WO2017203589A1

WO2017203589A1 - Pressure control device and fuel supply device

Info

Publication number: WO2017203589A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/065266
Authority: WO
Inventors: 伸一郎堀底; 孝夫鵤木; 直樹竹内; 真輝下川
Original assignee: 株式会社ミツバ
Priority date: 2016-05-24
Filing date: 2016-05-24
Publication date: 2017-11-30

Abstract

A pressure regulator (76) is provided with: a case (77); a flow channel part (79) that is formed in the case (77) and that has a fluid inflow port (83), a fluid outflow port (84), and a main body flow channel part (82); a valve body (91) that is provided inside the case (77) and that is capable of opening and closing the fluid inflow port (83) by moving in an axial direction; and an elastic member (89) that biases the valve body (91) in a direction of closing the fluid inflow port (83). The valve body (91) is provided with a seal part (92a) that closes the fluid inflow port (83), and a main body part (92) to which the seal part (92a) is provided. The pressure regulator (76) is provided with a movement-regulating structure (90) that regulates the movement of the main body part (92) of the valve body (91) in a direction intersecting the axial direction.

Description

Pressure control device and fuel supply device

The present invention relates to a pressure control device and a fuel supply device.

Generally, a so-called in-tank type fuel supply device in which a fuel pump is disposed in a fuel tank is often used as a fuel supply device for a motorcycle or a four-wheeled vehicle. In this type of fuel supply device, a pressure control device is used to prevent the fuel pressure from becoming excessive.

As a pressure control device, a valve-type pressure regulator is known. The pressure regulator described in Patent Document 1 includes a small-diameter channel having a fluid inlet and a large-diameter channel communicating with the small-diameter channel and having a fluid outlet, and includes a small-diameter channel and a large-diameter channel. A housing in which a small-diameter channel opening is formed facing the large-diameter channel at the boundary, and a valve body that is disposed in the large-diameter channel and closes the small-diameter channel by contacting the peripheral edge of the opening; And an elastic member that is disposed in the large-diameter channel and presses the valve body against the peripheral portion.
In this type of pressure control device, when a pressure greater than a predetermined value is applied to the small-diameter flow path, the valve body rises from the periphery of the opening against the urging force of the elastic member, and the opening and the valve body generated at this time Fuel leaks from the gap. As a result, the pressure in the small-diameter flow path is less than a predetermined value, and the fuel pressure is prevented from becoming excessive.

JP 2010-138704 A

In the conventional pressure control device, when the valve body is lifted from the opening, not only the opening is opened and closed by moving in the direction along the flow path, but also the valve body is moved in the direction intersecting the direction along the flow path. there's a possibility that. For this reason, a collision between the valve body and the housing may occur, and a collision sound may be generated. Therefore, the conventional pressure control device has a problem in that the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed.

The present invention provides a pressure control device and a fuel supply device in which the occurrence of abnormal noise is suppressed.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the pressure control device includes a case body, a flow path portion formed in the case body and having a fluid inflow port, a fluid outflow port, and a main body flow channel portion, and the case body. A valve body that is provided and capable of opening and closing the fluid inlet by moving in a predetermined direction along the main body flow path portion; and an elastic member that biases the valve body in a direction to close the fluid inlet. The valve body includes a seal portion that closes the fluid inlet, and a main body portion provided with the seal portion, and the valve body is in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction of the main body portion of the valve body. A movement restricting structure for restricting movement is provided.
By configuring as described above, the movement of the valve body in the direction intersecting the predetermined direction is restricted by the movement restricting structure, so when the fluid passes through the gap between the valve body and the case body, The rolling of the valve body can be suppressed. Thereby, since it can suppress that a valve body collides with a case main body by rolling, generation | occurrence | production of a collision sound is suppressed. Therefore, a pressure control device in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the pressure control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the valve body includes a support protrusion that protrudes along the predetermined direction, and the movement restricting structure includes: A support protrusion and the case body are provided.
By configuring as described above, the movement restricting structure includes a support protrusion that protrudes along a predetermined direction of the valve body and a case body. Therefore, the simple structure ensures the roll of the valve body. In the suppressed state, the fluid inlet can be opened and closed by the valve body. Therefore, an inexpensive pressure control device in which the occurrence of abnormal noise is reliably suppressed can be obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the pressure control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, a support side surface portion is formed on a side surface of the valve body, and the movement restricting structure includes the support side surface portion. And the main body flow path portion.
By configuring as described above, the movement restricting structure includes a supporting side surface portion formed on the side surface of the valve body and a main body flow path portion, so that the rolling of the valve body is ensured with a simple structure. The fluid inflow port can be opened and closed by the valve body in a state of being suppressed to the above. Therefore, an inexpensive pressure control device in which the occurrence of abnormal noise is reliably suppressed can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the pressure control device according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, at least the diameter of the fluid inlet is the main body flow path portion. The seal portion is formed so as to be able to abut on a step surface between the fluid inlet and the main body flow passage portion, and a buffer member is disposed in the seal portion. .
With the configuration described above, since the buffer member is disposed in the seal portion, the collision between the valve body and the stepped surface due to the vibration of the valve body is absorbed by the buffer member, and the occurrence of the collision noise is suppressed.
Furthermore, in a state where the valve body is pressed against the step surface, the buffer member is elastically deformed so as to cover the step surface by contact pressure. Thereby, a fluid inflow port can be obstruct | occluded with a valve body, without raising the processing precision of a level | step difference surface. Therefore, the case main body can be formed of a resin material that is difficult to precisely process, and can be manufactured by a simple processing process, so that a low-cost pressure control device can be obtained.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the pressure control device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an annular groove is formed on the outer peripheral side of the contact surface of the valve body of the step surface. Yes.
By configuring as described above, the fluid passing through the gap between the seal portion and the stepped surface is divided into a flow toward the fluid outlet and a flow toward the groove. For this reason, even when a large pressure is applied to the fluid located at the fluid inflow port, a part of the fluid that has passed through the gap between the seal portion and the step surface can be released to the groove. Thereby, the rapid change of the flow velocity can be buffered, and the fluid sound can be suppressed. Therefore, a pressure control device in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed can be obtained.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the pressure control device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the case body is formed of a resin material.
By comprising as mentioned above, since the case body is formed with the cheap resin material compared with the metal material, it can be set as a low-cost pressure control apparatus.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a fuel supply device includes the pressure control device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, and the fuel tank disposed in the fuel tank. A fuel pump that pumps up the fuel inside and pumps the fuel to the internal combustion engine; and an exterior body that is attached to the wall surface of the fuel tank and supports the fuel pump, and the pressure control device is attached to the exterior body. Yes.
By comprising as mentioned above, since the above-mentioned pressure control apparatus is provided, the fuel supply apparatus with which generation | occurrence | production of abnormal noise was suppressed is obtained.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the fuel supply device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the exterior body and at least a part of the case body are integrally formed of a resin material.
By comprising as mentioned above, since an exterior body and at least one part of a case body are integrally formed, the number of parts can be reduced. Further, unlike the conventional fuel supply device, it is not necessary to press-fit and fix the pressure control device to the exterior body, and the work process during the manufacture of the fuel supply device can be reduced.

