GB2270268A - Fuel pump-filter assembly - Google Patents
Fuel pump-filter assembly Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2270268A GB2270268A GB9218706A GB9218706A GB2270268A GB 2270268 A GB2270268 A GB 2270268A GB 9218706 A GB9218706 A GB 9218706A GB 9218706 A GB9218706 A GB 9218706A GB 2270268 A GB2270268 A GB 2270268A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- fuel
- fuel pump
- annular
- filter element
- inlet
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 135
- 239000002828 fuel tank Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000000123 paper Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000002283 diesel fuel Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 9
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 7
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000266 injurious effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920002292 Nylon 6 Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002302 Nylon 6,6 Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007774 longterm Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012812 sealant material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011343 solid material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D35/00—Filtering devices having features not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00, or for applications not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00; Auxiliary devices for filtration; Filter housing constructions
- B01D35/26—Filters with built-in pumps filters provided with a pump mounted in or on the casing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D35/00—Filtering devices having features not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00, or for applications not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00; Auxiliary devices for filtration; Filter housing constructions
- B01D35/02—Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks
- B01D35/027—Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks rigidly mounted in or on tanks or reservoirs
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/04—Feeding by means of driven pumps
- F02M37/08—Feeding by means of driven pumps electrically driven
- F02M37/10—Feeding by means of driven pumps electrically driven submerged in fuel, e.g. in reservoir
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
- F02M37/32—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements
- F02M37/34—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements by the filter structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
- F02M37/32—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements
- F02M37/42—Installation or removal of filters
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
- F02M37/32—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements
- F02M37/44—Filters structurally associated with pumps
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
- F02M37/32—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements
- F02M37/50—Filters arranged in or on fuel tanks
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
- F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
- F02M37/24—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by water separating means
Abstract
An electric fuel pump 12 has an inlet 18 and outlet 22 extending parallel to its axis 44 and is mounted inside a fuel tank (not shown) and enclosed by an annular wall 14, which defines a lower inlet 100, and an annular pleated filter element 104 which is located between wall 14 and the outer casing of the pump. Element 104 is of pleated paper with cardboard end caps and is completely combustible. The element is gripped axially between upper and lower members 30, 32, in a flow path from inlet 100, inwards through element 104 and down between member 32 and pump casing 16 to pump inlet 18. Wall 14 supports members 30, 32 and is supported in the fuel tank by latches 59. Element 104 can be removed after removing member 30. <IMAGE>
Description
FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY
This invention relates to fuel pump assemblies for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles and, in particular, to a fuel pump assembly for a diesel engine.
It is customary with rotary electric fuel pumps used in motor vehicles to locate the fuel pump either in or adjacent a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, and to provide a fine mesh filter screen on an inlet to the fuel pump, so as to substantially prevent any finely-divided solid material which may be present in the fuel from reaching firstly the moving components of the fuel pump and secondly the moving components of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle.In motor vehicles utilising a diesel engine as the prime mover, the fuel supply from such a fuel pump is supplied to fuel injectors of the diesel engine, so it is essential to remove as much as is possible of any solid contaminants and any entrained water present in the supplied diesel fuel before that fuel reaches the fuel injectors of the diesel engine, and this is customarily achieved by additionally incorporating a combined filter/water separator assembly in the fuel supply adjacent the diesel engine.
The filters used in fuel lines of diesel-engined motor vehicles do eventually become blocked with solid contaminants during the operation of the motor vehicles, and then require either to be physically cleaned or replaced. It is often simpler, quicker and cheaper, during servicing of the motor vehicle, to replace a blocked filter with a new filter, rather than to clean such a blocked filter. The blocked fuel filters thus replaced during servicing of the motor vehicle need disposal, and, from environmental reasons, it is preferable that it should be simple and easy to dispose of such blocked fuel filters without leaving traces thereof to possibly contaminate the environment. Consequently, there is a need to produce a fuel pump assembly which includes a fuel filter for diesel fuel that is readily disposable once it has become blocked with solid contaminants.
A fuel pump assembly according to the present invention comprises a rotary electric fuel pump having a longitudinal axis, and a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis; a housing surrounding said fuel pump and adapted to be mounted in a fuel supply line for an internal combustion engine, said housing having a fuel inlet communicating with an internal chamber formed therein in which said fuel pump is sealingly mounted, said internal chamber including a tubular portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuel pump, which tubular portion surrounds said fuel pump to define an annular space therebetween; and a removable annular disposable filter element sealingly mounted in said annular space between the fuel inlet of the housing and the fuel inlet of the fuel pump, so that fuel supplied to the fuel inlet of the housing is caused to pass through the annular disposable filter element before that fuel can enter the fuel inlet of the fuel pump.
