CA2060103C - Vapor canister with liquid trap - Google Patents

Vapor canister with liquid trap

Info

Publication number
CA2060103C
CA2060103C CA 2060103 CA2060103A CA2060103C CA 2060103 C CA2060103 C CA 2060103C CA 2060103 CA2060103 CA 2060103 CA 2060103 A CA2060103 A CA 2060103A CA 2060103 C CA2060103 C CA 2060103C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
housing
canister
separating chamber
trap
adsorbent
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA 2060103
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2060103A1 (en
Inventor
Kenneth W. Turner
Patti S. Dubois
Peter J. Alfred
Richard H. Simons, Jr.
William E. Gifford
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Motors Liquidation Co
Original Assignee
Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Motors Liquidation Co filed Critical Motors Liquidation Co
Priority to CA 2060103 priority Critical patent/CA2060103C/en
Publication of CA2060103A1 publication Critical patent/CA2060103A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2060103C publication Critical patent/CA2060103C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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  • Supplying Secondary Fuel Or The Like To Fuel, Air Or Fuel-Air Mixtures (AREA)
  • Separation Of Gases By Adsorption (AREA)

Abstract

A fuel vapor storage canister that contains a trap housing with a separating chamber to capture the liquid component of the fluid from the tank. The trap housing is designed so that the canister can be installed in the vehicle in a number of possible orientations while still isolating the liquid component from the adsorbent bed of the canister.

Description

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VAPOR CANISTE:R WITH LIQUID TRAP

Technical Field This invention relates to a vehicle fuel evaporation loss con~rol sy~tcm in general, and specifically to a fuel vapor storage canister that contains a liquid trap that can be installed in the vehicle in a number of possible orientations.

Background of the Invention In most current evaporative systems, fuel vapor that accumulates in the fuel tank vents to a vapor storage canister located in a remote location from the fuel tank in the vehicle. The fuel vapor is captured by an adsorbent bed; u ually composed of ~0 charcoal. Liquid fuel from condensation or direct entry into the canister can contaminate or degrade the efficiency of the adsorbent bed, therefore many evaporative systems have incorporated liquid traps to prev~nt liquid entering ~he adsorbent bed.
One example of a liquid trap can be sQen in U.S Patent No. 4,750,465 i~sued June 14, 1988 in the names of J. Fornuto, W. E. Gi~:ford, and R. M. M~yer.
In that patent the~bottom of the:canister has a cone :
shaped shell beneath the adsorbent bed. A tube connected to the fuel tank extends thr-ough the adsorbent bed and opens into the cone ~haped shell.
Any liquid component of the fluid from the fuel tank collects in the apex of the shell. ~ ;
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2~ 3 In u.s. Patent No. 4,655,189 issued ~pril 7, 1987 in the name of I. Roga, a separating chamber at the upper end of the canister prevents the liquid component from flowing into the adsorbent bed. AS the fluid enters the canister, the liguid component is collected at the bottom of the separating chamber.
Openings to the adsorbent bed are located above the surface of ~he liquid component in the separating chamber to allow only the gaseous component to be stored in the adsorbent bed.
One disadvantage of these canisters is that they can only be placed in the vehicle one way. These canisters lack the versatility to be placed in some engine compartments. In U.S. Patent No.~ 4,853,009 issued August 1, 1989 in the names of K. W. Turner, R.
H. Simons, Jr. and G. R. Paddock, a canister has a number of liquid trap kits that can be connected to the canister to allow for various installation orientations in the vehicle.
Summary of the Invention The current invention is a canister with a liquid fuel trap that has the capability of multi-orientation installations in the vehicle without thenecessity o~ supplying a number of assembly~kits to fit on a particular canister for a particular vehicle. One canister provides the necessary liquid fuel trap with the convenience of positioning it in the vehicle in a number of various orientations.' The canister is filled with an adsorbent material such as charcoal. Within the canister housing the interior is divided longitudinally into two ~

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Z~ 3 compartments, a main and auxiliary compartment. The two compartments communicate with each other by a connecting passage. At the end opposite the connecting passage is an air aperture which opens into the auxiliary compartment. At the same end of the canister is a box-shaped trap housing which encloses a separating chamber that collects the liquid ~omponent of the fluid. ~he trap housing is situated next to the main compartment of the canister. In the center of the 1~ box-shaped trap housing is a purge tube that extends through the separating chamber and opens into the main compartment of the canister. Situated in one corner of the trap housing is the tank vent tube that receives fluid vented from the fuel tank. The tank vent tube extends to near the bottom of the separating chamber.
Within the separating chamber is a raised inlet tube that opens from about the middle of the separating chamber and extends into the main compartment of the canister.- ay positioning the canister in the vehicle so that the tank vent tube is in the low position in relation to the inlet tube, the liquid component will not flow into the inlet tube and into the adsorbent bed. Because the inlet tube is not visible by looking at the canister's exterior housing, the tank vent tube will be in the low position in relation to the inlet tube if it is oriented to be in the low position in relation to the purge tube. In this way any liquid entering the trap housing will remain in the separatiny chamber while the gaseous component will be allowed to flow through the inlet tube to the adsorbent bed in the canister.

