Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – With fuel pump
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-01
2001-09-25
Moulis, Thomas N. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
With fuel pump
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293258
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuel feed module for feeding fuel to an internal combustion engine, especially for use in a motor vehicle.
2. Prior Art
In motor vehicles, for feeding the fuel from a fuel tank to the engine, fuel pumps that are installed in the interior of the fuel tank are used. These fuel pumps are typically disposed on the bottom of the tank and are surrounded by a so-called reservoir cup, by which the fuel level directly around the fuel pump is kept at a predetermined level. This assures that while driving around a curve or on a hill, even if the fuel tank is already been pumped partly empty, the engine will reliably be supplied with fuel. The reservoir cup jointly with the fuel pump forms the fuel feed module. In order on the one hand to fill the reservoir cup with fuel from the tank, a suction jet pump is often used, which is driven by the fuel fed back by the engine. The fed-back fuel can, however, also flow directly into the reservoir cup. Furthermore, reservoir cups typically have two fuel filters, the first of which is located on the intake side upstream of the fuel pump, while the second, finer filter is downstream of the fuel pump.
A fuel module as defined by the preamble to claim
1
is disclosed for instance by German Patent Disclosure DE 196 19 992. In this construction, the installation height of the fuel pump inside the reservoir cup is determined on the one hand by the dimensions of the fuel pump but on the other by the upstream coarse filter and an intake nozzle with which the fuel is aspirated through the coarse filter. The intake nozzle is disposed together with the coarse filter above the bottom of the reservoir cup, so that the fuel flows in substantially at a right angle from below.
In this arrangement, however, the following problems arise. If the fuel level in the reservoir cup is below the coarse filter, the fuel feed pump and thus the engine are no longer supplied with fuel. Analogously to this poor residual aspiration performance, problems arise when the tank and the reservoir cup are first filled, because in this case as well, there must first be a minimum level of fuel in the reservoir cup before the fuel feed pump can begin its operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fuel feed module of the invention having the characteristics of claim
1
has the advantage that the requisite minimum level of fuel in the reservoir cup is very low. The result is excellent residual aspiration performance of the fuel module and more-favorable performance the first time the tank is filled. Furthermore, the construction of the fuel pump is more economical, since the intake nozzle can be dispensed with. Because the fuel flows laterally to the pump element, a lower structural height of the fuel pump in the reservoir cup is also obtained, so that the overall fuel feed module has a smaller volume. This is an advantage not only for the capacity of the tank in which the fuel feed module is disposed but also with a view to the stability of the module, because more-compact dimensions lessen the harmful effects of the vibration that typically occurs in a motor vehicle.
By the provisions recited in the further claims, advantageous refinements of and improvements to the fuel feed module defined by claim
1
are possible.
In a preferred embodiment, the fuel pump includes a housing that has a lateral inflow opening, which is disposed in the lower region of the reservoir cup, so that even the slightest residual amounts of fuel in the reservoir cup can still be aspirated. The inflow opening of the housing is preferably disposed directly on the bottom of the reservoir cup. In a further preferred version, the inflow opening is bounded on its underside by a part of the housing of the fuel pump.
The fuel module preferably also has a filter that is disposed in the reservoir cup, so that the fuel can be filtered before it flows in. The filter is preferably embodied as a basket filter that surrounds the fuel pump. In a preferred embodiment, the basket filter serves to brace the fuel pump in the reservoir cup. In this version, no additional devices are needed for bracing the fuel pump in the upper region.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4682936 (1987-07-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5680847 (1997-10-01), Begley et al.
patent: 5699773 (1997-12-01), Kleppner et al.
patent: 5718208 (1998-02-01), Brautigan et al.
patent: 5769061 (1998-06-01), Nagata et al.
patent: 5960775 (1999-10-01), Tuckey
patent: 6073614 (2000-06-01), Kleppner
patent: 6129074 (2000-10-01), Frank
patent: 196 19 992 A1 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 0 384 41 A1 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 0 754 851 A1 (1997-01-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, 58160545 of Sep. 24, 19983.
Patent Abstracts of Japan,60147565 of Aug. 3, 1985.
Moulis Thomas N.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Striker Michael J.
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