U.S. patent application number 12/061470 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-16 for fuel pump housing.
This patent application is currently assigned to TI AUTOMOTIVE (NEUSS) GMBH. Invention is credited to Matthias Boutros, Gunter Moll, Markus Wierling.
Application Number | 20080251149 12/061470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39736101 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080251149 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boutros; Matthias ; et
al. |
October 16, 2008 |
FUEL PUMP HOUSING
Abstract
A fuel pump housing includes a body that has a bottom portion. A
fuel filter is located adjacent the bottom portion, and contacts
the body so that electricity, such as static electricity, is
conducted between the body and the fuel filter. A ground connection
dissipates, or limits, electricity in both the body and the fuel
filter.
Inventors: |
Boutros; Matthias; (Neuss,
DE) ; Moll; Gunter; (Korschenbroich, DE) ;
Wierling; Markus; (Aachen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REISING, ETHINGTON, BARNES, KISSELLE, P.C.
P O BOX 4390
TROY
MI
48099-4390
US
|
Assignee: |
TI AUTOMOTIVE (NEUSS) GMBH
Neuss
DE
|
Family ID: |
39736101 |
Appl. No.: |
12/061470 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/899 ;
123/509; 210/416.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02M 37/50 20190101;
Y10T 137/6855 20150401; F02M 37/106 20130101; F02M 37/44
20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/899 ;
123/509; 210/416.4 |
International
Class: |
F01D 25/24 20060101
F01D025/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 3, 2007 |
DE |
102007015950.3 |
Claims
1. A fuel pump housing, comprising: a body of an electrically
conductive material having a bottom portion; a fuel filter located
at the bottom portion, and being in contact with the body whereby
electricity is conducted therebetween; and a ground connection
contacting at least one of the body or the fuel filter to dissipate
electricity in both the body and the fuel filter.
2. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion
defines a plurality of openings that constitute the fuel
filter.
3. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the fuel filter extends
over an opening that is defined in the bottom portion.
4. The fuel pump housing of claim 3 wherein the fuel filter is a
film attached over the opening.
5. The fuel pump housing of claim 3 wherein the fuel filter is a
screen attached over the opening.
6. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the ground connection
is a single ground connection and is the only ground connection for
the body and the fuel filter.
7. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the ground connection
is formed by direct contact between the body and a vehicle
body.
8. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 further comprising a connecting
device extending between the body and the ground connection.
9. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the connecting device
includes a screw and an electric wire.
10. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection
is formed at a vehicle power supply.
11. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection
is formed at a negative terminal of a fuel pump.
12. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection
is formed at a vehicle body.
13. An assembly, comprising: a housing having a body with a bottom
portion, the housing having a fuel filter located at the bottom
portion and conducting electricity to the body, the housing also
having a single ground connection directly contacting one or both
of the fuel filter and the body, the ground connection being
adapted to contact ground in order to dissipate electricity in both
the body and the fuel filter; and a fuel pump held at least
partially within the housing.
14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the ground connection
dissipates static electricity that is generated in the fuel
filter.
15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the bottom portion defines a
plurality of openings that constitute the fuel filter.
16. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the fuel filter extends over
an opening that is defined in the bottom portion.
17. The assembly of claim 13 further comprising a connecting device
extending between the body and the ground connection.
18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the ground connection is
formed at a vehicle power supply.
19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the ground connection is
formed at a negative terminal of the fuel pump.
20. An assembly, comprising: a housing having a body with a bottom
portion, the housing having a fuel filter located at the bottom
portion to conduct electricity to the body, the housing also having
a single ground connection that dissipates static electricity in
the body and in the fuel filter, and the housing having a
connecting device extending between the body and the ground
connection to conduct electricity therebetween; and a fuel pump
held at least partially within the housing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Applicants claim priority of German Patent Application No.
10 2007 015 950.3, filed Apr. 3, 2007.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to automotive fuel supply
systems, and more particularly to fuel pump housings used in
automotive fuel supply systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Many automotive fuel supply systems include a fuel tank for
storing fuel. In one arrangement, a fuel delivery module including,
among other things, a housing, a fuel pump, and a fuel filter may
be suspended within the fuel tank. In another arrangement, the fuel
pump may be arranged in-line with one or more fuel delivery lines.
