Regulating jet pump with two fluid seals, one opening at an intermediate inlet pressure and the other opening at a higher inlet pressure for increased flow through the pump

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6783329
  • Patent Number
    6,783,329
  • Date Filed
    Friday, December 20, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 31, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
The invention provides a jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also possessing a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.
Description




GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD




The present invention relates to the field of jet pumps.




The present invention finds particular but non-exclusive application in the field of motor vehicle fuel tanks.




Still more precisely, the present invention finds application in transferring fuel between different compartments in multi-compartment fuel tanks, or in filling a reserve bowl from which a fuel pump or any fuel feeder device draws fuel.




STATE OF THE ART




Examples of fuel suction devices based on jet pumps are shown in documents DE-A-3 915 185, DE-A-3 612 194, or DE-A-2 602 234.




Although known suction devices based on jet pumps have given good service, they nevertheless do not always give satisfaction.




An object of the present invention is to propose a novel and improved jet pump.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The invention seeks to mitigate those drawbacks.




To this end, the invention provides a jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also possessing a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.




The invention advantageously further comprises the following characteristics taken singly or in any technical feasible combination:




the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, the second sealing element being situated downstream from the auxiliary chamber;




the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, the second sealing element being also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber;




the nozzle is slidably mounted in the pump housing, to move along a longitudinal axis of the pump housing against bias from a spring urging it against a sealing element;




the first sealing element opens by means of the nozzle moving, the second sealing element being opened by limiting the displacement of a second moving element;




both sealing elements are opened by displacement of the nozzle;




the body of the nozzle comprises three portions: a central first portion generally in the form of a hollow circularly cylindrical tube of constant section; a second portion integrally molded on the outside surface of the central portion from the upstream end thereof and forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump housing over the outside of the central portion; and a third portion situated downstream from the central portion having an outside shape that is substantially frustoconical and that converges downstream, its inside shape forming a nozzle outlet formed by a through axial channel connected to the inside volume of the central portion and opening out into a downstream suction chamber;




the space defined between the drum and the central portion forms a chamber open towards the downstream end of the pump and receiving the bias spring;




the general outside shape of the body of the nozzle in longitudinal section is substantially W-shaped, the two upstream bends of the W-shape forming a flat bottom defining a surface of generally annular shape lying in a transverse plane, facing upstream, and located inside the housing of the pump;




the annular surface has a longitudinal peripheral rim on its outer periphery extending towards the upstream end of the pump, said rim co-operating with a transverse gasket fixed to the housing of the pump and situated facing the annular surface to define a first sealing element;




the pump has a finger extending inside the inside volume of the central portion of the nozzle body, a cap movable in translation co-operating with a second bias spring which presses said cap against a transverse shoulder facing towards the upstream end of the pump and formed inside said central portion of the nozzle body, thus forming a second sealing element, which second sealing element is opened when the moving element reaches the end of its stroke as it follows the displacement of the nozzle body inside the pump housing, said displacement of the nozzle being due to the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the annular surface exceeding a second pressure level;




the central portion and the downstream portion of the nozzle both have the same inside diameter, the inside opening as defined in this way being extended at the upstream end of the nozzle by a circular longitudinally-extending rim integrally molded on the annular surface, said circular rim co-operating with a deformable gasket fixed on an element of the pump so as to form a sealing element, said sealing element opening as the nozzle moves forwards, said forward movement taking place when the pressure of the injected fluid reaches a second level; and




the inside shape of the third portion comprises, in the flow direction of the injected fluid, a first segment of converging frustoconical shape followed by a through second segment of circularly cylindrical shape of constant section.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Other characteristics, objects, and advantages of the invention appear from the following description which is purely illustrative and non-limiting and which should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a longitudinal section view of an embodiment having two sealing elements;





FIG. 2

is a view of the

FIG. 1

device with the first sealing element in the open position;





FIG. 3

is a view of the

FIG. 1

device with the second sealing element in the open position;





