U.S. patent application number 12/233623 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-25 for internally mounted fuel tank inlet check valve.
This patent application is currently assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.. Invention is credited to Rebecca J. Marquardt.
Application Number | 20100072200 12/233623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42036577 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100072200 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Marquardt; Rebecca J. |
March 25, 2010 |
Internally Mounted Fuel Tank Inlet Check Valve
Abstract
An inlet check valve (ICV) assembly for a plastic fuel tank in
which the ICV housing thereof is attached internally to the tank
shell, and the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly has attachment to the
tank shell. The fuel tank includes a shell spout having a spout
spud, wherein an internal mounting surface is disposed circumspect
the shell spout. The ICV housing includes an inversion of the weld
pad for plastic welding at the internal mounting surface of the
tank shell. In one embodiment, the ICV assembly has a high profile
upper sleeve with a sleeve spud to which the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly also attaches.
Inventors: |
Marquardt; Rebecca J.;
(Commerce, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Keefe and Associates
24405 Gratiot Avenue
Eastpointe
MI
48021
US
|
Assignee: |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS,
INC.
Detroit
MI
|
Family ID: |
42036577 |
Appl. No.: |
12/233623 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/86.2 ;
251/356 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/86.2 ;
251/356 |
International
Class: |
B65D 47/02 20060101
B65D047/02 |
Claims
1. An inlet check valve assembly for internal mounting with respect
to a plastic fuel tank, comprising: an upper sleeve; a flange
having a weld pad, wherein said upper sleeve is disposed in
upstanding relation to said weld pad; and an inlet check valve
connected with said flange opposite said weld pad.
2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve spud
disposed on said upper sleeve.
3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lower sleeve
connected to said flange opposite said weld pad, wherein said inlet
check valve is connected to said lower sleeve.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said upper sleeve has a high
profile, wherein said upper sleeve is longer than said lower
sleeve; further comprising a sleeve spud disposed on said upper
sleeve substantially adjacent a terminus thereof.
5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said upper sleeve has a short
profile, wherein said upper sleeve is shorter than said lower
sleeve.
6. A fuel tank assembly, comprising: a plastic tank shell having a
spout opening, said tank shell comprising: a shell spout integrally
connected with said tank shell, said shell spout having a spout
passage communicating with said spout opening, said shell spout
further having a spout spud disposed on said shell spout
substantially adjacent a terminus thereof, and a mounting surface
disposed at an internal surface of said tank shell adjacently
circumscribing said spout opening; and an inlet check valve
assembly comprising: an upper sleeve received in said shell spout
passage; a flange having a weld pad, wherein said upper sleeve is
disposed in upstanding relation to said weld pad, and wherein said
weld pad is sealingly welded to said mounting surface; and an inlet
check valve connected with said flange opposite said weld pad.
7. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising a fuel fill
pipe/hose assembly sealingly fitted on said shell spout and said
spout spud.
8. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising a sleeve spud
disposed on said upper sleeve.
9. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising a fuel fill
pipe/hose assembly sealingly fitted on said shell spout, on said
spout spud and on said sleeve spud.
10. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising a lower sleeve
connected to said flange opposite said weld pad, wherein said inlet
check valve is connected to said lower sleeve; further comprising a
sleeve spud disposed on said upper sleeve substantially at a
terminus thereof, wherein said upper sleeve has a high profile such
that said sleeve spud is exposed with respect to said shell
spout.
11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a fuel fill
pipe/hose assembly sealingly fitted on said shell spout, on said
spout spud and on said sleeve spud.
12. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising a lower sleeve
connected to said flange opposite said weld pad, wherein said inlet
check valve is connected to said lower sleeve; and wherein said
upper sleeve has a short profile, wherein said upper sleeve is
disposed entirely within said shell spout.
13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a fuel fill
pipe/hose assembly sealingly fitted on said shell spout and said
spout spud.
14. A plastic fuel tank, comprising: a plastic tank shell having a
spout opening, said tank shell comprising: a shell spout integrally
connected with said tank shell, said shell spout having a spout
passage communicating with said spout opening, said shell spout
further having a spout spud disposed on said shell spout
substantially adjacent a terminus thereof, and a mounting surface
disposed at an internal surface of said tank shell adjacently
circumscribing said spout opening.
