Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6405716
-
Patent Number
6,405,716
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Date Filed
Tuesday, December 19, 200023 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 18, 200221 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 123 510
- 123 497
- 123 509
- 123 514
- 123 516
- 137 56501
- 137 572
- 137 574
- 137 576
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A fuel feed module for a motor vehicle has a storage container adapted to be arranged in a fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle, a feed aggregate arranged in the storage container and having a drive formed as an electric motor for driving fuel from the storage container to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, means forming at least approximately hollow cylindrical receptacle arranged on the storage container, formed so that the feed aggregate is insertable into the receptacle in direction of its longitudinal axis, at least one mounting element fixed in the feed aggregate in direction of its longitudinal axis, the mounting element being formed as a cover part arranged on the feed aggregate and being at least partially electrically conductive.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel feed module for a motor vehicle.
One of such fuel modules is disclosed for example in the German patent document DE 196 19 992. This fuel module has a storage container arranged in a supply tank of the motor vehicle, and a feed aggregate arranged in it. The feed aggregate has an electric motor as a drive, and it supplies fuel from the supply tank to the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. At least approximately hollow-cylindrical receptacle for the feed aggregate is arranged on the storage container, and the feed aggregate is inserted in it. The feed aggregate is fixed in the receptacle by a mounting element, at least approximately in direction of its longitudinal axis. The mounting element is formed by a pressure connection piece which is placed on a pressure pipe of the feed aggregate. It is formed specially to perform simultaneously the mounting function. The pressure pipe is arranged near the edge of the feed aggregate, so that with the pressure connection piece fitted on it, the feed aggregate is fixed at one side in the receptacle. It is known that during the operation of the feed aggregate, electromagnetic disturbing radiation is generated by its electric motor. It must be screened by corresponding measures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of present invention to provide a fuel feed module for a motor vehicle which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated, in a fuel feed module in which the mounting element is formed as a cover part which is arranged on the feed aggregate and is at least partially electrically conductive.
When the fuel feed module is designed in accordance with the present invention, it has the advantage that, due to the cover part, a reliable, simultaneous fixing of the feed aggregate in the receptacle is obtained. Moreover, because of the electrically conductive structure of the cover part, a screening of the disturbing radiation generated by the electric motor of the feed aggregate is provided.
In accordance with a further feature of the present invention the feed aggregate has at least approximately tubular housing, in which the electric motor is arranged, and the cover part is mounted by a flange connection in the housing of the feed aggregate. With this construction a simple mounting of the cover part on the feed aggregate is possible.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a view showing a fuel feed module for a motor vehicle in accordance with the present invention, in a schematic representation; and
FIG. 2
is a view showing a section of the fuel feed module in accordance with the present invention, on an enlarged scale and in a section identified as II in FIG.
1
.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A fuel feed module for a motor vehicle shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
has a storage container
12
arranged in a fuel supply tank
10
of the motor vehicle. It has a volume substantially smaller than the volume of the supply tank
10
.
The storage container
12
is composed for example of a fuel-resistant synthetic plastic and can be produced by injection molding. The storage container
12
is fitted on a bottom of the supply tank
10
and held in a not shown manner in the supply tank. A feed aggregate
14
is arranged in the storage container
12
. Fuel is fed by it from the storage container
12
to an injection device of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. Fuel is fed from the supply tank
10
in the storage container
10
, for example by a suction jet pump
13
, so that in the storage container
12
always a sufficient fuel volume is available, from which the feed aggregate
14
can suck the fuel.
The feed aggregate
14
has a pump part
16
and a drive part
18
which are arranged in a joint, at least approximately tubular housing
20
. The tube part
16
and the drive part
18
are arranged near one another in direction of the longitudinal axis
15
of the feed aggregate
14
. The pump part
16
can be formed, for example as a flow pump. The drive part
18
is formed as an electric motor, by which an impeller of the pump part
16
is driven in a rotary movement. The feed aggregate
14
is closed by a cover
22
at a suction side, where the pump part
16
is arranged. It is also closed by a cover
24
at the pressure side, at which the electric motor
18
is arranged.
Electrical terminals
26
are arranged on the cover
24
for the electric motor
18
and a pressure pipe
28
, through which fuel fed from the feeding aggregate
14
exits and is fed through a conduit
30
fitted on the pressure pipe
28
to the internal combustion engine. The housing
20
of the feed aggregate
14
is composed, for example, of metal and a cover
22
and
24
can be composed of synthetic plastic. The cover
22
,
24
are mounted, for example, by a flange connection in the housing
20
. The edge
32
of the housing
20
which extends over one of the covers
22
,
24
is flanged inwardly over the cover
22
,
24
.