FIG. 4

is a longitudinal section view of another embodiment having two sealing elements;





FIG. 5

is a view of the

FIG. 4

device with the first sealing element in the open position;





FIG. 6

is a view of the

FIG. 4

device with the second sealing element in the open position;





FIG. 7

is a circuit diagram showing how fuel is delivered to an engine from a tank including a prior art jet pump;





FIG. 8

is a circuit diagram showing how fuel is delivered to an engine from a tank including a jet pump as shown in

FIGS. 1

to


6


;





FIG. 9

is a graph showing how the pressure in the chamber varies as a function of injected flow rate when only one opening is provided in the nozzle device; and





FIG. 10

is a graph showing how the pressure in the chamber varies as a function of the injected flow rate when there are two openings provided in the nozzle device.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




None of the jet pump embodiments described below has any element downstream from a nozzle. This avoids disturbing the flow of fluid downstream from the nozzle.




Description of a First Embodiment





FIG. 1

shows a jet pump in accordance with the present invention comprising a substantially circularly cylindrical housing


10


centered on a longitudinal axis O—O.




The housing


10


defines a control inlet


12


receiving the injected flow at a first axial end. The control chamber extends inside a body


52


that is itself substantially circularly cylindrical in shape.




The axial outlet


14


from the pump is defined at the opposite axial end.




The housing


10


also has an auxiliary suction inlet


16


which communicates laterally with the channel


18


inside the housing


10


.




This internal channel


18


thus constitutes a suction chamber.




The axial outlet


14


into which the channel


18


opens out receives the flow injected via the inlet


12


plus the flow sucked in via the suction inlet


16


.




The auxiliary suction inlet


16


is disposed upstream from a nozzle fed with the flow injected via the inlet


12


. The suction inlet may be constituted by a short tube inclined relative to the axis O—O of the housing


10


, e.g. at an angle lying in the range 10° to 90°. In the embodiment shown in

FIG. 1

, this angle is equal to 90°.




Similarly, the inlet


12


may be inclined relative to the axis O—O, typically at an angle lying in the range 0° to 90°. In

FIG. 1

, the inlet


12


lies on the axis O—O.




The body


20


of the nozzle is situated substantially in the middle of the housing


10


. This body


20


is mounted to slide inside the inside diameter of the housing


10


.




The moving body


20


has an inside volume constituting a portion of an auxiliary chamber


26


.




At the upstream end of the body


20


, the auxiliary chamber


26


communicates with the inlet chamber


12


, and at the downstream end it communicates with the chamber


18


downstream from the nozzle. Communication between the upstream portion of the auxiliary chamber


26


and the suction chamber


18


take place via a nozzle outlet


19


.




The sliding movement of the body


20


in the housing


10


takes place against bias from spring-forming means. It enables two sealing elements located upstream and/or downstream of the auxiliary chamber


26


to be opened or closed as a function of the pressure level of the injected fluid. Depending on the open or closed state of the sealing elements, the fluid flows either via the auxiliary chamber


26


and the nozzle outlet


19


towards the pump outlet


14


, or else it flows round the outside edges of the nozzle.




A first sealing element situated on the outside portion of the nozzle, when closed, seals the nozzle against fluid leaking along the walls between the housing


10


and the body


20


.




A second sealing element situated inside the inner portion of the nozzle, when in the closed position, serves to prevent any fluid leaking via the inside channel formed by the inside volume of the nozzle. The second sealing element also prevents a self-regulation process from applying to the pressure of the injected fluid. In the open position, self-regulation can take place as a function of the extent to which the sealing element is open.




The first sealing element opens at a first predetermined pressure level, the second sealing element opens at a second predetermined pressure level, said second pressure level being greater than or equal to the first predetermined pressure level.





FIG. 9

is a graph showing how pressure varies inside the chamber as a function of variation in the injected flow rate, and it can be seen that when only one opening is provided in the nozzle, then there is a jump in the pressure inside the chamber.




