Patent Publication Number: US-2004040602-A1

Title: Reservoir assembly for fuel pump module

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates generally to fuel pump modules for vehicles and, more particularly, to a reservoir assembly for a fuel pump module in a fuel tank of a vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] It is known to provide a fuel tank for a vehicle to hold fuel to be used by an engine of the vehicle. In some vehicles, the fuel tank includes a fuel pump module disposed therein with a removable cover sealed to the top of the fuel tank. The fuel pump module typically includes a fuel reservoir and an electrical fuel pump disposed in the fuel reservoir.  
       [0003] An example of a fuel pump module is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,942 to Coha et al. In this patent, the fuel pump module includes a fuel pump disposed in the fuel reservoir. Typically, the fuel reservoir has a single height and capacity.  
       [0004] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new fuel reservoir for a fuel pump module in a fuel tank of a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a fuel reservoir for a fuel pump module that has a variable height. It is further desirable to provide a fuel reservoir for a fuel pump module that has a variable capacity.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new reservoir assembly for a fuel pump module in a fuel tank of a vehicle.  
       [0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a reservoir assembly for a fuel pump module that has a variable height and capacity.  
       [0007] To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a reservoir assembly for a fuel pump module including a plurality of sections. The sections include at least a bottom section and a top section joined together to provide a predetermined height and volume.  
       [0008] One advantage of the present invention is that a new reservoir assembly is provided for a fuel pump module in a fuel tank of a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the reservoir assembly allows for fast prototype or production reservoir assemblies that can vary in capacity. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the reservoir assembly allows multiple fuel capacities for reservoir assemblies that can be easily obtained to study low fuel handling characteristics of a vehicle. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the reservoir assembly has a variable height and variable pivot. A further advantage of the reservoir assembly is that it is modular.  
       [0009] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a reservoir assembly, according to the present invention, illustrated in operational relationship with a fuel tank.  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the reservoir assembly of FIG. 1.  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment, according to the present invention, of the reservoir assembly of FIG. 1.  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded fragmentary view of a portion of the reservoir assembly of FIG. 3.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0014] Referring to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of a fuel pump module  10 , according to the present invention, is shown for a fuel tank, generally indicated at  12 , in a vehicle (not shown). In this embodiment, the fuel tank  12  has a bottom wall  14  and a side wall  16  around a periphery of the bottom wall  14  and extending generally perpendicular thereto. The fuel tank  12  has a top wall  18  around a periphery of the side wall  16  and extending generally perpendicular thereto. The fuel tank  12  is made of a rigid material such as plastic. It should be appreciated that, except for the fuel pump module  10 , the fuel tank  12  is conventional and known in the art.  
     [0015] The fuel pump module  10  includes a fuel reservoir assembly, according to the present invention and generally indicated at  20 , to hold fuel disposed inside the fuel tank  12 . The reservoir assembly  20  has a bottom portion  22  and an annular side portion  24  extending generally perpendicularly from the bottom portion  22  to form a chamber  26 . The reservoir assembly  20  is generally bucket-shaped and open at a top end  28  thereof, which defines an overflow fuel level in the reservoir assembly  20 . The fuel reservoir  18  also has an inlet (not shown) formed in the bottom portion  22 . The reservoir assembly  20  is made of a rigid material such as plastic. It should be appreciated that the top end  28  is above the highest level of new fuel in the fuel tank  12  so that there is little or no in-and-out flow over the top. It should also be appreciated that the top end  26  may be partially closed to minimize splash-over while still venting the interior of the reservoir assembly  20 .  
     [0016] The reservoir assembly  20  also includes a plurality of individual building blocks or sections  30  stacked vertically or axially and joined together to provide a predetermined or desired height and volume. The sections  30  include at least a base or bottom section  30   a.  The bottom section  30   a  has a bottom wall  32 . The bottom wall  32  is generally planar in circular in shape. The bottom section  30   a  also has an annular side wall  34  extending generally perpendicular upwardly to the bottom wall  32  to form a cavity  36  therein. The bottom wall  32  has at least one, preferably a plurality of feet  38  extending downwardly therefrom and spaced thereabout to support the bottom wall  32  above the bottom wall  14  of the fuel tank  12 . The bottom section  30   a  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of connecting members  40  extending radially outwardly and axially along the side wall  34 . The connecting members  40  are spaced circumferentially about the side wall  34 . Each of the connecting members  40  has a cavity  42  extending axially therein for a function to be described. The bottom section  30   a  is made of a rigid material such as plastic. The bottom section  30   a  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. It should be appreciated that the bottom section  30   a  holds a jet pump assembly (not shown) and ceramic cardholder (not shown).  
