Patent Publication Number: US-2010117354-A1

Title: Quick connect port

Description:
This application claims priority on U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/198,689, filed on Nov. 7, 2008, and entitled Quick Connect Port. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Fuel tanks may include a fuel supply line inside the tank for supplying fuel to an engine, and a fuel return line inside the tank for returning unused fuel from the engine to the fuel tank. A fuel supply line from the tank to the engine, and a fuel return line from the engine to the tank are connected to the lines within the tank at a flange mounted on the fuel tank wall. It may be desirable to provide for connection of the exterior fuel lines at the flange of the tank in a quick and cost effective manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a quick connect port at the fuel tank flange which allows quick connection of fuel lines while reducing the manufacturing time and costs of the flange. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side cross sectional view of a die positioned over a fuel line tube. 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of a die positioned in a fuel line tube and forming a quick connect port. 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross sectional view of a quick connect port formed in a fuel line tube. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross sectional view of a die positioned over a fuel line tube. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of a die positioned in a fuel tube line and forming a connector surface to receive a quick connect cartridge fitting. 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross sectional view of a quick connect cartridge fitting positioned above the formed connector surface in the fuel line tube. 
         FIG. 7  is a side cross sectional view of a quick connect cartridge fitting pressed into the formed connector surface in the fuel line tube. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a fuel tank system including a fuel draw line and a fuel return line connecting a fuel tank and an engine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side cross sectional view of a die  10  positioned over a fuel line tube  12 . Tube  12  may be a fuel draw line or a fuel return line that is welded at a weld  14  to a substrate, such as a flange  16 , also referred to as an adapter plate. In other embodiments, substrate  16  may be a fuel shutoff valve body or a fuel tee body. Tube  12  may be an extruded tube having an inner diameter  18  that is uniform along a length of tube  12 . Flange  16  may be secured to the wall of a fuel tank (see  FIG. 8 ) so as to secure a lower, or second end region,  20  of tube  12  within an interior of a fuel tank. An upper region  22 , also referred to as a first end region, of tube  12  extends above flange  16  and is subject to a forming operation by die  10 , as will be described below. 
     Die  10  is a tube end forming die that includes a central protrusion  24  which may include a lead-in taper  26  around an outer edge thereof. Die  10  may further include a recess, such as a circular shaped recess  28  that encircles protrusion  24 . Recess  28  may define a concave curve so as to bend an end  22  of tube  12  into a curled end region (see  FIG. 3 ) to define a connect port  38 , of tube  12  (see  FIG. 3 ). In one embodiment die  10  and tube  12  may both be manufactured of steel. In other embodiments, other durable materials may be utilized. 
       FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of die  10  positioned in fuel line tube  12  and forming a quick connect port, such as a connector surface  38 , with flange  16  shown removed for ease of illustration. During forming of end  22  of tube  12 , die  10  is brought into engagement with tube  12  in a “cold working” process. In particular, in the embodiment shown, protrusion  24  of die  10  is forced downwardly into an interior of end region  22  of tube  12 . If protrusion  24  defines an outside diameter  30  that is slightly larger than inside diameter  18  of tube  12 , the inner diameter of tube  12  in end region  22  will be slightly enlarged by die  10  and may form a shelf  32  where the slightly enlarger inner diameter of end region  22  of tube  12  meets with the original inner diameter  18  of tube  12 . Die  10  is moved downwardly onto tube  12  such that the end of region  22  of tube  12  is curled backwardly upon itself within circular shaped recess  28  of die  10  to form a curved end  34  of tube  12 . Curved end  34  of tube  12  may define a downwardly extending lip  36 , also referred to as a latch, a connector surface, or a connection surface  36 , that may allow quick connection of a connector (see  FIG. 6 ) thereto. 
       FIG. 3  is a side cross sectional view of a quick connect port  38  formed in a fuel line tube. After formation of curved end  34  of tube  12 , including downwardly extending lip  36 , die  10  may be moved upwardly and away from tube  12  such that end region  22  of tube  12 , including curved end  34 , may define the quick connect port  38  of tube  12 . After formation of connector surface  36 , a connector  40 , such as a cartridge, may be secured on connector surface  36 . In the embodiment shown, connector  40  may be a “snap-fit” cartridge that is press fit onto connector surface  36  such that downwardly extending lip or shoulder  36  retains the connector  40  in place on tube  12 . In particular, an upwardly facing shoulder  42  of connector  40  may be secured by downwardly facing shoulder  36  of connector port  38  to retain connector  40  on tube  12 . 
       FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the quick connect port system. In this embodiment, the fuel line tubing  12  passes through an adapter plate  16  and is welded at a weld  14  to the adapter plate  16 . 
       FIG. 5  shows that the first end region  22  of the fuel line tube  12  is formed by a tube end forming die  10  to form a close tolerance receptacle or connect port  38  in the tube end suitable for receiving a quick connect cartridge fitting  40 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show a quick connect cartridge fitting  40  is pressed into the tube end receptacle  38  where the connector  40  is retained by an interference fit with the close tolerance connector surface  36 . 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a fuel tank system including a fuel draw line  46   a  and a fuel return line  46   b  connecting a fuel tank  42  and an engine  44 , wherein the fuel lines  46   a  and  46   b  are each connected to fuel tank  42  and fuel draw and return tubes  12   a  and  12   b,  at flange  16  by connectors  40   a  and  40   b,  received within connector ports  38   a  and  38   b,  respectively. 
     In one embodiment, the quick connect port is integrated into a fuel tank draw and return tube system. In other embodiments, the quick connect port may be utilized in a fuel shutoff valve used on a fuel tank or a fuel tee positioned on a fuel tank. Accordingly, the quick connect port may be described generally as utilized in a fuel system and allowing quick connection of a fuel tube to a connector within a fuel delivery system. 
     The above described structures and methods have many advantages over prior art structures and methods, which may include securing of adaptors to an end of a fuel line tube. Use of die  10  to form a quick connect port integral to tube  12 , instead of attaching an adaptor to an end of tube  12 , reduces the manufacturing costs of the device and the time of the manufacturing process because an adaptor is not required to be separately formed, secured to the tube and then inspected to ensure a proper attachment. Moreover, forming the quick connect port integral to tube  12  reduces the misattachment, misalignment and leakage problems of the adaptors of the prior art.