U.S. patent application number 09/740442 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-04 for fuel feeding module for motor vehicle.
Invention is credited to Gabauer, Wolfgang, Kleppner, Stephan, Kuehn, Michael, Schreckenberger, Dieter, Wahl, Oliver.
Application Number | 20010026760 09/740442 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7933744 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010026760 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kleppner, Stephan ; et
al. |
October 4, 2001 |
Fuel feeding module for motor vehicle
Abstract
A fuel feeding module for a motor vehicle has a fuel supply
tank, a storage container arranged in the fuel supply tank, a
feeding aggregate arranged in the storage container and feeding
fuel from the storage container to an internal combustion engine of
the motor vehicle, the feeding aggregate having a driving part and
a pump part which is formed as a flow pump and has a rotatably
driven impeller cooperating with at least one flow passage for
feeding the fuel, a jet pump which is connected with the flow
passage of the pump part of the feeding aggregate and through which
the fuel is fed from the fuel supply tank into the storage
container, the jet pump being arranged laterally near the feeding
aggregate and connected with the flow passage of the pump part by a
passage which extends along the bottom of the storage
container.
Inventors: |
Kleppner, Stephan; (Bretten,
DE) ; Kuehn, Michael; (Bietigheim-Bissingen, DE)
; Gabauer, Wolfgang; (Asperg, DE) ; Wahl,
Oliver; (Schwieberdingen, DE) ; Schreckenberger,
Dieter; (Marbach, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STRIKER, STRIKER & STENBY
103 East Neck Road
Huntington
NY
11743
US
|
Family ID: |
7933744 |
Appl. No.: |
09/740442 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/84 ;
417/423.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/86075 20150401;
F02M 37/10 20130101; F02M 37/106 20130101; F02M 37/025 20130101;
Y10T 137/86348 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/84 ;
417/423.3 |
International
Class: |
F04B 023/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 1999 |
DE |
1 99 61 923.9 |
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
1. A fuel feeding module for a motor vehicle, comprising a fuel
supply tank; a storage container arranged in said fuel supply tank;
a feeding aggregate arranged in said storage container and feeding
fuel from said storage container to an internal combustion engine
of the motor vehicle, said feeding aggregate having a driving part
and a pump part which is formed as a flow pump and has a rotatably
driven impeller cooperating with at least one flow passage for
feeding the fuel; a jet pump which is connected with said flow
passage of said pump part of said feeding aggregate and through
which the fuel is fed from said fuel supply tank into said storage
container, said jet pump being arranged laterally near said feeding
aggregate and connected with said flow passage of said pump part by
a passage which extends along said bottom of said storage
container.
2. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1, wherein said
passage extends at least approximately in a plane of said bottom of
said storage container.
3. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1, wherein said
passage is formed in a bottom of said storage container.
4. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1; and further
comprising a cover element which is connected with a bottom of said
storage container, said passage being formed between said bottom of
said storage container and said cover element.
5. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1; and further
comprising a connecting element which is placed on a bottom of said
storage container, said passage being formed in said connecting
element.
6. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1; and further
comprising a nozzle provided for said jet pump and formed of one
piece with a bottom of said storage container.
7. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 4; and further
comprising a nozzle provided for said jet pump and formed of one
piece with said cover element.
8. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 5; and further
comprising a nozzle provided for said jet pump and formed of one
piece with said connecting element.
9. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1; and further
comprising a check valve which is arranged in said passage between
said flow passage of said pump part of said feeding aggregate and
said jet pump, said check valve opening toward said jet pump and
having a spring-loaded valve member.
10. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 9; and further
comprising a receptacle provided for said check valve.
11. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 10, wherein said
receptacle for said check valve is provided in a bottom of said
storage container.
12. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 10, wherein said
receptacle of said check valve is provided on a cover element which
is connected with a bottom of said storage container.
13. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 10, wherein said
receptacle for said check valve is provided on a connecting element
which is located on a bottom of said storage container.
14. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 10; and further
comprising a valve seat provided for said check valve and formed in
said receptacle one piece with the latter, said valve member
cooperating with said valve seat.
15. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 1; and further
comprising a receptacle for a riser pipe through which said jet
pump feeds fuel into said storage container.
16. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 15, wherein said
receptacle is formed on a bottom of said storage container.
17. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 15, wherein said
receptacle is formed on a cover element which is connected with a
bottom of said storage container.
