Abstract:
A fuel module for a vehicle has a fuel tank opening cover pivotably coupled to a module housing that holds multiple components including a fuel pump, filter, etc. The housing can be advanced lengthwise through the opening of a shallow fuel tank then turned horizontally to rest on the bottom of the tank, with the cover remaining parallel to the opening such that when the housing is in place in the tank the cover blocks the opening.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to fuel modules, and more particularly to fuel modules with pivoting covers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Fuel modules have been provided in which much of a vehicle&#39;s fuel system is enclosed in a single housing. Thus, a fuel module may include a fuel pump, a fuel strainer, a pressure regulator, and a fuel filter, and typically is mounted on or in the fuel tank of the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As recognized herein, some fuel tanks are relatively shallow, requiring relatively shallow fuel module reservoirs (which hold the above components). However, as also understood herein shallow fuel module reservoirs may be relatively long to accommodate the interior components, complicating installation of the relatively long reservoirs through relatively small openings in fuel tanks. 
     Accordingly, a fluid module for a vehicle includes a module housing defining a reservoir and components such as a fluid pump in the housing. A cover is pivotably engaged with the housing for blocking an opening of a fuel tank into which the housing can be advanced. The cover is pivotable relative to the housing between an install configuration, wherein the cover lies along a long axis defined by the housing, and an operate configuration, wherein the cover lies along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the long axis defined by the housing. 
     In example embodiments preferably two guide rods are coupled to the cover and extend to a respective pivot block. Each pivot block pivotably engages a pivot pin on the housing. The pivot pins can be disposed on opposite walls of the housing. 
     In some implementations a respective elongated vertical guide is on each of the opposite walls of the housing and is arranged to abut a first surface of the respective pivot block. If desired, a respective horizontal guide may also be provided on each of the opposite walls of the housing and arranged to abut a second surface of the respective pivot block. This surface assists the pivot pin by absorbing some push down force during installation so that the entire force is not absorbed by the pin. For each pivot block the first surface may be established by a parallelepiped-shaped main portion of the pivot block and the second surface may be established by a buttress portion protruding outwardly from the main portion. 
     As discussed below, each pivot pin can engage a channel of the respective pivot block. An example channel may include a T-shaped portion adjoined to an entry portion. 
     In another aspect, a fuel module has a housing configured for advancement through an opening of a fuel tank onto a bottom surface of the fuel tank, and components such as a fuel pump and a fuel filter can be in the housing. A cover is configured to block the opening. The cover is coupled to the housing such that the housing can be advanced lengthwise through the opening then turned to lie lengthwise on the bottom of the fuel tank. 
     In another aspect, a method includes advancing a housing of a fuel module through an opening of a fuel tank, with a cover of the module remaining outside the tank. The method also includes turning the housing within the tank to rest on a long surface of the tank, and blocking the opening using the cover. 
     The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-3  are a sequence of schematic views of the fuel module illustrating the cover pivoting with respect to the reservoir during the installation process; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the cover with pivot blocks in an exploded relationship with the reservoir, with a side wall of the reservoir shown partially cut away to illustrate the exterior pivot guides and pivot pin on one side of the reservoir, omitting the guides and pin on the opposite side of the reservoir for clarity and schematically showing internal components that may be held in the reservoir in example embodiments; and 
         FIGS. 5 through 7  are side elevation views schematically showing the cooperation between the pivot pin and the slot in a pivot block, and between the pivot guides and surfaces of the pivot block, during pivoting of the cover, with the cover and portions of the reservoir apart from the pivot pin and the pivot guides omitted for clarity. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is intended for application in automotive vehicle systems and will be described in that context. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention could also be successfully applied in other fuel delivery applications. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a fuel module is shown, generally designated  10 , that includes a hollow lightweight metal or plastic housing  12  coupled to a cover  14  by (preferably two or more) guide rods  16 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing  12  can be advanced lengthwise through an opening  18  of a relatively shallow fuel tank  20 , then turned as shown by the arrow  22  in  FIG. 2  through an intermediate position to an operate position shown in  FIG. 3 , in which the housing  12  lies lengthwise on the bottom  24  of the fuel tank  20  with the cover  14  blocking the fuel tank opening  18 . 
     In example embodiments, one way to achieve the above is to render the cover  14  pivotably engageable with the housing  12 . The cover  14  can be pivoted relative to the housing  12  between an install configuration ( FIG. 1 ), wherein the cover lies along the long axis defined by the housing  12  as shown, and an operate configuration ( FIG. 3 ), wherein the cover lies along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the long axis defined by the housing  12  as shown, permitting the cover to block the opening  18 . 
       FIGS. 4-6  show a non-limiting example implementation of pivoting structure to accomplish the above. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the cover  14  may be formed with supply and discharge fittings  26 ,  28  that engage respective fuel lines and that communicate with the reservoir of the housing  12  to supply fuel to and discharge fuel from the housing. An electrical connector  30  may also be associated with the cover  14  and may be connected to the vehicle&#39;s electrical system and to one or more of the below-described components of the housing  12  to power the components. Connections between the various components in the housing  12  and the fittings  26 ,  28  and connector  30  of the cover  14  are omitted for clarity. 