According to the above pressure control device, the movement of the main body portion of the valve body in the direction intersecting the predetermined direction is restricted by the movement restriction structure, so when the fluid passes through the gap between the valve body and the case main body, The rolling of the valve body can be suppressed. Thereby, since it can suppress that a valve body collides with a case main body by rolling, generation | occurrence | production of a collision sound is suppressed. Therefore, a pressure control device in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed can be obtained.

It is a perspective view of the fuel supply apparatus of a 1st embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of a pressure regulator and is an enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of a pressure regulator and is an enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the fuel supply apparatus of the modification of 1st Embodiment, and is sectional drawing in the part corresponded to the II-II line of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the 1st modification of a movement control structure, and is an enlarged view of the part corresponded to the A section of FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. It is explanatory drawing of the 2nd modification of a movement control structure, and is an enlarged view of the part corresponded to the A section of FIG. It is a perspective view of the fuel supply apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
First, the fuel supply device and the pressure control device of the first embodiment will be described. The in-tank type fuel supply apparatus has an upper type attached to the upper part of the fuel tank and a lower type attached to the bottom of the fuel tank. In the first embodiment, the lower type is used as an example. Explained. Further, the relative positions in the direction along the axis of the fuel pump (hereinafter referred to as “axial direction”) are simply expressed as the upper side and the lower side.

(Fuel supply device)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fuel supply apparatus according to the first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fuel supply device 1 is inserted from an opening 2 a formed in the bottom wall 2 b of the fuel tank 2 and attached to the bottom wall 2 b of the fuel tank 2. The fuel supply device 1 includes a fuel pump 3 that is disposed in the fuel tank 2 and pumps the fuel in the fuel tank 2 and pumps it to the internal combustion engine, and an exterior body 5 that contains the fuel pump 3. The exterior body 5 includes an upper cup 25 that is externally attached to the fuel pump 3, and a flange unit 4 that is attached to the bottom wall 2 b of the fuel tank 2 and supports the fuel pump 3.

(Fuel pump)
As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel pump 3 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The fuel pump 3 includes a motor unit 30 disposed on the upper side of the fuel pump 3 and a pump unit 40 disposed on the lower side of the fuel pump 3.
For the motor unit 30, for example, a DC motor 30a with a brush (not shown) is used. An output shaft 30 b is disposed at the center of the motor unit 30. The output shaft 30b is pivotally supported by the upper side of the motor unit 30 and the lower side of the pump unit 40. Note that a D-cut surface (not shown) for position regulation described later is formed on the pump portion 40 side of the output shaft 30b.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of motor terminals 32 is provided on the upper side of the motor unit 30 along the axis O (see FIG. 2) of the fuel pump 3 on the upper side of the fuel pump 3. The pair of motor terminals 32 are electrically joined to the brush. The harness 6 is connected to the pair of motor terminals 32. When the external power supply and the motor unit 30 are electrically connected by the harness 6, electric power for driving the DC motor 30 a is supplied from the external power supply to the pair of motor terminals 32.
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper part of the motor unit 30 is slightly reduced in diameter than other parts of the motor unit 30. A step portion 30 c is formed on the upper portion of the motor portion 30. An upper end of a housing case 20 described later is crimped to the stepped portion 30c.

On the upper side of the motor unit 30, a discharge port 31 for discharging fuel and a check valve 74 communicating with the discharge port 31 are provided. The discharge port 31 and the check valve 74 are connected to a fuel flow path portion 52 described later, and communicate with the fuel flow path portion 52. The check valve 74 prevents the fuel discharged from the discharge port 31 from flowing backward from the fuel flow path portion 52 into the fuel pump 3.

(Pump part)
The pump unit 40 is a non-volumetric pump having an impeller 47. The pump unit 40 includes an impeller 47 and a pump case 45 formed so as to cover the entire impeller 47.
The impeller 47 is made of a resin material. The impeller 47 is a member formed in a substantially disc shape. An insertion hole 47 c is formed in the approximate center of the impeller 47. The output shaft 30b of the DC motor 30a is inserted through the insertion hole 47c. For example, a D-cut surface is formed on the insertion hole 47c of the impeller 47 and the impeller 47 side of the output shaft 30b. The output shaft 30b is inserted into the insertion hole 47c of the impeller 47 while aligning the insertion hole 47c and the D cut surface of the output shaft 30b. When the impeller 47 is driven by the DC motor 30a of the motor unit 30, the relative rotation between the output shaft 30b of the DC motor 30a and the impeller 47 is restricted by the insertion hole 47c and the D cut surface of the output shaft 30b.

