Canister for evaporation loss control

Claim 2

In a motor vehicle having a fuel reservoir and an internal combustion engine with an induction passage, a canister for controlling the loss of fuel vapor from said fuel reservoir comprising: a housing having a cylindrical adsorption chamber defined by a cylindrical side wall and an annular end wall; vapor inlet means connected to a central portion of said end wall; air inlet means in said end wall fluidly communicating with said adsorption chamber, said vapor inlet means adapted for fluid connection to the fuel reservoir and said vapor outlet means adapted for fluid connection with the induction passage; a fuel vapor adsorbing cartridge in said chamber including a core member and a fuel vapor adsorbing sheet filled with a finely particulated carbonaceous material which readily adsorbs fuel vapor, said sheet being wrapped around said core member to form a cylindrical shape substantially conforming to said adsorption connected to said vapor inlet means and said vapor adsorbing sheet being fluidly connected to said vapor outlet means; and means fluidly connected with said central passage for dispersing fluid vapor from said core to said sheet whereby fuel vapor from said reservoir flows through said core member and said dispersing means for storage in said carbonaceous material and for release therefrom during engine operation to the induction passage of the engine.

Claim 3

In a motor vehicle having a fuel reservoir and an internal combustion engine with an induction passage, a canister for controlling the loss of fuel vapor from the fuel reservoir comprising: a housing having a cylindrical side wall closed at its upper end by an upper annular end wall and open at its lower end, said side wall and said end wall defining a downwardly opening cylindrical adsorption chamber open to atmosphere; vapor adsorbing cartridge means supported in said adsorption chamber including an upper element positioned adjacent said end wall and a lower element positioned adjacent said lower end; fastening means releasably connected to said lower end supporting said elements within said adsorption chamber; a porous resilient vapor distributing pad compressed between said elements and biasing said elements between said end wall and said fastening means; each of said elements including a central core member and a fuel vapor adsorbing sheet wrapped around said core member to a cylindrical shape substantially conforming to said adsorption chamber, said sheet being filed with finely particulated activated charcoal having a high capacity for adsorbing fuel vapors, the core member of said upper element having a central passageway fluidly communicating with said distributing pad; a fuel vapor inlet passage in the center portion of said end wall adapted for fluid connection with the fuel reservoir, said inlet passage fluidly communicatinG with said central passageway to form a fluid path from the fuel reservoir to said adsorption chamber whereby fuel vapor flows to said distributing pad and downwardly therefrom for storage in said lower element; and a vapor outlet passage in the end wall adapted for fluid connection with the induction passage, said outlet passage fluid communicating with said adsorption chamber adjacent said upper element whereby the purging vacuum established in the induction passage during engine operation draws air through said adsorption chamber to purge stored fuel vapor from said lower element through said distributing pad to said upper element for dispersion therewithin and gradual purging therefrom to said induction passage.

Claim 4

In a motor vehicle having a fuel reservoir and an internal combustion engine with an induction passage, a canister for controlling the loss of fuel vapor from the fuel reservoir comprising: a housing having a cylindrical side wall closed at its upper end by an upper annular end wall and open at its lower end, said side wall and said end wall defining a downwardly opening cylindrical adsorption chamber open to atmosphere; vapor adsorbing cartridge means supported in said adsorption chamber including an upper element positioned adjacent said end wall and a lower element positioned adjacent said lower end; fastening means releasably connected to said lower end supporting said elements within said adsorption chamber; a porous resilient vapor distributing pad compressed between said elements and biasing said elements between said end wall and said fastening means; each of said elements including a central core member and a fuel vapor adsorbing sheet wrapped around said core member to a cylindrical shape substantially conforming to said adsorption chamber, said sheet being filed with finely particulated activated charcoal having a high capacity for adsorbing fuel vapors, the core member of said upper element having a central passageway fluidly communicating with said distributing pad; a fuel vapor inlet passage in the center portion of said end wall adapted for fluid connection with the fuel reservoir, said inlet passage fluidly communicatinG with said central passageway to form a fluid path from the fuel reservoir to said adsorption chamber whereby fuel vapor flows to said distributing pad and downwardly therefrom for storage in said lower element; and a vapor outlet passage in the end wall adapted for fluid connection with the induction passage, said outlet passage fluid communicating with said adsorption chamber adjacent said upper element whereby the purging vacuum established in the induction passage during engine operation draws air through said adsorption chamber to purge stored fuel vapor from said lower element through said distributing pad to said upper element for dispersion therewithin and gradual purging therefrom to said induction passage.

