Abstract: A positive displacement rotary fluid pump assembly includes a pump housing and a rotor supported within the housing for rotation about an axis offset with respect to a housing axis and including a plurality of chambers of increasing volume on an low pressure side of the pump and of decreasing volume on a high pressure side of the pump. A fluid inlet communicates with the plurality of the chambers of increasing volume for admitting fluid into the pump under a first low pressure, and a fluid outlet communicates with a plurality of the chambers of decreasing volume for selectively expelling fluid from the pump under a second higher pressure. At least one fluid control valve is operative to selectively close one or more of the chambers of decreasing volume from communication with the fluid outlet when the fluid pressure in such chambers is below the predetermined value and to open one or more other chambers of decreasing volume when the fluid pressure in such chambers is at or above the predetermined value.

Abstract: A vane pump or motor assembly includes a housing having an inner cavity with an inner wall disposed about a first central axis. A rotor is disposed in the inner cavity and is rotatable about a second axis that is offset from the first axis to create a variable width space between the rotor and the inner wall. plurality of vanes are moveably carried by the rotor and engage the inner wall to partition the variable width space into a plurality of chambers of increasing and decreasing volume in response to rotating the rotor. Each vane is in the form of a leaf vane having a mounting end formed with a hook portion and wherein the rotor includes corresponding recesses with latch portions that engage of each respective hook portion and supports the leaf vanes for outward swinging movement relative to the rotor for engaging the inner wall of the inner cavity.

Abstract: A positive displacement rotary fluid pump assembly includes a pump housing and a rotor supported within the housing for rotation about an axis offset with respect to a housing axis and including a plurality of chambers of increasing volume on an low pressure side of the pump and of decreasing volume on a high pressure side of the pump. A fluid inlet communicates with the plurality of the chambers of increasing volume for admitting fluid into the pump under a first low pressure, and a fluid outlet communicates with a plurality of the chambers of decreasing volume for selectively expelling fluid from the pump under a second higher pressure. At least one fluid control valve is operative to selectively close one or more of the chambers of decreasing volume from communication with the fluid outlet when the fluid pressure in such chambers is below the predetermined value and to open one or more other chambers of decreasing volume when the fluid pressure in such chambers is at or above the predetermined value.

Abstract: A radial vane pump or motor device includes a stationary housing provided with a cylinder supported for rotation relative to the housing about a central axis. A rotor is fixed to a shaft for rotation with the cylinder about an axis offset or eccentric relative to the central axis. A plurality of vanes slide radially in the rotor for contact with the inner surface of the cylinder.

Abstract: A gerotor or pump or gear device includes a stationary housing having a chamber with an outer ring gear and inner rotor. The outer ring gear is supported by rolling elements between the housing and outer ring gear and is rotatable about a center axis. The inner rotor is fixed to a shaft and rotatable therewith about a shaft axis that is offset or eccentric relative to the central outer ring gear axis.

Abstract: The vane pump assembly includes a housing with an inner wall that surrounds an open chamber. A rotor is rotatably disposed in the open chamber and has a circular shape when viewed in cross section. A first pair of vanes are received in the rotor and are operably connected with one another by a first bell crank which is pivotable about a pivot axis such that movement of one vane inwardly into the rotor causes the other vane to move outwardly out of the rotor to maintain both vanes in contact with the inner wall as the rotor rotates relative to the housing during operation of the vane pump assembly.

Abstract: The vane pump has a housing with an inner wall which surrounds an inner chamber and has circumferentially spaced inlet ports and circumferentially spaced outlet ports. The vane pump assembly further includes a rotor which is rotatably disposed in the inner chamber of the housing and has a circular outer surface and presents at least two passages which are spaced from a center axis of the rotor. A curved or rocker vane is disposed in each of the passages, and each of the curved or rocker vanes extends between opposite vane ends that project past the circular outer surface of the rotor for sealing against the inner wall. The curved or rocker vanes are articulatable back and forth within the passages to maintain the vane ends in sealing engagement with the inner wall of the housing as the rotor rotates relative to the housing within the inner chamber.

