Abstract:
A fuel supply system for a vehicle may include a fuel tank including a mounting portion protruding downwards from an upper inner surface of the fuel tank, a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve that is connected with the fuel limit vent valve within the fuel tank, and a mounting plate connecting the fuel limit vent valve and the rollover valve and configured to be mounted onto the mounting portion of the fuel tank.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2008-0080111 filed on Aug. 14, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a fuel supply system for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fuel supply system for a vehicle of which a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are disposed within a fuel tank with simple structure. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Recently, environmental concerns have been raised worldwide. Also, in the field of automobile manufacturing, exhaust control and regulations of evaporation gas that may escape during fueling are strict. 
         [0006]    A fuel tank for satisfying the evaporation gas regulations has been under investigation. 
         [0007]    However, a general fuel tank is made of a metal material, has a complicated scheme, and is relatively costly. 
         [0008]    For overcoming the above problems it has been made of a plastic material, but a plastic fuel tank requires a film for eliminating permeability of the evaporation gas. 
         [0009]    Also, for configuring a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve within a plastic fuel tank, the scheme of the fuel tank is complicated, and weight and cost of the fuel tank is increased. 
         [0010]    The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide a fuel supply system for a vehicle in which a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are easily configured. 
         [0012]    In an aspect of the present invention, the fuel supply system for a vehicle may include, a fuel tank including a mounting portion protruding downwards from an upper inner surface of the fuel tank, a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve that is connected with the fuel limit vent valve within the fuel tank, and a mounting plate connecting the fuel limit vent valve and the rollover valve and configured to be mounted onto the mounting portion of the fuel tank, and wherein the mounting portion is monolithically formed to the fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank is made of a plastic material. 
         [0013]    The mounting portion may include side mounting portions that are symmetrically formed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fuel limit vent valve and the rollover valve to receive the mounting plate therein wherein at least a protruding plate is formed to the mounting plate and is mounted onto the side mounting portions, and wherein the protruding plate is formed by cutting off and bending an end portion of the mounting plate downwards. 
         [0014]    Distance between lower sides of the side mounting portions may be shorter than distance between upper sides of the side mounting portions, wherein a protruding plate is formed to the mounting plate and is mounted onto the lower sides of the side mounting portions. 
         [0015]    In an aspect of the present invention, the mounting portion may include a rear mounting portion configured to support the mounting plate in a rear position of the mounting plate. 
         [0016]    In further another aspect of the present invention, wherein an evaporation gas exhaust passage is formed to the mounting plate to fluid-communicate the outside with the fuel limit vent valve and a connection passage is formed to the mounting plate to fluid-communicate the fuel limit vent valve with the evaporation gas exhaust passage, wherein the evaporation gas exhaust passage is connected with a canister that is disposed outside the fuel tank, wherein the diameter of the connection passage is smaller than the diameter of the evaporation gas exhaust passage, wherein a longitudinal axis of the evaporation gas exhaust passage is disposed lower than a longitudinal axis of the connection passage, and wherein the evaporation gas exhaust passage is coupled to an upper portion of the fuel limit vent valve and the connection passage is coupled to an upper portion of the rollover valve. 
         [0017]    As described above, a fuel supply system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be easily provided with a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve within the fuel supply system. 
         [0018]    In addition, the fuel system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be made of a plastic material with a simple scheme and reduced weight. 
         [0019]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view showing that a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are connected with a mounting plate of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a front view showing that a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are connected with a mounting plate of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing that a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are connected with a mounting plate of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along a line IV-IV of the  FIG. 3 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing connection of a mounting plate and a side mounting portion of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a drawing showing connection of a mounting plate and a rear mounting portion of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the inside of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a drawing showing the outside of a fuel tank of an exemplary fuel supply system according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3  are respectively a top plan view, a front view, and a perspective view showing that a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve are connected with a mounting plate of a fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along a line IV-IV of the  FIG. 3 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , a fuel supply system for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a fuel limit vent valve  20 , a rollover valve  30  that is connected with the fuel limit vent valve  20 , and a mounting plate  40  for mounting the fuel limit vent valve  20  and the rollover valve  30 . 
         [0032]    The fuel limit vent valve  20  collects evaporation gas in a fuel tank and supplies the evaporation gas to a canister, and the rollover valve  30  prevents fuel leakage when a vehicle overturns. 
         [0033]    A protruding plate  42  is formed to the mounting plate  40 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing connection of a mounting plate and a side mounting portion of a fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a drawing showing connection of a mounting plate and a rear mounting portion of a fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the inside of a fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 8  is a drawing showing the outside of a fuel tank of a fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 , the fuel limit vent valve  20  and the rollover valve  30  are disposed within a fuel tank  10 , and a mounting portion  50  is inwardly protruded within the fuel tank  10  for mounting the mounting plate  40 . 
         [0037]    The mounting portion  50  includes side mounting portions  52  that are symmetrically formed for the mounting plate  40  to be inserted therein, and a rear mounting portion  54  supporting the mounting plate  40 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the protruding plate  42  is formed by bending an end portion of the mounting plate  40 , and the side mounting portion  52  and the mounting plate  40  are connected by elastic force of the protruding plate  42 . 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the rear mounting portion  54  supports the mounting plate  40 , and prevents the mounting plate  40  from separating rightward and leftward of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0040]    As described above, in the fuel supply system for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the fuel tank is inwardly protruded and the fuel limit vent valve  20  and the rollover valve  30  are simultaneously configured therein. 
         [0041]    The fuel tank  10  may be made of a plastic material. 
         [0042]    Thus, production cost and weight of the fuel supply system can be reduced. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the fuel limit vent valve  20  and the rollover valve  30  are connected by one evaporation gas exhaust passage  60 , and a connecting passage  62  is formed between the fuel limit vent valve  20  and the rollover valve  30 . 
         [0044]    The evaporation gas exhaust passage  60 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , is connected with a canister  70  that is disposed outside the fuel tank  10  via a fuel pump module  80 . 
         [0045]    Thus, the valves disposed inside the fuel supply system according to various embodiments of the present invention can be simply configured and have an evaporation gas exhaust passage in common so that the number of elements can be reduced. 
         [0046]    In this construction, while the vehicle rolls over, the weight of fuel in the fuel tank  10  brings a negative pressure in the fuel tank  10  so that the fuel in the evaporation gas exhaust passage  60  may be sucked into the connection passage  62  to prevent the fuel from leaking to the outside. However, to increase a siphon effect in the connection passage  62 , the diameter of the connection passage  62  is configured to be sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the evaporation gas exhaust passage  60 . In other embodiments of the present invention, the longitudinal axis of the evaporation gas exhaust passage  60  may be disposed lower than a longitudinal axis of the connection passage  62  so that any bubbles that blocks the connection passage  62  while the vehicle rolls over may be removed to increase a siphon effect. 
         [0047]    For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “front”, “rear”, “inside” and “inner” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
         [0048]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.