Patent Abstract:
A fill system, particularly for use as a fuel fill system for filling a tank of a vehicle such as a boat, is disclosed including a fill device for mounting on the vehicle and a closure for substantially closing an opening of the fill. The closure is generally a unitary component provided a vent to the atmosphere for pressure balance between the atmosphere and the fuel tank of the vehicle. The closure includes a vent passageway leading to one or more vent ports, and the construction of the vent passageway and ports minimizes fuel splashing through the closure.

Full Description:
[0001]     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/736,411, filed Nov. 14, 2005, titled “Fuel Filler Neck.” 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to fills for conveyance of fluid and, in particular, to a fuel fill for conveyance of fuel to a fuel tank permitting pressure equilibration with the atmosphere via a vent.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     A fill is a device typically mounted on a vehicle and, more specifically to the present application, to a watercraft such as a boat. The fill provides access for filling a fuel tank of the boat with fuel and, more specifically, is secured with one or more tubes leading to a fuel tank so that fuel is pumped into an opening in the fill, the tubes being in fluid communication with the fuel tank. A closure or cap is secured with or on the fill to substantially close the opening of the fill. Most commonly, the cap is removable to provide access to the opening, and is securable to close substantially the opening.  
         [0004]     A typical fill system, the closure and the fill itself, includes a vent to the atmosphere to balance pressure within the fuel tank. During operation of the boat, the fuel will be drawn from the fuel tank by the fuel line and into the engine. In a closed system, a negative pressure would be experienced due to the drop in fuel level. This negative pressure makes it difficult for the boat&#39;s fuel pump to force fuel into the engine for normal operation. Alternatively, when the boat is idle for an extended period of time, the volatile fuel turns to a gaseous or vaporous state, the amount of which is dependent on the pressure and temperature in the tank. In a closed system, this may result in a positive pressure in the fuel tank, when compared with atmosphere. A positive pressure can result in too much fuel being driven into the engine, resulting in poor engine performance, and can result in injuries if fuel spray is released when the closure is opened by a person in order to pump fuel into the fuel tank. The vent addresses these problems by allowing fluid/gaseous communication from the atmosphere outside of the fuel storage system with the volume within the fuel storage system.  
         [0005]     A vent system usually consisted of a much smaller tubular passage than the fill pipe, and it is constructed with a fuel tank to eliminate fuel splashes caused by the trapped air in the tank during fueling. This vent line is either connected to an independent vent or to the fill itself at a point where the opening is not obstructed by the fueling device. Splashing or spillage of fuel through the vent results in fuel loss, and its attendant economic cost and environmental impact, and can damage the boat itself. For the case where the vent is constructed into the fill, if the openings are not properly engineered, splashed fuel could also injure the fueling operator.  
         [0006]     There have been a number of solutions to the problem of fuel leakage or splashing. One manner is having a one-way valve, which does not alleviate both negative and positive pressures. Another, more common manner, is providing a fuel cap with a member that easily shifts to close the vent. Were fuel to be forced upward to the opening, the member is contacted by the fuel so that the member is forced into a position that covers the vent port. While this is a reasonable solution, it is not a perfect solution, and generally requires a number of components.  
         [0007]     As examples of the shifting member design, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,946, to Perkins, and to U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,324, to Whitley II, et al. In each of these, several components need be manufactured and assembled in multiple stages to allow a member to shift when contacted by fuel to cover a vent port. Nonetheless, the movable members are not immediately reactive to the fuel contact, so that a small amount of fuel may be able to pass through the vent. For instance, the &#39;946 patent describes an auxiliary biasing spring that could be provided, the bias of which need be overcome. Such a spring would, on the other hand, assist in forcing the otherwise gravity-biased movable member downward which: in the absence of the spring, the cap would risk the movable member being stuck upward.  
