Fuel tank assembly having crossover tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777682-B2
Application number	US-201414553041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A fuel tank assembly includes a primary fuel tank, a secondary fuel tank, a crossover tube, a fuel pump, a transfer tube, and a jet pump. The crossover tube is fluidly coupled with each of the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank and defines a flow path for fuel to flow between the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel. The fuel pump is disposed within the primary fuel tank and is configured to selectively supply fuel from the primary fuel tank to an engine. The transfer tube is routed internal to the crossover tube and is in fluid communication with each of the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank. The jet pump is in fluid communication with the transfer tube and is configured to facilitate the flow of pressurized fuel from the secondary fuel tank, through the transfer tube, and into the primary fuel tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a primary fuel tank;
a secondary fuel tank;
a crossover tube defining a passageway and having an inner diameter, the crossover tube being fluidly coupled with each of the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank, wherein the crossover tube provides a flow path for fuel to flow between the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank at a first pressure;
a fuel pump disposed within the primary fuel tank and in fluid communication with the engine for selectively supplying fuel from the primary fuel tank to the engine;
a transfer tube comprising an extracting portion, a dispensing portion, and a central portion in fluid communication with each of the extracting portion and the dispensing portion, the central portion having an outer diameter and being routed internal to the crossover tube; and
a jet pump in fluid communication with the transfer tube, wherein:
an end of the extracting portion of the transfer tube is disposed in, and is in fluid communication with, the secondary fuel tank;
an end of the dispensing portion of the transfer tube is disposed in, and is in fluid communication with, the primary fuel tank;
the jet pump facilitates pumping of fuel from the secondary fuel tank, into the extracting portion, through the central portion, and out of the dispensing portion, and to the primary fuel tank;
the transfer tube provides an only path through the crossover tube for fuel to flow from the secondary fuel tank to the primary fuel tank at a pressure greater than the first pressure; and
the crossover tube includes only the transfer tube.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the crossover tube to the outer diameter of the transfer tube is about 2:1.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the primary fuel tank comprises a first crossover port, the secondary fuel tank comprises a second crossover port, the crossover tube is coupled with each of the first crossover port and the second crossover port, and the transfer tube is routed through each of the first crossover port and the second crossover port.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 further comprising:
a first support member coupled with the first crossover port; and
a second support member coupled with the second crossover port;
wherein the transfer tube is coupled with each of the first support member and the second support member.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the transfer tube is slidably coupled with the first support member and the second support member.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the first support member and the second support member each comprise:
an outer wall; and
an interior collar coupled with the outer wall and spaced from the outer wall such that an annular passageway is defined between the interior collar and the outer wall; and
wherein the transfer tube is coupled with the respective interior collars of the first support member and the second support member such that the transfer tube is spaced from the respective outer walls of the first support member and the second support member.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the first support member and the second support member each further comprise a plurality of radial rib members that couple the interior collar to the outer wall.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are annularly-shaped.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the dispensing portion of the transfer tube is coupled with the interior collar of the first support member and the extracting portion of the transfer tube is coupled with the interior collar of the second support member.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the jet pump is disposed in the primary fuel tank and is fluidly coupled with the dispensing portion of the transfer tube.

11. A fuel tank assembly comprising:
a primary fuel tank;
a secondary fuel tank;
a crossover tube fluidly coupled with each of the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank and defining a flow path for fuel to flow between the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank at a first pressure;
a fuel pump disposed within the primary fuel tank and configured to selectively supply fuel from the primary fuel tank to an engine;
a transfer tube routed internal to the crossover tube and in fluid communication with each of the primary fuel tank and the secondary fuel tank; and
a jet pump in fluid communication with the transfer tube and configured to facilitate the flow of pressurized fuel at a second pressure from the secondary fuel tank, through the transfer tube, and into the primary fuel tank, wherein:
the second pressure is greater than the first pressure; and
the transfer tube provides the only path through the crossover tube for fuel to flow from the secondary fuel tank to the primary fuel tank at a pressure greater than the first pressure.

12. The fuel tank assembly of claim 11 wherein:
the crossover tube has an inner diameter;
the transfer tube further comprises an extracting portion, a dispensing portion, and a central portion in fluid communication with each of the extracting portion and the dispensing portion;
the central portion of the transfer tube has an outer diameter;
an end of the extracting portion of the transfer tube is disposed in, and is in fluid communication with, the secondary fuel tank;
an end of the dispensing portion of the transfer tube is disposed in, and is in fluid communication with, the primary fuel tank; and
the central portion of the transfer tube and the crossover tube are substantially concentric at one end of the crossover tube.

13. The fuel tank assembly of claim 12 wherein the ratio of the inner diameter of the crossover tube to the outer diameter of the transfer tube is about 2:1.

14. The fuel tank assembly of claim 11 wherein the primary fuel tank includes a first crossover port, the secondary fuel tank includes a second crossover port, the crossover tube is coupled with each of the first crossover port and the second crossover port, and the transfer tube is routed through each of the first crossover port and the second crossover port.

15. The fuel tank assembly of claim 14 further comprising:
a first support member coupled with the first crossover port; and
a second support member coupled with the second crossover port;
wherein the transfer tube is coupled with each of the first support member and the second support member.

16. The fuel tank assembly of claim 15 wherein the transfer tube is slidably coupled with the first support member and the second support member.

17. The fuel tank assembly of claim 15 wherein the first support member and the second support member each comprise:
an outer wall; and
an interior collar coupled with the outer wall and spaced from the outer wall such that an annular passageway is defined between the interior collar and the outer wall; and
wherein the transfer tube is coupled with the respective interior collars of the first support member and the second support member such that the transfer tube is spaced from the respective outer walls of the first support member and the second support member.

18. The fuel tank assembly of claim 17 wherein the first support member and the second support member each further comprise a plurality of radial rib members that couple the interior collar to the outer wall.

19. The fuel tank assembly of claim 18 wherein the dispensing portion of the transfer tube is coupled with the interior collar of the first support member and the extracting por

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Preston Ryan David
• Tomimatsu Masaru

Classifications

• F02M37/0017 Primary

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

• F02M37/0088

  Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned · CPC title

• F02M37/10

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

• F02M37/025

  Feeding by means of a liquid fuel-driven jet pump (jet pumps per se F04F) · CPC title