US3831801A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pressure-vacuum valved cap
Assignee: Stant USA Corp
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Filing: 1972-11-20
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Granted: 1974-08-27
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Expires: 1992-11-20
Abstract
Abstract A pressure-vacuum cap for a chamber having a filler neck, the cap comprising a housing proportioned and designed to engage and close the filler neck. The housing provides a passageway extending axially therethrough in communication with the filler neck and, intermediate the ends of the passageway, a concentric annular outwardly facing seat and a concentric annular inwardly facing seat. A gasket closes the passageway, the gasket having an outer peripheral portion in sealing engagement with one of said seats and an inner peripheral portion in sealing engagement with the other of said seats. Springs yieldably urge the gasket into sealing engagement with the seats. The springs are calibrated such that the gasket serves as a two-way valve for normalizing the pressure in such a chamber, venting the chamber to atmosphere when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined superatmospheric level and when the pressure in the chamber drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level.
Inventors
- 👤 R Rodgers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:08
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K17/00; F16K17/18; F16K17/19; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S220/00; Y10S220/33; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7722; Y10T137/7771
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
A pressure-vacuum cap for a chamber having a filler neck formed with an internal thread and a peripherally extending lip, said cap comprising a molded plastic housing having an integrally molded shank provided with an integrally molded mating external thread, means for providing a seal between said housing and the neck, said shank providing a centrally disposed concentric passageway extending axially therethrough, an insert centrally disposed in said passageway, gasket means closing said passageway and having an outer peripheral portion engaging said housing and an inner peripheral portion engaging said insert, and yieldable means for holding said outer peripheral portion in sealing engagement with said houSing and said inner peripheral portion in sealing engagement with said insert, said yieldable means and said gasket means being proportioned and designed to serve as a two-way valve means for normalizing the pressure in such a chamber, venting the chamber to atmosphere when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined superatmospheric level and when the pressure in the chamber drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, said shank having an axially inner end portion and an axially outer end portion, said housing providing, adjacent said outer end portion, a peripherally and radially outwardly extending integrally molded plastic flange having axially outer and inner sides, and, adjacent said inner side, a peripherally extending generally radially outwardly opening groove in said shank, said means providing a seal between said housing and the neck including a sealing ring disposed in said groove and proportioned and designed sealably to engage the peripherally extending lip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
256 words
A pressure-vacuum cap for a chamber having a filler neck formed with an internal thread and a peripherally extending lip, said cap comprising a molded plastic housing having an integrally molded shank provided with an integrally molded mating external thread, means for providing a seal between said housing and the neck, said shank providing a centrally disposed concentric passageway extending axially therethrough, an insert centrally disposed in said passageway, gasket means closing said passageway and having an outer peripheral portion engaging said housing and an inner peripheral portion engaging said insert, and yieldable means for holding said outer peripheral portion in sealing engagement with said houSing and said inner peripheral portion in sealing engagement with said insert, said yieldable means and said gasket means being proportioned and designed to serve as a two-way valve means for normalizing the pressure in such a chamber, venting the chamber to atmosphere when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined superatmospheric level and when the pressure in the chamber drops below a predetermined subatmospheric level, said shank having an axially inner end portion and an axially outer end portion, said housing providing, adjacent said outer end portion, a peripherally and radially outwardly extending integrally molded plastic flange having axially outer and inner sides, and, adjacent said inner side, a peripherally extending generally radially outwardly opening groove in said shank, said means providing a seal between said housing and the neck including a sealing ring disposed in said groove and proportioned and designed sealably to engage the peripherally extending lip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
The invention of claim 1 in which said housing provides, in said passageway, a concentric peripherally and radially inwardly extending seat facing axially outwardly, said insert providing a concentric peripherally and radially outwardly extending seat facing axially inwardly, said gasket means including a flexible annular gasket formed to have an outer peripherally extending bead engaging said outwardly facing seat, an inner peripherally extending bead engaging said inwardly facing seat, and an intermediate annular flexure region permitting independent movement of said outer and inner portions, said flexure region being formed as a bight in radial cross section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
The invention of claim 2 in which said yieldable means includes calibrated pressure spring means for yieldably urging said outer bead against said outwardly facing seat and calibrated vacuum spring means for yieldably urging said inner bead against said inwardly facing seat, said insert being formed to provide a concentric peripherally and radially outwardly extending mounting flange portion and said housing being formed to provide, adjacent the axially outer end of its said passageway, a concentric peripherally extending axially outwardly facing rabbet for receiving said mounting flange portion, said insert being formed with ventilation openings therethrough spaced axially outwardly from its said inwardly facing seat, and means for securing said mounting flange portion in said rabbet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
118 words
The invention of claim 3 in which said insert is formed to provide a concentric outer shank portion extending axially inwardly from said mounting flange portion and terminating at its said inwardly facing seat and a concentric reduced inner shank portion extending axially inwardly from said seat, the axially inner end portion of said housing shank providing a spring seat, said pressure spring means including a compression spring coiled about said outer shank portion and acting between said mounting flange portion and said outer peripheral portion of said gasket, and said vacuum spring means including a compression spring coiled about said inner shank portion and acting between said spring seat and said inner peripheral portion of said gasket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
120 words
The invention of claim 1 in which said housing provides intermediate the axial ends of said passageway, a concentric peripherally and radially inwardly extending seat facing axially outwardly, said insert providing a concentric peripherally and radially outwardly extending seat facing axially inwardly, said gasket means including a flexible annular diaphragm formed to have a radially outer peripheral portion engaging said outwardly facing seat, a radially inner peripheral portion engaging said inwardly facing seat, and an intermediate annular flexure region permitting independent movement of said outer and inner portions, said flexure region being formed as a bight in radial cross section, said radially outer and radially inner portions having peripherally extending beads thereon engagIng, respectively, said outwardly and inwardly facing seats.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention of claim 1 in which said housing provides intermediate the ends of said passageway, an annular and axially outwardly facing seat engaged by said outer peripheral portion of said gasket means, and said insert providing an annular and axially inwardly facing seat engaged by said inner peripheral portion of said gasket means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
The invention of claim 6 in which said gasket means includes an annular flexible gasket providing an outer peripherally extending bead engaging said outwardly facing seat and an inner peripherally extending bead engaging said inwardly facing seat, said gasket also providing an intermediate annular bight serving as a flexure region permitting independent movement of said outer and inner beads, said yieldable means including a coiled spring urging said outer bead against said outwardly facing seat and another coiled spring urging said inner bead against said inwardly facing seat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The invention of claim 1 including a shell covering at least the axially outer end portion of said housing, said shell being rotatable relative to said housing about the axis of said shank, and means providing a driving connection between said shell and said housing, said driving connection means being torque-limited in the direction which advances said external thread in said internal thread to protect said sealing ring.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |