U.S. patent application number 10/333190 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for fuel supply system for vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Mitsudou, Hideo.
Application Number | 20050201877 10/333190 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11737952 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050201877 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mitsudou, Hideo |
September 15, 2005 |
Fuel supply system for vehicle
Abstract
The invention provides a fuel supply system mounted from an
opening provided at a bottom of a fuel tank into a tank, and in
which diameter of the opening of the tank can be reduced, and fuel
pump, fuel filter and others can be firmly secured thereby
achieving a fuel supply system resistant to vibration. A recessed
cup portion 13b having a smaller diameter than an opening 2 is
provided on a base seat 13, which closes the opening 2 at the
bottom of a fuel tank 1. A plurality of support stays 14 is fixed
to a wall 13c erected from the cup portion 13b. A fuel pump 5 is
combined with a fuel filter 7 for filtering a fuel liquid fed from
the fuel pump 5, and a suction port side of the fuel pump 5 is
positioned at the bottom of the cup portion 13b and fixed to the
plurality of support stays 14. The cup portion 13b is arranged to
be eccentric from a position D conforming to an outer circumference
of the opening of the fuel tank 1, and a feed terminal 11 is
provided on a plane of the eccentric space formed between the cup
portion 13b and the position D conforming to the outer
circumference.
Inventors: |
Mitsudou, Hideo; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki
Kaisha
|
Family ID: |
11737952 |
Appl. No.: |
10/333190 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
November 20, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP01/10135 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/423.14 ;
417/423.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02M 37/46 20190101;
B60K 15/077 20130101; F02M 37/50 20190101; F02M 37/44 20190101;
F02M 37/103 20130101; F02M 37/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/423.14 ;
417/423.3 |
International
Class: |
F04B 017/00; F04B
035/04 |
Claims
1. A fuel supply system for vehicle mounted onto an opening at a
bottom of a fuel tank comprising: a base seat for closing said
opening; a cup portion provided on said base seat in such a manner
as to enlarge outwardly, have a smaller diameter than said opening
and form a recess; a plurality of support stays each fixed at a
separate position from a wall erected from said cup portion; a
motor-driven fuel pump; and a fuel filter for filtering a fuel
discharged from said fuel pump; characterized in that said fuel
pump is combined with said fuel filter, and a suction port side of
said fuel pump is positioned at the bottom of said cup portion and
fixed to said support stays.
2. The fuel supply system for vehicle according to claim 1,
characterized in that the cup portion is arranged to be eccentric
from a position conforming to an outer circumference of the opening
of the fuel tank, and a feed terminal is provided on a plane of the
eccentric space formed between said cup portion and said position
conforming to the outer circumference.
3. The fuel supply system for vehicle according to claim 2,
characterized in that the fuel filter is enlarged extending into
said space above the feed terminal.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply system for
vehicle, which is mounted from the bottom of a fuel tank of a
motorcycle onto inside thereof and feeds a fuel to an internal
combustion engine.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A fuel supply system for a motorcycle is mounted from the
bottom of a fuel tank onto inside thereof due to limitation in
space for mounting a fuel tank on a body. It is therefore required
that an opening diameter at the bottom of the fuel tank, on which
such a fuel supply system is mounted, is as small as possible.
[0003] Hitherto, a fuel supply system for a vehicle mounted from
the bottom of a fuel tank onto inside thereof is known as shown in
FIG. 3 of the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No.
72074/2000.
[0004] In the drawing, reference numeral 1 designates a fuel tank,
numeral 2 designates an opening at the bottom of the fuel tank, and
numeral 3 designates a base seat having a flange 3a for closing the
opening 2. Numeral 4 designates a stand erected from the bottom of
the base seat 3, and numeral 5 designates a motor-driven fuel pump
fixed onto the stand 4 with a tightening belt. The fuel pump 5 is
positioned on a support member 4a provided on the stand 4 via a
shock-absorbing member 4b. Numeral 6 designates a suction filter
mounted on the suction port of the fuel pump 5, numeral 7
designates a fuel filter, and numeral 8 designates a fuel supply
pipe for supplying a fuel from the fuel supply system to the
internal combustion engine. Numeral 9 designates a rubber conduit
for connecting an outlet of the fuel pump 5 to an inlet of the fuel
filter 7 and an outlet of the fuel filter 7 to the fuel supply pipe
8, respectively. Numeral 10 designates a return pipe for returning
an excess fuel in the internal combustion engine to the tank, and
numeral 11 designates a power supply terminal for feeding an
electric power from outside to the fuel pump 5. Numeral 12
designates a lead wire from the power supply terminal 11 to the
fuel pump 5.
