Fluid handling – Systems – With pump
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2001-11-06
Chambers, A. Michael (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
With pump
C123S509000, C137S549000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311725
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel supply apparatus for supplying fuel to engines of a multi-point injection system using various types of fuel tanks.
2. Description of Related Art
Fuel tanks used for engines of a multi-point injection system (MPI) are of many shapes and sizes. However, some of such the tanks could not incorporate therein a fuel pump of an in-tank type. Thus, there has been proposed an apparatus in which a fuel pump of an in-line type is provided in piping installed between a fuel tank and a delivery pipe (a fuel distribution pipe), and a pressure regulator is disposed between the delivery pipe and the fuel tank. One example of such the apparatus is disclosed in Japanese patent unexamined publication No. Hei 9-42097. In this apparatus, a fuel pump can be disposed in an appropriate manner for various fuel tanks. However, a filter, the fuel pump, and the pressure regulator should be connected independently with different pipes, requiring a number of labors for assembling them, and also needing individual countermeasures against leakage, which results in an increased cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems and to provide a fuel supply apparatus suitable for engines of a multi-point injection system using fuel tanks of various types, in which a fuel pump (especially, a high-pressure fuel pump), a fuel filter, and a pressure regulator are integrally constructed as an integral unit.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the purpose of the invention, there is provided a fuel supply apparatus for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an engine by using a fuel pump, the apparatus including a pump device including: a fuel pump; a fuel filter; a pressure regulator; a housing for containing the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and the pressure regulator; the housing including a suction port and a return port, each connected to the fuel tank; a discharge port connected to the engine; a suction opening communication path for communicating the suction port to a suction opening of the fuel pump; a filter communication path for communicating a discharge outlet portion of the fuel pump to an entrance of the fuel filter; a discharge communication path for communicating an exit of the fuel filter to the discharge port; and a pressure regulator communication path for communicating the exit of the fuel filter to the pressure regulator.
In the fuel supply apparatus according to the present invention, the electric motor-driven fuel pump (in particular, a high-pressure fuel pump), the fuel filter, the pressure regulator are contained in the integrally constructed housing, thus forming an integral pump device. The suction port of the pump device communicates with the suction opening of the fuel pump. The discharge outlet portion of the pump communicates with the discharge port of the pump device through the fuel filter. The discharge port of the pump device communicates with the inlet of the pressure regulator. The outlet of the pressure regulator communicates with the return port of the pump device. Accordingly, the installation of the apparatus in automobiles needs no labors or troubles of connecting the electric motor-driven fuel pump, the fuel filter, and the pressure regulator with pipes. There is no need to individually provide leakage-preventing measures to the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and the pressure regulator. Thus, the fuel supply apparatus according to the present invention can achieve cost-reduction.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5649514 (1997-07-01), Okada et al.
patent: 5718208 (1998-02-01), Brautigan et al.
patent: 5960775 (1999-10-01), Tuckey
patent: A-9-42097 (1997-02-01), None
Hamada Mikio
Horiuchi Tadao
Suzuki Nobuo
Wada Satomi
Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Chambers A. Michael
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
Fuel supply apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fuel supply apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fuel supply apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2597578