Electric Fuel Pump Patents (Class 123/497)
  • Patent number: 7503314
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for an outboard marine engine includes a vapor separator (28) having a uni-directional vapor vent device (36) for preventing fuel leakage when the engine (12) is tipped on its side. The vapor separator (28) includes an enclosed interior chamber (50) which is filled with liquid fuel by a suction pump. A separate, high pressure pump transfers the liquid fuel from the interior chamber (50) to a fuel injection system (32) of the engine (12). The vapor vent device (36) includes a generally tubular casing having an enclosed top end permeated by an escape passage (84), and a float (94) slidably disposed within the casing (82) for movement toward and away from sealing engagement with the escape passage (84).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle D. Achor
  • Patent number: 7497207
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel system having a fuel tank with an opening with a closure disposed adjacent a vehicle component with a service access opening and closure adjacent the tank closure, and an electronic controller carried by the vehicle component closure. At least one electrical device in the tank is connected by an electric wire to the controller. Preferably, a thermal protector is carried by the closure and arranged as a metal heat sink for the controller and dissipates heat to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: TI Automotive (Neuss) GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd-Juergen Lahn, Peter Schreuder, Matthias Henschel, Rainer Strauss, Dirk Neulen, Andreas Winkler
  • Patent number: 7493893
    Abstract: A fuel supply system is incorporated into a diesel engine including a low-pressure fuel pump 2, a high-pressure fuel pump 3, a common rail 4, fuel injection valves 5 and a fuel return line 14. The fuel supply system reduces the discharge rate of the low-pressure fuel pump 2 supplying the fuel to the high-pressure fuel pump 3 when the diesel engine is in an idling state and the temperature of the fuel is below a lower fuel temperature threshold and when the diesel engine is in an idling state and the temperature of the fuel is above an upper fuel temperature threshold. The flow rate of the feed fuel discharged from the low-pressure fuel pump is reduced when an idling state or a specific state where the fuel is at a specific temperature. Thus the fuel line system of the fuel supply system can be built in a lightweight arrangement and the piping of the fuel line system can be simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Funabashi, Yuta Ebinuma
  • Publication number: 20090038872
    Abstract: A fuel safety control device includes a fuel pump disposed in a fuel tank and coupled to a vehicle engine with a fuel piping system, a fuel system safety controller coupled to the fuel pump for controlling the driving direction of the fuel pump, and an impact detector coupled to the fuel system safety controller for supplying an impact signal to the fuel system safety controller and to reverse the driving direction of the fuel pump, and to draw the fuel from the fuel piping system back to the fuel tank when receiving an impact signal, in order to prevent the impact firing from being occurred. A transformer circuit may be coupled to the fuel pump for increasing the driving speed of the fuel pump when required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventor: Chuan Liu
  • Patent number: 7487761
    Abstract: A method for detecting failures in a fuel system of a motor vehicle including monitoring a feed-forward table of a fuel pump controller that is electrically connected to a fuel pump of the fuel system. The fuel pump controller is electrically connected to a rail pressure sensor, which is coupled to the fuel injector rail. The actual fuel injector rail pressure measured by the rail pressure sensor is compared to a desired fuel injector rail pressure associated with the feed-forward table. The feed-forward table is adjusted if the actual fuel injector rail pressure is less than the desired fuel injector rail pressure. A fuel system error is signaled if an adjusted feed-forward table differs from an initial feed-forward table. A fuel system failure is signaled of the adjusted feed-forward table requires a saturation voltage of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Raymond Culbertson, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Dennis McDonald
  • Patent number: 7481202
    Abstract: In the operation of a fuel system of an internal combustion engine, the fuel is compressed by a fuel pump and travels by way of at least one fuel injection device into at least one combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. It is proposed that at least periodically during a phase immediately when starting or just after starting the internal combustion engine, the fuel pump is actuated corresponding to an increased set point pressure. An increase in the set point pressure, however, is blocked if at least one blocking condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Posselt, Marko Lorenz, Marcel Matischok
  • Patent number: 7472690
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for an engine in which calculation of a manipulated variable of a fuel pump in response to a deviation between a fuel pressure detected by a fuel pressure sensor and a target value is carried out, is configured in a manner such that when the fuel pressure sensor is failed, a change in the fuel pressure is estimated based on a required fuel flow amount of an engine, a discharge amount of the fuel pump and a fuel pressure detected immediately before the fuel pressure sensor is failed, so that deciding of the manipulated variable of the fuel pump is made, based on the estimation value. A method of controlling the fuel supply apparatus to realize the controlling of the fuel pump based on the manipulated variable is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Takayanagi, Junichi Furuya, Yoshitatsu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20080309261
