JP2007239681A - Fuel supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel supply device that prevents the deformation of a site where a cover member for closing an opening portion of a fuel tank and reciprocatively supporting a suction module seals the fuel tank, during resin-molding of the cover member. <P>SOLUTION: The cover member 12 has a cover body 14, a skirt 16, an electric connector 18 and a supporting portion 20, and it is resin-molded in one unit. The cover body 14 closes the opening portion 2a of the fuel tank 2. The skirt 16 is provided on the outer peripheral edge side of the cover body 14 annularly extending from the cover body 14 toward the inside of the fuel tank 2. The supporting portion 20 is formed on the inner periphery side of the skirt 16 apart from the skirt 16 extending from the cover body 14 rather than the skirt 16 toward the inside of the fuel tank 2. The suction module 30 on which a suction filter 60 is mounted is reciprocatively supported by the cover member 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel supply device in which an opening of a fuel tank is closed with a lid member integrally formed with resin, and a suction module is supported by the lid member so as to be reciprocally movable.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a fuel supply device is known in which an opening of a fuel tank is closed and sealed with a lid member, and a pump module is supported by the lid member so as to be reciprocally movable (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the lid member of Patent Document 1, the lid body closes the opening of the fuel tank, and a skirt extending in an annular shape from the lid body toward the inside of the fuel tank is fitted into the opening. And in patent document 1, the pump module accommodated in a fuel tank and pressure | voltage-rising the fuel in a fuel tank is supported by the metal pipe attached to the cover member so that reciprocation is possible.

  Here, instead of the metal pipe of Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to support the pump module in a reciprocating manner with a support member integrally formed of a lid body and resin. For example, in the fuel supply device 200 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lid body 204, the skirt 206, and the support portion 210 are integrally formed of resin to form the lid member 202. The lid body 204 closes the opening 250a of the fuel tank 250, and the annular skirt 206 is fitted in the opening 250a. The fuel tank 250 has a plurality of tank chambers, and the suction module 220 is accommodated in one of the plurality of tank chambers. The intake module 220 includes a fuel gauge 230 and a suction filter 240 and is supported by the support unit 210 so as to be reciprocally movable. The fuel sucked from the suction filter 240 is transferred to a tank chamber of the fuel tank 250 different from the one chamber in which the suction module 220 is accommodated by a transfer jet pump.

  However, in the fuel supply device 200 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the skirt 206 and the support portion 210 are integrally formed in the thickness direction of the skirt 206, so that the support portion is compared with a portion where the support portion 210 is not formed. The thickness of the skirt 206 at the portion where the is formed is thick. As described above, when the thickness of the annular skirt 206 formed in the resin varies in the circumferential direction, the thick portion of the skirt 206 may be dented and deformed toward the inner periphery during resin molding. When the skirt 206 is deformed, the lid main body 204 near the deformed portion of the skirt 206 may be deformed in addition to the skirt 206, so that there is a problem that the opening 250 a of the fuel tank 250 cannot be satisfactorily sealed by the lid member 202.

JP 2005-226524 A

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the portion where the fuel tank is sealed by the lid member that closes the opening of the fuel tank and supports the suction module so as to be reciprocally movable is a resin of the lid member. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply device that prevents deformation during molding.

  According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, a lid main body that closes the opening of the fuel tank, an annular fitting portion that fits into the opening of the fuel tank, and a support that supports the intake module so as to reciprocate. And are integrally formed of resin. And the support part is formed away from the fitting part on the inner peripheral side of the fitting part. Therefore, the thickness of the fitting portion at the circumferential position where the support portion is formed can be made equal to the thickness of the fitting portion where the support portion is not formed. Thereby, since the thickness of the fitting part can be made substantially uniform in the circumferential direction, deformation of the fitting part and deformation of the lid body in the vicinity of the fitting part can be prevented when the lid member is integrally formed with resin. Therefore, the opening of the fuel tank can be satisfactorily sealed by the lid main body and the fitting portion of the lid member.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the elastic member applies a force to the lid member and the suction module in directions away from each other, the suction module supported in a reciprocating manner on the support portion of the lid member is attached to the bottom inner wall of the fuel tank. The distance between the lid member and the suction module can be easily changed according to the height of the fuel tank.

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
1 and 2 show a fuel supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The fuel tank 2 has a plurality of tank chambers. The fuel supply device 10 according to the first embodiment is a fuel supply device that supplies fuel from one of a plurality of tank chambers of a fuel tank 2 in which the fuel supply device 10 is installed to another tank chamber.

