Abstract: A fuel volume accumulator is provided to hold rail pressure for hot engine restart and then reduce fuel pressure when the engine is off thereby minimizing evaporative emissions during diurnal cycles by preventing pressure build up as a temperature of a fuel system rises. The fuel volume accumulator comprises a fuel inlet body, and a moving element adapted to communicate with an inner surface of the fuel inlet body to define a fuel chamber. The fuel chamber is adapted to expand with substantially minimal pressure resistance until the extent of its volume is encountered. The fuel inlet body is in open communication at a first end with a fuel pump via a check valve and a fuel rail via an orifice which restricts fuel flow to substantially maintain a quick fuel rail re-pressurization.

Abstract: An impeller for a fuel pump for supplying fuel to an automotive engine from a fuel tank includes an impeller body having a substantially disk shape with opposing first and second faces and an outer circumference. The impeller body defines a rotational axis extending therethrough perpendicular to the first and second faces. A plurality of radially outwardly extending vanes extend from the outer circumference of the impeller body and are spaced circumferentially about the impeller body. Each of the vanes includes a first half extending from the outer circumference adjacent the first face and a second half extending from the outer circumference adjacent the second face. The second halves are rotationally shifted about the rotational axis relative to the first halves. The vanes are spaced un-evenly and in a non-repeating pattern about the outer circumference of the impeller body.

Abstract: A ring impeller includes a central hub with a first row of vanes extending from the hub and a second row of vanes extending from the hub adjacent to and staggered from the first row of vanes. The vanes in each row are grouped to form adjacent vane pairs and a partition wall is positioned between each of the vanes within the vane pairs. A rib extends radially from the hub in alignment with the partition wall and is positioned between each vane pair. The bottom thickness of the partition wall is the same thickness as the rib. The partition wall includes a reduced material area at its forward and rear edges. The vanes in the first row are unevenly spaced and the vanes in the second row are spaced equidistantly between the vanes in the first row. The spacing of the vanes in the first row may be about 70% to about 140% of a spacing equal to an equal spacing. Some of the vanes may have a height that is less than the height of other vanes.

Abstract: A regenerative pump for an automotive fuel pump assembly comprises a cover and body that define a chamber and a ring impeller disposed within the chamber. An inlet is formed in the cover, and a discharge port is formed in the body. The body includes a pumping channel adjacent the chamber and having a discharge end section extending from the discharge port. The port diameter is greater than the radial width of the discharge end section. Also, the discharge end section has a depth that progressively increases adjacent the discharge port. The configuration of the discharge port and the channel end section reduces frictional and turbulent losses and thereby improves pumping efficiency.

Abstract: A fuel sender assembly comprises an in-tank electrical connection to an electric fuel pump that is formed between a socket member and a plug element, in which the plug element includes a terminal that is received in a receptacle in the socket member. The socket element comprises a socket wall that extends about the socket face. The plug element also includes a plug wall that sealingly engages the socket wall to prevent the electrical contact from exposure to fuel vapors within the tank.

Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing and an impeller. The pump casing has an axis and comprises a cover having a face surface and a body positioned about the axis. A channel is defined in the face surface of the cover. An inlet opening extends through the cover and is coupled to the channel. The channel has a first section and a second section. The first section extends from the inlet opening and is continually sloped relative to the face surface of the cover. The first section has a length of about 40 to about 90 degrees, as measured circumferentially on the face surface of the cover about the axis. The first section includes an inlet ramp, a main ramp, and a secondary ramp, with the secondary ramp being positioned between the main ramp and the inlet ramp, and the inlet ramp being positioned adjacent the inlet opening. Each ramp has at least one depth and at least one slope.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel delivery system for a saddle fuel tank wherein a fuel pump and a jet pump are positioned within an active side of the tank. The jet pump is directly driven by the fuel pump to draw the fuel from a passive side of the tank to the active side of the tank.

