The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 13, 1996
Rudolph Bergsma, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Robert P Benjey, Dexter, MI (US);
G.T. Products, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
An inventive liquid level operated control valve which shuts off refueling with a two-stage closing operation providing an initial soft shutoff and a final shutoff. A first valve element is spring-biased within a first valve cage on the upper end of the float mechanism to seal against a primary vent outlet to provide the initial shutoff. A second valve element contained in a second valve cage within the first valve cage is coaxially arranged with the first valve element and serves to close a secondary vent outlet through the first valve element for the final shutoff. The decorking operation of the valve is improved with a dual peelaway action, in which both the first and second valve cages are configured to circumferentially peel their respective valve elements from their respective sealing positions. Additionally, the resilient seal member for the primary valve element is located on the valve body around the vent outlet to provide a positive seal while reducing the area of the resilient seal across which a tank/canister pressure differential might act to keep the valve closed when liquid levels drop.