However,

FIG. 10

which is likewise a graph showing pressure as a function of flow rate, shows that the pressure remains substantially constant inside the chamber since the regulation function and the opening of the second sealing element compensates for the increase in the area of contact with the pressure fluid.




To this end, the sealing elements may be constituted by two gaskets. These two gaskets may be distinct and they may present different structures and elastic deformation properties. It is thus possible to obtain two sealing elements which open at two different pressure levels when they co-operate with means that are integrally molded with the moving body


20


that is subjected to thrust from the single spring-forming means.




Also for this purpose, the two sealing elements may be formed in a washer presenting a single set of elastic deformation properties, but co-operating with means molded integrally with the moving body


20


and having different axial extents. These different axial extents cause the sealing elements to open at different pressure levels.




Still for this purpose, a first sealing element may be formed by a gasket having elastic deformation properties and co-operating with means molded integrally with the moving body


20


, while a second sealing element is formed by at least one valve-forming element on the self-regulation nozzle and co-operating with other spring-forming means.




The moving body


20


comprises three portions:




a central first portion


60


generally in the form of a circularly cylindrical tube of constant hollow section centered on the axis O—O;




a second portion


64


integrally molded on the outside surface of the central portion


60


at the upstream end thereof, forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump body


10


, outside the central portion


60


. The space defined between the barrel


64


and the central portion


60


forms a chamber


67


that is open towards the downstream end of the pump. This chamber


67


receives a bias spring


40


; and




a third portion


62


situated downstream from the central portion


60


. The third portion


62


has an outline that is substantially frustoconical, converging downstream. The inside bore of the portion


62


forms the nozzle


19


constituting a through axial channel extending from the inside volume of the central portion


60


and opening out into the suction chamber


18


.




The inside channel in the third portion


62


preferably converges downstream.




More precisely, in the embodiment shown in

FIG. 1

, the inside channel of the third portion


62


comprises two axially juxtaposed segments


22


and


24


.




The first segment


22


which is upstream in the flow direction is preferably of a downwardly-converging frustoconical shape. The half-angle at the apex of this segment


22


preferably lies in the range 10° to 80°.




The second segment


24


of the body


20


is preferably circularly cylindrical and of constant section. The free outside end


240


of this segment


24


is slightly rounded.




The inside diameter of the segment


24


lies advantageously in the range 1 millimeter (mm) to 3.6 mm.




A shoulder


68


extending transversely to the axis O—O and facing upstream is formed between the inside profile of the central portion


60


and the channel of the third portion


62


of the body


20


.




The general outside shape of the body


20


in longitudinal section is thus substantially W-shaped. The central point of the W-shape points towards the downstream end of the pump.




Still in longitudinal section, the two upstream bends of the W-shape form a flat bottom


66


. This surface


66


thus defines, inside the pump body and in a transverse plane, a surface that is generally annular in shape and faces upstream. The space defined inside the annular surface


66


may include a central chamfer


28


of frustoconical shape converging downstream.




An auxiliary chamber


26


is formed between the control chamber


12


and the outlet from the nozzle. The auxiliary chamber


26


is constituted by the inside volume of the housing


10


upstream from the moving body


20


of the nozzle, and by the inside volume of the moving body.




At least one orifice


56


through the body


52


enables fluid to pass from the control chamber


12


to the auxiliary chamber


26


.




The body


20


is mounted to slide in the body of the housing


10


along the axis O—O. The outside shape of the drum


64


has an outside diameter that is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the housing


10


. Complementary longitudinal fluting between the housing


10


and the body


20


allows one to slide relative to the other (possibly preventing rotation).




Fluid can thus leak between the outside of the drum


64


and the inside of the housing


10


.




Such leakage is undesirable in a rest position. Thus, a first sealing element serves to make the nozzle proof against fluid leaks around the outside of its moving body


20


.




However, this leakage phenomenon becomes desirable on going past a first pressure level.




This first sealing element is formed by co-operation between a first gasket and a rim molded integrally on the body


20


.




