Liquid purification or separation – Structural installation – Separator ancillary to storage tank
Utility Patent
1998-12-16
2001-01-02
Lithgow, Thomas M. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Structural installation
Separator ancillary to storage tank
C210S243000, C210S416400
Utility Patent
active
06168713
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter installed in a fuel supply system of an automobile, more particularly to an electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter installed in a fuel supply system wherein a fuel supply pump and a fuel filter are provided in a fuel tank.
2. Related Art
It has been hitherto known to provide a fuel supply pump and a fuel filter in a fuel tank so as to simplify a fuel supply system and at the same time to reduce the influence of heat on the fuel filter.
In the known fuel supply system, a case of a fuel filter is formed of a conductive body and it is grounded to discharge electrostatic charge so as to remove the electrostatic charge that is charged in the fuel filter.
This is described with reference to
FIG. 8
wherein a fuel pump
2
is disposed inside a fuel tank
1
, and a fuel filter
4
is connected to an outlet
3
of the fuel pump
2
. The fuel filter
4
is a normal fuel filter for removing foreign matters in fuel.
A filter portion
4
A formed of a filter paper, etc. is provided in the fuel filter
4
, and fuel passed through the filter portion
4
A is once collected at a fuel reservoir
4
B and is supplied from an outlet pipe
4
C to an engine portion (not shown).
A case
4
D constituting the fuel filter
4
is formed of a conductive material. The conductive material includes not only a conductive metal sheet such as iron, aluminum but also a conductive synthetic resin including metal powder, and a conductive synthetic resin including carbon fiber.
The case
4
D of the fuel filter
4
is grounded to the ground
6
via a lead
5
, whereby electrostatic charge charged in the case
4
D of the fuel filter
4
is discharged.
However, there are the following problems in the aforementioned electrostatic charge removing apparatus in the conventional fuel supply system shown in FIG.
8
.
First of all, we study a mechanism of the generation of an electrostatic charge.
A surface of the case
4
D or a surface of the filter portion
4
A is rubbed against fuel when fuel flows, thereby generating electrostatic charge. In the fuel filter
4
, the filter portion
4
A is frequently rubbed against fuel so that electrostatic charge is frequently generated in the filter portion
4
A. However, in a system to ground the conventional case
4
D, the electrostatic charge generated in the filter portion
4
A cannot be sufficiently removed.
Further, since a conductive material costs high and is heavy in weight, the fuel filter
4
becomes high in cost and increases in weight as a whole if the entire case
4
D having a large capacity of the fuel filter
4
is formed of a conductive material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a fuel filter capable of improving the drawback of a conventional fuel filter, and of escaping electrostatic charge from the parts other than a case of the fuel filter having a large capacity to reduce the cost and weight of the fuel filter.
To achieve the above object, the fuel filter of the present invention is characterized in the following constructions.
That is, in the electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter that filters fuel used in automobiles and is connected to a downstream of a fuel pump disposed inside a fuel tank, the fuel filter comprises a container formed of a cap and a case, a filter portion disposed inside the container, wherein at least one of members constituting the filter portion is formed of a conductive material and is grounded.
The construction of the invention is further characterized in that the filter member and the protector are clamped by end plates in the filter portion and one end plate is formed of a conductive material and is grounded, while the projection that penetrates the case or cap is formed on one end plate and is grounded, and further characterized in that a connector connecting to the terminal is formed on the cap and the projection is disposed inside the connector, and further characterized in that the protector is formed of a conductive material and is grounded, while the projection that penetrates the case or cap is formed on the protector and is grounded.
In the electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter that filters fuel used in automobiles and is connected to a downstream of a fuel pump disposed inside a fuel tank, the construction of the invention is further characterized in that the fuel filter comprises a container formed of a cap and a case, a filter portion disposed inside the container, wherein a filter member constituting the filter portion is formed of a conductive material and is grounded, and further characterized in that the filter member is formed of a conductive material.
In the electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter that filters fuel used in automobiles and is connected to a downstream of a fuel pump disposed inside a fuel tank, the construction of the invention is further characterized in that the fuel filter comprises a container formed of a cap and a case, a filter member, a protector and end plates respectively disposed inside the container, the filter member and the protector being clamped by end plates, and seal members mounted on both ends of the end plates, wherein the cap is formed of a conductive material and is grounded, and further characterized in that the end plates and the seal members are respectively formed of a conductive material.
In the electrostatic charge removing apparatus in a fuel filter that filters fuel used in automobiles and is connected to a downstream of a fuel pump disposed inside a fuel tank, the construction of the invention is further characterized in that the fuel filter comprises a container formed of a cap and a case, a filter member, a protector and end plates respectively disposed inside the container, the filter member and the protector being clamped by end plates, and seal members mounted on one end of the end plates, wherein the cap is formed of a conductive material and is grounded, and further characterized in that the filter member is formed of a conductive material.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3186551 (1965-06-01), Dornauf
patent: 4211639 (1980-07-01), Jackson
patent: 4895640 (1990-01-01), Jackson
patent: 4999108 (1991-03-01), Koch et al.
patent: 5380432 (1995-01-01), Brandt
patent: 5647330 (1997-07-01), Sawert et al.
patent: 195 30 526 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 61-8102 (1986-01-01), None
patent: 9-268957 (1997-10-01), None
Sawada Kazuto
Sekine Hitoshi
Yamada Katsuhisa
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Kyosan Denki Co. Ltd.
Lithgow Thomas M.
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