GB2552542A

GB2552542A - Fuel filter assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2552542A
Application number: GB1613100.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Batchelor James; Andrew Darley James; D Pearson Malcolm; Daniel Bradley Joe
Original assignee: Perkins Engines Co Ltd
Current assignee: Perkins Engines Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-07-29
Filing date: 2016-07-29
Publication date: 2018-01-31
Also published as: GB201613100D0

Abstract

A fuel filter assembly 16 includes a housing 22 having a first end and a second end. The housing defines a central longitudinal axis (L) and is adapted to receive fuel from a fuel tank. The fuel filter assembly further includes a drain bowl 28 coupled to the second end of the housing. The fuel filter assembly also includes a water sensor 40 coupled to the drain bowl and being proximal to a central longitudinal axis of the drain bowl. The water sensor protrudes into the drain bowl to sense presence of water within the drain bowl. A further invention characterised by an adapter assembly is also provided. The adapter assembly 32 includes a body member including a first annular opening (76, Fig 4) along a central longitudinal axis of the fuel filter assembly and a second annular opening (78, Fig 4) proximal to the central longitudinal axis. The adapter assembly further includes a drain plug 36 removably attached to the body member via the first annular opening and a water sensor 40 removably attached to the body member via the second annular opening. The adapter assembly also includes a mounting portion (80, Fig 4) coupled to the body member and adapted to removably engage the adapter assembly with the drain bowl of the fuel filter assembly 16.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Fuel filter assembly Abstract Title: Fuel filter assembly (57) A fuel filter assembly 16 includes a housing 22 having a first end and a second end. The housing defines a central longitudinal axis (L) and is adapted to receive fuel from a fuel tank. The fuel filter assembly further includes a drain bowl 28 coupled to the second end of the housing. The fuel filter assembly also includes a water sensor 40 coupled to the drain bowl and being proximal to a central longitudinal axis of the drain bowl. The water sensor protrudes into the drain bowl to sense presence of water within the drain bowl. A further invention characterised by an adapter assembly is also provided. The adapter assembly 32 includes a body member including a first annular opening (76, Fig 4) along a central longitudinal axis of the fuel filter assembly and a second annular opening (78, Fig 4) proximal to the central longitudinal axis. The adapter assembly further includes a drain plug 36 removably attached to the body member via the first annular opening and a water sensor 40 removably attached to the body member via the second annular opening. The adapter assembly also includes a mounting portion (80, Fig 4) coupled to the body member and adapted to removably engage the adapter assembly with the drain bowl of the fuel filter assembly 16.

L·'—L

FIG. 3

1/4

FIG. 1

2/4

r

FIG. 2

3/4

FIG. 3

4/4

FIG. 4

--1-FUEL FILTER ASSEMBLY

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to fuel supply systems and more particularly to a 5 fuel fdter assembly of a fuel supply system.

Background

Generally, a fuel supply system of a machine is equipped with a fuel filter assembly. The fuel filter assembly typically includes multiple filters to eliminate contaminants from fuel. One of the commonly known contaminant is water, and presence of water within a drain bowl is undesired as water may cause rusting. In order to detect the presence of water, the fuel filter assembly also includes a water sensor to alert an operator of the machine regarding water level within the drain bowl of the fuel filter assembly. Conventionally, the water sensor is positioned towards a periphery of the drain bowl. Owing to such position of the water sensor, when the machine is on a grade, such as a slope, the water sensor may be ineffective in sensing the presence of water in the drain bowl. As such, the operator of the machine may not receive any alert to drain the water.

WIPO publication number 2015/160736, hereinafter referred to as the ’736 publication, describes a filter including a shell with at least one viewing region, a translucent bowl that fits and is installable within the shell, and an attachment mechanism. The bowl is positioned within the shell, such that at least a portion of the bowl is visible through the viewing region. The ’736 publication also describes a WIF (water-in-fuel) sensor and drain valve combination that is secured at least partially within a shell spout and/or a bowl spout of the fuel filter. In order to drain water from the fuel filter, the WIF sensor and the drain valve combination needs to be removed from the fuel filter. In such a condition, the WIF sensor may be susceptible to damage while coupling the WIF sensor and the drain valve combination back to the fuel filter.