         [0008]     Another expensive and inconvenient design for addressing spillage is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,645, to Pountney. In the &#39;645 patent, a system is shown having a first cap and fill arrangement for filling a tank, a second cap and fill arrangement where spillage is contained for recovery, and a vent line leading from the spillage recovery arrangement. This requires a significant number of components, and a significant amount of effort to assembly and mount in a boat.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, there has been a need for a vent for a fill and closure that is simpler and more reliable.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0010]     In accordance with an aspect, a closure for a fill is disclosed, the closure including a unitary component having a first portion connectable with the fill and a second portion for spanning across the first portion to substantially close the fill, wherein a vent opening is formed between the first and second portions and extends laterally outwardly therefrom to provide fluid communication with the fill and atmosphere outside of the closure. The vent opening may include a series of vent ports to the atmosphere. The vent opening may be positioned outboard of a vent tube opening in the fill.  
         [0011]     The closure may include an exterior surface bearing indicia indicating an orientation for the closure when secured with the fill. The orientation may indicate a desirable orientation of the vent opening relative to an opening in a vent tube of the fill.  
         [0012]     The closure may include a compressible sealing member located around the first portion for preventing liquid passage between the closure and the fill.  
         [0013]     The closure may include a cavity in the first portion in fluid communication with an opening in the fill, and a passageway in fluid communication with the cavity and with the vent opening. The unitary component may further include a recessed portion in fluid communication with the cavity and with the passageway.  
         [0014]     In another aspect, a fill system is disclosed including a fill member and a unitary closure member, the a fill member including a fill passage for fluid conveyance, the closure member being connectable with the fill member for substantially closing the fill passage, the closure member including a vent passageway in fluid communication from an interior of the fill member and an atmospheric exterior of the closure when secured with the fill member. The closure member may have a first portion connectable with the fill member and a second portion for spanning across the first portion to substantially close the fill member, wherein the vent passageway is formed between the first and second portions and extends laterally outwardly therefrom to provide fluid communication with the fill member and the atmospheric exterior.  
         [0015]     The fill system may further include a compressible sealing member located around the first portion of the closure member to prevent fluid flow between the fill and closure members.  
         [0016]     The vent passageway may include a vent opening to the atmosphere. The fill system may further include a compressible sealing member located around the first portion of the closure member to prevent fluid flow between the fill and closure members, the sealing member providing a gap between the fill and closure members to permit venting to the atmosphere therethrough. The vent opening may include a series of vent ports.  
         [0017]     The fill member may include a vent tube having an opening into the fill passage, and the closure member vent opening is positioned outboard of the vent tube opening in the fill passage.  
         [0018]     The fill member may include a vent tube having a fire arrestor therewithin, the fire arrestor including porous incombustible material that renders little resistance to gas flow through the vent tube.  
         [0019]     The closure member may include an exterior surface bearing indicia indicating an orientation for the closure member when secured with the fill member. The fill member may include a vent tube having an opening into the fill passage, the vent passageway may include a vent opening, and the indicia may indicate a desirable orientation of the vent opening relative to the vent tube opening.  
         [0020]     The closure member may include a cavity in fluid communication with the fill passage, and may include a vent passageway in fluid communication with the cavity and with the vent opening. The closure member may further include a recessed portion in fluid communication with the cavity and with the vent passageway. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of a fill allowing access to a fuel tank for pumping fuel thereinto and a closure for generally closing the fill, the closure having a tab movable from a recessed position shown in  FIG. 1A  to an extended position in  FIG. 1B  for grasping to rotate the closure during securing and releasing of the closure with the fill;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view in cross-section of the fill and closure of  FIG. 1A  with the closure disconnected from the fill;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view in cross-section similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing the closure connected and secured with the fill;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing an interior passageway of the fill and a bottom side of the closure, and showing a connector for retaining the closure with the fill;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the fill showing portions of the interior passageway therethrough; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a front side elevational view of the fill with portions of the interior passageway shown in phantom.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1A, 1B , and  2 , a fill system  10  is shown having a fill  12  and a closure  14  secured thereto. Fuel is poured or pumped into the fill  12  for conveyance to a fuel tank (not shown), and the closure  14  is secured or connected with the fill  12  to generally close the fill  12  and is removed or disconnected from the fill  12  to permit access for the fuel conveyance. As used herein, the term fuel refers generally to liquid and the term gas refers generally to materials in a gaseous form, whether that is vaporized or gaseous fuel, air, or a mixture thereof. It should also be noted the fill system  10  and fill  12  are equally usable for other liquids, such as water, and the use of the term fuel herein is obviously used for convenience.  
