JP2004076702A - Fuel supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel supply system settable in fuel tanks having various depths. <P>SOLUTION: One end of a metal pipe 18 is pressed into the press-in part 16 of a mounting member 11, and engagingly locked by the mounting member 11. An E-ring 19 is attached to the other end of the metal pipe 18. When the mounting member 11 is separated from a filter case 32, the E-ring 19 is engagingly locked by the locking part 43 of an insertion part 33. Since a coil spring 20 energizes the mounting member 11 and the filter case 32 in the mutually separating directions along the axial direction of the metal pipe 18, the bottom of a sub-tank 22 is regularly pressed onto the inside bottom surface of a fuel tank 1. A projection part 24 protruded from the inside bottom surface is formed on the bottom inside of the sub-tank 22. When the mounting member 11 gets close to the filter case 32, the other end of the metal pipe 18 is engagingly locked by the projection part 34 of the sub-tank 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an in-tank type fuel supply device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a conventional in-tank type fuel supply device in which a sub-tank is installed in a fuel tank and fuel introduced from the fuel tank into the sub-tank is supplied to a device outside the fuel tank. In the fuel supply devices 100 and 120 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the coil springs 110 and 132 urge the sub tanks 104 and 124 so as to separate from the flanges 102 and 122 attached to the fuel tank (not shown). The fuel supply devices 100 and 120 expand and contract in the biasing direction of the coil springs 110 and 132 and in the opposite direction. Therefore, even when the fuel tank is deformed due to a change in temperature, or when the fuel supply devices 100 and 120 are accommodated in fuel tanks of various depths, the sub tanks 104 and 124 can be pressed against the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank. it can.
[0003]
In the conventional example 1 shown in FIG. 4, the arm 103 extending from the flange 102 to the sub tank 104 side and the claw 108 formed on the filter case 107 of the fuel filter 106 are snap-fitted. The fuel supply device 100 can expand and contract by the length. However, when the flange 102 and the sub-tank 104 approach each other against the urging force of the coil spring 110, there is a problem that the flange 102 comes into contact with components located above the fuel filter 106.
[0004]
In the second conventional example shown in FIG. 5, one end of the metal pipe 130 is engaged with the flange 122, and the other end of the metal pipe 130 extends to the bottom of the sub tank 124. The metal pipe 130 is guided in a reciprocating manner by a filter case 127 of the fuel filter 126. When the flange 122 and the sub tank 124 approach each other against the urging force of the coil spring 132, the other end of the metal pipe 130 is locked by a stopper 128 formed on the filter case 127. The metal pipe 130 is locked to the stopper 128 to prevent the flange 122 from contacting other parts.
When the flange 122 and the sub tank 124 are separated from each other, the E-ring 131 fitted to the other end of the metal pipe 130 is locked by the stopper 129 formed above the filter case 127.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional example 2 shown in FIG. 5, when the flange 122 and the sub tank 124 approach each other, the other end of the metal pipe 130 is locked to the stopper 128 formed on the side of the filter case 127, so that the metal pipe 130 moves in the axial direction. The possible distance of the metal pipe 130 is short. That is, the amount of expansion and contraction of the fuel supply device 120 is short. Therefore, the range of the depth of the fuel tank in which the fuel supply device 120 can be installed is narrow.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply device that can be installed in fuel tanks of various depths.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the fuel supply device of the present invention, when the mounting member approaches the sub-tank against the urging force of the urging member and the other end of the shaft moves toward the bottom of the sub-tank, the other end of the shaft is moved. The end is locked by a locking portion inside the bottom of the sub tank. Since the amount of movement of the shaft toward the inside of the bottom of the sub-tank can be made as long as possible, the amount of expansion and contraction of the fuel supply device becomes long. Therefore, the fuel supply device can be installed in fuel tanks having various depths.
[0007]
According to the fuel supply device of the second aspect of the present invention, the shaft is locked to the protrusion serving as the locking portion at a position away from the inner bottom surface of the sub tank. The distance at which the mounting member and the sub-tank approach each other against the urging force of the urging member is determined in order to avoid contact between the mounting member and components on the sub-tank side. Since the other end of the shaft is locked to the projection at a position away from the inner bottom surface of the sub tank, the length of the shaft can be reduced. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the shaft can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the other components installed near the inner bottom surface of the sub tank from coming into contact with the shaft.
[0008]
According to the fuel supply device of the third aspect of the present invention, the diameter of the projection is larger than the diameter of the shaft. Even if the position of the shaft and the projection is shifted in the radial direction, the shaft is securely locked to the projection.
According to the fuel supply device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the coil spring as the urging member covers the outer periphery of the shaft, the shaft also serves as a guide member for the coil spring. Therefore, a guide member for the coil spring is not required.
[0009]
According to the fuel supply device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the outer peripheral side surface on the bottom side of the sub-tank is reduced in diameter toward the bottom corner, the sub-tank is inserted when the fuel supply device is inserted from the mounting hole of the fuel tank. It is difficult for the outer corner of the bottom to come into contact with the peripheral edge of the mounting hole. Therefore, damage to the sub tank and the fuel tank can be prevented.
