Claims
- 1. A fuel tank valve apparatus comprising:
a fuel tank including a wall and an inlet neck extending from said wall, said inlet neck having an inner end appended to said wall and an outer end arranged to define a rim, said inlet neck defining a valve chamber having an inlet opening defined by said rim and an outlet opening communicating with the interior volume of said fuel tank; a valve housing positioned at least partially in said valve chamber; a valve positioned in said valve housing to regulate flow of liquid fuel into said fuel tank through a filler neck coupled to said inlet neck; and a retainer coupled to said valve housing and arranged to engage said inlet neck to retain said valve housing in a fixed position in said valve chamber so that said valve housing is fixed to said fuel tank.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a plurality of barbs extending from an outer surface of said valve housing and arranged to engage an inner wall of said inlet neck.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a radially outwardly extending lip coupled to said valve housing and attached to said rim of said inlet neck.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a toothed washer positioned to lie between said valve housing and an inner wall of said inlet neck.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a sealing lip formed to contact a jumper hose placed over said inlet neck.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retainer includes at least one outwardly extending projection with said inlet neck being overmolded over said outwardly extending projection.
- 7. A fuel tank valve apparatus for installation into an inlet neck of a fuel tank, said inlet neck defining a valve chamber having an inlet opening defined by an open end of said inlet neck, said fuel tank valve apparatus comprising:
a valve housing formed for at least partially being disposed in said valve chamber; a valve retained in communication with said valve housing; and a retainer for coupling said valve housing with said inlet neck to retain said valve housing in a fixed position in said valve chamber to position said valve relative to said fuel tank.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said retainer includes a plurality of barbs extending from an outer surface of said valve housing and arranged to engage an inner wall of said inlet neck.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said retainer includes a radially outwardly extending lip coupled to said housing and attached to said rim of said inlet neck.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said retainer includes a toothed washer positioned to lie between said valve housing and an inner wall of said inlet neck.
- 11. The apparatus of 1 wherein said retainer includes a sealing lip formed to contact a jumper hose placed over said inlet neck.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said retainer includes at least one outwardly extending projections with said inlet neck being overmolded over said outwardly extending projection.
- 13. A method of installing a fuel tank apparatus on an inlet neck of a fuel tank, said fuel tank including a hydrocarbon impermeable barrier layer, said fuel tank apparatus including a valve housing positioned at least partially in a valve chamber defined by said inlet neck, a valve positioned in said valve housing, and a retainer coupled to said valve housing for engaging said inlet neck to retain said valve housing in said chamber without interrupting said hydrocarbon impermeable barrier layer of said tank, said method including the steps of:
forming said valve housing; positioning said valve in said valve housing; providing said retainer on said valve housing for engagement with said inlet neck; and engaging said valve housing and retainer in said inlet neck, without interrupting said hydrocarbon impermeable barrier layer of said tank, to position said valve in communication with said fuel tank.
- 14. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of: providing a retaining collar engageable with said valve housing for defining a valve assembly, attaching a portion of said retaining collar to said inlet neck for retaining said valve assembly in communication with said inlet neck.
- 15. The method is set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of providing outwardly extending projections on an exterior surface of said valve housing, providing means for limiting the inward range of travel of the cartridge in the valve chamber, and inserting said valve housing into said valve chamber.
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/168,875 filed Dec. 3, 1999 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/191,658, filed Mar. 23, 2000, both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60168875 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60191658 |
Mar 2000 |
US |