In-take fuel pump reservoir

Pumps – Motor driven – Electric or magnetic motor

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C123S509000, C415S055100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06231318

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to fuel delivery systems using electric motor fuel pumps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In-tank fuel pump reservoir assemblies have been employed in automotive engine fuel delivery systems and similar applications to draw fuel from a fuel supply tank and deliver that fuel under pressure to an engine. In-tank fuel pump reservoir assemblies generally include a fuel reservoir canister that is suspended within a fuel supply tank from a mounting plate fastened across an opening in an upper wall or side wall of the fuel supply tank. The canister defines a reservoir chamber for holding a relatively small quantity of fuel. Fuel pump reservoir assemblies of this type also include a reservoir outlet that connects to a fuel line leading to an engine through the mounting plate and a reservoir inlet positioned to provide a one-way fluid path from the supply tank to the reservoir chamber. An electric fuel pump assembly is supported within the reservoir canister and has a fuel pump inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber. The electric fuel pump also has a fuel pump exhaust in fluid communication with the reservoir outlet. The electric fuel pump assembly draws fuel from the reservoir chamber through the fuel pump inlet and delivers at least a portion of that fuel to the engine through the reservoir outlet. An inlet filter is typically disposed between the reservoir chamber and the pump inlet and an outlet filter is typically disposed between the pump exhaust and the reservoir outlet. It is also known for an in-tank fuel pump reservoir assembly to include a reservoir filling device such as a jet pump or venturi that is supported within the reservoir canister in fluid communication with the reservoir inlet. The reservoir-filling device would be included to draw fuel into the reservoir chamber from the fuel supply tank through the reservoir inlet and an inlet check valve. An inlet check valve, or “foot valve”, is included to prevent fuel from exiting the reservoir chamber through the reservoir inlet. An outlet check valve prevents fuel from back flowing through the electric fuel pump and into reservoir chamber. Some in-tank fuel pump reservoir assemblies also include a fuel pressure regulator supported within the reservoir in fluid communication with the fuel pump exhaust and the reservoir outlet. The fuel pressure regulator is configured to limit reservoir assembly output pressure by metering a portion of high-pressure fuel from the fuel pump exhaust back to the reservoir or the supply tank. In-tank fuel pump reservoir assemblies must be modified to accommodate various output and configuration requirements peculiar to different vehicle applications. This generally requires extensive retooling to provide a compatible for each separate application.
The electric fuel pumps used in in-tank fuel pump reservoir assemblies may be of the electric motor regenerative type that typically include housings adapted to be immersed in fuel typically in a supply tank with an inlet for drawing liquid fuel from a surrounding tank and an outlet for feeding fuel under pressure to the engine. The electric motor powering such a pump includes a rotor mounted for rotation within the housing and connected to a source of electrical power for driving the rotor for rotation about its axis. An impeller is coupled to the rotor for co-rotation with the rotor and has a circumferential array of vanes about the periphery of the impeller. An arcuate pumping channel with an inlet port and an outlet port at opposed ends of the channel surrounds the impeller periphery for developing fuel pressure through a vortex like action on the liquid fuel between pockets formed by the impeller vanes and the surrounding channel.
One example of a fuel pump of this type is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,916. In fuel pumps of this type, the outlet port of the pumping channel discharges into a chamber of the fuel pump housing containing the electric motor to cool the electric motor as the fuel flows past the motor and out of the outlet of the housing to supply fuel under pressure to an operating engine. While generally effective at cooling the electric motor, pumps of this type have the disadvantage of heating the fuel. Another disadvantage of fuel pumps of this type is the resistance they provide to the flow of fluid being pumped through the electric motor portion of the pump. This resistance limits the efficiency of such pumps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electric motor fuel pump in accordance with the present invention includes a housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, an electric motor chamber in the housing to receive the electric motor, a fuel pumping mechanism driven by the motor and having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a fuel passage defined by the housing independent of the electric motor chamber and interconnecting the outlet port of the fuel pumping mechanism with the fuel outlet of the housing. Pressurized fuel discharged from the fuel pumping mechanism is routed through the fuel passage, away from the electric motor chamber, to be delivered through the fuel outlet of the fuel pump housing to an operating engine. Preferably, the motor chamber is vented to the surrounding fuel tank to permit fuel vapor in the electric motor chamber to be discharged into the fuel tank. The vent also permits any fuel that leaks from the pumping mechanism to the electric motor chamber to be discharged into the fuel tank. Desirably, fuel leakage from the pumping mechanism to the electric motor chamber cools the electric motor.
In one embodiment of the invention, a metallic flux tube surrounds the rotor and an outer housing shell surrounds the flux tube to define between them fuel passage which communicates the outlet port of the fuel pumping channel with the fuel outlet of the fuel pump housing. Also, a vapor purge port may be provided communicating the electric motor chamber with the fuel pumping channel because of the low pressure within the electric motor chamber. With previous fuel pumps, this was not possible due to the high pressure existing within the electric motor chamber.
According to another aspect of the invention, an in-tank fuel pump reservoir assembly is provided for drawing fuel from a fuel supply tank and delivering the fuel under pressure to an engine. The assembly includes a reservoir chamber partially defined by a fuel reservoir canister. The canister is configured for mounting within a fuel supply tank. A reservoir inlet is disposed between the fuel supply tank and reservoir chamber and is configured to provide fluid communication between the fuel supply tank and the reservoir chamber. A reservoir outlet is disposed between the reservoir chamber and an engine and is configured to provide fluid communication between the reservoir chamber and the engine. A reservoir filling device is disposed between the reservoir inlet and the reservoir chamber and is configured to draw fuel into the reservoir chamber from the fuel supply tank through the reservoir inlet. A fuel pump assembly is disposed within the canister and is configured to draw fuel from the reservoir chamber and to deliver at least a portion of that fuel to the engine through the reservoir outlet. The in-tank fuel pump reservoir also includes a modular fuel delivery pod comprising the fuel pump assembly, the reservoir filling device, and the inlet check valve. The pod is connectable to the canister to cooperatively define the reservoir chamber.
The invention also includes a method for making an in-tank fuel pump reservoir. The method includes providing a fuel delivery pod, providing a fuel reservoir canister and assembling the fuel delivery assembly by connecting the fuel reservoir canister to the fuel delivery pod. The method further includes installing the fuel delivery assembly in a fuel supply tank.
Objects, features and advantages of this invention include an in-tank fuel pump reservoir assembly that is readily adaptable to various vehicle and fuel tank applications and can support a larger

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