Gasoline vapor emission control

Claim 2

In a gasoline vapor emission control system for use with a motor vehicle having a gasoline tank with a fill tube having an opening, a gasoline dispenser, a gasoline dispensing nozzle having a spout to enter said fill tube, a gasoline vapor passage tube means of fixed length and of smaller cross sectional area than said spout mounted on the spout and extending over a major part of the length thereof and having an inlet opening located inside the fill tube and an outlet opening located outside the fill tube and adjacent a vapor receiving receptacle when the spout is inserted in the fill tube, a gasoline delivery hose connecting said nozzle to said dispenser, and vacuum type vapor flow assist means connected to said tube means.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube means comprises a tube on the outside of and surrounding the spout.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube means comprises a tube inside of the spout.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including a rubber-like bushing in the filler tube providing a seal for the filter tube to force all gasoline vapor to flow through the tube means.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including a vapor passage conduit connected to the outlet opening of said tube means.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said vapor passage conduit is located inside of said hose.

Claim 8

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including a safety wall responsive to pressure inside said gasoline vapor passage and operative to venting said passage under preselected conditions.

Claim 9

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including a gasoline storage tank, said gasoline dispenser being connected to the tank to receive gasoline therefrom, a vapor passage conduit connecting said tube means to said dispenser, a vapor return conduit connecting said dispenser to said storage tank whereby said tank provides said vapor receiving receptacle, said vapor passage conduit being connected to said vapor return conduit, said vacuum assist means comprising vacuum generating means in said dispenser connected to one of said conduits to furnish vacuum to said tube means to assist flow of vapors, and means actuated by flow of gasoline from the tank to the nozzle for operating said vacuum generating means.

Claim 10

The invention as set forth in claim 8 including a vacuum regulator valve means connected to one of said conduits for preventing excessive vacuum in the tube means.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 8 including a vent pipe line for the storage tank and having an outlet opening to atmosphere, said vent pipe line including means to remove undesired emissions from the gas flowing through the line prior to its reaching said outlet.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including an imperforate flexible sealing sleeve on the outside of said spout outside of said filler tube, and an annular magnet attached to the sleeve and seatable on the filler tube to provide a sealed space inside the filler tube when the spout is inserted therein.

Claim 13

The invention as set forth in claim 2 including a rubber-like bushing sealing the end of said tube outside of the filler tube to the spout, and hose clamps around said bushing and clamping it to the tube and spout.

Claim 14

In a gasoline vapor emission control system for use to collect gasoline vapors emitted during filling of a motor vehicle gasoline tank, said tank having a fill tube with an entrance opening, a gasoline dispensing nozzle having a spout to project into said fill tube through said entrance opening, means for sealing the spout and fill tube to substantially restrict escape of vapor to atmosphere adjacent said fill tube, a gasoline storage tank, a gasoline dispenser connected to the gasoline storage tank to receive gasoline from it, a hose connecting the dispenser to the nozzle to deliver gasoline to the nozzle, means providing a gasoline vapor return passage having an inlet end extending into the inside of the vehicle gasoline tank when the spout is inserted into the fill tube, said means being supported by said nozzle, said vapor return passage extending to and having an outlet into said gasoline storage tank whereby gasoline vapors in said vehicle tank have a flow passage to the gasoline storage tank, and fluid pressure generating and control means in said vapor return passage to assist flow of said vapors through said passage from the gasoline tank to the storage tank.

Claim 15

In a gasoline vapor emission control system for use to collect gasoline vapors emitted during filling of a motor vehicle gasoline tank, said tank having a fill tube with an entrance opening, a gasoline dispensing nozzle having a spout to project into said fill tube through said entrance opening, means for sealing the spout and fill tube to substantially restrict escape of vapor to atmosphere adjacent said fill tube, a gasoline storage tank, a gasoline dispenser connected to the gasoline storage tank to receive gasoline from it, a hose connecting the dispenser to the nozzle to deliver gasoline to the nozzle, means providing a gasoline vapor return passage having an inlet end extending into the inside of the vehicle gasoline tank when the spout is inserted into the fill tube, said means being supported by said nozzle, said vapor return passage extending to and having an outlet into said gasoline storage tank whereby gasoline vapors in said vehicle tank have a flow passage to the gasoline storage tank, and fluid pressure generating and control means in said vapor return passage to assist flow of said vapors through said passage from the gasoline tank to the storage tank.

Claim 16

The invention as set forth in claim 2 including a longitudinally compressible seal member mounted on the outside of said vapor passage tube means and engageable with the end of the fill tube to form a seal for the fill tube.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means providing a gasoline vapor return passage comprises a hose inside of the hose connecting the dispenser to the nozzle.

Claim 18

A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said fluid pressure generating and control means includes means responsive to flow of gasoline from the tank to the nozzle for generating a vacuum to assist flow of said vapors.

Claim 19

A system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means responsive to flow of gasoline comprises a vacuum exhauster in said vapor return passage and receiving by-pass flow of gasoline flowing to the nozzle.

Claim 20

A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said fluid pressure generating and control means comprises a vacuum pump operated when gasoline flows to said nozzle.