JP3748103B2 - Fuel supply device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel supply device in which a cylindrical filter case surrounds a fuel pump.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a fuel supply device in which a cylindrical fuel filter is installed on the outer periphery of a fuel pump so as to surround the fuel pump, and foreign matters in fuel discharged from the fuel pump are removed. The fuel filter has a filter element and a filter case that houses the filter element between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. In the fuel supply apparatus having such a configuration, it is desirable to contact the inner cylinder of the filter case and the fuel pump in order to make the filter case compact.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the inner cylinder of the filter case and the fuel pump are in contact with each other around the circumference, water may accumulate between the inner cylinder of the filter case and the fuel pump depending on the installation location of the fuel supply device.
When the fuel pump is installed in a sub-tank having a length equal to or longer than that of the fuel pump, the fuel pump is immersed in the fuel to the top. Since the moisture contained in the fuel in a small amount has a specific gravity greater than that of the fuel, the moisture separates from the fuel and sinks downward, and water is collected between the inner cylinder of the filter case and the fuel pump. The accumulated water can reach the top of the fuel pump.
[0004]
When water accumulates between the inner cylinder of the filter case and the fuel pump and reaches the upper part of the fuel pump, parts installed on the upper part of the fuel pump may be corroded. For example, if the terminal of the electrical connector of the fuel pump and the terminal of the power supply connector that supplies the drive current to the fuel pump and is electrically connected to the electrical connector corrode to cause poor contact between the terminals, the drive current is supplied to the fuel pump. May not be supplied, and the fuel pump may malfunction.
[0005]
Further, in the fuel supply device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-213091, the filter case covering the upper side of the fuel pump is in contact with the fuel discharged from the fuel pump, and is used for supplying a drive current to the motor of the fuel pump. The power supply cable passes through the filter case. Therefore, it is necessary to seal between the filter case and the power supply cable in order to prevent the discharged fuel from leaking from between the filter case and the power supply cable and reducing the discharge pressure. Therefore, when replacing either the fuel filter or the fuel pump, it is difficult to detach the fuel filter from the fuel pump.
[0006]
The objective of this invention is providing the fuel supply apparatus which prevents that water accumulates between the inner cylinder of a filter case, and a fuel pump.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply device that prevents malfunction of the fuel pump due to poor electrical contact.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply device in which a filter case containing a filter element or a fuel pump can be easily replaced.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the fuel supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the present invention, in installed state of the fuel supply system between the filter case and the fuel pump from above such that the water downward is discharged, the inner cylinder of the filter casing One or more drainage passages are formed between the inner peripheral surface of the fuel pump and the outer peripheral surface of the fuel pump. Since water does not accumulate in the upper concave portion formed by the upper end surface of the fuel pump and the inner peripheral side surface of the inner cylinder of the filter case, it is possible to prevent the parts installed on the upper portion of the fuel pump from corroding.
[0008]
According to the fuel supply device of the third aspect of the present invention, the electrical connector installed on the upper end surface of the fuel pump and the power supply connector electrically connected to the electrical connector are not exposed to water. Corrosion with the connector can be prevented, and poor electrical contact between terminals can be prevented. Therefore, malfunction of the fuel pump can be prevented.
[0009]
Further, the upper part of the filter case is sealed by joining the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and the upper part of the upper concave part is opened so that the power supply connector can pass through when being attached to and detached from the electrical connector. Therefore, there is no need to seal between the power supply connector or the power supply lead wire electrically connected to the power supply connector and the filter case. The power supply connector can be easily detached from the electrical connector through the opening in the upper recess. Since the assembly of the filter case containing the filter element and the fuel pump can be easily released, the filter case containing the filter element or the fuel pump can be easily replaced.
[0010]
According to the fuel supply device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the distance from the opening of the upper concave portion to the electrical connector is shortened in a state where the fuel supply device is installed. Therefore, it becomes easy for the power feeding connector to be attached to and detached from the electrical connector through the opening of the upper concave portion.
According to the fuel supply device of claim 5 of the present invention, the inner bottom surface of the connector recess of the electrical connector is at the same height as the upper end surface of the fuel pump or above the upper end surface. It has a through hole that penetrates the side wall that forms the connector recess and has the inner bottom surface of the connector recess as the lower end. Accordingly, the water in the connector recess is discharged to the outside of the connector recess through the through hole. Therefore, electrical contact failure between the electrical connector and the power feeding connector can be prevented.
