DESC:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of two wheeled vehicles. In particular, the present disclosure herein relates to a canister arrangement in a motorcycle.
BACKGROUND
Fuel vapour emission is a phenomenon where fuel vapour is formed in the fuel tank due to vaporization of fuel that takes place due to the difference in the temperature within the tank and the ambient temperature. The fuel vapour thus formed needs to be evacuated from the fuel tank to maintain optimum pressure conditions inside the fuel tank. Conventionally, this evacuation is achieved by providing a vent hole in the fuel tank cap, wherefrom the fuel vapour is released into the atmosphere, thus relieving the negative pressure formed inside the fuel tank. This is not desired because when the fuel vapours are released into the atmosphere, it causes loss of valuable fuel besides causing air pollution, as the fuel vapours contain hydrocarbons.
Typically, a system for purging fuel vapours from the fuel tank into the engine of a vehicle includes a canister. The canister is a device that is used to collect the fuel vapour formed inside the fuel tank and supplies the fuel vapour to the intake system of a two wheeled vehicle. The canister usually comprises charged charcoal to adsorb the fuel vapour and supply the adsorbed fuel vapour to the intake system of the two wheeled vehicle. Conventional mounting arrangements for mounting the canister onto the two wheeled vehicle involves the use of a hose routing arrangement that is complicated and lengthy. The successful recovery of the adsorbed fuel vapour is dependent on the proximity of the canister to the fuel tank, and the proximity of canister to point of discharge (intake system). Complicated and lengthy hose routing results in an inefficient recovery of the adsorbed fuel vapour as well as an increased cost associated with the hose routing arrangement.
Therefore, there is a need for a canister arrangement in a vehicle that provides an efficient recovery of adsorbed fuel and that obviates the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional canister arrangement.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows.
It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the conventional canister arrangement or to at least provide a useful alternative.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for purging fuel vapours from the fuel tank into the engine, which has a modified configuration so that the use of complicated and lengthy hose routing is avoided.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for purging fuel vapours from the fuel tank into the engine, which creates favourable conditions for successful recovery of the adsorbed fuel vapour.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement for a two wheeled vehicle that is equipped with a fuel tank, an engine, a swingarm, and a frame structure. The frame structure includes a box assembly frame and a first down tube extending in an operative downward direction from the box assembly frame. A first pair of side tubes extends from the first down tube along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A pair of rear top tubes extends from the first pair of side tubes. A pair of rear down tubes is connected to the operative free ends of the pair of rear top tubes and extends in an operative downward direction. A pair of middle down tubes configured operatively between the first pair of side tubes and the pair of rear down tubes having a frame cross member disposed operatively between the pair of middle down tubes. The canister mounting arrangement is configured on the frame cross member, operatively above the swingarm at a pre-determined location, for mounting a fuel vapour canister that is in fluid communication with the fuel tank and an intake manifold or a carburetor of the engine via an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit respectively. In an embodiment, the pre-determined location is at a distance ranging from 15mm to 20mm operatively above the swingarm.
Furthermore, the canister is mounted on frame cross member via a canister mounting arrangement. The canister mounting arrangement comprises a mounting bracket mounted on the frame cross member. The mounting bracket is defined by a plate having at least one extension extending therefrom. The canister mounting arrangement also includes at least one canister holder having a profile complementary to the profile of the canister, wherein the canister holder has at least one opening configured thereon which is received onto the extensions, thereby facilitating the mounting of the canister on the frame cross member via the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket can be either fastened or welded to the frame cross member.
In an embodiment, the canister holder is made of a resilient material. The canister holder can also be made of a metallic or a non-metallic material.
Typically, the fuel adsorbing block is of activated charcoal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
A canister mounting arrangement, of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of non-limiting accompanying drawing, in which:
Fig. 1A illustrates an isometric view of a frame structure of the vehicle on which a canister mounting arrangement is employed, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 1B illustrates another isometric view of the frame structure of Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1C illustrates another isometric view of the frame structure of Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1D illustrates another isometric view of the frame structure of Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1E illustrates a side view of the frame structure of Fig. 1A;
Fig. 2A illustrates an isometric view of the canister mounting arrangement of Fig. 1A;
Fig. 2B illustrates another isometric view of the canister mounting arrangement of Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3A illustrates a side view of a vehicle which includes the frame structure of Figure 1A; and
Fig. 3B illustrates an isometric view of the vehicle of Fig. 3A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present disclosure envisages a system for purging fuel vapours from the fuel tank into the engine that involves positioning the canister onto a frame structure of the vehicle such that the hose routing to facilitate the fluid communication of the canister with the fuel tank and the intake system of the engine is substantially simplified.
