Patents by Inventor Robert S. Harris

Robert S. Harris has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6179148
    Abstract: A fuel cap (210) of the present invention includes a closure member (16), a handle (14) for turning closure member (16) to engage and close a filler neck (12), and a conductor (204) configured to conduct an electrical charge from handle (14) to filler neck (12) during rotation of handle relative to closure member(16) and before movement of closure member (16) to break a seal established between closure member (16) and filler neck (12). Fuel cap (210) also includes a torque-transmission race (18) to provide a lost-motion driving connection between handle (14) and closure member (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 6095363
    Abstract: A cap (50) that is engageable with a tank filler neck (52) includes a closure (56), handle (54), and an annular gasket (76) on an axially inner end of closure (56) in spaced-apart relation to handle (54) and closure retainer apparatus (70) mounted on closure (56). Closure (56) includes an upper housing (62) carrying closure retainer apparatus (70) and a lower housing (66) rotatably coupled to upper housing (62) and carrying annular gasket (76) and an anti-rotation lug (68) positioned to engage filler neck (52) during cap installation. A delayed actuator mechanism (58) rotatably couples handle (54) to upper housing (62) to provide a lost-motion driving connection in a cap-removal direction (166) and a direct-drive connection in the cap-installation direction (164). Annular gasket (76) includes an annular outer seal (122), a hoop-shaped base (120), and a thin annular multi-directional membrane (124) interconnecting hoop-shaped base (120) and the surrounding annular outer seal (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin
  • Patent number: 5996402
    Abstract: A fuel cap leakage tester including a first and a second passage having equal restrictions connected to an inlet which receives a source of pressure. A restriction is placed at the outlet of first passage and the cap to be tested is placed at the outlet of the second passage. An indicator is connected to the first passage between the inlet restriction and outlet restriction and to the second passage between the inlet restriction and the outlet for indicating if the leakage at the outlet with the cap therein is greater or less than the flow rate of the other outlet restriction. The other outlet restriction is set to a desired standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5952559
    Abstract: A fuel cap tester kit containing a plurality of fuel cap adapters, wherein each adapter has a mouth opening, outer rim, cap receiving chamber, air supply passageway and a fuel cap connection opening and with each fuel cap opening being configured to engage and retain a different and specifically configured fuel cap, and wherein each adapter is also provided with a threaded base connection that cooperates with a complimentary threaded connection on a test base that is fluidly connected to a pressure source and tester apparatus and wherein the base connectors of each adapter are configured alike so that each adapter can be connected to the single threaded connector in the test base to permit testing of different size fuel caps dependent on the adapter threaded into the test base, where the tester kit is used to decide upon quality of fuel caps under test by determining a leakage rate of pressurized air from the cap-receiving chamber through the mouth opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Bruce K. Bowden, Dean C. Foltz
  • Patent number: 5829620
    Abstract: A filler neck closure cap includes a closure body, a handle coupled to an axially outer flange of the closure body, and an O-ring sealing gasket carried on an axially inner end of the closure body. The cap further includes closure retainer apparatus appended to a middle portion of the closure body to lie in fixed immovable relation to the middle portion. The closure retainer apparatus is configured to engage the filler neck to block removal of the closure body from the filler neck upon installation of the cap in the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin
  • Patent number: 5794806
    Abstract: A fuel cap is provided for use in the filler neck of a tank. The fuel cap includes a filler neck closure member, a handle engaged to drive the filler neck closure member, and a torsion spring coupled to the handle and to the filler neck closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin
  • Patent number: 5791507
    Abstract: A cap is provided for use in the filler neck of a tank. The cap includes a handle, an o-ring sealing gasket, and a closure body including an upper body portion coupled to the handle and a lower body portion rotatably coupled to the upper body portion for rotation about an axis of rotation. The o-ring sealing gasket is mounted on the lower body portion for movement therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin, Nancy J. Amburgey
  • Patent number: 5694968
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling discharge of fuel vapor from an interior region of a vehicle fuel tank and preventing unsatisfactory liquid fill levels within the interior region of the vehicle fuel tank. The apparatus includes a housing adapted to be mounted in the vehicle fuel tank and formed to include a housing inlet, a vapor-inlet opening, and a passageway therebetween, a float valve disposed in the housing, and a skirt defining a channel around the float valve. Additionally a perforated baffle plate is coupled to the skirt and is formed to include a plurality of openings therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Devall, Lowell R. Bell, Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5687778
