Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6619271
-
Patent Number
6,619,271
-
Date Filed
Thursday, January 17, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 16, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 123 509
- 417 151
- 417 198
- 417 159
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A fuel supply apparatus has a sub tank inside a main tank that stores a fuel, and a jet pump nozzle inside the sub tank. A part of the fuel taken in from the sub tank to be supplied to an engine is sprayed from a tip of the jet pump nozzle. The fuel inside the main tank is drawn into the sub tank from a bottom part by a negative pressure caused by the jet pump nozzle. A holding device for holding the jet pump nozzle in the sub tank is provided between the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle when the jet pump nozzle is inserted into the sub tank. Therefore, it becomes possible to assemble the jet pump nozzle and the fuel supply system in advance outside the sub tank, and after that, to attach that jet pump nozzle to the sub tank.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to a fuel supply apparatus including a sub tank inside a main tank to supply a fuel inside the sub tank to an engine.
Conventionally, among fuel supply apparatuses applied to vehicles such as automobiles, there has been a type in which a sub tank is placed inside a main tank that stores a fuel. A sub tank is a fuel storage vessel, a cross section of which is sufficiently smaller than a main tank, and it has a fuel supply pump inside and has a jet pump at a position that connects the inside and the outside. A fuel supply pump is for taking in the fuel that is stored inside a sub tank and supplying this to an engine. The jet pump is for spraying a part of the fuel from a jet pump nozzle, and sucking a fuel stored in a main tank into the sub tank by using a negative pressure generated thereby.
According to a fuel supply apparatus as noted above, when the fuel supply pump is operated, the fuel inside the main tank is sucked into the sub tank by the jet pump, such that the fuel is always stored inside the sub tank. Accordingly, even when a liquid level of the fuel stored inside the main tank is temporarily lowered as a vehicle is inclined or due to centrifugal force on the vehicle, it becomes possible to assuredly supply the fuel stored inside the sub tank to an engine.
Incidentally, it is common that the jet pump described above is constituted at a bottom part of the sub tank in order to assuredly suck the fuel inside the main tank into the sub tank even when only a small amount of the fuel remains. Because of this, when the fuel supply apparatus is assembled, before the fuel supply pump is supported inside the sub tank, a channel for supplying a partial fuel ejected from the fuel supply pump must be connected to the jet pump nozzle which is provided on a bottom part of the sub tank. This operation must be performed inside an inner recess of the sub tank, and it becomes an issue that markedly complicates an assembly operation of the fuel supply apparatus.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing, and an object of the invention is to provide a fuel supply apparatus that simplifies an assembly operation thereof.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a fuel supply apparatus has a sub tank inside a main tank that stores a fuel, and a jet pump nozzle inside this sub tank. A part of the fuel taken in from the sub tank to be supplied to an engine is sprayed from a tip of the jet pump nozzle. The fuel inside the main tank is drawn into the sub tank from a bottom part by a negative pressure caused by the jet pump nozzle. Holding means for holding the jet pump nozzle in the sub tank is provided between the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle when the jet pump nozzle is inserted into the sub tank.
It is preferable for the holding means to be provided on at least one of the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle, and to include an elastic engagement part that engages one of the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle elastically. Also, it is preferable that the holding means includes a position regulating part that regulates the position of the jet pump nozzle with respect to the sub tank.
When a tip of the jet pump nozzle is exposed to an outside of the sub tank, a recess portion is preferably formed on an outer surface of the sub tank, and the tip of the jet pump nozzle is positioned in the recess portion. A seal member for sealing a fuel supply channel is provided in the jet pump nozzle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
shows a sectional side view of a fuel supply apparatus in an assembled state;
FIG. 2
is a sectional side view of essential components of a fuel supply apparatus in which a sub tank is attached to a main tank;
FIG. 3
is an exploded side view showing a fuel supply module and a jet pump nozzle to be disposed inside the sub tank;
FIG. 4
is an exploded side view from the direction of arrow
4
in
FIG. 3
;
FIG.
