JP2004143970A - Fuel supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel supply device for effectively using fuel remaining in a fuel tank. <P>SOLUTION: This fuel supply device 2 supplies the fuel stored in the fuel tank 1 of an automobile to an engine, and is provided with a tube member P1 extended up to longitudinal directional both end parts in the automobile on the inner bottom side of the fuel tank 1 and valves 7A and 7B having a suction port 25 respectively arranged in both end parts of this tube member P1 and sucking in the fuel and a first sphere 23 for blocking up this suction port 25. Among the valves 7A and 7B arranged in both end parts of the tube member P1, the suction port 25 of the valves 7A and 7B uncontacted with the fuel is blocked up by the first sphere 23 when the automobile inclines. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel supply device that supplies fuel stored in a fuel tank of an automobile to an engine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a fuel tank of an automobile or the like, in order to supply the fuel in the fuel tank to an engine, a fuel pump that sucks the fuel, a fuel filter that filters the fuel sucked by the fuel pump, and a pressure of the fuel pump are adjusted. The pump module is formed by integrally modularizing components such as a pressure regulator.
[0003]
This pump module is provided with a fuel pump, a fuel filter, a pressure regulator, and other modularized components that hang down from the general surface of the upper portion of the fuel tank into the fuel tank by a mounting portion to the fuel tank provided above the pump module. .
[0004]
For example, in Patent Document 1, a swirl tank is provided below a fuel pump of a pump module at a bottom portion of a fuel tank for storing fuel so that the fuel pump can suck fuel even when the vehicle is inclined. The disclosed structure is disclosed.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-257524 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the fuel tank having such a structure, since the suction port of the fuel pump is located in the swirl tank, there is a problem that fuel that cannot be stored in the swirl tank in the fuel tank cannot be effectively used. .
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply device that can effectively use fuel remaining in a fuel tank.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided a fuel supply device for supplying fuel stored in a fuel tank of a vehicle to an engine, and a tube member extending to both ends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the bottom side of the fuel tank. A valve provided at both ends of the tube member, the valve having a suction port for sucking fuel, and a first sphere for closing the suction port, and a valve provided at both ends of the tube member. Of these, the intake port of the valve that is not in contact with fuel when the vehicle is tilted is closed by the first sphere.
[0009]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a tube member extending to both ends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the bottom side of the fuel tank, and a suction port provided for both ends of the tube member for sucking fuel and this suction port are provided. A valve having a first sphere for closing the valve, and among these valves, the suction port of the valve that is not in contact with the fuel when the vehicle is tilted is closed by the first sphere. As described above, it is possible to prevent air from being sucked in the valve that is not in contact with the fuel when the vehicle is tilted, so that even when the vehicle is tilted in a state where the fuel in the fuel tank is small, either Thus, a fuel supply device can be provided which can suck the fuel with the valve and effectively use the fuel remaining in the fuel tank.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a fuel tank to which a fuel supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of a valve of the fuel supply device. FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a cross section of the valve, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the valve changes from an inclined state to a horizontal state.
[0012]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an entire fuel tank of an automobile, and a pump module 2 as a fuel supply device is attached to an upper surface 1a thereof. The pump module 2 is a module in which components such as a fuel pump 3 for sucking fuel, a fuel filter 4 for filtering the fuel sucked by the fuel pump 3, and a pressure regulator 5 for adjusting the pressure of the fuel pump 3 are integrally modularized. A quick connector 6 for connecting a fuel pipe P such as a discharge pipe or a return pipe is provided on the upper surface 2a.
[0013]
A filler tube 9 connected to a fuel supply port 8 having a filler cap and a vent tube 10 communicating the filler tube 9 with an upper side of the fuel tank 1 are provided on the sides of the fuel tank 1. I have.
[0014]
The vent tube 10 has a function of bleeding air for smooth fuel supply, and the fuel supplied from the fuel supply port 8 is filled in the fuel tank 1. When the portion is closed, the escape of air becomes worse, so that a predetermined amount of the air chamber 1c is secured above the fuel tank 1 and has a function of preventing further supply of fuel.
[0015]
Further, the upper air chamber 1c in the fuel tank 1 is provided with a check valve 11 for escaping to a canister (not shown) when the pressure of the evaporative gas in the fuel tank 1 becomes high, and for sucking outside air when the pressure becomes negative. .
[0016]
In addition to the above configuration, in the case of the pump module 2, a tube portion P1 as a tube member extending to both ends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the inner bottom side of the fuel tank 1 and valves are provided at both ends of the tube portion P1, respectively. 7A and 7B are provided.