Fig. 1A through Fig. 1E illustrates different views of a frame structure 100 of a vehicle 200 (as seen in Fig. 3A) on which a fuel receiving canister mounting arrangement 300 (as seen in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B) is employed, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle comprises a frame structure 100 which includes box assembly frame 101 and a first down tube 102 extending in an operative downward direction from the box assembly frame 101. A first pair of side tubes 103-1, 103-2 extends from the first down tube 102 along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A pair of rear top tubes 104-1, 104-2 extends from the first pair of side tubes 103-1, 103-2. A pair of rear down tubes 105-1, 105-2 is connected to the operative free ends of the pair of rear top tubes 104-1, 104-2 and extends in an operative downward direction. A pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2 is configured operatively between the first pair of side tubes 103-1, 103-2 and the pair of rear down tubes 105-1, 105-2 having a frame cross member 110 disposed operatively between the pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2. A second pair of side tubes 103-3, 103-4 also extends from the first down tube 102 along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and terminates into the pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2. A swingarm 112 is defined by a pair of arms 112-1, 112-2 connected by at least one cross member 112-3. An operative front end 112A of the swingarm 112 is connected to the pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2 operatively below the frame cross member 110. A canister 140 is in fluid communication with the fuel tank and an intake manifold or a carburetor of the engine via an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit respectively. The canister mounting arrangement 300 is configured on the frame cross member 110, operatively between the fuel tank and the engine, for mounting the fuel receiving canister 140 which is in fluid communication with the fuel tank and an intake manifold of the engine via an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit respectively. The positioning of the canister mounting arrangement 300 has been described in further detail in the subsequent sections of the present disclosure. The canister 140 is mounted on the frame cross member 110 operatively between the fuel tank and the engine, which has been explained in more detail in the subsequent sections of the present disclosure. The canister 140 is configured to receive and adsorb the fuel vapours via a fuel adsorbing block contained therewithin and discharge the fuel vapours into the outlet conduit. Typically, the fuel adsorbing block is of activated charcoal.
In an embodiment, the pair of rear top tubes 104-1, 104-2 is connected to the rear down tubes 105-1, 105-2 via connecting tubes 108 which provide structural integrity to the frame structure 100. The pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2 is connected to the pair of rear down tubes 105-1, 105-2 via connecting tubes 107 which provide structural integrity to the frame structure 100. The frame structure 100 can further include an engine mounting bracket 150 that is configured at the free operative end of the first down tube 102 to facilitate the mounting of the engine thereon.
The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement 300 for the two wheeled vehicle 200 is explained with reference to Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, which illustrate isometric views of the canister mounting arrangement 300. The canister mounting arrangement 300 will now be described with reference to Fig. 1A through Fig. 2B. The canister 140 is mounted on frame cross member 110 via the canister mounting arrangement 300. The canister mounting arrangement 300 comprises a mounting bracket 120 mounted on the frame cross member 110. The mounting bracket 120 is defined by a plate 124 having at least one extension 125 extending therefrom. The canister mounting arrangement 300 also includes at least one canister holder 130 having a profile complementary to the profile of the canister 140, wherein the canister holder 130 has at least one opening 135 configured thereon which is received onto the extensions 125, thereby facilitating the mounting of the canister 140 on the frame cross member 110 via the mounting bracket 120. In an embodiment, the mounting bracket 120 can be either fastened or welded to the frame cross member 110. In an embodiment, the canister holder 130 is made of a resilient material. The canister holder 130 can also be made of a metallic or a non-metallic material.
Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B illustrate a different views of the vehicle 200 with the canister 140 installed thereon. As can be seen in the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, the canister 140 is placed operatively above and proximal to the swingarm 112 at a pre-determined location, i.e., the frame cross member 110. More specifically, the canister 140 is disposed operatively above the operative front end 112A of the swingarm 112 which is connected to the pair of middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2 operatively behind the transmission 165. Therefore, the canister 140 is disposed operatively between the frame cross member 110 and the operative front end 112A of the swingarm 112. In an embodiment, the pre-determined location is at a distance ranging from 15mm to 20mm operatively above the swingarm 112. Furthermore, the canister 140 is disposed operatively below and proximal to a fuel tank 168. The canister 140 is oriented in an operative horizontal configuration so that the canister 140 is in close proximity with the engine 160 and the transmission 165. The canister 140 further comprises an inlet conduit 170 and an outlet conduit 175. The inlet conduit 170 leads the flow of fuel vapour formed within the fuel tank 168 to the canister 140. The activated charcoal that is placed within the canister 140 adsorbs the fuel vapour after fuel vapour enters the canister 140. Thereafter, the desorption of the fuel vapour from the activated charcoal inside the canister 140 is achieved due to the pressure difference between the intake manifold 180 and the canister 140, thereby facilitating the flow of the fuel vapour from the outlet conduit 175 into the intake manifold 180 of the engine 160. In one embodiment, a purge control valve (not shown in the figures) is connected to the intake manifold 180, which regulates the flow of the fuel vapour to the intake manifold 180 of the engine 160.