18. A fuel feeding module as defined in claim 15, wherein said
receptacle is formed in a connecting element which is connected
with a bottom of said storage container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel feeding module for
motor vehicles.
[0002] A fuel feeding module of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,330,475. This fuel feeding module has a storage container
which is arranged in a fuel supply tank of the motor vehicle, and a
feeding aggregate is located in the storage container for feeding
the fuel from the storage container to an internal combustion
engine of the motor vehicle. The feeding aggregate has a drive part
and a pump part which is formed as a flow pump. The pump part has a
rotatably driven impeller, which cooperates with at lest one flow
passage for feeding the fuel. In the flow passage, a pressure
increase of the fed fuel is obtained in the rotary direction of the
impeller. The fuel feeding module also has a jet pump which is
connected with the flow passage of the pump part, so that the jet
pump supplies a part of the fuel fed from the pump part as a
driving quantity. The connection of the jet pump with the flow
passage is performed through a degassing opening of the flow
passage. During operation of the pump part, gas bubbles which are
produced by strong heating of the fuel, negatively influence the
fuel feeding and can escape from the flow passage. With gaseous
fuel or a mixture of gaseous and liquid fuel, no optimal operation
of the jet pump however is possible. The jet pump in the known fuel
feeding module is arranged under the feeding aggregate between the
latter and a bottom of the storage container. This results in a
substantial mounting height of the fuel feeding aggregate, so that
it can not be arranged in a flat supply tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a fuel feeding aggregate which avoids the disadvantages of
the prior art.
[0004] In keeping with these objects and with others which will
become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention
resides briefly stated, in a fuel feeding aggregate in which the
jet pump is arranged laterally near the feeding aggregate and is
connected, through a passage extending along the bottom of the
storage container, with the flow passage of the pump part.
[0005] When the fuel feeding module is designed in accordance with
the present invention, it eliminates the disadvantages of the prior
art. More particularly it reduces the mounting height and therefore
makes possible incorporation of the module in a flat fuel feeding
tank.
[0006] In accordance with another feature of present invention, the
passage is formed in the bottom of the storage container. It
provides an especially small height of the fuel feeding module.
[0007] In accordance with a further feature of present invention,
the passage is formed in a connecting element which is placed on
the bottom of the storage container. This provides simple
manufacture of the passage as well as of the bottom of the storage
container and the cover element.
[0008] The novel features which are considered as characteristic
for the present invention are set forth in particular in the
appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its
construction and its method of operation, together with additional
objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the
following description of specific embodiments when read in
connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a view showing a fuel feeding module in a
longitudinal section, in accordance with a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a view showing a feeding aggregate of the fuel
feeding module in a section taken along the line II-II in FIG.
1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a view showing a portion of the fuel feeding
aggregate in a section taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a view showing a portion of a fuel feeding module
in a longitudinal section in accordance with a second embodiment of
the invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view showing a portion of the fuel feeding
module in a longitudinal section in accordance with a third
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a view showing a fuel feeding module in a section
taken along the lines VI-VI in FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] A fuel feeding module for a motor vehicle shown in FIGS. 1-6
has a cup shaped storage container 12 which is arranged in a fuel
supply tank 10 of the motor vehicle. The storage container 12 has a
substantially smaller volume than the supply tank 10 and is located
on a bottom of the supply tank 10. The storage container 12 has a
bottom 14 and for example a substantially cylindrical casing 16.
The bottom 14 and the casing 16 can be formed of one piece with one
another or as separate parts which are tightly connected with one
another. The storage container 12 is composed for example of a fuel
resistance synthetic plastic and produced by a suitable
manufacturing process, for example injection molding. A feeding
aggregate 18 is arranged in the storage container 12. It feeds the
fuel from the storage container 12 to an injection device of an
internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. The feeding
aggregate 18 is mounted in the storage container 12 in a not shown
manner.
[0016] The feeding aggregate 18 has a drive part 20, for example
formed as an electric motor and a pump part 22, which are arranged
in a common housing. The feeding aggregate 18 is arranged in the
storage container 12 so that its longitudinal axis 19 extends at
least approximately vertically, and the pump part 22 is arranged at
a small distance from the bottom 14 of the storage container 12.
The pump part 22 is formed as a flow pump, in particular as a side
passage pump. The pump part 22 has an impeller 24 which is
rotatably driven by a drive part 20. A plurality of vanes are
formed on the periphery of the impeller 24. The impeller 24 is
arranged in the pump chamber. The pump chamber is limited at one
side by a suction cover 26 of the feeding aggregate 18 and at the
other side, toward the drive part 20, by an intermediate housing
28. The suction cover 26 and the intermediate housing 28 can be
composed for example of synthetic plastic, metal or ceramic.
