Ventilation flow rate regulator for a pressurised tank of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11155158-B2
Application number	US-201716321519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

A ventilation flow rate regulator for a pressurised tank of a vehicle. The regulator includes a body including a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and at least one restrictor mounted movably relative to the body. The restrictor is mounted to reduce a cross-section of at least one path of a gas flow proceeding from the inlet to the outlet, when a flow rate at the inlet is greater than a predetermined threshold. The regulator is arranged so that the cross-section remains non-zero irrespective of a flow rate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ventilation flow rate regulator for a pressurized tank of a vehicle, comprising:
a body including a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
an upstream restrictor which increases a flow rate of an upstream portion of a path of a gas flow proceeding from the inlet to the outlet when a pressure differential between a pressure upstream from the regulator and a pressure downstream from the regulator is higher than a predetermined threshold; and
a downstream restrictor which moves relative to the body to reduce the flow rate of a downstream portion of the path, when a flow rate at the inlet is greater than a predetermined threshold,
the regulator configured so that the flow rate of said downstream portion of the path remains non-zero,
wherein the upstream restrictor comprises a diaphragm configured to be stable in only two positions,
wherein the diaphragm is attached to a support that is stationary with respect to the body, the support being separate from the body and presenting a flared shape having a frustoconical portion, and the diaphragm including a thinned peripheral portion that is attached to an upstream end of the support, and
wherein the diaphragm delimits, with the support, a chamber in gas communication with the outlet, and a biasing element is provided inside the chamber, a first end of the biasing element abutting the diaphragm and a second end of the biasing element abutting the support.

2. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the downstream restrictor comprises at least one thinned portion forming a hinge.

3. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the downstream restrictor comprises a plurality of deformable membranes, the membranes configured to be deformed separately from each other.

4. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upstream and downstream restrictors are mounted to move with respect to each other.

5. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a ballast weight provided on the upstream restrictor.

6. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the downstream restrictor comprises a deformable membrane.

7. The regulator as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the deformable membrane has a first thickness, at a first cross section of the deformable membrane, and a second thickness, at a second cross section of the deformable membrane, the first thickness and the second thickness being different.

8. The regulator as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of windows configured to be traversed by the flow and including an axis extending in a direction radial to a main axis of the regulator.

9. The regulator as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of windows is disposed on the support.

10. A ventilation system for ventilating a pressurized vehicle tank, comprising:
a ventilation valve and a ventilation flow rate regulator as claimed in claim 1 , the ventilation flow rate regulator being arranged downstream from the ventilation valve with reference to a gas flow flowing out of the tank.

11. The ventilation system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising an additional ventilation valve arranged in parallel to the flow rate regulator.

12. A pressurized vehicle tank, comprising:
a ventilation flow rate regulator comprising
a body including a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
an upstream restrictor which increases a flow rate of an upstream portion of a path of a gas flow proceeding from the inlet to the outlet when a pressure differential between a pressure upstream from the regulator and a pressure downstream from the regulator is higher than a predetermined threshold; and
a downstream restrictor which moves relative to the body to reduce the flow rate of a downstream portion of the path, when a flow rate at the inlet is greater than a predetermined threshold,

the ventilation flow rate regulator configured so that the flow rate of said downstream portion of the path remains non-zero,
wherein the upstream restrictor comprises a diaphragm configured to be stable in only two positions,
wherein the diaphragm is attached to a support that is stationary with respect to the body, the support being separate from the body and presenting a flared shape having a frustoconical portion, and the diaphragm including a thinned peripheral portion that is attached to an upstream end of the support, and
wherein the diaphragm delimits, with the support, a chamber in gas communication with the outlet, and a biasing element is provided inside the chamber, a first end of the biasing element abutting the diaphragm and a second end of the biasing element abutting the support.

13. The tank as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the tank is a fuel tank.

Assignees

• Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation & Res

Inventors

• Thebault Remi

Classifications

• F16K15/147

  the closure elements having specially formed slits or being of an elongated easily collapsible form · CPC title

• B60K15/03519 Primary

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title

• F02M25/0836

  Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold · CPC title

• F16K17/34

  in which the flow-energy of the flowing medium actuates the closing mechanism · CPC title

• B60K2015/03269

  Flap valves · CPC title