Patent Publication Number: US-2018038325-A1

Title: Fuel Pump Housing With An Integrated Deflector

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to deflectors for protecting engine components from crash damage, in particular fuel pump componentry. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A highly-simplified illustration of a fuel system for a direct-injection engine is shown in  FIG. 1 . A 3-cylinder engine  10  has injectors  12  that provide fuel at high pressure into cylinders  14 . Fuel is delivered to injectors  12  via a high pressure fuel rail  16  that branches off to individual cylinders  14 . A high pressure pump  18 , which is mechanically driven off engine  10  feeds rail  16 . Fuel to pump  18  comes from fuel tank in which a low pressure fuel pump  22  is disposed. Pump  22  pressurizes fuel in fuel supply line  24 . Additionally, pump  18  is electronically coupled to an electronic control unit  30 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , a high pressure pump  40  is driven by a cam  44  that has four lobes and is part of a rotating component, camshaft  46 . Alternatively, the rotating component is a crankshaft or suitable driver. A cup  48  has a roller  50  that rides on cam  44 . A spring (not visible) is in the cup and pushes on a plunger (also not visible) in pump  40  to pressurize the fuel. Low pressure fuel enters through inlet  52  and high pressure fuel exits through outlet  54 . A solenoid within pump  40  controls the portion of the plunger stroke that pressurizes fuel to provide the desired amount of fuel. The control signal wires couple at connector  58 . Fuel inlet  52 , fuel outlet  54  and electrical connector  58  should be protected in a crash. Pump  40  couples to a housing (not shown) via flange  58 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , a portion of the under hood of a vehicle is shown. An engine compartment has a wall  82  (interface between engine compartment and passenger compartment) on which a brake booster  84  is coupled. A high-pressure fuel pump  86  with a high pressure fuel line  88  is also in engine compartment  82 . During a crash, fuel pump  86  connections: high pressure fuel, low pressure fuel, and connector can collide with brake booster  84 . Brake booster  84  is simply one example of a vehicle component. In other engine configurations and depending on packaging, the vehicle component that is proximate fuel pump  86  could be other than brake booster  84 . 
     A high pressure pump  60  as installed on a cylinder head  62  of an engine  88  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Pump  60  has a high fuel pressure outlet tube  64 , a low fuel pressure inlet coupling  65 , and an electrical connector  66 . Also shown is an intake duct  68  that runs aside pump  60 . Not shown are other vehicle components in the vicinity of pump  60 . In the event of a crash, vehicle components move around and might press into the space occupied by the fuel pump or even fly off into the fuel pump space. To avoid damage by other vehicle components, a deflector  70  is provided proximate pump  60 . Deflector  50  is secured by multiple bolts  52 , one of which is visible in  FIG. 2 . Material is included on other engine components to provide a threaded hole into which bolts  52  engage. The material to accommodate engine components increases vehicle weight. Furthermore, space is required under the hood to install the bolts holding the deflector in place. 
     SUMMARY 
     To obviate a separate deflector that is coupled to the engine proximate the fuel pump, a fuel pump housing for an internal combustion engine is disclosed that includes: a fuel pump flange having defining an opening to accommodate a fuel pump and a deflector that is integral with the fuel pump housing. The deflector is provided around a portion of the periphery of the fuel pump flange and the deflector extends away from the fuel pump housing. 
     In embodiments where the fuel pump housing is a separate piece from the engine, the fuel pump housing includes an engine flange. The fuel pump housing can be coupled to the block or the cylinder head of the engine. The engine flange has a groove defined therein with an O-ring situated in the groove. 
     In some embodiments, at least one relief is provided in the fuel pump flange to thereby decrease weight of the fuel pump housing. 
     The deflector has rounded corners. 
     In some embodiments, the fuel pump housing is unitary with a cylinder head of an engine. 
     Also disclosed in an engine system having: an engine having a rotating component, a fuel pump housing coupled to the engine proximate the rotating component, and a fuel pump mounted onto the fuel pump housing. The fuel pump housing has an integral deflector that extends outwardly from the engine. 
     In some embodiments, the rotating component is a camshaft. The camshaft has a cam with at least one lobe for driving the fuel pump. The fuel pump has a plunger that is driven by the cam lobes to pressurize the fuel. 
     In other embodiments, the rotating component is a crankshaft that has a cam with a least one lobe for driving the fuel pump. 
     The engine system also has a fuel line coupled to the fuel pump. There is at least one accessory proximate the fuel pump. The deflector is provided on a flange of the fuel pump housing and the deflector is located between the accessory and the fuel pump. 