—2—

Summary of the Disclosure

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a fuel filter assembly is provided. The fuel filter assembly includes a housing having a first end and a second end. The housing defines a central longitudinal axis. The housing is adapted to receive fuel from a fuel tank. The fuel filter assembly further includes a drain bowl coupled to the second end of the housing. The drain bowl defines a central longitudinal axis. The fuel filter assembly also includes a water sensor coupled to the drain bowl and being proximal to the central longitudinal axis of the drain bowl. The water sensor protrudes into the drain bowl to sense presence of water within the drain bowl.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, an adapter assembly is provided. The adapter assembly includes a body member including a first annular opening along a central longitudinal axis of the fuel filter assembly and a second annular opening proximal to the central longitudinal axis. The adapter assembly further includes a drain plug removably attached to the body member via the first annular opening and a water sensor removably attached to the body member via the second annular opening. The adapter assembly also includes a mounting member coupled to the body member and adapted to removably engage the adapter assembly with the drain bowl of the fuel filter assembly.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a fuel supply system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fuel filter assembly of the fuel supply system; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the fuel filter assembly; and FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the portion of the fuel filter assembly of FIG. 3.

-3Detailed Description

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic block diagram of a fuel supply system 10 is shown. The fuel supply system 10 includes a fuel tank 12, a fuel pump 14, and a fuel filter assembly 16 connected via fuel flow lines 18. The fuel pump 14 supplies fuel, such as diesel, from the fuel tank 12 to the fuel filter assembly 16. The fuel filter assembly 16 may be one of several components within the fuel supply system 10 and is adapted to receive the fuel either from the fuel pump 14 or from one or more upstream components of the fuel supply system 10. Particles suspended within the fuel are filtered and the filtered fuel is subsequently supplied to an engine 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view of the fuel filter assembly 16 is shown. The fuel filter assembly 16 includes a housing 22 having a circular cross-section. However, in an example, cross-section of the housing 22 may be a square, a rectangle, a polygon, or an ellipse. The housing 22 may be mounted or coupled at a desired location in the fuel supply system 10 to perform the function of filtering the fuel. The housing 22 has a cylindrical configuration having a first end 24 and a second end 26, and defining a central longitudinal axis ‘L’. The fuel filter assembly 16 further includes a drain bowl 28 coupled to the first end 24 of the housing 22. In the preferred embodiment, the drain bowl 28 is provided as a transparent bowl having a circular cross-section. However, the cross-section and dimension, such as thickness and length, of the drain bowl 28 may be varied based on requirement. In an example, the drain bowl 28 may be made of FiberReinforced Plastic (FBP), fiberglass, or tough acrylic so that the drain bowl 28 is capable of withstanding shocks and vibrations.

In an example, a first end 30 of the drain bowl 28 may be removably coupled to the first end 24 of the housing 22. For instance, a circumferential groove (not shown) having threads formed on an inner surface thereof may be provided at the first end 24 of the housing 22. Width of the circumferential groove may be greater than a thickness of the drain bowl 28. Further, the first end 30 may include threads formed on an outer surface thereof. With such construction, the

-4drain bowl 28 may be threadably coupled to the housing 22. In another example, the first end 30 of the drain bowl 28 and the first end 24 of the housing 22 may be coupled through a snap-fit arrangement. It will be contemplated that the drain bowl 28 may be coupled to the housing 22 in other manner as known in the art. In an example, the drain bowl 28 is coupled in a manner, such that a central longitudinal axis of the drain bowl 28 and the central longitudinal axis ‘L’ of the housing 22 are coaxial.

The fuel filter assembly 16 further includes an adapter assembly 32 coaxially coupled to a second end 34 of the drain bowl 28. The adapter assembly 32 is adapted to house a drain plug 36. In an example, the drain plug 36 may be coupled in a coaxial manner with respect to the drain bowl 28. An end cap 38 is provided on the drain plug 36, as shown in FIG. 2, to assist coupling of the adapter assembly 32 with the drain bowl 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the fuel filter assembly 16 also includes a water sensor 40 coupled to the adapter assembly 32. In a coupled condition of the adapter assembly 32 and the drain bowl 28, the water sensor 40 is proximal to the central longitudinal axis ‘L’. As such, the water sensor 40 protrudes into the drain bowl 28 when coupled to the adapter assembly 32. The water sensor 40 is adapted to sense the presence of water within the drain bowl 28. One or more electrical leads 42 are drawn from the water sensor 40 for providing a notification regarding presence of water in the drain bowl 28. In an example, the electrical leads 42 may be in communication with an interface (not shown) in an operator’s cabin (not shown) of a machine (not shown) in which the fuel filter assembly 16 is employed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a cross-section view of a portion of the fuel filter assembly 16, considered along a section line A-A’ of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows an inclined condition of the fuel filter assembly 16. More particularly, FIG. 3 indicates the inclined condition of the fuel filter assembly 16 when the machine is travelling along a grade, such as a slope, i.e., when the machine is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. In such a scenario, the water sensor 40 is also inclined. The housing 22 is adapted to receive fuel from the fuel tank 12. For example, the

