Patent ID: 6578597
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: B60K,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A fuel tank vent apparatus comprisinga valve housing including an inner sleeve formed to include a chamber and a plate formed to include a fuel vapor outlet port arranged to discharge fuel vapor extant in the chamber, the inner sleeve being formed to include a fuel vapor inlet port, a vent outlet coupled to the valve housing and adapted to support the valve housing in an aperture formed in a wall of a fuel tank, the vent outlet being formed to include a fuel vapor vent passageway arranged to conduct fuel vapor discharged from the chamber in the valve housing through the fuel vapor outlet port to a destination outside the valve housing, a valve mounted for movement in the chamber between an opened position allowing flow of fuel vapor from the chamber into the fuel vapor vent passageway through the fuel vapor outlet port and a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor from the chamber into the fuel vapor vent passageway through the fuel vapor outlet port, an outer sleeve formed to include a fuel vapor transfer port, and means for demoisturizing fuel vapor admitted into the chamber through the vapor inlet port formed in the inner sleeve by supporting the outer sleeve in a position surrounding the inner sleeve to provide a fuel vapor transfer passageway extending downwardly in a downward direction away from the plate from the fuel vapor transfer port formed in the outer sleeve and positioned to lie a first distance below the plate to the fuel vapor inlet port formed in the inner sleeve and positioned to lie a greater second distance below the plate so that liquid fuel entrained in fuel vapor passing into the fuel vapor transfer passageway through the fuel vapor transfer port formed in the outer sleeve and flowing in the downward direction through the fuel vapor transfer passageway is shed as fuel vapor passes laterally from the fuel vapor transfer passageway through the vapor inlet port into the chamber to produce liquid fuel droplets falling in the downward direction in the fuel vapor transfer passageway away from the fuel vapor inlet port and to produce a flow of demoisturized fuel vapor passing into the chamber from the fuel vapor transfer passageway for discharge into the fuel vapor vent passageway formed in the vent outlet through the fuel vapor outlet port when the valve is moved to assume the opened position.