FUEL PUMP HOUSING
A fuel pump housing includes a body that has a bottom portion. A fuel filter is located adjacent the bottom portion, and contacts the body so that electricity, such as static electricity, is conducted between the body and the fuel filter. A ground connection dissipates, or limits, electricity in both the body and the fuel filter.
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Applicants claim priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2007 015 950.3, filed Apr. 3, 2007.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates generally to automotive fuel supply systems, and more particularly to fuel pump housings used in automotive fuel supply systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany automotive fuel supply systems include a fuel tank for storing fuel. In one arrangement, a fuel delivery module including, among other things, a housing, a fuel pump, and a fuel filter may be suspended within the fuel tank. In another arrangement, the fuel pump may be arranged in-line with one or more fuel delivery lines. In operation, fuel typically travels through the fuel filter, into the fuel pump, and to an internal combustion engine. The traveling fuel often creates static electricity in the fuel filter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne embodiment of a fuel pump housing may include a body, a fuel filter, and a ground connection. The body may have a bottom portion. The fuel filter may be located at or near the bottom portion where it can be in contact with the body so that electricity, such as static electricity, is conducted between the fuel filter and the body. The ground connection may help dissipate electricity that may be present in both the body and the fuel filter.
One embodiment of an assembly may include a housing and a fuel pump. The housing may include a body with a bottom portion, and may include a fuel filter. The fuel filter may be located at or near the bottom portion, and may conduct electricity, such as static electricity, to the housing. The housing, the fuel filter, or both may also include a single ground connection in order to dissipate electricity that may be present in both the housing and the fuel filter. The fuel pump may be held at least partially within the housing.
One embodiment of an assembly may include a housing and a fuel pump. The housing may include a body with a bottom portion, and may include a fuel filter. The fuel filter may be located at or near the bottom portion, and may conduct electricity, such as static electricity, to the body. The housing may also include a single ground connection in order to dissipate static electricity that may be present in both the body and the fuel filter. The housing may further include a connecting device that may extend between the body and the ground connection. The connecting device may conduct electricity between the body and the ground connection. The fuel pump may be held at least partially within the housing
The following detailed description of preferred embodiments and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
In general, and before referring to the drawing figures, various example embodiments of a holder or housing 10 are shown and described. The housing 10 may be used in a fuel delivery module or sender unit of an automotive fuel supply system, and may be disposed in communication with or in a fuel tank. The housing 10 may have a simple design and a compact structure. A fuel filter 12 and a body 14 of the housing 10 may conduct electricity between each other, and a ground connection 16 may help dissipate electricity present in both the fuel filter and the body.
As shown in
The body 14 receives the fuel pump 18 or parts of the fuel pump, and may provide the structure of the housing 10. In one example, the body 14 may be composed of an electrically conductive material such as a metal like steel or aluminum. The body 14 may be formed by various metal forming processes such as by deep-drawing a metal sheet into a generally cylindrical shape. Referring to
The fuel filter 12 helps screen out contaminants that may otherwise enter into the fuel pump 18 or into the housing 10. The fuel filter 12 may have various embodiments. In the example of
In the example of
The ground connection 16 may help limit the build-up of static electricity in the housing 10, and in both the fuel filter 12 and the body 14. The ground connection 16 may dissipate, or disperse, static electricity through itself and to whatever the ground connection is connected to. The ground connection 16 may be a single ground connection, and may constitute the only ground connection for the housing 10. That is, there may be no need to have a separate ground for each of the body 14 and the fuel filter 12.
The ground connection 16 may have various embodiments. In the example of
In another embodiment, the housing 10 may constitute the outer housing or casing of the fuel pump 18. In this case, the impeller or running gears and other internals of the fuel pump 18 may be directly supported in the housing 10 without any other intermediate housing. The variously described fuel filters 12 and ground connections 16 may be used in this embodiment.
While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. It is not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It is understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A fuel pump housing, comprising:
- a body of an electrically conductive material having a bottom portion;
- a fuel filter located at the bottom portion, and being in contact with the body whereby electricity is conducted therebetween; and
- a ground connection contacting at least one of the body or the fuel filter to dissipate electricity in both the body and the fuel filter.
2. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion defines a plurality of openings that constitute the fuel filter.
3. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the fuel filter extends over an opening that is defined in the bottom portion.
4. The fuel pump housing of claim 3 wherein the fuel filter is a film attached over the opening.
5. The fuel pump housing of claim 3 wherein the fuel filter is a screen attached over the opening.
6. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the ground connection is a single ground connection and is the only ground connection for the body and the fuel filter.
7. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 wherein the ground connection is formed by direct contact between the body and a vehicle body.
8. The fuel pump housing of claim 1 further comprising a connecting device extending between the body and the ground connection.
9. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the connecting device includes a screw and an electric wire.
10. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection is formed at a vehicle power supply.
11. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection is formed at a negative terminal of a fuel pump.
12. The fuel pump housing of claim 8 wherein the ground connection is formed at a vehicle body.
13. An assembly, comprising:
- a housing having a body with a bottom portion, the housing having a fuel filter located at the bottom portion and conducting electricity to the body, the housing also having a single ground connection directly contacting one or both of the fuel filter and the body, the ground connection being adapted to contact ground in order to dissipate electricity in both the body and the fuel filter; and
- a fuel pump held at least partially within the housing.
14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the ground connection dissipates static electricity that is generated in the fuel filter.
15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the bottom portion defines a plurality of openings that constitute the fuel filter.
16. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the fuel filter extends over an opening that is defined in the bottom portion.
17. The assembly of claim 13 further comprising a connecting device extending between the body and the ground connection.
18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the ground connection is formed at a vehicle power supply.
19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the ground connection is formed at a negative terminal of the fuel pump.
20. An assembly, comprising:
- a housing having a body with a bottom portion, the housing having a fuel filter located at the bottom portion to conduct electricity to the body, the housing also having a single ground connection that dissipates static electricity in the body and in the fuel filter, and the housing having a connecting device extending between the body and the ground connection to conduct electricity therebetween; and
- a fuel pump held at least partially within the housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 2, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Applicant: TI AUTOMOTIVE (NEUSS) GMBH (Neuss)
Inventors: Matthias Boutros (Neuss), Gunter Moll (Korschenbroich), Markus Wierling (Aachen)
Application Number: 12/061,470
International Classification: F01D 25/24 (20060101);