[0017]
Specifically, the valves 7A and 7B have the same shape, and have upper surfaces 21 and 20 inclined with respect to the bottom surface, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). , 20 and a first sphere 23 and a second sphere 22 which is equal to or larger than the first sphere are movably disposed on the first sphere 23 and the first and second spheres 23. , 22 are provided with a guard portion 24 for preventing them from falling off from the upper surfaces 21, 20.
[0018]
The upper surfaces 21 and 20 are provided with guide grooves 21A and 20A for guiding the first and second spheres 23 and 22, respectively, and the guide grooves 21A have a suction groove for sucking fuel. A mouth 25 is drilled.
[0019]
Further, the valves 7A and 7B are provided with a communication hole 26 for communicating the suction port 25 with the valve back side 7Aa and 7Ba side, and the communication hole 26 has an end on the valve back side 7Aa and 7Ba side. , A connecting portion 27 for connecting the valves 7A, 7B and the tube portion P1 is provided.
Now, in the case where the fuel in the fuel tank 1 is supplied to the engine of the automobile in the pump module 2 in which the valves 7A and 7B having such a structure are provided at the both ends of the tube portion P1, the suction operation of the fuel pump 3 is performed. The fuel in the fuel tank 1 is sucked from the suction port 25 of the valve 7A and / or 7B, and the fuel is guided to the tube part P1 connected by the connection part 27 through the communication hole 26.
[0020]
After the fuel filter 4 precipitates and filters impurities such as dust and water mixed in the fuel, the fuel is supplied to the engine via a filler tube 9 connected by a quick connector 6.
[0021]
At this time, for example, when the vehicle goes up and down a hill or the like, and the fuel tank 1 is inclined (that is, the fuel is shown by two-point diagonal lines in FIG. 1), FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the upper surface 20, 21 of the valve 7A (7B) on the side not in contact with the fuel in the fuel tank 1 (FIG. 1) is horizontal or reverse to the horizontal state of the valve 7A (7B). , The first and second spheres 23, 22 are guided by the guide grooves 21A, 20A (FIG. 2) of the upper surfaces 21, 20, and roll toward the valve back surface 7Aa (7Ba). The inlet 25 is closed by the rolled first sphere 23.
[0022]
This prevents the valve 7A (7B) from sucking the air in the fuel tank 1 and supplies the engine with the fuel sucked at the valve 7B (7A) immersed in the opposed fuel. Thus, the fuel remaining in the fuel tank 1 can be effectively used.
[0023]
Thereafter, when the vehicle returns from the inclined state to the horizontal state, the upper surfaces 20, 21 of the valves 7A (7B) return to the original inclined state. (That is, the direction opposite to the valve back surface 7Aa (7Ba)), but the first sphere 23 sticks to the suction port 25 by the suction power of the fuel pump 3 (FIG. 1). There are cases. In this case, when the second sphere 22 rolls on the upper surface 20 and collides with the first sphere 23, the first sphere 23 can be released from sticking to the suction port 25.
[0024]
In this manner, in the pump module 2, the first sphere 23 closes the suction port 25 in the valve 7 </ b> A (7 </ b> B) that is not in contact with the fuel in the fuel tank 1 at the time of inclining, thereby preventing air from being sucked. Since the fuel can be sucked on the side of the valve 7B (7A) facing the fuel, the fuel remaining in the fuel tank 1 can be effectively used.
[0025]
Also, when the first sphere 23 sticks to the suction port 25 of the valve 7A (7B) when the fuel tank 1 returns to the horizontal state, the second sphere 22 collides with this. The first sphere 23 stuck to the suction port 25 can be reliably separated.
[0026]
Although the fuel supply device of the present invention has been described by taking the above-described embodiment as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and various embodiments can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a fuel tank to which a fuel supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the fuel supply device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the main part.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a main part of FIG. 2 changes from a tilted state to a horizontal state.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 fuel tank 2 pump module (fuel supply device)
3 Fuel pump 4 Fuel filter 5 Pressure regulator 7A Valve 7B Valve 20 Upper surface 21 Upper surface 21A Guide groove 22 Second sphere 22A Guide groove 23 First sphere 24 Guard part 25 Suction port 26 Communication hole 27 Connection part P1 Tube part (tube Element)

Claims (4)

A fuel supply device for supplying fuel stored in a fuel tank of an automobile to an engine,
A tube member extending to both ends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the bottom side of the fuel tank,
A valve provided at each of both ends of the tube member and having a suction port for sucking the fuel and a first sphere for closing the suction port,
The fuel supply device, wherein, among the valves provided at both ends of the tube member, a suction port of a valve that is not in contact with the fuel when the vehicle is inclined is closed by the first sphere. The fuel supply device according to claim 1, wherein each of the valves has a second sphere that is equal to or larger than the first sphere. 3. The fuel supply according to claim 2, wherein each of the valves has an upper surface inclined with respect to a bottom surface, and a guide groove for guiding the first and second spheres is provided on the upper surface. 4. apparatus. 4. The fuel supply device according to claim 2, wherein each of the valves has a guard portion for guarding the first and second spheres.

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