JP2009235993A - Fuel filter and fuel supply apparatus using it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel filter capable of restraining deformation of the bottom of a filter case due to the fuel pressure in a fuel supply apparatus with a demand of lowering its height. <P>SOLUTION: A filter element 21 for removing foreign substances in a fuel is stored in a cylindrical filter case 22. The filter case 22 includes a first reinforcing member 31 radially in a filter case bottom 26, and a second reinforcing member connecting between the first reinforcing members 31 in the peripheral direction. According to the fuel filter, the filter case bottom is hardly bent even in the case the fuel pressure is raised to as to prevent concentration of the stress in the filter case peripheral part. Thereby, deformation or breakage of the filter case by the fuel pressure can be restrained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel filter and a fuel supply device using the same.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a fuel supply device, a cylindrical fuel filter that removes foreign matters of fuel supplied from a fuel pump in a fuel supply tank is known. When the pressure by the fuel supplied to the filter case inner wall of the fuel filter rises, the periphery of the bottom of the filter case of the fuel filter is more easily bent than the cylindrical portion.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the strength of the filter case is improved by forming the bottom part of the filter case of the fuel filter into a shape having a small flat part.
Moreover, in patent document 2, the intensity | strength of a filter case is improved by shape | molding the bottom part of the filter case of a fuel filter in spherical shape.

  However, in the filter case of Patent Document 1, since the bottom portion has a shape having few flat portions, the area of the bottom portion is reduced. In order to obtain the same volume inside the filter case as before the area of the bottom portion is reduced, the filter case There was a need to increase the height. Also in the filter case of patent document 2, since the bottom part was made into a spherical shape instead of a plane, it resulted in the height of a filter case increasing.

In recent years, a fuel supply device having a reduced height has been demanded, and the fuel tank and the fuel filter provided in the fuel tank are also required to be lowered in height.
When the height of the filter case of the fuel filter is lowered, it is necessary to increase the area of the bottom of the filter case in order to obtain the same volume inside the filter case as before the height of the filter case is lowered.
When the area of the bottom of the filter case is increased, as described above, the pressure of the fuel supplied to the filter case inner wall of the fuel filter makes it easier for the filter case of the fuel filter to bend the periphery of the bottom part than the cylinder part. Arise.
However, since there is a demand to reduce the height, the shape of the bottom of the filter case cannot be made as described in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 in order to improve the strength of the filter case of the fuel filter.

US Pat. No. 6,123,521 US Pat. No. 6,164,267

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel filter capable of suppressing deformation of the bottom of a filter case due to fuel pressure in a fuel supply apparatus that is required to have a low height.

According to the fuel filter of the first aspect of the present invention, the filter element for removing the foreign matter in the fuel is accommodated in the cylindrical filter case.
In general, in a fuel filter including a cylindrical filter case, when the pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel filter rises, the bottom of the filter case bends and stress tends to concentrate on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the filter case. As a result, the filter case may be deformed or damaged.

  However, the filter case of the fuel filter according to claim 1 of the present invention has a configuration in which the first reinforcing member is provided radially at the bottom, and the second reinforcing member that connects the first reinforcing members in the circumferential direction is further provided. adopt. According to such a fuel filter, even if the fuel pressure rises, the bottom of the filter case is not easily bent, and stress is less likely to concentrate on the peripheral edge of the filter case. Therefore, deformation and breakage of the filter case due to fuel pressure can be suppressed.

According to the fuel filter of the second aspect of the present invention, the second reinforcing member includes the central rib provided at the center of the bottom of the filter case and the peripheral rib provided at the peripheral of the bottom of the filter case. .
Furthermore, according to the fuel filter of the third aspect of the present invention, the peripheral rib is formed as a rib that linearly connects between the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other.

According to the fuel filter of claim 4 of the present invention, the peripheral rib is formed as a rib that connects between the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other in a concentric manner with the center portion of the filter case as the center. .
According to the fuel filter of claim 5 of the present invention, the peripheral rib is formed as a first rib and a second rib that are connected in a mountain shape between the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other.
According to such a fuel filter, the strength of the bottom of the filter case can be improved by providing the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member at the bottom of the filter case. For this reason, even if the fuel pressure rises, the bottom of the filter case is less likely to bend, and damage to the filter case can be prevented.

According to the fuel supply device using the fuel filter according to claim 6 of the present invention, the fuel supply device housed in the fuel tank for storing the fuel includes a fuel pump, a fuel filter, and a suction filter. I have.
The fuel pump is electrically driven and sucks the fuel in the fuel tank and discharges it outside the fuel tank. The fuel filter is any one of the fuel filters according to claims 1 to 5, and removes foreign matters of fuel sucked by the fuel pump. The suction filter removes foreign matters in the fuel sucked from the fuel tank by the fuel pump.
According to the fuel supply device using the fuel filter according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the pressure regulator inside the fuel tank adjusts the pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump and from which foreign matters are removed by the fuel filter.