A plurality of blade portions (not shown) are formed on the outer peripheral side of the upper surface and the lower surface of the impeller 47. Between the plurality of blade portions, the lower surface and the upper surface of the impeller 47 are penetrated. Further, a fuel flow path hole (not shown) that penetrates the lower surface and the upper surface of the impeller 47 is formed between the insertion hole 47 c and the blade portion in the radial direction of the impeller 47. When the DC motor 30a is driven and the impeller 47 rotates, the fuel passes through the fuel passage hole and is pumped from the lower side to the upper side of the impeller 47.

(Pump case)
The pump case 45 that covers the entire impeller 47 includes a lower case 42, an upper case 43, and a middle case 44. Specifically, the pump case 45 covers the entire impeller 47 by sandwiching the middle case 44 in which the impeller 47 is disposed on the inner side between the lower case 42 and the upper case 43. The lower case 42, the upper case 43, and the middle case 44 are provided along the axis O in the order of the lower case 42, the middle case 44, and the upper case 43 from the lower side to the upper side.
Each of the lower case 42, the upper case 43, and the middle case 44 is formed of a resin having oil resistance. Each of the lower case 42, the upper case 43, and the middle case 44 is formed by, for example, injection molding.

The lower case 42 is a disk-shaped member having substantially the same outer diameter as the motor unit 30. A shaft support portion 42c that supports the output shaft 30b of the DC motor 30a is formed at substantially the center of the lower case 42. The shaft support 42c is a hole with a bottom, and a thrust plate (not shown) is disposed on the bottom surface. The thrust plate receives the load in the axial direction of the output shaft 30b and reduces the sliding resistance of the output shaft 30b.

A fuel inlet 41 protruding downward is formed on the outer peripheral side of the lower surface 42b of the lower case 42. The fuel inlet 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The inside of the fuel inlet 41 is a fuel passage. The outside of the fuel inlet 41 is fitted into a flange unit 4 described later. Thus, the fuel inlet 41 communicates with a filter discharge pipe 51 formed in the flange unit 4 and a filter unit (not shown) provided separately from the fuel supply device 1.

Further, a stepped portion 48 is formed at the edge of the lower surface 42b of the lower case 42. The stepped portion 48 is formed by reducing the diameter of the lower surface 42 b side of the lower case 42. A square ring 46 as a sealing member is attached to the stepped portion 48 so as to be in contact with the bottom of the stepped portion 48. The corner ring 46 will be described later.

A substantially C-shaped groove (not shown) is formed on the upper surface 42a of the lower case 42 when viewed in the axial direction. A fuel channel hole (not shown) that penetrates the lower surface 42b and the upper surface 42a of the lower case 42 is formed on one end side of the groove portion. The fuel passage hole of the lower case 42 communicates with the fuel inlet 41. The fuel sucked from the fuel suction port 41 passes through the fuel flow path hole of the lower case 42.

The upper case 43 is a disk-shaped member having substantially the same outer diameter as that of the motor unit 30, similarly to the lower case 42. An insertion hole 43 c is formed in the approximate center of the upper case 43. The output shaft 30b of the DC motor 30a is inserted through the insertion hole 43c. A fuel flow path hole (not shown) that penetrates the lower surface 43b and the upper surface 43a of the upper case 43 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the insertion hole 43c. The fuel passage hole of the upper case 43 communicates with the motor unit 30. The fuel pumped from the impeller 47 passes through the fuel passage hole of the upper case 43.

The middle case 44 is a ring-shaped member having substantially the same outer diameter as the motor unit 30. Inside the middle case 44, the impeller 47 is arranged in a state where the central axis of the middle case 44 and the central axis of the impeller 47 coincide. The inner diameter of the middle case 44 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the impeller 47. A clearance is formed between the inner surface 44 a of the middle case 44 (that is, the inner surface 44 a of the pump case) and the outer peripheral surface of the impeller 47. Here, the efficiency of the fuel pump 3 depends on the clearance between the pump case 45 and the impeller 47. Therefore, the clearance between the inner surface 44 a of the middle case 44 and the outer peripheral surface of the impeller 47 is set to a predetermined value according to the required efficiency of the fuel pump 3.

The middle case 44 is disposed between the upper case 43 and the lower case 42. Here, the thickness of the middle case 44 in the axial direction is formed to be substantially the same as or slightly thicker than the impeller 47 described above. That is, the middle case 44 serves as a spacer that prevents contact between the upper surface 47 a of the impeller 47 and the lower surface 43 b of the upper case 43 and between the lower surface 47 b of the impeller 47 and the upper surface 42 a of the lower case 42. A clearance is formed between the upper surface 47 a of the impeller 47 and the lower surface 43 b of the upper case 43, and between the lower surface 47 b of the impeller 47 and the upper surface 42 a of the lower case 42. These clearances are set to predetermined values in accordance with the required efficiency of the fuel pump 3 as with the clearance between the inner surface 44a of the middle case 44 and the outer peripheral surface of the impeller 47 described above.

Here, the motor unit 30 and the pump unit 40 described above are covered with the housing case 20. The housing case 20 is made of iron or the like. The housing case 20 is a substantially cylindrical member. The housing case 20 is formed by cutting a seamless tube, for example.
The upper end portion of the housing case 20 is a crimping portion 22. The upper end portion of the housing case 20 is crimped with respect to a step portion 30 c formed in the motor portion 30.

