FR2636017A1 - FUEL PUMP RESERVE - Google Patents

Abstract

The reserve comprises a reserve tank 11 allowing the maintenance of a predetermined level of fuel, which can be brought into contact with a lower wall of a fuel tank, a fuel outlet pipe 12 allowing fuel to be pumped from from the reserve tank, a fuel return pipe 14 for returning excess fuel to the tank, a mounting bracket 15 which can be fixed to an upper wall of the tank, at least one mounting post 18 disposed between the bracket and the tank, movable relative to one of these parallel to the columns and a suction device 16 connected between the return pipe and the tank which can be placed in a position adjacent to the lower wall of the tank. According to the invention, a spring 19, associated with each post, pushes the fitting and the tank away from each other and keeps the tank in contact with the lower wall of the tank, while the vacuum device 16 allows a flow of fuel therethrough, from the return piping and from the tank to the tank, but prevents a flow of fuel, therethrough, from the tank to the tank, so as to maintain the predetermined level in this tank. Application to motor vehicles.

Description

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  The present invention relates to a fuel pump reserve

  fuel pump associated with the fuel tank of a

motor vehicle.

  Known fuel pump reserves include

  positive vacuums (also called injector pumps) arranged

  between a fuel return line and a reserve tank.

  However, these known vacuum devices do not prevent fuel from flowing through them from the reserve tank to the fuel tank, and therefore do not maintain a predetermined level of fuel in the reserve tank. . Moreover, these known fuel pump reserves do not allow variations in the distance separating the upper and lower walls of the fuel tank. These are particular disadvantages when the fuel level in the tank is low, since they can

  bring air to be pumped by the fuel pump.

  The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages

mentioned above.

  For this purpose, a fuel pump reserve according to the present invention comprises a reserve tank intended to maintain in it a predetermined level of fuel and which can be brought into contact with a lower wall of the fuel tank, a pipe of fuel outlet allowing fuel to be pumped from the reserve tank, fuel return pipe for returning the excess fuel to the reserve tank, a mounting bracket mountable to an upper wall of the fuel tank; fuel, at least one mounting pin disposed between the mounting fitting and the reserve tank, said mounting pin being movable relative to the

  mounting bracket and / or the reserve tank in a parallel direction

  aligns with the longitudinal axis of the mounting column or columns, a spring

  associated with the column or each mounting pin so as to re-

  resiliently urging the mounting bracket and the reserve tank to each other and substantially keeping the reserve tank in contact with the bottom wall of the fuel tank in use, and a connected vacuuming device between the fuel return pipe and the reserve tank and which can be disposed adjacent to the bottom wall of the fuel tank, the suction device allowing a flow of fuel therethrough, the fuel return pipe and the tank of fuel to the reserve tank, but preventing a flow of fuel therethrough from the reserve tank to the fuel tank so as to maintain the level

  predetermined fuel in the reserve tank.

  Preferably, a fuel pump is mounted within the reserve tank to pump fuel from the reserve tank and into the fuel outlet pipe. In that case,

  the fuel pump is preferably mounted on one or more dampers

  vibrators placed in the bottom of the reserve tank. When using two or more vibration dampers, these vibration dampers are preferably arcuate and a rubber-like material. In this case, the vibration dampers are preferably arranged in slots of corresponding shape formed in the bottom of the reserve tank. Preferably, the slots are delimited by partitions, rising upwards in the reserve tank, which are formed in one piece with the reserve tank. A sheet of plastics material is preferably disposed between the shock absorber (s)

  vibration and the fuel pump.

  Alternatively, the fuel pump can be arranged externally

  of the reserve tank to draw fuel from this tank of

  reserve through the fuel outlet piping.

  Preferably, a vapor separation filter is arranged

in the reserve tank.

  The vacuum device preferably comprises a box and a valve. The casing is preferably made of plastic and is made in one piece. Preferably, in this case, the casing carries a snap-fitting engagement in a corresponding opening in the reserve tank. A sealing ring is preferably disposed between the suction device and the reserve tank so as to almost completely prevent fuel from leaking between the tank.

  and the reserve tank if not through this vacuum device.

  - 3- Preferably, a fuel level sensor is mounted on the fuel pump reserve to ensure a monitoring of the fuel pump.

  fuel level in the tank.

  Other features and advantages of the invention are

  from the following description as a non-limitative example and

  with reference to the appended drawings in which:

  FIG. 1 is a side view of a fuel pump reserve.

