JPH0124372Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Technical Field> The present invention relates to an improvement of a filter device for an in-tank fuel pump installed in a fuel tank of a vehicle internal combustion engine or the like.

<Background Art> Some internal combustion engines for vehicles are equipped with a fuel pump inside a fuel tank for supplying fuel from the tank to a carburetor, fuel injection valve, or the like.

As a conventional example of this type of in-tank fuel pump, there is one constructed as shown in FIG. 1, for example. That is, the fuel pump 1 includes an annular elastic member 2,
2, and the bracket 3 is fixed to the inside of a bracket (supporting member) 3 via a fuel tank 4 top wall 4a.
As a result, the fuel pump 1 is also fixed to the tank top wall 4a side.

Incidentally, in the case of a front-engine, front-drive vehicle, the fuel tank 4 is often installed under the rear seat of the vehicle, so there is not enough depth for the tank 4. Furthermore, in order to be able to supply fuel smoothly even when the vehicle is tilted, it is necessary to position the inlet port at a predetermined position in the turning tank installed in the tank 4. A filter device 5 is provided which extends to the side of the bottom of the fuel pump 1 and covers the suction port 1a opened at the bottom end of the fuel pump 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes an elastic body provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall of the bracket 3, which supports the filter device 5 by coming into contact with the tank bottom wall 4b.

However, in this case, due to the accuracy error in the fuel tank 4 itself at the time of manufacture and the fact that the bottom surface of the fuel tank 4 is rounded, the bottom surface of the tank 4 and the intake port 5a of the filter device 5 are There will be variations in the spacing. Therefore, there was a problem in that the fuel pump 1 stopped sucking fuel even though more than a predetermined amount of fuel remained in the tank 4.

<Purpose of the invention> The present invention was made by paying attention to the conventional situation, and the fuel inlet portion of the filter device, which is attached to the lower end inlet of an in-tank fuel pump and extends to the side of the bottom of the fuel pump, has been developed. , by moving up and down according to the variation in the distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the fuel tank, and keeping a predetermined gap between the suction port and the bottom of the tank constant until the fuel reaches a predetermined amount or less. The idea is to use a fuel pump to suck it up.

<Summary of the invention> For this reason, in the present invention, at least a part of the passage of the filter device that connects the inlet port for fuel intake and the fuel pump inlet has a flexible structure, and the inlet port of the filter device has a flexible structure. An elastic member is provided to elastically bias the fuel tank toward the bottom wall of the fuel tank.

<Example> Hereinafter, one example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 2 and 3. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components as in the conventional example to simplify the explanation.

The filter device 7 is installed to cover the fuel intake port 1a opened at the lower end of the fuel pump 1 by fitting the cylindrical opening 8 formed on the fuel outlet side into the lower end of the fuel pump 1. A passage 9 is formed extending from the peripheral wall of the opening 8 to the bottom side of the fuel pump 1 along the tank bottom wall 4b.

A bellows portion 10 that makes the passage 9 have a flexible structure is provided in the middle of the passage 9.
The opening at the tip functions as a fuel inlet 11. This suction port 11 and the tip of the passage 9 are covered by a box-shaped filter element 13, and one end of the filter element 13 is in contact with the tank bottom wall 4b, and the suction port 11 is connected to the tank bottom wall 4b. An elastic body 12 is provided to protrude and support while maintaining a predetermined gap. Also,
A plate spring 14 serving as an elastic member that elastically biases the suction port 11 in one direction (direction A in the figure) is attached to the passage 9 on the side of the pump 1 from the bellows portion 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, this leaf spring 14 grips the outer wall of the passage 9 constituent member, and also comes into contact with one side wall of the filter element 13 to bias it.

When the filter device 7 having such a configuration is attached to the in-tank fuel pump 1, the fuel inlet 11 of the filter device 7 is connected to the leaf spring 14 biased in the direction A.
Since the bellows portion 10 has a flexible structure, it is always urged in the direction B in the figure, that is, in the direction of the tank bottom wall 4b.
is in contact with the tank bottom wall 4b. Therefore, a predetermined distance is always maintained between the suction port 11 and the tank bottom wall 4b.

Moreover, when the depth of the fuel tank 4 itself is not constant due to variations in manufacturing, or when the bottom surface of the fuel tank 4 is rounded, the gap between the tank top wall 4a and bottom wall 4b may be misaligned. Even when this happens, the suction port 11 is urged downward by the urging force of the leaf spring 14, and the elastic body 12 comes into contact with the bottom wall 4b, thereby keeping the distance between the suction port 11 and the bottom wall 4b constant. can be kept. At this time, the filter device 7
Since the bellows part 10 is provided in the middle part of the passage 9 constituent member and has a flexible structure, the passage 9 constituent member easily bends and follows the urging force of the leaf spring 14. Further, even when the fuel tank 4 is shallow, the elastic body 12 in contact with the bottom wall 4b moves upward against the biasing force of the leaf spring 14, so that the inlet port 11 and the tank bottom wall 4b are still connected to each other. The spacing is maintained at a predetermined width.

In this way, since the leaf spring 14 is used to bias the intake port 11 of the filter device 7 toward the tank bottom wall 4b side, an in-tank type that is fixedly supported on the top wall 4a side of the fuel tank 4 is constructed. Even with the fuel pump 1, the distance between the tank bottom wall 4b and the suction port 9 of the filter device 7 can always be maintained at a predetermined width.

Therefore, even if more than a predetermined amount of fuel remains in the fuel tank 4, there is no possibility that the fuel will not be sucked in through the suction port 11.

In this embodiment, the leaf spring 14 is used as the elastic member.
However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, a compression spring may be used to bias the suction port 11 of the filter device 7 toward the tank bottom wall 4b in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Of course.

<Effects of the invention> As described above, according to the invention, at least a part of the fuel passage of the filter device installed at the tip of the in-tank fuel pump has a flexible structure, and the suction of the filter device is made flexible. An elastic member is provided that elastically biases the mouth toward the bottom wall of the fuel tank, and the lower part of the intake port is always in contact with the bottom wall of the tank, so even if the distance from the top wall of the fuel tank varies. Even if there is a problem, the gap between the suction port of the filter device and the bottom of the tank can be kept constant, and the fuel can be reliably sucked by the fuel pump until the amount of fuel falls below a predetermined amount. Additionally, since the gap between the bottom wall of the tank and the intake port of the filter device is always constant, it is possible to reduce the amount of fuel injected into the tank when offline to the minimum necessary, which in turn leads to cost reductions. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a conventional example in which a filter device is attached to a fuel pump, FIG. 2 is a side view of the filter device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an elastic member. 1... Fuel pump, 1a... Inlet, 3... Bracket, 4... Fuel tank, 4a... Top wall, 4
b... Bottom wall, 7... Filter device, 8... Cylindrical opening, 9... Passage, 10... Bellows part, 11...
Fuel inlet, 14...plate spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The in-tank fuel pump is supported between the top wall and the bottom wall of the fuel tank, and is connected to cover the fuel inlet opened at the bottom end of the in-tank fuel pump. In the filter device, at least a part of the passage has a flexible structure, and a fuel inlet portion at the tip of the passage is provided with a passage that guides the fuel filtered by the filter to the intake port of the fuel pump. A filter device for an in-tank fuel pump, characterized in that an elastic member is provided that elastically biases the bottom wall of the tank.