[0011]
According to the fuel supply device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the through hole of the electrical connector also serves as a fitting hole into which the power feeding connector is fitted by an elastic force. Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.
When the fuel pump is installed in the fuel tank as in the fuel supply device according to the seventh or eighth aspect of the present invention, the fuel easily enters the upper recess. In particular, when the fuel pump is installed in the sub tank, the upper recess is filled with fuel. Therefore, when water contained in a minute amount in the fuel is separated from the fuel, the water tends to accumulate in the upper concave portion. However, since one or more drainage passages are formed between the inner peripheral side surface of the inner cylinder of the filter case and the outer peripheral side surface of the fuel pump, water does not accumulate in the upper recess.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, examples showing embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
A fuel supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The attachment member 11 of the fuel supply device 10 is formed in a disk shape, and is fixedly attached to an upper wall of a fuel tank (not shown) integrally formed of resin, and other components of the fuel supply device 10 are fuel tanks. Is housed inside.
[0013]
The attachment member 11 is integrally molded with a fuel discharge pipe 12 and an electrical connector 14. Alternatively, the fuel discharge pipe 12 and the electrical connector 14 may be assembled to the mounting member 11 as separate parts. The fuel discharge pipe 12 is a pipe for discharging the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 accommodated in the sub tank 20 to the outside of the fuel tank.
The electrical connector 14 is electrically connected to the electrical connector 50 through the lead wire 30 and the power feeding connector 31, and supplies power to the fuel pump 40. The electrical connector 50 is an electrical connector described in the claims.
[0014]
One end of the metal pipe 18 is press-fitted into a cylindrical pipe support 16 formed on the mounting member 11, and the other end is loosely inserted into a pipe support 22 formed on the sub tank 20. The spring 19 biases the attachment member 11 and the sub tank 20 away from each other. With such a configuration, even if the resin fuel tank expands and contracts due to a change in internal pressure or a change in fuel amount due to a temperature change, the bottom of the sub tank 20 is always pressed against the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank by the biasing force of the spring 19. It has been.
[0015]
The sub tank 20 is not sealed, and the upper side is open. Inside the sub tank 20, a suction filter 24, a pressure regulator 25, a fuel pump 40, a fuel filter 60, and the like are accommodated. The suction filter 24 collects relatively large foreign matters contained in the fuel sucked from the sub tank 20 by the fuel pump 40. The pressure regulator 25 adjusts the pressure of the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40 to a predetermined pressure. The fuel filter 60 collects relatively small foreign matters contained in the fuel discharged from the fuel pump 40.
[0016]
The lead wire 30 electrically connects the terminal of the electrical connector 14 and the terminal 32 of the power supply connector 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector housing 33 of the power supply connector 31 has a claw 34 that is elastically fitted to the through hole 55 of the electrical connector 50. A protrusion 35 is formed on the claw 34.
[0017]
The fuel pump 40 has a motor as an electric drive unit (not shown) inside, and generates a fuel suction force by the rotation of the motor. The upper part of the fuel pump 40 is covered with a resin cover 41. The resin cover 41 is caulked and fixed to the end of the pump housing 45. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel pump 40 discharges fuel from a discharge port 42 formed in the resin cover 41. The fuel pressurized by the fuel pump 40 is discharged from the discharge port 42, and a part thereof is injected from a nozzle portion (not shown) installed outside the bottom side of the sub tank 20. The nozzle portion injects fuel toward a fuel inlet (not shown) formed in the sub tank 20. The fuel in the fuel tank is sucked into the sub tank 20 by the suction pressure generated at this time. The nozzle portion that injects part of the fuel pressurized by the fuel pump 40 constitutes a so-called jet pump. A valve body (not shown) that prevents the fuel pumped up by the jet pump from flowing out of the sub tank 20 is provided. Therefore, even if the amount of fuel in the fuel tank decreases, the sub tank 20 is filled with fuel.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2, the electrical connector 50 is formed on the resin cover 41 so as to protrude from the upper end surface 41 a of the resin cover 41. The connector housing 51 of the electrical connector 50 is cylindrical. The connector housing 51 has a connector recess 52 that accommodates the power supply connector 31. The inner bottom surface 53 of the connector recess 52 has the same height as the upper end surface 41 a of the resin cover 41. A terminal 54 that is electrically connected to the motor of the fuel pump 40 is exposed in the connector recess 52. A through hole 55 penetrating the side wall is formed in the side wall of the connector housing 51. The lower end position of the through hole 55 reaches the inner bottom surface 53. Water entering the connector recess 52 passes through the through hole 55 and is discharged from the connector recess 52. When the power supply connector 31 is inserted toward the connector recess 52 from above in FIG. 2, the claw 34 of the power supply connector 31 is fitted into the through hole 55 by an elastic force. The claw 34 and the through hole 55 are fitted in a so-called snap fit. By elastically deforming the claw 34, the power supply connector 31 and the electrical connector 50 can be easily detached. The through hole 55 also serves as a fitting hole into which the claw 34 of the power supply connector 31 is fitted.