         [0028]     When installed, preferably in a marine application, the fill  12  is in fluid communication with the fuel tank through major and inferior passageways  20   a ,  22   a (see  FIG. 2 ). The major passageway  20   a , defined by a fill tube  20 , is principally used as the direct conduit through which fuel is conveyed to the fuel tank. The inferior passageway  22   a , defined by a vent tube  22 , principally allows gas (and, in an overflow situation, fuel) to pass from the fuel tank back to the fill  12 . The fill  12  has a large upper opening  24 , referred to herein as the mouth  24 , from which both of the fill tube  20  and vent tube  22  branch. In operation, a fuel nozzle (not shown) would be inserted into the mouth  24  and, preferably, at least a short distance into the fill tube  20  for conveying fuel into the fuel tank via the fill tube  20 . During this time, gas that is present in the fuel tank is displaced therefrom, and this gas is forced through the vent tube  22  to the mouth  24  for release to the atmosphere.  
         [0029]     It should be noted that the fill tube  20  and vent tube  22  would be typically constructed as shown in the Figs., and then connected with other tubes or passageways that lead to the fuel tank. However, for simplicity&#39;s sake, the terms fill tube  20  and vent tube  22  will be used to refer to the structure as shown as well as the connecting tube intermediate the shown structure and the fuel tank.  
         [0030]     A fire arrestor  23  is located in the vent tube  22 , as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The fire arrestor  23  includes a screen  23   a  or other structure that is porous and incombustible so that flow therethrough is permitted. An arrestor frame  23   b  retains the screen  23   a  and secures with the vent tube  22 . As shown, the vent tube  22  narrows at it leads upward toward the mouth  24 , and the arrestor frame  23 b is inserted into the vent tube  22  and pressed into this narrowing portion so that it and the screen  23   a  are retained therein. Thus, the fire arrestor  23  renders little resistance to the gas flow in the passage yet is able to quench fire started from the mouth  24  or outside the fill system  10 . It should be noted that the fire arrestor  23  is accessible or removable for changing and/or cleaning.  
         [0031]     The vent tube  22 , in cooperation with the closure  14 , also serves to provide pressure balance with the atmosphere. As discussed above, the pressure within the fuel storage system (including the fuel tank, the fill  12 , and passageways therebetween) is desirably balanced with the atmosphere. In order to achieve this, the vent tube  22  is connected to a portion of the fuel tank that, preferably, is above an expected fuel level. In this manner, gas from the fuel tank can escape through the vent tube  22  while fuel generally does not pass therethrough.  
         [0032]     Under some operating conditions the fuel may be forced upwardly through the vent tube  22 . For instance, inertial or centripetal forces on the fuel during sharp and high speed maneuvers in a boat may force the fuel into the vent tube  22 . In some instances, the fuel would only move a partial distance through the vent tube  22  to move upward. However, in other instances, the fuel passes through the vent tube  22  and into the mouth  24 . With the closure  14  in place, the fuel simply flows back down into the fuel tank via the fill tube  20 .  
         [0033]     The pressure balance with the atmosphere is not achieved by the vent tube  22  and fill tube  20  alone, instead necessitating a vent port  30  in the closure  14  (see also  FIG. 4 , showing a series of vent ports  30   a ). As noted above, the prior art makes use of multi-component systems for allowing an opening to the atmosphere outside of the closure. As described herein, the present closure  14  may be formed principally of a single component, which may be cast or molded, for example, thus eliminating the manufacture and assembly of these components, and thus being simpler, cheaper, and more reliable than those of the prior art.  
