Active drain liquid trap for fuel system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378673-B2
Application number	US-201715465948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

An active drain liquid trap configured for use with a fuel tank system and constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure includes a trap body, a float and a pilot. The trap body defines a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet. The first inlet is fluidly connected to a fuel pump. The second inlet is fluidly connected to a vapor line. The float is rotatably mounted about a float pivot. The pilot moves between an open and closed position. Rotation of the float causes the pilot to be urged into an open position and fluid to be drained from the trap body through the outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An active drain liquid trap configured for use with a fuel tank system, the active drain liquid trap comprising:
a trap body that defines a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet fluidly connected to a fuel pump, the second inlet fluidly connected to a vapor line;
a float rotatably mounted about a float pivot;
a pilot that moves between an open and closed position;
a plate biased against a first seat by a first biasing member, the plate having a plate seal and defining an orifice, the plate seal sealingly engaging the first seat in a closed position upon equalized pressure on opposite sides of the plate; and
wherein rotation of the float causes the pilot to be urged into an open position and fluid to be drained from the trap body through the outlet.

2. The active drain liquid trap of claim 1 wherein the pilot comprises an overmolded diaphragm seal.

3. The active drain liquid trap of claim 1 , further comprising a check valve that is normally biased toward a check valve seat by a check valve biasing member and wherein the check valve is urged against the bias of the check valve biasing member and away from the check valve seat upon rotation of the float allowing liquid fuel to be drained out the outlet.

4. The active drain liquid trap of claim 1 , further comprising a first magnet disposed on the pilot and a second magnet disposed on the float, wherein the first and second magnets are arranged to repel each other.

5. The active drain liquid trap of claim 1 wherein the overmolded diaphragm seal includes a diaphragm that extends from the plate seal to the trap body.

6. The active drain liquid trap of claim 1 wherein the pilot is normally biased toward a closed position by a pilot biasing member.

7. The active drain liquid trap of claim 6 wherein a first end of the pilot is configured to be engaged by the float and a second end of the pilot includes a pilot seal member configured to sealingly engage a pilot seat.

8. The active drain liquid trap of claim 7 , further comprising a pressure reducer disposed in the liquid trap adjacent the outlet, the pressure reducer receiving fuel flowing around the pilot seal when the pilot is in the open position, the pressure reducer reducing pressure of fuel passing therethrough.

9. An active drain liquid trap configured for use with a fuel tank system, the active drain liquid trap comprising:
a trap body that defines a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet fluidly connected to a fuel pump, the second inlet fluidly connected to a vapor line;
a float rotatably mounted about a float pivot;
a pilot that moves between an open and closed position, wherein a first portion of the pilot is configured to be engaged by the float and a second portion of the pilot includes a pilot seal member configured to sealingly engage a pilot seat;
a plate biased against a first seat by a first biasing member, the plate having a plate seal and defining an orifice, the plate seal sealingly engaging the first seat in a closed position upon equalized pressure on opposite sides of the plate; and
wherein rotation of the float causes the pilot to be urged into an open position and fluid to be drained from the trap body through the outlet.

10. The active drain liquid trap of claim 9 , further comprising a check valve that is normally biased toward a check valve seat by a check valve biasing member and wherein the check valve is urged against the bias of the check valve biasing member and away from the check valve seat upon rotation of the float allowing liquid fuel to be drained out the outlet.

11. The active drain liquid trap of claim 9 , further comprising a pressure reducer disposed in the liquid trap adjacent the outlet, the pressure reducer receiving fuel flowing around the pilot seal member when the pilot is in the open position, the pressure reducer reducing pressure of fuel passing therethrough.

12. An active drain liquid trap configured for use with a fuel tank system, the active drain liquid trap comprising:
a trap body that defines a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet fluidly connected to a fuel pump, the second inlet fluidly connected to a vapor line;
a float rotatably mounted about a float pivot;
a pilot that moves between an open and closed position;
a check valve that is normally biased toward a check valve seat by a check valve biasing member and wherein the check valve is urged against the bias of the check valve biasing member and away from the check valve seat upon rotation of the float allowing liquid fuel to be drained out the outlet; and
wherein rotation of the float causes the pilot to be urged into an open position and fluid to be drained from the trap body through the outlet.

13. The active drain liquid trap of claim 12 wherein the pilot comprises an overmolded diaphragm seal.

14. The active drain liquid trap of claim 13 wherein the overmolded diaphragm seal includes a diaphragm that extends from the plate seal to the trap body.

15. The active drain liquid trap of claim 12 wherein the pilot is normally biased toward a closed position by a pilot biasing member.

16. The active drain liquid trap of claim 15 wherein a first end of the pilot is configured to be engaged by the float and a second end of the pilot includes a pilot seal member configured to sealingly engage a pilot seat.

17. The active drain liquid trap of claim 16 , further comprising a pressure reducer disposed in the liquid trap adjacent the outlet, the pressure reducer receiving fuel flowing around the pilot seal when the pilot is in the open position, the pressure reducer reducing pressure of fuel passing therethrough.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Ambrose Steven Lee
• Mills Vaughn K

Classifications

• B60K2015/03473

  for draining or emptying a fuel tank · CPC title

• B60K2015/03269

  Flap valves · CPC title

• B60K2015/03289

  Float valves; Floats therefor · CPC title

• B60K2015/03296

  Pressure regulating valves · CPC title

• F02M37/0082

  Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters (electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025) · CPC title