  According to such a fuel supply apparatus, since the fuel filter according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is employed as the fuel filter, the filter based on the fuel pressure is used even in the fuel supply apparatus that is required to reduce the height. The bottom of the case can be prevented from being bent, and the filter case can be prevented from being damaged.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, in a plurality of embodiments, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
(First embodiment)

A fuel supply apparatus including a fuel filter according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The fuel supply device 1 includes a fuel pump 40, a fuel filter 20, a suction filter 50, a pressure regulator 60, and the like. The fuel tank lid member 11 of the fuel supply apparatus 1 is formed in a substantially disk shape from resin.
The fuel tank lid member 11 is attached to the opening 101 formed by the edge 102 of the fuel tank 10. When the fuel supply device 1 is mounted on the fuel tank 10, the fuel tank lid member 11 closes the opening 101. Parts other than the fuel tank lid member 11 and the fuel tank lid pressing member 13 in the fuel supply device 1 are accommodated in the fuel tank 10. The fuel tank 10 is made of, for example, resin.

  The fuel tank lid member 11 has a fuel pump discharge port 14, an electrical connector 13, and a column 71. The fuel pump discharge port 14 is a pipe that supplies the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 to the outside of the fuel supply device 1. The electrical connector 13 is connected to a power source and ECU (not shown). The electrical connector 13 penetrates the fuel tank lid member 11 and protrudes toward the fuel tank 10 side. A lead wire (not shown) extends from the electrical connector 13 to the fuel pump 40 inside the fuel tank 10. Power from the power source is supplied to the fuel pump 40 via a lead wire.

The fuel tank lid member 11 has a substantially disc-shaped flange portion 111, and the flange portion 111 is supported by an edge portion 102 that forms the opening 101. A thread groove 103 is formed in the edge portion 102.
The lid pressing member 13 has a cylindrical portion 131 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and an annular locking portion 132 extending in the radially inward direction is provided at one end portion of the cylindrical portion 131. A thread 133 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the other end of the cylindrical portion 131.

The flange portion 111 is locked to the edge portion 102 of the fuel tank 10 by the locking portion 132 of the lid pressing member 13, and the fuel tank lid member 11 connects the thread 133 formed on the lid pressing member 13 to the edge of the fuel tank 10. The fuel tank 10 is assembled by screwing into a thread groove 103 formed in the portion 102.
On the surface of the fuel tank lid member 11 facing the inside of the fuel tank 10, a hot plate welding rib 12 is provided as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, one end of two struts 71 is press-fitted into the fuel tank lid member 11, and the other end is loosely inserted into an insertion hole formed in a resin base 72. The spring 711 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the support 71, and one end is locked to the fuel tank lid member 11 and the other end is locked to the base 72. As a result, the fuel tank lid member 11 and the base 72 can reciprocate relatively up and down in the direction of gravity of the fuel tank 10. Therefore, even if the fuel tank 10 in which the fuel supply device 1 is accommodated expands or contracts due to a change in internal pressure due to a temperature change or a change in the amount of fuel, the bottom of the base 72 is always pressed against the bottom inner wall of the fuel tank 10. .

  The fuel pump 40 accommodates a motor (not shown) inside and has a rotating member such as an impeller (not shown) that rotates together with the motor. The suction filter 50 is installed on the suction port side of the fuel pump 40, that is, on the upstream end of the suction line of the fuel pump 40, and removes relatively large foreign matters contained in the fuel.

The fuel filter 20 accommodates a filter element 21 for removing foreign matters in the fuel inside a filter case 22. The ground portion 29 is connected to the fuel pump 40 by a ground wire (not shown), and discharges static electricity accumulated in the filter element 21 via the ground wire. The pressure regulator 60 is attached to the side of the filter case 22 of the fuel filter 20.
In the filter case 22 according to the present embodiment, the fuel filter 20, the pressure regulator 60, and the ground portion 29 are integrally formed of resin. The fuel filter 20 and the fuel pump 40 are connected by a connection pipe 73 that is a bellows pipe.

