Fluid handling – Systems – With pump
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-02-06
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
With pump
C285S319000, C285S376000, C285S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182694
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a fuel delivery unit having a line connection in accordance with the features of the preamble of patent claim
1
.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A tank of motor vehicles contains a fuel delivery unit which essentially comprises a reservoir (splash pot), a fuel pump which is arranged therein and delivers fuel from there to the combustion engine, a further pump for filling the reservoir, and various lines. The reservoir, which is of cylindrical design (large height in relation to the base surface), ensures, by means of its limited volume, that the fuel pump is able constantly to take in fuel even in the case of prolonged accelerations in the plane of the road.
The further pump mentioned above can be a separate suction jet pump. Its driving jet can be fed by the return flow from an injection system or by the outward flow from the fuel pump.
It is also known to use a two-stage, motor-driven fuel pump whose first stage (preliminary stage) takes in fuel from the fuel tank and delivers it via a rising pipe into the reservoir and whose second stage (main stage) then delivers the fuel to the combustion engine. In a variant thereto, the preliminary stage draws the fuel out of the reservoir and uses it, on the one hand, to feed the suction jet pump to refill the reservoir and, on the other hand, to feed an outward flow to the second pump stage.
The outlet opening of such a preliminary stage is situated laterally in the lower region of a pump housing. If the latter is inserted into the reservoir, the abovementioned mouth lying only slightly above the bottom of the relatively narrow and high reservoir, there is not a great deal of space between the housing wall and the reservoir wall. It is therefore very difficult to connect an outward-flow line or rising line with the pump installed. The finished connection itself also has to manage with little space. Although it would be conceivable to provide a rising line fastened to the pump housing or integrated into the reservoir, this contradicts the requirement of being able freely to use standardized mass-produced pumps having uniform external dimensions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore based on the object, with regard to mass production, of providing a line connection which can be fitted in a simple and error-free manner, for a fuel flow emerging laterally from a pump housing.
This object is achieved according to the invention by means of the features of patent claim
1
.
The fact that at least one line can be connected to the outlet opening by means of a releasable, pressure-sealed plug-in connection, it being possible for the outlet flow to be deflected in the region of the plug-in connection by means of an elbow, results in the advantage that this provides a connection which can be fitted in a simple and secure manner and which at the same time allows the connected line to fit closely against the housing of the pump. As a result, the space which is available is optimally used in an advantageous manner.
In a development of the invention, the pump end of the line is connected to a straight connector which can be plugged onto an angled connecting stub, which forms the elbow, of the outlet opening. This provides a first design embodiment of a pressure-sealed plug-in connection, in which the exit direction of the line is firmly specified. However, the connecting stub protrudes a relatively long way over the contour of the pump housing.
In a development of the invention, the pump end of the line is therefore connected to an angular connector which forms the elbow and which can be connected to a sleeve of the outlet opening, which sleeve is arranged laterally on the pump housing. In the case of a pump housing which is conventionally cylindrical, the axis of the outlet opening or outlet hole therefore runs at least approximately radially to the pump housing, whereas the rising line can run perpendicularly or obliquely upward in the narrow gap between the pump housing and the reservoir wall. Using an angular connector at the pump end, this requirement is therefore satisfied with the smallest possible distance between the line and the pump housing.
In a development of the invention, elastic latching elements which can be lifted for release, are provided to secure the plug-in connection. In addition to the simple fitting of such a plug-in connection which is known per se in a multiplicity of embodiments, this therefore also ensures simple release, with the result that rapid exchange of individual components is possible, if required.
In a development of the invention, the connector, which is arranged at the pump end of the line, is provided with elastic latching hooks which can be latched into corresponding abutments in the region of the outlet opening. This also makes possible rapid exchange and simple and error-free fitting. The latching hooks are preferably provided on the connector because the latter is simpler and cheaper to exchange in the event of damage than to undertake corresponding shaping of the pump housing. In a preferred embodiment, the latching hooks have latching lugs pointing away from one another, the advantage thereby being given of merely having to press the latching hooks together manually during removal in order to lift the latching lugs out of the abutments and to pull off the angular connector.
In a development of the invention, two corresponding latching pairs of latching hooks and abutments are provided on each side of the external circumference of the outlet opening. This also assists and simplifies the removal procedure.
In a development of the invention, the abutments are designed as bridge-like webs which are molded onto the pump housing and are relieved by slots.
This results in a simple and resistant structural shape of the pump-end abutments.
In a development of the invention, the webs are longer than the width of the latching hooks and extend in a curved manner concentrically to the outlet opening over a subregion of its circumference. This advantageously achieves a limited variability of the exit direction of the line within the scope of the available installation space. It is also conceivable to design the length of the webs to be only slightly larger than the width of the latching hooks, the advantage thereby being given that this provides precise, virtually play-free securing of the line against rotation.
A particularly simple structural shape of the connector at the pump end of the line is achieved by the connector having, in the region of its opening, a hollow cylindrical end section which can be introduced into a bushing surrounding the outlet opening at the pump end and can be sealed therein by means of a sealing ring.
In a development of the invention, the plug-in connection has a quarter-turn fastening so that the line connection can be connected to the pump housing by means of this quarter-turn fastening. A quarter-turn fastening of this type is known per se. The use in this case is advantageous since it not only provides rapid fitting but also, moreover, makes exchange of the line connection easily possible.
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patent: 0191362 (1985-01-01), None
Dasbach Burkhard
Reinhardt Rolf
Sievers Ralph
Mannesmann VDO AG
Mayer Brown & Platt
Rivell John
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