15. A method for enabling fueling a fuel tank, comprising the steps
of: fabricating a plastic tank shell of a plastic fuel tank,
wherein the tank shell includes a shell spout; fabricating an inlet
check valve assembly; sealing the inlet check valve assembly to an
internal mounting surface of the tank shell circumscribing the
shell spout; and connecting a fuel fill pipe/hose assembly in
sealing relation to the shell spout.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of connecting further
comprises connecting the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly in sealing
relation to the inlet check valve assembly.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to plastic fuel tanks for
motor vehicles, and more particularly to a fuel fill inlet check
valve which is internally mounted to the fuel tank shell.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Motor vehicle fuel tanks are commonly composed of a plastic
shell and provide not only a reservoir for fuel but also must have
accommodation for adding fuel, delivering fuel (i.e., to the
engine) and monitoring the amount of the fuel therein. It has
become a common practice to provide an inlet check valve at the
interface of the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly with the fuel tank
shell. In this regard, the inlet check valve (ICV) provides a
one-way valve in which fuel may pass into the fuel tank during
fueling, but is prevented from exiting the fuel tank.
[0003] Existing plastic fuel tanks utilize an ICV assembly having
an ICV housing which is externally plastic welded to the tank
shell. In this regard, FIGS. 1A and 1B depict an example of a prior
art ICV assembly 10 for a motor vehicle fuel tank 12.
[0004] The ICV assembly 10 includes: a plastic ICV housing 14
having an upper sleeve 16 with a spud 16a, an annular flange 18
with a weld pad 18a, and a lower sleeve 20; and further includes an
ICV member 22 mounted to the lower sleeve, wherein the ICV member
includes an ICV 22a which operates as a one-way valve allowing fuel
to enter the fuel tank, but not to exit. The ICV housing 14 is
attached to the tank shell 12a of the fuel tank 12 circumspect a
fuel entry opening 12b formed therein. A plastic welding apparatus
(not shown, but well known in the art) heats the tank shell 12a
adjacent the fuel entry opening 12b to thereby provide a pre-heated
flat external mounting surface 12c of the tank shell.
Simultaneously, the plastic welding apparatus also heats the
annular flange 18 such that the weld pad 18a thereof is also
pre-heated. The plastic welding apparatus then presses the weld pad
18a to the mounting surface 12c, whereby a plastic weld 25
therebetween is established which seals the ICV housing 14 to the
fuel tank shell 12a.
[0005] The fuel fill pipe/hose assembly 24 is tightly fitted upon
the upper sleeve 16, including an interference fit with respect to
the spud 16a. An adjustable annular clamp 26 contracts the fuel
fill pipe/hose assembly onto the upper sleeve and thereby seals the
fuel fill pipe/hose assembly with respect to the ICV housing.
[0006] In operation, a user pumps fuel into the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly, wherein the fuel passes into the fuel tank through the
ICV housing and the ICV assembly. The fuel cannot pass back into
the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly from the fuel tank due to the
one-way operation of the ICV of the ICV assembly.
[0007] Since externally welded ICV housings depend on the integrity
of the welding process to ensure the weld secures the ICV housing
in all vehicle conditions, preventing leakage or permeation of fuel
liquid and vapor, it would be desirable if somehow: 1) the ICV
housing could be attached to the fuel tank other than externally,
and 2) the could have an attachment directly to the fuel tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is an ICV assembly for a plastic fuel
tank in which the ICV housing thereof is attached internally to the
tank shell of the fuel tank and the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly
has a direct attachment to the tank shell of the fuel tank.
[0009] The plastic fuel tank according to the present invention
includes a plastic shell having a shell spout with a spout spud,
wherein an internal mounting surface is disposed circumspect the
shell spout. The ICV assembly according to the present invention
may utilize a conventional ICV member, as for example that depicted
at FIG. 1B; however, the ICV housing is modified according to the
present invention, including an inversion of the weld pad for
plastic welding at an internal mounting surface of the tank
shell.
[0010] In a first preferred embodiment of the ICV assembly
according to the present invention, the inverted weld pad is
plastic welded to the internal mounting surface of the tank shell.
