Patent ID: 7543597
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vent valve assembly for attachment in an aperture of a fuel tank wall, the vent valve assembly comprising: a cap member defining a vapor-inlet opening and a vapor-outlet opening therethrough; a valve housing attachable to the cap member, the valve housing defining a chamber therein and at least partially disposed within an interior of a fuel tank; a float defining a hangar, a perimeter and a catch member depending from proximate the perimeter, the float being disposed in the chamber of the valve housing and responsive to a first vehicle condition and a second vehicle condition; a leveraged sealing device movable relative to the vapor-inlet opening to open and close the vapor-inlet opening respectively in the first vehicle condition and in the second vehicle condition; means for connecting the float and the leveraged sealing device such that a first movement of the float moves the leveraged sealing device in a direction away from the vapor-inlet opening to disengage the leveraged sealing device from about the vapor-inlet opening in the first vehicle condition to permit fuel vapor discharge from the interior and a second movement of the float moves the leveraged sealing device in a direction of the vapor-inlet opening in the second vehicle condition to prevent the liquid fuel from discharging through the vapor-inlet opening and the vapor-outlet opening; and wherein the means for connecting includes a lever arm defining a proximal end and a distal end, the leveraged sealing device interposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the proximal end rotatably connected proximate the cap member and the valve housing, the distal end defining a first surface and a second surface, the first surface rotatably engaged with the hangar, and the second surface engageable with the catch member.