Fuel cap with duckbill valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11644115-B2
Application number	US-202217666028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Nov 30, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A valve member provides for the flow of vapors from a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine to escape the fuel tank. The valve member may include a valve and a boss or spacer. The valve is configured to selectively control the flow of vapor from the fuel tank. The boss or spacer is positioned in a predetermined relationship to the valve, and the boss or spacer prevents a deformation of the valve from disrupting the selectively controlled flow of vapor from the fuel tank.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fuel cap comprising:
a valve within the fuel cap, the valve configured to selectively control a flow of vapor from a fuel tank;
a filter configured to remove hydrocarbon material from the flow of vapor released from the fuel tank via the valve; and
a boss positioned in a predetermined relationship to the valve,
wherein the boss prevents a deformation of the valve from disrupting the selectively controlled flow of vapor from the fuel tank.

2. The fuel cap of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve member including the valve and the boss.

3. The fuel cap of claim 2 , wherein the boss is spaced from the valve in a direction of a circumference of the valve member.

4. The fuel cap of claim 2 , wherein the boss is spaced from the valve in a direction of the center of the valve member.

5. The fuel cap of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a first valve, the fuel cap further comprising:
a second valve configured to selectively control a flow air into the fuel tank.

6. The fuel cap of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base connected to the valve and the boss, wherein the valve extends from the base in a first direction and the boss extends from the base in a second direction.

7. A fuel cap comprising:
an evaporative emission filter configured to reduce escape of vapors from a fuel tank;
a valve configured to selectively control the escape of vapors from the fuel tank into the evaporative emission filter; and
a spacer positioned in a predetermined relationship to the valve, wherein the spacer prevents deformation in the valve.

8. The fuel cap of claim 7 , wherein the valve, if deformed, disrupts the selectively controlled escape of vapor from the fuel tank.

9. The fuel cap of claim 7 , further comprising:
a tether configured to anchor the fuel cap to the fuel tank or an engine including the fuel tank.

10. The fuel cap of claim 7 , further comprising:
a base connected to the valve and the spacer, wherein the valve extends from the base in a first direction and the spacer extends from the base in a second direction.

11. The fuel cap of claim 7 , further comprising:
a valve member shaped in a disc and comprising the valve.

12. The fuel cap of claim 11 , wherein the spacer is between the valve and an outer circumference of the valve member.

13. The fuel cap of claim 11 , wherein the spacer is between an outer circumference of the valve member and a center of the valve member.

14. The fuel cap of claim 13 , wherein the spacer includes a first ring outside of the valve in a direction of an outer circumference of the valve member.

15. The fuel cap of claim 14 , wherein the spacer includes a second ring that overlaps the valve.

16. The fuel cap of claim 11 , wherein the valve is a first valve, and the valve member includes a second valve configured to selectively control a flow air into the fuel tank.

17. The fuel cap of claim 7 , wherein the evaporative emission filter is an adsorption filter configured to adsorb vapors from the fuel tank.

18. A fuel cap comprising:
a filter; and
a valve member within the fuel cap and adjacent to the filter, the valve member comprising:
a base;
a valve configured to selectively control a flow of vapor from a fuel tank, the valve extending away from the base in a first direction; and
a boss positioned in a predetermined relationship to the valve and extending from the base in a second direction, wherein the boss prevents a deformation of the valve from disrupting the selectively controlled flow of vapor from the fuel tank through the fuel cap.

19. The valve member of claim 18 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

20. The valve member of claim 18 , wherein the valve comprises a first three-dimensional shape and the boss comprises a second three-dimensional shape.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Stenz Gary
• Huibregtse Mark
• Hartwig Brian

Classifications

• B60K15/03519

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title

• F16K15/147 Primary

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

• B60K2015/0438

  using screw or bayonet · CPC title

• B60K15/0406

  Filler caps for fuel tanks · CPC title

• B60K2015/03547

  the venting means are integrated in the fuel cap or inlet cover · CPC title