann Arbor, MI)
; Benjey; Robert P.; (Dexter, MI) ; Binder;
Carl; (Ann Arbor, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Anna M. Shih
26201 Northwestern Hwy.
P.O. Box 766
Southfield
MI
48037
US
|
Assignee: |
Eaton Corporation
Cleveland
OH
|
Family ID: |
34136816 |
Appl. No.: |
11/495800 |
Filed: |
July 28, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10662790 |
Sep 15, 2003 |
|
|
|
11495800 |
Jul 28, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/890.124 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 2015/03447
20130101; Y10T 29/49412 20150115; B60K 15/035 20130101; Y10T
137/86332 20150401; B60K 15/03177 20130101; Y10T 29/49405
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/890.124 |
International
Class: |
B21D 51/16 20060101
B21D051/16 |
Claims
1. A method of mounting a vent valve on a plastic fuel tank
comprising: forming an access opening in the wall of the tank, the
access opening having an edge; disposing a locking ring over the
access opening and attaching the ring to the exterior of the tank,
the locking ring having an undercut surface; providing a vent valve
with a resilient sealing ring thereon; disposing at least one
ratcheting surface on one of the vent valve and the locking ring
and at least one pawl on the other of the vent valve and the
locking ring; disposing a portion of the vent valve in the access
opening and locating the sealing ring on the edge of the access
opening; and, securing the vent valve against the undercut surface
of the locking ring by twist locking the vent valve in the locking
ring and preventing twisting in a reverse direction and retaining
the sealing ring against the edge of the access opening.
2. A system attachable to a fuel tank having an access opening with
an edge in a wall of the fuel tank, the system comprising: a
locking ring that is attachable to an exterior of the tank over the
access opening, over the access opening and attaching the ring to
the exterior of the tank, the locking ring having an undercut
surface; and a vent valve with a resilient sealing ring adapted to
be located against the edge of the access opening, the vent valve
having an outwardly extending flange that secures against the
undercut surface of the locking ring.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fuel tank has an embedded
vapor barrier, and wherein an edge of the vapor barrier is exposed
at the edge of the access opening.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sealing ring is located on
the exposed edge of the vapor barrier.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein the flange includes at least one
outwardly extending projection and the locking ring includes at
least one inwardly extending locking lug that forms the undercut
such that the projection engages with the locking lug.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said at least one outwardly
extending projection includes a plurality of circumferentially
spaced projections and said at least one inwardly extending locking
lug comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced locking
lugs.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein the locking ring is configured to
allow securing of the flange via a twist locking motion.
8. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the flange and the locking
ring includes at least one pawl and the other of the flange and the
locking ring includes at least one ratchet that engages with said
at least one pawl during a twist locking process to prevent
twisting of the vent valve in a reverse direction.
9. The system of claim 2, wherein the locking ring is formed of the
same plastic material as the fuel tank.
10. The system of claim 2, wherein an annular groove is formed on
the vent valve and an o-ring is disposed in the groove.
11. The system of claim 2, wherein the vent valve is a one-way
valve.
12. The system of claim 2, wherein the vent valve comprises: a
spud; a one-way valve; and an annular seal disposed between the
spud and the one-way valve.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of application U.S. Ser. No.
10/662,790 filed on Sep. 15, 2003, which is now U.S. Pat. No.
______.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to motor vehicle fuel tanks
and particularly fuel tanks formed of plastic material and more
particularly to plastic fuel tanks formed of plastic material not
impervious to fuel vapor and having a vapor barrier associated with
the wall of the tank to prevent permeation of fuel vapor through
the tank wall.
[0003] Control of fuel vapor permeation through fuel tanks is now
required on all vehicles operating on volatile hydrocarbon fuels in
order to prevent fuel vapor from entering the atmosphere. The
invention relates more particularly to plastic fuel tanks for motor
vehicles having a vapor barrier layer embedded or molded in the
plastic wall of the tank where the vapor barrier layer is typically
formed of a dissimilar plastic material from that of the tank wall
structure.
[0004] Where it is necessary to provide an aperture in the tank
wall for attachment of fittings to the tank, it has been found that
when the aperture is formed in the tank wall the break in the vapor
barrier creates an area where fuel vapor can permeate through the
wall of the tank and escape to the atmosphere. Accordingly, it has
been desired to provide a way or means of attaching valves and
fittings which pass through an aperture in the wall of a tank
having an imbedded vapor barrier in a manner which prevents
permeation and escape of vapor through the area of the aperture
upon attachment of a fitting thereto. It has also been desired to
provide a way or means for mechanically attaching a vent valve
fitting to the tank and to provide a vapor impervious connection
without the necessity of weldment of the vent valve to the
tank.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a means of attaching a vent
valve in the form of a valve or fitting to the wall of a plastic
fuel tank having an embedded vapor barrier layer in the wall
thereof and in a manner which provides for mechanical attachment of
the vent valve and provides a vapor impervious seal for the fitting
or vent valve. An aperture is formed through the tank wall exposing
the edge of the vapor barrier layer and a locking ring is welded
about the aperture to the outer surface of the tank wall. The
locking ring is provided with undercut inwardly extending lugs
spaced circumferentially about the inner periphery. A fitting or
vent valve has an annular seal ring located thereon so as to engage
the edge of the vapor barrier layer upon mechanical attachment of
the fitting to the locking ring. In the presently preferred
practice the fitting has projections thereon to enable axial
insertion and twist locking of the fitting projections with the
lugs on the locking ring on the tank.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a cross-section taken through a float operated
valve installed in the wall of a fuel tank employing the mechanical
attachment of the present invention; and,
[0007] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the
inventions mechanically attaching a fuel filler tube assembly to a
fuel tank.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1 one embodiment of the present invention
is shown indicated generally at 10 as a float operated vapor vent
valve installed through an aperture 12 formed in the wall 14,
generally by boring a hole, of a fuel tank formed of plastic
material having an imbedded vapor impervious barrier layer 16
formed therein to prevent permeation and escape of fuel vapor
through the tank wall.