Here, the shape of the filter case 22 of the fuel filter 20 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, a hot plate welding rib 231 is formed on the filter case cover member 23 of the fuel filter 20.
The bottom of the filter case 22 of the fuel filter 20 has a shape shown in FIG.
Radial ribs 311 as first reinforcing members provided radially and connecting ribs 321 as second reinforcing members for connecting the radial ribs 311 in the circumferential direction are provided at the bottom of the filter case 22. . The connecting rib 321 includes a center rib 331 provided at the center of the filter case bottom 26 and a peripheral rib 341 provided at the periphery of the filter case bottom 26.

In the fuel filter 20 according to the present embodiment, the peripheral rib 341 connects the radial ribs 311 adjacent to each other in a straight line.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the peripheral rib 341 according to the present embodiment connects two radial ribs 311 intersecting at a right angle by a linear peripheral rib 341. The central rib 331 is provided at the intersection of the two radial ribs. The rib formed on the filter case bottom 26 of the filter case 22 of the fuel filter 20 according to the present embodiment has a shape that combines a square and a triangle when viewed from the bottom of the filter case 22.

  The procedure for assembling the fuel filter 2 to the fuel tank lid member 11 in assembling the fuel supply apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 3, a hot plate welding rib 231 is formed on the filter case lid member 23 of the fuel filter 20, but the hot plate welding rib is also provided on the surface of the fuel tank lid member 11 facing the fuel tank 10. 12 is formed. The shape of the hot plate welding rib 12 is the same as that of the hot plate welding rib 231.
First, the hot plate welding rib 12 of the fuel tank lid member 11 is heated and melted.
Next, the hot plate welding rib 231 of the filter case lid member 23 is heated and melted.
Thereafter, the hot plate welding rib 231 of the filter case lid member 23 is pressure-bonded to the hot plate welding rib 12 of the fuel tank lid member 11 and cooled.

  According to such a fuel filter 20, the fuel filter 20 is integrated with the fuel tank lid member 11 by hot plate welding, and the fuel filter 20 can be firmly fixed to the fuel tank lid member 11.

  In the fuel supply device 1 using the fuel filter 20 assembled as described above, the fuel stored in the fuel tank 10 is boosted by a rotating member such as an impeller that rotates together with a motor (not shown) of the fuel pump 40, and the fuel pump It is supplied to an internal combustion engine (not shown) via the discharge port 14. At this time, the fuel is discharged from the fuel pump discharge port 14 after the pressure is adjusted by the pressure regulator 60. The surplus fuel at the time of pressure adjustment is discharged from the discharge port 61 into the fuel tank 10 by the pressure regulator 60.

  Foreign matter is removed from the fuel pressurized by the fuel pump 40 by the suction filter 50 before being sucked into the fuel pump 40, and further removed by the fuel filter 20 after being discharged from the fuel pump 40. Here, when fuel whose pressure has been increased from the fuel pump 40 is supplied to the fuel filter 20, pressure from the fuel is applied to the inner wall of the filter case 22.

  However, since the center rib 331 and the peripheral rib 341 are provided at the bottom of the filter case 22 of the fuel filter 20 according to this embodiment as members for reinforcing the filter case bottom 26 of the filter case 22 as described above, the filter Stress is less likely to concentrate on the peripheral edge of the case bottom 26. As a result, deformation and breakage of the filter case 22 due to fuel pressure can be suppressed.

(Second Embodiment)
As a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral rib 341 of the filter case 22 in the first embodiment is centered on the central portion of the filter case between the adjacent radial ribs 312. It can also be formed as a peripheral rib 342 connected concentrically. In this embodiment, other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The rib formed on the bottom surface portion of the filter case 222 of the fuel filter according to the present embodiment has a shape of a substantially circular spider web when viewed from the bottom surface of the filter case 222.
The fuel filter according to the present embodiment can suppress deformation and breakage of the filter case 222 due to the pressure of the fuel as in the first embodiment.

(Third embodiment)
As a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, the peripheral ribs in the first embodiment are formed as first ribs 351 and second ribs 352 that connect the adjacent radial ribs 313 in a mountain shape. It can also be configured. That is, the shape constituted by the first rib 351 and the second rib 352 is a mountain shape that is convex toward the peripheral edge of the bottom of the filter case 223. In this case, the rib formed on the bottom surface portion of the filter case of the fuel filter according to the present embodiment is shaped like a chrysanthemum flower when viewed from the bottom surface of the filter case 223.
The fuel filter according to the present embodiment can suppress deformation and breakage of the filter case 223 due to the pressure of the fuel as in the first embodiment.
Further, since the filter case 223 of the fuel filter according to the present embodiment can take a large area between the ribs, the filter case 223 can be easily removed from the molding die when the filter case 223 is molded with resin, and has a manufacturing advantage.