-5housing 22 can include multiple annular ports (not shown) for receiving fuel into the housing 22. A filter media 48 is disposed within the housing 22 in a manner, such that a longitudinal axis of the filter media 48 and the central longitudinal axis ‘L’ of the housing 22 coincide. In an example, cross-section of the filter media 48 may be complimentary to that of the housing 22. For instance, the cross-sections of the filter media 48 and the housing 22 may be circular. Owing to the coaxial disposition of the filter media 48 within the housing 22, an outer surface 50 of the filter media 48 defines a circumferential cavity 52 with an inner surface 54 of the housing 22. The fuel filter assembly 16 further includes an inner lining member 56 to add to the strength and packaging of the filter media 48. The inner lining member 56 includes multiple apertures 58 formed along a length of the inner lining member 56. A central bottom portion 60 of the inner lining member 56 includes a hollow sleeve 62 that extends in a downward direction along the central longitudinal axis ‘L’. Multiple fins 64 extend radially from an outer surface of the hollow sleeve 62, where each of the multiple fins 64 add to the strength of the hollow sleeve 62.

Further, the drain plug 36 is coaxially inserted into the already coupled the adapter assembly 32. The drain plug 36 is threadably coupled to the hollow sleeve 62. For instance, threads provided on an inner surface of the hollow sleeve 62 engage with threads provided on an outer surface of the drain plug 36. The hollow sleeve 62 and the adapter assembly 32 retain the drain plug 36 in position. The end cap 38 is further coupled to the drain plug 36. The end cap 38 can be accessed by a user to couple the drain plug 36 with the drain bowl 28. As described earlier, the water sensor 40 extends into the drain bowl 28 from the adapter assembly 32.

In operation, the fuel supplied into the housing 22 enters the circumferential cavity 52 and travels down into the drain bowl 28, as indicated by arrows ‘FI’. The fuel gets collected within the drain bowl 28. With additional fuel being supplied into the housing 22, the level of fuel within the drain bowl 28 increases and rises into the circumferential cavity 52. The fuel received therein may

-6include water which needs to be filtered and subsequently drained out. The water (indicated by ‘W’), owing to its specific gravity, settles below the fuel. Simultaneously, the fuel within the circumferential cavity 52 develops pressure and moves radially inward and through the filter media 48, in a direction indicated by arrow ‘F2’. During such movement through the filter media 48, particulate matter is filtered from the fuel. The filtered fuel is further forced towards the central longitudinal axis ‘L’ through the multiples apertures 58. The filtered fuel further travels in a downward direction, indicated by arrow ‘F3’, towards the hollow sleeve 62. Subsequently, the filtered fuel is supplied to the engine 20.

Eventually, the water ‘W’ increases in level within the drain bowl 28. When the level of water ‘W’ within the drain bowl 28 increases beyond a predefined level, the water sensor 40 gets submerged within the water ‘W’. In the submerged condition, the water sensor 40 is adapted to sense the presence of water ‘W’ and generate a signal.

In one example, the water sensor 40 can include water sensing probes (not shown), which sense the presence of water ‘W’ when in contact with the water ‘W’ and generate the signal. The water sensing probes may be mounted at the ends of the water sensor 40. In another example, the water sensor 40 may be capable of generating the signal based on electro-magnetic actuation. For instance, a magnetic float (not shown) may be disposed around the water sensor 40, to float on the surface of the water ‘W’. A reed switch may be embedded within the water sensor 40, where the reed-switch is adapted to generate the signal when the magnetic float is in the vicinity of the reed-switch. Further, the signal is transmitted to the interface in the operator’s cabin via the electrical leads

42.

