IP Library Granted Patent US 7,900,648
Granted Patent B2
US 7,900,648 · App. 11/920,844 · Granted Mar 8, 2011

Valve for the venting circuit of a liquid tank

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,900,648
App. No.
11/920,844
Granted
Mar 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A valve for the venting circuit of a liquid tank including a main chamber which opens into the tank and is connected via an aperture to the venting circuit, a float comprising a body, and a head capable of closing off the orifice. The float being able to slide vertically inside the main chamber. The valve further including a baffle surrounding the aperture and defining a secondary chamber via the bottom inside the main chamber. The dimensions and the shape of the secondary chamber, of the body of the float, and of the head of the float are designed so that the head can slide at least partly inside the secondary chamber, while the body of the float cannot do so.

Claims (26)

1. A valve for a venting circuit of a liquid tank, the valve comprising:

a housing including a main chamber which opens into the liquid tank and is connected via an aperture to venting circuit, the housing including at least two openings;

a float comprising a body and a head capable of closing off the aperture, the float being able to slide vertically inside the main chamber;

a baffle surrounding the aperture and defining a secondary chamber open via a bottom inside the main chamber, the baffle including at least two lateral openings and an outer side that covers the at least two openings of the housing; and

a second baffle defining an external chamber open via a bottom, an inner side of the second baffle covering the at least two openings of the housing and including at least two lateral openings that are circumferentially offset with respect to the at least two openings of the housing, wherein

dimensions and shapes of the secondary chamber, the body of the float, and the head of the float are such that the head of the float can slide at least partly inside the secondary chamber, while the body of the float cannot slide inside the secondary chamber.

2. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the head of the float has a substantially conical tip.

3. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the main chamber and the secondary chamber are both cylindrical and concentric;

the body and the head of the float have a cylindrical external shell; and

diameters of the main chamber, the body of the float, the secondary chamber, and the head of the float are related via the following relationship:

D MC >D FB >D SC >D FH .

4. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an upper part provided with at least two lateral openings, the at least two lateral openings of the upper part being the at least two openings of the housing.

5. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle are slots starting from a bottom of the baffle.

6. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle and the at least two lateral openings of the housing are circumferentially offset one with respect to another.

7. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the second baffle are slots starting from a bottom of the second baffle.

8. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the second baffle are provided in a lateral surface of the second baffle to communicate the inner side of the second baffle with an outer side of the second baffle.

9. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle are provided in a lateral surface of the baffle to communicate an inner side of the baffle with an outer side of the baffle.

10. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle are provided on more than ½ of a height of the baffle.

11. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle are provided on more than ¾ of a height of the baffle.

12. The valve as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the slots are vertical slots extending vertically from the bottom of the baffle up to more than ½ of a height of the baffle.

13. The valve as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the baffle and the at least two lateral openings of the housing are diametrically offset by 90° with respect to one another.

14. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two lateral openings of the second baffle and the at least two openings of the housing are diametrically offset by 90° with respect to one another.

15. The valve as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the slots are vertical slots extending vertically from the bottom of the baffle up to more than ¾ of the height of the baffle.

16. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second baffle is located around the outside of an upper part of the housing, the second baffle extending from a top of the housing toward a bottom of the housing to cover the at least two openings of the housing.

17. The valve as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the upper part of the housing includes a lateral surface and the at least two lateral openings of the housing are located at an uppermost end of the lateral surface.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: INERGY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH
To: PLASTIC OMNIUM ADVANCED INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
Reel/Frame 046550/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2008
From: ROUXEL, THIERRY; CUVELIER, VINCENT
To: INERGY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH (SOCIETE ANONYME)
Reel/Frame 021075/0971 →