The term "disposable filter element" is used throughout this specification to denote a filter element which is manufactured from materials which can be readily disposed of without causing any material or long-term contamination of the environment.
Preferably, said fuel pump has an external cylindrical casing extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, and said removable annular disposable filter element is sealingly mounted in said annular space so as to be co-axial with said external cylindrical casing.
Advantageously, the removable annular disposable filter element comprises an annular pleated paper filter element having a cardboard gasket ring sealed on each pleated end thereof.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing is formed from a fuel-resistant synthetic plastics material substantially impervious to either petrol or diesel fuel. The housing in this preferred embodiment is a three-part assembly comprising an outer stepped sleeve adapted to be mounted in an aperture in a fuel tank for an internal combustion engine, an annular stepped pump retainer member adapted to sealingly engage said fuel pump around the fuel outlet thereof, and a cup-like support member surrounding said fuel inlet of said fuel pump, both the retainer member and the support member being formed with annular abutments thereon which sealingly engage respective ends of the removable annular disposable filter element.
The invention and how it may be performed are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a preferred emebodiment of a fuel pump assembly according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows an end view of an annular pleated paper filter element shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a side view, partly in cross-section, of an annular retainer member shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows an end view of the annular retainer member of Figure 3, taken in the direction of the arrows 4 - 4';
Figure 5 shows a side view in cross-section of a support member shown in Figure 1; and
Figure 6 shows an end view of the support member of Figure 5, taken in the direction of the arrows 6 - 6'.
Figure 1 shows a fuel pump assembly 10 according to the present invention which comprises a rotary electric fuel pump 12 supported within a housing 14 made from a fuel-resistant synthetic plastics material such as Nylon 6 or Nylon 66. The rotary electric fuel pump 12 is a roller-cell type, high pressure fuel pump of known design, driven by a permanent magnet D.C. electric motor, and enclosed within a substantially cylindrical external casing 16, with a fuel inlet 18 at one end 20 of the casing 16 and a fuel outlet 22 at the other end 24 of the casing 16.
Electrical contacts 26 supply electric current to the fuel pump 12, as indicated schematically in Figure 1.
The internal operating components of the fuel pump 12 and the detailed pumping operation of the fuel pump 12 are both well-known and do not form part of the present invention.
The plastics housing 14 is a three-part assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve 28, an annular stepped pump retainer member 30, and a cup-like support member 32. The cylindrical sleeve 28 has a first annular section 34 having an internal bore 36 joined to a second annular section 38 having a smaller internal bore 40 by means of an intervening stepped flange 42. The internal bores 36 and 40 are co-axial to one another along a longitudinal axis 44 of the fuel pump 12. The stepped flange 42 has an annular groove 46 formed therein between the two co-axial internal bores 36 and 40, which houses a sealing gasket 48, and a depending external skirt 50, which terminates in a shaped rim 52 having a frusto-conical crosssection.The external skirt 50 of the cylindrical sleeve 28 is a frictional fit within a circular aperture (not shown) within a fuel tank of a motor vehicle (not shown), and has an annular groove 54 formed therein which houses a sealing gasket (not shown) to ensure that no fuel leakage can occur between the circular aperture in the fuel tank and the external skirt 50 of the cylindrical sleeve 28. The second annular section 38 terminates in a free end 56, and includes, adjacent said free end 56, a plurality of integral spring fingers 58, each of which extends at an angle along said internal bore 40 towards said first annular section 34 to act as a retaining means for the cup-like support member 32, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. Latch means 59, shown schematically in Figure 1, are provided around the first annular section 34 which inter-engage co-operating latch means (not shown) adjacent the circular aperture in the fuel tank to prevent any inadvertent displacement of the external skirt 50 of the cylindrical sleeve 28 from the circular aperture.
The annular stepped pump retainer member 30 is shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, and comprises a first stepped portion 60, having an internal bore 62, which is joined to a second stepped portion 64, having a smaller internal bore 66, by means of an apertured flange portion 68 containing a circular aperture 70 therein having a smaller diameter than that of the smaller internal bore 66 of the second stepped portion 64. The smaller internal bore 66 has an annular groove 72 formed therein, which houses an
O-ring seal 73 therein (see Figure 1). As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the internal bore 62, the smaller internal bore 66 and the circular aperture 70 are concentric to one another around the longitudinal axis 44.The first stepped portion 60 includes an external flange 74, an external cylindrical wall 76 terminating in a frusto-conical rim 78, and an annular groove 80 formed in the external cylindrical wall 76 which houses an O-ring seal 82 therein, as shown in Figure 1. The second stepped portion 64 includes an external cylindrical wall 65 extending from the flange portion 68 and terminating in an annular step 67, and an annular rim 69 extending from an inner periphery of the annular step 67.
