Stant Manufacturing Inc.

Stant Inc.

Other

Robert S Harris

Jeffery Griffin

Emil Szlaga

Robert H Thompson

Dean C Foltz

Jeffrey M Griffin

Jason K Jobe

J Bradley Groom

Jeffrey E Devall

Lowell R Bell

Billy G Crute

William Abney, Iii

John J Roetker

Nancy J Amburgey

Dwight D Smith

Dennis J Summan

Bruce K Bowden

A cap for use on the threaded filler neck of a coolant reservoir, such as an automobile radiator, comprising a cover and main body and including: a means for transmitting torque from the cover to the main body to screw the cap onto the filler neck. The cap but for preventing excess torque from being transmitted. The cap includes a second torque transmission means for unscrewing the cap, which does not limit the torque that can be transmitted. The cap also includes a means for preventing the cap from being unscrewed when the coolant is under pressure; a pressure relief means to prevent the coolant pressure from exceeding a predetermined level; and a vacuum relief means for preventing the coolant pressure from falling below a second predetermined level.

Pressure deactivated torque override coolant cap

A torque-limit signal cap for a filler neck includes a handle, a filler neck closure, and a torque-limit signaler. The torque-limit signaler operates during cap installation to interrupt temporarily a driving connection established between the handle and the closure to provide a tactile and/or auditory signal to a user turning the cap in the filler neck indicating that sufficient torque has been applied to the handle to seat the closure in a filler neck-closing position in the filler neck.

Torque-limit signal system for filler neck cap

A redundant seal for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck closure is provided for closing and opening an automobile fuel tank to the atmosphere. The redundant seal ( ) includes a lower shoulder ( ) which sealably engages a first valve seat and an upper shoulder ( ) which sealably engages a second valve seat. The redundant seal ( ) is appropriate for use in applications such as filler neck closures, pressure and vacuum-relief systems within tank filler neck closures, and capless filler neck closure systems.

Redundant seal for tank filler neck closure

A pressure and vacuum vent valve for a vehicle fuel tank is provided including a structure defining a passageway and having a vent valve assembly positioned therein. The assembly includes a pressure relief valve to relieve pressure from the fuel tank when the pressure exceeds a predetermined level and a vacuum relief valve to relieve a vacuum in the tank when the pressure in the tank drops below a predetermined level. The vacuum relief valve presents a lubricious sealing surface that engages a valve seat. The pressure valve engages a sealing surface to close a central venting orifice provided in the vacuum valve.

Fuel tank vent valve

A filler neck closure assembly ( ) includes a housing ( ) formed to include a passage ( ), a tank pressure control assembly ( ) in passage ( ), and an outer shell ( ) coupled to housing ( ). Closure assembly ( ) includes a sleeve ( ) that reinforces housing ( ) and shields tank pressure control assembly ( ). Closure assembly ( ) also includes a sealing gasket ( ) and a foam ring ( ) between housing ( ) and a side wall ( ) of outer shell ( ) leakage of fuel vapor therebetween. Outer shell ( ) includes frangible tabs ( ) that break away from the rest of outer shell ( ) in a controlled manner when outer shell ( ) is subjected to an impact during a vehicle crash. Outer shell ( ) is formed to include a fluid drain ( ) and closure assembly ( ) includes a float ( ) that closes fluid drain ( ) and that moves to open fluid drain ( ) to allow accumulated fluid to drain out of outer shell ( ).

Seal for filler neck closure assembly

A closure assembly includes a filler neck, a housing, and an appearance cover. The housing includes a nozzle-receiving passageway and an interior region. A closure door is coupled to housing and prevents fuel vapor from flowing through passageway. A pressure-relief valve assembly is positioned within interior region and controls the flow of fuel vapor through interior region when the closure door is closed. A valve actuator is coupled to housing and includes a nozzle arm, a stem arm, and a conductor arm. Stem arm moves with nozzle arm and opens pressure-relief valve assembly when nozzle arm is engaged by a fuel-dispensing nozzle upon movement of a nozzle into passageway. A conductor arm is coupled to nozzle arm and is positioned to contact filler neck through an opening in housing. When a nozzle contacts the nozzle arm, any electrical charge present on the fuel-dispensing nozzle is conducted through nozzle arm and conductor arm to the filler neck.

Filler neck closure assembly

A tank venting system includes a vent apparatus for controlling discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture formed in a fuel tank. The vent apparatus includes a vent valve, a vent valve mover, and a liquid fuel sensor positioned to lie in the fuel tank and configured to operate a control module and a solenoid to control operation of the vent valve mover so as to move the vent valve between opened and closed positions.

Electronic fill limit control

A fuel system leakage detector (,) includes a pressure source (,) and a test head (,) adapted to be coupled to a fuel system (,) of a vehicle (,) with engine (,), fuel tank (,), fuel filler neck (,), fuel closure cap (,) and evaporative emissions cannister (,), such fuel systems leakage detector also having a pneumatic circuit (,) coupled to a pressure source (,) and the test head (,), a pneumatic circuit bypass (,) coupled to the pressure source (,) and the test head (,), and a signaling device (,). The pneumatic circuit (,) includes a measurement device (,) coupled to the signaling device through which pressurized gas flows during leakage testing. Before testing, pressurized gas is diverted through the pneumatic circuit bypass (,) and bypasses the pneumatic circuit including the measurement device (,) to charge the test head (,) and the fuel system (,) for testing. The measurement device (,) then detects gas pressure differences between the test head (,) and the atmosphere whereby the signaling device (,) indicates the results of the leakage test.