     The deflector comprises a wall with smooth bends. 
     The deflector is on the periphery of a flange of the fuel pump housing. 
     The deflector is integrally formed with a body of the pump. 
     In embodiments where the fuel pump housing is not integrally formed with an engine component, the fuel pump housing is coupled to one of the block and the cylinder head of the engine. 
     In other embodiments, the fuel pump housing is integral with the cylinder head. 
     Also disclosed in a vehicle having: an engine having a block and a cylinder head, a camshaft mounted in the cylinder head and having a plurality of cams, a fuel pump housing arranged proximate one lobe of the camshaft, and a fuel pump mounted onto the fuel pump housing. The engine is mounted in an engine compartment of the vehicle. The fuel pump housing has an integral deflector that extends outwardly from the one came of camshaft. 
     A vehicle component is mounted in the engine compartment 
     The integral deflector is located between the fuel pump and a vehicle component mounted in the engine compartment. 
     The fuel pump has fuel lines coupled to a low-pressure outlet and a high-pressure inlet. The integral deflector is disposed between a vehicle component mounted in the engine compartment and the high-pressure inlet and the low-pressure outlet. 
     The fuel pump housing has a flange onto which the fuel pump mounts. The flange has at least one relief to thereby reduce the mass of the fuel pump housing. 
     In some embodiments, the fuel pump housing is integral with the engine, either the cylinder head of the block. 
     The present disclosure describes obviating a separate deflector for crash protection of fuel pump connectors. By using an integrated deflector: part count is reduced (separate deflector and multiple bolts) and vehicle assembly is simplified. In the prior art, a number of bolts are inserted to secure the separate deflector, which affects packaging and assembly as the bolt holes must be accessible. Furthermore, provisions for the bolt holes in the engine or nearby accessories are required. This may necessitate adding material simply for the securing the deflector. An integral deflector overcomes all of the issues listed above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a direct-injection, spark-ignition engine showing the high-pressure fuel system; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a high-pressure fuel pump; 
         FIG. 3  is a portion of a view in an engine compartment showing a vehicle component and a high-pressure fuel pump with a deflector according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a portion of an engine and accessories with the high pressure fuel pump having a prior art deflector; 
         FIG. 5  shows a fuel pump housing with a deflector according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  shows the fuel pump housing of  FIG. 5  with a fuel pump installed on the housing and a camshaft extending into the fuel pump housing; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a fuel pump mounted in an engine compartment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features of the embodiments illustrated and described with reference to any one of the Figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other Figures to produce alternative embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize similar applications or implementations whether or not explicitly described or illustrated. 
     In  FIG. 5 , a fuel pump housing  100  has a flange  102  and an opening  104  that accommodates the fuel pump. The roller and cup of the fuel pump (such as shown in  FIG. 2 ) are placed into opening  104 . Bolts go through fuel pump and extend into threaded holes  106 . Kidney shaped reliefs  108  are formed in flange  102  reduce the weight of housing  100 . Relief  108  optional. A deflector  110  extends from flange  102  extending outwardly from fuel pump housing  100  or extending toward the outer portion of the fuel pump, as shown in a later drawing. In some embodiments, the fuel pump housing is integral with the cylinder head or the block. Deflector  110  is rounded so that in the event of a collision with a vehicle component, the vehicle component is deflected. 
     In  FIG. 6 , fuel pump  40  is shown assembled onto housing  100  with camshaft  46  extending out from housing  100 . 
     A view of a portion of an engine compartment is shown in  FIG. 7 . Some of the components of the engines are not shown so that the fuel pump is readily visible. A fuel pump  40  is coupled to an engine  140  that is provided air through an air filter box  160 . The engine compartment has a wall  150  that separates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. Hot coolant flows into the passenger compartment through wall  150  via coolant supply  152  when requested by a passenger. Coolant returns to the engine compartment via a coolant return  154 . A brake booster  156  is coupled to wall  150 . The fuel pump housing is largely unseen in  FIG. 7 ; however, deflector  144 , which is provided to protect the fuel and electrical connections, is seen between fuel pump  40  and brake booster  156 . 
     While the best mode has been described in detail with respect to particular embodiments, those familiar with the art will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments within the scope of the following claims. While various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments with respect to one or more desired characteristics, as one skilled in the art is aware, one or more characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes include, but are not limited to: cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. The embodiments described herein that are characterized as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and may be desirable for particular applications.