[0005] In the mentioned conventional fuel supply system, the fuel
pump 5 is driven with an electric power supplied from the power
supply terminal 11. The fuel pump 5 pressurizes a liquid fuel taken
from the fuel suction filter 6, and the fuel filter 7 removes dust
contained in the liquid fuel. Then, the liquid fuel is supplied to
the internal combustion engine via the fuel supply pipe 8.
[0006] In the conventional fuel supply system of above
construction, the fuel supply pipe 8, the return pipe 10 and the
power supply terminal 11 were disposed at the bottom of the base
seat 3. Further, the stand 4 supporting the fuel pump 5 and others
is welded on the bottom face of the base seat 3. Therefore, bottom
face of the base seat 3 essentially occupies a large area, and
outer diameter of the flange 3a on the base seat 3 is also large.
As a result, diameter of the opening in the fuel tank 1 is
large.
[0007] Moreover, the stand 4 was mounted on the bottom of the base
seat 3 in the form of a cantilever structure. The portions
supporting the fuel pump 5, the fuel filter 7 and others, are
separated from the base portion. The stand 4 is provided with
reinforcing ribs to be resistant to vibration of the vehicle, and
therefore the welding portion of the stand 4 occupies a large area.
Consequently, bottom face of the base seat 3 occupies a large area.
Still, there remains an insufficiency in the aspect of resistance
to vibration due to the cantilever structure.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A fuel supply system for vehicle according to the invention
includes:
[0009] a cup portion provided on a base seat, which closes an
opening at the bottom of a fuel tank, in such a manner as to
enlarge outwardly, have a smaller diameter than the opening and
form a recess;
[0010] a plurality of support stays each fixed at a separate
position from a wall erected from the mentioned cup portion;
[0011] a motor-driven fuel pump; and
[0012] a fuel filter for filtering a fuel discharged from the fuel
pump; and
[0013] in which the fuel pump is combined with the fuel filter, and
a suction port side of the fuel pump is positioned at the bottom of
the mentioned cup portion and fixed to the plurality of support
stays.
[0014] The cup portion is preferably arranged to be eccentric from
a position conforming to an outer circumference of the opening of
the fuel tank, and a feed terminal is provided on a plane of the
eccentric space formed between the cup portion and the position
conforming to the outer circumference.
[0015] The fuel filter is preferably enlarged extending into the
space above the feed terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a fuel supply system for
vehicle according to Embodiment 1 the invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base seat portion of the
fuel supply system for vehicle according to the invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fuel supply system for
vehicle according to the prior art.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Embodiment 1
[0019] The invention is hereinafter described in more detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a fuel supply system for
vehicle according to Embodiment 1 of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a
perspective view of a base seat portion of the fuel supply system
for vehicle according to the invention. In drawings, reference
numeral 1, 2, 5 to 9, 11 and 12 designate the same parts as in the
above-mentioned conventional supply system. Numeral 7a designates a
filter element of a fuel filter 7. Numeral 13 designates a circular
base seat provided with a flange 13a that closes around an opening
2 of the fuel tank 1. Numeral 13b designates a cup portion provided
on the base seat 13 in such a manner as to enlarge outwardly with
respect to the fuel tank 1. The cup portion 13b is a little larger
than the outer circumference of the fuel pump 5 and narrower than
the opening 2, and a recess portion of the cup portion 13b is
provided eccentrically from the center of a diameter D conforming
to the opening 2. A fuel supply pipe 8 and a power supply terminal
11 are disposed on a plane of a space eccentric between the
position of the diameter D conforming to the opening 2 of the
flange 13a and the cup portion 13b. The fuel pipe 8 and the power
supply terminal 11 occupy a space adjacent to the flange 13a. On
the other hand, an enlargement of the fuel filter 7, of which
volume is required to be large, is formed extending into the space
above the power supply terminal 11 and the fuel feed pipe 8 within
the dimension of the diameter D of the opening 2.