[0017] Ring shaped, groove-like flow passages 30 and 32 are formed
in the side of the suction cover 26 which faces the impeller 24 and
in the intermediate housing 28. The flow passages 30, 32 are
interrupted in a peripheral region to provide a separation between
the suction side and the pressure side of the pump part 22. A
suction opening 34 which leads in a suction pump to an outer side
of the feeding aggregate 18 opens into the flow passage 30 formed
in the suction cover 26, in a starting region as seen in the rotary
direction of the impeller 24. An outlet opening 36 leads from the
flow passage 32 which is formed in the intermediate housing 28, to
an end region as seen in the rotary direction of the impeller 24.
During the operation of the feeding aggregate 18, its pump part 22
sucks fuel through the suction opening 34 from the storage
container 12, supplies it under pressure increase into the flow
passages 30, 32 to the outlet opening 36, through which the fuel
exits the pump part 22 and flows through the drive part 20 and from
it, to the injection device of the internal combustion engine.
[0018] The suction cover 26, in addition to the suction opening 34
also has a further opening 38 which opens into the flow passage 30.
The opening 38 opens into the flow passage 30 in a peripheral
region between the beginning of the flow passage 30 where the
suction openings 34 opens, and the end of the flow passage 30 as
seen in the rotary direction of the impeller 24. The peripheral
region in which the openings 34 opens into the flow passage 30 is
selected so that, there a sufficient pressure increase of the fed
fuel is provided. This guarantees that a fuel is there in a liquid
form and no gas bubbles are formed.
[0019] FIGS. 1-3 show the fuel feeding module in accordance with a
first embodiment of the invention. A jet pump 40 is arranged in the
storage container 12 laterally near the feeding aggregate 18. It
feeds fuel from the supply tank 10 in the storage container 12 so
as to provide there a sufficient fuel supply which can be aspirated
from the feeding aggregate 18. The jet pump 40 is connected through
a passage 42 formed in the bottom 14 of the storage container 12,
with the opening 38 of the suction cover 26 of the feeding
aggregate 18. The bottom 14 is composed for example of synthetic
plastic and produced by a suitable manufacturing process, for
example injection molding. The bottom 14 is formed at least
approximately flat and is arranged approximately horizontally. The
passage 42 can be formed by a bulging of the bottom 14, so that the
bottom 14 in the region of the passage 42 has a greater thickness
than in the remaining region. The bottom 14 can be formed of one
piece with the casing 16 of the storage container 12, or can be
formed as a separate part which later is tightly connected with the
casing 16 of the storage container 12 for example by a pressure
connection, an arresting connection, glueing or welding.
[0020] The bottom 14 can be provided with an opening 44 in the
region of the opening 38. The opening 44 opens into the passage 42,
and a pipe 46 is introduced into the opening 44 and into the
opening 38 of the suction cover 26. The passage 42 is connected
with the opening 38 and thereby with the flow passage 30 through
the pipe 46. Alternatively, a pipe can be formed on the bottom 14
or on the suction cover 26 and inserted in the opening 38 or in the
opening 44. A nozzle 48 is arranged on the bottom 14 for the jet
pump 40. In particular, it can be formed of one piece with it. The
passage 42 opens into the nozzle 48, the nozzle 48 faces for
example upwardly, and longitudinal axis of the nozzle 48 extends
substantially vertically. A nozzle 48 can also have any different
orientation, for example horizontal orientation or an orientation
between the horizontal and vertical directions.
[0021] A projection 49 also can extend from the bottom 14
substantially coaxially to the nozzle 48. It surrounds a nozzle and
extends upwardly, and can be formed of one piece with the bottom
14. A riser pipe 50 is inserted in the projection 49 and oriented
in correspondence with the nozzle 48 or the jet pump 40
substantially vertically in the shown embodiment. Its opening is
arranged near the upper end of the storage container 12. The razor
pipe 50 can be mounted in the projection 49 by a pressing
connection, an arresting connection, or by glueing or welding. A
mixing region of the jet pump 40 is formed between the nozzle 48
and the riser pipe 50. It is connected through an opening 51 in the
projection 49 and the riser pipe 50 with the supply tank 10.
