Fuel supply structure for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644584-B2
Application number	US-201313786185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2013
Priority date	Mar 19, 2012
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle fuel supply structure with an improved fuel filter for easy maintenance of the fuel filter. A vehicle fuel supply structure includes fuel in a fuel tank that is sucked by a fuel pump and supplied to a fuel injection valve disposed in a throttle body via a secondary fuel filter adapted to filter the fuel to remove foreign matter therein. A regulator is provided for regulating fuel pressure. The secondary fuel filter, the regulator and the fuel injection valve are connected by fuel pipes. A third fuel filter is installed at least in an inlet side connecting portion between the regulator and a regulator inlet side fuel pipe, of the fuel pipes, on the side where fuel enters the regulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle fuel supply structure wherein fuel in a fuel tank is supplied under pressure by a fuel pump to a fuel injection valve via a secondary fuel filter adapted to filter the fuel to remove foreign matter and a regulator adapted to regulate fuel pressure, comprising:
said secondary fuel filter, the regulator and the fuel injection valve being connected by fuel pipes;
a third fuel filter is installed at least in an inlet side connecting portion between the regulator and a regulator inlet side fuel pipe of the fuel pipes, the regulator inlet side fuel pipe being adapted to deliver fuel to the regulator, said third fuel filter including a cylindrical frame member having a flange portion formed in a generally donut-shape, said flange portion being positionally restricted by a stepped inner surface of the male connector portion facing the flange portion;
a fourth fuel filter is installed in an outlet side connecting portion between the regulator and a regulator outlet side fuel pipe adapted to deliver fuel from the regulator to the fuel injection valve;
an outlet side fuel pipe operatively connected to the regulator for supplying fuel to the fuel injector valve;
a return side fuel pipe operatively connected to the regulator for returning surplus fuel to the fuel tank; and
said regulator including a regulator body having an inlet side connection pipe, an outlet side connection pipe and a return side connection pipe with an inlet side quick connector installed to connect the regulator inlet side connection pipe with the regulator inlet side fuel pipe and an outlet side quick connection installed to connect the regulator outlet side connection pipe with the regulator outlet side fuel pipe, said regulator inlet side connection pipe extending substantially vertically upwardly from the secondary fuel filter wherein said regulator is positioned above the secondary fuel filter so that when the secondary fuel filter is re s laced bubbles mixed into the regulator inlet side fuel pipe can rapidly be led through an ascending force to the third fuel filter disposed on an upside of the second fuel filter.

2. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 1 , wherein the third fuel filter is positioned and held in the inlet side connecting portion by a fuel inlet inner circumferential wall of the regulator.

3. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth fuel filter is positioned and held in the outlet side connecting portion by a fuel outlet inner circumferential wall of the regulator.

4. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump is installed in the fuel tank;
a tank bottom portion provided with a fuel discharge port of the fuel pump is formed with a tank hanging wall hanging downward of the vehicle;
the regulator is mounted on the inside of the tank hanging wall; and
the secondary fuel filter is installed below the tank bottom portion.

5. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 4 , wherein the regulator is disposed above the secondary fuel filter.

6. A vehicle fuel supply structure comprising:
a fuel tank;
a fuel injection valve;
a fuel pump for pressurizing fuel supplied to the fuel injection valve;
a secondary fuel filter adapted to filter fuel to remove foreign matter; and
a regulator operatively connected to the fuel pump for regulating fuel pressure of the fuel supplied to the fuel injection valve;
said secondary fuel filter, the regulator and the fuel injection valve being operatively connected by fuel pipes;
a third fuel filter installed at least in an inlet side connecting portion between the regulator and a regulator inlet side fuel pipe of the fuel pipes, the regulator inlet side fuel pipe being adapted to deliver fuel to the regulator, said third fuel filter including a cylindrical frame member having a flange portion formed in a generally donut-shape, said flange portion being positionally restricted by a stepped inner surface of a male connector portion facing the flange portion;
a fourth fuel filter is installed in an outlet side connecting portion between the regulator and a regulator outlet side fuel pipe adapted to deliver fuel from the regulator to the fuel injection valve;
an outlet side fuel pipe operatively connected to the regulator for supplying fuel to the fuel injector valve;
a return side fuel pipe operatively connected to the regulator for returning surplus fuel to the fuel tank; and
said regulator including a regulator body having an inlet side connection pipe, an outlet side connection pipe and a return side connection pipe with an inlet side quick connector installed to connect the regulator inlet side connection pipe with the regulator inlet side fuel pipe and an outlet side quick connection installed to connect the regulator outlet side connection pipe with the regulator outlet side fuel pipe, said regulator inlet side connection pipe extending substantially vertically upwardly from the secondary fuel filter wherein said regulator is positioned above the secondary fuel filter so that when the secondary fuel filter is replaced, bubbles mixed into the regulator inlet side fuel pipe can rapidly be led through an ascending force to the third fuel filter disposed on an upside of the second fuel filter.

7. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 6 , wherein the third fuel filter is positioned and held in the inlet side connecting portion by a fuel inlet inner circumferential wall of the regulator.

8. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 7 , wherein the fourth fuel filter is positioned and held in the outlet side connecting portion by a fuel outlet inner circumferential wall of the regulator.

9. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 6 , wherein the fuel pump is installed in the fuel tank;
a tank bottom portion provided with a fuel discharge port of the fuel pump is formed with a tank hanging wall hanging downward of the vehicle;
the regulator is mounted on the inside of the tank hanging wall; and
the secondary fuel filter is installed below the tank bottom portion.

10. The vehicle fuel supply structure according to claim 9 , wherein the regulator is disposed above the secondary fuel filter.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishii Tsubasa
• Suzuki Shosuke
• Muraoka Tsutomu
• Enami Takatomo

Classifications

• F02M37/0017 Primary

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

• Y10T137/7976

  Plural separating elements · CPC title

• F02M37/22 Primary

  Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system · CPC title

• F02M37/50

  Filters arranged in or on fuel tanks · CPC title

• F02M37/48

  Filters structurally associated with fuel valves · CPC title