JP2005233073A - Fuel supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel supply device, in which static generated at a fuel filter can be eliminated at low cost, and in which a connector part for grounding need not be provided on an outer case. <P>SOLUTION: This fuel supply device is provided with a fuel pump 9 to discharge fuel in a fuel tank to the external, a fuel filter 14 to clean fuel discharged from the fuel pump, and the outer case 13 including the fuel filter, and having a fuel inlet part 18 to which fuel from the fuel pump is supplied, and a fuel outlet part 19 from which fuel is discharged. The fuel filter is composed of a filter element 21 to trap foreign matter in fuel, and an element cover member 22 to cover the outer circumference of the filter element. The element cover member 22 is formed of conductive material. The element cover member is ground-connected through a ground connecting passage 23. As a passage for the ground connecting passage from the inside of the outer case 13 to the outer side, a hole 18a in the fuel inlet part 18 in the outer case is used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel supply device that houses a fuel pump and a fuel filter in a fuel tank, cleans the fuel in the fuel tank, and supplies the fuel to an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a static electricity removal technique for the fuel filter.

  Conventionally, various fuel supply devices have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses a fuel supply apparatus as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the fuel supply apparatus 100 of the above document has a fuel tank (not shown) in which fuel is accommodated, and an outer case 101 is disposed in the fuel tank. The outer case 101 includes a case main body 102 and a cap 103 that closes the upper surface of the case main body 102, and a fuel pump 104 and a fuel filter 105 are accommodated in the outer case 101.

  The fuel pump 104 sucks the fuel in the fuel tank from the suction port 106 and discharges the sucked fuel from the discharge port 107. The fuel filter 105 includes a filter element 108 such as filter paper, a protector 109 disposed on the inner periphery of the filter element 108, and a pair of end plates 110 and 110 that are disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the filter element 108 and are made of a conductive material. It consists of and.

  A discharge port 107 of the fuel pump 104 is connected to the chamber 111 in which the fuel filter 105 is accommodated, and a fuel outlet 112 is provided at a location of the cap 103 that closes the upper surface of the chamber 111 in which the fuel filter 105 is accommodated. ing. The fuel outlet 112 is connected to a fuel supply passage (not shown) of the engine.

  The end plate 110 above the fuel filter 105 is provided with a conductive material projection 113, and the upper portion of the projection 113 projects into the connector 114 of the cap 103. The ground wire 115 and the projection 113 are connected by attaching the connector 116 of the ground wire 115 to the connector portion 114. The other end of the ground wire 115 is connected to the ground portion 117.

  In the above configuration, when the fuel pump 104 is driven, the fuel in the fuel tank is discharged from the fuel pump 104 to the chamber 111 of the fuel filter 105 through the discharge port 107 and passes through the filter element 108 of the fuel filter 105. In the process of passing through the filter element 108, foreign matters in the fuel are trapped, and the purified fuel is discharged out of the fuel tank from the fuel outlet 112, and the discharged fuel is supplied to the engine.

  In the above operation process, when the fuel passes through the filter element 108, static electricity is generated on the surface of the filter element 108 by the frictional action. When the generated static electricity flows into the upper end plate 110, it flows from the end plate 110 through the protrusion 113 to the ground wire 115 and is discharged to the ground portion 117 through the ground wire 115.

In the fuel supply apparatus 100, since the end plate 110 and the like constituting the fuel filter 105 may be formed of a conductive member, the cost can be reduced compared to the case where the outer case 101 itself is formed of an expensive conductive member.
JP-A-11-182373

  However, in the conventional fuel supply apparatus 100, the connector part 114 is provided on the cap 103 of the outer case 101, and the static electricity is guided from the inner side to the outer side of the outer case 101 through the connector part 114. Therefore, there is a problem that it is necessary to separately provide the connector portion 114 in addition to the fuel outlet portion 112 in the cap 103 of the outer case 101.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to remove the static electricity generated in the fuel filter at a low cost, and further, it is not necessary to provide a ground connector part in the external case. It is to provide a supply device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a fuel tank that contains fuel, a fuel pump that is provided in the fuel tank and discharges the fuel in the fuel tank to the outside, and A fuel filter provided in the fuel tank for cleaning the fuel discharged from the fuel pump, a fuel inlet portion in which the fuel filter is housed and supplied with fuel from the fuel pump, and the fuel is discharged An external case having a fuel outlet, wherein the fuel filter comprises a filter element that traps foreign matter in the fuel and an element covering member that covers the filter element. And the element covering member is connected to the ground via an earth connection path, and the earth connection path As a path from inside the Kigaibu case to the outside, and the spirit that utilizes at least one of the holes of the fuel inlet portion of the outer casing and the fuel outlet section.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fuel supply device of the first aspect, the ground connection path includes a conductive elastic member having one end fixed to the outer case, and the conductive elastic member The other end side is configured to be in contact with the element covering member by elastic force.

  Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the fuel supply device according to claim 2, wherein the ground connection path is a conductive pipe inserted into a hole of the fuel inlet portion or the fuel outlet portion of the outer case. And a conductive tube connected to the fuel inlet portion or the fuel outlet portion and in contact with the conductive pipe, from the inside of the outer case via the conductive pipe and the conductive tube A ground path to the outside is formed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fuel supply device according to the third aspect, a part of the ground connection path is press-contacted between the fuel inlet or fuel outlet and the conductive tube. A conductive plate is provided, and a terminal portion to which a ground wire is attached is provided on the conductive plate.

  Further, the invention according to claim 5 is the fuel supply device according to claim 4, wherein the conductive plate is electrically connected to another member that may generate static electricity.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the element covering member that can be formed with a sufficiently small material with respect to the outer case may be formed of the conductive member, static electricity generated in the fuel filter can be removed at low cost. Further, since static electricity generated in the fuel filter is released from the inside of the outer case to the outside using the holes of the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet of the outer case, it is not necessary to separately provide a grounding connector portion in the outer case.

  According to the invention of claim 2, even if the fuel tank vibrates, the other end side of the conductive elastic member is kept in contact with the element covering member by the elastic force. Therefore, static electricity generated in the fuel filter can be reliably discharged. In addition, even if there is some variation in the dimensions and assembly position of the fuel filter, the assembly jig can be simplified because the other end side of the conductive elastic member contacts the element covering member.

  According to the invention of claim 3, static electricity generated in the fuel filter is led from the inside to the outside of the outer case by being led in the order of the element covering member, the conductive elastic member, the conductive pipe, and the conductive tube. Also, static electricity generated in the conductive tube is discharged to the grounding portion.

  According to invention of Claim 4, if a ground wire is mounted | worn with the terminal part of an electroconductive plate, a ground wire can be connected.

  According to the invention of claim 5, static electricity generated at a place other than the fuel filter can be removed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 6 show an embodiment, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fuel supply device, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view inside a fuel chamber, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part viewed from the outside of an outer case. 4 is a perspective view of the main part viewed from the inside of the outer case, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the main part of the ground connection path, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fuel filter.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel supply device 1 includes a fuel tank 3 in which fuel 2 is accommodated, an upper unit 4 fixed to the upper surface of the fuel tank 3, and a hanging rod 5 attached to the upper unit 4. A fuel chamber 6 disposed in the fuel tank 3 and a float 7 with an arm that is rotatably supported by the fuel chamber 6 and moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel 2. It is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outer periphery of the fuel chamber 6 is covered with a chamber case 8, and a fuel pump 9 is accommodated in the chamber case 8. The fuel pump 9 has a suction port 10 and a discharge port 11, sucks fuel 2 from the suction port 10, and discharges the sucked fuel 2 from the discharge port 11. One end of the first conductive tube 12 is connected to the discharge port 11.

  A fuel filter 14 accommodated in the outer case 13 is disposed in the chamber case 8. The outer case 13 includes a cylindrical case body 15 whose bottom surface is closed and a lid portion 16 that closes the upper surface of the case body 15. A recess 15a is formed at the center of the lower surface of the case body 15, and the fitting protrusion 8a of the chamber case 8 is press-fitted into the recess 15a. As a result, the outer case 13 is fixed to the chamber case 8.

  The lid portion 16 protrudes above the chamber case 8, and a regulator 17 is fixed above the protruding portion. The lid portion 16 is provided with a fuel inlet portion 18 and a fuel outlet portion 19. The hole 18 a of the fuel inlet portion 18 is at a position on the outer peripheral side of the inner chamber, and the hole 19 a of the fuel outlet portion 19 is inside the inner chamber. Each is opened at a circumferential position. The other end side of the first conductive tube 12 is connected to the fuel inlet 18. One end side of the second conductive tube 20 is connected to the fuel outlet portion 19, and the other end side of the second conductive tube 20 is connected to the upper unit 4.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the fuel filter 14 includes a filter element 21 made of a filter paper or the like that traps foreign matters in the fuel passing therethrough, and an element covering member 22 that covers the outer periphery of the filter element 21. The element covering member 22 includes a mesh body 22a that covers the outer circumferential surface of the filter element 21, and a disk body 22b that covers the upper and lower end faces of the filter element 21, and the mesh body 22a and the disk body 22b. Are each formed of a conductive member. The conductive member is, for example, a resin material filled with carbon or the like. An earth connection path 23 is formed between the element covering member 22 and the ground (not shown). It goes without saying that the element covering member 22 may be set on the inner diameter side of the filter element.

  Next, the earth connection path 23 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the ground connection path 23 is a conductive plate that is a conductive elastic member having one end fixed to the outer case 13 and the other end in contact with the upper disc body 22 b by elastic force. The spring 24, the conductive pipe 25 inserted into the hole of the fuel inlet 18, the first conductive tube 12 press-fitted into the fuel inlet 18, and the conductive connected to the first conductive tube 12. The conductive plate 26 and a ground wire 27 connected to the conductive plate 26 are included.

  The conductive leaf spring 24 and the conductive pipe 25 are connected to each other by caulking the lower end portion of the conductive pipe 25 inserted into the hole 24 a of the conductive leaf spring 24. The conductive pipe 25 and the first conductive tube 12 are connected to each other by the contraction force of the first conductive tube 12. In the first conductive tube 12 and the conductive plate 26, the first standing piece 26 a of the conductive plate 26 is interposed between the fuel inlet portion 18 and the first conductive tube 12, and the first conductive tube 12. Are connected to each other by the contraction force. The conductive plate 26 and the ground wire 27 are connected by attaching the ground wire 27 to a terminal portion 26 b provided on the conductive plate 26. The other end side of the ground wire 27 is connected to a ground (not shown).

  The conductive plate 26 is also electrically connected to the second conductive tube 20 and the regulator 17. Specifically, the conductive plate 26 and the second conductive tube 20 include a second standing piece 26c of the conductive plate 26 interposed between the fuel outlet portion 19 and the second conductive tube 20, The two conductive tubes 20 are connected to each other by the contraction force. The conductive plate 26 and the regulator 17 are connected by the locking piece 26 d of the conductive plate 26 being locked to the conductive hook 28 of the regulator 17.

  In the above configuration, when the fuel pump 9 is driven, the fuel pump 9 sucks the fuel 2 from the suction port 10 and discharges the sucked fuel 2 from the discharge port 11. The discharged fuel 2 flows into the outer case 13 through the first conductive tube 12. The fuel 2 that has flowed into the outer case 13 passes through the filter element 21 of the fuel filter 14 from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side. In the process of passing through the filter element 21, foreign matter in the fuel 2 is trapped, and the purified fuel 2 flows out from the fuel outlet 19, and the discharged fuel 2 passes through the second conductive tube 20. Then, it is guided to the upper unit 4 and supplied to the engine (not shown) through an external tube (not shown) connected to the upper unit 4.

  In the above operation process, when the fuel 2 passes through the filter element 21, static electricity is generated on the surface of the filter element 21 by the frictional action. When the generated static electricity flows into the element covering member 22, the static electricity is guided to the outside of the outer case 13 through the conductive plate spring 24 and the conductive pipe 25 from the disk body 22 b above the element covering member 22. The static electricity led to the conductive pipe 25 outside the outer case 13 is led in the order of the first conductive tube 12, the conductive plate 26, and the ground wire 27, and finally discharged to the ground.

  As described above, in the fuel supply device 1, the element covering member 22 that can be formed of a sufficiently small material with respect to the outer case 13 may be formed of a conductive member, so that static electricity generated in the fuel filter 14 can be reduced at low cost. Can be removed. Further, since the static electricity generated in the fuel filter 14 is released from the inner side of the outer case 13 to the outer side using the hole of the fuel inlet portion 18 of the outer case 13, a grounding connector portion is provided on the outer case 13 as in the conventional example. There is no need to provide it separately. In addition, since the element covering member 22 is formed of a conductive member, the outer case 13 on the outer periphery of the element covering member 22 may be formed of a non-conductive member. Therefore, the cost is low, the strength is high, and the durability is high. Can be.

  In the above embodiment, the ground connection path 23 includes the conductive leaf spring 24 having one end fixed to the outer case 13, and the other end side of the conductive leaf spring 24 is in contact with the element covering member 22 by elastic force. Therefore, even if the fuel tank 3 vibrates, the other end side of the conductive leaf spring 24 is kept in contact with the element covering member 22 by elastic force. Therefore, static electricity generated in the fuel filter 14 can be reliably discharged. Further, since the contact between the conductive leaf spring 24 and the element covering member 22 can be maintained even if there is some variation in the dimensions and assembly position of the fuel filter 14, the assembly jig can be simplified.