5
(
a
) is a side view in partial section of a sub tank, and FIG.
5
(
b
) is a sectional view taken along line
5
(
b
)-
5
(
b
) in FIG.
5
(
a
);
FIGS.
6
(
a
)-
6
(
c
) are side views of essential components showing in sequence of assembling process of a jet pump nozzle;
FIG.
7
(
a
) is a sectional view taken along line
7
(
a
)-
7
(
a
) in FIG.
6
(
a
), FIG.
7
(
b
) is a sectional view taken along line
7
(
b
)-
7
(
b
) in FIG.
6
(
b
), and FIG.
7
(
c
) is a sectional view along line
7
(
c
)-
7
(
c
) line in FIG.
6
(
c
);
FIG.
8
(
a
) is a plan view of a support bracket, FIG.
8
(
b
) is a plan view of the sub tank, and FIG.
8
(
c
) is a plan view showing a state in which the support bracket is attached to the sub tank; and
FIG. 9
is a sectional side view showing a modified example of a fuel supply apparatus according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Below, embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail with reference to accompanied drawings.
FIG. 2
shows one embodiment of a fuel supply apparatus according to the present invention. A fuel supply apparatus
1
is for supplying gasoline as fuel to an automobile engine (not shown), and it has a fuel supply module
10
.
As shown in FIG.
3
and
FIG. 4
, a fuel supply module
10
includes a fuel supply pump
110
; a fuel filter
120
; a pressure regulator (pressure regulating means)
130
; and a fuel delivery pipe
140
. These constituents are made into one unit by a supporting bracket
20
in advance. The fuel supply pump
110
is an electric pump for sequentially discharging a fuel, which is sucked from a suction port
111
at a lower surface thereof, from a discharge port
112
at an upper surface thereof. The fuel filter
120
sequentially filters the fuel discharged from the fuel supply pump
110
, and is disposed parallel to the fuel supply pump
110
. In the fuel filter
120
, a circulation pipe
121
is disposed downwardly from an upper portion of the fuel filter
120
to be externally attached. An inside of the circulation pipe
121
is provided with an ejection passage and a delivery passage (not shown), which are respectively independent from each other, and the circulation pipe
121
sequentially discharges the fuel filtered by the fuel filter
120
from the ejection passage.
The supporting bracket
20
is formed of a hard synthetic resin with gasoline resistance, such as polyacetal, and includes a module accommodating section
210
and a jet pump supply passage
220
as shown in
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
8
(
a
).
The module accommodating section
210
is a section to be fitted with lower sides of the fuel supply pump
110
and fuel filter
120
, which are arranged parallel to each other. In the module accommodating section
210
, a suction passage
211
is bored through a portion opposed to the suction port
111
of the fuel supply pump
110
, so that the fuel can be sucked from the lower surface of the supporting bracket
20
. Incidentally, numeral reference
212
shown in the figures denotes a simple filter provided for removing a relatively large dust from the fuel sucked through the suction passage
211
. Also, numeral reference
213
denotes a notch with which an engagement claw
11
disposed at the fuel supply module
10
is engaged.
The jet pump supply passage
220
is a passage formed at a portion corresponding to the circulation pipe
121
of the fuel filter
120
, and is formed integrally with the module accommodating section
210
described above. The jet pump supply passage
220
extends along a vertical direction. The jet pump supply passage
220
includes a regulator accommodating section
222
at an upper end portion of a passage main body
221
, and a nozzle inserting section
223
at a lower end portion of the passage main body
221
. The regulator accommodating section
222
is a portion that accommodates and holds the pressure regulator
130
described above by interposing a gasket
131
therebetween to thereby receive the fuel relieved from the lower surface of the pressure regulator
130
. The nozzle inserting section
223
is a portion for guiding the fuel, which has passed through the passage main body
221
, further downwardly, and has a diameter smaller than that of the passage main body
221
. As clearly understood from the drawings, the jet pump supply passage
220
is disposed at a position higher than the module accommodating section
210
, and the lower end portion of the nozzle inserting section
223
is located at the position higher than the lower surface of the module accommodating section
210
.