    Abstract: An electric drive fuel control system and method for controlling a total drive torque supplied to a fuel metering pump includes a first main drive motor, a second main drive motor, and a backup drive motor, all coupled to the fuel metering pump. The operability of a main motor control to control electric current supply to the first main drive motor or the second main drive motor is determined. If the main motor control is operable, the total drive torque to the fuel pump is supplied from the backup motor and either the first main drive motor or the second main drive motor. If the main motor control is inoperable, the total drive torque to the fuel pump is supplied from only the backup drive motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Anson
  • Publication number: 20080295808
    Abstract: A fuel pump unit includes a fuel pump which is driven by a motor, a secondary filter case placed to surround the fuel pump and contains a filter, a reserve cup which houses the fuel pump and the secondary filter case, and a pump controller which drivingly controls the fuel pump. A shielding material is provided in the reserve cup to shield electrical noise generated by the fuel pump. The shielding material is grounded. The pump controller includes a pump drive circuit which is provided with an electric filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru Tateishi, Yasuo Hosokawa, Tetsuji Inoue, Lei Zhang, Hiroya Abe
  • Patent number: 7458364
    Abstract: With reference to Figure, the present invention provides a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine which delivers fuel to be mixed with charge air for subsequent combustion in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. The fuel injection system comprises a fuel injector which functions as a positive displacement pump and dispenses in each operation thereof a set quantity of fuel; a mixing chamber into which the fuel injector dispenses fuel; and a gas supply passage for supplying gas to the mixing chamber to entrain the fuel dispensed into the mixing chamber in a flow of gas which passes through the mixing chamber into the combustion chamber. The mixing chamber is connected to the combustion chamber to deliver fuel and gas into the combustion chamber separately from the charge air and a depression in the combustion chamber is used to draw gas through the gas supply passage into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Scion-Sprays Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen
  • Publication number: 20080276910
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing pressurized fuel for an engine includes an engine starting apparatus including an electric motor operative to crank the engine and a fuel pump operatively coupled to the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Qi Ma, William C. Albertson, Frederick J. Rozario
  • Publication number: 20080276909
    Abstract: A conveying device (1) has a fuel pump (5) for supplying an internal combustion engine (2) of a motor vehicle with fuel. The conveying device further has a monitoring apparatus (10) for determining the wear condition or the degree of soiling of the fuel pump (5). To this end, the monitoring apparatus (10) compares the power consumption to the hydraulic power of the fuel pump (5). A diagnostic display (11) is activated when a predefined value for the power consumption is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventor: Bernd Rumpf
  • Patent number: 7448363
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an engine. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel tank, at least one fuel injector, a fuel pump, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and an engine control module. The fuel pump is configured to draw fuel from the fuel tank and provide the fuel to the at least one fuel injector. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a pressure of the fuel being provided to the at least one fuel injector. The temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the engine. And the engine control module is configured to control the fuel pump based on the sensed pressure and the sensed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Buell Motorcycle Company
    Inventors: Matt Rasmussen, Daniel Hurda
  • Publication number: 20080271714
    Abstract: An electric fuel pump includes a pump unit, motor unit, fuel discharge unit, stator holder, magnet wire, connection terminal, first mold resin, driver board assembly, and second mold resin. The motor unit drives the pump unit. The fuel discharge unit includes a discharge port member and discharges fuel supplied from the pump unit through the motor unit. The stator holder is provided to the motor unit and includes a stator support which supports a stator of a motor and a partition which defines the motor unit and the fuel discharge unit. The partition includes a terminal insertion hole and a fuel passage. The magnet wire is wound around a core of the stator. The connection terminal is connected to the magnet wire. The first mold resin molds the core and a connecting portion where the magnet wire is connected to the connection terminal. The driver board assembly is stored in a space formed in the discharge port member and electrically connected to the connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Takashi Mitsuhashi, Yoshihiro Kurosu, Takeharu Murakami, Haruhiko Ushirode
