Patent Publication Number: US-2023160361-A1

Title: Pressure regulator and fuel pump module having the same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0161285 filed on Nov. 22, 2021. The entire contents of the above-listed application are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following disclosure relates to a pressure regulator which may maintain a predetermined pressure in a fuel supply line through which a fuel discharged from a fuel pump is supplied to an engine, and a fuel pump module having the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In general, a device for a vehicle or the like, such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, that is driven by receiving a liquid fuel may be provided with a fuel tank for storing the fuel, the fuel tank may be installed with a fuel pump module, and the fuel pump module may be connected to the engine through a fuel supply line to supply the fuel stored in the fuel tank to the engine. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , in a fuel pump module, a fuel outlet  17  of a fuel pump  2  may be connected to a fuel filter  3 , the fuel filter  3  may be connected to a fuel supply line  13  through a communication pipe  28 , and a fuel discharged from the fuel pump may be pumped to an engine through the fuel supply line. In addition, a pressure regulator  4  may be mounted on the communication pipe  28 . Therefore, when a pressure inside the fuel supply line is increased to a certain pressure or more, the fuel may be partially discharged externally through the pressure regulator to thus maintain a predetermined pressure within the fuel supply line. 
     Recently used is control technology that supplies the engine with the fuel at only required flow rate and pressure by changing the number of revolutions (RPM) of a motor that drives the fuel pump, thus reducing a need for controlling the pressure of the supplied fuel through the pressure regulator. 
     However, the prior pressure regulator needs to be operated precisely, and thus have a complex structure using a large number of parts as shown in  FIG.  2   , which makes it difficult to manufacture the pressure regulator and increases its manufacturing cost. 
     RELATED ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         JP 1998-047185 A (Feb. 17, 1998) 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to providing a pressure regulator which may be easily manufactured by including significantly fewer components to thus reduce its manufacturing cost while playing the same role as a prior pressure regulator, and a fuel pump module having the same. 
     In one general aspect, a pressure regulator includes: a first housing including a guide part positioned therein and guiding movement of a valve, and an outlet part communicating with an inner space thereof and discharging a fluid; a second housing coupled to the first housing, and including a valve accommodating space formed therein by being coupled with the first housing, a valve seating part positioned therein and in contact with the valve, and an inlet part communicating with an inner space thereof and introducing a fluid; a valve positioned in the valve accommodating space, coupled to the valve accommodating space to be moved along the guide part of the first housing, and moved to be in contact with or spaced apart from the valve seating part of the second housing to thus open and close a fluid flow; and an elastic member interposed between the valve and the first housing to bring the valve into close contact with the valve seating part. 
     The first housing may have a shape of a concave container, and the guide part may protrude from an inner wall of the first housing, and the valve may be coupled to the guide part to be moved in a straight line. 
     The valve may include a rod and a head positioned at one end of the rod, the rod may be inserted into the guide part and the head is positioned adjacent to the valve seating part, and the elastic member may have one end supported by the head and the other end supported by the inner wall of the first housing. 
     A plate supporting the head may be positioned at one end of the rod, a coupling part may protrude from the plate, and the head may be inserted into and coupled to the coupling part. 
     A catching hole may be positioned in the first housing, a catching hook may be positioned in the second housing, and a protrusion of the catching hook may be inserted into and coupled to the catching hole. 
     A guide groove may be positioned in the first housing, a guide rib may protrude from the second housing, and the guide rib may be inserted into and coupled to the guide groove. 
     The pressure regulator may further include a filter mounted on the inlet part of the second housing to prevent a foreign material from being introduced to the inside through a fluid inlet of the inlet part. 
     In another general aspect, a fuel pump module having the pressure regulator of the present disclosure includes: a fuel pump suctioning a fuel and pumping the fuel to a fuel supply line; a pump mounting part mounted with the fuel pump and including a connection passage connecting the fuel pump and the fuel supply line with each other; and the pressure regulator coupled to the pump mounting part and having a fluid inlet connected to the connection passage of the pump mounting part. 
     The pressure regulator may include a flange protruding externally from the first housing, and the flange may be coupled and fixed to the pump mounting part. 
     A communication hole communicating with the connection passage may be positioned in the pump mounting part, and the inlet part of the pressure regulator may be inserted into the communication hole; and a fixing pin may be coupled to the pump mounting part, and the flange of the first housing may be supported by the fixing pin to prevent the pressure regulator from being separated from the pump mounting part. 
     Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional view showing a pressure regulator and a fuel pump module according to the prior art. 
         FIG.  2    is an enlarged view of the pressure regulator of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIGS.  3  to  5    are an exploded perspective view, an assembled perspective view, and a front cross-sectional view showing a pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively. 