[0022] A check valve 52 is arranged between the jet pump 40 and the
feeding aggregate 18. Its opening direction is toward the jet pump
40. A receptacle 53 for the check valve 52 is arranged on the
bottom 14, and in particular is formed of one piece with it, as an
upwardly extending projection. A projection 54 which has a smaller
cross-section than the projection 53 is formed in the latter and
forms an upwardly facing valve seat. The valve seat forms a
connection between a partial portion of the passage 42 from the
feeding aggregate 18 to the check valve 52 and a partial portion of
the passage 42 from the check valve 52 to the jet pump 40. The
check valve 52 has a valve member 56, which cooperates with the
valve seat 54 and which is pressed by a pre-stressed closing spring
57 against the valve seat 54. The closing spring 57 is clamped
between the valve member 56 and a cap 58 which is inserted in the
projection 53. The cap 58 can be connected in the projection 53 by
a pressing connection, an arresting connection, glueing or welding.
FIG. 3 shows the bottom 14 in a cross-section, in which the course
of the passage 42 can be recognized. The passage 42 extends, as
shown in FIG. 3, substantially radially to the feeding aggregate 18
and substantially rectilinearly to the suction jet pump 40. The jet
pump 40 is arranged thereby near the feeding aggregate 18 and
connected with the flow passage 30 of the pump part 22 by the
passage 42 which extends along the bottom of the storage container
12 and in the plane of the bottom 14.
[0023] The operation of the fuel feeding module is explained herein
below.
[0024] During the operation of the feeding aggregate 18 fuel is
sucked in its pump part 22 from the storage container 12 and a
pressure buildup is provided in the flow passages 30, 32. A part of
the fuel fed in the flow passage 30 is supplied through the opening
38 via the pipe 46 into the passage 42. In the passage 42 the
pressure of the fuel in the valve member 56 of the check valve 52
is provided, and it lifts the valve member from the valve seat 54
so that the fuel can be supplied further through the passage 42 to
the jet pump 40. The fuel passes through the nozzle 48 and is
bundled to a jet, which in the mixing region entrains through the
opening 51 the fuel from the supply tank 10 and supplies it through
the riser pipe 50 into the storage container 12. The position of
the openings 38 relative to the flow passage 30 in the rotary
direction of the impeller 24 determines, with what pressure the
fuel is supplied through the passage 42 of the jet pump 40. The
closer the opening 38 is arranged in the rotary direction to the
end of the flow passage 30, the higher is the pressure of the fuel
and thereby the greater is the quantity of the fuel which is fed by
the jet pump 40 in the storage container 12. The fuel feed by the
jet pump 40 in the storage container 12 starts directly with the
beginning of the fuel feed by the pump part 22 of the feeding
aggregate 18.
[0025] When the feeding aggregate 18 is not in operation, the
hydrostatic pressure of the fuel located in the storage container
12 acts through the suction opening 34 in the suction cover 26 of
the feeding aggregate 18 also in the flow passage 30, and through
the opening 38 also in the passage 42. The closing force of the
closing spring 57 of the check valve 52 is selected so that, it is
not opened by the hydrostatic pressure of the fuel in the storage
container 12 so that an emptying of the storage container 12
through the opening 51 of the jet pump 40 in the supply tank 10 is
prevented when the filling level in the supply tank 10 is lower
than the filling level in the storage container 12. On the other
hand, during the operation of the feeding aggregate 18, by the
pressure of the fuel which flows from the flow passage 30 into the
passage 42, the valve member 56 of the check valve 52 is lifted
against the force of the closing spring 57 from the valve seat
54.
[0026] FIG. 4 shows the fuel feeding module in accordance with the
second embodiment of the present invention. The basic construction
is substantially similar to the construction of the fuel feeding
module of the first embodiment. However, the channel 42 is not
formed only in the bottom 114 of the storage container 12, but also
is formed by the bottom 114 together with a cover element 60
connected with it. The bottom 114 on its upper part is formed
substantially flat, and the cover element 40 is placed on the upper
side of the bottom 114 and tightly connected with it, for example
glued or welded. The cover element 60 can be composed, as the
bottom 114, of synthetic plastic and produced for example by
injection molding. In the lower side of the cover element 60 which
faces toward the bottom 114, a trough-shaped depression 62 is
formed. After placing of the cover element 60 on the bottom 114 it
forms, together with the bottom 114 the passage 42. The cover
element 60 on its upper side is formed, as the bottom 114, in
accordance with the first embodiment and has the opening 44 which
is connected through the pipe 56 with the opening 38 of the suction
cover 26 of the feeding aggregate 18.