  The lid member 12 of the fuel supply device 10 has a lid body 14, a skirt 16, an electrical connector 18, and a support portion 20, and is integrally formed of resin. The lid body 14 is formed in a disc shape and closes the opening 2 a of the fuel tank 2. Ribs 15 are formed inside the fuel tank 2 of the lid body 14 in order to increase the mechanical strength of the lid body 14. The skirt 16 as a fitting portion extends in an annular shape from the lid body 14 toward the inside of the fuel tank 2 on the outer peripheral edge side of the lid body 14. The electrical connector 18 is electrically connected to a fuel gauge 50 of a suction module 30 described later by a lead wire 19, and takes out a detection signal of the fuel gauge 50 to the outside of the fuel tank 2.

  The support portion 20 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the skirt 16 so as to be separated from the skirt 16 and extend from the lid body 14 to the inside of the fuel tank 2 rather than the skirt 16. The support portion 20 is formed at two locations in a circular arc shape on the opposite side of the lid body 14 in the radial direction. The support portion 20 is formed with a rectangular window 22 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the support portion 20 and is closed at the lower side on the suction module 30 side. One end of the spring 24 as an elastic member is locked to the lid member 12, and the other end of the spring 24 is locked to the suction module 30. The spring 24 applies a force to the lid member 12 and the suction module 30 in directions away from each other.

  The intake module 30 includes a bracket 32, a fuel gauge 50 attached to the bracket 32, and a suction filter 60. The bracket 32 has a pipe 34, a spring seat 36, and a sliding portion 38, and is integrally formed of resin. The pipe 34 is formed hollow, and a fuel gauge 50 and a suction filter 60 are attached to the pipe 34. The spring seat 36 locks the other end of the spring 24. Even if the height of the fuel tank 2 varies depending on the type of the fuel tank 2 or the height of the fuel tank 2 itself changes due to a temperature change or the like, the intake module 30 is adjusted to the height of the fuel tank 2 by the load of the spring 24. Following this change, it is pressed against the bottom inner wall of the fuel tank 2.

  The sliding portion 38 is formed in a cylindrical shape on the outer peripheral side of the spring seat 36. A claw 39 protruding outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 38. The claw 39 is fitted in the window 22 of the support portion 20. Then, when the claw 39 moves along the window 22 in the longitudinal direction of the support portion 20, the suction module 30 is supported by the lid member 12 so as to be reciprocally movable.

  The fuel gauge 50 is connected to the float 54 by an arm 52. As the float 54 moves up and down according to the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 2 and the arm 52 rotates, the fuel gauge 50 outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of rotation of the arm 52, that is, the remaining amount of fuel. The detection signal of the fuel gauge 50 is sent from the electrical connector 18 to a control device (not shown) outside the fuel tank 2.

  The suction filter 60 as the suction port of the suction module 30 is attached to the end of the pipe 34 on the bottom side of the fuel tank 2. A fuel pump (not shown) is accommodated in the fuel sucked from the suction filter 60 by a suction force of a transfer jet pump (not shown), and piping is provided in a tank chamber different from the tank chamber in which the suction module 30 is accommodated. Transported through.

  In the first embodiment, since the support portion 20 is formed away from the skirt 16 on the inner peripheral side of the skirt 16, the thickness of the skirt 16 at the circumferential position where the support portion 20 is formed, and the support portion 20. The thickness of the skirt 16 at the circumferential position where no slab is formed can be made substantially equal. Thereby, since the thickness of the skirt 16 becomes substantially uniform in the circumferential direction, the deformation of the skirt 16 and the lid body 14 in the vicinity of the skirt 16 can be prevented when the lid member 12 is integrally formed of resin. Therefore, the lid body 14 and the skirt 16 can satisfactorily seal the opening 2a of the fuel tank 2.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the substantially same component as 1st Embodiment.
In the fuel supply device 100 of the second embodiment, the fuel supply device 100 itself has a fuel pump 140. The fuel supply apparatus 100 sucks the fuel in the tank chamber of the fuel tank 180 in which the fuel supply apparatus 10 is installed by the fuel pump 140 of the fuel supply apparatus 100 and boosts the fuel. The fuel tank 180 forms only one tank chamber in which the fuel pump 140 is accommodated.

The lid member 102 of the fuel supply apparatus 100 includes a lid body 104, a skirt 106, and a support portion 110, and is integrally formed of resin. The fuel discharge pipe 108 is attached to the lid main body 104 and is a separate member from the lid member 102.
The lid main body 104 is formed in a disc shape and closes the opening 180 a of the fuel tank 180. The skirt 106 as a fitting portion extends in an annular shape from the lid body 104 toward the inside of the fuel tank 180 on the outer peripheral edge side of the lid body 104.

  The support portion 110 is formed so as to be separated from the skirt 106 on the inner peripheral side of the skirt 106 and extend from the lid main body 104 toward the inside of the fuel tank 180 rather than the skirt 106. The support portion 110 is formed at two locations on the opposite side in the radial direction of the lid body 104 in a circular arc shape. A rectangular window 112 extending in the longitudinal direction and closed on the lower pump module 130 side is formed in the support portion 110. One end of the spring 24 is locked to the lid member 102, and the other end of the spring 24 is locked to the connecting member 120. The spring 24 applies a force to the lid member 102 and the connecting member 120 in directions away from each other.