The ICV assembly has a high profile upper sleeve which is received
by the shell spout, wherein the shell spout is formed integrally of
the tank shell. The shell spout has a spout spud, and the upper
sleeve has a sleeve spud externally disposed with respect to the
terminus of the shell spout, wherein the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly is tightly fitted upon the shell spout and the sleeve
spud, including an interference fit with respect to the spout and
sleeve spuds. An adjustable annular clamp, for example, contracts
the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly onto the shell spout, whereby the
spout and sleeve spuds are further tightly fitted, and thereby
sealing the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly independently with respect
to both the tank shell and the ICV assembly.
[0011] In a second preferred embodiment of the ICV assembly
according to the present invention, the inverted weld pad is
plastic welded to an internal mounting surface of the tank shell.
The ICV assembly has a low profile upper sleeve which is received
by a shell spout formed integrally of the tank shell. The shell
spout includes a spout spud, wherein the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly is tightly fitted upon the shell spout, including an
interference fit with respect to the spout spud. An adjustable
annular clamp, for example, contracts the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly onto the shell spout, whereby the spout spud is further
tightly fitted, and thereby sealing the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly with respect to the tank shell.
[0012] By way of exemplification, a plastic welding apparatus
(known in the art, but now having a suitably configured robotic
arm) enters the tank shell, for example through the shell opening
for the fuel pump module (or other pre-selected shell opening), to
thereby heat the plastic inverted weld pad and the internal
mounting surface of the plastic tank shell. In this regard, the
internal mounting surface of the tank shell complies generally with
the geometry utilized in the prior art for the above discussed
external welding operation; however, now the flat mounting surface
is disposed at the inside surface of the tank shell.
[0013] The present invention provides, in comparison with the prior
art as depicted at FIGS. 1A and 1B, enhanced protection from fuel
leakage or permeation through the uninterrupted, one piece
interface of the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly with respect to the
shell spout of fuel tank. The advantage of an internally mounted
ICV is that if somehow liquid fuel and/or fuel vapor escaped
through the plastic weld of the ICV assembly to the tank shell,
then the escaped fuel would be trapped inside the fuel tank,
itself, and/or the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly, thus obviating any
issues related to liquid fuel and vapor somehow getting outside of
the fuel tank at the ICV assembly.
[0014] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an ICV assembly for a plastic fuel tank in which the ICV
housing thereof is attached internally to the fuel tank and the
fuel fill pipe/hose assembly has a direct attachment to the tank
shell of the fuel tank, thus eliminating any issues related to
liquid fuel and vapor somehow getting outside of the fuel tank at
the ICV assembly.
[0015] This and additional objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become clearer from the following
specification of a preferred embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a prior art plastic fuel
tank, showing in particular a fuel fill pipe/hose assembly
connected with a prior art ICV assembly.
[0017] FIG. 1B is a side sectional view of the prior art plastic
fuel tank and prior art ICV assembly of FIG. 1A.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a elevational side view of a first embodiment of
the present invention including a high profile upper sleeve with
sleeve spud.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a elevational side view of a second embodiment of
the present invention including a low profile upper sleeve.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a broken-away, sectional side view of the first
embodiment of the present invention including a high profile upper
sleeve, shown received by a shell spout of a plastic fuel tank
according to the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a broken-away, sectional side view of the second
embodiment of the present invention including a low profile upper
sleeve, shown received by a shell spout of a plastic fuel tank
according to the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 6A is a schematic view of an ICV assembly having an
inverted weld pad being installed with respect to a shell spout and
internal mounting surface of a plastic fuel tank according to the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 6B is a flow chart indicating method steps for the
installation process schematically exemplified at FIG. 6A.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] Referring now to the Drawing, FIGS. 2 through 6B depict
various aspects of the ICV assembly 100 according to the present
invention.
[0025] Referring firstly to FIGS. 2 and 4, a first preferred
embodiment of the ICV assembly 100, 100' is shown. The ICV assembly
100' includes a plastic ICV housing 102 having an upper sleeve 104
with a sleeve spud 104s adjacent the sleeve terminus 104t, an
annular flange 106 having a weld pad 106a, and a lower sleeve 108,
wherein the weld pad is "inverted" in the sense that the upper
sleeve is disposed in upstanding relation to the weld pad (in
contradistinction to the prior art of FIG. 1B, the lower sleeve 20
is disposed in upstanding relation to the weld pad). The ICV
assembly 100' further includes an ICV member 110 mounted to the
lower sleeve, wherein the ICV member includes an ICV 110a which
operates as a one-way valve allowing fuel to enter the fuel tank,
but not to exit.