    Abstract: A tank venting system includes a first vent apparatus mounted on a top wall of a fuel tank, a second vent apparatus mounted on a raised top wall of a vapor dome on the fuel tank to lie in diagonally spaced-apart relation to the first vent apparatus, a fuel vapor conduit conducting fuel vapor discharged from the first and second vent apparatus to a vapor-recovery canister, and a nozzle shut-off tube having an inlet end extending through an aperture formed in the raised top wall of the vapor dome and an outlet end coupled to a fuel tank filler neck. The inlet end of the nozzle shut-off tube is configured to sense liquid fuel levels in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5638975
    Abstract: A cap is provided for use in the filler neck of a tank. The cap includes a closure mechanism for closing the filler neck and a handle mechanism for rotating the closure mechanism relative to the filler neck to a sealed position engaging the filler neck and establishing a sealed connection between the closure mechanism and the filler neck. The cap also includes a delayed actuation mechanism for providing a lost-motion driving connection between the handle mechanism and the closure mechanism and an indicator mechanism for providing an indication of sealed closure of the filler neck upon movement of the closure mechanism in the filler neck to its sealed position. The indicator mechanism includes an indicator affixed to the delayed actuation mechanism and the indicator is a reflective member visible to a user of the fuel cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5603349
    Abstract: A tank venting system includes first and second tank valves and a valve for controlling venting from valves to vapor recovery canister. The valve includes a housing containing a first valve assembly for controlling venting of the first tank valve and a second valve assembly for controlling venting of the second tank valve. A vent conduit defines a bleed passageway for dissipating pressurized fuel vapor in a housing flow tube to a filler neck through a signal port and a passageway. A tube includes a vacuum-relief passageway and a valve for regulating flow of ambient air from the signal passageway into the housing when a cap is off the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5568828
    Abstract: A fuel-delivery control system is provided for use in a fuel tank. The fuel-delivery system includes a housing module formed to include a fuel-delivery channel and a check valve assembly positioned to lie in the fuel-delivery channel. The check valve assembly includes a support base formed to include a guide passageway, a mounting fixture inserted into the fuel-delivery channel and arranged to interconnect the housing module and the support base, a valve member, and a spring. The valve includes a guide stem extending into the guide passageway for movement therein and a closure member appended to the guide stem for movement with the guide stem between a channel-closing position engaging the housing module and a channel-opening position disengaging the housing module. The guide stem moves in the guide passageway as the closure member moves between the channel-opening position and channel-closing position. The spring yieldably urges the valve member to its channel-closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5566705
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank. The apparatus includes a housing mounted in the aperture and a vent valve movable in the housing to block flow of fuel vapor between the fuel tank and an outlet. The housing is further formed to include a float valve movable between a closed position blocking flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through the outlet and an open position allowing flow of fuel vapor through the outlet. The float valve includes a wide-diameter base, an upwardly extending closure appended to the base member, and a downwardly extending narrow-diameter weighted unit depending from the base. The base and the weighted unit are sized, shaped, weighted, and located to cause the float valve to "snap" (e.g. move quickly and suddenly) to its closed position after rising fuel in the fuel tank rises past the weighted unit and engages the underside of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5535772
    Abstract: A venting control system is provided for controlling discharge of fuel vapors from a vehicle fuel tank. The system includes a vent apparatus mountable in an aperture formed in the top wall of the fuel tank. The vent apparatus is formed to include a vapor inlet opening communicating with an interior region of the fuel tank, a vapor outlet opening, and a passageway interconnecting the vapor inlet and outlet openings. The system further includes a tubular skirt having an uppermost end coupled to the vent apparatus and a lowermost end and a fill-limit valve assembly coupled to the lowermost end of the tubular skirt. The tubular skirt and the fill-limit valve assembly are positioned to lie in the interior region of the fuel tank when the vent apparatus is mounted in the top wall aperture of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Roetker, Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5480055
