Fuel pump and outlet valve thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10808667-B2
Application number	US-201816143855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

An outlet valve includes an outlet valve housing with an outlet valve bore including an outlet valve seating surface. The outlet valve also includes an outlet valve member which moves within the outlet valve bore second portion between a closed position and an open position. A surface of the outlet valve bore guides the outlet valve member during movement between the closed position and the open position. The surface of the outlet valve bore and the outlet valve seating surface are provided on a continuous piece of material of the outlet valve housing. An outlet valve spring biases the outlet valve member toward the closed position and a retainer is fixed to the outlet valve housing which grounds the outlet valve spring to the outlet valve housing.

First claim

I claim:

1. An outlet valve for controlling outlet fuel flow of a fuel pump, said outlet valve comprising:
an outlet valve housing extending from a first end to a second end along an outlet valve axis, said outlet valve housing having an outlet valve bore having an outlet valve bore first portion which extends toward said second end and said outlet valve bore also having an outlet valve bore second portion which extends from said second end to said outlet valve bore first portion such that an outlet valve seating surface is located within said outlet valve bore;
an outlet valve member which moves within said outlet valve bore second portion between 1) a closed position in which said outlet valve member is seated with said outlet valve seating surface which prevents fluid communication from said outlet valve bore first portion to said outlet valve bore second portion and 2) an open position in which said outlet valve member is unseated with said outlet valve seating surface which permits fluid communication from said outlet valve bore first portion to said outlet valve bore second portion, wherein a surface of said outlet valve bore second portion guides said outlet valve member during movement between said closed position and said open position and wherein said surface of said outlet valve bore second portion and said outlet valve seating surface are provided on a continuous piece of material of said outlet valve housing;
an outlet valve spring which biases said outlet valve member toward said closed position; and
a retainer fixed to said outlet valve housing which grounds said outlet valve spring to said outlet valve housing;
wherein said outlet valve housing includes an outlet aperture which extends radially outward from said outlet valve bore second portion to an outer peripheral surface of said outlet valve housing;
wherein said outlet valve bore second portion terminates within said outlet valve housing at a shoulder which extends toward said outlet valve axis;
wherein said outlet aperture intersects with said shoulder; and
wherein said shoulder is a flat surface perpendicular to said outlet valve axis.

2. An outlet valve as in claim 1 , wherein said outlet valve seating surface connects said outlet valve bore first portion to said shoulder.

3. An outlet valve as in claim 1 , wherein:
said outlet valve housing includes a retention groove; and
said retainer includes a retainer end wall which traverses said outlet valve bore second portion and also includes a retainer sidewall which extends from said retainer end wall toward said first end of said outlet valve housing, said retainer sidewall having a plurality retention fingers which are resilient and compliant and which extend into said retention groove, thereby constraining said retainer on said outlet valve housing along said outlet valve axis in a direction away from said first end of said outlet valve housing.

4. An outlet valve as in claim 3 , wherein said retention groove is annular.

5. An outlet valve as in claim 4 , wherein said retention groove is located on an outer peripheral surface of said outlet valve housing and said retainer sidewall circumferentially surrounds said outer peripheral surface of said outlet valve housing.

6. An outlet valve as in claim 3 , wherein said retention groove extends radially outward from said outlet valve bore second portion and said retainer sidewall is located within said outlet valve bore second portion.

7. An outlet valve as in claim 1 , wherein:
said outlet valve bore extends through said outlet valve housing from said first end to said second end;
said outlet valve bore first portion extends from said first end toward said second end; and
said outlet valve bore first portion is an inlet to said outlet valve housing.

8. An outlet valve as in claim 1 , wherein:
said outlet valve bore second portion opens at said second end in an outlet valve bore second portion diameter which is centered about, and is perpendicular to, said outlet valve axis; and
said outlet valve member has a maximum valve member diameter perpendicular to said outlet valve axis which is less than said outlet valve bore second portion diameter.

9. A fuel pump comprising:
a fuel pump housing with a pumping chamber defined therein;
a pumping plunger which reciprocates within a plunger bore along a plunger bore axis such that an intake stroke of said pumping plunger increases volume of said pumping chamber and a compression stroke of said pumping plunger decreases volume of said pumping chamber; and
an outlet valve comprising:
an outlet valve housing extending from a first end to a second end along an outlet valve axis, said outlet valve housing having an outlet valve bore having an outlet valve bore first portion which extends toward said second end which is an inlet to said outlet valve from said pumping chamber such that said outlet valve bore first portion is in constant fluid communication with said pumping chamber and said outlet valve bore also having an outlet valve bore second portion which extends from said second end to said outlet valve bore first portion such that an outlet valve seating surface is located within said outlet valve bore;
an outlet valve member which moves within said outlet valve bore second portion between 1) a closed position in which said outlet valve member is seated with said outlet valve seating surface which prevents fluid communication from said outlet valve bore first portion to said outlet valve bore second portion and 2) an open position in which said outlet valve member is unseated with said outlet valve seating surface which permits fluid communication from said outlet valve bore first portion to said outlet valve bore second portion, wherein a surface of said outlet valve bore second portion guides said outlet valve member during movement between said closed position and said open position and wherein said surface of said outlet valve bore second portion and said outlet valve seating surface are provided on a continuous piece of material of said outlet valve housing;
an outlet valve spring which biases said outlet valve member toward said closed position; and
a retainer fixed to said outlet valve housing which grounds said outlet valve spring to said outlet valve housing;

wherein said outlet valve housing includes an outlet aperture which extends radially outward from said outlet valve bore second portion to an outer peripheral surface of said outlet valve housing;
wherein said outlet valve bore second portion terminates within said outlet valve housing at a shoulder which extends toward said outlet valve axis;
wherein said outlet aperture intersects with said shoulder; and
wherein said shoulder is a flat surface perpendicular to said outlet valve axis.

10. A fuel pump as in claim 9 , wherein said outlet valve seating surface connects said outlet valve bore first portion to said shoulder.

11. A fuel pump as in claim 9 , wherein:
said outlet valve housing includes a retention groove; and
said retainer includes a retainer end wall which traverses said outlet valve bore second portion and also includes a retainer sidewall which extends from said retainer end wall toward said first end of said outlet valve housing, said retainer sidewall having a plurality retention fingers which are resilient and compliant and which extend into said retention groove, thereby constraining said retainer on said outlet valve housing along said outlet valve axis in a direction away from said first end of said outlet valve housing.

12. A fuel pump as in claim 11 , wherein said retention groove is annular.

13. A fuel pump as in claim 12 , wherein

Assignees

• Delphi Tech Ip Ltd

Inventors

• Perry Robert B

Classifications

• F16K15/04

  shaped as balls · CPC title

• F04B53/1002

  Ball valves · CPC title

• F02M59/462 Primary

  Delivery valves · CPC title

• F02M59/367

  Pump inlet valves of the check valve type being open when actuated · CPC title

• F02M63/0265

  Pumps feeding common rails · CPC title