Fuel Tank Float Valve Layout for Tilt-Resistant Overfill Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel tank valve devices struggle to effectively prevent overfilling and fuel leakage, particularly when vehicles tilt or roll, due to the radial orientation of the full tank regulation opening, which allows fuel to easily flow into the valve chamber and ventilation chamber.
Innovation Solution
A valve device with a housing featuring a peripheral wall and partition wall, including a valve chamber and ventilation chamber, where the full tank regulation opening is oriented axially, allowing communication between the fuel tank and valve chamber, and a float valve that rises to close the opening during refueling, supported by a float valve support portion and biased by a spring, enhancing the full tank regulation position and reducing fuel leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the full tank regulation opening is oriented radially in the peripheral wall, then the full tank regulation position can be raised higher, but fuel easily flows into the valve chamber and ventilation chamber when the vehicle tilts or rolls over
Solution Approach 1:
The full tank regulation opening is oriented axially (vertically) rather than radially (horizontally), creating an asymmetric configuration that uses gravity to prevent fuel from entering the valve chamber during normal operation and vehicle tilting
Solution Approach 2:
The opening direction is changed from the radial dimension to the axial dimension, utilizing the vertical dimension and gravitational force to control fuel flow behavior, thereby preventing fuel leakage while maintaining high full tank regulation position
2Productivity
If the first flow hole is positioned higher in the peripheral wall to enable continuous refueling, then refueling efficiency is improved, but fuel can flow into the valve chamber more easily when the vehicle tilts
Solution Approach 1:
The first flow hole is positioned at the lowest point of the peripheral wall, creating an asymmetric configuration where gravity naturally prevents fuel from flowing upward into the valve chamber, even when the vehicle tilts or rolls over
Solution Approach 2:
The gravitational force acting on the fuel is utilized as a counterweight mechanism, where the axial orientation and lowest position of the opening create a gravitational barrier that prevents fuel from entering the valve chamber against the potential force of vehicle tilting
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 axial orientation of the full tank regulation opening in the valve device effectively raises the full tank regulation position and minimizes fuel leakage by directing oscillating fuel away from the valve chamber, providing better control over refueling and preventing fuel from leaking out of the tank.
Implementation Method 1
a float valve that is accommodated in the valve chamber so as to be able to rise and descend to open and close the opening, and that rises to close the opening when refueling the fuel tank from a refueling nozzle
Implementation Method 2
The axial orientation of the full tank regulation opening in the valve device effectively raises the full tank regulation position and minimizes fuel leakage by directing oscillating fuel away from the valve chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A valve device for a fuel tank includes: a housing including a peripheral wall portion, a partition wall, a valve chamber, a ventilation chamber, and an opening; and a float valve that is accommodated in the valve chamber so as to be able to rise and descend to open and close the opening. The housing includes a float valve support portion that supports the float valve. A full tank regulation opening that opens in an axial direction and that is configured to allow the inside of the fuel tank and an inside of the valve chamber to communicate with each other, is formed in the peripheral wall portion above the float valve support portion. The full tank regulation opening enables continuous refueling from the refueling nozzle when the full tank regulation opening is not immersed, and stops the continuous refueling when the full tank regulation opening is immersed.