Also, a plurality of projection inserting sections (positioning means)
230
is disposed at an outer peripheral portion of the supporting bracket
20
. Each projection inserting section
230
projects outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the supporting bracket
20
, and has a positioning insertion hole
231
(refer to FIG.
8
(
a
)) at each projecting end portion thereof. Each positioning insertion hole
231
has a slit form, and is bored through the projection inserting section
230
along the vertical direction. In the supporting bracket
20
of the present embodiment, the projection inserting sections
230
are formed at two places opposite to each other.
Moreover, the fuel supply apparatus
1
described above includes a sub tank
40
inside a main Lank
30
for storing the fuel. The sub tank
40
has a lateral cross section, which is sufficiently smaller than that of the main tank
30
and slightly larger than the fuel supply module
10
, and has a form of a cylindrical body with a bottom. As in the supporting bracket
20
, the sub tank
40
is formed of a hard synthetic resin with gasoline resistance, such as polyacetal.
As shown in FIGS.
5
(
a
),
5
(
b
) and
8
(
b
), an inside of the sub tank
40
is provided with three guide ribs
41
, and also two positioning projections
42
.
The guide ribs
41
are liner projecting portions, which project inwardly from an inner peripheral surface of the sub tank
40
and respectively extend along a vertical direction. The guide ribs
41
are disposed at a lower half portion of the sub tank
40
such that upper end surfaces of the respective guide ribs
41
are at the same height. In the sub tank
40
of the embodiment, three guide ribs
41
described above are disposed at substantially uniform intervals therebetween.
The positioning projections
42
are portions to be inserted into the positioning insertion holes
231
of the supporting bracket
20
, and formed such that the width and thickness thereof are gradually reduced toward the upper side. Each positioning projection
42
projects vertically upwardly from an upper surface of each stand-like section
43
disposed on an inner bottom surface of the sub tank
40
. The stand-like section
43
is disposed at a portion where the inner bottom surface of the sub tank
40
meets the inner surface thereof, and the stand-like sections
43
are disposed at the same height. Each stand-like section
43
is formed at such a height that a lower surface of the simple filter
212
abuts against the inner bottom surface of the sub tank
40
when the upper surface of each stand-like section
43
abuts against the lower surface of the supporting bracket
20
.
Also, a recess portion
410
is formed on an outer front surface of the sub tank
40
. As shown in FIGS.
5
(
a
),
5
(
b
), and FIGS.
8
(
a
)-
8
(
c
), the recess portion
410
is formed at a position corresponding to the jet pump supply passage
220
in case the positioning projections
42
are inserted into the positioning insertion holes
231
of the supporting bracket
20
, and the recess portion
410
is formed to open toward a lateral side and lower side at the bottom of the sub tank
40
. A nozzle supporting cylinder body (supporting means)
420
and a fuel suction passage
430
are respectively opened to the recess portion
410
.
As clearly understood from the drawings, the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
is a cylindrical portion extending vertically upwardly from a ceiling surface of the recess portion
410
, and has an upper end opened to the inside of the sub tank
40
. The nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
is formed such that an inner diameter of a lower half portion thereof is slightly smaller than that of an upper half portion, and a step portion
421
is formed at a portion where the lower half portion meets the upper half portion.
The upper half portion of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
has the inner diameter which allows the passage main body
221
of the jet pump supply passage
220
provided in the supporting bracket
20
to be inserted therein. The lower half portion of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
is provided with a single direction defining groove
422
(supporting means) along the vertical direction. The single direction defining groove
422
is formed to have a width that is gradually increased toward the upper side. The nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
is formed in such a height that an upper end of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
agrees with a boundary between the regulator accommodating section
222
and the passage main body
221
of the jet pump supply passage
220
when the lower surface of the supporting bracket
20
abuts against the upper surfaces of the stand-like sections
43
.