  • Publication number: 20080257307
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for converting the fuel management system of a conventional OEM internal combustion engine from electronic fuel injection to a carbureted fuel delivery system whereby to increase performance of the engine over a narrow range of power output needs. In use, the EFI system is removed from the cylinder head and a specially configured intake adapter manifold is mounted thereto and a carburetor system is seated atop the adapter manifold, the adapter manifold and carburetor system having fuel delivery passages that pass air/fuel mixtures from one or more carburetors of the carburetor system to respective cylinders of the engine head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Scott R. Minch
  • Patent number: 7438050
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which functions as a positive displacement pump and dispenses an amount of fuel which is fixed for each and every operation of the injector, and a controller which controls the operation of the fuel injector. In response to an increasing engine speed and/or load the controller increases in amount the fuel delivered per engine cycle by increasing in number the occasions the fuel injector is operated per engine cycle. In response to a decreasing engine speed and/or load the controller reduces in amount the fuel delivered per engine cycle by reducing in number the occasions the fuel injector is operated per engine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Scion-Sprays Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen
  • Publication number: 20080245343
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel pump in order to guide fuel from the fuel container of an internal combustion engine, the electric energy, which is in the form of pulses, is periodically guided to the fuel pump and the duration of the pulses is controlled according to the fuel required by the internal combustion engine. The frequency of the pulses is controlled in such a manner that, in the event of low pump capacity of the fuel pump, the frequency is controlled to a higher level than in the even of a high pump capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 7431020
    Abstract: A returnless fuel system has a fuel pump whose speed is varied by varying the voltage across the fuel pump. Controlling the fuel pump speed entails sensing the back pressure with a pressure sensor that may lie between the jet pump supply orifice and the pressure regulator in the pressure regulator case. A trigger circuit determines the absolute value of the difference between the sensed back pressure and an average, or predetermined target, pressure and compares it to a predetermined pressure value. If the absolute value is greater than the predetermined value, then a control circuit is invoked that compares the sensed pressure to a high threshold pressure and a low threshold pressure, and based upon such comparisons, the speed of the fuel pump is varied or maintained such that the mean pressure of the fuel system is targeted under all engine consumption conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Dhyana Ramamurthy
  • Publication number: 20080230035
    Abstract: A fuel supply system comprises an engine control unit (ECU), a fuel pump with a built-in pump motor which is PWM controlled based on a control signal from the ECU, a pump controller for controlling supply of electric power to the pump motor, and sensors for detecting an operating state of the engine. A control section of the pump controller controls to change a frequency to be lower as a duty ratio of a PWM control signal to operate a power transistor of an output circuit is higher and inversely to change the frequency to be higher as the duty ratio is lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20080218105
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel pump of a motor vehicle, the fuel pump is driven by an EC electric motor for conveying fuel in a direction of an internal combustion engine. Accordingly, when no more fuel is required, the EC electric motor of the fuel pump is switched off in such a way that a rotor of the EC electric motor slows down in a defined manner, so that the rotor of the EC electric motor assumes a defined relative position with respect to the stator of the EC electric motor after slowing down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Arno Wunderlich
  • Publication number: 20080216799
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel pump of a motor vehicle, the fuel pump is driven by an electric motor in such a way that the fuel pump is driven by an energized electric motor in a defined rotational direction in order to feed fuel in the direction of an internal combustion engine. Accordingly, if it is detected that the fuel pump is blocked, the rotational direction of the fuel pump is changed at least once for a specific time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Arno Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 7418948
    Abstract: A stator core of a motor arrangement includes six cores, which are arranged one after another in a circumferential direction. A bobbin, which is made of dielectric resin, is fitted to each core. Each coil is formed such that a winding is wound around the bobbin through a concentrated winding technique. Dielectric resin is filled between each circumferentially adjacent two teeth to cover each coil. Furthermore, the dielectric resin is molded to form clearances, each of which is formed between the corresponding circumferentially adjacent two teeth on a rotor side. Fuel, which is pressurized by a pump arrangement, passes an interior of the motor arrangement through a fuel passage, which is a gap between an inner peripheral surface of the stator core and an outer peripheral surface of the rotor, and also through the clearances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Nagata, Masaya Otake
