Vent cap

Claim 2

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a plastic molded body defining a central portion for securing the cap to a neck of the fuel container and an integral radially outer hand-grip portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body, said vent apparatus including a passageway extending from the base of said central portion for communication with the interior of the fuel container to a lower surface of the hand-grip portion for communication with the atmosphere, said vent passageway being defined by a metallic casing in said central portion having an open lower end for communication with the interior of the fuel container and a metallic tube extending radially from said casing and terminating in the hand-grip portion in a downwardly directed open end for communication with the atmosphere, and a check relief valve element mounted in said casing in said passageway.

Claim 3

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body defining a central portion for securing the cap to an opening in the container and an integral radially outer hand-grip portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a casing in said central portion having a lower end and a tube extending radially from the upper end of said casing and terminating in a downwardly directed end in said hand-grip portion, said casing and said tube defining a vent passageway for providing communication between the interior of said container and the surrounding atmosphere, a valve element holder mounted in the passageway in said casing and having means defining an offset throughway, a resilient unitary valve element having a tubular body portion with a peripheral flange that is seated in sealing relation on said holder and a duck bill portion extending from said tubular body portion toward said lower end of the casing, said duck bill portion having lips that fit into said throughway, one of said lips being urged against the other lip by one surface of said throughway, biasing means urging said valve element toward said lower end to its seated position and responsive to a pressure above a selected magnitude from the direction of said lower end of the casing to allow said valve element to unseat so that fluid can flow through said passageway around said duck bill portion from said lower end to the upper end of said casing, the ends of said lips being out of engagement with other surfaces of said throughway so that fluid can flow from said upper end to said one end through said duck bill portion when the fluid pressure at said other end is greater than at said one end.

Claim 4

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body defining a central portion for securing the cap to an opening in the container and an integral radially outer hand-grip portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a casing in said central portion having a lower end and a tube extending radially from the upper end of said casing and terminating in a downwardly directed end in said hand-grip portion, said casing and said tube defining a vent passageway for providing communication between the interior of said container and the surrounding atmosphere, a valve element holder mounted in the passageway in said casing and having means defining an offset throughway, a resilient unitary valve element having a tubular body portion with a peripheral flange that is seated in sealing relation on said holder and a duck bill portion extending from said tubular body portion toward said lower end of the casing, said duck bill portion having lips that fit into said throughway, one of said lips being urged against the other lip by one surface of said throughway, biasing means urging said valve element toward said lower end to its seated position and responsive to a pressure above a selected magnitude from the direction of said lower end of the casing to allow said valve element to unseat so that fluid can flow through said passageway around said duck bill portion from said lower end to the upper end of said casing, the ends of said lips being out of engagement with other surfaces of said throughway so that fluid can flow from said upper end to said one end through said duck bill portion when the fluid pressure at said other end is greater than at said one end.

Claim 5

The vent cap that is defined in claim 2, wherein said molded closure body is made of a phenolic resin and said casing and said tube are made of metal.

Claim 6

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body adapted to be secured to an opening in the container and defining a central portion and an integral radially outer portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a passageway extending between a lower surface of said radially outer portion and a surface of said central portion adapted to be confined within said container, a check relief valve element mounted in said passageway, said passageway including a casing located in said central portion in which said valve element is mounted and a tube connected to and extending from said casing to the terminal end of the passageway at said radially outer portion, said casing being open at the bottom and including a downwardly facing abutment on its inner periphery, and said vent apparatus including a valve holder secured in said casing against said abutment, said valve element being seated in said valve holder.

Claim 7

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body adapted to be secured to an opening in the container and defining a central portion and an integral radially outer portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a passageway extending between a lower surface of said radially outer portion and a surface of said central portion adapted to be confined within said container, a check relief valve element mounted in said passageway, said passageway including a casing located in said central portion in which said valve element is mounted and a tube connected to and extending from said casing to the terminal end of the passageway at said radially outer portion, said casing being open at the bottom and including a downwardly facing abutment on its inner periphery, and said vent apparatus including a valve holder secured in said casing against said abutment, said valve element being seated in said valve holder.

Claim 8

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body adapted to be secured to an opening in the container and defining a central portion and an integral radially outer portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a passageway extending between a lower surface of said radially outer portion and a surface of said central portion adapted to be confined within said container, a resilient unitary valve element mounted in said passageway having a tubular body portion and a duck bill portion extending from said tubular portion, said tubular body portion being mounted in said passageway so that the duck bill portion extends toward said surface of said central portion, and means in said passageway engaging one of the lips of the duck bill portion to urge the lips together, said passageway including a casing located in said central portion in which said valve element is mounted and a tube connected to and extending from said casing to the terminal end of the passageway at said radially outer portion, said casing being open at the bottom and including a downwardly facing abutment on its inner periphery, and said vent apparatus including a valve holder secured in said casing against said abutment, said valve element being seated in said valve holder.

Claim 9

A vent cap for a fuel container comprising a molded closure body adapted to be secured to an opening in the container and defining a central portion and an integral radially outer portion, and vent apparatus molded in said body comprising a passageway extending between a lower surface of said radially outer portion and a surface of said central portion adapted to be confined within said container, a resilient unitary valve element mounted in said passageway having a tubular body portion and a duck bill portion extending from said tubular portion, said tubular body portion being mounted in said passageway so that the duck bill portion extends toward said surface of said central portion, and means in said passageway engaging one of the lips of the duck bill portion to urge the lips together, said passageway including a casing located in said central portion in which said valve element is mounted and a tube connected to and extending from said casing to the terminal end of the passageway at said radially outer portion, said casing being open at the bottom and including a downwardly facing abutment on its inner periphery, and said vent apparatus including a valve holder secured in said casing against said abutment, said valve element being seated in said valve holder.

Claim 10

The vent cap that is defined in claim 5, wherein said valve apparatus includes an annular retainer assembly fitted into the lower end of said casing and engaging said valve holder for retaining the latter against said abutment.

Claim 11

The vent cap that is defined in claim 5, wherein said casing is closed at the top and spring means are operably positioned between the closed top of said casing and said valve element to urge said valve element into its seated position in said valve holder.

Claim 12

The vent cap that is defined in claim 7, wherein said means in said passageway comprises an offset throughway in said valve holder, one surface of which engages said one lip of the duck bill.