Pressure-vacuum relief fuel filler cap

Claim 2

A pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said means interconnecting said valve bodies comprising interfitting telescoping portions, said telescoping portions including interengaging peripheral beads which snap over one another, each said bead having an undercut portion thereof, a chamfer on one of said telescoping portions to facilitate assembly with the other of the peripheral walls.

Claim 3

A pressure Vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said locking cup including portions thereof bent to retain said valve assemblies within said locking cup.

Claim 4

A pressure Vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said locking cup including portions thereof bent to retain said valve assemblies within said locking cup.

Claim 5

A pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly. said pressure valve assembly comprising a pressure valve, spring means yieldingly urging said pressure valve in one direction, said lower valve body including a valve seat, said vacuum valve comprising a vacuum valve member, a spring yieldingly urging said vacuum valve member against said pressure valve.

Claim 6

A pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly. said pressure valve assembly comprising a pressure valve, spring means yieldingly urging said pressure valve in one direction, said lower valve body including a valve seat, said vacuum valve comprising a vacuum valve member, a spring yieldingly urging said vacuum valve member against said pressure valve.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said spring comprises a compression spring interposed between the valve body and the valve member.

Claim 8

A pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, a diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said cup, a resilient seal between said locking cup and said diaphragm ring, a bead on said diaphragm ring engaging said resilient seal.

Claim 9

A pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, a diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said cup, a resilient seal between said locking cup and said diaphragm ring, a bead on said diaphragm ring engaging said resilient seal.

Claim 10

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said means interconnecting said valve bodies comprising interfitting telescoping portions, said telescoping portions including interengaging peripheral beads which snap over one another, each said bead having an undercut portion thereof, a chamfer on one of said telescoping portions to facilitate assembly with the other of the peripheral walls.

Claim 11

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said means interconnecting said valve bodies comprising interfitting telescoping portions, said telescoping portions including interengaging peripheral beads which snap over one another, each said bead having an undercut portion thereof, a chamfer on one of said telescoping portions to facilitate assembly with the other of the peripheral walls.

Claim 12

The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said upper and lower valve bodies are made of plastic material.

Claim 13

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said covEr generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said locking cup including portions thereof bent to retain said valve assemblies within said locking cup.

Claim 14

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said covEr generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said locking cup including portions thereof bent to retain said valve assemblies within said locking cup.

Claim 15

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said pressure valve assembly comprising a pressure valve, spring means yieldingly urging said pressure valve in one direction, said lower valve body including a valve seat, said vacuum valve comprising a vacuum valve member, a spring yieldingly urging said vacuum valve member against said pressure valve.

Claim 16

For use in a pressure vacuum relief fuel filler cap comprising a cover, a locking cup fixed to said cover generally centrally thereof, a gasket and diaphragm ring interposed between said cover and said locking cup for providing a resilient force on a filler opening, a valve assembly adapted to be fixed in said locking cup, said valve assembly comprising an upper valve body, a lower valve body, means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body on said upper valve body, a pressure relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, and a vacuum relief valve and associated valve seat within said valve assembly, said pressure valve assembly comprising a pressure valve, spring means yieldingly urging said pressure valve in one direction, said lower valve body including a valve seat, said vacuum valve comprising a vacuum valve member, a spring yieldingly urging said vacuum valve member against said pressure valve.

Claim 17

The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said spring comprises a compression spring interposed between the valve body and the valve member.

Claim 18

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said means frictionally interconnecting said lower valve body and said upper valve body provides an air tight seal.