Patent Publication Number: US-6655365-B2

Title: Fuel filter assembly for fuel delivery module

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to fuel systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to a fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to provide a fuel system for a vehicle, which includes a fuel delivery module, a fuel filter, a fuel pressure regulator, a fuel rail, and fuel injectors. With the integration of the fuel filter assembly into the fuel delivery module, a need arises for higher capacity filter elements. Currently, the accepted filter element is a high capacity media, which consists of a base media of cellulose paper with a laminate of a thirty-one micron depth media. This media is then folded into a filter element and bonded to two plastic endplates via hot plate welding. The bonding of the filter element to the endplates forms an effective seal but results in an inconsistent filter element length due to the variation in melt depth of the media into the endplate. This filter element length requires that accommodations be made in the fuel filter assembly. 
     In the above fuel filter assemblies, the variation in filter length is accommodated for with either an extra or separate spring or added length in an o-ring interface area. However, in some instances, the addition of added length to the filter element is not an option because it adds to the installed height of the fuel delivery module. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module in a fuel system for a vehicle that accommodates variations in filter length. It is also desirable to provide a fuel filter assembly for a fuel system of a vehicle that provides a spring function to the fuel filter without the addition of an extra or separate component. It is further desirable to provide a fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module that eliminates the potential for the filter element to rattle due to variations in filter length. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system that meets these desires. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system of a vehicle. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system of a vehicle that accommodates variations in length of a filter element. 
     To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system of a vehicle including a filter housing adapted to be disposed in a fuel reservoir of the fuel delivery module and having a closed end and an open end. The fuel filter assembly also includes a fuel filter disposed in the filter housing and an end cap connected to the filter housing to close the open end. The fuel filter has an integral spring cooperating with the filter housing to urge the fuel filter toward the end cap. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that a new fuel filter assembly is provided for a fuel system of a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel filter assembly integrates a plastic spring into a lower endplate for a filter element. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel filter assembly provides a spring function without the addition of an extra or separate component. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel filter assembly effectively eliminates the potential for the filter element to rattle in the filter housing due to variation in length of the filter element. 
    
    
     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 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a fuel delivery module incorporating a fuel filter assembly, according to the present invention, illustrated in operational relationship with a fuel tank. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fuel delivery module of FIG. 1 with a portion broken away to illustrate the fuel filter assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the fuel filter assembly and a portion of the fuel delivery module of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the fuel filter assembly and a portion of the fuel delivery module of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the fuel filter assembly of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, one embodiment of a fuel filter assembly  10 , according to the present invention, is shown for a fuel delivery module, generally indicated at  11 , of a fuel system (not shown) of a vehicle (not shown). The fuel delivery module  11  is used with a fuel tank, generally indicated at  12 , which holds liquid fuel. In this embodiment, the fuel tank  12  includes a bottom or base wall  14  and a side wall  16  around a periphery of the base wall  14  and extending generally perpendicular thereto. The fuel tank  12  also includes a top wall  18  extending generally perpendicular to the side wall  16  to form an interior chamber  20  to hold fuel. The top wall  18  includes an opening  21  therein for a function to be described. The fuel tank  12  is made of a rigid material, preferably a plastic material. It should be appreciated that the fuel tank  12  could be made of a metal material such as steel. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the fuel delivery module  11  is disposed in the interior chamber  20  and delivers fuel from the fuel tank  12  to an engine (not shown) of the vehicle. The fuel delivery module  11  includes a fuel reservoir  22  having an electrical fuel pump  24  mounted therein. The fuel pump  24  has a metal shell  26  attached to an internal electrical ground (not shown) therein. The fuel delivery module  11  also includes a fuel level indication mechanism  28  such as a rheostat connected to the fuel reservoir  22  for indicating the level of the fuel inside the fuel tank  12 . It should be appreciated that the fuel reservoir  22 , fuel pump  24 , and fuel level indication mechanism  28  are conventional and known in the art. 
     The fuel delivery module  11  includes a cover  30  to close the opening  21  in the fuel tank  12 . The cover  30  includes an electrical connector  32  and a thermistor or onboard diagnostic sensor  34  connected to the cover  30 . The cover  30  is made of a rigid material such as metal or plastic. It should be appreciated that the cover  30  has a plurality of fuel tubes connected to fuel lines (not shown). 
     The fuel delivery module  11  further includes a plurality of guide rods or tubes  38  to mechanically connect the cover  30  with the fuel reservoir  22 . The fuel delivery module  11  includes a pump harness (not shown) electrically connected to the electrical connector  32  and the fuel pump  24 . It should be appreciated that the fuel pump  24  is electrically connected to a vehicle electrical system (not shown) through the pump harness and the electrical connector  32 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the fuel delivery module  11  includes the fuel filter assembly  10 , according to the present invention, disposed in the fuel reservoir  22  and cooperating with the fuel pump  24 . The fuel filter assembly  10  includes a housing  42  that is generally cylindrical and circular in shape. The housing  42  has an open upper end  44  and a closed lower end  46 . The housing  42  is made of a rigid material such as metal. The housing  42  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. 
     The fuel filter assembly  10  also includes a filter  56  disposed in the housing  42 . The filter  56  is generally cylindrical and circular in shape. The filter  56  is of a cartridge style filter element. The filter  56  is made of a filter media  58  of stratapore laminates having multiple depth media layers laminated to a plain cellulose media. The filter  56  has an upper endplate  60  at an upper end of the filter media  58  and a lower endplate  62  at a lower end of the filter media  58 . The upper and lower endplates  60  and  62  are generally circular in shape. The endplates  60  and  62  are made of a plastic material. The endplates  60  and  62  are bonded to the filter media  58  by conventional means such as hot plate welding. 
     The fuel filter assembly  10  includes a spring  64  to bias the filter  56  away from the lower end  46  of the housing  42 . The spring  64  is formed on the lower endplate  62  and integral therewith. The spring  64  has a flexible portion  66  connected to the endplate  62  and a post or base portion  68  extending axially from the flexible portion  66 . The spring  64  provides a spring force to load the filter  56  to an upper end cap  72  to be described. The post portion  68  is generally tubular and circular in cross-sectional shape. The spring  64  is made of a plastic material. The spring  64  and the lower endplate  62  are a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. It should be appreciated that the post portion  68  engages the lower end  46  of the housing  42  to flex the flexible portion  66  and urge the filter  68  upward toward an upper end cap  72  to be described. 
     The upper endplate  60  has a projection  70  extending axially therefrom. The projection  70  is generally tubular and circular in cross-sectional shape. The upper endplate  60  has a seal  71  such as an o-ring disposed about the projection for a function to be described. 
     The fuel filter assembly  10  includes an upper end cap  72  to close the upper end  44  of the housing  42 . The upper end cap  72  is generally circular in shape. The upper end cap  72  has a cavity  74  extending axially therein to receive the seal  71  and projection  70 . The upper end cap  72  is made of a plastic material. The upper end cap  72  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. The housing  42  is secured to the upper end cap  72  by suitable means such as crimping the housing  42  over the upper end cap  72 . 
     The upper end cap  72  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of integral quick connectors  76 ,  78 , and  80  extending outwardly therefrom. The quick connector  76  is fluidly connected via a conduit  82  to the fuel pump  24  as illustrated in FIG.  2 . The quick connector  78  is fluidly connected via a conduit  84  to an engine (not shown) of the vehicle. The quick connector  80  is fluidly connected to a fuel pressure regulator assembly  96  to be described. It should be appreciated that the upper end cap  72  is conventional and known in the art. 
     The fuel delivery module  11  also includes a retainer  86  to hold the fuel filter assembly  10 . The retainer  86  has a cavity wall  88  extending axially and annularly to form a cavity  90 . The fuel filter assembly  10  is disposed in the cavity  90  and is snap-fitted therein by the cavity wall  88 . The retainer  86  also has an annular sidewall  92  connected to the cavity wall  88 . The sidewall  92  extends axially and has a flange  94  extending generally perpendicular thereto that overlaps a top edge of the reservoir  22 . The retainer  86  is made of a plastic material. The retainer  86  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. 
     The fuel delivery module  11  may include a fuel pressure regulator assembly  96 . The fuel pressure regulator assembly  96  is disposed in the retainer  86  and snap fits via the quick connector  80  to the fuel filter assembly  10 . The fuel pressure regulator assembly  96  also cooperates with a by-pass fuel tube  98  extending axially through the retainer  86  from the reservoir  22 . It should be appreciated that the fuel pressure regulator assembly  96  is conventional and known in the art. 
     In operation, the spring  64  of the fuel filter assembly  10  is compressed during assembly (crimping) of the fuel filter assembly  10 . The spring  64  then acts to bias the filter  56  towards the upper end cap  72  such that the projection  70  and seal  71  of the upper endplate  60  seal in the cavity  74  of the upper end cap  72  to maintain a seal therebetween. 
     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. 
     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.