Vent valve module mount

Abstract

A fuel storage module vent system is provided to vent fuel vapor from an interior region of a fuel-storage module.

1 . A vent system for use with a fuel storage module formed to include an outlet aperture opening into an interior fuel-storage region, the vent system comprising
 a module cover adapted to be mounted on the fuel storage module to close the outlet aperture opening into the interior fuel-storage region formed in the fuel-storage module,   a fuel-vapor vent regulator configured to conduct and regulate flow of fuel vapor from the interior fuel-storage region to a destination outside of the fuel-storage module, and   a regulator mount is configured to provide snap-together means for retaining the fuel-vapor vent regulator in a stationary position on an underside of the module cover using a motion-actuated snap connection in response to upward movement of the fuel-vapor vent regulator toward the underside of the module cover so that a first fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the fuel-vapor vent regulator mates in fluid communication with a first fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the module cover.   
     
     
         2 . The vent system of  claim 1 , wherein the regulator mount includes a sleeve appended to the underside of the module cover and a radially outwardly extending retainer lug coupled to the fuel-vapor vent regulator and arranged to extend into a companion lug-receiving channel formed in the sleeve to orient the fuel-vapor vent regulator in a predetermined position relative to the module cover to align the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit in the fuel-vapor vent regulator with the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit in the module cover and retain the fuel-vapor vent regulator in the stationary position. 
     
     
         3 . The vent system of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is made of an elastic deformable material and the radially outwardly extending retainer lug includes a ramp configured to provide means for temporarily deforming a rim of the sleeve bordering the lug-receiving channel during upward movement of the fuel-vapor vent regulator toward the underside of the module cover to allow the retainer lug to move past the rim of the sleeve and extend into the lug-receiving channel to retain the fuel-vapor vent regulator in the stationary position. 
     
     
         4 . The vent system of  claim 3 , wherein the sleeve further includes a first standoff coupled to the underside of the module cover and arranged to extend downwardly toward the fuel-vapor vent regulator and a second standoff coupled to the underside of the module cover and arranged to extend downwardly toward the fuel-vapor vent regulator and lie in spaced-apart relation to the first standoff to form the lug-receiving channel therebetween, the rim is arranged to interconnect free ends of the first and second standoffs and to deform temporarily when engaged by the ramp of the retainer lug during movement of the fuel-vapor vent regulator toward the underside of the module cover. 
     
     
         5 . The vent system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second standoffs has a concave surface arranged to face toward the fuel-vapor vent valve. 
     
     
         6 . The vent system of  claim 4 , wherein the rim has an arcuate shape and a concave surface arranged to face toward the fuel-vapor vent valve. 
     
     
         7 . The vent system of  claim 3 , wherein the sleeve includes a curved rim and a series of standoffs that are arranged to interconnect the underside of the module cover and the curved rim to retain the curved rim in stationary spaced-apart relation from the underside of the module cover, each of the standoffs has an arcuate shape and a concave surface arranged to face toward the fuel-vapor vent valve, and first and second standoffs in the series of standoffs cooperate to form the lug-receiving channel therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The vent system of  claim 7 , wherein the fuel-vapor vent regulator includes a valve unit and a valve-unit cover coupled to the valve unit arranged to extend into a cover-receiving chamber formed in the sleeve upon movement of the fuel-vapor vent regulator to the stationary position, the valve unit includes a housing coupled to the valve unit cover and a flow-control valve located inside the housing, and the radially outwardly extending retainer lug is coupled to the valve unit cover to move therewith. 
     
     
         9 . The vent system of  claim 8 , wherein the valve-unit cover includes a side wall arranged to face toward the standoffs and the radially outwardly extending retainer lug is coupled to the side wall of the valve-cover unit. 
     
     
         10 . The vent system of  claim 9 , wherein the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the fuel-vapor vent regulator is coupled to the valve unit and arranged to extend through an aperture formed in the valve-unit cover to mate with the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the module cover. 
     
     
         11 . The vent system of  claim 9 , wherein the fuel-vapor vent regulator further includes a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit aligned with a vent aperture formed in the side wall of the valve-unit cover and coupled to the side wall to move therewith and arranged to mate in fluid communication with a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position. 
     
     
         12 . The vent system of  claim 9 , wherein the valve-unit cover further includes a post receiver coupled to the side wall and arranged to receive and mate with a mount post included in the valve unit and coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The vent system of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is formed to include a downwardly opening regulator-receiving cavity, the fuel-vapor vent regulator includes a side wall arranged to lie in the downwardly opening regulator-receiving cavity when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position, and the radially outwardly extending retainer lug is coupled to an exterior surface of the side wall and arranged to extend through the lug-receiving channel from a root end located in the downwardly opening regulator-receiving cavity to a free end located outside of the downwardly opening regulator-receiving cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The vent system of  claim 13 , wherein each of the sleeve and the side wall is cylinder-shaped. 
     
     
         15 . The vent system of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is formed to include four spaced-apart lug-receiving channels, the regulator mount includes four radially outwardly extending retainer lugs coupled to the side wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another, and each retainer lug is arranged to extend into a companion one of the four spaced-apart lug-receiving channels. 
     
     
         16 . The vent system of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is formed to include a conduit-receiving channel, the fuel-vapor vent regulator further includes a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit coupled to the side wall and arranged to extend away from the side wall and through the conduit-receiving channel formed in the sleeve when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position, the second fuel-vapor discharge conduit is formed to include a vapor-conducting passageway having an inlet aligned with an aperture formed in the side wall and an outlet arranged to lie in fluid communication with a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit formed within the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position. 
     
     
         17 . The vent system of  claim 16 , wherein the fuel-vapor vent regulator includes a top wall arranged to face toward the underside of the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent valve is retained in the stationary position and the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit is coupled to the top wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second fuel-vapor discharge conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The vent system of  claim 17 , wherein a portion of the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit is surrounded by the sleeve when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position. 
     
     
         19 . The vent system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel-vapor vent regulator further includes a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit arranged to mate in fluid communication with a second fuel-vapor discharge conduit included in the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position. 
     
     
         20 . The vent system of  claim 19 , wherein the fuel-vapor vent regulator further includes a top wall arranged to face toward the underside of the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position and a side wall coupled to a peripheral portion of the top wall and arranged to extend away from the underside of the module cover when the fuel-vapor vent regulator is retained in the stationary position, the first fuel-vapor discharge conduit is coupled to the top wall, and the second fuel-vapor discharge conduit is coupled to the side wall and arranged to extend through an opening formed in the regulator mount.