The fuel suction passage
430
extends horizontally from a side surface of the recess portion
410
toward the lateral direction, and is bent vertically upwardly thereafter. An upper end portion of the fuel suction passage
430
is opened to the inside of the sub tank
40
. In the fuel suction passage
430
, a lateral cross section of a horizontally extending portion
431
has a circular shape, and an end portion thereof opened to the recess portion
410
has a funnel form in which an inner diameter thereof is gradually increased outwardly. On the other hand, a vertically extending portion
432
of the fuel suction passage
430
has a substantially square tube form, and an inner diameter thereof is sufficiently larger than that of the horizontally extending portion
431
. Because the open end of the part extending in the vertical direction of the fuel intake channel
430
is positioned toward the center of the nearly circular bottom surface of the sub tank
40
and is set to a position close to nearly the center in the longitudinal direction of the simple filter
212
, the efficiency of fuel intake inside the sub tank
40
is very good.
The symbol
440
in the drawing is a holding part for holding the gauge assembly of the main tank
30
, and the symbol
450
is an opening for overflow.
Furthermore, the fuel supply apparatus
1
described above has a jet pump nozzle
50
. The jet pump nozzle
50
, as shown in
FIG. 1
, FIG.
6
(
a
)-FIG.
6
(
c
), and FIG.
7
(
a
)-FIG.
7
(
c
), has a single spray port
52
on a peripheral surface of a tip of a nozzle main body
51
that forms a cylindrical shape, and just as in the sub tank
40
, it is formed of a hard synthetic resin with gasoline tolerance such as polyacetal. An inner diameter of the nozzle main body
51
is formed to a size such that the nozzle inserting section
223
of the jet pump supply passage
220
provided in the supporting bracket
20
can be fitted therewith. The part constituting the spray port
52
of the nozzle main body
51
is formed such that its outer perimeter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the part
431
extending horizontally of the fuel intake channel
430
and furthermore the outer perimeter gradually becomes smaller toward the tip.
In this jet pump nozzle
50
, there are provided a large positioning flange (holding means)
53
, a seal holding part
54
, a small positioning flange (holding means)
55
, an elastic engaging piece (holding means)
56
, and a direction regulating rib (holding means)
57
.
The large positioning flange
53
is a part that has an outer diameter that couples into the upper half part inside the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
of the sub tank
40
, and it is provided on the base part of the nozzle main body
51
.
The seal holding part
54
is constituted by forming the inner perimeter of the large positioning flange
53
to have a larger diameter, and it holds an annular seal member
60
inside. An outer diameter of the seal member
60
is constructed to be slightly larger than an inner diameter of the seal holding part
54
, and it is held by the seal holding part
54
in a slightly bent state. Also, an inner diameter of the seal member
60
is constructed to be slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the nozzle insertion part
223
of the jet pump supply channel
220
described above.
The small positioning flange
55
is a part that has an outer diameter that couples with the lower half part inside the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
, and it is provided roughly in a center part of the nozzle main body
51
.
The elastic engaging piece
56
is a part that gradually extends outward toward a base from a tip in a position shifted 180 degrees with respect to the spray port
52
. This elastic engaging piece
56
is elastically deformable following the radial direction of the nozzle main body
51
, and its extended end in the free state is positioned outward of the outer perimeter surface of the large positioning flange
53
.
The direction regulating rib
57
is a linear projection that extends in a middle part of the nozzle main body
51
following the axial direction of the nozzle main body
51
. The direction regulating rib
57
extends higher than the small positioning flange
55
and is located at a position substantially identical to the large positioning flange
53
. The direction regulating rib
57
is provided in a position that matches the direction regulating groove
422
of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
when the axial center of the nozzle main body
51
matches the axial center of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
and the axial center of the spray port
52
matches a vertical surface including the axial center of the fuel intake channel
430
.