Abstract: A vehicle fuel system has an electronic control module received within a fuel tank to send data to and receive data from the electronic control unit (ECU) for the vehicle engine and other vehicle control systems, to provide an electronic control of the vehicle fuel system and to receive signals from one or more sensors mounted within the fuel tank which provide information about the operation of the fuel system. The fuel system integrates a plurality of components into the vehicle fuel tank to reduce the number of openings through the vehicle fuel tank and the number of external connections which must be made in assembly of the fuel system into a vehicle. By disposing a fuel vapor canister within the fuel tank, each vapor vent valve within the fuel tank can communicate completely within the tank with the vapor canister with a single outlet extending from the fuel tank to communicate fuel vapor from the canister with an intake manifold of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel pump module disposed within a vehicle fuel tank has a fuel pump therein to draw fuel from the fuel tank and deliver that fuel under pressure to the vehicle engine, and a jet pump driven by the fuel pump to lower the pressure within the module to draw fuel from the fuel tank through a filtered inlet of the module when the fuel pump is operating. When the fuel pump is not operating, such as when the vehicle is not in use, the jet pump ceases to operate and the pressure within the module returns to that of the fuel tank. When the level of fuel in the fuel tank is lower than that within the fuel pump module and the pump is turned off, a portion of the fuel within the module returns to the fuel tank, through the filtered inlet of the module thereby dislodging at least some of the contaminants trapped by the filter.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having at least one and preferably two cylinders each with a reciprocating piston, and a compressor which has a reciprocating piston driven by the engine to compress a rich fuel and air mixture within the compressor to inject the mixture directly into the combustion chamber of each engine cylinder. The mixture is ignited by a spark plug to drive the pistons of the engine through their power strokes and rotate an associated crankshaft which is connected to a compressor crankshaft to reciprocate the piston within the compressor and thereby compress and then inject the fuel and air mixture into the engine cylinder. A carburetor preferably supplies an enriched fuel and air mixture to the compressor to reduce the complexity of the system. The fuel and air mixture is preferably substantially atomized through nozzles adjacent each cylinder to improve combustion of the mixture.

Abstract: A lateral channel fuel pump with a stator having a pumping channel and a second channel each of which cooperates with vanes in a rotor driven to rotate by an electric motor to generate pressure within both the pumping channel and the second channel. The second channel and preferably cavities communicating with it are disposed so that the fuel pressure generated within the channel and any cavities produces forces which, when combined with the forces generated in the pumping channel, provide net forces which are substantially equal or uniform across the lower face of the rotor so that the forces produced by outlet fuel acting across the upper face of the rotor do not tend to cock or tilt the rotor relative to the stator. Further, the second channel and any cavities increase the total force acting upwardly on the lower face to reduce the magnitude of the net force on the rotor urging the rotor towards the stator and hence, to reduce the frictional forces between the rotor and stator.

Abstract: A fuel pump module constructed to be disposed in a vehicle fuel tank has a primary fuel pump with a fuel inlet disposed adjacent the bottom of the module and a fuel outlet which delivers pressurized fuel to an engine and also a jet pump disposed in a recess of the module and closely adjacent the bottom of the fuel tank to draw fuel into the module from the fuel tank in response to fuel flow through the jet pump. Disposing the jet pump in the recess of the module and closely adjacent to the bottom of the fuel tank enables the jet pump to draw substantially all of the fuel from the fuel tank into the module to ensure that the primary fuel pump can deliver an adequate supply of fuel to the engine even during extremely low fuel level conditions in the fuel tank.

Abstract: A high flow rate fuel vapor vent valve assembly has a delayed fall away fill level control float responsive to the level of fuel in the fuel tank and constructed to control the closing of an outlet passage through which fuel vapors are vented from the fuel tank when a desired maximum fuel level is reached within the fuel tank during refueling of the tank. The fill level float is constructed to sink after refueling of the fuel tank is completed, and preferably several minutes thereafter, to control the opening of the outlet passage and permit fuel vapors to once again vent from the fuel tank. Staggered openings in the housing of the valve assembly permit the fuel vapor to vent from the fuel tank through the outlet passage when it is open but prevent splashing or sloshing fuel within the fuel tank from flowing through the outlet passage and to a vapor canister downstream of the outlet passage.

Abstract: A positive displacement gear rotor fuel pump with a plurality of spaced apart outlet ports through which fuel is discharged from a fuel pumping assembly and a valve which prevents any fuel downstream of the outlet ports which is at outlet pressure, from reentering portions of the pumping assembly which are at a lower pressure to prevent the higher pressure fuel from rapidly compressing and collapsing the fuel vapor in the pumping assembly to greatly reduce the noise of the operating fuel pump. This reduces the magnitude of the cavitation noise in the fuel pump which is the noise caused by the collapsing of the fuel vapor in the pump. The outlet ports are also constructed and arranged to prevent adjacent pumping chambers of the pumping assembly from communicating with each other to prevent the fuel at an increased pressure in a downstream pumping chamber from flowing into a lower pressure pumping chamber upstream thereof to also reduce cavitation noise in the fuel pump.

