Abstract: A fuel tank includes a component, a reservoir unit having a fuel pump, a tank body formed with an opening through which the reservoir unit and the component are inserted, a flange operable to close the opening, and an extensible connecting unit which connects a lower face of the flange and the reservoir unit. The extensible connecting unit includes a first sliding member which is slidable with respect to the reservoir unit in a vertical direction, and a second sliding member which is slidable with respect to the first sliding member, and is attached to the lower face of the flange.

Abstract: A waterproofing member accommodated in the interior of a vehicle body frame having a closed cross section is constructed such that an upper end portion of a tube portion is covered with an inverted cup-like lid which opens on a bottom side thereof and that the height Hc of an opening below the bottom side of the lid is set lower than the height Hp of an end portion of the tube portion. Accordingly, even if the end portion of the tube portion and the lid are submerged, air captured within the lid can prevent the rise of the level of water to prevent the penetration of water into the tube portion.

Abstract: A float valve mounted to a tank body made of a synthetic resin. A welding flange provided on a cover made of a synthetic resin having a large swelling rate is welded to an outer periphery of an opening defined in an upper wall of a tank body made of a synthetic resin having a large swelling rate, so that the cover covers the opening, and a fixing flange provided at an upper portion of a protector having a small swelling rate for supporting the float case of the float valve by a concavo-convex engagement is fixed between the outer periphery of the opening of the tank body and the welding flange of the cover. The protector is formed of the synthetic resin having the small swelling rate and, hence, it is possible to reliably prevent the float case from being dropped out due to the swelling of the protector.

Abstract: The waterproofing member 25 accommodated in the interior of a vehicle body frame 29 having a closed cross section is constructed such that an upper end portion of a tube portion 31 is covered with an inverted cup-like lid 41 which opens on a bottom side thereof and that the height Hc of an opening below the bottom side of the lid 41 is set lower than the height Hp of an end portion of the tube portion 31. Accordingly, even if the end portion of the tube portion 31 and the lid 41 are submerged, air captured within the lid can prevent the rise of the level of water to prevent the penetration of water into the tube portion 31.

Abstract: A float valve mounted to a tank body made of a synthetic resin. A welding flange provided on a cover made of a synthetic resin having a large swelling rate is welded to an outer periphery of an opening defined in an upper wall of a tank body made of a synthetic resin having a large swelling rate, so that the cover covers the opening, and a fixing flange provided at an upper portion of a protector having a small swelling rate for supporting the float case of the float valve by a concavo-convex engagement is fixed between the outer periphery of the opening of the tank body and the welding flange of the cover. The protector is formed of the synthetic resin having the small swelling rate and, hence, it is possible to reliably prevent the float case from being dropped out due to the swelling of the protector.

Abstract: A first spring guide fitting the outer periphery of one end portion of a coil spring is provided at an end wall portion of a valve casing, and a second spring guide fitting the inner periphery of the other end portion of the coil spring is provided at a valve element so that the first and second spring guides do no interfere with each other. Further, a valve element of the check valve is provided with an elastic sealing member having a lip portion to be seated on a valve seat portion of the valve casing. Moreover, the valve element is formed with a bypass hole communicating upstream and downstream sections of the check valve.

Abstract: Blockage of a drain pipe of a canister due to freezing or clogging with mud is prevented with a simple structure comprised of a small number of parts. A drain pipe, mounted to a canister body having an adsorbent accommodated therein, includes an inner shell which extends downwards from the canister body and opens at its lower end, and an outer shell which opens at its upper and lower ends. The lower end of the inner shell is inserted into the opening in the upper end of the outer shell with a gap left therebetween. Even if the opening in the lower end of the outer shell is blocked due to freezing or clogging with mud, surplus fuel or the exterior air can flow from the canister body via the opening in the upper end of the outer shell. If the opening in the lower end of the outer shell is submerged in water when evaporated fuel is purged into intake system, the drawing of water into the canister body can be prevented, because the opening in the upper end of the outer shell opens into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A fuel tank venting system for a vehicle comprises first and second vent passages connected to the fuel tank, and a third vent passage connected to the fuel tank. The first to third vent passages each have one end thereof located in the fuel tank at an upper front location thereof, an upper rear location thereof, and an upper central location thereof, respectively. An anti-overcharging valve is arranged in the fuel tank and connected to the other end of the third vent passage. A first valve is connected to the one ends of the first and second vent passages, and a confluent vent passage extends from the first valve toward an internal combustion engine installed in the vehicle. A second valve is arranged across the confluent vent passage on one side of the first valve closer to the engine. The third vent passage has the other end thereof connected to the confluent vent passage at a location intermediate between the first valve and the second valve.

