Fuel supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018328323-A1
Application number	US-201615774060-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel supply device includes a pump unit that sucks stored fuel in a fuel tank from a suction port and discharges the fuel to an outside of the fuel tank. A pressure regulating valve performs pressure regulation of fuel discharged from the pump unit. The pressure regulating valve includes a return port having an opening facing in a separating direction away from the suction port, and returns surplus fuel generated by the pressure regulation from the return port into the fuel tank. A suction filter encloses an internal space where the suction port is open, and filters the stored fuel entering the internal space. The suction filter includes an expansion part to which the internal space is extended, and the expansion part is on a side of the return port that faces in the separating direction.

First claim

1 . A fuel supply device for supply of stored fuel in a fuel tank of a vehicle to an outside of the fuel tank, the fuel supply device comprising:
a pump unit disposed in the fuel tank and configured to suck the stored fuel from a suction port and discharge the fuel toward the outside of the fuel tank; a pressure regulating valve disposed in the fuel tank and configured to perform pressure regulation of the fuel discharged from the pump unit, the pressure regulating valve including a return port having an opening facing in a separating direction away from the suction port, the pressure regulating valve being configured to return surplus fuel generated by the pressure regulation into the fuel tank through the return port; and a suction filter disposed in the fuel tank and enclosing an internal space where the suction port is open, the suction filter being configured to filter the stored fuel passing through the suction filter toward the internal space to be sucked into the suction port, the suction filter including an expansion part to which the internal space is extended, the expansion part being on a side of the return port that faces in the separating direction.

2 . The fuel supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
the internal space is extended by the expansion part projecting upward on the side of the return port that faces in the separating direction.

3 . The fuel supply device according to claim 2 , further comprising
a protection cover disposed in the fuel tank, protecting the expansion part and having an exposure window, the exposure window exposing a protrusion wall of the expansion part protruding upward, the exposure window being on the side of the return port that faces in the separating direction.

4 . The fuel supply device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the suction filter includes an extending part protruding out in an opposite direction opposite to the separating direction, the extending part being on a side of the suction port that faces in the opposite direction; and the pump unit includes an outlet hole configured to allow vapor contained in fuel sucked into the suction port to be discharged into the fuel tank with the sucked fuel, the outlet hole being on a side of the pump unit that faces in the opposite direction.

5 . The fuel supply device according to claim 4 , wherein
the pump unit includes a fuel guide configured to guide fuel discharged together with the vapor from the outlet hole to flow in the opposite direction.

6 . The fuel supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a liquid level detection unit disposed in the fuel tank and configured to detect a liquid level of the stored fuel, the liquid level detection unit including a float configured to movably float on a liquid surface of the stored fuel on a side of the expansion part that faces in the separating direction, the liquid level detection unit being configured to output a detection signal indicating the liquid level corresponding to an up-down position of the float.

Assignees

• Denso Corp
• Kyosan Denki Kk

Inventors

• Fukuoka Shingo
• Nagata Kiyoshi
• Hayashi Norihiro
• Yamada Katsuhisa

Classifications

• B01D2201/16

  Valves · CPC title

• F02M37/10

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

• F02M37/0052 Primary

  Details on the fuel return circuit; Arrangement of pressure regulators · CPC title

• B01D35/26

  Filters with built-in pumps {filters provided with a pump mounted in or on the casing (aquarium pumps or filters A01K63/04)} · CPC title

• B01D29/11

  with bag, cage, hose, tube, sleeve or like filtering elements · CPC title