On receipt of the notification in the interface, the operator may manually drain the water ‘W’ from the drain bowl 28. In order to drain the water ‘W’, the drain plug 36 may be rotated, with the help of the end cap 38, in a direction to

-7disengage the drain plug 36 from the hollow sleeve 62. Upon disengaging, the drain plug 36 can be pulled in the downward direction to an extent where a first end 66 of the drain plug 36 is positioned outside the hollow sleeve 62. In such a position, the water ‘W’ within the drain bowl 28 can be drained through the drain plug 36. It will be understood that the fuel supply duct is disengaged from the drain plug 36 while draining the water ‘W’ from the drain bowl 28.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the portion of the fuel filter assembly 16 of FIG. 3. Specifically, FIG. 4 illustrates a manner in which the adapter assembly 32 is coupled to the drain bowl 28. The drain bowl 28 includes an opening 68 at a bottom portion thereof to allow coupling of the adapter assembly 32 with the drain bowl 28. In an example, the adapter assembly 32 can be threadably attached to the drain bowl 28. A body member 70 of the adapter assembly 32 includes a first annular opening 76 defined along the central longitudinal axis ‘L’ of the fuel filter assembly 16 and a second annular opening 78 proximal to the central longitudinal axis ‘L’. The first annular opening 76 and the second annular opening 78 can be bored into the body member 70. The drain plug 36 is inserted through the first annular opening 76 and is removably attached to the body member 70. Similarly, the water sensor 40 is inserted through the second annular opening 78 and is removably attached to the body member 70. Further, the adapter assembly 32 includes a mounting portion 80 defined in the body member 70. The mounting portion 80 is adapted to removably engage the adapter assembly 32 with the drain bowl 28. For example, an outer diameter ‘DI’ of the mounting portion 80 can be slightly greater than an inner diameter ‘D2’ of the opening 68 in the drain bowl 28.

During assembling, the body member 70 can be coaxially aligned with the opening 68 of the drain bowl 28 and can be coaxially inserted into the opening 68. In such a condition, the mounting portion 80 of the body member 70 forms a transition fit with the opening 68. Such transition fit ensures tight coupling between the adapter assembly 32 and the drain bowl 28. Subsequently, the drain plug 36 may be coaxially inserted into the first annular opening 76 of the body

-8member 70. Further, the drain plug 36 can be rotated in a predefined direction to threadably couple the drain plug 36 with the hollow sleeve 62. Furthermore, the end cap 38 can be attached to a portion of the drain plug 36 that extends below the body member 70. In one embodiment, the adapter assembly 32 can include the drain plug 36 and the water sensor 40, thereby constituting a single component.

Various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrative and explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as limiting of the present disclosure.

Industrial Applicability

The present disclosure describes the fuel filter assembly 16 and the adapter assembly 32 therefor. Since the water sensor 40 is positioned proximal to the drain plug 36, the water sensor 40 is capable of sensing presence of water ‘W’ within the drain bowl 28 even when the machine is travelling on the grade. Therefore, the fuel filter assembly 16 of present disclosure provides enhanced detection of presence of water ‘W’ even when the machine is travelling on the grade.

Further, since the drain plug 36 and the water sensor 40 are packed together in a single body member 70, the adapter assembly 32 can be provided as a single component, thereby minimizing cost of the fuel filter assembly 16. In addition, the adapter assembly 32 can be retrofitted to the fuel filter assembly 16.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A fuel filter assembly comprising:

a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defines a 5 central longitudinal axis, wherein the housing is adapted to receive fuel from a fuel tank;

a drain bowl coupled to the first end of the housing; and a water sensor coupled to the drain bowl and being proximal to the central longitudinal axis of the drain bowl, wherein the water sensor protrudes 10 into the drain bowl to sense presence of water within the drain bowl.

2. An adapter assembly for a drain bowl of a fuel filter assembly, the adapter assembly comprising:

a body member including a first annular opening along a central 15 longitudinal axis of the fuel filter assembly and a second annular opening proximal to the central longitudinal axis;

a drain plug removably attached to the body member via the first annular opening;

a water sensor removably attached to the body member via the second 20 annular opening; and a mounting portion defined in the body member, the mounting portion adapted to removably engage the adapter assembly with the drain bowl of the fuel filter assembly.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: Claims searched:

GB1613100.5