Patent ID: 7828509
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: F02M,F04C

Abstract:
1. A fuel pump, comprising: a housing; an impeller disposed within the housing, the impeller and the housing (i) defining a pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet and (ii) defining a housing chamber, the impeller being operable to rotate within the housing to transfer fuel from the pump inlet, through the pump chamber to the pump outlet; a bearing element disposed within the housing chamber about a shaft of the impeller, the bearing element having a sealing face opposing the impeller and being operable to form a fuel seal with the impeller; and a first lip seal disposed within the housing chamber about the shaft of the impeller and a second lip seal disposed within the housing chamber about the shaft of the impeller, the first lip seal being disposed between the bearing element and the second lip seal, the first lip seal being operable to form a fuel seal with the shaft of the impeller and the second lip seal being operable to form an oil seal with the shaft of the impeller; wherein the bearing element defines a channel within the sealing interface extending from an inner periphery of the bearing element to an outer periphery of the bearing element, the channel being operable to collect fuel leaked from the pump chamber and to direct the leaked fuel toward the pump inlet of the fuel pump.