Eaton Corporation

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

G. T. Products, Inc.

Paul Douglas Walkowski

Robert Philip Benjey

Vaughn Kevin Mills

Russell Carl Jahnke

Andrew W McIntosh

Robert Andrew Dayton

Kenneth M Spink

David Adam Deboskey

Duane M Schliebe

A fuel filler tube housing assembly constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure includes a fuel filler neck and a filler extension tube. The fuel filler neck housing includes a first mounting structure operable to support a check valve. The fuel filler extension tube is fixed to the fuel filler neck housing and has a second mounting structure substantially similar to the first mounting structure and thereby also operable to support the check valve.

Extension tube internal check valve

A valve assembly is provided that is suitable for use in a fuel fill line. The valve assembly may include a housing having a flange that surrounds the housing. A weld foot can be molded over at least a portion of the flange. A lip seal may be disposed between the flange and the weld foot. The lip seal includes a first lip and a second lip, and the first lip and the second lip may both be in contact with a surface on one of the flange and the weld foot.

Redundant lip seal for valve

A vent valve for a fuel system includes a float, a flapper assembly and an orifice plate. The flapper assembly has a flapper and a seal mounted on or fixed to the flapper. The flapper assembly can be movably engaged with the float. The orifice plate can have a plate body that includes a nipple portion extending to a terminal end that defines a valve seat. The valve seat comprises an orifice having splines arranged around an outer diameter thereof. The seal is configured to selectively engage the valve seat between a sealed, closed position and an unsealed, open position. The splines facilitate movement of the seal from the closed position to the open position with reduced reopening force.

Weighted flapper and splined orifice plate for vent valve

A valve assembly for a tank of a vehicle is disclosed. A valve body is adapted to be attached to the tank. A seat is disposed inside the valve body and defines an outlet for venting the tank. A float is disposed inside the valve body and is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the valve body in response to a liquid fluid level inside the tank. A support is coupled to the float and is movable with the float between the first and second positions. A sealing member is attached to the support and has an engagement portion supported by a base to define a space between the engagement portion and the support to allow movement of the engagement portion between an initial position when in the first position and a displaced position when in the second position.

Valve assembly for a tank of a vehicle

A flapper valve assembly is provided for venting pressure in a tank. The flapper valve assembly includes a float assembly that is configured to be disposed within a valve housing. The float assembly may have a plurality of guide supports that extend from an end portion of the float assembly. A flapper member is movably supported on the float assembly. The flapper member may include a plurality of guide legs that correspond with the guide supports of the float assembly to maintain proper alignment of the flapper member relative to the float assembly.

Flapper valve with guide legs

A fuel inlet valve for a fuel tank includes a flange that is attachable to the fuel tank and a first aperture and a second aperture formed in the flange. The fuel inlet valve also includes a fuel valve associated with the first aperture and a fill pipe nipple associated with the first aperture. The fuel valve and the fill pipe nipple form a fuel path through the first aperture. The fuel inlet valve also has at least one nipple associated with the second aperture and connectable to said at least one nipple is connectable to a purge line, a fuel pump, or a fuel line.

Fuel inlet valve with integral line

A fuel storage system includes a tank, a check valve having an inlet tube, an anti-siphon device and a fuel intake tube. The anti-siphon device includes a ring defining an interior opening having a diameter. The ring abuts an upstream end of the inlet tube of the check valve, which includes an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the interior opening of the ring. The ring includes and supports a plurality of fins within the inlet tube without narrowing the inlet tube to maximize fluid flow through the inlet tube. The anti-siphon device is rotatable relative to the check valve and the fuel intake tube. The shape, size and orientation of the fins are optimized to minimize flow interruption through the anti-siphon device and minimize vaporization of the fluid.

Anti-siphon device

A protective cover for a filler neck is designed to discriminate between different sizes of fuel nozzles. The cover includes a body portion and a movable door that covers and exposes an opening in the filler neck. The body portion has a pair of spaced body protrusions that form a gate, and the door has a ledge that may also be formed by a pair of spaced door protrusions. The protrusions on the door can be easily moved to an open position by pressing a tip of a fuel nozzle against the protrusions. The gate and the ledge are configured so that they can accommodate the fuel nozzle for only one type of fuel.

Fuel discriminating filler neck cover

A capless seal door for a fuel tank filler tube employs a door valve with a flexible annular seal which, upon closing against a seat on the undersurface of a nozzle-receiving orifice formed in a bulkhead across the tube, initially wipes on the seat and is subsequently compressed thereon.

Capless filler neck assembly for a fuel tank

A capless filler neck creates a vapor-tight closure for a fuel system using a spring-loaded door and a latch structure that anchors the door to create a vapor-tight seal. The filler neck includes a spring that biases the door shut and a wedge arrangement that acts as the latching structure. The wedge arrangement includes a movable plate that selectively engages with the door to pull the door shut with sufficient force to form and maintain the vapor-tight seal.

Door latch for capless filler neck

A capless filler tube closure door has a pair of spaced axles or pins which are guided by slots to initially upon being opened by a refueling nozzle move in translation away from the nozzle orifice seat and then pivot out of the way so as not to obstruct the nozzle. Upon nozzle removal as the door approaches the seat, it moves in linear translation to close on the seat to ensure uniform sealing.

Guiding movement of capless filler neck closure

A cover for a filler neck includes a body portion and a movable protective door that covers and exposes an opening in the filler neck. The protective door includes a ledge that protrudes from the plane of the door so that the door can be easily moved to an open position by pressing a tip of a fuel nozzle against the door. The door itself may be biased to move into a closed position automatically when the fuel nozzle is removed from the ledge.

Filler neck cover

An improved liquid level fuel sender of the type having a resistor card mounted in a plastic housing affixed to the interior of a fuel tank, and a float arm assembly connected to pivot relative to the housing to slide a contact wiper over the resistor card to generate signals corresponding to fuel level. The connecting structure and bearing surfaces of the components of the fuel sender are designed to increase the stability, uniformity, accuracy and repeatability of the sender over its life. In one embodiment the plastic housing defines a first pivot bearing for the float arm assembly, and the ground terminal defines a second pivot bearing for the float arm assembly spaced from the first pivot bearing to improve rotational stability of the float arm assembly. A support arm and wiper arm assembly are mounted therebetween, the support arm connected to the float arm and freely rotating on an axial bearing surface on the housing to transfer float arm motion to the conductive wiper arm. The mounting and bearing surfaces for the support arm and ground terminal are located to improve the precision of their alignment relative to one another and the resistor card, ensuring uniform wiper arm contact forces.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Paul Douglas Walkowski