The cup-like support member 32 is shown in more detail in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, and includes an external flange 84, an internal cylindrical wall 86 and a flat bottom 88. Integrally formed upon the cylindrical wall 86 are four stepped support buttresses 90 spaced equi-distant from one another around the periphery of the cylindrical wall 86. Each support buttress includes a first step 92 and a second step 94. The cylindrical wall 86 extends beyond the external flange 84 to form a thin annular rim 96 of the cup-like member 32.The distance between opposed support buttresses 90 above the first step 92 and below the second step 94 of each respective support buttress is slightly more than the external diameter of the external casing 16 of the fuel pump 12, so that the fuel pump 12 can slide into the cup-shaped support member 32 between the support buttresses 90 until the end 20 thereof comes into contact with the first steps 92 of the support buttresses 90, as can be seen in
Figure 1. In that position within the cup-shaped support member 32, the fuel inlet 18 of the fuel pump 12 lies within the area between the support buttresses 90, below the first step 92 and above the flat bottom of the cup-shaped support member 32.
As can be seen in Figure 1, the external flange 74 of the annular retainer member 30 is a close sliding fit within the internal bore 36 of the first annular section 34 of the cylindrical sleeve 28, and the external cylindrical wall 76 of the annular retainer member 30 is a close sliding fit within the internal bore 40 of the second annular section 38 of the cylindrical sleeve 28. The annular retainer member 30 is pushed into the cylindrical sleeve 28 until a lower face of the flange 74 makes contact with the stepped flange 42. The annular sealing gasket 48 and the O-ring seal 82 ensure that there is a fluid-tight connection thus formed between the annular retainer member 30 and the cylindrical sleeve 28.The internal bore 66 of the second stepped portion 64 of the annular retainer member 30 has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the external casing 16 of the fuel pump 12, so that the fuel pump 12 is a close sliding fit within the internal bore 66. As can be seen in Figure 1, the fuel pump 12 is positioned within the internal bore 66 with the end 24 thereof in contact with the apertured flange portion 68. The diameter of the circular aperture 70 in the apertured flange portion 68 is such that both the fuel outlet 22 and the electrical contacts 26 of the fuel pump 12 extend through this circular aperture for connection, respectively, to a fuel line (not shown) and electrical leads (not shown).
The other end 20 of the fuel pump 12 is supported within the cup-shaped support member 32, and the cup-shaped support member 32 is retained co-axially within the cylindrical sleeve 28 by means of some of the plurality of integral spring fingers 58 in the cylindrical sleeve 28 locking into place beneath the external flange 84 of the cup-shaped member 32.
Consequently, the fuel pump 12 is securely held between the annular retainer member 30 and the cup-shaped support member 32 inside an internal chamber 98 formed between the cylindrical sleeve 28, the annular retainer member 30 and the cup-shaped support member 32, which internal chamber 98 has an annular fuel inlet 100 defined between the free end 56 of the second annular section 38 of the cylindrical sleeve 28 and an external cylindrical wall 85 of the cup-shaped support member 32. The internal chamber 98 includes a tubular portion 102 extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 44 of the fuel pump 12, which tubular portion 102 surrounds said fuel pump 12 to define an annular space therebetween.There is a removable annular disposable filter element 104 sealingly mounted in said annular space between the fuel inlet 100 of the internal chamber 98 and the fuel inlet 18 of the fuel pump 12, so that fuel supplied to the fuel inlet 100 of the internal chamber 98 is caused to pass through the annular disposable filter element 104 before that fuel can enter the fuel inlet 18 of the fuel pump 12.
As can be seen in Figure 1, the removable annular disposable filter element 104 is located inside the cylindrical sleeve 28 so as to surround the portion of the external casing 16 of the fuel pump 12 that is exposed between the annular retainer member 30 and the cup-shaped support member 32, and to be co-axial therewith. As can be seen in more detail in Figure 2, the removable annular disposable filter element 104 comprises an annular pleated paper filter element 106 having a cardboard gasket ring 108 sealed on each pleated end thereof.The annular pleated paper filter element 106 is formed from a strip of combustible synthetic resin-impregnated filter paper formed with a series of regularly-spaced transverse fold lines thereon, by folding the strip in zig-zag fashion about the fold lines to form a plurality of accordion pleats, sealing the ends of the pleats in a known manner, and then forming the folded pleated strip into an annular shape prior to affixing the cardboard gasket rings 108 on each pleated end thereof by means of a combustible sealant material. The annular pleated paper filter element 106 is surrounded by an annular perforated protective sleeve 110 formed of combustible material.