[0019]
A fuel filter 60 shown in FIG. 1 has a filter case 61 and a filter element 70. The snap ring 69 is fitted in the lower opening of the case body 62. The snap ring 69 locks the fuel pump 40 and prevents the fuel pump 40 from dropping from the filter case 61. The filter element 70 is accommodated in the filter case 61.
[0020]
The filter case 61 has a case main body 62 and a lid 68, and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The case body 62 includes an inner cylinder 63 that surrounds the outer periphery of the fuel pump 40 and is in contact with the fuel pump 40, and an outer cylinder 64 that surrounds the outer periphery of the inner cylinder 63. The upper portion of the case main body 62 in FIG. 1 is sealed by a lid 68 connecting the inner cylinder 63 and the outer cylinder 64. The inlet 65 of the case main body 62 is fitted in the discharge port 42 of the fuel pump 40. The fuel from which foreign matter has been removed through the filter element 70 is adjusted to a predetermined fuel pressure by the pressure regulator 25 and flows out from the outlet 66 of the filter case 61. The fuel flowing out from the outlet 66 is discharged from the fuel discharge pipe 12 through the bellows pipe 28.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2, an upper concave portion 100 is formed above the fuel pump 40 by the inner peripheral side surface 63 a of the inner cylinder 63 and the upper end surface 41 a of the resin cover 41. The upper part of the upper recess 100 is open. After the filter case 61 and the fuel pump 40 are assembled, the power supply connector 31 can be fitted to the electrical connector 50 through the opening of the upper recess 100.
[0022]
Between the inner peripheral side surface 63a of the inner cylinder 63 and the outer peripheral side surface 45a of the pump housing 45 of the fuel pump 40, one or more drainage passages 200 are formed in the circumferential direction. The inner cylinder 63 and the pump housing 45 are set at intervals other than where the water drainage passage 200 is formed so that the inner cylinder 63 and the pump housing 45 are in contact with each other or water does not fall.
[0023]
The drain passage 200 may be formed by a groove formed in the inner cylinder 63 or the pump housing 45, but it is desirable that the shape of the inner cylinder 63 is slightly distorted as shown in FIG. This is to reduce the deformation of the filter element 70 as much as possible.
[0024]
The sub tank 20 is filled with fuel by the above-described operation of the nozzle portion (not shown) as a jet pump and the configuration of a valve body (not shown) that prevents the pumped fuel from flowing out of the sub tank 20. Even if the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is small, most of the small amount of fuel is stored in the sub tank 20. Therefore, regardless of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, the terminal 54 of the electrical connector 50 and the terminal 32 of the power feeding connector 31 are connected in the fuel stored in the sub tank 20. Moisture contained slightly in the fuel has a specific gravity greater than that of the fuel, so that it separates from the fuel and sinks downward. Moisture that sinks to the bottom of the upper recess 100 passes through the drainage passage 200 and is discharged below the fuel pump 40. Regardless of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, even if the connection portion between the terminal 54 and the terminal 32 is covered with fuel, water accumulates at the connection portion between the terminal 54 of the electrical connector 50 and the terminal 32 of the power supply connector 31. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the terminal 54 of the electrical connector 50 and the terminal 32 of the power supply connector 31 from being corroded and to prevent the occurrence of poor electrical contact between the terminals. Thereby, the malfunction of the fuel pump 40 can be prevented.
