Granted Patent B1

US 12,655,816 · App. 18/985,702 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Alejandro Moreno (El Paso, TX); Aldo Darien Venegas Carrillo (Ciudad Juarez, MX)

Assignee: PHINIA Jersey Holdings LLC

F02M25/0836F02M25/0854F02M2025/0845

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A fuel tank isolation valve for an evaporative emissions control system, the fuel tank isolation valve comprising:

a housing having an outer wall defining a valve chamber therein, and a transfer passage formed in a portion of the outer wall;

a tank port connected to the housing;

a canister port connected to the housing:

the tank port being in selective fluid communication with the canister port via the valve chamber and transfer passage;

a solenoid assembly connected to the housing, the solenoid assembly including a stationary core, a moveable plunger having a first end and a second end longitudinally opposed to the first end, the first end being adjacent the stationary core, a coil that encircles the stationary core and the moveable plunger, the coil actuating the moveable plunger, and a primary spring disposed between the stationary core and the moveable plunger;

a first stage poppet fixed to and extending from the second end of the moveable plunger;

a valve assembly disposed within the valve chamber, the valve assembly including a head, a central body, and a sleeve, the central body being sandwiched between the head and the sleeve, the sleeve including a first stage valve seat wherein the first stage poppet is seated on the first stage valve seat in a closed disposition;

the valve assembly further including a retainer mated with the sleeve, the retainer including an internal spring seat; and

a first stage spring seated on the internal spring seat;

the first stage poppet extending through the retainer, and the first stage spring being disposed between the first stage poppet and the internal spring seat of the retainer.

2 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly further includes a pressure relief poppet, the central body includes a relief valve seat, and the pressure relief poppet is seated on the relief valve seat in a closed disposition.

3 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 2 , wherein the central body includes a relief spring seat opposite the relief valve seat, and a relief valve spring is seated on the relief spring seat and disposed between the relief spring seat and an end of the pressure relief poppet.

4 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 3 , wherein a retainer ring is disposed on the end of the relief valve poppet, and the relief valve spring is engaged with the retainer ring.

5 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 1 , further including a second stage valve seat surrounding the transfer passage.

6 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 5 , wherein a sealing ring is disposed on an annular rim of the head of the valve assembly, the sealing ring defining a second stage valve surface, and the sealing ring is seated on the second stage valve seat in a closed disposition.

7 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 6 , wherein the valve assembly is operable between the closed disposition, a first stage open disposition, and a second stage open disposition, wherein in the first stage open disposition activation of the coil draws the moveable plunger toward the stationary core and unseats the first stage poppet from the first stage valve seat while the second stage valve surface remains seated on the second stage valve seat, and in the second stage open disposition maintained activation of the coil draws the moveable plunger closer to the stationary core and unseats the second stage valve surface from the second stage valve seat while the first stage valve surface is seated on the first stage valve seat.

8 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes at least one tank pressure passage formed through a sidewall of the sleeve.

9 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 8 , wherein the sleeve includes a first stage valve opening surrounded by the first stage valve seat, the first stage valve opening being in fluid communication with the valve chamber via the at least one tank pressure passage of the sleeve.

10 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 9 , wherein the central body includes a plurality of first stage flow passages, the head includes a corresponding plurality of first stage flow passages, and the first stage valve opening is in fluid communication with the transfer passage via the first stage flow passages in the central body and the head.

11 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 1 , wherein the central body and the head together define a pressure relief valve chamber, the central body further includes a plurality of first stage flow passages outside of the pressure relief valve chamber, the head further includes a corresponding plurality of first stage flow passages outside of the pressure relief valve chamber, the first stage flow passages of the central body being continuous with and in fluid communication with the first stage flow passages of the head.

12 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 11 , wherein the pressure relief valve chamber is in fluid communication with the first stage flow passages of the central body and the first stage flow passages of the head via a relief valve opening.

13 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 11 , wherein the central body includes at least one tank relief passage extending from a sidewall of the central body to the pressure relief valve chamber.

14 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 10 , wherein in a first stage open disposition of the valve, the valve comprises a fuel vapor flow path from the tank port into the valve chamber, from the valve chamber through the at least one tank pressure passage into the sleeve, through the first stage valve opening in the sleeve to the central body, through the first stage flow passages in the central body to the head, through the first stage flow passages in the head to the transfer passage, and through the transfer passage into the canister port.

15 . The fuel tank isolation valve of claim 5 , wherein in a second stage open disposition of the valve, the valve comprises a fuel vapor flow path from the tank port into the valve chamber, past the second stage valve surface of the valve member, and through the transfer passage into the canister port.

16 . A method of operating a fuel tank isolation valve, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the fuel tank isolation valve of claim 6 ;

applying a control voltage to the coil of the solenoid assembly, wherein the valve assembly moves from a closed disposition to a first stage open disposition such that the moveable plunger is drawn toward the stationary core and unseats the first stage poppet from the first stage valve seat while the second stage valve surface remains seated; and

maintaining application of the control voltage to the coil of the solenoid assembly, wherein the valve assembly moves from the first stage open disposition to a second stage open disposition such that the moveable plunger is drawn closer to the stationary core and unseats the second stage valve surface from the second stage valve seat while the first stage poppet becomes seated on the first stage valve seat.

17 . An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a fuel tank;

an evaporative emissions canister; and

the fuel tank isolation valve of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank isolation valve is connected between the fuel tank and the evaporative emissions canister.

Assignments (1)

References Cited (16)