Fig. 1A, Fig. 3A, and Fig. 3B also depict the location of the canister 140, wherein the canister 140 is located below the frame cross member 110. In the operative position, the canister 140 extends axially along the frame cross member 110 with each of the operative ends of the canister 140 facing the middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2.
The canister mounting arrangement 300 disclosed in the present disclosure is such that the canister 140 is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the engine 160 such that the engine 160 keeps the vicinity warm near the canister 140. The warm vicinity will improve the efficiency of the canister 140 in the range of 10% to 25%. As the canister 140 is placed nearby the fuel tank 168 and the engine 160, the length of the inlet conduit 170 and the outlet conduit 175 is less. As the length of the inlet conduit 170 and the outlet conduit 175 is reduced, the mounting of the canister 140 onto the frame structure 100 becomes simple. Moreover, the modified configuration of the inlet conduit 170 and the outlet conduit 175 makes it comparatively safer to handle the highly inflammable fuel vapour formed in the fuel tank 168 and also reduces the cost. Also, the canister mounting arrangement 300 has the canister 140 mounted on the frame cross member 110 that is supported by the two middle down tubes 106-1, 106-2, hence the canister 140 is subjected to comparatively less vibrations and external loads. In one embodiment, the canister holders 130-1,130-2 are made of rubber which will also act as vibration isolators or dampers.
As can be understood from the accompanying figures, the present embodiment of the canister mounting arrangement 300 has been described such that the canister 140 is disposed on the mounting bracket 120 in an operative horizontal configuration. However, the disposition of the canister 140 onto the mounting bracket 120 is not limited to be horizontal, and it can be mounted at any angle relative to the frame cross member 110 in order to overcome the packaging constraints. Also, using the canister mounting 300 as envisaged in the present disclosure, it will also be possible to retrofit the fuel vapour canister on an existing two-wheeled vehicle.
TECHNICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a system for purging fuel vapours from the fuel tank into the engine:
- which has a modified configuration so that the use of complicated and lengthy hose routing is avoided; and
- which creates favourable conditions for successful recovery of the adsorbed fuel vapour.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation. ,CLAIMS:1. A fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement for a two wheeled vehicle, said vehicle equipped with a fuel tank, an engine, a swingarm and a frame structure which includes:
a box assembly frame;
a first down tube extending in an operative downward direction from said box assembly frame;
a first pair of side tubes extending from said first down tube along a longitudinal axis of said vehicle;
a pair of rear top tubes extending from said first pair of side tubes;
a pair of rear down tubes connected to operative free ends of said pair of rear top tubes and extending in an operative downward direction;
a pair of middle down tubes configured operatively between said first pair of side tubes and said pair of rear down tubes;
a frame cross member disposed operatively between said pair of middle down tubes, wherein said canister mounting arrangement is configured on said frame cross member, operatively above said swingarm at a pre-determined location, for mounting a fuel vapour canister that is in fluid communication with said fuel tank and an intake manifold or a carburetor of said engine via an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit respectively.
2. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pre-determined location is at a distance ranging from 15mm to 20mm operatively above said swingarm.
3. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said canister mounting arrangement comprises:
a mounting bracket mounted on said frame cross member, said mounting bracket defined by a plate having at least one extension extending therefrom; and
at least one canister holder having a profile complementary to the profile of said canister, said at least one canister holder having at least one opening configured thereon which is received onto said at least one extension, thereby facilitating the mounting of said canister on said frame cross member via said mounting bracket.
4. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mounting bracket is fastened to said frame cross member.
5. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mounting bracket is welded to said frame cross member.
6. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one canister holder is made of a resilient material.
7. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one canister holder is made of a metallic material.
8. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one canister holder is made of a non – metallic material.
9. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said canister includes a fuel adsorbing block.
10. The fuel vapour canister mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fuel adsorbing block is of activated charcoal.