         FIG.  6    is a front cross-sectional view showing a state where a valve is opened by a fluid pressure in the pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  7  and  8    are cross-sectional and side views each showing a portion of a fuel pump module mounted with a pressure regulator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional view showing the fuel pump module in a state where the pressure regulator is mounted in a filter housing of an in-tank filter according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a pressure regulator and a fuel pump module having the same according to the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIGS.  3  to  5    are an exploded perspective view, an assembled perspective view, and a front cross-sectional view showing the pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively. 
     As shown in the drawings, the pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may roughly include a first housing  100 , a second housing  200 , a valve  300 , and an elastic member  400 . 
     The first housing  100  may have a shape of a container concave downward, and a plurality of outlet parts  120  may be positioned on a lower side of the first housing  100  and each have a shape of a hole passing through the inner and outer surfaces thereof. The first housing  100  may include guide part  110  positioned at the center and protruding upward from the bottom thereof, and the guide part  110  may have a through hole  111  positioned therein and passing through the guide part in a vertical direction. In addition, a plurality of catching holes  130  may be positioned in an upper side of the first housing  100 , and for example, three catching holes  130  may be positioned while being spaced apart from one another at intervals of 120 degrees. In addition, a guide groove  140  may be positioned between the catching holes  130  in the upper side of the first housing  100  and concave downward from the upper side. In addition, the first housing  100  may have a flange  150  protruding outward from an outer side of a cylindrical sidewall. In addition, the first housing  100  may be made of a resin material through injection molding. 
     The second housing  200  may have a shape of a container concave upward, and an inlet part  220  extending on an upper side of the second housing  200 , and having a shape of a cylinder extending in communicating with the inside. A concave stepped groove  221  may be positioned along a circumference of an outer surface of the inlet part  220 , and an O-ring  250  may be inserted into the stepped groove  221 . A valve seating part  210  may be positioned in a valve accommodating space in the second housing  200  so that the valve  300  is in contact therewith to thus open and close a fluid flow, the valve seating part  210  may be a part to which the inlet part  220  is connected in the valve accommodating space. For example, the valve seating part  210  may have a cross-sectional area gradually reduced as being closer to the inlet part  220  from the valve accommodating space. In addition, a catching hook  230  may be positioned on the lower side of the second housing  200  and correspond to the catching hole  130 , and a protrusion  231  may protrude outward from a lower end of the catching hook  230 . Therefore, a lower end of the second housing  200  may be inserted into and coupled to an upper end of the first housing  100 , and here, the protrusion  231  of the catching hook  230  may be inserted into and coupled to the catching hole  130 . In addition, a guide rib  240  may protrude outward from the lower end of the second housing  200  and correspond to the guide groove  140 . Therefore, the guide rib  240  may be guided by, inserted into, and coupled to the guide groove  140  while the catching hook  230  of the second housing  200  is aligned with the catching hole  130  of the first housing  100 . In addition, the second housing  200  may be made of the resin material through the injection molding. 
     The valve  300  may be positioned in the valve accommodating space formed by the coupling of the first housing  100  and the second housing  200 , and the valve  300  may be coupled to the valve accommodating space to be moved along the guide part  110  of the first housing  100 . The valve  300  may include a rod  310  having a shape of a rod having a length greater than its diameter and a head  320  coupled to one end of the rod  310 . In addition, a disk-shaped plate  311  may be positioned at one end of the rod  310 , a coupling part  312  having an arrow-shaped cross section may be positioned on the plate  311 , and the head  320  may be coupled to the coupling part  312 . The head  320  may have a shape of a cone with one end cut off. In addition, one side of the head  320  that has a relatively small diameter may be smaller than the diameter of the valve seat part  210 , and the other side of the head  320  that has a relatively large diameter may be larger than the diameter of the valve seat part  210 . Therefore, the head  320  may be hooked by the valve seating part  210  of the second housing  200  to be in contact therewith or spaced apart therefrom as the valve  300  is moved to open or close the fluid flow. 
     The elastic member  400  may be, for example, a compression coil spring, and the elastic member  400  may be fitted to and coupled to an outer side of the guide part  110  of the first housing  100 . In addition, the elastic member  400  may have one end supported by the plate  311  of the valve  300  and the other end supported by the inner bottom surface of the first housing  100 . Therefore, the head  320  of the valve  300  may be brought into close contact with the valve seating part  210  by the elastic member  400 , thus maintaining the closed valve as shown in  FIG.  5    in a state where no external force acts thereon. 