A further cover part
34
is connected with the feed aggregate
14
as shown in FIG.
2
. It is arranged over the cover
24
with the electrical connection
26
and the pressure pipe
28
. The cover part
24
is composed at least partially, preferably completely, of an electrically conductive material, for example metal. The cover part
34
has a cup-like shape corresponding to the contour of the cover
24
. Therefore, the cover part
34
tightly closes the cover
24
. The cover part
34
has openings for passage of the electrical connections
26
and the pressure pipe
28
.
The cover part
34
is mounted, preferably together with a cover
24
, on a housing
20
of the feed aggregate
14
. First the cover
24
is inserted in the housing
20
and over it the cover part
34
, and the edge
32
of the housing
20
is flanged inwardly over the cover part
34
. Thereby the cover part
34
and the cover
24
are held together. Several arresting arms
36
extend from the cover part
34
and over its periphery in a distributed way. They extend along the housing
20
of the feed aggregate
14
. The arresting arms
36
have an opening
38
or depression in their free end regions which face away from the cover part
34
. The cover part
34
forms a screening for the electromagnetic disturbing radiation produced during the operation of the feed aggregate
14
by the electric motor
18
.
The storage container
12
is arranged in a receptacle
40
for the feed aggregate
14
, and is inserted in it. The receptacle
40
is formed at least approximately hollow-cylindrical, in correspondence with the shape of the feed aggregate
14
. Its longitudinal axis
41
in a mounted condition in the supply tank
20
extends at least approximately vertically. The receptacle
40
is preferably formed of one-piece with the storage container
12
. On the upper edge of the receptacle
40
, several projections
42
extend outwardly from it over the periphery. They are distributed in a number and arrangement in correspondence with the arresting arms
36
of the cover part
34
. In its lower edge region, the receptacle
40
in its casing has an opening
40
to a bottom of the storage container
12
. A filter
46
passes through the opening. The filter
46
has a connecting piece
48
located inside the receptacle
40
. It is fitted with the connecting piece on a suction pipe
50
on the cover
22
of the feed aggregate
14
.
The feed aggregate
14
is inserted from above into the receptacle
40
. The cross-section of the receptacle
40
is only a little greater than the cross-section of the feed aggregate
14
, so that the feed aggregate
14
is fixed in the receptacle radially to its longitudinal axis
15
. A ring shoulder
52
which faces upwardly can be formed in the receptacle
40
, for example by a transverse reduction. It comes to abutment against the feed aggregate
14
in its end position. The arresting arms
36
of the cover part
34
of the feed aggregate
14
engage the receptacle
40
at its outer side, and simultaneously on the projection
32
of the receptacle
40
. In the end position of the feed aggregate
14
, the projections
42
engage in the openings of the arresting arms
36
, so that the feed aggregate
14
is fixed in direction of its longitudinal axis
15
in the receptacle
40
.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a fuel feed module for a motor vehicle, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Claims
- 1. A fuel feed module for a motor vehicle, comprising a storage container adapted to be arranged in a fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle; a feed aggregate arranged in said storage container and having a drive formed as an electric motor for driving fuel from said storage container to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle; means forming at least approximately hollow cylindrical receptacle arranged on said storage container, formed so that said feed aggregate is insertable into said receptacle in direction of its longitudinal axis; at least one mounting element fixed in said feed aggregate in direction of its longitudinal axis, said mounting element being formed as a cover part arranged on said feed aggregate and being at least partially electrically conductive.
- 2. A fuel feed aggregate as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover part is formed at least partially of metal.
- 3. A fuel feed aggregate as defined in claim 1, wherein said feed aggregate has at least approximately tubular housing in which said electric motor is arranged, said cover part being mounted in said housing of said feed aggregate by a flanged connection.
- 4. A fuel feed aggregate as defined in claim 2, wherein said feed aggregate has at least approximately tubular housing in which said electric motor is arranged, said cover part being mounted in said housing of said feed aggregate by a flanged connection.
- 5. A fuel feed aggregate as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover part has a plurality of arresting arms projecting over its periphery and extending from the periphery so as to engage said receptacle and to arrest on said receptacle.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
299 22 325 U |
Dec 1999 |
DE |
|
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4776315 |
Greiner |
Oct 1988 |
A |
6073614 |
Kleppner |
Jun 2000 |
A |
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
196 19 992 |
Nov 1997 |
DE |