FR2777949A1 - A compact in-tank fuel pump and filter assembly for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A compact in-tank fuel pump and filter assembly (30) for a vehicle includes a two-part filter element housing (32, 34) which is contoured to partially wrap around the pump (22). The lower part (34) of the housing includes an outlet (50) which mates with a complementary inlet fitting (80) to be secured by a releasable snap-lock. The inlet fitting (80) receives the pump (22) and includes passageways (90) that direct fuel to the pump inlet.

Description

The invention relates generally to a low fuel filter

  dimension. The invention relates more particularly to a fuel filter incorporated in the tank, of small size, and a module having a filter element connected to the inlet of a juxtaposed fuel pump, incorporated in the tank. The filter is shaped like

  bean and partially surrounds the fuel pump in order to present a large specific surface, a low resistance to flow and a great capacity of filtration of 10 fuel contaminants, while presenting a projected area or imprint of small dimension.

  Various combinations of filters and fuel pumps are available and usable for many applications. U.S. Patent No. 3,389,801 describes a filter and manual fuel pump assembly for incorporation into the fuel line of an automobile, between the carburetor and the main fuel pump. The fuel pump assembly includes a circular filter cartridge box and a

  manual fuel pump box separated by a structure

  integrated ture with check valve. Fuel in the fuel pump box is forced into circulation through the check valve and through various filter media in the filter box to supply fuel to the carburetor at regulated pressure fuel for starting and vehicle engine operation. The separate box design of the aforementioned patent N 3 389 801 has at least two disadvantages: it increases the dimensions of the fuel pump and filter module and it is not designed for use with a fuel pump.

  conventional fuel incorporated in the tank.

  It is known that the arrangement of a fuel pump module inside a fuel tank

  imposes dimensional constraints in both directions

  vertical and horizontal. U.S. Patents N 4,312,753 and N 4,961,850 represent fuel pump filters for fuel pumps of the type incorporated in the tank. Usually, these types of filters use flexible woven plastic filter media connected to the inlet of a conventional fuel pump incorporated in the tank, and they are arranged along the bottom surface of the tank.

  fuel. These types of filters also have the disadvantage

  comes from requiring an interior frame to prevent the filter walls from being crushed during operation and also from requiring elaborate means to connect the filter to the inlet of the fuel pump. In addition, these types of filters are subject to damage during installation and removal of the fuel pump by

report to the fuel tank.

  The preceding explanations suggest that the existing assemblies of fuel filters are subject to crushing, as well as to other mechanical problems, or else have an insufficient specific surface. It therefore appears that improvements relating to the configuration of the fuel filters incorporated in the

tanks are desirable.

  The present invention relates to a small fuel filter, incorporated in the tank, which forms part of a pump and fuel filter module for a vehicle. The fuel filter comprises upper and lower filter body elements which receive, in cooperation, the filter element. The two elements of the body and the filter element are of a contour such that they partially surround the body of the fuel pump to maximize the specific surface of the filter element and the capacity for retaining contaminants, while minimizing the section of the pump module and filter in the horizontal plane, that is to say the "imprint", or projection, of the module. The filter element is advantageously formed of pleated paper, but can be any suitable filter medium with high capacity. An outlet fitting disposed on the lower body member and an inlet fitting which receives the fuel pump body include releasable snap-lock assemblies and components of complementary configurations which connect and provide sealing between the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting. The fuel pump draws fuel through the filter element, through the open interior of the filter element, through the inlet and outlet fittings and into the fuel pump and supplies the filtered fuel to the engine. of the vehicle. In an advantageous embodiment, the parts such as the body elements and the inlet and outlet fittings are made of injection-molded plastic material, advantageously nylon,

  polyester or acetal, or any rigid rigid material

fuel-impermeable.

  An object of the invention is therefore to provide a low-volume fuel filter for a fuel pump incorporated in the tank, which can be mounted conveniently.

  in the fuel tank of a vehicle.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a low-volume fuel filter, which ensures maximum protection of the engine parts of the vehicle by having a

  high filtration efficiency to eliminate contamination

fuel minants.

  Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pump module and fuel filter incorporated in the tank, the ratio of the specific surface area

to the footprint is high.

  Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fuel filter incorporated in the tank, of small size, comprising removable connections fixing

  the fuel pump filter assembly.

  Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fuel filtration element which resists the tendency of the filter medium to collapse when it is

  subject to suction produced by a fuel pump.

