Fuel supplying device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937785-B2
Application number	US-201514866006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A fuel tank supplying device includes: a fuel tank that can accommodate fuel at an interior; a circulation flow path that is connected to an interior of the fuel tank and a fuel refueling port side, and that circulates evaporated fuel vapor that is within the fuel tank to the fuel refueling port side; a variable valve that is provided on the circulation flow path, and adjusts a circulated amount of the evaporated fuel vapor; and air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means that is provided at the variable valve, and that is for changing an inner diameter of a air-passage flow path, through which the evaporated fuel vapor flows, in accordance with internal pressure of the fuel tank, and that, when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, makes the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path smaller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel supplying device comprising:
a fuel tank that can accommodate fuel at an interior thereof;
a circulation flow path that is connected to the interior of the fuel tank and to a fuel refueling port side, and that circulates evaporated fuel vapor that is within the fuel tank to the fuel refueling port side;
a variable valve that is provided at the circulation flow path, and that adjusts a circulated amount of the evaporated fuel vapor; and
an air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means that is provided at the variable valve, and that is for changing an inner diameter of an air-passage flow path, through which the evaporated fuel vapor flows, in accordance with an internal pressure of the fuel tank, wherein:
the air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means comprises:
a valve body that is disposed having an interval between the valve body and an inner wall of the variable valve, and that moves within the variable valve in accordance with the internal pressure of the fuel tank; and
a spring that urges the valve body toward a fuel tank side,

wherein the air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means is structured so as to, when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, make the valve body move toward the fuel refueling port side against a force of the spring, and make the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path smaller.

2. The fuel supplying device of claim 1 , wherein changing of the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path is carried out by fluid pressure of the evaporated fuel vapor that flows through the variable valve.

3. The fuel supplying device of claim 1 , wherein:
there exists a second predetermined value that is smaller than the first predetermined value, and
the air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means is structured so as to, when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is less than the second predetermined value, make the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path smaller, and, when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is equal to or greater than to the second predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, make the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path larger, and further, when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value, make the inner diameter of the air-passage flow path smaller.

4. The fuel supplying device of claim 1 , wherein through-holes, through which the evaporated fuel vapor flows, are provided in the valve body.

5. The fuel supplying device of claim 4 , wherein:
the first predetermined value is greater than a second predetermined value, and
the air-passage flow path inner diameter changing means is structured such that:
when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is less than the second predetermined value, the valve body is positioned at a fuel tank side of the variable valve interior, and the evaporated fuel vapor flows through the through-holes;
when the internal pressure of the fuel tank is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the valve body moves to an axial direction intermediate portion of the variable valve interior, and the evaporated fuel vapor flows through the through-holes and between the valve body and the inner wall; and
when the internal pressure of the fuel tank further is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value, the valve body moves to the fuel refueling port side of the variable valve interior, and the evaporated fuel vapor flows through the through-holes.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimokawa Shinji

Classifications

• B60K2015/03256

  characterised by special valves, the mounting thereof · CPC title

• B60K2015/03296

  Pressure regulating valves · CPC title

• B60K2015/03538

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

• B60K15/03519 Primary

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title