For this purpose, a rim


69


integrally molded on the bend of the drum


64


is directed towards the upstream end of the pump, longitudinally along the axis O—O.




It co-operates with a fixed gasket


76


on the body


52


, compressing the gasket due to the urging from the spring


40


. The spring


40


placed between the elements


60


and


64


is positioned between the upstream portion of the body


20


and a step


21


in the housing


10


. The spring


40


thus urges the body


20


upstream to press against the gasket


76


.




A second sealing element must be capable of closing off the nozzle


19


in a rest position and continues to do so up to a second pressure level. This second sealing element must consequently be pressed against the nozzle outlet, even during movement of the moving body


20


, and it must release the nozzle outlet


19


once the second pressure level has been reached. The sealing element must consequently be movable in translation so as to be capable of tracking movement of the moving body


20


, but its own displacement must be limited.




For this purpose, a finger


50


extends inside the central portion


60


. The finger


50


is integrally molded on the body


52


of the control chamber


12


. It is substantially circularly cylindrical.




An extension


51


integrally molded with the finger


50


extends towards the downstream end of the pump inside the central portion


60


. The extension


51


has a circularly cylindrical base of constant section adjacent to the finger


50


. The outside diameter of the extension


51


is smaller than the outside diameter of the finger


50


. A shoulder


53


facing towards the downstream end of the pump demonstrates this difference in diameter and serves as a bearing surface for means that bias the second sealing element.




The extension also has at least one groove


72


occupying at least one of its generator lines and serves as a guide for movement in translation of a moving element that forms the moving sealing element.




A moving cap


70


substantially in the form of a hollow circular cylinder is slidably mounted on the free end of the extension


51


. The bore of the cap is blind at one end. The cap


70


has at least one spur


74


integrally molded with the open end of the cap and engaged in the groove


72


of the extension


51


. Each spur


74


is a guide for movement in translation and also serves as an abutment in the groove


72


so as to restrict the axial displacement of the moving cap


70


.




The blind plane end


55


of the cap


70


extends across the axis O—O. The surface


55


may advantageously carry a finger for centering in the nozzle outlet


19


.




The ratio between the outside diameter of the moving cap


70


and the inside diameter of the housing


10


is advantageously less than 0.5.




A second bias spring


77


is situated between the rim of the cap


70


and the shoulder


53


that extends transversely to the axis O—O between the finger


50


and the extension


51


.




The spring


77


urges the cap


70


downstream against the shoulder


68


.




Where appropriate, one of the two surfaces


55


and


68


may be fitted for this purpose with a specific sealing lining, for example a lining based on elastomer.




Thus, in the embodiment shown in

FIG. 1

, the nozzle is formed by the combination of the moving body


20


mounted to move in translation and the assembly formed by the finger


50


and its extension


51


placed inside the moving body.




The spring


77


is stiffer than the spring


40


.




The first sealing element is situated upstream of the auxiliary chamber


26


, while the second sealing element is situated downstream of the auxiliary chamber


26


.




The device operates essentially as follows.





FIG. 1

shows the rest position of the device, i.e. a situation in which fluid is injected into the auxiliary chamber


26


at low pressure. At rest, when the pressure of the injected fluid is relatively low, the bias force of the spring


40


presses the rim


69


against the gasket


76


, thus forming the first sealing element. The bias force of the spring


77


presses the downstream surface


55


of the cap


70


against the step


68


, thus forming the second sealing element.




It is assumed that the pressure of the injected fluid rises.




The injected fluid will reach a pressure such that the product of that pressure multiplied by the area of the surface


66


becomes greater than the rated force delivered by the spring


40


. The moving body


20


will thus be moved in translation towards the downstream end of the pump, thereby opening the first sealing element.




In

FIG. 2

, the first pressure level has been exceeded in the auxiliary chamber


26


relative to the situation shown in FIG.


1


. The fluid flows along the inside wall of the housing


10


and along the outside wall of the barrel


64


. The path followed by the fluid is represented by arrows Q in FIG.