Abstract: A refueling pipe structure of a fuel tank includes a tank body, and an a refueling pipe which is connected to the tank body to extend upwardly therefrom. The refueling pipe is provided at its upper end with a refueling port into which a refueling nozzle can be inserted. The structure includes a flow direction limiting device mounted within the refueling pipe in the vicinity of the refueling port for guiding a fuel flow from a tip end of the refueling nozzle toward an inner surface of the refueling pipe, while limiting the fuel flow in a gyrate direction along the inner surface of the refueling pipe. Thus, the generation of evaporated fuel within the refueling pipe during refueling can be inhibited, and fuel can be smoothly introduced into the tank body.

Abstract: A canister system is installed in a vehicle having a body having a substantially closed space defined therein, and a subframe mounted on the body and having a substantially closed space defined therein. An air intake passage is connected to a canister for drawing and delivering fresh air into the canister, and an air exhaust passage is connected to the canister for exhausting air resulting from removal of evaporative fuel components from an evaporative fuel-air mixture by adsorption of the evaporative fuel components by the canister into the atmosphere. An open end of the air intake passage remote from the canister is formed in the body of the vehicle, and an open end of the air exhaust passage remote from the canister is formed in the subframe.

Abstract: An on-off valve 30 is mounted in an intermediate portion of a first evaporative fuel conduit 24 for passing an evaporative fuel within a fuel tank 21 to a canister C. The on-off valve 30 is opened when refueling. A float valve 28 is mounted at a lower end of the first evaporative fuel conduit 24 and closed by rising of the liquid level in the fuel tank 21. A two-way valve 40 and a second float valve 29 are mounted in an intermediate portion and a lower end of a second evaporative fuel conduit 25 which permits the fuel tank 21 and the canister C to be put into communication with each other during non-refueling.

Abstract: A vaporized fuel control valve for a fuel tank containing fuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine, having a casing fastened to an upper surface of the fuel tank, and a float valve is housed in the casing such that it moves upward toward a seat in response to fuel level in the fuel tank. A diaphragm valve having a diaphragm is placed in the casing above the float valve for separating an interior of the casing to a first chamber communicating with a filler pipe of the fuel tank, and a second chamber communicating with the fuel tank through the float valve. The diaphragm valve opens to connect the second chamber with a canister such that vaporized fuel forced out of the fuel tank flows along a path through the float valve to the canister when the first chamber is supplied with atmospheric pressure, unless the float valve seats on the seat.

Abstract: A fuel tank for an automotive vehicle has a tank body for storing fuel. A filler pipe is connected to the tank body. A fuel outlet port device is located within the tank body and connected to an end of the filler pipe. The fuel outlet port device has an outwardly facing fuel outlet opening from which fuel supplied through the filler pipe flows out into the body, and a fuel trap for storing part of the fuel supplied through the filler pipe to thereby prevent evaporative fuel generated within the tank body from flowing into the filler pipe. An evaporative emission control system is also provided, which incorporates the fuel tank.

Abstract: In an evaporative fuel processing device, an evaporative fuel passage communicating at one end to an upper space in a fuel tank is connected at the other end to a refueling line at a location corresponding to a negative pressure introducing hole provided in a lower portion of a tip end of a nozzle during refueling by a refueling nozzle which is constructed so that the refueling by the refueling nozzle is automatically stopped in response to a fuel liquid level reaching the negative pressure introducing hole during refueling. The draft resistance of an evaporative fuel passage interconnecting an inlet of the refueling line and a tank body is set larger than the draft resistance of an evaporative fuel passage interconnecting the tank body and a canister. Thus, the releasing of evaporative fuel from the fuel tank during refueling is effectively inhibited without use of a potentially unreliable seal.

Abstract: An evaporative emission control system for an internal combustion engine comprises a canister for adsorbing evaporative fuel generated in the fuel tank, and a first evaporative fuel passage extending between the canister and the tank main body of the fuel tank. A differential pressure-operated valve is arranged across the first evaporative fuel passage, which has a positive pressure chamber communicating through the first evaporative fuel passage with the interior of the tank main body of the fuel tank, and a back pressure chamber. The differential pressure-operated valve opens and closes the first evaporative fuel passage in response to a difference in pressure between the positive pressure chamber and the back pressure chamber.

Abstract: In an evaporative fuel processing device, a constriction is provided in a refueling line 1 for a fuel tank T and connected to a diaphragm actuator through a negative pressure tube. When fuel passes through the constriction during refueling, the diaphragm actuator causes a switch-over valve 5 to be switched by the action of a negative pressure generated at the constriction, thereby permitting an evaporative fuel generated in the fuel tank to be introduced into a canister used during refueling. During normal operation which is other than the time of refueling, the negative pressure disappears and hence, the switch-over valve is switched, thereby permitting the evaporative fuel to be introduced into a canister used during normal operation. Thus, it is possible to reliably collect the evaporative fuel generated during refueling into the fuel tank by a simple structure.