The housing case 20 has a flange 21 that bends and extends inward from the lower end of the housing case 20. The flange portion 21 is formed so as to overlap the stepped portion 48 of the lower case 42 when viewed from the axial direction. A square ring 46 is provided between the stepped portion 48 and the flange portion 21. The square ring 46 has a substantially rectangular cross section. The square ring 46 is a member formed of a material excellent in oil resistance such as fluoro rubber. The square ring 46 is slightly squeezed and pinched by the step portion 48 and the flange portion 21. Thereby, the sealing performance between the housing case 20 and the pump part 40 is ensured.

(Upper cup)
The upper cup 25 that is externally attached to the fuel pump 3 is formed of a resin material that is excellent in oil resistance. The upper cup 25 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The upper cup 25 is formed by, for example, injection molding.
As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting portion 61 of the liquid level detector 60 is formed on the upper side of the upper cup 25. The attachment portion 61 is formed in a plate shape that extends outward in the radial direction. When the upper cup 25 is formed, the mounting portion 61 is molded by injection at the same time. The liquid level detector 60 is fixed to the mounting portion 61 by a snap fit or the like.

The upper cup 25 has a cylindrical portion 24 that is externally inserted into the fuel pump 3. The cylindrical portion 24 includes a large diameter portion 26 disposed on the lower side and a small diameter portion 27 disposed on the upper side.
An engaging convex portion 25 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 26 of the cylindrical portion 24. The engagement convex portion 25 a is formed at a position corresponding to the engagement hole of the engagement piece 15 a provided in the flange unit 4. The engagement convex portion 25a of the upper cup 25 and the engagement piece 15a of the flange unit 4 are snap-fitted together so that the upper cup 25 and the flange unit 4 are integrated.

As shown in FIG. 2, a fuel flow path portion 52 is formed inside the cylindrical portion 24 of the upper cup 25 along the outer surface of the upper cup 25. The fuel flow path portion 52 includes a first flow path 52a formed on the upper side of the discharge port 31, a second flow path 52b extending from the upper end of the first flow path 52a to both sides along the radial direction, and a second flow path. The third flow path 52c extends downward from the one end (left side in FIG. 2) of the line 52b along the axial direction.

The first flow path 52a is formed along the axis O. The first flow path 52 a communicates with a check valve 74 provided in the fuel pump 3. The fuel discharged from the discharge port 31 of the fuel pump 3 flows into the first flow path 52a through the check valve 74.
The second flow path 52 b is formed so as to protrude from the upper surface of the small diameter portion 27.
The third flow path 52c is formed in a tubular shape. The upper end of a fuel take-out pipe 57 to be described later is fitted inside the lower end of the third flow path 52c. As a result, the fuel discharged from the discharge port 31 and flowing through the fuel flow path portion 52 is sent to the fuel extraction pipe 57.

(Pressure regulator)
A pressure regulator 76 (pressure control device) is provided at the other end (the right side in FIG. 2) of the second flow path 52b. The pressure regulator 76 keeps the fuel pressure in the fuel flow path portion 52 constant. The pressure regulator 76 discharges the fuel in the fuel flow path 52 to the reservoir section 11 described later when an excessive fuel pressure is generated in the fuel flow path 52.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the pressure regulator, and is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure regulator 76 includes a case body 77, a flow path portion 79 formed in the case body 77, and a valve body 91 provided in the case body 77. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the valve body 91 closes the fluid inlet 83.

The case body 77 includes a housing 81 and a retainer 88. The housing 81 is made of a resin material. The housing 81 is integrally formed with the upper cup 25 (see FIG. 2).
The flow path part 79 is a main body flow path part 82, a fluid inlet 83 formed at the upper part of the main body flow path part 82, and a fluid flow formed at the lower part of the main body flow path part 82 and communicating with the fluid inlet 83. And an outlet 84. The main body flow channel portion 82 is formed along the axial direction upward from the lower end surface of the housing 81. The main body channel portion 82 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the axial direction. The lower end opening of the main body channel portion 82 is a fluid outlet 84 connected to the reservoir portion 11 (see FIG. 2).

The fluid inflow port 83 is formed along the axial direction upward from the upper end surface of the main body flow path portion 82. The fluid inflow port 83 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the axial direction, and is coaxial with the main body channel portion 82. The inner diameter of the fluid inlet 83 is set to be smaller than the inner diameter of the main body flow path portion 82. Thereby, an annular step surface 82 a is formed on the upper end surface of the main body flow channel portion 82 when viewed from the axial direction. The stepped surface 82a is formed with an abutting surface 82b that is located on the inner peripheral side and is in contact with the valve body 91, and an annular groove 86 that is located on the outer peripheral side of the abutting surface 82b and viewed from the axial direction. Has been. The depth of the groove 86 in the axial direction is set to be approximately the same as the width of the groove 86.

A small-diameter channel 85 is formed along the axial direction in the upper wall portion 81a of the housing 81 formed in the upper part of the fluid inlet 83. The small-diameter channel 85 allows the second channel 52b (see FIG. 2) and the fluid inlet 83 to communicate with each other. In addition, a housing through hole 81b coaxial with the main body flow path portion 82 is formed in the upper wall portion 81a along the axial direction.

The valve body 91 provided in the flow path part 79 opens and closes the fluid inlet 83 by moving in the axial direction (predetermined direction). The valve body 91 is made of, for example, a resin material or a metal material. The valve body 91 is integrally formed by a main body 92, an upper support protrusion 93 formed at the upper end, and a lower support protrusion 94 formed at the lower end.
The main body portion 92 is formed in a disk shape that is coaxial with the main body flow path portion 82. The outer diameter of the main body portion 92 is set smaller than the inner diameter of the main body flow path portion 82.