[0010]
When the fuel supply device has various components installed outside the bottom of the sub-tank, the fuel supply device is inserted from the mounting hole having a limited diameter, so that it is necessary to insert the fuel supply device from the mounting hole while tilting the fuel supply device. Also in this case, according to the fuel supply device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the outer corner of the bottom of the sub-tank is formed in a tapered shape, even if the fuel supply device is inclined, the outer corner of the bottom of the sub-tank is formed. The part does not easily come into contact with the periphery of the mounting hole. Therefore, damage to the sub tank and the fuel tank can be prevented.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example showing an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a fuel supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fuel tank 1 is integrally formed of resin, and has a circular opening 2 in the upper wall. The mounting member 11 of the fuel supply device 10 is formed in a disk shape, and is locked and mounted on the upper wall of the fuel tank 1 so as to cover the opening 2. The mounting member 11 forms a part of the fuel tank 1. Parts other than the mounting member 11 of the fuel supply device 10 are housed in the fuel tank 1.
[0012]
A fuel discharge pipe 12, a fuel recirculation pipe 13, and an electric connector 14 are attached to the mounting member 11. The mounting member 11, the fuel discharge pipe 12, the fuel recirculation pipe 13, and the electric connector 14 may be integrally formed of resin. The fuel discharge pipe 12 is a pipe that supplies the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 housed in the sub tank 22 and passing through the fuel filter 30 to the outside of the fuel tank. The fuel discharge pipe 12 and the fuel pump 40 are connected by a bellows pipe 60. The fuel recirculation pipe 13 is a pipe for ejecting surplus fuel on the engine side from the jet pump 50. The fuel recirculation pipe 13 and the jet pump 50 are connected by a bellows pipe 62. The electric connector 14 supplies power to the fuel pump 40 through the lead wire 64 and extracts a sensor detection signal from a liquid level gauge or the like.
[0013]
The metal pipe 18 serving as a shaft is loosely inserted into a cylindrical insertion portion 33 formed in a filter case 32 of the fuel filter 30. One end of the metal pipe 18 is press-fitted into the press-fitting portion 16 of the mounting member 11 and is locked to the mounting member 11. An E-ring 19 is attached to the other end of the metal pipe 18. The coil spring 20 as an urging member covers the outer periphery of the metal pipe 18 and urges the mounting member 11 and the filter case 32 in a direction away from each other along the axial direction of the metal pipe 18. The sub tank 22 is integrally formed of resin. A protruding portion 24 is formed inside the bottom of the sub tank 22 as a locking portion protruding from the inner bottom surface. The filter case 32 is locked by the opening of the sub-tank 22, and is restricted from moving downward in FIG.
[0014]
Even if the resin fuel tank 1 expands and contracts due to a change in internal pressure due to a temperature change or a change in the amount of fuel in a state in which the mounting member 11 is attached to the fuel tank 1, the bottom of the sub tank 22 is urged by the coil spring 20. Is always pressed against the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank 1. On the other hand, when the mounting member 11 is separated from the filter case 32, the E-ring 19 is locked by the locking portion 34 of the insertion portion 33, thereby preventing the mounting member 11 from dropping off from the filter case 32. When the attachment member 11 and the filter case 32 approach each other, the other end of the metal pipe 18 is locked by the projection 24 of the sub tank 22 (see FIG. 2). The amount of expansion and contraction of the fuel supply device 10 substantially corresponds to L shown in FIG.
[0015]
Inside the sub tank 22, the fuel filter 30, the fuel pump 40, the suction filter 42, and the like are housed. The fuel filter 30 collects relatively small foreign substances contained in the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 by a filter element (not shown) accommodated in the filter case 32. The suction filter 42 collects relatively large foreign matters contained in the fuel that the fuel pump 40 draws from the inside of the sub tank 22. The thickness of the bottom wall of the sub-tank 22 is smaller than the thickness of the mounting member 11, and the bottom wall of the sub-tank 22 is weaker than the mounting member 11.
A fuel inlet 26 is formed at the bottom of the sub tank 22. The fuel in the fuel tank 1 flows from the fuel inlet 26 into the sub tank 22. The outer peripheral side surface 28 on the bottom side of the sub tank 22 is tapered so as to decrease in diameter toward the bottom corner.
[0016]
The entire circumference of the fuel pump 40 on the fuel discharge side is covered with the filter case 32. The fuel pump 40 is housed in the sub-tank 22 with the fuel discharge side vertically upward and the fuel suction side vertically downward in the state shown in FIG. The fuel pump 40 has a motor as an electric drive unit (not shown) therein, and generates a fuel suction force by rotation of an impeller which is a rotating member that rotates with the motor. The fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 and from which foreign matter has been removed in the fuel filter 30 passes through the bellows pipe 60 and is supplied to the engine from the fuel discharge pipe 12.
