Abstract: An electric motor fuel pump has an inner gear rotor and an outer gear rotor each with a plurality of radially opposed intermeshing teeth each having a pair of driving surfaces and defining circumferentially disposed expanding and ensmalling pumping chambers through which fuel is drawn and then discharged under pressure. The inner gear rotor is coupled to a motor armature journalled for rotation within a fuel pump housing to drive the inner gear rotor and the associated outer gear rotor. The teeth of each gear rotor have a step formed thereon providing a pair of offset driving surfaces on at least each driving face of each tooth and preferably offset trailing surfaces on each trailing face of each tooth. The stepped tooth profile permits greater eccentricity between inner and outer gear rotors which increases the fuel displacement of the gear rotors.

Abstract: A fuel pump module with an inlet fuel filter has a vapor inlet in communication with the interior of the filter and constructed to reduce the size of larger vapor bubbles trapped within the filter before they are ingested by the fuel pump downstream of the filter to limit the amount of fuel vapor ingested by the fuel pump at one time. Preferably, a tubular inlet sleeve is integrally connected with the fuel filter and press fit onto the inlet of the fuel pump as a subassembly with the vapor inlet passage formed in the inlet sleeve. The vapor inlet passage may be a slot formed in the inlet sleeve providing a reduced area flow path through which vapor in the interior of the filter may pass before entering the fuel pump.

Abstract: An electric motor turbine-type fuel pump has an impeller driven to rotate by the motor and received between opposed faces of a first body and a second body defining a pumping channel about the periphery of the impeller, each face has a plurality of circumferentially spaced and separate cavities disposed radially inwardly of the pumping channel and constructed to contain pressurized fuel adjacent the impeller to balance the axial forces across the impeller and center the impeller between the first body and second body. If desired, to ensure communication between a cavity and the pumping channel, a shallow groove or flow passage can be provided extending between the cavity and the pumping channel. The cavities in both the first body and second body are complementarily sized and arranged to provide a surface area adjacent the impeller and a pressure therein sufficient to balance the forces acting on each side of the impeller.

Abstract: An electric-motor liquid fuel turbine pump wherein the pump impeller periphery has a circumferential array of axial counter flow blades arranged in radially spaced outer and inner concentric circular rows. An arcuate pumping channel includes first and second channel section arcuate grooves axially opposed in side-flanking relationship to the impeller and radially co-extensive with both blade rows to conjointly define a toroidal helical flow path extending circumferentially between the pumping channel inlet and outlet ports. The grooves have a constant radial cross section but the first groove cross sectional area is greater than that of the second groove. The impeller may be a one-piece molded part, or a two-part subassembly of an inner impeller disc and encircling outer impeller ring each having a row of blades formed at its periphery. A pump inlet cap has a top face defining one side plate for the impeller and the first channel groove communicating at one end with the channel inlet.

Abstract: A self-contained electric fuel pump having a d.c. motor with an armature having a commutator plate. An outlet end assembly has an inner cover and an outer cover. The inner cover is provided with brushes which contact the commutator plate. Electrically conductive pins mounted on the inner cover are electrically connected to the brushes. The outer cover is disposed over the inner cover and has electric terminals for connection to a source of d.c. current. The outer cover has choke coils connected to the terminals and electrically conductive tabs connected to the choke coils. When the outer cover is assembled on the inner cover, the tabs engage the pins to complete an electric circuit to the brushes.

Abstract: A pressure pulse damper for a vehicle fuel pump which dampens output fuel pressure pulses and reduces audible noise emanating from the pump. The damper is a thin-wall tube pinched off and sealed at its ends to form at least one chamber, with a compressible gas sealed therein preferably at superatmospheric pressure. Preferably to provide multiple chambers with gas therein, the tube is also pinched together and sealed at locations between its ends. To provide further dampening an elongate body of resilient foam material may be disposed in each chamber.

Abstract: In a fuel delivery system that includes a pump for supplying fuel under pressure from a supply to an internal combustion engine and a pressure regulator for returning excess fuel from the engine to the supply, a check valve is positioned between the pump and the engine for preventing back-flow of fuel from the engine to the pump. The valve has a flow passage with a central axis and a valve seat orientated away from the pump. A valve element is positioned within the passage for axial motion against a coil spring as a function of fuel flow from the pump. A first portion of passage surrounding the valve element has a cross section to fluid flow that increases substantially monotonically from the seat for an axial distance that at least corresponds to maximum travel of the valve element against the spring.

Abstract: A pressure pulse damper for a vehicle fuel pump which dampens output fuel pressure pulses and reduces audible noise emanating from the pump. The damper is a thin-wall tube pinched off and sealed at its ends to form at least one chamber, with a compressible gas sealed therein preferably at superatmospheric pressure. Preferably to provide multiple chambers with gas therein, the tube is also pinched together and sealed at locations between its ends.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for internal combustion engines that includes a fuel pump module adapted to be disposed within a fuel tank, with a pump inlet disposed at a lower portion of the tank for drawing fuel therefrom and a pump outlet for delivering fuel under pressure to the engine. An air/vapor purge valve is operatively coupled to the pump outlet. The purge valve is constructed to be open when air and/or vapor is pumped by the fuel pump to purge such air and/or vapor to the surrounding tank, and to be responsive to presence of liquid fuel under pressure at the pump outlet to close the purge valve and prevent passage of liquid fuel therethrough to the surrounding tank.

Abstract: A positive displacement type pump for use in a fuel system of an internal combustion engine having a pump housing that includes a pump chamber and a vapor vent valve to allow vapor to flow out of the pump chamber. The vent valve includes a valve seat, a valve and a spring biasing the valve away from the valve seat. During pump operation, the liquid fuel flow pressure within the pump chamber is great enough to seat the valve and prevent fuel from escaping through the vapor vent valve. However, if the internal pressure drops due to a loss of pumping pressure caused by the ingestion of air or vapors, the vent valve automatically opens to allow vapor or air flow through the pump with a resultant cooling effect on the pump assembly.

Abstract: A mounting system for electric pumps used in automotive vehicles, especially those in which the pump is installed in the fuel tank. To reduce pump and pump motor vibrations and noise, which may be objectionable to passengers, the pump is mounted within a jacket enclosure carried in the vehicle fuel tank. A suspension for the pump within the jacket consists of identical mount rings of relatively soft flexible material which has internal and external relatively thin projections to contact the inner walls of the jacket on the outside of the ring and to contact the pump housing on the inside of the ring. Radial continuations of the projections establish the axial location of the pump within the jackets.

Abstract: A mounting for an electric fuel pump in a fuel tank of a passenger vehicle which includes an oversize, open-ended enclosure to surround a pump within the fuel tank. The enclosure is mounted on a pipe depending into the fuel tank from a cantilever connection. The pump is floatingly mounted in the enclosure by conical coil springs at each end seated respectively on the pump housing and inner flanges of the enclosure. The enclosure is formed of two telescoping portions clamped together by a plate which also traps the depending pipe to support the assembly within the fuel tank.