The upper support protrusion 93 is formed in a columnar shape. The upper support protrusion 93 protrudes upward along the axial direction from the upper surface of the main body 92. The upper support protrusion 93 is coaxial with the main body 92. The outer diameter of the upper support protrusion 93 is set to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the housing through hole 81 b formed in the upper wall portion 81 a of the housing 81. The upper support protrusion 93 is inserted into the housing through hole 81 b of the housing 81. The upper support protrusion 93 is slidably supported along the axial direction with respect to the upper wall portion 81a. As a result, the upper support protrusion 93 and the housing through hole 81 b of the case body 77 constitute a movement restricting structure 90 that restricts the movement of the valve body 91 in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 92.
The lower support protrusion 94 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The lower support protrusion 94 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the main body 92 along the axial direction. The lower support protrusion 94 is coaxial with the main body 92.

A flat seal portion 92 a is provided around the upper support protrusion 93 on the upper surface of the main body portion 92. An annular plate-shaped buffer member 95 is disposed on the seal portion 92a. The buffer member 95 is formed of a material having elasticity, and for example, rubber or the like is suitable. The seal portion 92 a closes the fluid inflow port 83 by contacting the inner peripheral contact surface 82 b of the step surface 82 a of the main body flow passage portion 82 via the buffer member 95.

A retainer 88 is fitted into the lower end opening of the main body flow path portion 82. The retainer 88 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The retainer 88 is arranged so that its bottom portion 88a is located on the upper side. The retainer 88 is formed with a plurality of flow holes 88b in the cylindrical peripheral wall that communicate the inner peripheral surface with the outer peripheral surface and the upper surface. The retainer 88 allows the fuel (fluid) to flow from the inside of the main body flow path portion 82 to the outside (reservoir section 11) through the flow holes 88b when fitted in the lower end opening of the main body flow path portion 82.

Here, a retainer through hole 88c penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the bottom 88a of the retainer 88. The retainer through-hole 88 c is formed coaxially with the main body flow path portion 82. The inner diameter of the retainer through-hole 88c is set larger than the outer diameter of the lower support protrusion 94 of the valve body 91. A lower support protrusion 94 is inserted through the retainer through hole 88c. Thus, the lower support protrusion 94 is supported so as to be slidable along the axial direction with respect to the retainer 88. The lower support protrusion 94 has, together with the retainer through hole 88c, a movement restricting structure 90 that restricts the movement of the valve body 91 in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 92, similarly to the upper support protrusion 93 and the housing through hole 81b. It is composed.

An elastic member 89 is interposed between the main body 92 of the valve body 91 and the retainer 88. The elastic member 89 urges the valve body 91 in a direction (upward) for closing the fluid inflow port 83. The elastic member 89 is a coil spring, and the lower support protrusion 94 of the valve body 91 is inserted inside the elastic member 89. In the compressed state, the elastic member 89 has an upper end in contact with the lower surface of the main body 92 of the valve body 91 and a lower end in contact with the upper surface of the bottom 88 a of the retainer 88. The elastic member 89 urges the valve body 91 movable in the axial direction upward. As a result, the seal portion 92 a of the valve body 91 closes the fluid inflow port 83.

(Flange unit)
As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel supply device 1 includes a flange unit 4 attached to the bottom wall 2 b of the fuel tank 2. The flange unit 4 is disposed below the fuel pump 3. The flange unit 4 is formed of a resin having excellent oil resistance. The flange unit 4 is formed by, for example, injection molding or the like.
The flange unit 4 includes a substantially disc-shaped flange portion 12, an engagement portion 15 formed on the upper side of the flange portion 12, and a unit main body 10 formed on the lower side of the flange portion 12.

An annular portion 13 is formed in the flange portion 12 at a portion corresponding to the opening 2 a of the fuel tank 2. By attaching the flange portion 12 to the fuel tank 2, the lower side of the flange portion 12 is exposed to the outside of the fuel tank 2. Further, the upper side of the flange portion 12 is immersed in the fuel in the fuel tank 2. A seal member (not shown) made of rubber or the like is provided between the flange portion 12 and the bottom wall 2b of the fuel tank 2. Thereby, the sealing property between the fuel supply apparatus 1 and the fuel tank 2 is ensured reliably.

On the upper side of the flange portion 12, an engaging portion 15 that engages with an engaging convex portion 25a formed on the upper cup 25 is provided. The engaging portion 15 is formed in a substantially circular shape when viewed from the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of engaging pieces 15 a protruding upward are formed on the periphery of the engaging portion 15 (four in this embodiment). The engagement piece 15a is formed so as to be elastically deformable in the direction in which the distal end side expands in diameter. Further, the engagement piece 15a is formed with an engagement hole that can be engaged with the engagement convex portion 25a formed in the upper cup 25. The flange unit 4 and the upper cup 25 are fixed by snap-fitting the engaging portion 15 to the upper cup 25.

As shown in FIG. 2, the unit main body 10 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The unit main body 10 is extrapolated to the fuel pump 3 from the lower side of the fuel pump 3. The inner peripheral surface 10 a of the unit body 10 is set to have a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the fuel pump 3. A clearance is formed between the inner peripheral surface 10 a of the unit body 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the fuel pump 3. This clearance forms a fuel return flow path that allows the pressure regulator 76 and the reservoir portion 11 to communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, a connector 14 is formed integrally with the unit body 10. The connector 14 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The connector 14 has a connector fitting surface that opens radially outward.
A connector terminal 34 is provided inside the connector 14. One end side 34 a of the connector 14 protrudes inside the connector 14. An external connector (not shown) electrically connected to an external power source (not shown) is fitted to one end side 34a of the connector terminal 34.
The other end side 34 b of the connector terminal 34 protrudes above the flange portion 12. The harness 6 is connected to the other end side 34 b of the connector terminal 34, and power is supplied from the external power source to the motor unit 30 and the liquid level detector 60.