[0009] If desired, the aperture 12 may be stiffened in the tank
wall by the blow molding operation and may cause the material of
the tank wall surrounding the aperture to be deformed or deflected
inwardly to form a raised lip 18 annularly about the aperture on
the inner surface of the tank wall. The edge of the vapor barrier
layer 14 is thus exposed upon boring a hole about the inner
periphery of the aperture 12 upon formation of the aperture.
[0010] An annular locking ring 20 has an undercut surface 22 formed
thereon so as to provide an annular flange 24 about the face of the
periphery of the ring, which flange 24 is secured to the outer
surface of the tank wall 14 by weldment.
[0011] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a vent valve 26, typically of
the float operated type, has an enlarged diameter portion 28 formed
thereon which is sized and configured to closely interfit the
aperture 12 when the valve 26 is received therethrough. An annular
resilient seal ring 32 is disposed in radial compression between
the aperture 12 and a shoulder 30 formed on the valve body below
portion 28 with the outer periphery of the seal ring located
thereon so as to seal over the edge of the barrier layer 16 exposed
within aperture 12. Exact shape of rubber seal cross-section may
vary to suit application.
[0012] Valve 26 has an outwardly extending flange 32 which has a
plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending
locking lugs 34, 36 provided thereon which engage corresponding
radially inwardly extending and circumferentially spaced
projections 38, 40 formed on the locking ring 20. Thus, the valve
26 may be inserted in the aperture with the projection 34, 36 moved
axially in the spaces between the inwardly extending projections
38, 40 and rotated for twist locking engagement therewith. Valve 26
has an outwardly extending nipple 42 with an annular barb 44
provided on the end thereof for permitting attachment of a hose
thereon for controlling escape of fuel vapor from within the tank
through fitting 42 to an external collector (not shown). Other
means of sealing such as "quick connects" will work as well.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the invention
employing a filler tube assembly is indicated generally at 50
wherein tank 14 has a locking ring 52 secured over the tank
aperture 12 by weldment as was done in the embodiment 10 of FIG. 1.
Locking ring 52 has a plurality of radially inwardly extending
circumferentially spaced locking lugs 54, 56, 58 disposed
thereabout in circumferentially spaced arrangement. Ring 52 is
axially undercut to provide a space between the lugs 54 through 58
and the outer surface of the tank 14 in the region about the
aperture 12 and to form annular rib 53 for weldment to the wall of
tank 14.
[0014] The filler tube assembly of embodiment 50 of the present
invention includes a one way valve assembly indicated generally at
60 and a spud indicated generally at 62 which is disposed over the
upper end of the valve 60 in telescoping arrangement and sealed
thereon by an annular seal ring 64.
[0015] The spud 62 has a cylindrical portion 66 thereof which is
adapted to be received axially within the inner periphery of the
lugs 52 through 58 in the locking ring. Spud 62 has a flange
portion with three radially outwardly extending lugs 66 through 70
spaced peripherally thereabout and configured to pass axially
through the spaces between the lugs 52 through 58 in the locking
ring. Each of the projections 66 through 70 has provided on the
outer periphery thereof a resiliently flexible pawl, denoted
respectively 72 through 76, which is arranged to engage ratchet
teeth such as those denoted by reference numeral 78 formed in the
locking ring in the undercut region of projection 54. The pawls
each engage the ratchet teeth upon twist locking of the spud 62
into the aperture 12 such that reverse rotation and removal
therefrom is prevented. The spud 62 has an upper tubular portion 80
which is adapted to have a flexible hose or tubing received
thereover and retained thereon and includes an annular rib or barb
82 formed about the end thereof for facilitating hose attachment
thereto.
[0016] The lower portion 65 of the filler tube assembly 62 has a
seal ring 84 disposed thereabout for sealing between the lower
portion 65 and the inner periphery of aperture 12 and vapor barrier
16 in a manner similar to that shown for the embodiment 10 of FIG.
1.
[0017] The present invention thus provides a simple, low cost and
effective way of mechanically attaching and retaining a vent valve
on an aperture formed on the wall of a plastic fuel tank having a
vapor barrier exposed at the aperture.
[0018] Although the invention has hereinabove been described with
respect to the illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that
the invention is capable of modification and variation and is
limited only by the following claims.
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