[0026] The plastic fuel tank 120 has a plastic tank shell 120a
having a shell spout 122 formed at the fuel opening 124 and
extending outwardly from the tank shell. Adjacent the terminus 122t
of the shell spout 122 is a spout spud 122s. The shell spout is an
integral component of the tank shell, formed, for example, during
the fabrication process (as for example blow molding) of the fuel
tank. An internal surface of the tank shell 120a adjacent and
circumspect the spout opening 124 of the tank shell is a mounting
surface 126, having a predetermined configuration for interfacing
with the inverted weld pad 106a, as for example a flat profile.
[0027] The inner diameter 122b of the spout passage 122p of the
shell spout 122 is preselected so that the upper sleeve 104 with
its sleeve spud 104s is able to be passed (or pressed) through the
shell spout such that when the inverted weld pad 106a contacts the
mounting surface 126, the sleeve spud is exposed, disposed, for
example, in general adjacency to the terminus 122t and the spout
spud 122s. In this regard, the upper sleeve 104 has a "high
profile" in the sense that the sleeve spud 104s is exposed with
respect to the shell spout when the upper sleeve is fully seated in
the shell spout 122, wherein, generally for example, the upper
sleeve has a length longer than that of the lower sleeve 108.
[0028] A plastic welding apparatus is utilized to heat the inverted
welding pad 106a and the internal mounting surface 126, then press
the inverted welding pad against the internal mounting surface to
provide a sealing plastic weld 125 therebetween, as will be
detailed hereinbelow with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B.
[0029] As shown at FIG. 4, the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly 130 is
tightly fitted upon the shell spout 122 and the sleeve spud 104s,
including an interference fit with respect to the spout and sleeve
spuds 122s, 104s. An adjustable annular clamp 132, for example,
contracts the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly onto the shell spout,
whereby the spout and sleeve spuds are further tightly fitted, and
thereby sealing the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly independently with
respect to both the tank shell 120a and the ICV housing 102. To
facilitate a tight fit between the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly 130
and each of the spout and sleeve spuds 122s, 104s, the fuel fill
pipe/hose assembly (at the hose endform thereof, for example) is
shown having end flaring 130a.
[0030] Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 5, a second preferred
embodiment of the ICV assembly 100, 100'' is shown. The ICV
assembly 100'' includes a plastic ICV housing 102' having a upper
sleeve 104' with a sleeve spud 104s', an annular flange 106' having
a weld pad 106a', and a lower sleeve 108', wherein the weld pad is
"inverted" in the sense that the upper sleeve is disposed in
upstanding relation to the weld pad (in contradistinction to the
prior art of FIG. 1B, the lower sleeve 20 is disposed in upstanding
relation to the weld pad). The ICV assembly 100'' further includes
an ICV member 110' mounted to the lower sleeve, wherein the ICV
member includes an ICV 110a' which operates as a one-way valve
allowing fuel to enter the fuel tank, but not to exit.
[0031] The plastic fuel tank 120' has a plastic tank shell 120a'
having a shell spout 122' formed at the fuel opening 124' and
extending outwardly from the tank shell. Adjacent the terminus
122t' of the shell spout 122' is a spout spud 122s'. The shell
spout is an integral component of the tank shell, formed during the
fabrication process (as for example blow molding) of the fuel tank.
An internal surface of the tank shell 120a' adjacent and
circumspect the spout opening 124' of the tank shell is a mounting
surface 126', having a predetermined configuration for interfacing
with the inverted weld pad 106a', as for example a flat
profile.
[0032] The inner diameter 122b' of the spout passage 122p' of the
shell spout 122 is preselected so that the upper sleeve 104' is
receivable into the shell spout when the inverted weld pad 106a'
contacts the mounting surface 126', wherein the upper sleeve is
disposed entirely within the shell spout (i.e., the sleeve terminus
104t' is disposed within the shell spout). In this regard, the
upper sleeve 104' has a "low profile" in the sense that the upper
sleeve is disposed entirely inside the shell spout 122' when the
upper sleeve is fully seated therein, wherein, generally for
example, the upper sleeve has a length shorter than that of the
lower sleeve 108'.
