In tank fuel pump mounting arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012189-B2
Application number	US-201515506291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2015
Priority date	Aug 26, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A fuel supply device includes a cover member attached to an opening of a fuel tank, a pump unit including a pump, and a connecting portion which connects the cover member and the pump unit. The pump unit is connected so as to be relatively movable with respect to the connecting portion when a connecting shaft which is formed as part of one of the connecting portion or the pump unit, is inserted into the connecting hole formed as part of the other of the two. The connecting hole has an elongated hole portion that allows the connecting shaft to move in the upward and downward directions, and allows the pump unit to be relatively movable with respect to the connecting portion. The pump unit includes an engagement portion abutting a lower terminal end of the connecting portion when the fuel supply device is attached to the fuel tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel supply device comprising:
a cover member which is attached to an opening of a fuel tank;
a pump unit comprising a pump;
a connecting portion which connects the cover member and the pump unit;
a connecting shaft which is formed as part of one of the connecting portion or the pump unit; and
a connecting hole which is formed as part of the connecting portion if the connecting shaft is formed as part of the pump unit or formed on the pump unit if the connecting shaft is formed as part of the connecting portion, in which the connecting shaft is inserted, such that the pump unit is connected through the insertion of the connecting shaft in the connecting hole so as to be movable relative to the connecting portion, wherein
the connecting hole has an elongated hole portion that allows the connecting shaft to be relatively movable in the upward and downward directions,
the pump unit is provided with an engagement portion which abuts an end of the connecting portion wherein the end portion is a lower terminal end of the connecting portion and is positioned below the connecting shaft when the fuel supply device is attached to the fuel tank, and
movement of the connecting shaft in the upward and/or downward directions relative to the connecting hole allows the device to maintain the engagement portion and the lower terminal end of the connecting portion in an abutted state even when the fuel tank is deformed such that the pump unit is inclined with respect to the horizontal, relative to the connecting portion.

2. The fuel supply device of claim 1 , wherein the lower terminal end of the connecting portion comprises a planar part which can abut on the engagement portion, as well as arcuate curved surface as seen from a side view, which extend from the planar part.

3. A fuel supply device comprising:
a cover member which is attached to an opening of a fuel tank;
a pump unit comprising a pump;
a connecting portion which connects the cover member and the pump unit;
a connecting shaft which is formed as part of one of the connecting portion or the pump unit; and
a connecting hole which is formed as part of the connecting portion if the connecting shaft is formed as part of the pump unit or formed on the pump unit if the connecting shaft is formed as part of the connecting portion and in which the connecting shaft is inserted, such that the pump unit is connected through the insertion of the connecting shaft in the connecting hole so as to be movable relative to the connecting portion, wherein
the pump unit is provided with an engagement portion which abuts an end of the connecting portion wherein the end is a lower terminal end of the connecting portion and is positioned below the connecting shaft when the fuel supply device is attached to the fuel tank,
the end of the connecting portion has a circular arc curved surface positioned directly below the connecting shaft,
the engagement portion comprises a substantially flat plate shape, and
a bottom surface of the engagement portion is pressed against a bottom surface of the fuel tank when the fuel supply device is attached to the fuel tank.

4. The fuel supply device of claim 3 ,
where the lower terminal end comprising the end of the connecting portion is formed as a curved surface in a semicircular shape,
wherein the semicircular shape as seen from a side view in an XZ plane is concentric with a center of the connecting hole,
wherein a central axis of the semicircular shape around which rotation occurs, substantially corresponds to an axial center of the connecting shaft.

5. The fuel supply device of claim 1 ,
wherein the cover member comprises a set plate portion radially extending in a plane parallel to an XY plane, and where the connecting hole is formed such that the connecting shaft can move vertically as seen from an XZ plane, in a direction substantially orthogonal to a plane in which the set plate portion radially extends,
wherein the connecting hole includes a slide hole portion in which the connecting shaft slides vertically in response to tank deformation,
wherein the connecting hole also has a connecting shaft insertion portion separate from the slide hole portion to allow a leading end of the connecting shaft to be inserted, and
wherein an engagement piece is provided within said connecting shaft insertion portion, and is elastically deformed when pressed from one direction not orthogonal to said one direction, to prevent the connecting shaft from being removed from the connecting hole.

6. The fuel supply device of claim 1 ,
wherein the cover member comprises a set plate portion radially extending in a plane parallel to an XY plane, and where the connecting hole is formed in an L-shape bent in the middle,
wherein the connecting hole includes a slide hole portion in which the connecting shaft slides vertically in response to tank deformation as seen in an XZ plane,
wherein the connecting hole also has a connecting shaft insertion portion separate from the slide hole portion to allow a leading end of the connecting shaft to be inserted, and
wherein an engagement piece is provided within said connecting shaft insertion portion, and is elastically deformed when pressed from one direction not orthogonal to said one direction to prevent the connecting shaft from being removed from the connecting hole.

7. The fuel supply device of claim 1 , wherein the lower terminal end comprising the end of the connecting portion comprises a planar part parallel to an XY plane to abut on the engagement portion with no arcuate curved surfaces extending from a forward and a backward end of the planar part.

8. The fuel supply device of claim 7 , wherein one part of the engagement portion abutting the lower terminal end of the connecting portion is configured in a circular arc shape as seen from a side view in an XZ plane.

9. The fuel supply device of claim 7 , wherein an entire top surface of the engagement portion abutting the lower terminal end of the connecting portion is configured in a circular arc shape as seen from a side view in an XZ plane.

10. A fuel supply device comprising:
a cover member comprising a circular set plate portion radially extending in an XY plane, which is mounted to and covers an opening of a fuel tank;
a pump unit comprising a pump and a base portion, wherein the base portion comprises a suction port;
a telescopic connecting portion comprising a plurality of rod members extending orthogonal to a plane in which the set plate portion radially extends, a spring that can exert elastic force, and a joint portion, wherein the spring is fitted around one of the rod members, vertically arranged between the cover member and the joint portion which connects the cover member and the pump unit;
a connecting shaft which is formed as part of one of the connecting portion or the pump unit; and
a connecting hole which is formed as part of the connecting portion if the connecting shaft is formed on the pump unit or formed on the pump unit if the connecting shaft is formed on the connecting portion and in which the connecting shaft is inserted, such that the pump unit is connected through the insertion of the connecting shaft in the connecting hole so as to be movable relative to the connecting portion, wherein
the pump unit is provided with an engagement portion which abuts an end of the connecting portion wherein the end is a lower terminal end of the connection portion and is positioned below the connection shaft, when the fuel supply device is attached to the fuel tank,
wherein the engagement portion comprises a substantially flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane,
where a bottom surface of the lower term

Assignees

• Aisan Ind

Inventors

• Kondo Takayuki
• Yoshida Koji
• Fukui Tatsuki
• Higashi Shinya
• Kono Takuya
• Murakoshi Yuichi
• Yano Akihiro

Classifications

• F02M37/0017

  related to fuel pipes or their connections, e.g. joints or sealings (F02M55/004 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M37/103 Primary

  Mounting pumps on fuel tanks · CPC title

• F02M37/10

  submerged in fuel, e.g. in reservoir · CPC title

• F02M37/00

  Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines · CPC title