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The details of a preferred embodiment of thi~
invention are set forth in the remainder of the specification and are shown in the drawings.

Summary of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a canister employin~ this invention.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the canister from the perspective of line 2-2 in Fig. 1.
Figs. 3A-3C are partial sectional views of the three possible installation orientations of the canister, showing how liquid is trapped.

Detailed Description The canister 10 has a generally elongated rectangular housing 12 with rounded corners. Fig. 1 displays the canister with the elongation being on a ~o vertical axis. The cross section of canister 10 has different width W and length L, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The housing 12 is usuaIly made of a plastic material and includes an end face 14 that encloses the canister 10 at the one end. In the preferred ~S embodiment, the other end lS of the canister 10 has a volume compensator 16. The current invention is not dependent upon such a co~pensator and the other end 15 o~ the canister 10 could be closed by a cap.
The housing 12 encloses an interior volume, containing an adsorbent bed 18 that is charged with activated charcoal granules, or ~he like. The interior volume is partitioned parallel to its elongated axis into a main compartment 20 and an auxiliary compartment , . . ~ .
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2~ 3 22. A partition 24 separates the main compartment 20 and the auxiliary compartment 22, and has a passage 26 at the end 15 of said housing 12 that allows vapor to pass between the two compartment6. Sandwiched between the adsQrbent bed 18 and the volume compensator 16 is a foam screen 28. Foam screens 30 separate the end face 14 o~ the canister housing 12 and the adsorbent bed 18.
The side o~ the end face 14 that abuts the foam screens 30 may have ribs 31 to prevent the foam screens 30 from moving and obstructing air flow to and from the absorbent bed 18. In said end face 14 is a tubular air aperture 32 which opens into the auxiliary compartment 22 of the canister 10.
A box-shaped trap housing 34,- also made of a plastic material, is welded to the end face 14, and it encloses a separating chamber 36. Said trap housing 34 has an end wall 38 spaced from and parallel to said end face 14 of the canister 10. In the center of the end wall 38 is a purge tube 42 that extends through the separating chamber 36 and opens through an aperture 43 into the main compartment 20 of the canister 10. The purge tube 42 is adapted for connection to the engine vacuum source. In one corner of the end wall 38 is a tank vent tube 44, which extends through the end wall 38 to near the end face 14 of the separating chamber 36. The tank vent tube 44 is adapted for connection to the fuel tank. Within the separating chamber 36 is an lnlet tube 46 which is located on the opposite side of ~
the.purge tube 42 from~the tank vent tube 44. It : :
starts beyond the end~face 14 and extends into ~he main compartment 20 of the canister 10. Gaseous fluid that has ente:red the separating chamber 36 through the tank vent tube 44 from the'fuel tank wiIl flow through the : 5 ~ : :

2~ 3 inlet tube 46 to the adsorbent bed 18 in the main compartment 20. Any liquid fluid entering the separating chamber 36 will settle in the low psint of said chamber 36. It will remain there until it ei~her evaporates and then flows through the inlet tube 46 to the adsorbent bed 18 or is purged back to the fuel tank when the tank pressure falls below atmospheric pressure. ~t the end point of the inlet tube 46 located in the main compartment 20 is a nylon mesh filter 48 that is press set on~o the inlet tube 46.
5aid filter 48 prevents charcoal granules from entering the separating chamber 36.
The tank vent tube 44 is located in a corner of the trap housing 34 so that it can always be situated at a low point in relation to the inlet tube 46 and thereby keep the liquid component near to the connection to the fuel tank and out of the adsorbent bed 18. Since the inlet tube 46 is not visible by looking a~ the canister housing 12 or the trap housing 34, the purge tube 42 can be used as a reference point.
If the tank vent tube 44 is oriented to be at a low point in relation to the purge tube 42, this will have the same result as being at a low point in relation to the inlet tube 46.
During purge, vacuum will be applied to the purge tube 42. Atmospheric air will enter the air aperture 32 and flow through the auxiliary 22 and main compartment 20 of the canister 10. Vapor that has been captured in the adsorbent bed 18 will be de~orbed and sent to the engine induction system through the purge tube 42.

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-',; , Figs. 3A-3C represent the three possible different orientation installations of the canister lQ, and show the separating chamber 36 partially filled with liquid 50. For example, Fig. 3A shows the canister 10 in an upright position with its longitudinal axis vertical, where the liquid trap 34 is on the top of said eanister 10.' The canister 10 can be turned around about its vertical axis in any direction since the tank vent tube 44 will not be higher than the purge tube 42. AS seen in Figs. 3B and 3C, the canister 10 can also be installed with its longitudinal axis horizontal. In ~ig. 3B said canister 10 is shown with its major transverse axis vertical, and in Fig. 3C
with its minor transverse axis verticai. In both Figs.
3B and 3C it is important where the tank vent tube 44 is located in relation to the purge tube 42. In both these orientations, the trap housing 34 must be installed so that the tank vent tube 44 is at the low point in relation to the purge tube 42. This will then ensure that the inlet tube 46 is at a higher;position than the tank vent tube 44, so that the liquid 50 will collect in the separating chamber 36 and will not reach the inlet tube 46 that lerds to tne adsorbent bed l8.