2


. Nevertheless, the quantity of fluid following this path is relatively small. It does not suck liquid into the auxiliary inlet


16


.




As the pressure of the fluid in the auxiliary chamber


26


continues to increase, the body


20


moves axially towards the suction chamber


18


. Nevertheless, the bias spring


77


continues to press the moving element


70


against the shoulder


68


and causes the element


70


to move together with and in leaktight manner against the body


20


. The second sealing element remains closed.




However, a second pressure level will eventually be reached, such that the moving body


20


has moved towards the suction chamber


18


by a distance greater than the stroke available in the grooves


72


for the moving body.




This second pressure level is greater than or equal to the first pressure level. When the second sealing element opens, the fluid engages other surfaces which compensate for the areas that were under pressure prior to said second sealing element opening, particularly inside the structure of the nozzle.




Each spur


74


reaches the end of its stroke in the corresponding groove


72


formed in the element


51


.




The cap


70


can therefore no longer follow the body


20


in its displacement towards the suction chamber


18


. As the pressure continues to rise, so that the body


20


continues to move axially, the second sealing element opens. This is a situation shown in FIG.


3


.




It should be observed that it is advantageous for the total stroke of each spur


74


in the corresponding groove


72


between the position in which both sealing elements are closed and the position in which both sealing elements are open lies in the range 0.1 mm to 4 mm.




The liquid can then flow through the space left empty between the face


55


of the element


70


and the shoulder


68


. This flow of fluid is represented by arrows Qi in FIG.


3


.




The flow Qi is greater than the flow Q shown in FIG.


2


. Thus, fluid represented by arrow Qa can be sucked in and sent to the axial outlet


14


. Arrow Qt represents the sum of the flows Qi plus Qa.




The self-regulation effect is obtained by the space


23


between the step


68


and the wall


55


. The space


23


results from equilibrium between the bias force from the spring


40


and the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the surface


66


once the second sealing element has opened. The suction of fluid through the inlet


16


is thus regulated by the size of the space


23


.




A hysteresis effect may be obtained by increasing the area on which the fluid pressure acts.




Before and after opening of the first sealing element, but before opening of the second sealing element, the pressure of the fluid acts on the surface


66


.




Once the second sealing element opens, the fluid also applies pressure to the shoulder


68


of the inside shape of the nozzle.




Consequently, closure of the sealing element requires the pressure of the fluid to drop to a pressure lower than that needed for opening it.




Description of a Second Embodiment of a Pump with a Regulating Jet




The device shown in

FIG. 4

possesses the same elements as the device shown in

FIGS. 1

to


3


of the present application.




In this figure, and in the following figures, elements that are similar or have the same function as those shown in

FIGS. 1

to


3


and that are described above are given the same numerical references.




The auxiliary chamber


26


extends between the control inlet


12


and the nozzle outlet


19


, and consequently it extends in the inside volume of the moving body


20


of the nozzle.




The moving body


20


is generally substantially identical in shape to the nozzle body


20


shown in

FIGS. 1

to


3


.




However, the inside space of the central portion


60


is of constant section.




The first sealing element is still situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber


26


and is constituted by co-operation between a rim


69


and a gasket


76


fixed to the body


52


, but in the embodiment of

FIG. 4

, the second sealing element is also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber


26


.




The second sealing element is situated on the axis O—O upstream from the upstream inlet


83


to the inside volume of the body


20


.




A peripheral rim


80


at the inlet


83


extends towards the upstream end of the pump longitudinally along the axis O—O. It is integrally molded with the surface


66


around the inlet


83


.




Because of the bias force of the spring


40


situated outside the moving body


20


, the rim


80


co-operates with a transverse gasket


82


situated on the axis O—O. The gasket


82


is fixed on the body


52


of the control inlet


12


.




The second sealing element needs to open when the pressure of the injected fluid is higher than the pressure needed for opening the first sealing element.




