Fuel protection apparatus and related systems for use with vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401900-B2
Application number	US-202016784669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2020
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

Fuel protection apparatus and related systems for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed vehicle includes a fuel component in an engine compartment of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a spacer coupled to a cam carrier and positioned proximate to the fuel component. The vehicle also includes a protector coupled to a cylinder head and spaced from the spacer and the cam carrier. The protector is configured to receive a load from a cowl brace or firewall of the vehicle during a vehicle impact event in which an engine assembly of the vehicle moves relative to the cowl brace or firewall. The protector is configured to transfer the load to the cylinder head, the cam carrier, and the spacer to protect the fuel component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a fuel component in an engine compartment of the vehicle;
a spacer coupled to a cam carrier and positioned proximate to the fuel component; and
a protector coupled to a cylinder head and spaced apart from the spacer and the cam carrier so as not to be in contact therewith, the protector configured to receive a load from a cowl brace or firewall of the vehicle during a vehicle impact event in which an engine assembly of the vehicle moves relative to the cowl brace or firewall,
wherein the protector is configured to transfer the load to the cylinder head, the cam carrier, and the spacer to protect the fuel component.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the protector extends away from an attachment point on the cylinder head alongside the cam carrier and the spacer.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
the protector and the cam carrier form a first gap and a second gap,
the protector and the spacer form a third gap, and
the cowl brace or firewall urges at least a portion of the protector to move relative to the attachment point on the cylinder head toward the cam carrier and the spacer to close the first gap, the second gap, and the third gap.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the protector is configured to sequentially close, in any sequence, the first gap, the second gap, and the third gap.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the fuel component includes a fuel pump.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the spacer includes a plate coupled between the fuel pump and the cam carrier.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the protector includes a first protector portion positioned on the cylinder head and a second protector portion coupled to the first protector portion, the second protector portion configured to receive the cowl brace or firewall and deform relative to the first protector portion to partially absorb the load.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the second protector portion includes an impact area and a first arm extending away from the impact area toward the spacer, the first arm configured to slide against the spacer to limit bending of the protector.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the spacer includes a stopper spaced from an end of the first arm and configured to engage the end of the first arm to partially absorb the load.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the second protector portion includes a hook feature that is positioned adjacent an end of the first arm and configured to catch the cowl brace or firewall when the cowl brace or firewall moves toward the protector.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first arm curves away from the hook feature toward the spacer.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the second protector portion includes a second arm separate from the first arm and extending away from the impact area toward the spacer, the second arm configured to slide against the spacer to further limit bending of the protector.

13. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the first protector portion includes a first rib spaced from the cam carrier and extending alongside the cam carrier, the first rib configured to engage the cam carrier to partially transfer the load to the cam carrier.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first protector portion includes a second rib spaced from the cam carrier and extending alongside the cam carrier, the second rib separate from the first rib and configured to engage the cam carrier to partially transfer the load to the cam carrier.

15. A fuel protection assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a spacer coupled to a first engine component of the vehicle and positioned proximate to a fuel component of the vehicle; and
a protector coupled to a second engine component of the vehicle and spaced apart from the spacer and the first engine component so as not to be in contact therewith, the protector configured to receive a load from a vehicle structure in an engine compartment of the vehicle during a vehicle impact event,
wherein the protector is configured to transfer the load to the first engine component, the second engine component, and the spacer to protect the fuel component.

16. The fuel protection assembly of claim 15 , wherein the protector includes a first protector portion positioned on the second engine component and a second protector portion coupled to the first protector portion, the second protector portion configured to receive the vehicle structure and deform relative to the first protector portion to partially absorb the load.

17. The fuel protection assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second protector portion includes an impact area and an arm extending away from the impact area toward the spacer, the arm configured to slide against the spacer to limit bending of the second protector portion.

18. The fuel protection assembly of claim 17 , wherein the arm is configured to engage a stopper positioned on the spacer to partially transfer the load to the spacer.

19. The fuel protection assembly of claim 18 , wherein the second protector portion includes a hook feature that is adjacent an end of the arm and extending away from the end, the hook feature configured to catch the vehicle structure when the vehicle structure moves toward the protector.

20. An apparatus, comprising:
a protector in an engine compartment of a vehicle, the protector coupled to a first engine component and interposed between a fuel component and a vehicle structure, the protector extending alongside a second engine component and a spacer so as not to be in contact therewith that is proximate to the fuel component, the protector being changeable between (a) a first state in which the protector is spaced from the second engine component and the spacer and (b) a second state in which the protector is engaged with the second engine component and the spacer,
wherein, in response to the vehicle structure applying a load to the protector during a vehicle impact event, the protector is configured to change from the first state to the second state to reduce a portion of the load transferred to the fuel component.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Honnikoppa Shashikumar
• Koch Samuel D
• Davis Adam J
• Clauser Mark
• Stewart Andrew F

Classifications

• F02M37/0017 Primary

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

• F02M39/02

  Arrangements of fuel-injection apparatus to facilitate the driving of pumps; Arrangements of fuel-injection pumps; Pump drives · CPC title

• F02M2200/185

  means for improving crash safety · CPC title