As shown in FIG. 2, a space is formed inside the unit body 10 by an inner peripheral surface 10a and a bottom surface 10b of the unit body 10. This space functions as a reservoir portion 11 in which fuel is stored. Further, on the outside of the unit main body 10, a filter introduction pipe, a filter discharge pipe 51, and a fuel extraction pipe 57 (not shown) that are in communication with the reservoir portion 11 and serve as a fuel flow path are formed.

The filter introduction pipe and the filter discharge pipe 51 communicate with a filter unit (not shown) provided separately from the fuel supply device 1. The fuel stored in the reservoir 11 is introduced into the filter unit through the filter introduction pipe, filtered, and then discharged.
Thereafter, the fuel pump 3 pumps fuel from the fuel suction port 41 of the pump unit 40 through the filter discharge pipe 51. The fuel passes through the pump case 45 and is pumped to the upper side of the motor unit 30, passes through the fuel flow path unit 52, and then is transported to the internal combustion engine (not shown) through the fuel extraction pipe 57.

(Operation of pressure regulator)
Hereinafter, the operation of the pressure regulator 76 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the pressure regulator, and is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the valve body 91 opens the fluid inlet 83.
When excessive fuel pressure is generated in the fuel flow path 52 when the fuel in the fuel tank 2 is pumped to the internal combustion engine via the fuel flow path 52 by driving the fuel pump 3, The pressure in the fuel in the fluid inlet 83 also increases. Then, the fuel in the fluid inflow port 83 presses the valve body 91 in a direction (downward) against the urging force of the elastic member 89. When the fuel pressure in the fluid inflow port 83 exceeds a predetermined value, the valve body 91 moves downward, and a gap is formed between the step surface 82a and the seal portion 92a. At this time, the valve body 91 moves downward along the axial direction in a state where movement in the direction intersecting the axial direction is restricted by the movement restricting structure 90.

When a gap is formed between the step surface 82a and the seal portion 92a, the fuel in the fluid inflow port 83 flows along the arrow F and passes through the gap between the seal portion 92a and the step surface 82a. The fuel that has passed through the gap between the seal portion 92a and the stepped surface 82a is divided into a flow F1 toward the fluid outlet 84 and a flow F2 toward the groove 86. The fuel flowing along the arrow F <b> 1 reaches the fluid outlet 84 through the main body flow path portion 82 and is returned to the reservoir portion 11. When the fuel pressure in the fluid inlet 83 decreases and falls below a predetermined value, the valve body 91 moves upward by the urging force of the elastic member 89 and closes the fluid inlet 83. By repeating the above operation, the fuel pressure in the fuel flow path 52 is maintained at a predetermined value.

As described above, the pressure regulator 76 of the present embodiment includes the case body 77, the flow path portion 79 formed in the case body 77, including the fluid inflow port 83, the fluid outflow port 84, and the main body flow path portion 82, and the case body. 77, a valve body 91 that can open and close the fluid inlet 83 by moving in the axial direction, and an elastic member 89 that urges the valve body 91 in a direction to close the fluid inlet 83. I have. The valve body 91 includes a seal portion 92a that closes the fluid inlet 83, and a main body portion 92 provided with the seal portion 92a. The pressure regulator 76 includes a movement restricting structure 90 that restricts the movement of the main body 92 of the valve body 91 in the direction intersecting the axial direction.
According to this configuration, the movement of the main body 92 of the valve body 91 in the direction intersecting the axial direction is restricted by the movement restricting structure 90, so that the fuel passes through the gap between the valve body 91 and the case body 77. Moreover, the rolling of the valve body 91 can be suppressed. Thereby, since it can suppress that the valve body 91 collides with the case body 77 by rolling, generation | occurrence | production of a collision sound is suppressed. Therefore, the pressure regulator 76 in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed is obtained.

The movement restricting structure 90 includes an upper support protrusion 93 that protrudes along the axial direction of the valve body 91, and a housing through hole 81 b of the case body 77. Further, the movement restricting structure 90 includes a lower support protrusion 94 that protrudes along the axial direction of the valve body 91, and a retainer through hole 88 c of the case body 77. For this reason, the fluid inflow port 83 can be opened and closed by the valve body 91 in a state where the rolling of the valve body 91 is reliably suppressed by a simple structure. Therefore, an inexpensive pressure regulator 76 in which the occurrence of abnormal noise is reliably suppressed can be obtained.

Further, since the lower support protrusion 94 is supported by the retainer 88 fitted to the housing 81, the wear of the housing 81 can be suppressed. That is, the life of the pressure regulator 76 can be extended only by replacing only the retainer 88 that deteriorates over time.

Further, the seal portion 92a of the valve body 91 is formed so as to be able to come into contact with a step surface 82a between the fluid inlet 83 and the main body flow passage portion 82, and a buffer member 95 is disposed on the seal portion 92a.
According to this configuration, since the buffer member 95 is disposed in the seal portion 92a, the collision between the valve body 91 and the stepped surface 82a due to the vibration of the valve body 91 is absorbed by the buffer member 95, and the generation of the collision noise is suppressed. Is done.
Furthermore, in a state where the valve body 91 is pressed against the step surface 82a, the buffer member 95 is elastically deformed so as to cover the step surface 82a by contact pressure. Thereby, the fluid inflow port 83 can be closed by the valve body 91 without increasing the processing accuracy of the stepped surface 82a. Therefore, the case body 77 (housing 81) can be formed of an inexpensive resin material that is difficult to precisely process, and can be manufactured by a simple processing process, so that the pressure regulator 76 can be manufactured at a low cost.