         [0034]     The closure  14  includes an upper cover portion  40  from which a lower cylindrical portion  42  depends. A vent passageway  44  is formed in the closure  14  that, when the closure  14  is secured with the fill  12 , allows the vent port  30  to be in fluid communication with the fill mouth  24  and, therefore, the vent tube  22 .  
         [0035]     The closure cylindrical portion  42  and fill  12  include cooperating structure for securing the closure  14  with the fill  12 . As shown, the cylindrical portion  42  has external male threads  50  that are received by female threads  52  located on the inner surface of the fill  12  and around the mouth  24 . Accordingly, the closure  14  is threadably coupled (connected) or disconnected with the fill  12 .  
         [0036]     A gasket  54  is provided on the cylindrical portion  42  of the closure  14  for assisting in securing the closure  14  with the fill  12 . The gasket  54  fulfills a number of purposes including restricting any flow of fuel that may pass between the threads from flowing out from the fuel fill system  10  in general. It should be made clear that the gasket  54  does not provide a complete seal between the closure  14  and the fill  12 , due to the presence of the vent port  30 . However, the gasket  54  is elastic or rubberized material. Therefore, it is compressed between the fill  12  and the closure  14 . This provides resistance to any tendency of the closure  14  to back-out or unthread from the fill  12 , and does so without excessive pressure needing to be applied to the threads  50 ,  52  themselves, thus prolonging the life of the threads. Importantly, this allows for greater tolerance or clearance between the threads so that connection/disconnection of the closure  14  minimally wears on the threads  50 ,  52  and stripping due to mismatch of the threads is reduced. For instance, T-threading may be used.  
         [0037]     Above and around the mated threads, the gasket  54  is intended to seal the closure  14  with the fill  12  to prevent fuel leakage thereacross. Towards this end, the fill  12  includes a beveled shoulder  60  angling upwardly and outwardly formed around the mouth  24  above the fill threads  52 . The closure cover portion  40  extends radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion  42 , and an annular channel  66  is positioned at the juncture therebetween so that the cover portion  40  and cylindrical portion  42  form a shoulder  68 . While a portion of the gasket  54  is inserted into the channel  66 , the gasket  54  is sized so that it extends beyond the channel  66 . When the closure  14  is threaded into the fill  12 , the gasket  54  is compressed between the shoulders  60  and  68 .  
         [0038]     With specific reference to  FIG. 3 , the vent passageway  44  communicating with the vent port  30  and the fill mouth  24  can be seen. The closure cylindrical portion  42  has an internal cavity  70  that is open to the mouth  24 . The interior or bottom side of the cover portion  40  has an excavated or recessed portion  72  that rises above the cylindrical portion  42 , and the vent passageway  44  passes through the cover portion  40  from the recessed portion  72  to the vent port  30 . As a result, gas is free to pass from the vent port  30  to the mouth  24 , and vice versa, through the vent passageway  44 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , a small gap  74  is provided between the cover portion  40  and the fill  12  at an outboard position from the threaded portions thereof. As can also be seen, in order for gas to pass therethrough, the gas must proceed upward into the interior of the recessed portion  72 , then pass through the vent passageway  44 , and finally exit through the vent port  30  and the gap  74 .  
         [0039]     Though not necessary, the ability of the construction to restrict fuel spillage through the vent port  30  benefits from providing a specific orientation to the closure  14  when secured with the fill  12 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the mouth  24  of the fill  14  is shown so that a vent opening  22   b  into the mouth  24  can be seen; in comparing  FIG. 5  (as well as  FIG. 4 ) with  FIG. 3 , it can be seen how the angle and direction of the fuel, if such were to pass through the vent tube  22  and the vent opening  22   b  into the mouth  24 , would result in the fuel being deflected back toward the center of the mouth  24  and toward the center of the closure cylindrical portion cavity  70 . In order to reach the vent passageway  44  in the recessed portion  72 , the fuel would then need to reverse its direction and move back outwardly. An occurrence that allows any appreciable amount of fuel to pass through the vent port  30  is unlikely, due to the nature of the forces which are forcing the fuel upward and generally against gravity.  