     In addition, the pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a filter  500 . For example, the filter  500  may include a cap  510  coupled to an upper end of the inlet part  220  of the second housing  200  and a filtering net  520  coupled to the cap  510 . The cap  510  may have holes passing through both upper and lower surfaces thereof, and a concave groove may be positioned in the lower end, and caught by a ring-shaped projection protruding outward from the upper end of the inlet part  220  of the second housing  200 , to be coupled with each other so that the groove is not separated from the protrusion. The filtering net  520  may have any of various shapes. For example, the filtering net  520  may have a mesh shape and be coupled to the cap  510  or integrally formed with the cap  510 . Therefore, a foreign material may be filtered out of the fluid flowing through the filter  500 , and the foreign material may thus be prevented from being introduced to the inside of the pressure regulator through the inlet part  220 . 
       FIG.  6    is a front cross-sectional view showing a state where the valve is opened by a fluid pressure in the pressure regulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , when the pressure of the fluid introduced through the inlet part  220  is increased as much as or more than the elastic force of the elastic member  400 , the valve  300  may be pushed out to separate the head  320  from the valve seating part  210 , and the fluid may thus flow through a gap therebetween to be externally discharged through the outlet part  120  of the first housing  100 . Therefore, the fluid pressure acting on the inlet part  220  may be maintained as a predetermined pressure without being increased to a certain pressure or more. 
     Accordingly, the pressure regulator of the present disclosure may be easily assembled by including fewer components to thus reduce its manufacturing cost. In addition, the valve may be smoothly operated without shaking or vibrating even when there is a change in the fluid flow or the pressure when the valve is moved to be opened or closed by using the coupling structure in which the valve may be moved along the guide part. 
       FIGS.  7  and  8    are cross-sectional and side views each showing a portion of the fuel pump module mounted with a pressure regulator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in the drawings, the fuel pump module including a pressure regulator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may roughly include a fuel pump (not shown), a pump mounting part  600 , and the pressure regulator. 
     The fuel pump is a device that suctions a fuel and pumps the fuel to a fuel supply line, and may be a fuel pump of any of various types and shapes that are generally used. 
     The pump mounting part  600  may be mounted with the fuel pump, and include a connection passage  610  connecting the fuel pump and the fuel supply line with each other. In addition, a communication hole  620  communicating with the connection passage  610  may be positioned in the pump mounting part  600 . 
     The inlet part  220  of the pressure regulator may be inserted into the communication hole  620  of the pump mounting part  600 , and the inlet of the pressure regulator may communicate with the connection passage  610 . In addition, the pressure regulator may include the flange  150  protruding outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical sidewall of the first housing  100 , and caught and supported by a fixing pin  700 , and both sides of the fixing pin  700  may be coupled to the pump mounting part  600  so that the pressure regulator is coupled to the pump mounting part  600  not to be separated therefrom. 
     Therefore, when the pressure regulator is coupled to the pump mounting part of the fuel pump module, all parts of the pressure regulator may be supported by the fixing pin and fixed not to be separated therefrom, thus preventing some parts of the pressure regulator from being separated by the fluid pressure. 
       FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional view showing the fuel pump module in a state where the pressure regulator is mounted in a filter housing of an in-tank filter according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in the drawing, the fuel pump module of the present disclosure may further include an in-tank filter  800 . A fuel pump  900  and the in-tank filter  800  may be coupled to the pump mounting part  600 , and the pump mounting part  600  may be coupled to a reservoir body  2000  so that the fuel pump  900  and the in-tank filter  800  may be accommodated in the reservoir body  2000 . In addition, the in-tank filter  800  may include a filter housing  810  and a filter media  820 . The filter housing  810  may be coupled to the pump mounting part  600 , and the filter media  820  may be positioned in the filter housing  810 . Here, a pressure regulator  1000  may be coupled to the filter housing  810  of the in-tank filter  800  by using the fixing pin  700 , and the pressure regulator  1000  may be connected to the inside of the in-tank filter  800 . 
     Therefore, the fuel discharged from the fuel pump  900  may pass through the in-tank filter  800 , and then be pumped to the engine through the fuel supply line. Here, the pressure regulator  1000  may be connected with the in-tank filter  800 . Therefore, when the pressure of the fuel in the in-tank filter  800  is increased to the certain pressure or more, the fuel may be discharged externally from the in-tank filter  800  through the pressure regulator  1000  to thus be stored in the reservoir body  2000 . 
     As set forth above, the pressure regulator and a fuel pump module having the same according to the present disclosure may be easily assembled by including the fewer components to thus reduce its manufacturing cost. 
     In addition, the pressure regulator and a fuel pump module having the same according to the present disclosure may prevent some parts of the pressure regulator from being separated by the fluid pressure when the pressure regulator is coupled to the fuel pump module. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously applied. In addition, the present disclosure may be variously modified by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure claimed in the claims.