[0017]
The jet pump 50 is attached to the outside of the sub tank 22 by ultrasonic welding or the like. Excess fuel returned from the engine side to the fuel recirculation pipe 13 is jetted from the jet pump 50 toward the fuel inlet 26. By ejecting fuel from the jet pump 50, a negative pressure is generated near the fuel inlet 26. The combustion in the fuel tank 1 is sent out into the sub tank 22 by this negative pressure. Even if the amount of fuel in the fuel tank 1 decreases, the inside of the sub tank 22 is full of fuel.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 3, a float 66 of a liquid level gauge and the like are provided on the outer peripheral side on the bottom side of the fuel supply device 10. Since the diameter of the mounting hole 2 formed in the fuel tank 1 for installing the fuel supply device 10 is not set to a size including the float 66, the diameter of the mounting hole 2 is set so that the fuel supply device 10 is inserted into the fuel tank 1. , It is necessary to tilt the fuel supply device 10. At this time, since the outer peripheral side surface 28 on the bottom side of the sub-tank 22 is reduced in diameter toward the bottom corner, the bottom corner of the sub-tank 22 does not easily contact the peripheral edge of the mounting hole 2. Therefore, it is easy to insert the fuel supply device 10 into the mounting hole 2, and it is possible to prevent the sub tank 22 and the fuel tank 1 from being damaged.
[0019]
In the above-described embodiment showing the embodiment of the present invention described above, when the mounting member 11 and the filter case 32, that is, the sub-tank 22 approach, the other end of the metal pipe 18 is located near the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 22. Since the fuel supply device 10 is locked by the portion 24, the amount of expansion and contraction of the fuel supply device 10 is large. Therefore, the fuel supply device 10 can be installed in fuel tanks having various depths.
[0020]
Further, since the metal pipe 18 is locked at a position distant from the inner bottom surface of the sub tank 22, the reduced diameter portion on the bottom side of the sub tank 22 having the tapered outer peripheral side surface 28 does not contact the metal pipe 18. . Further, it prevents the metal pipe 18 from coming into contact with the components installed on the inner bottom surface of the sub tank 22. Further, since the protrusion 24 protrudes from the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 22, it is easy to remove the mold when the sub-tank 22 is integrally formed of resin.
[0021]
In the above embodiment, since the thickness of the bottom wall of the sub-tank 22 is smaller than the thickness of the mounting member 11, the fuel supply device is installed in the direction in which the mounting member 11 and the sub-tank 22 approach each other with the fuel supply device 10 installed in the fuel tank 1. When an external force is applied to 10 and a large force is applied to the press-fitting portion 16 of the mounting member 11 and the projection 24 of the sub-tank 22 by the metal pipe 18, not the mounting member 11 but the bottom wall of the sub-tank 22 is damaged. Since the mounting member 11 forms a part of the upper wall of the fuel tank, when the mounting member 11 is damaged, fuel leaks out of the fuel tank 1. However, even if the bottom wall of the sub-tank 22 is damaged, the fuel only leaks from the sub-tank 22 into the fuel tank 1.
[0022]
In the above embodiment, the locking portion for locking the metal pipe 18 is stopped by the protrusion 24 projecting from the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 22, but the step-shaped locking portion is formed at the corner inside the bottom of the sub-tank 22. May be. Further, the metal pipe 18 may be directly locked on the inner bottom surface of the sub tank 22.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where a fuel supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention is extended.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the fuel supply device of the present embodiment is contracted.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a fuel supply device is inserted into a fuel tank.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a fuel supply device according to Conventional Example 1.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel supply device according to Conventional Example 2.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel tank 10 Fuel supply device 11 Mounting member 18 Metal pipe (shaft)
20 Coil spring (biasing member)
22 Sub tank 24 Projection (locking part)
30 fuel filter 32 filter case 40 fuel pump 50 jet pump

Claims (5)

A fuel supply device installed in a fuel tank to supply the fuel in the fuel tank to the outside of the fuel tank,
A sub-tank installed in the fuel tank;
A fuel pump that is housed in the sub-tank and discharges fuel introduced from the fuel tank into the sub-tank,
An attachment member attached to the fuel tank,
A shaft having one end locked to the mounting member and the other end extending toward the sub tank;
An urging member for urging the mounting member and the sub tank in a direction away from each other in the axial direction of the shaft;
With
A locking portion that locks the other end of the shaft when the mounting member and the sub tank approach each other against the urging force of the urging member and the other end of the shaft moves in a direction approaching the bottom of the sub tank. Wherein the sub-tank is provided inside the bottom. The fuel supply device according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is a protrusion protruding from an inner bottom surface of the sub tank. The fuel supply device according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of the protrusion is larger than a diameter of the shaft. 4. The fuel supply device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring, and the coil spring covers an outer periphery of the shaft. The fuel supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an outer peripheral side surface on a bottom side of the sub-tank is reduced in diameter toward a bottom corner.

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