    Abstract: A quick-on cap includes a closure body for engaging a filler neck and a handle for rotating closure body. Cap also includes a control mechanism for initially providing a lost-motion driving connection between closure body and handle during cap removal and always providing a direct-drive driving connection during cap installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Harris, Jeffery Griffin
  • Patent number: 5449018
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling venting of fuel vapors from a vehicle fuel tank. The apparatus includes a housing having an inlet receiving fuel vapor from the fuel tank and an outlet discharging vapor to a vapor treatment device and a valve having a central portion and an outer annular portion. The valve is movable in the housing and cooperates therewith to define a first vent chamber communicating with the fuel tank and a second vent chamber communicating with the vapor treatment device. A first vent opening is formed in the central portion of the valve. The apparatus also includes a member partitioning the first vent chamber into a central region exposed to pressure from the second vent chamber and an outer annular region exposed to pressure from the inlet. A spring normally biases the valve into engagement with the partitioning member to block flow of fuel vapor from the outer annular region of first vent chamber through the first vent opening to the second vent chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5449086
    Abstract: A filler neck cap is provided for closing a threaded filler neck of a tank. The cap includes a housing having threads for engaging the filler neck, a seal for sealingly engaging the filler neck upon rotation of the housing in a first direction, and a handle for rotating the housing relative to the filler neck. The handle includes a top wall and an appendage directly appended to the underside of the top wall and cantilevered downwardly therefrom at a point spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the handle. The cap further includes a delayed actuation mechanism for providing a lost-motion driving connection between the handle and the housing. The delayed actuation mechanism includes an annular ring engaging the housing and a driven lug appended to the annular ring. The driven lug engages a terminal portion of the appendage during rotation of the handle about its axis of rotation to provide the driving connection between the handle and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5449029
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling fuel vapor discharge from within a vehicle fuel tank includes a valve housing having vapor inlet and outlet openings, a float valve in the valve housing, and a skirt extending around the valve housing to define an annular channel therebetween. The float valve is movable in the valve housing to open and close the vapor outlet opening. The skirt has a bottom edge adapted to lie in spaced-apart relation to a top wall of a fuel tank carrying the valve housing. The vapor inlet opening lies between the outlet opening and the bottom edge of the skirt, which edge is positioned to lie in coextensive relation with a top surface of liquid fuel in the interior region of the fuel tank equal to a predetermined maximum fuel capacity of the fuel tank. The skirt is configured to cause a pump nozzle to shut off at the proper time during refueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5395004
    Abstract: A quick-on cap (10) is provided for engaging a filler neck (22). The cap (10) includes a closure for closing the mouth of the filler neck (22) and a gripping mechanism for gripping the filler neck (22) to establish a fuel vapor seal between the closure and the filler neck (22). The closure includes a core (18) and a sleeve (14) that is movable relative to the core (18). The sleeve (14) carries a sealing ring (34) that is configured to seal against the filler neck (22). The gripping mechanism is coupled to the core (18) and sleeve (14) and grips the filler neck (22) to compress the sealing ring (34) between the sleeve (14) and the filler neck (22) in response to movement of the core (18) relative to the sleeve (14) in a cap-installation direction. The closure also includes a handle cover (12) coupled to the core (18) to make it easy for a user to move the core (18) relative to the sleeve (14) in the cap-installation direction an amount sufficient to actuate the gripping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Jeffrey Griffin
    Inventors: Jeffrey Griffin, Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: RE36927
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a push-on cap is provided for engaging a filler neck. The cap includes .[.means.]. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.for closing the mouth of the filler neck. This closing .[.means.]. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.includes a housing and an end member which is coupled to the housing while being axially movable relative to the housing. The cap further includes .[.means.]. .Iadd.a mechanism .Iaddend.for gripping the filler neck in response to the sliding axially inward movement between a filler neck-engaging position and a filler neck-disengaging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery Griffin, Robert S. Harris