An annular groove 86 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the contact surface 82b of the valve body 91 of the step surface 82a.
As shown in FIG. 4, the fuel that flows along the arrow F and passes through the gap between the seal portion 92 a (buffer member 95) and the step surface 82 a flows into the fluid outlet 84 and flows toward the groove 86. Divide into F2. For this reason, even when a large pressure is applied to the fuel located at the fluid inflow port 83, a part of the fuel that has passed through the gap between the seal portion 92a and the stepped surface 82a can be released to the groove 86 along the arrow F2. it can. Thereby, the rapid change of the flow velocity can be buffered, and the fluid sound can be suppressed. Therefore, the pressure regulator 76 in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed is obtained.

The fuel supply device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a pressure regulator 76, a fuel pump 3, and an exterior body 5.
According to this configuration, since the pressure regulator 76 is provided, the fuel supply device 1 in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed can be obtained.

Further, since the exterior body 5 (upper cup 25) and the case body 77 (housing 81) are integrally formed of a resin material, the number of parts can be reduced. In addition, unlike the conventional fuel supply device, it is not necessary to press-fit and fix the pressure regulator to the exterior body, and the work process at the time of manufacturing the fuel supply device 1 can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, the housing 81 of the pressure regulator 76 is integrally formed with the upper cup 25, but the present invention is not limited to this.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a fuel supply apparatus according to a modification of the first embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pressure regulator 76 is press-fitted into the upper cup 25 with an O-ring 78 interposed therebetween. That is, the housing 81 of the pressure regulator 76 is formed separately from the upper cup 25. The housing 81 may be made of the same material as the upper cup 25 or may be made of a different material.

The movement restricting structure 90 is not limited to the above-described form. Hereinafter, modified examples of the movement restriction structure will be described.
(First Modification of Movement Restricting Structure)
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a first modification of the movement restricting structure, and is an enlarged view of a portion corresponding to part A of FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. In the following modified example, the same reference numerals are given to the same aspects as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the valve body 191 includes a disc-shaped main body 192 and a supporting side surface 197 formed on the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the main body 192. The outer diameter of the main body portion 192 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the main body flow path portion 82. Thus, the valve body 191 is slidable in the axial direction along the inner wall of the main body flow path portion 82. The support side surface portion 197 and the inner wall of the main body flow path portion 82 constitute a movement restricting structure 190 that restricts the movement of the valve body 191 in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body portion 192.
In addition, a plurality (five in this modification) of arc-shaped notches 192b are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the main body 192. The notch 192b allows the fluid in the main body flow path portion 82 to pass from the upper side to the lower side across the main body portion 192.

As described above, according to the present modification, the movement restricting structure 190 includes the support side surface portion 197 formed on the side surface of the valve body 191 and the main body flow path portion 82. The fluid inlet 83 can be opened and closed by the valve body 191 in a state in which the roll of the body 191 is reliably suppressed. Therefore, an inexpensive pressure regulator 176 in which the occurrence of abnormal noise is reliably suppressed can be obtained.

(Second modification of the movement restriction structure)
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a second modification of the movement restricting structure, and is an enlarged view of a portion corresponding to part A of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, the pressure regulator 276 includes a case body 277 and a flow path portion 79 formed in the case body 277. The case body 277 includes a housing 281 and a pedestal portion 287. The housing 281 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The inside of the housing 281 is a main body flow channel portion 82 of the flow channel portion 79. A fluid outlet 84 is formed in the bottom wall portion 281a of the housing 281 so as to penetrate the bottom wall portion 281a in the axial direction. The fluid outlet 84 is formed coaxially with the main body flow path portion 82. The pedestal portion 287 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The pedestal portion 287 is press-fitted into the upper end opening of the housing 281 with the upper portion protruding from the housing 281. The inside of the pedestal portion 287 is a fluid inlet 83.

The pressure regulator 276 includes a valve body 291 that opens and closes the fluid inflow port 83, and a guide member 296 that is interposed between the valve body 291 and the elastic member 89. The valve body 291 includes a spherical main body portion 292, a disk-shaped support plate 293 attached to the main body portion 292, and a support side surface portion 297 formed on the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the support plate 293. The outer diameter of the main body 292 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the fluid inflow port 83 and smaller than the inner diameter of the main body flow path portion 82. The outer diameter of the support plate 293 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the main body flow path portion 82. Thus, the valve body 291 is slidable in the axial direction along the inner wall of the main body flow path portion 82. The support side surface portion 297 functions as a movement restricting structure 290 that restricts the movement of the valve body 291 in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body portion 292 together with the inner wall of the main body flow path portion 82. In addition, a plurality of notch portions (not shown) are formed side by side in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the support plate 293. By this cutout portion, the fluid in the main body flow path portion 82 can pass from the upper side to the lower side across the support plate 293. The valve body 291 is urged upward by an elastic member 89 via a guide member 296 disposed below the valve body 291. Accordingly, the main body 292 of the valve body 291 abuts on the lower end opening edge 83a of the fluid inlet 83 and closes the fluid inlet 83.

The pressure regulator 276 described above is press-fitted into the upper cup 25 with the O-ring 78 interposed between the upper end edge of the housing 281 and the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 287.

