Measuring and testing – Liquid level or depth gauge – Float
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-01-23
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Liquid level or depth gauge
Float
C073S322500, C073S317000, C073S313000, C338S033000, C210S416400, C137S565010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176133
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to a fuel sending unit having a fuel filter combined with a fuel float.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most modern vehicles include a combustion engine and a tank for storing fuel to be ignited and burned by the engine. Typically, a fuel sending unit is mounted inside the tank to monitor the amount of fuel in the tank and control the delivery of fuel from the tank to the engine. The fuel sending unit commonly includes a float for measuring the fuel level and a pump for pumping fuel from the tank to the engine.
Occasionally, contaminated fuel is pumped into the tank. Contaminated fuel is fuel which contains debris and/or liquid contaminants such as water. Typically, the debris or liquid contaminants settle on the bottom of the tank. To prevent the debris from damaging the engine, a filter is used to screen the debris prior to entering the fuel combustion system. Although prior art filters catch most debris, they have several shortcomings. Foremost, prior art filters have been positioned on or near the bottom of the tank. As a result, the pump intakes potentially contaminated fuel from the bottom of the tank rather than uncontaminated fuel from the fuel surface. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a filter which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A fuel sending unit assembly includes a pump for pumping fuel from a storage system to a combustion system, a float for measuring the level of fuel remaining in the storage system, and a filter for preventing debris contained in the fuel from entering the combustion system. The assembly is characterized by the filter being attached to the float. In this manner, the assembly intakes fuel from the fuel surface rather than debris or liquid contaminants which may have settled on the bottom of the tank. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly further includes a tube for attaching the float to the pump and for channeling fuel from the filter to the pump.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3348413 (1967-10-01), Zimmerle
patent: 3449955 (1969-06-01), Stadelmann
patent: 3925747 (1975-12-01), Woodward et al.
patent: 4427542 (1984-01-01), Glover
patent: 4790185 (1988-12-01), Fedelem et al.
patent: 5293899 (1994-03-01), Kwon
patent: 5765435 (1998-06-01), Grotschel et al.
Hale Donna M.
Hutter Robert B.
Lazarus Brian C.
Lazarus Stephen D.
Cygan Michael
MacLean Kenneth H.
Williams Hezron
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