  In the above embodiment, the ground connection path 23 is connected to the conductive pipe 25 inserted into the hole of the fuel inlet portion 18 of the outer case 13 and the fuel inlet portion 18 and is in contact with the conductive pipe 25. Since the ground path from the inside to the outside of the outer case 13 is formed through the conductive pipe 25 and the first conductive tube 12, the static electricity generated in the fuel filter 14 is the element. The covering member 22, the conductive leaf spring 24, the conductive pipe 25, and the first conductive tube 12 are guided in this order to be guided from the inside to the outside of the outer case 13. Also, static electricity generated in the first conductive tube 12 itself is discharged to the ground. In the above embodiment, the conductive pipe 25 is inserted into the hole of the fuel inlet 18, but the conductive pipe 25 may be inserted into the hole of the fuel outlet 19. Further, a conductive pipe 25 may be inserted into both holes of the fuel inlet portion 18 and the fuel outlet portion 19 to form a two-route ground path.

  In the above embodiment, the ground connection path 23 includes the conductive plate 26 that is partly pressed between the fuel inlet 18 and the first conductive tube 12, and the ground wire 27 is connected to the conductive plate 26. Since the terminal portion 26b to be attached is provided, the ground wire 27 can be connected if the ground wire 27 is attached to the terminal portion 26b of the conductive plate 26.

  In the above embodiment, since the conductive plate 26 is also electrically connected to the second conductive tube 20 and the regulator 17 where static electricity may occur, static electricity generated at locations other than the fuel filter 14 is also removed. it can.

  In the above embodiment, the element covering member 22 is composed of the conductive mesh body 22a that covers the outer surface of the filter element 21 and the conductive disk body 22b that covers the upper and lower surfaces of the filter element 21. The covering member 22 can be reduced in weight. Therefore, it contributes to weight reduction of the fuel supply device 1.

  In the above embodiment, since the outer case 13 is fixed to the chamber case 8 by press fitting, the outer case 13 can be fixed at low cost.

  Further, technical ideas other than the claims that can be grasped from the above embodiment will be described together with the effects thereof.

  (A) The fuel supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer case is fixed to the chamber case by press fitting.

  According to this configuration, the outer case can be fixed at a low cost.

  (B) In the fuel supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and (a), the element covering member includes a conductive mesh body covering the filter element and a conductive mesh covering the upper and lower surfaces of the filter element. A fuel supply device comprising a disk body.

  According to this configuration, the element covering member can be reduced in weight, which contributes to reduction in the weight of the fuel supply device.

  (C) The fuel supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and (a) or (b), wherein the conductive elastic member is a conductive leaf spring.

  According to this configuration, the conductive elastic member can be easily created.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fuel supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the important section which showed one Embodiment of this invention and was seen from the outer side of the outer case. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main part of the embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the inside of the outer case. It is a perspective view of the principal part which shows one Embodiment of this invention and shows a ground connection path | route. 1 is a perspective view of a fuel filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the principal part of the conventional fuel supply apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel supply apparatus 2 Fuel 3 Fuel tank 9 Fuel pump 12 1st conductive tube (conductive tube)
13 External case 14 Fuel filter 17 Regulator (a member that may generate static electricity)
18 Fuel Inlet Portion 18a Hole 19 Fuel Outlet Portion 19a Hole 20 Second Conductive Tube (Member That May Generate Static Electricity)
21 Filter element 22 Element covering member 23 Ground connection path 24 Conductive leaf spring (conductive elastic member)
25 Conductive pipe 26 Conductive plate 27 Ground wire

Claims (5)

A fuel tank that contains fuel, a fuel pump that is provided in the fuel tank and discharges the fuel in the fuel tank to the outside, and a fuel that is provided in the fuel tank and discharged from the fuel pump is purified A fuel filter, a fuel inlet portion in which the fuel filter is accommodated and supplied with fuel from the fuel pump, and an outer case having a fuel outlet portion for discharging the fuel, the fuel filter in the fuel In the fuel supply apparatus constituted by a filter element that traps foreign matter and an element covering member that covers the filter element,
The element covering member is formed of a conductive member, and the element covering member is connected to the ground via an earth connection path, and the outer case is used as a path from the inside to the outside of the outer case of the earth connection path. A fuel supply apparatus using at least one of the holes of the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet.   The ground connection path includes a conductive elastic member having one end fixed to the outer case, and the other end of the conductive elastic member is in contact with the element covering member by an elastic force. The fuel supply apparatus according to 1.   The ground connection path is connected to a conductive pipe portion inserted into a hole of the fuel inlet portion or the fuel outlet portion of the outer case, the fuel inlet portion or the fuel outlet portion, and the conductive pipe. 3. The fuel according to claim 2, wherein a ground path from the inside to the outside of the outer case is formed through the conductive pipe and the conductive tube. Feeding device.   The ground connection path has a conductive plate partly pressed between the fuel inlet or fuel outlet and the conductive tube, and a terminal portion to which a ground wire is attached to the conductive plate. The fuel supply device according to claim 3, wherein the fuel supply device is provided. The fuel supply device according to claim 4, wherein the conductive plate is electrically connected to another member that may generate static electricity.

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