Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
360 words
A safety pressure-vacuum relief assembly for vehicle fuel tanks and the like comprising a tubular fitting having an upwardly flared upper end and a reduced lower end, a substantially flat flange circumscribing said upper end and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said fitting, a substantially flat plastic plate resting on and peripherally substantially congruent with said flange, a plurality of openings through said plate, each of said openings being disposed at at least a first radial distance from the center of said plate, at least one aperture through said plate at a radial distance from said plate center less than said first distance, an inverted cup having a peripheral skirt and a reduced, upwardly-extending base defining an annular shoulder, said skirt encompassing said flange and being deformed to hold said fitting and said cup against axial separation, an annular, flexible gasket having an outer peripheral bead gripped between said plate and said shoulder and an inner peripheral bead engaging the upper flat surface of said plate in an annular area disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, a seal plate having a central aperture and bearing on a radially inward region of the upper surface of said gasket, spring means confined between the floor of said cup base and said seal plate to urge said gasket inner peripheral Bead into yieldable sealing contact with the upper surface of said plate to provide a pressure relief valve for the tank, a rubberoid umbrella valve having a stem centrally penetrating and axially fixed relative to said plate and having its flexible outer peripheral region normally in sealing engagement with the lower surface of said plate in an annular region disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance to provide a vacuum relief valve for the tank, means for mounting said assembly on a vehicle, and conduit means for connecting said lower end of said fitting with the interior of a fuel tank for such a vehicle at a point remote from the filler neck of such a tank, said cup base having ports therein to provide communication between the cup interior and the atmosphere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
360 words
A safety pressure-vacuum relief assembly for vehicle fuel tanks and the like comprising a tubular fitting having an upwardly flared upper end and a reduced lower end, a substantially flat flange circumscribing said upper end and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said fitting, a substantially flat plastic plate resting on and peripherally substantially congruent with said flange, a plurality of openings through said plate, each of said openings being disposed at at least a first radial distance from the center of said plate, at least one aperture through said plate at a radial distance from said plate center less than said first distance, an inverted cup having a peripheral skirt and a reduced, upwardly-extending base defining an annular shoulder, said skirt encompassing said flange and being deformed to hold said fitting and said cup against axial separation, an annular, flexible gasket having an outer peripheral bead gripped between said plate and said shoulder and an inner peripheral bead engaging the upper flat surface of said plate in an annular area disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, a seal plate having a central aperture and bearing on a radially inward region of the upper surface of said gasket, spring means confined between the floor of said cup base and said seal plate to urge said gasket inner peripheral Bead into yieldable sealing contact with the upper surface of said plate to provide a pressure relief valve for the tank, a rubberoid umbrella valve having a stem centrally penetrating and axially fixed relative to said plate and having its flexible outer peripheral region normally in sealing engagement with the lower surface of said plate in an annular region disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance to provide a vacuum relief valve for the tank, means for mounting said assembly on a vehicle, and conduit means for connecting said lower end of said fitting with the interior of a fuel tank for such a vehicle at a point remote from the filler neck of such a tank, said cup base having ports therein to provide communication between the cup interior and the atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which the floor of said cup base is ported, and a shield externally secured to said cup base, axially spaced from the ported region of said cup base and at its periphery radially spaced from said base and turned toward said shoulder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which said seal plate has a peripheral up-turned flange guided in said cup base for reciprocation toward and away from said plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which said openings are arranged in a circular series at a common radial distance from said plate center.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which said plate is a plastic disc with a peripheral bead on its upper surface and said gasket outer bead disposed radially outwardly of said plate bead.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
329 words
A safety pressure-vacuum relief assembly for vehicle fuel tanks and the like comprising a tubular fitting having an upper end and a lower end and having an upwardly facing substantially flat flange circumscribing its upper end and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said fitting, a generally circular plastic plate resting on and substantially concentric with said flange, said plate having a plurality of openings axially therethrough, each of said openings being disposed at at least a first radial distance from the center of said plate, said plate also having at least one aperture extending axially therethrough at a radial distance from said plate center less than said first distance, an inverted cup having a peripheral skirt and a reduced, upwardly-extending base defining an annular shoulder, said skirt encompassing said flange and providing means holding said fitting and said cup against axial separation, an annular, flexible gasket having an outer peripheral portion gripped between said plate and said shoulder and an inner peripheral bead engaging the upper surface of said plate in an annular area disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, a seal plate bearing on a radially inward region of the upper surface of said gasket, spring means confined between the floor of said cup base and said seal plate to urge said gasket inner peripheral bead into yieldable sealing contact with the upper surface of said plate to provide a pressure relief valve for the tank, a vacuum valve member normally in sealing engagement with the lower surface of said plate in an annular region disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, means for mounting said assembly on a vehicle, and conduit means for connecting said lower end of said fitting with the interior of a fuel tank for such a vehicle at a point remote from the filler neck of such a tank, said cup being ported to provide communication between the cup interior and the atmosphere.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
329 words
A safety pressure-vacuum relief assembly for vehicle fuel tanks and the like comprising a tubular fitting having an upper end and a lower end and having an upwardly facing substantially flat flange circumscribing its upper end and disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said fitting, a generally circular plastic plate resting on and substantially concentric with said flange, said plate having a plurality of openings axially therethrough, each of said openings being disposed at at least a first radial distance from the center of said plate, said plate also having at least one aperture extending axially therethrough at a radial distance from said plate center less than said first distance, an inverted cup having a peripheral skirt and a reduced, upwardly-extending base defining an annular shoulder, said skirt encompassing said flange and providing means holding said fitting and said cup against axial separation, an annular, flexible gasket having an outer peripheral portion gripped between said plate and said shoulder and an inner peripheral bead engaging the upper surface of said plate in an annular area disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, a seal plate bearing on a radially inward region of the upper surface of said gasket, spring means confined between the floor of said cup base and said seal plate to urge said gasket inner peripheral bead into yieldable sealing contact with the upper surface of said plate to provide a pressure relief valve for the tank, a vacuum valve member normally in sealing engagement with the lower surface of said plate in an annular region disposed between said first distance and said lesser distance, means for mounting said assembly on a vehicle, and conduit means for connecting said lower end of said fitting with the interior of a fuel tank for such a vehicle at a point remote from the filler neck of such a tank, said cup being ported to provide communication between the cup interior and the atmosphere.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which said plate is a plastic disc with a peripheral bead on its upper surface and said gasket outer portion is a peripherally extending bead disposed radially outwardly of said plate bead to be captured and held securely to said shoulder to provide a peripheral seal between said plate and said cup.