When assembling the fuel supply apparatus
1
described above, the fuel supply module
10
is made as a unit in advance with the support bracket
20
, and in addition, the jet pump nozzle
50
is installed in the nozzle insertion part
223
of the jet pump supply channel provided on the support bracket
20
. The work of assemble involves connecting the fuel supply pump
110
, the fuel filter
120
, the pressure regulator
130
, and the fuel lead-out pipe
140
together which constitute the fuel supply module
10
, attaching these to the support bracket
20
, and installing the jet pump nozzle
50
on the nozzle insertion part
223
of the jet pump supply channel
220
. Because all of these steps may be performed outside the sub tank
40
, they can be carried out extremely easily. When installing the jet pump nozzle
50
on the nozzle insertion part
223
of the support bracket
20
, it is preferable from the relative positions of the sub tank
40
and the support bracket
20
that the orientation of the spray port
52
be generally set so as to oppose the opening of the fuel intake channel
430
of the sub tank
40
.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 1
, the fuel supply module
10
made as a unit is successively installed inside the sub tank
40
in a state in which the jet pump supply channel
220
of the support bracket
20
fits the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
.
At that time, first, the tip of the jet pump nozzle
50
provided in the nozzle insertion part
223
of the support bracket
20
is inserted into the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
, and then the small positioning flange
55
and the large positioning flange
53
of the jet pump nozzle
50
successively are inserted inside that nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
. Therefore, by their coordination, the support bracket
20
is guided inside the sub tank
40
, and the positioning tabs
42
are easily inserted into the respective positioning insertion holes
231
of the support bracket
20
.
During this operation, as shown in FIG.
6
(
a
)-FIG.
6
(
c
), the direction regulating rib
57
provided on the jet pump nozzle
50
is successively inserted in the direction regulating groove
422
provided on the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
. With the direction regulating rib
57
and direction regulating groove
422
, the direction of the jet pump nozzle
50
with respect to the sub tank
40
is precisely regulated at a point when the large positioning flange
53
abuts against the step part
421
. At that time, because the direction regulating groove
422
is formed such that a width gradually becomes wider upward, it is possible to accept the direction regulating rib
57
even when the orientation of the jet pump nozzle is somewhat shifted. After that, the orientation of the jet pump nozzle
50
is corrected as the direction regulating rib
57
advances.
The elastic engaging piece
56
of the jet pump nozzle
50
, as shown in FIG.
7
(
a
) to FIG.
7
(
b
), elastically deforms inward in the course of insertion into the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
, and it allows insertion into the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
of the jet pump nozzle
50
. After that, as shown in FIG.
7
(
c
), when the large positioning flange
53
abuts against the step part
421
, it extends outward in the radial direction, and its extended end engages an opening of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
, and therefore, the jet pump nozzle
50
is prevented from accidentally falling out from the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
.
In FIG.
6
(
c
) and FIG.
7
(
c
), the spray port
52
of the nozzle main body
51
faces an opening of the fuel intake channel
430
outside the sub tank
40
, and their axial centers match each other. As a result, a jet pump
500
is formed in the fuel intake channel
430
. The tip of the jet pump nozzle
50
that is exposed to the outside of the sub tank
40
in this jet pump
500
is positioned inside the recess portion
410
provided on that sub tank
40
. Accordingly, when handling the sub tank
40
after an installation of the jet pump
500
, the jet pump nozzle
50
will not hit other objects accidentally, and no impact or damage will be applied to the jet pump nozzle
50
.
Also in FIG.
6
(
c
) and FIG.
7
(
c
), when the jet pump nozzle
50
is pushed toward the inside of the sub Lank
40
while bending the elastic engaging piece
56
inward, it is possible to remove the jet pump nozzle
50
from the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
.