[0033] A plastic welding apparatus is utilized to heat the inverted
welding pad 106a' and the internal mounting surface 126', then
press the inverted welding pad against the internal mounting
surface to provide a sealing plastic weld 125' therebetween, as
will be detailed hereinbelow with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B.
[0034] As shown at FIG. 5, the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly 130' is
tightly fitted upon the shell spout 122', including an interference
fit with respect to the spout spud 122s. An adjustable annular
clamp 132', for example, contracts the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly
onto the shell spout, whereby the spout spud is further tightly
fitted, and thereby sealing the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly with
respect to the tank shell 120a'.
[0035] An installation set-up is shown schematically at FIG. 6A,
utilizing, by way of example, the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 4. A
plastic welding apparatus (for example, robotic or mechanically
driven) 150, known in the art, now having a suitably configured
robotic or mechanically driven arm 152, enters the tank shell 120a
for example through a selected tank shell opening 154, for example
an opening utilized for the fuel pump module. The plastic welding
apparatus, in this example a robotic arm, provides heat to the
plastic inverted weld pad 106a and heating the internal mounting
surface 126 of the plastic tank shell. After heating, the plastic
welding apparatus 150 then presses the inverted welding pad against
the internal mounting surface, thereby plastic weld sealing the ICV
housing 202 to the fuel tank 120.
[0036] FIG. 6B depicts a flow chart 200 exemplifying a methodology
for carrying out the present invention.
[0037] At Block 202 the plastic fuel tank is fabricated, integrally
with the shell spout. By way of exemplification, the shell spout,
shell spud and the internal mounting surface are blow molded along
with the rest of the blow molded tank shell during a plastic blow
molding operation. The fuel filler hole and the spout passage may
be formed during the blow molding operation by several methods,
such as for example, utilizing a push through rod insert, located
in the blow molding tool, or by being cut post blow molding.
[0038] At Block 204 the ICV assembly is fabricated, for example
utilizing standard components for the ICV, and including either a
high or low profile upper sleeve, and further including an inverted
weld pad.
[0039] Next at Block 206, the ICV assembly is located inside the
fuel tank so that the upper sleeve is aligned with the spout
passage, as generally shown at FIG. 6A. For example, the ICV
assembly may be passed through an opening in the tank shell, such
as through opening 154 of FIG. 6A.
[0040] At Block 208, a welding apparatus arm is inserted into the
fuel tank, as for example through opening 154 of FIG. 6A, and heat
is applied to both the weld pad of the ICV assembly and the
internal mounting surface of the tank shell.
[0041] Upon completion of the heating of Block 208, then at Block
210, the welding apparatus arm effects to press the annular flange
of the ICV housing toward the tank shell, whereduring the upper
sleeve is received by the spout passage and the weld pad is pressed
against the internal mounting surface, whereupon the ICV housing is
sealingly welded to the tank shell.
[0042] With the welding apparatus, such as the robotic arm,
withdrawn from the fuel tank, and the other steps of assembly of
the fuel tank undertaken, at Block 214, the fuel fill pipe/hose
assembly is pressed onto the shell spout (including the shell spud
if the high profile sleeve is being utilized), whereupon a hose
attachment mechanism, as for example the above mentioned adjustable
clamp, is tightened onto the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly, to seal
the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly with respect to the shell spout,
and its spout spud (and the shell spud if present).
[0043] The shell and sleeve spuds include, respectively, a sealing
annulus 140a, 140b, 140b' similar to the sealing annulus 40 shown
at FIG. 1B, wherein the geometry of the spud may be refined via
methods such as machining to ensure a best sealing fit with respect
to the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly. The outer geometry of the
shell spud can be, for example, generated via geometry of the blow
molding tool and cooling fixture configuration, and, if necessary
for more accurate geometry, refined via post blow molding methods,
such as machining. In both embodiments of the present invention,
the fuel fill pipe/hose assembly may include end flaring to
accommodate pressing over of the shell spud (and, if present, the
sleeve spud).
[0044] To those skilled in the art to which this invention
appertains, the above described preferred embodiment may be subject
to change or modification. Such change or modification can be
carried out without departing from the scope of the invention,
which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *