Fuel fill apparatus for use with fuel delivery systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409476-B2
Application number	US-201113242942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2011
Priority date	Sep 25, 2010
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Fuel fill apparatus for use with fluid delivery systems are described. An example fuel fill apparatus includes a body defining a throat area adjacent an opening of the body where the opening is configured to receive a fuel cap. A fuel fill portion defines a first passageway extending at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the opening and a vent portion defines a second passageway. The first passageway is fluidly coupled to the second passageway via the throat area and a fuel nozzle retainer is disposed within the throat area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel fill apparatus comprising:
a body defining a throat area adjacent an opening of the body, the opening configured to receive a fuel cap;
a fuel fill portion defining a first passageway extending at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the opening, wherein an axis of the first passageway and the longitudinal axis of the opening define an insertion angle of the fuel fill apparatus, the insertion angle being approximately 29 degrees to enable the first passageway to receive a vapor recovery fuel nozzle having a first angle and a non-vapor recovery fuel nozzle having a second angle different than the first angle;
a vent portion defining a second passageway, wherein the first passageway is fluidly coupled to the second passageway via the throat area; and
a fuel nozzle retainer disposed within the throat area, the retainer partially extending about a circumference of the opening.

2. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the throat area fluidly couples an inlet of the fuel fill portion and an outlet of the vent portion.

3. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel nozzle retainer is integrally formed with the body.

4. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel nozzle retainer protrudes from an inner surface of the opening and toward the longitudinal axis of the opening.

5. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the retainer is positioned away from an opening of the vent portion adjacent the throat area so that the fuel nozzle retainer does not affect an operation of the vent portion.

6. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the retainer includes a shoulder having a substantially flat surface oriented in a direction away from the throat area to engage a retainer feature of the nozzle, and a tapered surface oriented in a direction toward the throat area to guide the retainer feature of the nozzle toward the shoulder.

7. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the tapered surface engages the nozzle prior to the shoulder engaging the retainer feature to guide nozzle into engagement with the shoulder.

8. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the tapered surface is oriented in a direction opposite the shoulder.

9. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the retainer is an arcuate surface partially extending about a circumference of the opening, the retainer defining an edge joining a first end of the retainer and a second end of the retainer.

10. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first end is spaced relative to the second end by approximately 110 degrees relative the longitudinal axis of the opening.

11. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the fuel nozzle retainer in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the opening includes an edge extending in the opening and having a radius of curvature that is substantially similar to a radius of curvature of an inner surface of the opening.

12. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the edge includes an inwardly arcuate portion.

13. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a relief area disposed between the fuel nozzle retainer and the first passageway.

14. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the relief area comprises a flat surface defined by the body that leads into a curved surface of the first passageway.

15. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first passageway includes a first cross-sectional shape and the second passageway includes a second cross-sectional shape, and wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different than the second cross-sectional shape.

16. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second passageway of the vent portion includes a first path fluidly coupled to a second path via a transition area, and wherein the transition area increases a cross-sectional area from the first path to the second path.

17. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first path includes a first cross-sectional shape and the second path includes a second cross-sectional shape different than the first cross-sectional shape of the first path.

18. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cap includes a plurality of pressure relief valves and a plurality of vacuum valves.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first passageway has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending substantially parallel relative to a longitudinal axis of the opening and the second portion extending at the non-perpendicular angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the opening.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first passageway includes a relief having a contoured surface between the first portion of the first passageway and the second portion of the first passageway to transition the first portion of the first passageway and the second portion of the second passageway, Wherein the insertion angle and the relief enable the first passageway to receive the vapor recovery fuel nozzle and the non-vapor recovery fuel nozzle.

21. A fuel fill apparatus comprising:
means for defining a throat area adjacent an opening of the fuel fill apparatus configured to receive a fuel cap;
means for defining a first passageway extending at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the opening such that an axis of the means for defining the first passageway defines an insertion angle of approximately 29 degrees to enable the means for defining the first passageway to receive a vapor recovery fuel nozzle having a first angle and a non-vapor recovery fuel nozzle having a second angle different than the first angle;
means for retaining a the fuel fill nozzle within the fuel fill apparatus, the means for retaining positioned adjacent the opening, the means for retaining having means for guiding the fuel fill nozzle and means for engaging the fuel fill nozzle, the means for guiding oriented in a direction toward the opening and the means for engaging oriented in a direction away from the opening such that the means for engaging is on a first side of the means for retaining and the means for guiding is on a second side of the means for retaining opposite the first side, the means for retaining extending partially about a circumference of the opening and having first and second ends that are spaced approximately 110 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the opening to increase a profile of the throat area to facilitate insertion of the fuel nozzle in the means for defining the first passageway;
first means for fluidly coupling a fuel tank and the opening of the fuel fill apparatus to allow fluid from the nozzle to flow into a fuel tank;
second means for fluidly coupling the fuel tank and the opening of the fuel fill apparatus to allow gas or fuel vapors to flow from the fuel tank to the opening, the second means for fluidly coupling includes first means for channeling fluid having a first cross-section and second means for channeling fluid having a second cross-section different than the first cross-section; and
means for maintaining a pressure differential between the first means for channeling fluid and the second means for channeling fluid substantially constant as fluid flows between the first means for channeling fluid and the second means for channeling fluid.

22. The fuel fill apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising two or more means for venting the fuel tank via the second means for fluidly co

Assignees

• Randolph Eric
• Slabaugh Tony
• Roach Patrick
• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Randolph Eric
• Slabaugh Tony
• Roach Patrick

Classifications

• B60K15/04 Primary

  Tank inlets (B60K15/077 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K15/0406 Primary

  Filler caps for fuel tanks · CPC title

• B60K15/03519

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title

• B60K2015/0445

  using hinges · CPC title

• B60K2015/03538

  the venting tube being connected with the filler tube · CPC title