In operation, fuel typically travels through the fuel filter, into
the fuel pump, and to an internal combustion engine. The traveling
fuel often creates static electricity in the fuel filter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] One embodiment of a fuel pump housing may include a body, a
fuel filter, and a ground connection. The body may have a bottom
portion. The fuel filter may be located at or near the bottom
portion where it can be in contact with the body so that
electricity, such as static electricity, is conducted between the
fuel filter and the body. The ground connection may help dissipate
electricity that may be present in both the body and the fuel
filter.
[0005] One embodiment of an assembly may include a housing and a
fuel pump. The housing may include a body with a bottom portion,
and may include a fuel filter. The fuel filter may be located at or
near the bottom portion, and may conduct electricity, such as
static electricity, to the housing. The housing, the fuel filter,
or both may also include a single ground connection in order to
dissipate electricity that may be present in both the housing and
the fuel filter. The fuel pump may be held at least partially
within the housing.
[0006] One embodiment of an assembly may include a housing and a
fuel pump. The housing may include a body with a bottom portion,
and may include a fuel filter. The fuel filter may be located at or
near the bottom portion, and may conduct electricity, such as
static electricity, to the body. The housing may also include a
single ground connection in order to dissipate static electricity
that may be present in both the body and the fuel filter. The
housing may further include a connecting device that may extend
between the body and the ground connection. The connecting device
may conduct electricity between the body and the ground connection.
The fuel pump may be held at least partially within the housing
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The following detailed description of preferred embodiments
and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an embodiment of a fuel pump
housing;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of an embodiment of a fuel pump
housing; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an embodiment of a fuel pump
housing having a fuel pump therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] In general, and before referring to the drawing figures,
various example embodiments of a holder or housing 10 are shown and
described. The housing 10 may be used in a fuel delivery module or
sender unit of an automotive fuel supply system, and may be
disposed in communication with or in a fuel tank. The housing 10
may have a simple design and a compact structure. A fuel filter 12
and a body 14 of the housing 10 may conduct electricity between
each other, and a ground connection 16 may help dissipate
electricity present in both the fuel filter and the body.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 3, a fuel pump 18 can be secured in the
housing 10, or the housing can secure parts of the fuel pump. The
fuel pump 18 provides the suction and drive needed to take fuel out
of the fuel tank and deliver fuel to an internal combustion engine.
The fuel pump 18 may be of the in-tank type, and the electric type
having an electric motor that is powered by a vehicle power supply,
such as a battery 20. The fuel pump 18 may have an inlet 22 for
drawing-in fuel, and may have an outlet 24 for discharging fuel out
of an outlet or discharge line 26. One or more retaining devices 28
may hold the fuel pump 18 in-place inside of the housing 10, or a
fitting (not shown) around the discharge line 26 may suspend the
fuel pump in the housing. A negative terminal 30 may be located on
the fuel pump 18. A connecting device 32 may connect the fuel pump
18 with the body 14, such as by a terminal lug. The connecting
device 32 may ground the fuel pump 18 to the body 14.
[0013] The body 14 receives the fuel pump 18 or parts of the fuel
pump, and may provide the structure of the housing 10. In one
example, the body 14 may be composed of an electrically conductive
material such as a metal like steel or aluminum. The body 14 may be
formed by various metal forming processes such as by deep-drawing a
metal sheet into a generally cylindrical shape. Referring to FIG.
1, the body 14 may have a top portion 34 that may define an opening
36 for the discharge line 26 and for electrical wires providing
power to the fuel pump 18. The body may also have a bottom portion
38 that may define an opening (not shown) for a feed line (also not
shown). The top portion 34 may define other openings for other
lines or for the electrical wires, or the top portion may define an
open top. In other embodiments, the top portion 34 and the bottom
portion 38 may be separate components that are subsequently
attached together. In this case, the top portion 34 and the bottom
portion 38 may be in contact with each other such that electricity
conducts through and between the portions.
[0014] The fuel filter 12 helps screen out contaminants that may
otherwise enter into the fuel pump 18 or into the housing 10. The
fuel filter 12 may have various embodiments. In the example of FIG.