  • Publication number: 20080202476
    Abstract: A fuel pump controller includes a detecting device for detecting environmental vibrational energy and converting the environmental vibrational energy into an electrical signal. A motor controller is coupled to a fuel pump motor wherein the electrical signal is used by the controller to command the fuel pump motor to operate at one of a plurality of speeds wherein the commanded speed is at least in part a function of the environmental vibrational energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Michael R. Teets, Trevor L. Enge, Lavern M. Bremmer, Jon R. Donegan, Greg Schoenberg
  • Patent number: 7412953
    Abstract: An engine control device that controls, using a microprocessor, a fuel injection device including an injector and a fuel pump, and a starter motor that starts an engine, including: first fuel pump driving means for driving the fuel pump only during set time at power-on of the microprocessor; and first fuel injection control means for causing the injector to perform first fuel injection before driving of the starter motor when it is confirmed that the driving of the fuel pump by the first fuel pump driving means is completed and that a start command for commanding the start of the engine is given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Shimazaki, Kazuyoshi Kishibata, Hiroyasu Sato, Tomohiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 7406950
    Abstract: The invention can avoid an energy dissipation and a consumption of an apparatus by minimizing a driving amount of a fuel pump and maintain an improved fuel supply state, in a fuel supply system injecting a liquefied gas fuel by an injector and supplying to an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Nikki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Umerujan Sawut, Masashi Iwasaki, Shinya Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20080173282
    Abstract: By-pass structure (45) is connected between a high pressure portion of a fuel pump (16) and an inlet of a jet nozzle (24) of a jet assembly (18) of a fuel delivery module (10) of a vehicle. The by-pass structure is constructed and arranged such that under certain conditions when the flow of fuel from the low pressure portion of the fuel pump alone is insufficient to operate the jet pump assembly, fuel is selectively permitted to flow through the by-pass structure from the high pressure portion of the fuel pump to the inlet of the jet nozzle ensuring that a sufficient flow of fuel is present at the jet assembly to draw fuel into the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Briggs, Matthias Nederegger
  • Patent number: 7395814
    Abstract: A fuel system for a marine propulsion device controls the pressure of liquid fuel within a fuel rail by altering the pump speed of a fuel pump. The fuel pressure in the rail is measured by a pressure transducer which provides an output signal to a microprocessor that allows the microprocessor to select an operating speed for the fuel pump that conforms to a desired fuel pressure in the rail. By decreasing or increasing the operating speed of the positive displacement fuel pump as a function of the measured pressure in the rail, the microprocessor can accurately regulate the fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Luke A. Doepke, Michael A. Torgerud, Troy J. Kollmann
  • Patent number: 7392794
    Abstract: A fluid apparatus, which is provided for supplying fluid into an internal combustion engine, includes an upstream pump, which is electrically driven, having an outlet port. The fluid apparatus further includes a downstream pump, which is electrically driven, having an inlet port that is connected with the outlet port in series. The fluid apparatus further includes an open-close unit. The open-close unit communicates a fluid passage through which the upstream pump supplies fluid to the internal combustion engine when the downstream pomp stops. The open-close unit blocks the fluid passage when the downstream pomp operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Hazama
  • Patent number: 7363916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection system comprising a fuel reservoir to which fuel is fed via at least one first pump and from which fuel is discharged via injectors. The invention is characterized in that the feed pressure of the first pump is adjusted depending on fuel temperature and evaporative behavior of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Eser, Gerhard Schopp
  • Publication number: 20080053412
    Abstract: The present invention includes a fuel supply system having a fuel pump constructed to pump fuel from a fuel tank and to supply the fuel, a pump controller constructed to control the fuel pump, and a pump controller case constructed to receive the pump controller. The pump controller case includes a wall portion made of an electrically conductive material, and a portion of the fuel is directed to the wall portion of the pump controller case for cooling the wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuo SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 7314039