After a lower surface of the support bracket
20
abuts against an upper surface of the stand-like section
43
, the fuel lead-out pipe
140
is connected to a supply part
71
on a flange body
70
, and in addition, a lead line of the fuel supply pump
110
(not shown) is connected to a connector
72
on the flange body
70
. Furthermore, the flange body
70
covers the opening on the upper end of the sub tank
40
while a coil spring
73
is interposed between the fuel supply module
10
and the flange body
70
.
Finally, the sub tank
40
covered by the flange body
70
may be set inside the main tank
30
in which a bottom surface of the sub tank
40
abuts against an inner bottom surface of the main tank
30
. When a drive signal is applied to the fuel supply pump
110
through the connector
72
on the flange body
70
, the fuel inside the sub tank
40
is supplied to an engine through the fuel filter
120
, the pressure regulator
130
, the fuel lead-out pipe
140
, and the supply part
71
on the flange body
70
by the fuel supply pump
110
. The pressure regulator
130
controls a pressure of the fuel supplied to an engine at a constant value.
The fuel relieved by the pressure regulator
130
is supplied to the jet pump nozzle
50
through the jet pump supply channel
220
provided on the support bracket
20
, and it is sprayed from the spray port
52
. When the fuel is sprayed from the jet pump nozzle
50
, because a negative pressure,is generated when the sprayed fuel passes through the fuel intake channel
430
, the fuel stored in the main tank
30
is sucked into the sub tank
40
from the periphery of the jet pump nozzle
50
together with the fuel sprayed from the jet pump nozzle
50
. Furthermore, because the fuel intake channel
430
extends vertically upwards inside the sub tank
40
, even when the fuel is not sprayed from the jet pump nozzle
50
, the fuel stored in the sub tank
40
will not flow back to the main tank
30
through the fuel intake channel
430
. As a result, the fuel is always stored in the sub tank
40
, and even when the liquid level of the fuel stored inside the main tank
30
is temporarily lowered as an automobile is inclined or due to centrifugal force acting on a body, it becomes possible to supply the fuel to the engine.
As explained above, according to the fuel supply apparatus
1
, because the jet pump nozzle
50
is held as it is by inserting the jet pump nozzle
50
in the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
from the inside of the sub tank
40
, it is possible to attach the jet pump nozzle
50
to the sub tank
40
in a state in which the whole fuel supply system from the fuel supply pump
110
to this jet pump nozzle
50
is assembled in advance outside the sub tank
40
. Since the operation of connecting a fuel supply system inside the sub tank
40
is eliminated, it becomes possible to greatly simplify the assembly operation of the fuel supply apparatus
1
.
FIG. 9
shows a modified example of the fuel supply apparatus pertaining to the present invention. The fuel supply apparatus
1
′ shown as an example here, just as the fuel supply apparatus
1
shown previously, is for supplying fuel to an automobile engine, and it differs from the previous embodiment in the point that a second jet pump
510
is provided in the jet pump supply channel
220
′ on the support bracket
20
.
In the fuel supply apparatus
1
′ of this modified example, the second jet pump
510
is provided in an upper end of a channel main body part
221
′ which extends vertically, and furthermore a regulator receiving part
222
′ is provided on an upper end of the second jet pump
510
.
