Patent ID: 6901916

Claim:
A fuel discharge apparatus for use in a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine, said fuel discharge apparatus comprising: a fuel discharge apparatus body; a fuel chamber defined within said fuel discharge apparatus body; a fuel inlet adapted to be fluidically connected to a fuel tank; a fuel supply path at least partially defined by said fuel inlet and fluidically connected to said fuel chamber to supply fuel from the fuel tank to said fuel chamber; a fuel discharge outlet fluidically connected to said fuel chamber for discharging fuel from said fuel chamber; a fuel return outlet adapted to be fluidically connected to the fuel tank to allow return of excess fuel to the fuel tank; a reflux path defined in said fuel discharge apparatus body and being fluidically connected between said fuel supply path and said fuel return outlet to allow flow of the excess fuel from said fuel supply path to said fuel return outlet, said reflux path being connected to said fuel supply path at a bifurcation point; a vapor blocking member provided in said fuel supply path at said bifurcation point to block entry of vapor into said fuel chamber; and an inlet check valve disposed in said fuel supply path between said bifurcation point and said fuel chamber; wherein said reflux path is arranged such that the vapor blocked by said vapor blocking member rises from said bifurcation point and through said reflux path to said fuel return outlet due to self-buoyancy of the vapor.