  FIG. 2 is a side view taken from the side opposite to that of FIG. 1, showing a vacuum device according to the present invention;

  FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the suction device

  1, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the lower part of the reserve tank of FIG. 1 along line IV-IV of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a view from above in the direction of FIG. arrow V of FIG. 4, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are top and side views of a vibration damper used in the fuel pump reserve of

Figure 1.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a fuel pump reserve 10 which comprises a reserve tank 11,

  fuel outlet pipe 12, a return pipe of fuel

  In use, the mounting bracket 15 is attached to the top wall of a fuel tank (not shown), with the lower wall 17 of the tank. reserve 11 resting on the bottom wall of the

  Fuel tank. It is provided, arranged between the mounting hardware

  15 and the storage tank 11, two or three mounting posts 18 which can move, with respect to this mounting fitting and this reserve tank, in the longitudinal direction X. Helical springs 19 (can be used for other suitable springs) disposed around each mounting pin 18 resiliently urge the mounting fitting 15 and the reserve tank 11 from each other to provide assurance that the bottom wall 17 of the reserve tank rest - 4- resting on the bottom wall of the fuel tank. This arrangement provides a particular advantage when the fuel pump reserve 10 is used with a plastic fuel tank, since the bottom wall of such tanks tends to bend when the fuel tank is full, then as the fuel tank empties, and can move as a result of thermal variations. The present arrangement gives the assurance that the bottom wall 17 of the reserve tank 11 remains in contact with the lower wall of the storage tank at all times.

fuel.

  The reserve tank 11 has a cover 90 which is secured by resilient engaging members 91 to a bowl-shaped lower portion 92. The reserve tank maintains a predetermined level of fuel therein. The cover 90 and the lower part 92

  are preferably made of plastic.

  The fuel pump supply 10 comprises a fuel level sensor 20, which comprises a float 21 which can rest on the surface of the fuel present in the reservoir, an arm 22, which is fixed at one end to a rotating trunnion 23 so as to to pivot about the longitudinal axis of this pin and which is fixed at its free end to the float, and a circuit casing 24 on which the rotating pin is mounted. It is mounted inside the circuit box 24, an electrical monitoring circuit (not shown) which monitors the rotational position of the rotatable journal 23 (which provides an indication of the level of the fuel in the tank) and sends, by means of cable

  (not shown), a signal to a fuel level

  rant (not shown). This electrical circuit arrangement for monitoring

  lance is well known in the art and will not be described in detail.

  A fuel pump (not shown) is disposed within the

  11 to the fuel tank or a carburettor associated with a motor (not shown) via the fuel outlet pipe 12. In a variant, the pump The fuel can be disposed outside the fuel tank and can draw fuel from the reserve tank 11 through the fuel-out pipe 12. The excess or unused fuel is returned to the fuel tank. storage tank there through the fuel return pipe 14 and the vacuum device 16 (which will be described below so

more detailed).

  The fuel pump is mounted inside the reserve tank 11 on two vibration dampers 25 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which

  are preferably of a curved shape and are preferably

  synthetic rubber. These vibration dampers 25 are arranged in slots 26 of corresponding shape (FIGS. 4 and 5) delimited by vertical partitions 27 integral with the inner surface 28 of the bottom wall 17 of the reserve tank 11. These vertical partitions 27 are preferably, integral with the lower portion 92 of the reserve tank 11. A plastic sheet may be disposed between the vibration dampers 25 and the fuel pump. The vibration dampers 25 help to muffle any noise produced by the fuel pump. A vapor separation filter (not shown can be arranged in the reserve tank 11). Such a filter helps to separate any vapor present in the fuel in the storage tank 11 from the fuel, so as to prevent the vapor is pumped to the motor by the pump This arrangement offers a particular advantage

  when the fuel pump reserve 10 is used under conditions of

  high temperature conditions in which steam can be easily

produced in the fuel.

  The vacuum device 16 is arranged in an adjoining position.

  at the bottom wall 17 of the reserve tank 11, and consequently

  when in use adjacent to the bottom wall of the fuel tank. This vacuum device 16, which is shown in more detail in Figure 3, comprises a housing 30, which is preferably made of a single piece of plastic, and a valve 31. The housing 30 has an inlet passage 32 , an outlet passage 33 and a chamber 34 arranged between them and connected thereto. The inlet passage 32 is connected to the fuel return pipe 14 and the outlet passage 33 is connected to the reserve tank 11. This outlet passage 33 preferably has a free end 35 which is shaped

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  in such a way as to provide an interlocking engagement with a corresponding opening 36 (Fig. 4) in the bottom portion 92 of the reserve tank 11. Excess or unused fuel flows through the inlet passageway 32 , from the fuel return pipe 14 to the outlet passage 33 and into the reserve tank 11. An annular groove 46 is formed in the outlet passage 33 in which a sealing ring is arranged under the form of an O-ring 45 of fuel-resistant material. When connecting the vacuum device 16 to the reserve tank 11, this O-ring 45 seals between this vacuum device 16 and this reserve tank 11, so as to prevent the fuel from leaking into the reserve tank 11, from the fuel tank and passing

around the exit passage 33.

  The valve 31, which is preferably made of plastic material, is disposed in an opening 37 formed in the lower part of the chamber 34. This valve 31 comprises a shutter disc 38, a seat of

  valve 39 and a plate 40 in which are formed openings 41.

