A fuel inlet structure of a vehicle, including a vehicle body panel, an inlet box, and a seal portion. The seal portion includes: an inner seal portion provided in correspondence with the whole circumference of the flange portion; an outer seal portion provided in correspondence with the whole circumference of the flange portion; and a water catching portion, the water catching portion, in a portion of the whole circumference of the seal portion that is a lower portion in the vehicle vertical direction, projecting from a region between a proximal end portion of the inner seal portion and a proximal end portion of the outer seal portion to a region encompassing an area between the drain portion and the inner seal portion, the water-catching portion being configured to stop water that passes through the drain portion from a vehicle outer side.

A plastic tank for a motor vehicle. The plastic tank includes a container wall composed of plastic, an opening arranged in the container wall, a removable cover member operable to close and open the opening, and a stiffening ring member, composed of an injection-moulded plastic, embedded into an edge of the container wall that surrounds the opening, the stiffening ring member being operable to directly or indirectly support the cover member when the opening is closed.

A method of forming a self-sealing fuel tank includes: providing a container including internal surfaces and external surfaces and configured to hold a fuel; forming a latex coating layer over at least a portion of the internal surfaces and/or external surfaces; depositing or encapsulating an environmental layer over at least a portion of the latex coating layer; where the latex coating layer swells when contacted with the fuel; and where the latex coating layer is formed from a latex coating composition that is substantially free of a non-ionic associative thickener.

A self-sealing liquid bladder having a plurality of layers including a liquid impermeable material layer that is compatible with a liquid held in the bladder and at least one sealing layer that is conformally arranged to span a surface area of the liquid impermeable material layer and that is separated from a liquid held in the bladder by the liquid impermeable layer, the sealing layer including a sealing means that, in response to a penetration of both the liquid impermeable material layer and the sealing layer, substantially seals the penetration.

Systems and methods for installing and sealing a fuel pump in a fuel tank are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for installing and sealing a fuel pump in a fuel tank may include (1) a fuel tank with an opening in a surface thereof; and (2) a fuel pump hanger assembly, the fuel pump hanger assembly comprising; (a) a plurality of assembly screws; (b) a plurality of clamping lugs configured to thread onto the plurality of assembly screws and engage an inside surface of the fuel tank; (c) a top plate further comprising; (i) a bearing surface configured to engage an external fuel tank surface; (ii) a plurality of through holes proximate the perimeter of the top plate and perpendicular to the bearing surface; (iii) a plurality of bosses, each of the plurality of bosses adjacent to each through hole, configured to guide and position the each clamping lug; and (d) a gasket positioned between the top plate and the fuel tank.

A fuel tank assembly for a motorcycle. The fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank defining a fuel containment volume. The fuel tank has an upper wall. A fuel cap is operable to selectively open and close the fuel containment volume. A motorcycle accessory is attachable to the fuel tank via a connection structure including first and second connection portions that are complementary and inter-engageable together to positively define a fully-secured state. The first connection portion is secured to an exterior surface of the upper wall of the fuel tank, and the second connection portion is secured to the motorcycle accessory. The connection structure defines a finite position and rotational orientation of the motorcycle accessory upon relative rotation of the motorcycle accessory with respect to the fuel tank to the fully secured state.

Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a canister purge valve in a vehicle evaporative emissions control system is degraded. In one example, an air intake system hydrocarbon (AIS HC) trap temperature may be monitored during a refueling event, and responsive to an indication that the AIS HC trap temperature change is greater than a predetermined threshold, it may be indicated that the canister purge valve is degraded. In this way, diagnosis of whether a vehicle canister purge valve is degraded may be indicated without the use of engine manifold vacuum, and may be advantageous for vehicles configured to operate for significant amounts of time without engine operation, or without intake manifold vacuum.

A fuel tank assembly for a motorcycle. The fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank defining a fuel containment volume. The fuel tank has an upper wall. A fuel cap is operable to selectively open and close the fuel containment volume. A motorcycle accessory is attachable to the fuel tank via a connection structure including first and second connection portions that are complementary and inter-engageable together to positively define a fully-secured state. The first connection portion is secured to an exterior surface of the upper wall of the fuel tank, and the second connection portion is secured to the motorcycle accessory. The connection structure defines a finite position and rotational orientation of the motorcycle accessory upon relative rotation of the motorcycle accessory with respect to the fuel tank to the fully secured state.

Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a canister purge valve in a vehicle evaporative emissions control system is degraded. In one example, an air intake system hydrocarbon (AIS HC) trap temperature may be monitored during a refueling event, and responsive to an indication that the AIS HC trap temperature change is greater than a predetermined threshold, it may be indicated that the canister purge valve is degraded. In this way, diagnosis of whether a vehicle canister purge valve is degraded may be indicated without the use of engine manifold vacuum, and may be advantageous for vehicles configured to operate for significant amounts of time without engine operation, or without intake manifold vacuum.

A ventilation nipple configured to ventilate a tank component that is composed of a plastic material, a tank device that includes such a ventilation nipple, and a method for producing such a tank device. The ventilation nipple includes a ventilation opening and a flange body arranged in an annular manner around the ventilation opening. The flange body has a first annular collar and a second annular collar each configured for connection via a weld connection to the tank component. The first annular collar and the second annular collar are arranged coaxially with respect to each other and also with respect to the ventilation opening. The first annular collar and the second annular collar define an annular hollow space configured to receive a sealing agent and/or an adhesive between the first annular collar and the second annular collar