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:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 26, 1997
George H Bucci, South Windsor, CT (US);
Mark R Johansen, Cheshire, CT (US);
Timothy P Neal, Harwington, CT (US);
Walbro Corporation, Cass City, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved filler neck for a fuel inlet of a vehicle fuel tank has a bend communicating with converging and diverging portions which control the flow of fuel through the filler neck to ensure that fuel flows through and downstream of the bend without backing up in the filler neck and actuating an automatic shutoff device of a refueling nozzle received in the filler neck. The filler neck also preferably has a bypass fuel passage through which fuel flows upstream through the filler neck and out to the atmosphere if a predetermined maximum pressure is exceeded within the fuel tank to limit the maximum pressure within the fuel tank and prevent it from being damaged or rupturing. Several angled ribs in the filler neck housing guide the refueling nozzle for proper positioning within the filler neck. Other ribs also provide gaps between the refueling nozzle and the filler neck housing to prevent the refueling nozzle from sealing the filler neck inlet. Slots at the nozzle interface provide a vent area to prevent a vacuum from being generated in the filler neck even when used with a refueling nozzle designed to provide a vapor tight seal at the refueling inlet to prevent liquid fuel from being drawn upstream through the filler neck and thereby prematurely activating the automatic shutoff device of the refueling nozzle.