     At least one and preferably two guide rods  32  are coupled to the cover  14  and extend to respective pivot blocks  34 . In one embodiment each guide rod is received tightly in a respective rod receptacle  36  on the face of the cover  14  that faces the housing  12 . Also, each guide rod  32  may be received in a rod channel  38  of the respective pivot block  34  and may be held in the rod channel  38  by a grip fitting  40  formed at the end of the rod channel  38 , which establishes a tight interference fit between the guide rod  32  and grip fitting  40 . 
     Each example non-limiting pivot block includes a respective parallelepiped-shaped main portion  42  that defines the rod channel  38 . The main portion  42  can have a square cross-section as shown. The pivot block  34  may also be formed with a smaller parallelepiped-shaped buttress portion  44  protruding outwardly from the main portion  42  and, on the side of the main portion opposite to the buttress portion  42 , a parallelepiped-shaped channel portion  46 . The channel portion  46  may be thinner than the main portion  42  as shown. 
     In the example shown, the channel portion  46  defines a pin channel established by a T-shaped portion  48  adjoined to an entry portion  50  that is generally parallel to the cross bar of the “T” as shown. The entry portion  50  defines an open end  52  through which a below-discussed pivot pin can pass. A spring  53  may be disposed in compression around a guide rod  32  (two springs, one around each guide rod, may be used) between the pivot block  34  and cover  14  to absorb expansion and compression of the assembly over its lifetime. 
     Turning to the housing  12 , on one long side wall  54  the housing is formed with exterior structure for engaging a pivot block  34 , it being understood that the long wall opposite the side wall  54  is formed with similar structure for engaging the other pivot block. A preferably rigid pivot pin  56  extends outward from the side wall  54  as shown to engage the pivot channel  48  of the pivot block  34 . Also, a respective elongated preferably rigid vertical guide  58  is formed on or otherwise engaged with the side wall  54  and is arranged to abut a side surface of the main portion  42  of the respective pivot block in the operate position. Further, in the example shown a respective horizontal guide  60  that may be shorter than the vertical guide  58  is on the side wall  54  and is arranged to abut a surface of the buttress portion  44  of the pivot block  34  in the operate position. This surface assists the pivot pin by absorbing some push down force during installation so that the entire force is not absorbed by the pin. Also, a side of each pivot block  34  touches the outside surface of a side wall of the housing in the operate position. With this structure, the housing  12  is constrained to facilitate pivotal motion between the housing  12  and cover  14 . 
     As schematically shown for completeness and by way of example only, a fuel pump  62  can be disposed in the housing  12  and the fuel pump may take suction on the reservoir defined by the housing  12  and discharge fuel to a fuel filter or strainer  66  that is configured to remove impurities from fuel passing through it. The fuel filter or strainer  66  can discharge filtered fuel to the engine. Other components may also be included such as a pressure regulator  64  that may communicate with the discharge of the fuel filter or strainer, a jet pump  68 , and one or more valves  70 . 
       FIGS. 5 through 7  further illustrate principles discussed above.  FIGS. 5 through 7  show a pivot block  34  and a portion of side wall  54  of housing  12 , with the portion of the side wall  54  having defined on it the pivot pin  56  and guides  58  and  60 . Because the pivot pin  56  and the guides  58  and  60  are defined on the side wall  54 , the relative spacing between the pivot pin  56 , the guide  58 , and the guide  60  remains fixed. In  FIG. 5 , the pivot block  34  and the portion of the side wall  54  are depicted prior to engagement of the pivot pin  56  into the channel portion  46  of the pivot block  34 . It is to be appreciated that the pivot blocks  34  are advanced such that the pins  56  enter the open end  52  of each entry portion  50 , then up the stalk of the T-shaped portion and into the cross-bar of the “T”.  FIG. 6  illustrates details of an intermediate configuration, in which each pin  56 , after the pivot block  34  has been advanced over the housing  12  to permit the pin  56  to ride into the pivot channel, is disposed near the bottom of the cross-bar of the T-shaped channel  48 . In  FIG. 6 , the portion of side wall  54  has been rotated counterclockwise relative to its position in  FIG. 5  to approach the final operate position. As the side wall  54  is rotated with the pivot pin near the bottom of the cross-bar of the T-shaped channel  48 , the guides  58  and  60  are free to move without interfering with the pivot block  34 .  FIG. 7  illustrates details of the operate configuration of  FIG. 3 , in which each pivot pin  56  is located near the top of the cross-bar of the T-shaped channel  48 . As discussed above with respect to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  shows that the vertical guide  58  is arranged to abut a side surface of the main portion  42  of the pivot block  34  in the operate position, and the horizontal guide  60  is arranged to abut a surface of the buttress portion  44  of the pivot block  34  in the operate position. Disassembly is the reverse of the above. 
     While the particular FUEL MODULE WITH PIVOTING COVER is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims. For example, in addition to the above connection mechanisms, other quick connect/quick disconnect type of mechanisms may be used.