Patent ID: 7578308

Claim:
An emergency shutoff valve for use in a fuel dispensing system comprising: a housing defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a fluid flow passage extending between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said fluid flow passage being suitable for the flow of fuel therein; a valve element movable between an open position and a closed position, said closed position preventing fuel flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet; a latching mechanism coupled to said valve element, said latching mechanism releasably latching said valve element in said open position; an expansible member defining at least a portion of a sealed expansible chamber external of said housing; wherein said housing comprises a weakened portion disposed downstream of said valve element, said expansible chamber being sealed to said housing at a first location upstream of said weakened portion and at a second location downstream of said weakened portion; said emergency shutoff valve defines a failure mode wherein the structural integrity of said housing is compromised to an extent wherein fuel can escape from said housing through said weakened portion and into said expansible chamber when a predetermined load is applied to said housing; said expansible member is operable, upon occurrence of said failure mode, for releasing said latching mechanism so that said valve element moves from said open position to said closed position.