[0025]
In the above-described example showing the embodiment of the present invention described above, the upper concave portion 100 is formed by the inner peripheral side surface 63a of the inner cylinder 63 and the upper end surface 41a of the resin cover 41 of the fuel pump 40. The upper part shown in 1 is open. Therefore, the power supply connector 31 and the electrical connector 50 can be easily detached through the opening. By removing the power supply connector 31 from the electrical connector 50 and removing the snap ring 69 from the filter case 61, the fuel pump 40 or the fuel filter 60 can be replaced easily.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, the example in which the fuel pump is installed in the fuel tank has been described. However, the installation location of the fuel pump is not limited to the fuel tank. In any place where the fuel supply device is installed, it is effective to apply the present invention as long as the water is accumulated in the upper part of the fuel pump.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a fuel supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the periphery of an electrical connector of a fuel pump.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fuel supply apparatus 20 Subtank 31 Power supply connector 32 Terminal 40 Fuel pump 41 Resin cover 41a Upper end surface 45 Pump housing 45a Outer peripheral side surface 50 Electrical connector 52 Connector recessed part 53 Inner bottom surface 54 Terminal 55 Through hole 60 Fuel filter 61 Filter case 62 Case main body 63 Inner cylinder 63a Inner peripheral side surface 64 Outer cylinder 70 Filter element 100 Upper concave portion 200 Drain passage

Claims (8)

An electrically driven fuel pump;
A filter element for removing foreign matters in the fuel discharged from the fuel pump;
A cylindrical filter having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder surrounding the outer periphery of the inner cylinder, the filter element being accommodated between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder surrounding the fuel pump Case and
A fuel supply device comprising:
In the state where the fuel supply device is installed, an upper recess is formed by the upper end surface of the fuel pump and the inner peripheral side surface of the inner cylinder,
One or more drainage passages are formed between the outer peripheral side surface of the fuel pump and the inner peripheral side surface so that water flows from the upper side to the lower side between the fuel pump and the inner cylinder. The outer peripheral side surface and the inner peripheral side surface are in contact with each other at a position other than the drainage passage, or a gap is formed so that water does not fall .
The drainage passage is formed by a groove formed in the inner peripheral side surface or the outer peripheral side surface. An electrically driven fuel pump;
A filter element for removing foreign matters in the fuel discharged from the fuel pump;
A cylindrical filter having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder surrounding the outer periphery of the inner cylinder, the filter element being accommodated between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder surrounding the fuel pump Case and
A fuel supply device comprising:
In the state where the fuel supply device is installed, an upper recess is formed by the upper end surface of the fuel pump and the inner peripheral side surface of the inner cylinder,
One or more drainage passages are formed between the outer peripheral side surface of the fuel pump and the inner peripheral side surface so that water flows from the upper side to the lower side between the fuel pump and the inner cylinder. The outer peripheral side surface and the inner peripheral side surface are in contact with each other at a position other than the drainage passage, or a gap is formed so that water does not fall.
The drainage passage is formed by warping the inner cylinder radially outward . The fuel pump has an electrical connector electrically connectable to a power feeding connector that supplies a drive current to the fuel pump on the upper end surface that forms the upper recess,
In the state where the fuel supply device is installed, the upper part of the filter case is hermetically sealed by connecting the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and the upper part of the upper concave part is the power supply when detaching from the electrical connector 3. The fuel supply device according to claim 1, wherein the connector is opened so that the connector can pass therethrough. 4. The fuel supply device according to claim 3, wherein the electric connector protrudes from an upper end surface of the fuel pump in a state where the fuel supply device is installed . The connector housing of the electrical connector has a connector recess that accommodates the power supply connector when electrically connected to the power supply connector, and the inner bottom surface of the connector recess is at the same height as the upper end surface or from the upper end surface. 5. The fuel supply device according to claim 4, wherein the connector housing has a through-hole penetrating a side wall forming the connector recess and having the inner bottom surface as a lower end . 6. The through hole also serves as a fitting hole into which the power feeding connector is fitted by an elastic force when the power feeding connector is inserted from the opening of the upper concave portion toward the connector concave portion . Fuel supply device. The fuel supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the fuel pump is installed in a fuel tank . The fuel supply device according to claim 7, further comprising a sub-tank installed in the fuel tank, accommodating the fuel pump, and having a length equal to or longer than the fuel pump.

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