The internal diameter of the removable annular disposable filter element 104 is such that the annular rim 69 of the annular retainer member 30 is a friction fit within one end of the filter element 104, with the cardboard gasket ring 108 on that end of the filter element 104 being in sealing contact with the annular step 67 of the annular retainer member 30. Similarly, the annular rim 96 of the cup-shaped support member 32 is a friction fit within the other end of the filter element 104, with the cardboard gasket ring 108 on that end of the filter element 104 being in sealing contact with an upper face of the external flange 84 of the cup-shaped support member 32. Moreover, the remaining integral spring fingers 58 of the cylindrical sleeve 28 make contact with the end of the filter element which is in sealing contact with the cup-shaped support member 32, and resiliently bias the filter element 104 in the direction of the annular retainer member 30.
Consequently, the filter element 104 is securely held in position around the fuel pump 12 and prevents the access of any unfiltered fuel to the fuel inlet 18 of the fuel pump 12.
It will be appreciated from the consideration of the foregoing description of this preferred embodiment of the present invention that the assembly of the fuel pump assembly 10 comprises inserting the end 20 of the fuel pump 12 into the cup-shaped support member 32; inserting the cup-shaped member 32 into a co-axial position within the cylindrical sleeve 28 and into locking enegagement with some of the integral spring fingers 58 thereof; inserting the annular disposable filter element 104 into the cylindrical sleeve 28 until the annular rim 96 of the cup-shaped support member 32 fits within one end of the filter element 104, with the cardboard gasket ring 108 on that end of the filter element 104 being in sealing contact with the upper face of the external flange 84 of the cup-shaped support member 32; and then inserting the annular retainer member 30 into the cylindrical sleeve 28 until the lower face of the flange 74 makes contact with the stepped flange 42 and the annular rim 69 of the annular retainer member 30 fits within the other end of the filter element 104, with the cardboard gasket ring 108 on that end of the filter element 104 being in sealing contact with the annular step 67 of the annular retainer member 30.
Once the fuel pump assembly 10 is installed in a fuel tank of a diesel-fuelled vehicle, the energisation of the fuel pump 12 will cause diesel fuel to pass into the annular fuel inlet 100 of the housing 14 and into the annular space inside the internal chamber 98 containing the annular filter element 104.
The diesel fuel then passes through the annular filter element 104 to enter the portion of the annular space between the annular filter element 104 and the external casing 16 of the fuel pump 12, and thence to the bottom of the cup-shaped support member 32 by flowing through the spaces between the support buttresses 90 in the cup-shaped support member 32. The filtered diesel fuel accumulating in the cup-shaped support member 32 then passes into the fuel pump 12 through the fuel inlet 18, and then leaves the fuel pump 12 through the fuel outlet 22. During usage of the fuel pump assembly 10, the annular filter element 104 will gradually become clogged with solid contaminants removed from the diesel fuel passing through the filter element to such an extent that it will need replacement.The replacement of the clogged filter element with a new one can be readily effected without there being any need to remove the fuel pump assembly 10 from the fuel tank in which it is installed, since the replacement procedure merely involves the removal of the annular retainer member 30 from the cylindrical sleeve 28, followed by the removal of the blocked filter element 104 from the annular rim 96 of the cup-shaped support member 32, the replacement of the blocked filter element with a new filter element 104, and the replacement of the annular retainer member 30 in its correct position within the cylindrical sleeve 28. The disposal of the blocked annular filter element can be achieved quickly and effectively by draining from the filter element any surplus diesel fuel present in the filter element, and then burning the element.Since the material forming the disposable annular filter element 104 is all combustible material, burning the blocked filter element, particularly under oxidising conditions, will result in the production of a minimal quantity of residue comprising a small quantity of ash produced from the material of the filter element itself plus a residue of non-combustible components present in the solid contaminants removed from the diesel fuel during the service life of the annular filter element. Such a minimal quantity of residue is composed of materials that are non-injurious to the environment, and it can be safely disposed of by land-fill or like refuse disposal processes with a minimal risk to the environment.