    Abstract: A method of controlling operation of a liquid-fuel combustion appliance. The method is characterized by including an “antiseize operating mode” in which an electric motor and a fuel pump, powered by the electric motor, are started periodically to prevent oxidation and/or polymerization of the liquid fuel in the fuel pump when the fuel pump is idle. More specifically, the fuel pump is a gear pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Riello S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Toniato
  • Publication number: 20070295311
    Abstract: The present invention provides a constant flow fuel injection system for an engine, the system comprising an engine control unit, a variable DC brushless motor fuel pump, and a constant orifice fuel injector, wherein the engine control unit drives the fuel pump to provide fuel pressure to the fuel injector by modulating the fuel pump pressure to vary the fuel flow rate to the fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Matthew R. McCue, Don Schafer
  • Publication number: 20070283935
    Abstract: A fuel pump control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of fuel pumps that discharge fuel so that the discharged fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine; and a controller that determines whether to supply the fuel discharged from one of the plurality of fuel pumps to the internal combustion engine, or to supply all the fuel discharged from the plurality of fuel pumps together to the internal combustion engine, based on the operating condition of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Yuda, Masakatsu Nagai, Tomohiro Nakano, Takahiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 7307355
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprised of a bridge circuit made up of rectification diodes and MOSFETs for rectifying an output of a generator through a full-wave rectifier circuit comprised of rectification diodes and parasitic diodes of the MOSFETs and obtaining a supply voltage of a fuel injection apparatus, the power supply apparatus being comprised of an FET control section which turns ON/OFF the MOSFETs to step up the output voltage of the generator and a transistor provided for each MOSFET, which is set in an ON-state for a period during which a reverse voltage is applied to a parasitic diode of each MOSFET and set in an OFF-state for a period during which a forward voltage is applied to the parasitic diode of each MOSFET, wherein a control voltage for turning ON the MOSFET is given between the gate and source of the corresponding MOSFET for a period during which each transistor is in an OFF-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 7302938
    Abstract: A mechanical returnless fuel system comprises a fuel pump having an output for supplying fuel to fuel injectors of an automotive engine. The fuel system includes a pressure regulating valve that returns a portion of the pump output in excess of engine fuel usage to the fuel supply. The pressure regulating valve results in a fuel pressure that varies as a function of engine fuel demand. During operation, a controller determines a projected engine fuel demand, then determines an estimated fuel pressure based upon the projected engine fuel demand. The controller utilizes the estimated fuel pressure to provide a more accurate calculation of the opening time for the fuel injectors and thereby improve engine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: DeQuan Yu, Stephen T. Kempfer
  • Publication number: 20070251508
    Abstract: A pump unit 12 includes a pump housing 14, a pump cover 16, and an impeller 18 between the pump housing and pump cover. The pump housing and pump cover define a first channel 32 and a second channel 34 each having an inlet and an outlet. The impeller has first vanes 36 cooperating with the first channel and second vanes 38 cooperating with the second channel. The outlet of the second channel is constructed and arranged to provide fuel to an engine upon rotation of the impeller. A jet pump 38 is fluidly connected with the outlet of the first channel such that as the impeller rotates, the jet pump causes fuel to be drawn into the reservoir 37. Connecting structure 44 fluidly connects the first and second channels such that upon rotation of the impeller, fuel in the second channel flows into the first channel to prime the first channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Wattai, Matthias A. Vogel
  • Publication number: 20070251502
    Abstract: In a fuel supply apparatus for an engine, which is provided with a relief valve for returning fuel in a fuel pipe into a fuel tank when a fuel pressure exceeds a threshold, and also feedback controls a discharge amount of a fuel pump so that the fuel pressure detected by a pressure sensor approaches a target pressure, when the pressure sensor is failed, a duty of a PWM signal for the fuel pump is fixedly maintained at a predetermined value, and fuel injection pulse width is calculated on the assumption that the fuel pressure is held at the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Keiichi Takayanagi, Junichi Furuya
  • Publication number: 20070246021
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for an engine in which calculation of a manipulated variable of a fuel pump in response to a deviation between a fuel pressure detected by a fuel pressure sensor and a target value is carried out, is configured in a manner such that when the fuel pressure sensor is failed, a change in the fuel pressure is estimated based on a required fuel flow amount of an engine, a discharge amount of the fuel pump and a fuel pressure detected immediately before the fuel pressure sensor is failed, so that deciding of the manipulated variable of the fuel pump is made, based on the estimation value. A method of controlling the fuel supply apparatus to realize the controlling of the fuel pump based on the manipulated variable is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Keiichi TAKAYANAGI, Junichi Furuya, Yoshitatsu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20070221174