  The connecting member 120 has a spring seat 122 and a sliding portion 124 on the outer peripheral side of the spring seat 122. The spring seat 122 locks the other end of the spring 24. A claw 125 protruding outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 124. The claw 125 is fitted in the window 112 of the support part 110. Further, the connecting member 120 is coupled to the sub tank 132 of the pump module 130 by a snap fit or the like. That is, the connecting member 120 and the pump module 130 constitute an intake module. Then, when the claw 125 moves along the window 112 in the longitudinal direction of the support portion 110, the connecting member 120 and the pump module 130 constituting the suction module are supported by the lid member 102 so as to be reciprocally movable.

  The pump module 130 houses the fuel pump 140 and the fuel filter 150 in the sub tank 132. The suction filter 142 as an intake port is attached to the bottom of the fuel pump 140 on the fuel intake side by a snap fit. The fuel pump 140 sucks the fuel in the sub tank 132 from the suction filter 142 and raises the pressure. The fuel boosted by the fuel pump 140 is subjected to removal of foreign matter by the fuel filter 150 and regulated by the pressure regulator 160. The pressure regulator 160 is attached to the connecting member 120. The fuel regulated by the pressure regulator 160 is supplied from the fuel discharge pipe 108 to the outside of the fuel tank 180. The jet pump 170 is attached to the bottom of the sub tank 132. The fuel ejected by the jet pump 170 is surplus fuel that is discharged when the pressure regulator 160 regulates the discharge pressure of the fuel pump 140. The jet pump 170 ejects surplus fuel supplied from the pressure regulator 160 from a nozzle (not shown), sucks the fuel in the fuel tank 180 by the negative pressure generated at that time, and supplies it to the sub tank 132.

  Like the fuel supply device 100 of the second embodiment described above, even in a case where the fuel pump 140 is installed in the fuel supply device 100 itself, the support portion 110 is formed away from the skirt 106 on the inner peripheral side of the skirt 106. Therefore, the thickness of the skirt 106 at the circumferential position where the support portion 110 is formed and the thickness of the skirt 106 at the circumferential position where the support portion 110 is not formed can be made substantially equal. Thereby, since the thickness of the skirt 106 becomes substantially uniform in the circumferential direction, when the lid member 102 is integrally formed of resin, deformation of the skirt 106 and the lid body 104 in the vicinity of the skirt 106 can be prevented. Therefore, the lid body 104 and the skirt 106 can favorably seal the opening 180a of the fuel tank 180.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiments, the fuel pump accommodated in the tank chamber of the fuel tank that houses the suction module or in a different tank chamber boosts the fuel sucked from the suction port of the suction module. A fuel pump installed outside may increase the pressure of the fuel supplied from the fuel supply device of the present invention.

In the second embodiment, the fuel pump 140 is accommodated in the sub-tank 132. However, the fuel pump 140 may be directly accommodated in the fuel tank 2, and the fuel in the fuel tank 2 may be directly sucked and boosted by the fuel pump 140. .
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof.

The fragmentary sectional view which shows the fuel supply apparatus by 1st Embodiment. (A) is the figure which looked at the cover member from the outside of a fuel tank, (B) is the figure which looked at the cover member from the inside of a fuel tank, (C) is a C direction arrow line view of (A). The fragmentary sectional view which shows the fuel supply apparatus by 2nd Embodiment. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the conventional fuel supply apparatus. (A) is the figure which looked at the cover member from the outside of a fuel tank, (B) is the figure which looked at the cover member from the inside of a fuel tank, (C) is a C direction arrow line view of (A).

Explanation of symbols

2, 180: fuel tank, 2a, 180a: opening, 10, 100: fuel supply device, 12, 102: lid member, 14, 104: lid body, 16, 106: skirt (fitting portion), 20, 110 : Support part, 24: spring (elastic member), 30: suction module, 60, 142: suction filter (suction port), 120: connecting member (suction module), 130: pump module (suction module), 140: fuel pump

Claims (3)

A lid body that closes an opening formed in the fuel tank, a fitting portion that extends annularly from the lid body toward the inside of the fuel tank on the outer peripheral side of the lid body, and fits into the opening; and A lid member formed on the inner peripheral side of the fitting portion away from the fitting portion and extending from the lid main body toward the fuel tank;
A suction module housed in a tank chamber of the fuel tank, having a fuel suction port, and supported by the support portion so as to be reciprocally movable in a longitudinal direction of the support portion;
A fuel supply device comprising:   The fuel supply device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member that applies a force to the lid member and the suction module in directions away from each other. The fuel supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein fuel is supplied to a fuel pump installed at a position different from the tank chamber in which the suction module is accommodated.

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