Although the pressure regulator 276 shown in FIG. 8 is press-fitted into the upper cup 25, the pressure regulator 276 is not limited to this, and the pressure regulator 276 may be formed integrally with the upper cup 25. Specifically, the housing 281 and the pedestal 287 are integrally formed with the upper cup 25. At this time, the bottom wall portion 281a of the housing 281 is provided separately. As a result, the valve body 291, the guide member 296, and the elastic member 89 can be disposed in the main body flow path portion 82.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, 2nd Embodiment is described using FIG. 9 and FIG. In the first embodiment, the case in which the present invention is applied to the so-called under-installed fuel supply device 1 attached to the bottom of the fuel tank 2 has been described. On the other hand, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the case where the present invention is applied to a so-called superscript type fuel supply apparatus 1 attached to the upper part of the fuel tank 2 will be described. Note that detailed description of the same components as those in the first embodiment is omitted.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fuel supply device of the second embodiment. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the fuel supply device 101 is inserted into an opening 2 a formed in the upper wall 2 c of the fuel tank 2 and attached to the upper wall 2 c of the fuel tank 2. The fuel supply device 101 includes a fuel pump 3 disposed in the fuel tank 2 and an exterior body 5 that contains the fuel pump 3. The exterior body 5 is extrapolated to the fuel pump 3. The exterior body 5 includes a lower cup 100 that supports the fuel pump 3, and a flange unit 4 that is attached to the upper wall 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

(Flange unit)
The fuel supply device 101 is disposed on the upper side of the fuel pump 3. The fuel supply device 101 includes a flange unit 4 attached to the upper wall 2c of the fuel tank 2.
An annular portion 13 is formed in the flange portion 12 at a portion corresponding to the opening 2 a of the fuel tank 2. By attaching the flange portion 12 to the fuel tank 2, the upper side of the flange portion 12 is exposed to the outside of the fuel tank 2. Further, the lower side of the flange portion 12 is immersed in the fuel in the fuel tank 2.

An engaging portion 15 that engages with an engaging convex portion 25a described later formed on the lower cup 100 is provided below the flange portion 12. A plurality of engaging pieces 15 a projecting downward (four in the present embodiment) are formed on the periphery of the engaging portion 15. The flange 15 and the lower cup 100 are fixed by snap-fitting the engaging portion 15 to the lower cup 100.

The unit body 10 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The unit body 10 is externally inserted into the fuel pump 3 from above the fuel pump 3. A fuel flow path 52 is formed inside the unit body 10. The fuel flow passage 52 communicates with the pressure regulator 76, the check valve 74, and the fuel take-out pipe 57.

(Lower cup)
The lower cup 100 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with a resin material having excellent oil resistance. The lower cup 100 is formed by, for example, injection molding or the like. The lower cup 100 is extrapolated to the lower side of the fuel pump 3.
A mounting portion 61 of the liquid level detector 60 is formed on the radially outer side of the lower cup 100. The attachment portion 61 is formed in a plate shape that extends outward in the radial direction. When the upper cup 25 is formed, the mounting portion 61 is molded by injection at the same time.

Also, a filter unit 110 is attached to the lower side of the lower cup 100. The filter unit 110 communicates with the fuel inlet 41 via the filter discharge pipe 51. The fuel in the fuel tank 2 is introduced into the fuel inlet 41 of the pump unit 40 via the filter unit 110 and the filter discharge pipe 51. The fuel passes through the pump case 45 and is pumped to the upper side of the motor unit 30, passes through the fuel flow path unit 52, and then is transported to the internal combustion engine (not shown) through the fuel extraction pipe 57.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, the pressure regulator 76 described above is applied to the so-called top-fitting type fuel supply device 101 attached to the upper wall 2c of the fuel tank 2. As a result, an upper type fuel supply apparatus 101 in which the generation of abnormal noise is suppressed is obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment described with reference to the drawings, and various modifications can be considered within the technical scope thereof.
For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the pressure regulator is arranged to be branched from the fuel flow path portion that pumps the fuel in the fuel tank of the vehicle to the internal combustion engine by the fuel pump is described. The present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various hydraulic circuits.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the fluid to be pressure-regulated is fuel and the fuel of the vehicle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is applicable to water, air, hydraulic circuit hydraulic oil, and the like. be able to.

In addition, it is possible to appropriately replace the constituent elements in the above-described embodiments with known constituent elements without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel supply apparatus 2 Fuel tank 3 Fuel pump 5 Exterior body 76,176,276 Pressure regulator (pressure control apparatus)
77 Case body 79 Channel portion 82 Main body channel portion 82a Stepped surface 82b Abutting surface 83 Fluid inlet 84 Fluid outlet 86

Groove

90, 190, 290

Movement restricting structure

91, 191, 291 Valve body 92a Seal portion 93 Upper support Protrusion (supporting protrusion)
94 Lower support protrusion (support protrusion)
95 Buffer member 197,297 Support side surface

Claims

The case body,
A channel portion formed in the case body and having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a body channel portion;
A valve body provided in the case body and capable of opening and closing the fluid inlet by moving in a predetermined direction along the main body flow path portion;
An elastic member that biases the valve body in a direction to close the fluid inlet;
With
The valve body is
A seal that closes the fluid inlet;
A main body provided with the seal part;
With
A pressure control device comprising a movement restricting structure that restricts movement of the valve body in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction.
The pressure control device according to claim 1,
The valve body includes a support protrusion protruding along the predetermined direction,
The movement control structure is a pressure control device including the support protrusion and the case body.
The pressure control device according to claim 1,
A support side surface is formed on the side surface of the valve body,
The said movement control structure is a pressure control apparatus provided with the said support side part and the said main body flow-path part.
In the pressure control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
At least the diameter of the fluid inlet is set to be smaller than the diameter of the main body flow path section,
The seal part is formed so as to be able to abut on a step surface between the fluid inlet and the main body channel part,
A pressure control device in which a buffer member is disposed in the seal portion.
The pressure control device according to claim 4.
A pressure control device in which an annular groove is formed on an outer peripheral side of the step surface with respect to the contact surface of the valve body.
In the pressure control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The case body is a pressure control device formed of a resin material.
The pressure control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A fuel pump that is disposed in the fuel tank and pumps the fuel in the fuel tank and pumps it to the internal combustion engine;
An exterior body attached to a wall surface of the fuel tank and supporting the fuel pump;
With
A fuel supply device in which the pressure control device is attached to the exterior body.
The fuel supply device according to claim 7, wherein
A fuel supply device in which the exterior body and at least a part of the case body are integrally formed of a resin material.