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:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1997
Mark D Osterbrink, St. Clair Shores, MI (US);
Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc., Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a check valve including a seal door which is normally spring biased towards a closed position but which is responsive to a flow of fuel for displacing to an open position to allow fuel to pass in a first direction and for thereafter preventing passage of liquid fuel or fuel vapors in a second direction. According to the invention, the check valve is disposed at a lower end or in the midsection of a fuel tank filler pipe. The check valve includes an annular housing having a concentric annular valve seat portion including a frustoconical valve seat facing toward the lower end of the filler pipe. A seal door attached to a hinge member is resiliently biased toward engagement with the valve seat by a spring member. The inflow of fuel overcomes the bias of the spring member which causes the seal door to displace to an open position to allow passage of fuel to the fuel tank. The seal door is returned to a closed position under the bias of the spring member in the absence of the inflowing fuel to prevent liquid fuel and fuel vapor from discharging into the atmosphere.