1, the fuel filter 12 may be integral with, or may be a part of,
the body 14; that is, the fuel filter may not necessarily be a
component that is separate from the body. A plurality of pores or
openings 42 may be formed in the bottom portion 38 by a punching
process, a laser cutting process, or by any other suitable forming
process. The openings 42 may be disposed about a majority of the
area of the bottom portion 38, may be disposed on only a section of
the bottom portion, or may be disposed partly on a side wall
adjacent the bottom portion. The openings 42 may be sized and
dimensioned to allow fuel to enter into the housing 10, and to
exclude other larger particles. When in use, static electricity may
build-up or accumulate in the fuel filter 12 by fuel flowing
through it. Such static electricity may be dissipated, or
dispersed, through the body 14. This may limit electricity build-up
in the fuel filter 12 and may help prevent static discharge at the
fuel filter.
[0015] In the example of FIG. 2, the fuel filter 12 may constitute
an insert in the sense that the fuel filter may be a separate
component that is subsequently attached to the bottom portion 38.
For example, a larger opening 44 may be formed in the bottom
portion 38 by a punching process, a laser cutting process, or by
any other suitable forming process. The opening 44 may be a single
opening or may have more than one opening. The opening 44 may
extend over a majority of the area of the bottom portion 38, may
extend over only a section of the bottom portion, or may extend
partly on the side wall adjacent the bottom portion. A mesh-like
material, such as a film or a screen 46, may be attached to the
bottom portion 38 and may extend over the opening 44 in order to
separate contaminants out of the fuel flowing through it. The
screen 46 may be attached to the bottom portion 38 by caulking,
crimping, overmolding its perimeter, welding (e.g., by weld spots
48), or other suitable attaching methods. In at least some of these
examples, the screen 46 may be inserted in notches (not shown)
defined in a surface of the opening 44. The screen 46 may be
composed of an electrically conductive material such as a metal
like steel or aluminum. When in use, static electricity may
build-up or accumulate in the screen 46 by fuel flowing through it.
Such static electricity may be dissipated, or dispersed, through
the body 14 as the screen may be in contact with the body at its
attachment points. This may limit electricity build-up in the fuel
filter 12 and may help prevent static discharge at the fuel
filter.
[0016] The ground connection 16 may help limit the build-up of
static electricity in the housing 10, and in both the fuel filter
12 and the body 14. The ground connection 16 may dissipate, or
disperse, static electricity through itself and to whatever the
ground connection is connected to. The ground connection 16 may be
a single ground connection, and may constitute the only ground
connection for the housing 10. That is, there may be no need to
have a separate ground for each of the body 14 and the fuel filter
12.
[0017] The ground connection 16 may have various embodiments. In
the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the ground connection 16 may include
the connecting device 32 in order to link the housing 10 or the
fuel filter 12 with another component. For example, the connecting
device 32 may have a metal screw 50, one or more terminal lugs, and
an electric wire 52; in another embodiment, the connecting device
may include a stainless steel strip or sheet. The metal screw 50
may be fastened to the body 14, and the electric wire 52 may extend
to another component. Static electricity may travel from the body
14, through the metal screw 50 and the electric wire 52, and to the
particular component. For example, the connecting device 32 may
extend to the vehicle power supply, such as the battery 20, and the
ground connection 16 may be formed where the battery is ground. As
another example, the connecting device 32 may extend to a body of
the vehicle, and the ground connection 16 may be formed thereat. In
another example, the connecting device 32 may extend to a negative
terminal of a vehicle accumulator. Still in other examples, the
ground connection 16 may be formed without the connecting device
32, where the body 14 may be directly contacting a component such
as the body of the vehicle. In this case, static electricity may
travel between an interface of the body 14 and the vehicle
body.
[0018] In another embodiment, the housing 10 may constitute the
outer housing or casing of the fuel pump 18. In this case, the
impeller or running gears and other internals of the fuel pump 18
may be directly supported in the housing 10 without any other
intermediate housing. The variously described fuel filters 12 and
ground connections 16 may be used in this embodiment.
[0019] While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute
presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. It is
not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or
ramifications of the invention. It is understood that the terms
used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that
various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or
scope of the invention.
* * * * *