Claim 5

In a motor vehicle having a fuel reservoir and an internal combustion engine including an air intake and a carburetor with an induction passage, a canister for controlling the loss of fuel vapor from the fuel reservoir comprising: a molded plastic housing having a cylindrical side wall, an annular end wall intersecting said side wall at its upper end, said side wall forming an opening to atmosphere; a downwardly opening cylindrical adsorption chamber formed by the inner surfaces of said side wall and said end wall; a first discardable vapor adsorbing cartridge positioned in said chamber adjacent said end wall; a second discardable vapor adsorbing cartridge positioned in said chamber below said first cartridge and registering with said opening; a porous polyurethane vapor distributing and filtering pad disposed between said cartridges; spring fastening means releasably connected to said lower end and engaging the second cartridge thereby compressing said pad and biasing said cartridges between said end wall and said spring fastening means, said cartridges including a cylindrical core and a fuel vapor adsorbing sheet wrapped around said core to form a cylindrical roll substantially conforming to said adsorption chamber, each of said sheets being filled with a vapor adsorbing material comprising substantially 60 percent activated charcoal by volume, the core of said first cartridge having a central passageway fluidly communicating with said pad; a fuel vapor inlet passage in the center portion of said end wall adapted for fluid connection with the fuel reservoir, said inlet passage registering with said central passageway to form a fluid path from the fuel reservoir to said adsorption chamber whereby fuel vapor flows to said pad and downwardly therefrom for storage in said second cartridge; and a first vapor outlet passage in said end wall including an annular chamber having a plurality of ports fluidly communicating with said adsorption chamber adjacent said upper element, said first vapor outlet passage adapted for fluid connection with the air intake whereby the purging vacuum established in the induction passage during engine operation draws air upwardly through said second cartridge to purge vapor stored therein through said pad to the first cartridge for dispersion therewithin and gradual purging through said first vapor outlet passage to said air intake; a second vapor outlet passage formed in said center portion of said end wall and registering with the central passageway of the core member of said first cartridge, said second vapor passage adapted to the fluidly connected to said induction passage thereby forming a flow path between the fluid reservoir and the induction passage for directly purging the fuel reservoir during engine operation.

Claim 6

In a motor vehicle having a fuel reservoir and an internal combustion engine including an air intake and a carburetor with an induction passage, a canister for controlling the loss of fuel vapor from the fuel reservoir comprising: a molded plastic housing having a cylindrical side wall, an annular end wall intersecting said side wall at its upper end, said side wall forming an opening to atmosphere; a downwardly opening cylindrical adsorption chamber formed by the inner surfaces of said side wall and said end wall; a first discardable vapor adsorbing cartridge positioned in said chamber adjacent said end wall; a second discardable vapor adsorbing cartridge positioned in said chamber below said first cartridge and registering with said opening; a porous polyurethane vapor distributing and filtering pad disposed between said cartridges; spring fastening means releasably connected to said lower end and engaging the second cartridge thereby compressing said pad and biasing said cartridges between said end wall and said spring fastening means, said cartridges including a cylindrical core and a fuel vapor adsorbing sheet wrapped around said core to form a cylindrical roll substantially conforming to said adsorption chamber, each of said sheets being filled with a vapor adsorbing material comprising substantially 60 percent activated charcoal by volume, the core of said first cartridge having a central passageway fluidly communicating with said pad; a fuel vapor inlet passage in the center portion of said end wall adapted for fluid connection with the fuel reservoir, said inlet passage registering with said central passageway to form a fluid path from the fuel reservoir to said adsorption chamber whereby fuel vapor flows to said pad and downwardly therefrom for storage in said second cartridge; and a first vapor outlet passage in said end wall including an annular chamber having a plurality of ports fluidly communicating with said adsorption chamber adjacent said upper element, said first vapor outlet passage adapted for fluid connection with the air intake whereby the purging vacuum established in the induction passage during engine operation draws air upwardly through said second cartridge to purge vapor stored therein through said pad to the first cartridge for dispersion therewithin and gradual purging through said first vapor outlet passage to said air intake; a second vapor outlet passage formed in said center portion of said end wall and registering with the central passageway of the core member of said first cartridge, said second vapor passage adapted to the fluidly connected to said induction passage thereby forming a flow path between the fluid reservoir and the induction passage for directly purging the fuel reservoir during engine operation.