[0021] Numeral 14 designates a support stay, and a plurality of
support stays 14 are fixed and welded separately with one another
onto a wall 13c that is erected from the bottom of the cup portion
13b of the base seat 13 to the flange 13a.
[0022] Numeral 15 designates a stay holder extending from the fuel
filter 7, and in which each of the support stay 14 is combined with
one another. Each stay holder 15 extends in such a manner as to
enclose the peripheral of the fuel pomp 5, and is provided with an
engaging protrusion 15a for snap-fit-engagement with a pump fixing
member 17 described later. Numeral 16 designates a clump screw for
fixing each stay holder 15 to the holding stay 14. Numeral 18
designates a pressure regulator, which is branched from the fuel
filter 7 and regulates evenly a fuel pressure fed to the internal
combustion. Excess fuel liquid left after the regulation of the
fuel pressure by the pressure regulator 18 is returned to the fuel
tank as it is. This structure makes it possible to omit the return
pipe 10 employed in the mentioned prior art, and contributes to
simplification and downsizing of the base seat 13.
[0023] Now, an assembling process of the fuel supply system for
vehicle according to the invention is hereinafter described. Upper
part of the fuel filter 7 is overhanging like a pent-roof, and a
fuel inlet is provided downwardly on the overhanging portion.
Outlet of the fuel pump 5 is connected to the fuel inlet through
the rubber conduit 9. Thus, the fuel filter 7 is connected to fuel
pump 5. And by fitting the pump fixing member 17 from the lower
part of the fuel pump 5 into the engaging protrusion 15a in the
form of snap-fit-engagement, the fuel filter 7 and fuel pump 5 are
solidly fixed to each other with the elasticity of the conduit 9.
The suction filter 6 is mounted on the suction port of the fuel
pump 5. Then the suction filter 6 side of the fuel pump 5 is
inserted in the cup portion 13b of the base seat 13, and the stay
holder 15 is combined with the holding stays 14. At the same time,
the outlet of the fuel filter 7 is connected to the fuel supply
pipe 8 putting a seal member therebetween.
[0024] In this state, the stay holder 15 is fixed to the holding
stays 14 with the clump screw 16, and this makes the fuel pump 5
and the fuel filter 7 securely fixed onto the base seat 13.
Thereafter, setting of accessories such as pressure regulator 18 or
fuel gage (not shown) and wiring are carried out. In this manner,
fuel supply system for vehicle according to the invention is
completed.
[0025] In addition, the operation for pressurizing the fuel liquid,
removing dust therefrom and supplying the same to the internal
combustion is the same as in the mentioned prior art, and further
explanation is omitted.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0026] In the fuel supply system for vehicle according to the
invention, the support stays 14 are fixed and welded separately
with one another onto the wall 13c that is erected from the bottom
of the cup portion 13b of the base seat 13. On the plurality of
support stays 14, the fuel pump 5 and the fuel filter 7 are firmly
secured in the form of a both end fixed structure, whereby
resistance to vibration is improved. Further, since the holding
stays 14 are fixed onto the wall 13c, the mounting space for the
holding stay 14 is downsized, and therefore, the section area of
the mounting portion through the opening 2 is reduced.
[0027] Furthermore, the cup member 13b of the base seat 13 is
eccentrically provided with respect to the opening 2 of the fuel
tank 1, the fuel supply pipe 8 and power supply terminal 11 are
disposed in the electric space between the opening 2 and the flange
13a, and the enlarged portion of the fuel filter 7 is disposed on
the upper space of the power supply terminal 11. As a result, the
section radius of the entire fuel supply system for vehicle can be
decreased, and consequently diameter of the opening of the fuel
tank 1 can be reduced at the lower part.
* * * * *