         [0040]     With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , indicia  76  such as that depicting a fuel pump may be presented on the exterior of the closure  14  which indicates a proper orientation of the vent port  30  when the closure  14  is secured with the fill  12 . In the present embodiment, a wall  77  is provided (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) as a splash guard. The wall  77  extends inwardly into the mouth  24  at a position just above the opening of the vent tube  22  to deflect fuel away from the closure  13 , reducing the likelihood of passing into the recessed portion  72 , vent passageway  44 , and vent port  30 , and serving to protect a person pumping fuel into the fuel tank from an overflow/splashing occurrence. In embodiments utilizing the splash guard wall  77 , the indicia  76  may indicate the vent port  30  being aligned with the wall  77  so that splashing fuel is directed by the wall  77  away from the vent port  30 , vent passageway  44 , and recessed portion  72 . In the absence of the splash guard wall  77 , the indicia  76  may be positioned to indicate the vent port  30  being non-aligned with the opening  22   b  of the vent tube  22  so that splashing fuel does not go directly toward the recessed portion  72 , vent passageway  44 , and vent port  30 .  
         [0041]     As noted, the closure  14  can be a single piece cast or molded component. The gasket  54  is simply installed around/in the channel  66 , and the fill  12  may be a separate molded component (though the wall  77  may be a second piece mounted in the molded fill  12 ). The manufacture of the closure  14 , being a single component, is much easier than the prior art devices requiring multiple components and shifting valves. Furthermore, the present fuel fill system  10  is much more reliable than the prior art devices as the lack of moving parts minimizes faulty operation of the vent feature provided by the vent port  30 . The construction of the closure  14  including the vent port  30  and vent passageway  44  obviates much of the need for structure in the fill  12  itself to deflect fuel away from the closure  14 . It should also be noted that the fuel fill system  10  shows the fill tube  20  and vent tube  22  set at a 45 degree angle relative to the mouth  24  and the closure  14 , though this angle may be varied, such as being at zero degrees.  
         [0042]     It should be noted that the fill  12  may be provided with bolt holes  80  ( FIG. 4 ) for receiving bolts  82  ( FIG. 5 ) so that fill  12  may be secured with the vehicle, such as a boat. The bolt holes  80  are positioned outside of the mouth  24  and away from the gasket  54  so that other features of the operation of the fuel fill system  10  are not impeded, and the gasket  54  does not wear against the bolt holes  80  and bolts  82 . It should also be noted that the internal cavity  70  of the closure cylindrical portion  42  preferably has a depending post  84  adapted for securing an end of a chain  96  ( FIG. 4 ) or other retainer, the other end of the chain  96  being connected with the interior of fill  12  around or in the mouth  24 . In this manner, the chain  96  keeps the closure  14  from being separated from the fill  12 , which may result simply from careless handling or from rocking of a boat while being fueled with the closure  14  disconnected to allow access into the mouth  24  by a fuel nozzle.  
         [0043]     The closure  14  is equipped with an ergonomically shaped finger recess  100  to allow a finger grip  102  to be pivoted from a recessed position ( FIG. 1A ) within the exterior surface of the closure  14  to an extended position ( FIG. 1B ) allowing a user to rotatably manipulate the closure  14 . In the recessed position, the finger grip  102  is preferably flush or below the exterior surface of the closure  14  so that the risk of the grip  102  (or the closure  14  itself) is minimized. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the exterior surface of the closure  14  includes a recess  104  for the finger grip  102  which conveniently helps to define the cavity  70  of the closure  14  leading to the vent passageway  44 , thereby minimizing materials.  
         [0044]     While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1