  The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of nonlimiting example and in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of an automobile fuel tank in which a filter module is incorporated and fuel pump, of small size, according to the invention; Figure 2 is an elevational view of the fuel filter according to the invention, incorporated in the tank; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view,

  with partial removal of the filter and the fuel pump

  rant incorporated in the tank, according to the present invention

  tion; Figure 4 is a full sectional view of the

  fuel filter incorporated in the tank according to the invention

  tion, along line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a partial exploded perspective view, partially broken away, of the fuel filter

  incorporated in the tank according to the invention.

  With reference now to FIG. 1, a low-volume module, with filter and fuel pump, incorporated in the tank in accordance with the present invention, is illustrated and generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The module 10 with filter and fuel pump is installed in a vehicle fuel tank 12 which may include a bowl 14 to facilitate evacuation

  maximum fuel from tank 12 and this tank

  see includes a filling tube 16 for the introduction of petrol or other fuel for vehicle into the tank 12. The module 10 with filter and fuel pump is

  mounted in an opening 18 located in the top of the tank

  see 12 of fuel and can be tightly fixed thereto by a suitable gasket (not shown) and fasteners 20 such as sheet metal screws or the like. The fuel pump and filter module 10 also comprises a fuel pump body 22 which contains and protects an electric fuel pump 24 delivering fuel under pressure into an outlet or supply line 26 and supplied with electrical energy by the through a cable 28. The filter and fuel pump module 10 further comprises a filter assembly 30 having a fuel outlet assembly 60 which is detachably connected to an assembly 80

fuel inlet.

  Referring now to Figures 2 to 4, the filter assembly 30 includes an upper body member 32 and a lower body member 34, both generally kidney-shaped, i.e. bean-shaped, which are arranged on opposite ends of a filter element 36. The upper body element 32 comprises a skirt

  or descending peripheral lip 38 to 90, an interior surface

  40 and a curved retaining arm 42 which is so

  generally a curved extension of the peripheral lip 38.

  The retaining arm 42 defines a circular area 44, shown in Figure 3, having a diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of the body 22 of the fuel pump. The defined circular area 44 receives the body 22 of the fuel pump and the retaining arm 42 bears against the outer side of the body 22 of the fuel pump, thereby helping to retain and stabilize the filter assembly 30 on the body

  22 of the fuel pump, as will be appreciated easily.

  The lower body member 34 has a skirt

  or rising peripheral lip 46 to 90, an internal surface

  upper 48 and a protrusion or curved lip 50, centrally disposed, having a shape which resembles the kidney shape of the lower body member 34 and defines a

  fuel outlet passage 52 which will be described below.

  The filter element 36 is disposed between the upper body element 32 and the lower body element 34 and is received inside and in the immediate vicinity of the respective peripheral lips 38 and 46. The body elements 32 and 34 and the filter element 36 define a chamber 54 to

  filtered fuel having a uniform horizontal section.

  The filter element 36 is advantageously formed from a pleated paper medium with high capacity such as paper or another relatively rigid filtration medium, suitably and usually nonwoven. The outer edge of the filter element 36 follows the shape of the inner edges of the peripheral lips 38 and 46. The depth of the folds 56

  of the filter is such that the filter medium advantageously extends

  along the entire radial distance from the inner edge of the peripheral lip 46 of the lower body member 34 to the curved projection 50 on the inner surface

  48 of the lower body member 34. In this confi-

  guration, the peripheral lip 46 and the projection 48 ensure the appropriate positioning of the filter element 36 in the lower body element 34 and therefore facilitate the proper positioning of the upper body element 32 around the filter element 36. In addition, the area of the filtering surface is also safely maximized by the fact that the folds 56 of the filter have the depth as indicated above, the upper and lower ends of

  the filter element 36 are fixed by a sealing material

  or an adhesive 58 disposed on and covering the inner surface 40 of the upper body member 32 and the

  inner surface 48 of the lower body member 34.

  The adhesive 58 is in contact with the upper and lower edges of the pleats 56 of the filter element 36 over their entire length to ensure the maintenance of their positions, the prevention of the flow of fuel around the extreme edges and the preventing movement of the filter element 36 relative to the body elements 32 and 34 under conditions of high flow of fuel or during the installation of the filter assembly 30 in the fuel tank 12. Although an effective filter material, as used in the invention, is often of low

  mechanical resistance, the present design allows the use

  sation of such a material mainly from the fact that the asymmetrical cross-sectional area of the filter element 36, generated by the bean shape of the upper and lower body elements 32 and 34, provides increased resistance to bending of Another advantage of the design of the filter assembly 30 is that the total contaminant capacity and therefore the service life as well as the flow capacity can

  be modified by a simple adjustment of the vertical dimension

  shim of the filter element 36. This adjustment of the flow capacity and this total contaminant capacity can be obtained without enlarging the footprint or projection

overall of the filter assembly 30.

  Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5,

  the fuel outlet assembly 60, generally placed above

  below the filter assembly 30, is advantageously formed

  in one piece with the lower body member 34.

  The fuel outlet assembly 60 includes a fuel outlet member 62 which is rectangular in shape, having a relatively flat upper surface, a lower surface and side surfaces, and which is traversed by a fuel passage 52, which passage extends from the projection 50 to a flat front surface 64 which is best shown in Figure 5. A triangular and narrow groove or recess 66 is formed in the front surface 64 and extends all around the 'mouth of the through passage 52. The fuel outlet element 62 also comprises two parallel and spaced arms 68 which project perpendicularly from the flat front surface 64 of the fuel outlet element 62 as shown in FIG. 5. Each of the two arms 68 defines an advantageously square or rectangular opening 70, adjacent to its end. The fuel inlet assembly 80 includes a fitting 62 for mounting the fuel pump which is generally cylindrical in shape. The fitting 82 for mounting the fuel pump is open at the upper part and defines an opening 84 for alignment of the pump which extends through its lower wall. A marking notch 86 is formed in the side wall of the fitting 82 for mounting the fuel pump and circumferentially positions the fuel inlet assembly 80 and therefore the entire assembly.

  filter 30 relative to the body 22 of the fuel pump.

  A fuel inlet member 88, which is best shown in Figure 5, is integrally formed with the fitting 82 for mounting the fuel pump and projects therefrom in a generally radial direction. The fuel inlet element 88 is also rectangular in shape and

  is similar to the fuel outlet member 62. The the-

  The fuel inlet 88 defines a through passage for the fuel, which passage extends from a rectangular flat surface 92 to the interior of the fitting 82 for mounting the fuel pump. Two locking projections or lugs 94 are each located on one of the opposite side surfaces of the fuel inlet element 88 as shown in FIG. 5. Finally, the element 88

  fuel inlet has a rib or protrusion

  narrow gular 96 which extends all around the mouth of the through passage 90 on the flat surface 92 and is of a dimension and a cross section complementary to those of the groove or the triangular recess 66 formed

  in the fuel outlet element 62.

  The assembly of the parts of the module 10 with fuel pump and filter, that is to say of the fuel pump body 22 incorporated in the tank, of the filter assembly and of the fuel inlet assembly 80 is carried out as follows. The fuel outlet assembly 60 is first connected to the fuel inlet assembly 80 as illustrated

  in Figures 2, 4 and 5. The fuel outlet element 62

  rant is aligned with the fuel inlet member 88 so that the planar surface 64 is parallel to the planar surface 92. At this time, the two assemblies 60 and 80 are translated to each other so that the two arms 68 slide over the corresponding locking lugs 94

  until each opening 70 snaps into place and is

  rust on the corresponding lug 94. At this moment, the flat surfaces 64 and 92 are in contact with each other and the triangular rib 96 is housed in a sealed manner in the groove or the recess 66, of complementary configuration , thereby achieving a substantially hermetic seal against

  fluids between sets 60 and 80.

  The pump body 82 incorporated in the tank, which contains the fuel pump 24, is then mounted on the fuel inlet assembly 80. The fuel pump body 22 is positioned in the circular area 44 defined by the retaining arm 42 and it is lowered into the fuel inlet assembly. A pin 102 for alignment of the pump, located on the bottom of the body 22 of the fuel pump, engages in the opening 84 located in the bottom of the fuel inlet assembly 80 and the boss 104 d alignment of the pump engages in the locating notch 86 located in the outer wall of the fuel inlet fitting 82, as best seen on the

figure 3.

  The pump and fuel filter module 10 operates as follows. When the fuel pump 24 is started, a suction is generated, which sucks in engine fuel contained in the fuel tank 12, through the filter element 36 and into the filtered fuel chamber 54. The fuel enters the fuel outlet passage 52 of the fuel outlet assembly, and exits through the fuel outlet passage 52 through the fuel outlet to arrive in the fuel inlet passage 90 of the '80 fuel inlet assembly. The liquid tight seal, formed by the recess 66 and the projection 96, which are complementary, as well as by the planar surface 64 of the fuel outlet member 62 and the planar surface 92 of the inlet member 88 fuel, oppose any leakage between the fuel outlet assembly 60 and the fuel inlet assembly 80. The fuel for the engine is then sucked up through the fuel inlet fitting 41 and leaves the body of the fuel pump via the fuel supply line 26 which supplies the

  fuel filtered to the vehicle engine.