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Claims (3)

1. A fuel vapor storage canister capable of multi-orientation installation in a vehicle and comprising, an adsorbent filled canister housing, said housing including an adsorbent surface, a generally box-shaped trap housing located at one end of said canister housing and having an end wall spaced from and generally parallel to said adsorbent surface, and enclosing a separating chamber in which the liquid component of the fluid is held to prevent it from flowing into the adsorbent filled housing, and said canister housing having an inlet tube through which the vapor component in said separating chamber flows into said absorbent filled canister housing, wherein said trap housing is mounted on said canister housing with said tank vent tube opening in the separating chamber below the inlet tube opening in the separating chamber when the longitudinal axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the major transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the minor transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, whereby said tank vent tube may be located at a low point relative to said trap housing, said purge tube will remain at a central location, and said inlet tube may be located at a high point relative to said trap housing, thereby isolating the liquid fuel from the adsorbent bed for multiple possible installation orientations of a single vapor storage canister.
2. A fuel vapor storage canister capable of multi-orientation installation in a vehicle and comprising, an adsorbent filled canister housing, said housing including an adsorbent surface, a generally box-shaped trap housing located at one end of said canister housing and having an end wall spaced from and generally parallel to said adsorbent surface, and enclosing a separating chamber in which the liquid component of the fluid is held to prevent it from flowing into the adsorbent filled housing, said end wall having a purge tube that opens into said housing and adapted for connection to a source of engine vacuum, and a tank vent tube that opens into the separating chamber and adapted for connection to a fuel tank, and said canister housing having an inlet tube through which the vapor component in said separating chamber flows into said absorbent filled canister housing wherein said trap housing is mounted on said canister housing with said tank vent tube opening in the separating chamber below the inlet tube opening in the separating chamber when the longitudinal axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the major transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the minor transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, whereby said tank vent tube may be located at a low point relative to said trap housing, said purge tube will remain at a central location, and said inlet tube may be located at a high point relative to said trap housing, thereby isolating the liquid fuel from the adsorbent bed for multiple possible installation orientations of a single vapor storage canister.
3. A fuel vapor storage canister capable of multi-orientation installation in a vehicle and comprising, an elongated adsorbent filled canister housing defining an adsorbent surface, a generally box-shaped trap housing located at one end of said canister housing and having an end wall spaced from and generally parallel to said adsorbent surface, and enclosing a separating chamber in which the liquid component of the fluid is held to prevent it from flowing into the adsorbent filled housing, said end wall comprising a purge tube that opens into said vapor storage canister and adapted for connection to a source of engine vacuum, and a tank vent tube, adapted for connection to a fuel tank, that opens into said separating chamber of said trap housing, wherein said tank vent tube extends to near the adsorbent filled canister housing, and said separating chamber having an inlet tube which extends from the canister into the separating chamber to approximately the mid-point of said separating chamber and through which the vapor component in said separating chamber flows into said adsorbent filled canister housing, wherein said trap housing is mounted on said canister housing with said tank vent tube opening into the separating chamber below the inlet tube opening into the separating chamber when the longitudinal axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the major transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, and when said longitudinal axis is horizontal and the minor transverse axis of said canister housing is vertical, whereby said tank vent tube may be located at a low point relative to said trap housing, said purge tube will remain at a central location, and said inlet tube may be located at a high point relative to said trap housing, thereby when fluid is introduced to the trap housing through the tank vent tube, the liquid component of the fluid will be isolated and collected in the lower surface area of the trap housing while the vapor component will continue through the inlet tube to be adsorbed in the adsorbent filled canister housing for multiple possible installation orientations of a single vapor storage canister.
CA 2060103 1992-02-14 1992-02-14 Vapor canister with liquid trap Expired - Fee Related CA2060103C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2060103 CA2060103C (en) 1992-02-14 1992-02-14 Vapor canister with liquid trap

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2060103 CA2060103C (en) 1992-02-14 1992-02-14 Vapor canister with liquid trap

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2060103A1 CA2060103A1 (en) 1993-08-15
CA2060103C true CA2060103C (en) 1999-07-06

Family

ID=4149164

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2060103 Expired - Fee Related CA2060103C (en) 1992-02-14 1992-02-14 Vapor canister with liquid trap

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2060103C (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106121870A (en) * 2016-08-26 2016-11-16 厦门理工学院 A kind of novel ORVR charcoal canister
US10006413B2 (en) 2015-07-09 2018-06-26 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Systems and methods for detection and mitigation of liquid fuel carryover in an evaporative emissions system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112340190A (en) * 2020-11-13 2021-02-09 宏图智能物流股份有限公司 Temporary fuel storage device for truck

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10006413B2 (en) 2015-07-09 2018-06-26 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Systems and methods for detection and mitigation of liquid fuel carryover in an evaporative emissions system
CN106121870A (en) * 2016-08-26 2016-11-16 厦门理工学院 A kind of novel ORVR charcoal canister

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2060103A1 (en) 1993-08-15

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