A fuel pump assembly according to the present invention provides a means of filtering fuel, particularly diesel fuel, free from solid contaminants quickly, effectively and cheaply, whilst minimising any potential risk of polluting the environment when a disposable filter element in the assembly requires replacement. The design of the fuel pump assembly is such that it is cheap to manufacture, easy to assemble and install, and easy to maintain during service on a motor vehicle in which it is installed.The fuel pump assembly is made up of a number of re-usable components forming a housing of the assembly which have a long service life, along with a readily-disposable filter element which can be quickly and easily replaced by a new filter element, and which can be quickly disposed of by combustion to leave a minimum quantity of solid residue that is substantially non-injurious to the environment. Moreover, the disposable filter element used in the fuel pump assembly of the present invention provides a larger, more effective filtering area than the fine mesh filter screens customarily used in fuel pumps, and this means that such a fuel pump assembly, particularly when used in a diesel-fuelled engine, can result in the additional combined filter/water separator customarily used in the fuel supply line being replaced by a simple water separator which is cheaper to manufacture and to service.
Claims (6)
1. A fuel pump assembly comprising a rotary electric fuel pump having a longitudinal axis, and a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis; a housing surrounding said fuel pump and adapted to be mounted in a fuel supply line for an internal combustion engine, said housing having a fuel inlet communicating with an internal chamber formed therein in which said fuel pump is sealingly mounted, said internal chamber including a tubular portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuel pump, which tubular portion surrounds said fuel pump to define an annular space therebetween; and a removable annular disposable filter element sealingly mounted in said annular space between the fuel inlet of the housing and the fuel inlet of the fuel pump, so that fuel supplied to the fuel inlet of the housing is caused to pass through the annular disposable filter element before that fuel can enter the fuel inlet of the fuel pump.
2. A fuel pump assembly according to claim 1, in which said fuel pump has an external cylindrical casing extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, and said removable annular disposable filter element is sealingly mounted in said annular space so as to be co-axial with said external cylindrical casing.
3. A fuel pump assembly according to claim 1 or 2, in which the removable annular disposable filter element comprises an annular pleated paper filter element having a cardboard gasket ring sealed on each pleated end thereof.
4. A fuel pump assembly according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, in which the housing is formed from a fuel-resistant synthetic plastics material substantially impervious to either petrol or diesel fuel.
5. A fuel pump assembly according to claim 4, in which the housing is a three-part assembly comprising an outer stepped sleeve adapted to be mounted in an aperture in a fuel tank for an internal combustion engine, an annular stepped pump retainer member adapted to sealingly engage said fuel pump around the fuel outlet thereof, and a cup-like support member surrounding said fuel inlet of said fuel pump, both the retainer member and the support member being formed with annular abutments thereon which sealingly engage respective ends of the removable annular disposable filter element.
6. A fuel pump assembly substantially as hereinbefore particularly described, with reference to
Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9218706A GB2270268B (en) | 1992-09-04 | 1992-09-04 | Fuel pump assembly |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9218706A GB2270268B (en) | 1992-09-04 | 1992-09-04 | Fuel pump assembly |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9218706D0 GB9218706D0 (en) | 1992-10-21 |
| GB2270268A true GB2270268A (en) | 1994-03-09 |
| GB2270268B GB2270268B (en) | 1995-11-22 |
Family
ID=10721369
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9218706A Expired - Fee Related GB2270268B (en) | 1992-09-04 | 1992-09-04 | Fuel pump assembly |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2270268B (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1995029075A1 (en) * | 1994-04-23 | 1995-11-02 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for conveying fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine |
| FR2728310A1 (en) * | 1994-12-16 | 1996-06-21 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | FUEL TRANSFER ASSEMBLY FOR POWERING AN ENGINE |
| GB2336550A (en) * | 1997-04-07 | 1999-10-27 | David M Sylvester | Fuel tank filter/pump assembly |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB937529A (en) * | 1900-01-01 | |||
| US4546750A (en) * | 1984-07-12 | 1985-10-15 | General Motors Corporation | Secondary reservoir for a fuel tank |
-
1992
- 1992-09-04 GB GB9218706A patent/GB2270268B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB937529A (en) * | 1900-01-01 | |||
| US4546750A (en) * | 1984-07-12 | 1985-10-15 | General Motors Corporation | Secondary reservoir for a fuel tank |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1995029075A1 (en) * | 1994-04-23 | 1995-11-02 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for conveying fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine |
| US5564396A (en) * | 1994-04-23 | 1996-10-15 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | System for feeding fuel from a supply tank to an internal combustion engine |
| FR2728310A1 (en) * | 1994-12-16 | 1996-06-21 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | FUEL TRANSFER ASSEMBLY FOR POWERING AN ENGINE |
| GB2336550A (en) * | 1997-04-07 | 1999-10-27 | David M Sylvester | Fuel tank filter/pump assembly |
| GB2336550B (en) * | 1997-04-07 | 2002-08-28 | David M Sylvester | Compact in-tank fuel filter and module |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9218706D0 (en) | 1992-10-21 |
| GB2270268B (en) | 1995-11-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20090904 |