(Experiment)
In the fuel filters according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention, the effect of reducing the stress generated in the peripheral edge portion of the filter case bottom due to the fuel pressure was confirmed by experiments.

In order to confirm the effect, a fuel filter having no radial ribs and no connecting ribs is prepared as a reference example in the filter case of the fuel filter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. And the stress generated in the peripheral edge of the filter case bottom due to the pressure of the fuel.
Here, the diameter φ of the filter case of the fuel filter was 67 mm, the thickness t1 of the cylindrical portion of the filter case was 3.5 mm, and the thickness t2 of the bottom of the filter case was 3 mm. In each embodiment, the height t3 of the rib provided at the bottom of the filter case was 6 mm.

According to FIG. 8 showing experimental results, in all the fuel filters according to the first to third embodiments, the stress generated in the peripheral portion of the filter case bottom due to the fuel pressure is lower than the stress generated in the fuel filter of the reference example. Obviously.
In particular, the effect of reducing the maximum stress by the fuel filter according to the second and third embodiments is great.

  In the fuel filter 90 of the reference example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the pressure P due to the fuel supplied to the inner wall of the filter case 91 of the fuel filter 90 increases, the filter case 91 of the fuel filter 90 is removed from the filter case tube portion 93. Also, the stress tends to concentrate on the peripheral edge of the filter case bottom 95. As a result, the filter case bottom 95 may be deformed or damaged as indicated by the broken line in FIG.

  On the other hand, in each embodiment according to the present invention, by providing radial ribs and connecting ribs as reinforcing members at the bottom of the filter case, stress is unlikely to concentrate on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the filter case. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the maximum stress generated at the peripheral edge of the filter case bottom can be reduced.

  In addition, since the stress generated by the fuel pressure is easily concentrated on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the filter case as described above, the peripheral rib is provided in a shape as close as possible to the shape of the peripheral edge of the filter case bottom. In the embodiment and the third embodiment, the effect of reducing stress is great.

  As described above, the fuel filter according to each embodiment of the present invention has an effect of reducing stress generated in the peripheral edge portion of the bottom of the filter case due to the pressure of the fuel, and improves the strength of the filter case.

(Other embodiments)
In the first embodiment described above, the filter case of the fuel filter is integrally formed with the fuel filter, the pressure regulator, and the ground portion. On the other hand, in another embodiment of the present invention, the fuel filter and the pressure regulator may be formed separately. Moreover, in other embodiment of this invention, the fuel supply apparatus which is not provided with a pressure regulator may be sufficient.

  The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof.

The schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the fuel supply apparatus using the fuel filter by 1st Embodiment of this invention. The front view which shows the fuel filter by 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a plan view of a fuel filter according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view showing the fuel filter according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. The bottom view of the filter case of the fuel filter by 1st Embodiment of this invention. The bottom view of the filter case of the fuel filter by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The bottom view of the filter case of the fuel filter by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The characteristic view which shows the stress which arises in the filter case of the fuel filter by 1st Embodiment of this invention from 3rd Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the filter case of the fuel filter by a reference example.

Explanation of symbols

  20: fuel filter, 21: filter element, 22: filter case, 31: first reinforcing member, radial rib, 32: second reinforcing member, connecting rib, 311: radial rib (first reinforcing member), 321: connecting rib (Second reinforcing member), 331: central rib (second reinforcing member), 341: peripheral rib (second reinforcing member)

Claims (7)

A filter element for removing foreign matter in the fuel;
A cylindrical filter case for accommodating the filter element;
A first reinforcing member provided radially at the bottom of the filter case;
And a second reinforcing member that connects the first reinforcing members in the circumferential direction.   The said 2nd reinforcement member is comprised from the center rib provided in the center part of the bottom part of the said filter case, and the peripheral rib provided in the peripheral part of the bottom part of the said filter case. Fuel filter.   The fuel filter according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral rib is a rib that linearly connects between the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other.   3. The fuel filter according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral ribs are ribs that connect the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other in a concentric manner with a central portion of the filter case as a center.   3. The fuel filter according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral rib is a first rib and a second rib that are connected in a mountain shape between the first reinforcing members adjacent to each other. A fuel tank for storing fuel;
An electrically driven fuel pump provided in the fuel tank, for sucking the fuel in the fuel tank and discharging it out of the fuel tank;
The fuel filter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein foreign matter in the fuel sucked by the fuel pump is removed.
A suction filter for removing foreign matter in the fuel sucked from the fuel tank by the fuel pump;
A fuel supply device using a fuel filter.   The fuel supply device according to claim 6, further comprising a pressure regulator that adjusts a pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump and removed of foreign matters by the fuel filter.

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