Abstract: The present invention involves a gear assembly of a fuel pump for improved supply of fuel to an automotive engine from a fuel tank. The assembly includes an inner gear and an outer gear matingly cooperating with the inner gear for rotation about an axis. The assembly further includes a pump cover including a cover surface adjacent the inner and outer gears and a pump body including a body surface adjacent the inner and outer gears opposite the pump cover. The cover surface has a primary inlet porting and a secondary outlet porting formed thereon and separated between seal areas. The body surface of the pump body includes a primary outlet porting and a secondary inlet porting separated between seal areas. In use, the inlet portings and the outlet portings of the pump body and the pump cover cooperate together, respectively, such that fuel entering through the inlet portings pass therethrough at a rate at which the gear assembly moves.

Abstract: A vehicle regenerative-type fuel pump which reduces the possible accumulation and effects of contamination relative to impellers with outer ring members. The outlet port on the pump cover member is enlarged and the C-shaped grove is positioned radially outwardly, which causes an increased outlet area and fluid flow around and through the impeller and through the outlet port.

Abstract: A check valve assembly is disclosed for use in a returnless automotive fuel delivery system. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel tank having a fuel pump and a sender flange that provides access into the fuel tank. The check valve assembly includes an upper housing that is integral with an interior wall of the sender flange, a lower housing connected to the upper housing and a check valve body positioned between the upper housing and the lower housing. The assembly may also include a pressure relief valve positioned between the upper and lower housings and arranged parallel to the check valve body.

Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing and an impeller. The pump casing has an axis and comprises a cover having a face surface and a body positioned about the axis. A channel is defined in the face surface of the cover. An inlet opening extends through the cover and is coupled to the channel. The channel has a first section and a second section. The first section extends from the inlet opening and is continually sloped relative to the face surface of the cover. The first section has a length of about 40 to about 90 degrees, as measured circumferentially on the face surface of the cover about the axis. The first section includes an inlet ramp, a main ramp, and a secondary ramp, with the secondary ramp being positioned between the main ramp and the inlet ramp, and the inlet ramp being positioned adjacent the inlet opening. Each ramp has at least one depth and at least one slope.

Abstract: A low deviation pressure relief valve for a fuel pump consisting of a housing having an elongated bore having a continuous wall, an axis, shoulders arranged on the wall so as to extend toward the axis. A ball in the housing has a diameter at least less than the diameter of the bore and a ball retainer located in the bore upstream from the shoulders forms a ball seat by pre-coining process. The ball is smaller than the retainer seat in diameter to ensure an edge seal with the ball. A spring coaxial with the axis located down stream from the ball retainer and supported on the shoulders, and the ball is located between the spring and the ball seat wherein low flow restriction is created and reduced pressure variation is created as fluid flows past the ball and less buckling in the spring is created by guide ribs.

Abstract: A regenerative fuel pump comprising a housing, a pump cover having a first flow channel formed therein, a pump body having a second flow channel formed therein whereby the first flow channel and the second flow channel define a pumping chamber, and an impeller mounted between the pump cover and pump body and including a plurality of vanes spaced circumferentially about the impeller and defining a plurality of vane grooves. The vanes are spaced un-evenly in a non-repeating pattern about the impeller. The first and second flow channels each include an inlet end, an outlet end, and a stripper area defined as the area between the inlet end and the outlet end extending from the inlet end away from the flow channel. Each of the stripper areas including a plurality of grooves formed therein adapted to dampen pressure pulsations within the pumping chamber.

Abstract: The present invention involves a gear assembly having a lifting feature for a fuel pump for supplying fuel to an automotive engine from a fuel tank. The gear assembly comprises an inner gear and an outer gear in mating relationship with the inner gear. The inner gear has a substantially disc shape with an outside camming surface and having an inner cover face and an inner body face. The inner gear has a center aperture formed therethrough defining an axis of rotation perpendicular to the inner cover and inner body faces. The inner cover face has a plurality of inner concave grooves radially formed thereon and spaced apart from each other to provide lifting of the inner gear when rotating about the axis. The outer gear has a substantially planar shape. The outer gear includes an annular wall having an inside camming surface slideably engaging about the outside camming surface to matingly cooperate with the inner gear for rotation about the axis.

