IP Library Granted Patent US 11,041,465
Granted Patent B2
US 11,041,465 · App. 16/645,818 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Charge forming device with electrically actuated vapor separator vent valve

Inventors: Gary J. Burns (Millington, MI); Albert L. Sayers (Caro, MI)
Assignee: WALBRO LLC
F02M9/08B60K15/03F02D9/1035F02D41/0002F02D41/003F02M7/127F02M9/10F02M25/0836
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,041,465
App. No.
16/645,818
Filed
Mar 10, 2020
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Examiner
HUYNH, HAI H
Art Unit
3747
USPC
123/403
Abstract

In at least some implementations, a charge forming device for a combustion engine includes a housing, a throttle valve and a vent valve. The housing has an inlet chamber in which a supply of fuel is received, a vent passage communicating with the inlet chamber and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. The throttle valve is carried by the housing and has a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore. And the vent valve is electrically actuated, carried by the housing and has a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fluid may flow from the inlet chamber through the vent passage and a closed position where fluid is prevented or inhibited from flowing out of the inlet chamber through the vent passage.

Claims (26)

1. A charge forming device for a combustion engine, comprising:

a housing having an inlet chamber in which a supply of fuel is received, a vent passage communicating with the inlet chamber and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received;

a throttle valve carried by the housing with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore; and

a vent valve carried by the housing and having a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fluid may flow from the inlet chamber through the vent passage and a closed position where fluid is prevented or inhibited from flowing out of the inlet chamber through the vent passage, the vent valve being electrically actuated.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a body and a cover coupled to the body, wherein the vent passage is formed at least partially in the cover and the vent valve is carried by the cover.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the vent valve is actuated as a function of a pressure within the inlet chamber.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the vent valve is actuated to maintain a pressure within the inlet chamber of between 0.34 mmHg to 19 mmHg.

5. The device of claim 1 which also includes an electrically actuated fuel metering valve carried by the housing and having an inlet communicated with the inlet chamber to receive fuel from the inlet chamber and an outlet communicated with the throttle bore and through which fuel is supplied into the throttle bore.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the throttle valve is electrically actuated and wherein actuation of each of the fuel metering valve, the throttle valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the controller is carried by the housing.

9. The device of claim 5 wherein the throttle valve is electrically actuated and wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the throttle valve is controlled by a single controller.

10. The device of claim 1 which also includes an inlet valve carried by the housing and having a valve that controls the flow of fuel into the inlet chamber.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the inlet valve is coupled to a float received within the inlet chamber to actuate the inlet valve as a function of the level of fuel within the inlet chamber.

12. The device of claim 1 which also includes a second vent passage providing gaseous matter from a second source to the inlet chamber, wherein flow of gaseous matter from the inlet chamber and from the second source is controlled by the vent valve.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the second source is a fuel tank.

14. A fuel system, comprising:

a fuel tank having a fuel outlet and a vent outlet,

a throttle body assembly including an inlet chamber in communication with the fuel outlet to receive fuel from the tank and with the vent outlet to receive gaseous matter from the tank into the inlet chamber, wherein the throttle body assembly also includes a vent passage from which gasses may be vented from the inlet chamber

a vent valve carried by the throttle body assembly to control venting of the inlet chamber and of the fuel tank.

15. The system of claim 14 which also includes a float received within the inlet chamber, and an inlet valve coupled to the float, wherein the inlet valve is actuated by the float as a function of the level of fuel within the inlet chamber.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the throttle body includes a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received, and which also includes an electrically actuated fuel metering valve carried by the housing and having an inlet communicated with the inlet chamber to receive fuel from the inlet chamber and an outlet communicated with the throttle bore and through which fuel is supplied into the throttle bore.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller.

18. The system of claim 14 which also includes a second vent passage providing gaseous matter from a second source to the inlet chamber, wherein flow of gaseous matter from the inlet chamber and from the second source is controlled by the vent valve.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the vent valve is actuated as a function of a pressure within the inlet chamber.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the vent valve is actuated to maintain a pressure within the inlet chamber of between 0.34 mmHg to 19 mmHg.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: OVERDRIVE ACQUISITION, LLC
To: POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
Reel/Frame 075242/0950 →
STATEMENT REGARDING RELEASE OF LIENS IN PATENTS, INCLUDING LIEN IN FAVOR OF GLAS USA LLC RECORDED AT R/F 071674/0688 Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: FIRST BRANDS GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC
To: WALBRO LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 075247/0779 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.
To: GLAS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2023
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WALBRO LLC
Reel/Frame 065198/0833 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2021
From: WALBRO LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058055/0101 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2020
From: BURNS, GARY J.; SAYERS, ALBERT L.
To: WALBRO LLC
Reel/Frame 052066/0953 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62558522 · Sep 14, 2017
Related Publication 20210003099A1 · Jan 7, 2021