Systems for fuel pump adapters and methods of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10428774-B2
Application number	US-201615377259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A fuel pump includes a body portion housing a fuel pump assembly configured to receive a rotational input and generate fuel flows, a drive shaft extending into the body portion with a pump gear coupled to the drive shaft, and a pilot portion annularly disposed about the drive shaft adjacent to the body portion. A fuel pump adapter is removably and annularly disposed about the pilot portion and configured to engage a gear housing within a fuel pump aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel pump comprising:
a body portion housing a fuel pump assembly configured to receive a rotational input and generate fuel flows;
a drive shaft extending into the body portion and operatively coupled to the fuel pump assembly;
a pump gear coupled to the drive shaft and configured to translate a rotational force received from an accessory drivetrain into the rotational input received at the fuel pump assembly;
a pilot portion annularly disposed about the drive shaft adjacent to the body portion and configured to facilitate rotation of the drive shaft within the pilot portion; and
a fuel pump adapter removably and annularly disposed about the pilot portion and configured to engage a gear housing within a fuel pump aperture;
wherein the body portion contacts the gear housing about the fuel pump aperture when the fuel pump adapter is disposed about the pilot portion and engaged with the gear housing within the fuel pump aperture;
wherein the fuel pump adapter includes a step disposed in a control aperture, the step configured to catch a leading edge of the pilot portion; and
wherein the fuel pump adapter is configured to remain substantially stationary during rotation of the drive shaft within the pilot portion.

2. The fuel pump of claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the fuel pump adapter includes a sealing O-ring.

3. The fuel pump of claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the fuel pump adapter includes a vibration O-ring.

4. The fuel pump of claim 3 , wherein the outer circumference of the fuel pump adapter includes a chamfer, and wherein the vibration O-ring is annularly disposed about the chamfer.

5. The fuel pump of claim 4 , wherein the chamfer is configured to interface with the gear housing to limit engagement of the fuel pump adapter within the fuel pump aperture.

6. The fuel pump of claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the fuel pump adapter includes each of a sealing O-ring and a vibration O-ring.

7. The fuel pump of claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump adapter is defined by a first diameter and the pump gear is defined by a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

8. The fuel pump of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is configured to interface with the gear housing;
wherein an outer circumference of the fuel pump adapter comprises a chamfer; and
wherein the fuel pump aperture comprises a funnel-shaped portion proximate the interface between the body portion and the gear housing.

9. The fuel pump of claim 8 , wherein the chamfer and the funnel-shaped portion are configured to interface to limit insertion of the fuel pump adapter in the fuel pump aperture; and
wherein a gap exists between the chamfer and the funnel-shaped portion when the body portion interfaces with the gear housing.

10. A fuel pump adapter for mounting a fuel pump, the fuel pump adapter comprising:
an outer surface formed to removably engage an inner circumference of a gear housing within a fuel pump aperture;
an inner surface defining a central aperture concentric to the outer surface, the inner surface formed to removably engage a pilot portion of the fuel pump and configured to facilitate rotation of the pilot portion relative to the outer surface within the central aperture; and a step protruding into the central aperture.

11. The fuel pump adapter of claim 10 , wherein the step is configured to catch a leading edge of the pilot portion.

12. The fuel pump adapter of claim 10 , wherein the outer surface defines a chamfer circumferentially disposed along the outer surface proximate the fuel pump.

13. The fuel pump adapter of claim 12 , wherein the chamfer is configured to selectively interface with a funnel-shaped portion circumferentially disposed in the inner circumference of the gear housing, such that insertion of the fuel pump adapter in the gear housing is limited by the interface between the chamfer and the funnel-shaped portion.

14. The fuel pump adapter of claim 12 , further comprising an O-ring circumferentially disposed along the outer surface in the chamfer,
wherein the O-ring is configured to mitigate transfer of vibrational forces between the fuel pump and the gear housing.

15. The fuel pump adapter of claim 10 , wherein the outer surface is defined by a first diameter; and
wherein the first diameter is greater than a diameter of a fuel pump gear coupled to the fuel pump in the gear housing.

16. A fuel pump comprising:
a body portion housing a fuel pump assembly configured to generate fuel flows;
a drive shaft extending into the body portion and operatively coupled to the fuel pump assembly; and
a pilot portion annularly disposed about the drive shaft adjacent to the body portion and configured to facilitate rotation of the drive shaft within the pilot portion,
wherein the pilot portion is configured to removably receive a fuel pump adapter such that the fuel pump adapter remains substantially stationary during rotation of the drive shaft within the pilot portion, the fuel pump adapter being for engaging a gear housing;
wherein the body portion contacts the gear housing when the fuel pump adapter is received within the pilot portion and engaged with the gear housing;
wherein a circumferential edge of the pilot portion is configured to be received in a step of the fuel pump adapter.

17. The fuel pump of claim 16 , wherein the circumferential edge is opposite the body portion.

18. The fuel pump of claim 16 , wherein the body portion is configured to interface with the gear housing when the pilot portion receives the fuel pump adapter and when the pilot portion is coupled to a pump gear within the gear housing.

19. The fuel pump of claim 18 , wherein the body portion does not interface with the fuel pump adapter.

20. The fuel pump adapter of claim 10 , wherein the step is configured to facilitate rotation of the pilot portion within the central aperture.

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Bandy Bryan C
• Ferry Darrin
• Mitchum Gregory J

Classifications

• F02M37/0017

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

• F02M37/06 Primary

  mechanically driven · CPC title