Abstract: An impeller for a fuel pump includes an impeller body having a substantially disk shape. A plurality of radially outwardly extending vanes extend from the impeller body with a plurality of partitions interposed therebetween. The partitions and the vanes define a plurality of vane grooves each including an inlet portion, an exit portion and an arcuate shaped portion interconnecting the inlet portion and the exit portion. The inlet portion of each of the vane grooves has a straight section which is substantially perpendicular to and extends inward from an adjacent face. The vane grooves extend inward from the inlet portion such that the exit portions of two aligned vane grooves define a vane groove tip. The exit portion of each of the vane grooves includes a straight section such that the straight sections of two aligned exit portions define an included angle therein.

Abstract: An impeller for a fuel pump for supplying fuel to an automotive engine from a fuel tank includes an impeller body having a substantially disk shape with opposing first and second faces and an outer circumference. The impeller body defines a rotational axis extending therethrough perpendicular to the first and second faces. A plurality of radially outwardly extending vanes extend from the outer circumference of the impeller body and are spaced circumferentially about the impeller body. Each of the vanes includes a first half extending from the outer circumference adjacent the first face and a second half extending from the outer circumference adjacent the second face. The second halves are rotationally shifted about the rotational axis relative to the first halves. The vanes are spaced un-evenly and in a non-repeating pattern about the outer circumference of the impeller body.

Abstract: A fuel sender assembly comprises an electric fuel pump held in a mounting plate which is, in turn, mounted in a fuel tank, such as an automotive fuel tank. The mounting plate includes a chamber wall that defines a pump chamber having an inboard end and an outboard end. The electric fuel pump is received in the pump chamber such that an inlet end, which includes a fuel inlet, is disposed within the fuel tank adjacent the inboard end of the pump chamber. The outlet end of the fuel pump includes the electrical terminals and is disposed adjacent the outboard end of the pump chamber so that the electrical terminals are accessible outside the fuel pump for connection to an external power source. A hermetic seal is formed between the fuel pump and the chamber wall to prevent vapors from escaping through the pump chamber. The fuel sender assembly permits electrical connections to be made to the fuel pump without requiring wires within the fuel tank.

Abstract: A fuel delivery module for an automotive fuel delivery system includes a reservoir and a fuel pump. The fuel pump delivers fuel from the tank to the reservoir via a fuel tank inlet and reservoir outlet and from the reservoir to the engine via a reservoir inlet and engine outlet. The reservoir is formed with a plurality of contaminant traps for collecting contaminants contained in the fuel as the fuel is pumped through the reservoir such that the contaminants settle unto said contaminant traps thereby reducing the amount of contaminants entering the reservoir inlet.

Abstract: A fuel sender assembly comprises an in-tank electrical connection for connecting an electric fuel pump located within a fuel tank to a external power source. The in-tank electrical connection is formed between a socket member and a plug element disposed along a common axis. The socket element comprises an insulative body that includes a socket face transverse to the axis and a socket wall extending axially about the socket face. The socket member defines a receptacle extending axially from the socket face. An electrical contact is disposed within the receptacle and adapted for connection to an external power source. The plug element includes an electrical terminal that is received in the receptacle of the socket member in sliding contact with the electrical contact therein. The plug element also includes a plug wall surrounding the terminal spaced apart therefrom.

Abstract: An electric-operated fuel pump has a vaned impeller that is disposed within a pumping chamber for rotation about an axis. The pumping chamber has a main channel extending arcuately about the axis to one axial side of the impeller. The main channel has a radially outer margin that opens along at least a portion of the channel's arcuate extent to an adjoining contaminant collection channel which extends arcuately about the axis and which is effective, as the pumping element rotates, to collect certain fluid-entrained particulates expelled from the main channel and to convey such collected particulates toward the pump outlet. A sump is disposed at the end of the contaminant collection channel proximate the outlet. Several grooves in the seal surface between inlet and outlet, which is called “strip area.” The grooves are extended radially outward, the angles match the impeller vane angles and these grooves prevent leakage of the contaminations.