Abstract: An electric motor regenerative or turbine type fuel pump has a fuel pumping channel with a cross sectional area which decreases from adjacent its inlet to at least midway through the pumping channel to improve the efficiency and vapor handling capability of the fuel pump. Preferably, the pumping channel generally continuously decreases in cross-sectional area from its inlet to its outlet. In one form, the pumping channel is defined between a pair of plates or caps and a split ring received between the caps and surrounding an impeller having a plurality of vanes formed about its periphery and disposed within the pumping channel. Each of the caps preferably has a groove therein forming a portion of the pumping channel with each of the grooves having a greater cross sectional area adjacent the inlet of the pumping channel compared to the outlet of the pumping channel.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder with a combustion chamber defined between the cylinder head and a reciprocating piston, and a carburetor which delivers a rich fuel and air mixture to a compressor with a reciprocating piston driven by the engine to compress the mixture until the mixture is under sufficient pressure to open a differential pressure injection valve and thereby inject the mixture directly into the engine combustion chamber. The mixture is ignited by a spark plug to drive the engine piston through its power stroke and rotate its associated crankshaft which is connected to a crankshaft of the compressor to reciprocate its piston and thereby compress the fuel and air mixture and inject it into the cylinder in timed relation with the engine piston.

Abstract: A main fuel tank in an automotive vehicle contains a reservoir in which is located a two-stage electrically operated pump. The first stage is a rotary side lateral pump which draws fuel from the main tank and delivers it to the reservoir. The second stage is a rotary turbine pump which draws fuel from the reservoir and delivers it to the vehicle engine. The reservoir has overflow restriction means which allows air to vent while the reservoir is filling with fuel but which restricts fuel flow when the reservoir is full. This creates pressure in the reservoir to create back pressure against and shut down fuel flow from the first stage pump and also increase pressure on the fuel inlet of the second stage pump thus increasing the efficiency of the second stage fuel pump.

Abstract: A system to collect and control the flow of fuel vapor within a vehicle fuel system. In one embodiment, a vapor control unit mounted in the fuel tank permits fuel vapor to be drawn into a tank fill pipe when liquid fuel is being added to the fuel tank to condense at least a portion of the fuel vapor. In a second embodiment a diaphragm actuated valve permits fuel vapor flow from the fuel tank into the tank fill pipe when liquid fuel is being added to the tank to condense at least a portion of the fuel vapor. By condensing the fuel vapor the system reduces the total amount of fuel vapor within the fuel system while preventing the escape of fuel vapor which is hazardous to the environment.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for vehicles with more than one fuel tank or a single tank with separate sections under at least some fuel level conditions. The system has an electric fuel pump disposed in the fuel container and a jet pump connected to the electric fuel pump with fuel pickups connected to the jet pump through a siphon. The electric fuel pump powers the jet pump to fill the siphon with liquid fuel and draw fuel through the pickups which are spaced apart in separate sections of the fuel container. When the siphon is completely filled with liquid fuel and the jet pump is operating, any difference in the heads or fuel levels in the sections of the fuel container will cause fuel to flow through the siphon from the section with the greater head to the other section of the tank. This flow, due to the difference in pressure associated with different fuel levels, continues until the fuel levels and, hence, the pressures are substantially the same in each section of the container.

Abstract: A fuel pump module disposed within a vehicle fuel tank has a fuel pump therein to draw fuel from the fuel tank and deliver that fuel under pressure to the vehicle engine, and a jet pump driven by the fuel pump to lower the pressure within the module to draw fuel from the fuel tank through a filtered inlet of the module when the fuel pump is operating. When the fuel pump is not operating, such as when the vehicle is not in use, the jet pump ceases to operate and the pressure within the module returns to that of the fuel tank. When the level of fuel in the fuel tank is lower than that within the fuel pump module and the pump is turned off, a portion of the fuel within the module returns to the fuel tank through the filtered inlet of the module thereby dislodging at least some of the contaminants trapped by the filter.