  The valve seat 39 is disposed between the shutter disc 38 and the plate 40 and surrounds the openings 41. The shutter disc 38 is movable

  relative to the valve seat 39 so as to open and close the openings

  41. The plate 40 is mounted in the opening 37 of the chamber 34, with the shutter disc 38 and the valve seat 39 disposed in this chamber. A flow throttle 42 is disposed in the chamber 34 at the outlet of the inlet passage 32 and at a position adjacent to the inlet of the outlet passage 33. When fuel flows from the inlet passage

  32 to the outlet passage 33, a pressure develops in the fuel

  This causes a lower pressure in the chamber 34 than in the fuel tank. As a result, the fuel in the tank raises the shutter disc 38 of the valve seat 39, so as to open the openings 41, and fuel enters the chamber 34 from

  from the fuel tank and through the outlet passage 33 to

  in the storage tank 11 so as to maintain in it the predetermined level of fuel. When the pressure equilibrium is reached, the shutter disk 38 returns to contact with the valve seat 39 to close the openings 41. This prevents fuel from flowing back through the vacuum device 16 from the storage tank 11. towards

the fuel tank.

  This arrangement has the advantage of maintaining a predetermined level of fuel in the reserve tank 11 even when the level of

  fuel in the tank is low.

  Attention is drawn to the patent application of the

  filed on the same day as the present application under

  priority of patent application GB 88 21 876.3 of 3 September 1988.

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REVEDICATIONS

  A fuel pump reservoir (10) for mounting in a fuel tank, said pump reservoir comprising a reserve tank (11) for maintaining a predetermined level of fuel therein and which can be brought into contact with a fuel tank. a lower wall of the fuel tank, a fuel outlet pipe (12) allowing fuel to be pumped from the reserve tank, a fuel return pipe (14) for returning the excess fuel to the fuel tank; storage tank, a mounting bracket (15) attachable to an upper wall of the fuel tank, at least one mounting post (18) disposed between the mounting fitting and the supply tank, the mounting post being movable relative to the mounting fitting and / or the reserve tank in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one mounting post, and a vacuum device (16) connected between the fuel return pipe and the reserve tank and which can be arranged in a position adjacent to the bottom wall of the fuel tank, characterized by a spring (19) associated with the column or with each mounting pin (18) so as to resiliently pushing the mounting bracket (15) and the reserve tank (11) away from each other and substantially keeping the reserve tank in contact with the bottom wall of the fuel tank in use, and that the vacuum device (16) is such as to allow a flow of fuel therethrough, from the fuel return line and the fuel tank to the reserve tank, but that it prevents a flow of fuel, to through it, from the reserve tank to the fuel tank, so as to maintain the level

  predetermined fuel in the reserve tank.

  2. Reserve according to claim 1, characterized in that a fuel pump is mounted inside the reserve tank (11) so as to pump fuel from said reserve tank and

  in the fuel outlet pipe (12).

  3. Reserve according to claim 2, characterized in that the fuel pump is mounted on one or more dampers 9-

  vibrations (25) arranged in the bottom of the reserve tank (11).

  4. Reserve according to claim 3, comprising two or more vibration dampers (25), characterized in that the vibration dampers are preferably arcuate and a rubber-like material. 5. Reserve according to claim 4, characterized in that the vibration dampers (25) are arranged in shaped slots

  corresponding (26) formed in the bottom of the reserve tank (11).

  6. Reserve according to claim 5, characterized in that the slots (26) are delimited by partitions (27), rising upwards in the reserve tank (tl), which are made in one piece

with the reserve tank.

  7. Reserve according to any one of claims 2 to 6,

  characterized in that a plastic sheet is disposed between

  the vibration damper (25) and the fuel pump.

  8. Reserve according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuel pump is disposed outside the reserve tank and draws fuel from the reserve tank (11) and through the fuel line.

fuel outlet (12).

  9. Reserve according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

  characterized in that a vapor separation filter is disposed in

the reserve tank (11).

  10. Reserve according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

  characterized in that the vacuum device (16) comprises a casing

(30) and a valve (31).

  11. Reserve according to claim 10, characterized in that the casing (30) is made of plastic and is made in one piece. 12. Reserve according to claim 11, characterized in that the casing (30) performs an interlocking interlocking elastic in

  a corresponding opening (36) in the storage tank (11).

  13. Reservation according to any one of claims 10 to

  12, characterized in that a sealing ring (45) is arranged between the vacuum device (16) and the reserve tank (11) so as to almost completely prevent fuel from leaking between the

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  tank and the reserve tank if not through this vacuum cleaner device.

  14. Reservation according to any one of claims 1 to

  13, characterized in that a fuel level sensor (20) is mounted thereon for monitoring the fuel level in

  the tank in use.