[0027] The nozzle 48 for the jet pump 40 and the surrounding
projection 49 are formed on the cover element 60, and the riser
pipe 50 is inserted in the projection. The receptacle 53 for the
check valve 52 is formed between the jet pump 40 and the feeding
aggregate 18 on the cover element 60. Its valve member 56 is
pressed against the valve seat 54 by the closing spring 56 which is
clamped between the valve member and the cap 58. The operation of
the fuel feeding module in accordance with a second embodiment is
identical to the operation of the fuel feeding module in accordance
with the first embodiment. The bottom 114 and the cover element 60
of the fuel feeding module in accordance with the second embodiment
are however produced simpler than the bottom 14 of the fuel feeding
module of the first embodiment, since no hollow space is required
in it, and the passage 42 is formed by the joining of the cover
element 60 with the bottom 114. The jet pump 40 is connected with
the flow passage 30 of the pump part 22 of the feeding aggregate 18
by the passage 42 which extends along the bottom 114 and at least
approximately in the plane of the bottom.
[0028] Alternatively, in the fuel feeding module in accordance with
the above described second embodiment, the bottom 114 can be formed
on its upper side in correspondence with the above described cover
element 60. The bottom 114 at its lower side can have a
trough-shaped depression and the cover element 60 is formed at the
lower side of the bottom 114 and covers the trough-shaped
depression for forming the passage 42.
[0029] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the fuel feeding module in accordance
with the third embodiment. The basic construction of the fuel
feeding module is substantially similar to the fuel feeding module
of the first embodiment. However, the passage 42 for connecting the
jet pump 40 with the feeding aggregate 14 is not formed on the
bottom 214 of the storage container 12 but instead on a separate
connecting element 70 which is placed on the bottom 214 of the
storage container 12. The bottom 214 of the storage container 12
can be formed for example flat and smooth and of one piece with the
casing 16, or as a separate part which is tightly connected with
the casing 16. The connecting element 70 is composed of synthetic
plastic and is produced for example by injection molding. The
connecting element 70 is formed, as the bottom 14 of the storage
container 12 of the fuel feeding module in accordance with the
first embodiment. The connecting element 70, as shown in FIG. 6,
forms a small strip, in which the passage 42 is provided. The
connecting element 70 on its upper part has the opening 44 for
connecting the passage 42 through the pipe 46 with the opening 38
of the suction cover 26 of the feeding aggregate 18. The connecting
element 70 on its upper side also has the nozzle 48 of the jet pump
40, as well as the projection 49 which surrounds it in which the
riser pipe 50 is inserted.
[0030] The connecting element 70 on its upper side also has the
receptacle 52 for the check valve 55, on which the valve seat 54 is
formed. The valve member 56 is pressed against the valve seat 54 by
the closing spring 57 which is clamped between the valve member and
the cap 58. The connecting element 70, in the region of the opening
53 has a bulging corresponding to the cross-section of the opening
44, the projection 49, and the receptacle 53. The connecting
element 70, as shown in FIG. 6, does not extend continuously
radially and rectilinearly from the feeding aggregate 18 to the jet
pump 40, but instead is angled. Starting from the opening 38 of the
suction cover 36 of the feeding aggregate 18, the connecting
element 70 extends first radially to it and rectilinearly to the
check valve 52. Between the check valve 52 and the jet pump 40, the
connecting element 70 extends again rectilinearly, but is angled.
In correspondence with this, the passage 42 in the connecting
element 7 also is angled. The course of the passage 42 with the
corresponding shape of the connecting element 70 can be adapted to
different mounting conditions in the storage container 12. An
angled or a continuously rectilinear passage 42 can be provided
also in the fuel feeding module of the first and second
embodiments.
[0031] Also, in the fuel feeding module in accordance with a third
embodiment, the jet pump 40 can be connected with the flow passage
30 of the pump part 22 of the feeding aggregate 18 through the
passage 42 which is formed in the connecting element 70 and extends
along the bottom 214 of the storage container 12 near the plane of
the bottom 214.
[0032] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application
in other types of constructions differing from the types described
above.
[0033] While the invention has been illustrated and described as
embodied in fuel feeding module for motor vehicle, it is not
intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
[0034] Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal
the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying
current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications
without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art,
fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or
specific aspects of this invention.
* * * * *