Combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve and fuel pump using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11015558-B2
Application number	US-201916277492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2019
Priority date	Feb 15, 2019
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve includes an outer housing having a passage. An inner housing is located within the passage and includes a first bore extending thereinto from one end and a second bore extending thereinto from the other end such that the first bore and the second bore terminate at an inner housing wall. An outlet valve assembly is located within the first bore and includes an outlet valve member, an outlet valve seat, and an outlet valve spring grounded to the inner housing wall and biasing the outlet valve member toward the outlet valve seat. A pressure relief valve assembly is located within the second bore and includes a pressure relief valve member, a pressure relief valve seat, and a pressure relief valve spring grounded to the inner housing wall and biasing the pressure relief valve member toward the pressure relief valve seat.

First claim

We claim:

1. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve for controlling outlet fuel flow of a fuel pump and for relieving over-pressurization downstream of said fuel pump, said combination outlet valve and pressure relief comprising:
an outer housing having an outer housing passage extending therethrough from an outer housing inlet to an outer housing outlet;
an inner housing located within said outer housing passage and extending along an inner housing axis from an inner housing first end face to an inner housing second end face, said inner housing having an outlet valve bore extending thereinto from said inner housing first end face and also having a pressure relief valve bore extending thereinto from said inner housing second end face such that said outlet valve bore and said pressure relief valve bore terminate at an inner housing wall which is traverse to said inner housing axis;
an outlet valve assembly comprising an outlet valve member located within said outlet valve bore, an outlet valve seat located within said outlet valve bore, and an outlet valve spring located within said outlet valve bore, said outlet valve member being moveable between 1) a seated position which prevents fluid communication between said outer housing inlet and said outer housing outlet through said outlet valve bore by way of said outlet valve seat and 2) an unseated position which permits fluid communication between said outer housing inlet and said outer housing outlet through said outlet valve bore by way of said outlet valve seat, said outlet valve spring being grounded to said inner housing wall and biasing said outlet valve member toward said seated position; and
a pressure relief valve assembly and comprising a pressure relief valve member located within said pressure relief valve bore, a pressure relief valve seat located within said pressure relief valve bore, and a pressure relief valve spring located within said pressure relief valve bore, said pressure relief valve member being moveable between 1) a seated position which prevents fluid communication between said outer housing outlet and said outer housing inlet through said pressure relief valve bore by way of said pressure relief valve seat and 2) an unseated position which permits fluid communication between said outer housing outlet and said outer housing inlet through said pressure relief valve bore by way of said pressure relief valve seat, said pressure relief valve spring being grounded to said inner housing wall and biasing said pressure relief valve member toward said seated position.

2. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 1 , wherein said unseated position of said outlet valve member while said pressure relief valve member is simultaneously in said seated position provides fluid communication from said outer housing inlet to said outer housing outlet through said outlet valve bore by way of said outlet valve seat and wherein said unseated position of said pressure relief valve member while said outlet valve member is simultaneously in said seated position provides fluid communication from said outer housing outlet to said outer housing inlet through said pressure relief valve bore by way of said pressure relief valve seat.

3. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 1 further comprising an outlet passage through which fluid flows from said outlet valve bore to said outer housing outlet after passing through said outlet valve seat when said outlet valve member is in said unseated position, said outlet passage being located radially between said inner housing and said outer housing such that said outlet passage extends to said inner housing second end face.

4. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 3 , wherein said outlet passage comprises a channel recessed in an outer periphery of said inner housing.

5. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 4 , wherein said outlet passage further comprises an outlet aperture extending radially through said inner housing from said outlet valve bore to said channel such that said outlet aperture provides fluid communication from said outlet valve bore to said channel.

6. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 1 further comprising a pressure relief passage through which fluid flows from said pressure relief valve bore to said outer housing inlet after passing through said pressure relief valve seat when said pressure relief valve member is in said unseated position, said pressure relief passage being located radially between said inner housing and said outer housing such that said pressure relief passage extends to said inner housing first end face.

7. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 6 , wherein said pressure relief passage comprises a flat in an outer periphery of said inner housing.

8. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 7 , wherein said pressure relief passage further comprises a pressure relief aperture extending radially through said inner housing from said pressure relief valve bore to said flat such that said pressure relief aperture provides fluid communication from said pressure relief valve bore to said flat.

9. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 1 , wherein said outlet valve spring biases said outlet valve member in a direction away from said pressure relief valve assembly.

10. A combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve as in claim 1 , wherein said pressure relief valve spring biases said outlet valve member in a direction away from said outlet valve assembly.

11. 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
a combination outlet valve and pressure relief valve for controlling outlet fuel flow of said fuel pump and for relieving over-pressurization downstream of said fuel pump, said combination outlet valve and pressure relief comprising:
an outer housing having an outer housing passage extending therethrough from an outer housing inlet to an outer housing outlet;
an inner housing located within said outer housing passage and extending along an inner housing axis from an inner housing first end face to an inner housing second end face, said inner housing having an outlet valve bore extending thereinto from said inner housing first end face and also having a pressure relief valve bore extending thereinto from said inner housing second end face such that said outlet valve bore and said pressure relief valve bore terminate at an inner housing wall which is traverse to said inner housing axis;
an outlet valve assembly comprising an outlet valve member located within said outlet valve bore, an outlet valve seat located within said outlet valve bore, and an outlet valve spring located within said outlet valve bore, said outlet valve member being moveable between 1) a seated position which prevents fluid communication between said outer housing inlet and said outer housing outlet through said outlet valve bore by way of said outlet valve seat and 2) an unseated position which permits fluid communication between said outer housing inlet and said outer housing outlet through said outlet valve bore by way of said outlet valve seat, said outlet valve spring being grounded to said inner housing wall and biasing said outlet valve member toward said seated position; and
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Assignees

• Delphi Tech Ip Ltd

Inventors

• Perry Robert B

Classifications

• F02M59/36 Primary

  by variably-timed valves controlling fuel passages {to pumping elements or overflow passages} · CPC title

• F02M63/0265

  Pumps feeding common rails · CPC title

• F02M2200/50

  Arrangements of springs for valves used in fuel injectors or fuel injection pumps · CPC title

• F02M59/462 Primary

  Delivery valves · CPC title

• F02M59/027

  Unit-pumps, i.e. single piston and cylinder pump-units, e.g. for cooperating with a camshaft · CPC title