     [0017] The sections  30  may include at least one, preferably a plurality of height adjuster or center sections  30   b.  The center section  30   b  is generally tubular in shape and has a generally circular cross sectional shape. The center section  30   b  has an annular side wall  44  to form an aperture  46  extending axially therethrough. The center section  30   b  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of connecting members  48  extending radially outwardly and axially along the side wall  44 . The connecting members  48  are spaced circumferentially about the side wall  34 . Each of the connecting members  48  has a cavity  50  extending axially therein from a top end thereof for a function to be described. Each of the connecting members  48  has a projection  52  extending axially from a bottom end thereof to be received in a corresponding cavity  42 , 50  for a function to be described. The center section  30   b  is made of a rigid material such as plastic. The center section  30   b  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. It should be appreciated that the center sections  30   b  are fillers that can be placed anywhere to achieve a required volume of the reservoir assembly  20 .  
     [0018] The sections  30  include at least an upper or top section  30   c.  The top section  30   c  is generally tubular in shape and has a generally circular cross sectional shape. The top section  30   c  has an annular side wall  54  to form an aperture  56  extending axially therethrough. The side wall  54  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of bars  58  spaced circumferentially and extending axially therealong to allow a card (not shown) to slide on. Preferably, the bars  58  are generally rectangular in shape. The top section  30   c  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of connecting members  60  extending radially outwardly and axially along the side wall  54 . The connecting members  60  are spaced circumferentially about the side wall  54 . Each of the connecting members  60  has a cavity  62  extending axially therein from a top end thereof for a function to be described. Each of the connecting members  60  has a projection  64  extending axially from a bottom end thereof to be received in a corresponding cavity  42 , 50  for a function to be described. The top section  30   c  is made of a rigid material such as plastic. The top section  30   c  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. It should be appreciated that a fuel pump retainer (not shown) and fuel pump holder (not shown) is attached to the top section  30   c.  It should also be appreciated that the top section  30   c  acts as a pivot point section and is located where needed to position a float arm (not shown) at a middle of fuel level.  
     [0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the fuel pump module  10  also includes a fuel pump  66  disposed in the reservoir assembly  20 . The fuel pump  66  is of a high-pressure electric fuel pump type. The fuel pump  66  extends axially and is generally cylindrical and circular cross-sectional shape. The fuel pump  66  is mounted to the bottom section  30   a  by suitable means (not shown). The fuel pump  66  is connected by a hose  68  to a fuel module cover  70  to communicate fuel to an engine (not shown) of the vehicle. It should be appreciated that the fuel pump  66  is also connected by wires (not shown) to a source of electrical power such as a controller (not shown). It should also be appreciated that the fuel pump  66  is conventional and known in the art.  
     [0020] Referring to FIG. 1, the fuel pump module  10  is illustrated with the reservoir assembly  20  assembled and disposed in the fuel tank  12 . To assemble the reservoir assembly  20 , the sections  30  are snapped together with the projections  62 , 64  being disposed in the cavities  42 , 50  to provide a variable height and variable pivot point modular reservoir assembly  20 . It should be appreciated that variability is achieved from a height of the center sections  30   b.  It should also be appreciated that the height of the sections  30  may vary.  
     [0021] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment, according to the present invention, of the reservoir assembly  20  is shown. Like parts of the reservoir assembly  20  have like reference numerals increased by one hundred (100). In this embodiment, the reservoir assembly  120  includes a plurality of sections  130 . The sections include a bottom section  130   a , center sections  130   b,  and top section  130   c.  The bottom section  130   a  has a bottom wall  132  and an annular side wall  134  extending generally perpendicular upwardly to the bottom wall  132  to form a cavity  136  therein. The bottom wall  132  has an annular wall  137  extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the bottom wall  132  and into the cavity  136  to the fuel pump  66 . The bottom section  130   a  includes an annular flange  170  extending around the periphery of the side wall  134  at an upper end thereof. The flange  170  has a groove  172  extending axially therein to form the flange  170  with a generally “U” shaped cross-section for a function to be described. It should be appreciated that the fuel pump  66  is held in place by the bottom section  130   a.    
     [0022] The sections  130  may include at least one, preferably a plurality of height adjuster or center sections  130   b.  The center section  130   b  is generally tubular in shape and has a generally circular cross sectional shape. The center section  130   b  has an annular side wall  144  to form an aperture  146  extending axially therethrough. The center section  130   b  includes an annular flange  174  extending around the periphery of the side wall  144  at an upper end thereof. The flange  174  has a groove  176  extending axially therein to form the flange  174  with a generally “U” shaped cross-section for a function to be described.  
     [0023] The sections  130  include at least an upper or top section  130   c.  The top section  130   c  is generally tubular in shape and has a generally circular cross sectional shape. The top section  130   c  has an annular side wall  154  to form an aperture  156  extending axially therethrough. The top section  130   c  includes a flange  178  extending radially outwardly and generally perpendicular to the side wall  154 . It should be appreciated that the top section  130   c  sets on a reservoir lip.  
     [0024] To assemble the reservoir assembly  120 , the sections  130  are snapped together with the side walls  144 , 154  being disposed in the grooves  172 , 176  of the flanges  170 , 174  to provide a variable height and variable pivot point modular reservoir assembly  120 . It should be appreciated that variability is achieved from a height of the center sections  130   b.    
     [0025] The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.  
     [0026] Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.