Fuel system leakage detector

A cap (,) includes a handle (,), torque-transmission ring (,), a driver (,) coupled to handle (,) and ring (,), and a closure member (,) adapted to close a tank filler neck (,). A connector (,) couples ring (,) to closure member (,) to establish a torque-limited connection (,) during cap installation and a direct-drive connection (,) during cap removal. An axial spring (,) coupled to handle (,) and ring (,) yieldably biases ring (,) toward closure member (,) to maintain the torque-limited connection (,). A rotary spring (,) coupled to handle (,) and ring (,) rotates closure member (,) relative to handle (,) to a reset position upon removal of cap (,) from filler neck (,).

Quick-on torque-override filler neck cap

A fuel cap has an upper housing and a lower housing, each configured to be inserted into the filler neck of a vehicle fuel system. The upper housing and lower housing are cooperatively configured to allow both rotational and axial relative movement with respect to one another. A seal coupled to the lower housing sealingly engages the filler neck when the fuel cap is in a tightened position. A spring mount is coupled to the lower housing and engages a spring that is positioned to bias the lower housing axially toward the upper housing to assist in loosening contact of the seal and filler neck during removal of the fuel cap. The fuel cap further has a drive axially spacing the upper housing from the lower housing as the upper housing rotates relative to the lower housing. A cam and cam follower connection between the upper and lower housing provides the drive. At least one lug extends from the lower housing to engage a respective notch formed on the interior surface of the filler neck and the lugs and notch cooperate to prevent rotation of the lower housing relative to the filler neck when the cap is in the tightened position.

Fuel tank closure with cap ejector spring

A cooling system closure includes a closure apparatus adapted to mount on a cooling system and formed to include a flow passage arranged to receive fluid discharged from the cooling system and a relief valve positioned to move between an opened position permitting fluid to flow through the flow passage and a closed position blocking the flow of fluid through the flow passage. The relief valve includes a temperature-activated element moving to a first position when heated to a first predetermined temperature to urge the relief valve to the closed position and a second position when cooled below a second predetermined temperature to permit the relief valve to move to the opened position.

Thermal control cooling system vacuum valve

A vapor control valve includes first, second, and third valves and a housing formed to include first, second, and third chambers and first, second, and third apertures. The first valve is formed to include a vent aperture and is movable relative to the first aperture to partially close the first aperture to limit flow from the first chamber to the second chamber through the first aperture. The second valve is movable relative to the first valve to open and close the vent aperture and cooperates with the first valve to close the first aperture to prohibit flow from the first chamber to the second chamber through the first aperture in response to rising liquid fuel. The third valve is biased to normally close the third aperture and configured to open the third aperture in response to pressurized fuel vapor to permit flow from the second chamber to the third chamber through the third aperture. The vapor control valve includes a blocker coupled to the second valve and configured to extend through the first aperture into the third chamber to contact the third valve to maintain closure of the third aperture by the third valve when the first aperture is closed by the first and second valves.

Vapor control valve with bypass circuit

A fuel cap leakage tester is provided comprising a fuel cap support, a pressure source, and a monitor. The fuel cap support is formed to included a test chamber and is adapted to receive a fuel cap to be tested in the test chamber to establish a pressurizable region, therein and a sealed connection between the fuel cap to be tested and the fuel cap support. The monitor is positioned to communicate with the pressurizable region formed in the fuel cap support and is configured to measure air pressure in the pressurizable region. The fuel cap leakage tester further comprises a system for communicating a flow of pressurized air from the pressure source to the pressurizable region with a predetermined pressure drop of the pressurized air therebetween. The monitor measures the pressure level of the pressurized air in the pressurizable region to determine whether the fuel cap to be tested meets or exceeds a predetermined leakage flow rate.

Hand-held fuel cap leakage tester

An apparatus for controlling the discharge of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture formed in a fuel tank, comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in an aperture formed in a fuel tank and being formed to include a venting outlet, a valve positioned to lie in the housing and move between an opened position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the venting outlet formed in the housing and a closed position preventing flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the venting outlet, and a valve actuator including a fluid actuator valve mover in the housing and an electronic liquid detector coupled to the valve mover, arranged to move the valve between the closed position and the opened position, the electronic liquid detector including a valve mover controller coupled to the valve mover to control fluid at said fluid actuated valve mover and an electronic liquid sensor coupled to the valve mover controller and positioned to lie in a fixed position relative to the housing to sense the presence of liquid fuel at a predetermined position, the valve mover controller being configured to instruct the valve mover to move the valve to the closed position in response to sensing of liquid fuel at the predetermined position by the electronic liquid sensor.

A fuel tank filler apparatus includes a fuel tank filler neck, a pressure-relief valve coupled to the fuel tank filler neck, and a filler neck closure coupled to the fuel tank filler neck. The filler neck closure includes a drainage basin configured to collect liquid fuel, a retention chamber configured to store liquid fuel, and a fuel conductor configured to communicate liquid fuel between the drainage basin and the retention chamber. The filler neck closure can also include a blocker positioned to pivot about a pivot axis between a normally closed position blocking a fuel-receiving passage and an opened position permitting liquid fuel to flow through the fuel-receiving passage to the fuel tank.

Growing community of inventors

Connersville, IN, United States of America

Robert S Harris