  It goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the filter and module described and

  shown without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (25)

  1. A small fuel filter, incorporated in a tank, characterized in that it comprises a filter assembly (30) having an upper body element (32), a lower body element (34) and a filter element (36) extending between the body elements; a fuel outlet assembly (60) in fluid communication with said filter assembly; a fuel inlet assembly (80) for receiving a fuel pump (24); and latches (70, 94) for securing the fuel outlet assembly and the fuel inlet assembly fuel to each other.   2. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter element comprises an upper edge received in the upper body element, a lower edge received in the lower body element, the element   filter thus forming a filtered fuel chamber (54).   3. Fuel filter according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper edge of the filter element is fixed to an inner surface (40) of the upper body element and the lower edge of the filter element is fixed   to an inner surface (48) of the lower body member   laughing. 4. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper body element further comprises an upper peripheral lip (38) projecting downwards from the upper body element at an angle of about 90 5. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower body element further comprises a lower peripheral lip (46) projecting upwards from the lower body element under a angle of about 900.   6. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper body element further comprises an upper peripheral lip (38) projecting downwards from the upper body element, and the lower body element further includes a lower peripheral lip (46) projecting upward from the lower body member. 7. Fuel filter according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper edge of the filter element is arranged so as to be adjacent to the upper peripheral lip, and the lower edge of the filter element is arranged so as to be adjacent to the lower peripheral lip. 8. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper body element and the lower body element have a cross section in bean shape.   9. Fuel filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuel inlet assembly comprises an inlet connector (88) which is traversed by a fuel inlet passage (90), detachably connected to the fuel outlet assembly, and the fuel outlet assembly includes an outlet connector (62) having a fuel outlet passage (52) in communication with   fluid with the fuel inlet passage.   10. Fuel filter according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises means (70, 94) intended to lock the outlet connection of one to the other.   fuel and the fuel inlet fitting.   11. Fuel filter according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking means comprise two elongated arms (68) connected at a distance from each other to the outlet connector and extending beyond a surface front (64) of the outlet fitting, each of the arms being traversed by a locking hole (70), and two locking pins (94) placed in an opposite arrangement on the inlet fitting.   12. Fuel filter according to claim 9, characterized in that the inlet connector comprises a cylindrical side wall and a lower surface, the cylindrical side wall having an alignment notch (86) intended to receive a boss (104) alignment located on a fuel pump (24).   13. Fuel filter assembly incorporated in a tank, characterized in that it comprises a fuel filter (30) having a first body element (32), a second body element (34) and a filter element (36 ) extending between the first and second body members and defining an interior area, an outlet fitting (62) disposed on one of the body members and defining a passage (52) establishing fluid communication with the interior area , an inlet connector (88) for receiving a fuel pump (24) and defining a passage (90) establishing fluid communication with the passage of the outlet connector, and a coupling (70, 94) for fixing the   inlet fitting to outlet fitting.   14. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the filter element   is formed of a pleated filter medium.   15. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the filter element is made of pleated paper.   16. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the outlet connection and the inlet connection have planar surfaces (64,   92) and one of the surfaces has a circumferential projection   tielle (96) surrounding the passage and the other of said surfaces   has a recess (66) of complementary configuration.   17. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the filter element   has a bean-shaped cross section.   18. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises a fuel pump body (22) disposed in the inlet connector. 19. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the coupling comprises two lugs located on one of the connections and two projections of complementary configuration arranged on the other fittings.   20. Fuel filter assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises a curved arm (42) extending from another of the body elements and defining an opening (44) intended to   receiving a fuel pump body (22).   21. Filter module and fuel pump incorporated   porous in a tank, characterized in that it comprises a fuel filter (30) having a first body element (32), a second body element (34) and a filter element (36) extending between the first and second body members and defining an interior area, an outlet fitting (62) disposed on one of the body members and defining a passage (52) which establishes fluid communication with the interior area, an inlet fitting (88) defining a passage (90) which establishes fluid communication with the passage of the outlet fitting, and a fuel pump (24) disposed in the inlet fitting, in fluid communication   with the passage of the inlet fitting.   22. Filter module and fuel pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the filter element is made of pleated paper.   23. Filter module and fuel pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the filter element has a bean-shaped cross section and is   partially wrapped around the fuel pump.   24. filter module and fuel pump according to claim 21, characterized in that it further comprises a coupling (70, 94) for fixing the inlet connection to the outlet fitting.   25. filter module and fuel pump according to claim 21, characterized in that the outlet fitting and the inlet fitting have planar surfaces (64,   92) and one of the surfaces has a circumferential projection   tielle (96) surrounding the passage and the other of said surfaces   has a recess (66) of complementary configuration.