The second jet pump
510
is formed by a negative pressure chamber
511
, a second fuel intake channel
512
and a fuel spray channel
513
. The negative pressure chamber
511
forms a round columnar shape that is sufficiently wider than a center hole
221
a′
of the channel main body part
221
′, and it is connected to the center hole
221
a′
of the channel main body part
221
′. As for the center hole
221
a′
of the channel main body part
221
′ which is connected to this negative pressure chamber
511
, its upper end forms a funnel shape in which an inner diameter is gradually increased upwardly. The second fuel intake channel
512
extends out in the radial direction from the negative pressure chamber
511
, and it connects together the inside and the outside of the negative pressure chamber
511
. The fuel spray channel
513
is for spraying the fuel that is relieved from the lower side of the pressure regulator
130
into the center hole
221
a′
of the channel main body part
221
′. This fuel spray channel
513
projects downwardly from a center part of the regulator receiving part
222
′, passes through a center part of the negative pressure chamber
511
, and then reaches at its tip a part that is formed in a funnel shape in the center hole
221
a
′ of the channel main body part
221
′. The projecting end of the fuel spray channel
513
is formed such that its outer perimeter gradually becomes smaller downward downwardly.
In the fuel supply apparatus
1
′ of this modified example, in regard to the same structures as in the fuel supply apparatus
1
of the previous embodiment, the same symbols are used and their individual detailed explanations are omitted.
In the fuel supply apparatus
1
′ of the modified example, when a drive signal is applied to the fuel supply pump
110
through the connector
72
on the flange body
70
, the fuel inside the sub tank
40
is supplied to an engine through the fuel filter
120
, the pressure regulator
130
, the fuel lead-out pipe
140
, and the supply part on the flange body
70
by the fuel supply pump
110
. The pressure regulator
130
controls a pressure of the fuel supplied to the engine at a constant value.
The fuel relieved by the pressure regulator
130
is supplied to the jet pump nozzle
50
through the jet pump supply channel
220
provided on the support bracket
20
, and it is sprayed from the spray port
52
. When the fuel is sprayed from the jet pump nozzle
50
, because a negative pressure is generated when the sprayed fuel passes through the fuel intake channel
430
, the fuel stored in the main tank
30
is sucked into the sub tank
40
from the periphery of the jet pump nozzle
50
together with the fuel sprayed from the jet pump nozzle
50
. During this process, in the second jet pump
510
, the fuel relieved from the lower side of the pressure regulator
130
is sprayed from the fuel spray channel
513
, and when it passes through the center hole
221
a
′ of the channel main body part
221
′, a negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure chamber
511
. Accordingly, for example, even when the main tank
30
with divided bottoms, such as a saddle shape, is used, it is possible to transfer the fuel stored in the divided bottoms to the sub tank through the second fuel intake channel
512
when a pipe
514
is provided to connect the second fuel intake channel
512
and the divided bottoms.
Moreover, just as in the previous embodiment, in regard to its assembly, because the jet pump nozzle
50
can be attached to the sub tank
40
after the whole fuel supply system from the fuel supply pump
110
to the jet pump nozzle
50
and the fuel supply system to the second jet pump
510
are assembled in advance outside the sub tank
40
, the operation of connecting the fuel supply system inside the sub tank
40
is eliminated. The assembly operation of the fuel supply apparatus
1
′ becomes very simple.
Furthermore, according to the fuel supply apparatus
1
′ of the modified example, because the second jet pump
510
is constituted in an upper region of the nozzle supporting cylinder body
420
in the sub tank
40
, there is no need to provide a space dedicated for the second jet pump
510
in the sub tank
40
, and it becomes beneficial in the point of space efficiency.
In the embodiments described above, the fuel supply apparatus uses a fuel relieved from a pressure regulator to spray from the jet pump nozzle. However, it can be applied to a fuel supply apparatus that uses the fuel returned as surplus after supplying to an engine to spray from the jet pump nozzle.
Also, in the embodiments described above, the fuel supply apparatus has the support bracket for accommodating and holding the fuel supply pump in the sub tank, and the jet pump supply channel for supplying fuel to the jet pump nozzle is provided on this support bracket. However, the support bracket is not an essential part. As means for supplying the fuel to the jet pump nozzle, it is possible to provide the jet pump supply channel that is not a hard part, rather is elastically deformable like the fuel lead-out pipe described above. In the embodiments described above where the jet pump supply channel is provided on the support bracket, the jet pump supply channel becomes a hard part, and when the support bracket is positioned with respect to the sub tank, it is possible to position the jet pump supply channel with respect to the nozzle supporting cylinder body. Accordingly, when a pre-assembled fuel supply module along with the support bracket is accommodated and provided inside the sub tank with only the jet pump nozzle installed in the nozzle supporting cylinder body of the sub tank, it is still possible to connect the jet pump supply channel and the jet pump nozzle.