For this purpose, the axial extent of the rim


80


towards the upstream end of the pump is greater than the axial extent of the rim


69


.




However, in a variant, it would be possible to use rims of identical axial extent but co-operating with gaskets, e.g.


76


and


82


, having different elastic deformation properties, such that the seals open at different pressure levels.




This embodiment has the advantage of requiring only one bias spring.




The device operates as follows.





FIG. 4

shows the rest position. The fluid injected is at relatively low pressure and both sealing elements are closed. The pump is entirely leaktight.




Assume that the pressure increases.




The pressure will eventually reach the first pressure level such that the product of the pressure multiplied by the area of the surface


66


becomes sufficient to overcome the rated force of the spring


40


. The moving body


20


is moved in translation towards the downstream end of the device. The first sealing element is opened. This situation is shown in FIG.


5


. The fluid can thus flow along the inside walls of the housing


10


. However, since the axial extent of the rim


80


is greater than that of the rim


69


, the second sealing element remains closed.




As the pressure continues to increase it reaches a threshold which corresponds to the moving body having moved in translation far enough for the rim


80


to cease to make contact with the gasket


82


, thus reaching the situation shown in FIG.


6


. The injected fluid can then flow through the inside space of the body


20


. Fluid is now sucked in through the inlet


16


. The injected flow, the sucked-in flow, and the total outlet flow are represented by arrows Qi, Qa, and Qt respectively.




The self-regulation effect is obtained by the size of the space


23


left between the rim


80


and the gasket


82


. The size of the space


23


is a function of equilibrium between the rated force of the spring


40


and the force that results from the product of the pressure of the injected fluid multiplied by the area of the surface


66


.




A hysteresis effect can be obtained if the inside wall of the moving body


20


includes a transverse step facing towards the upstream end of the pump. Thus, before the second sealing element opens, the pressure acts on the area of the surface


66


, whereas after said element has opened, the pressure of the fluid acts both on the area of the surface


66


plus the area of said step.





FIG. 7

is a circuit diagram for a conventional circuit for feeding fuel from an upstream tank


100


to an engine


102


situated downstream. A pump


101


takes fuel from the tank


100


and injects it into a delivery circuit


110


connecting the tank


100


to the engine


102


.




A regulator


103


including a conventional valve enables the circuit


110


downstream from the regulator


103


to be maintained under pressure when fuel is no longer injected into said circuit


110


.




A branch connection


104


situated upstream from the regulator


103


and downstream from the pump


101


enables fuel to be delivered to a jet pump


105


. In the state of the art, the jet pump


105


is not leaktight when at rest.




The above circuit operates as follows.




When a user starts the engine


102


, the pump


101


begins to operate so that the pressure in the circuit


110


reaches its operating level. The assembly comprising the branch connection


104


and the jet pump


105


constitutes a fuel leak from the circuit upstream from the regulator


103


, thus decreasing pressure. The pump


101


must therefore always operate faster in order to compensate for the pressure loss. Compensation is particularly unfortunate when the vehicle battery is low.





FIG. 8

is a diagram of the circuit for delivering fuel from an upstream tank


100


to a downstream engine


102


. A pump


101


draws fuel from the tank


100


and injects it into a delivery circuit


110


connecting the tank


100


to the engine


102


.




A branch connection


104


situated in the middle of the circuit


110


allows fuel to be diverted to a jet pump


105


. The jet pump


105


is one of the embodiments of

FIGS. 1

to


6


. It has a self-regulating function and it is leaktight when at rest.




At rest, the

FIG. 8

circuit does not leak. In contrast, in the

FIG. 7

circuit, there is a leak through the jet pump


105


.




After the pump has started, the prior art circuit shown in

FIG. 7

has two leaks: a first leak through the regulator


103


, and a second leak through the jet pump


105


.




In the circuit of the invention as shown in

FIG. 8

, the only leak is through the regulating jet pump


105


.




Consequently, the regulating jet pump of

FIG. 8

consumes less fuel than the valve jet pump of

FIG. 7

associated with a regulator.




