Fuel Filler Neck Venting Structure to Prevent Early Gun Shut-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel guns tend to shut off prematurely when filling a fuel tank under high-temperature conditions due to excessive fuel evaporation gas condensation in the venturi port, preventing the release of negative pressure and leading to incomplete fueling.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a retainer and partition system in the filler neck that includes external air intake holes, evaporation gas venting holes, and an early shut-off prevention valve, which prevents the fuel gun from shutting off prematurely by controlling the flow of air and fuel evaporation gas, ensuring the fuel tank is fully filled regardless of temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fuel tank is filled under high-temperature conditions, then fuel evaporation gas is generated in large amounts, but the evaporation gas condenses in the venturi port and causes early shut-off of the fuel gun
Solution Approach 1:
The filler neck space is divided into two separate spaces: a first space for air intake and a second space for evaporation gas discharge. The partition wall with fuel passage separates these spaces, preventing condensed evaporation gas from reaching the venturi port while maintaining independent airflow paths for proper shut-off detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall acts as an intermediary structure between the air intake path and evaporation gas discharge path. It selectively allows fuel to pass through while blocking the passage of condensed evaporation gas to the venturi port, mediating the interaction between different gas flows.
2Quantity of substance
If the venturi port is blocked by condensed evaporation gas, then negative pressure cannot be released, but the fuel tank is not yet full
Solution Approach 1:
The filler neck is segmented into separate functional zones: the first space handles air intake for venturi port operation, while the second space handles evaporation gas discharge. This segmentation prevents condensed evaporation gas from blocking the venturi port, ensuring continuous proper operation until the tank is actually full.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful condensed evaporation gas is extracted from the air intake path by directing it through a separate second space to the evaporation gas discharge hole. This removes the source of blockage from the venturi port area, allowing negative pressure to be properly released when the tank is full.
3Reliability
If external air intake holes and evaporation gas venting holes are formed in the retainer, then air and evaporation gas can be managed separately, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall is integrated directly into the retainer structure, combining the functions of structural support and gas flow separation. The fuel passage is formed within the partition wall itself, merging multiple functions (separation, fuel delivery, structural integrity) into a single integrated component rather than separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall serves multiple functions simultaneously: it separates the first and second spaces, provides structural support for the retainer, creates the fuel passage for delivering fuel to the venturi port, and defines the boundaries for both air intake and evaporation gas discharge paths. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus ensures the fuel gun operates smoothly and prevents early shut-off during both room-temperature and high-temperature fueling, ensuring the fuel tank is fully filled by managing the negative pressure release effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The fuel gun senses the fully filled state of the fuel tank using negative pressure formed in the fuel gun when the fuel gun discharges the fuel
Implementation Method 2
The fuel gun releases the negative pressure through air introduced thereinto through a venturi port
Implementation Method 3
an excessive amount of the fuel evaporation gas discharged to the filler pipe through a leveling pipe of the fuel tank is condensed within the venturi port having a relatively low temperature and thus prevents inflow of air
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling shut-off of a fuel gun in a filler pipe of a fuel tank which inhibits early shut-off of the fuel gun before the fuel tank is fully filled with fuel while refueling. The apparatus includes: a retainer mounted in a filler neck of the fuel tank; a partition disposed in a space between an inner circumferential surface of the filler neck and an outer circumferential surface of the retainer and having a fuel intake hole formed in a lower end of the partition; and an early shut-off prevention valve disposed in the partition. The early shut-off prevention valve closes the fuel intake hole before the fuel tank is fully filled with fuel, and opens the fuel intake hole by fuel flowing to the filler neck from the fuel tank when the fuel tank is fully filled with the fuel.