According to the present invention as explained above, the fuel supply apparatus has the sub tank inside the main tank that stores a fuel, and the jet pump nozzle inside this sub tank. A part of the fuel taken in from the sub tank to be supplied to an engine is sprayed from the tip of the jet pump nozzle. The fuel inside the main tank is drawn into the sub tank from a bottom part by a negative pressure caused by the jet pump nozzle. Holding means for holding the jet pump nozzle in the sub tank is provided between the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle when the jet pump nozzle is inserted into the sub tank. Therefore, it becomes possible to assemble the jet pump nozzle and the fuel supply system in advance outside the sub tank, and after that, to attach that jet pump nozzle to the sub tank. Accordingly, the operation of connecting the jet pump nozzle and the fuel supply system inside the inner recesses of the sub tank is eliminated, and it is possible to greatly simplify the assembly operation of the fuel supply apparatus.
While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A fuel supply apparatus for supplying a fuel to an engine, comprising:a main tank for storing the fuel therein, a sub tank disposed inside the main tank, a jet pump having a jet pump nozzle disposed inside the sub tank for generating a negative pressure for sucking the fuel inside the main tank into the sub tank, and supporting means formed inside the sub tank for supporting the jet pump nozzle when the jet pump nozzle is attached to the sub tank, said supporting means being provided on one of the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle, and having an elastic engagement portion for engaging the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle.
- 2. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means further includes positioning means for regulating a position between the sub tank and the jet pump nozzle.
- 3. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sub tank further includes a recess portion in an outer surface thereof, and a tip of the jet pump nozzle is positioned at the recess portion.
- 4. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said jet pump nozzle is provided with sealing means for sealing the jet pump.
- 5. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said supporting means includes a cylindrical portion located at a bottom of the sub tank and integrally formed therewith, said cylindrical portion extending vertically upwardly from a ceiling surface of the recess portion and having an upper end opened to an inside of the sub tank.
- 6. A fuel supply apparatus for supplying a fuel to an engine, comprising:a main tank for storing the fuel therein, a sub tank disposed inside the main tank, and having a recess portion in an outer surface thereof, a jet pump having a jet pump nozzle disposed inside the sub tank for generating a negative pressure for sucking the fuel inside the main tank into the sub tank, said jet pup nozzle having a tip positioned at the recess portion, and supporting means formed inside the sub tank for supporting the jet pump nozzle when the jet pump nozzle is attached to the sub tank, said supporting means having a cylindrical portion located at a bottom of the sub tank and integrally formed therewith, said cylindrical portion extending vertically upwardly from a ceiling surface of the recess portion and having an upper end opened to an inside of the sub tank, said cylindrical portion including an upper half portion, a lower half portion having an inner diameter smaller than that of the upper half portion and a single direction defining groove extending along a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical portion, and a step portion formed between the upper and lower half portions.
- 7. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said jet pump includes a large positioning flange formed at an upper portion thereof and having a seal holding therein, a small positioning flange under the large positioning flange, an elastic engaging piece as holding means, and a direction regulating rib at a side surface thereof.
- 8. A fuel supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the jet pump is assembled with the cylindrical portion, the large positioning flange is located in the upper half portion on the step portion; the small positioning flange is located in the lower half portion; the elastic engaging piece engages an edge of the lower half portion; and the direction regulating rib is located in the single direction defining groove.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-016170 |
Jan 2001 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
11-148432 |
Jun 1999 |
JP |