The pressure in the circuit


110


therefore rises more quickly.




The opening of the second sealing element avoids too great a peak in the pressure of the injected fluid.




The embodiments described above are fitted in preferred manner with bias springs outside the moving body, however embodiments could also be devised in which a spring for urging the moving body towards the upstream end of the pump is situated inside the nozzle body.



Claims
  • 1. A jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also including a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.
  • 2. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, and the second sealing element situated downstream from the auxiliary chamber.
  • 3. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, and the second sealing element is also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber.
  • 4. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is slidably mounted in the pump housing to move along a longitudinal axis of the pump housing against bias from a spring that urges the nozzle against a sealing element.
  • 5. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is adapted to open by movement of the nozzle, the second sealing element being adapted to open by limiting the displacement of a second moving element.
  • 6. A pump according to claim 1, wherein both sealing elements are adapted to open by displacement of the nozzle.
  • 7. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the body of the nozzle comprises three portions: a central first portion generally in the form of a hollow circular cylindrical tube of constant cross-section; a second portion integrally molded on an outside surface of the central portion at the upstream end of the first portion and forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump housing over the outside of the central portion; and a third portion situated downstream from the central portion having an outside shape that is substantially frustoconical and that converges downstream, its inside shape forming a nozzle outlet formed by a through axial channel connected to the inside volume of the central portion and opening out into a downstream suction chamber.
  • 8. A pump according to claim 7, wherein a space defined between the drum and the central portion forms a chamber open towards the downstream end of the pump and receiving the spring.
  • 9. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the general outside shape of the body of the nozzle in longitudinal section is substantially W-shaped, the two upstream bends of the W-shape forming a flat bottom defining a surface of generally annular shape lying in a transverse plane, facing upstream, and located inside the housing of the pump.
  • 10. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the annular surface has a longitudinal peripheral rim on its outer periphery extending towards the upstream end of the pump, said rim co-operating with a transverse gasket fixed to the housing of the pump and situated facing the annular surface to define a first sealing element.
  • 11. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle body is adapted to reciprocate, and wherein the pump has a finger extending inside the inside volume of a central portion of the nozzle body, a cap movable in translation cooperating with a second spring which presses said cap against a transverse shoulder facing towards the upstream end of the pump and formed inside said central portion of the nozzle body, thus forming a second sealing element, the second sealing element is opened when the nozzle body reaches the end of a stroke as the second sealing element follows the displacement of the nozzle body inside the pump housing, said displacement of the nozzle being due to the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the annular surface exceeding the second pressure level.
  • 12. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the central portion and the third portion of the nozzle body both have the same inside diameter, the inside opening of the nozzle body being extended at the upstream end of the nozzle by a circular longitudinally-extending rim integrally molded on the annular surface, said circular rim co-operating with a deformable gasket fixed on an element of the pump so as to form a sealing element, said sealing element opening as the nozzle moves forward, the nozzle being adapted to move forward when the pressure of the injected fluid reaches the second level.
  • 13. A pump according to claim 7, wherein the inside shape of the third portion comprises, in the flow direction of the injected fluid, a first segment of converging frustoconical shape followed by a through second segment of circular cylindrical shape of constant cross-section.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
01 16715 Dec 2001 FR
US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
1133601 Wood Mar 1915 A
2674202 Kelley et al. Apr 1954 A
4176686 Stahle Dec 1979 A
4310288 Erickson Jan 1982 A
5148830 Liu Sep 1992 A
5427151 Pauley Jun 1995 A
5474104 Borland et al. Dec 1995 A
5507436 Ruttenberg Apr 1996 A
5538027 Adamson et al. Jul 1996 A
6098662 Gregoire Aug 2000 A
6364625 Sertier Apr 2002 B1
6634376 Haas Oct 2003 B2
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
26 02 234 Apr 1977 DE
32 12 194 Oct 1982 DE
39 15 185 Oct 1990 DE