    Abstract: A fuel injection controller calculates a fuel pressure-feeding start angle of a fuel pump as a valve opening start angle of a metering valve, which regulates a discharge amount, by adding a base angle and a feedback correction value. The base angle is calculated in accordance with a command injection amount and target fuel pressure based on a basic map. The feedback correction value is calculated based on differential pressure between sensed fuel pressure and the target fuel pressure. If an abnormality is caused in either one of two metering valves, the base angle is calculated based on an abnormal period map instead of the basic map. Thus, controllability of the fuel pressure is maintained high even when the abnormality is caused in a part of multiple pressure-feeding systems including multiple plungers of the fuel pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20070215115
    Abstract: A fuel feed apparatus is provided for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine, which is controlled using an engine control unit. The fuel feed apparatus includes a pump module that is provided to the fuel tank. The pump module includes a fuel pump that is accommodated in the fuel tank for pumping fuel from the fuel tank. The fuel feed apparatus further includes a pressure detecting unit that is provided in a downstream of the fuel pump for detecting pressure of fuel. The fuel feed apparatus further includes a pump control unit that is provided separately from the engine control unit for controlling a driving signal of the fuel pump in accordance with a detection signal of the pressure detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadashi Hazama
  • Patent number: 7263978
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (14) has an associated controller (18) controlling operation of the engine. A fuel pump (10) delivers fuel to the engine at more than one pressure (300 kPa, 800 kPa). The fuel pump includes a fuel inlet (34) and a fuel outlet (68). It also includes a motor (38) and pump assembly (36) for drawing fuel through the inlet into the fuel pump and delivering fuel to the outlet at a pressure higher than the pressure at the inlet. An outlet assembly (40) of the pump includes an outlet pressure sensor (76) and a processor (79) which is responsive to an input from the controller to vary the outlet fuel pressure by controlling the speed of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Airtex Products
    Inventors: George York, Larry Carter, Paul Meyer
  • Publication number: 20070175454
    Abstract: An engine control device including: a fuel pump driving portion that starts operating a fuel pump between when an operation permit switch is turned on and an operation permit command is given and when a starter switch is closed and a start command is given, and continuously operates the fuel pump after the start command is given; the first fuel injection control portion that causes an injector to perform first fuel injection at the start of an engine when both conditions are met that the start command is given and that the fuel pump is continuously operated for a set time or longer; and a rotating electric machine control portion that starts driving a rotating electric machine that operates as an engine starting motor when the first fuel injection is completed, and stops driving the rotating electric machine when the start of the engine is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Shimazaki, Kazuyoshi Kishibata, Hiroyasu Sato, Tomohiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 7231910
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for setting the feed rate of a fuel pump unit, which sucks up fuel from a fuel tank 8, as a function of the feed pressure, which is built up by the fuel pump unit, in an outlet 25 of the fuel pump unit, which outlet leads to an internal combustion engine. The fuel pump unit has a first pump stage and a second pump stage, the two pump stages being connected in parallel below a defined feed pressure in the outlet 25 of the fuel pump unit and being connected in series above the defined feed pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gunter Wagner
  • Patent number: 7216614
    Abstract: A fuel supply device can have a low pressure fuel pump that supplies fuel to a vapor separator tank positioned adjacent to an engine from a main fuel tank disposed in a hull. An electrically operated primary fuel pump (e.g., a primer pump) and a check valve can both be positioned parallel to each other and between the main fuel tank and the low pressure fuel pump. A control device can be connected to the primary fuel pump for operating the primary fuel pump only for a preset fuel supply time when starting the engine is attempted and prior to the start of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Shibata, Katsumi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7213579
    Abstract: An axial length of the fuel pump is reduced, and the fuel pump is miniaturized, without reducing pumping performance. A space G is formed between coils 19 and the shaft 7 at the upper side of the core 11, and the lower portion of the commutator 8 is inserted into the space G. As a result, a length B of the commutator 8 and an upwardly projecting length C of the coils 19 can be caused to overlap. Alternatively, a space H is formed between coils 19 and the shaft 7 at the lower side of the core 11, and upper portion of the bearing 10 is inserted into the space H. As a result, a length F of the lower bearing and a downwardly projecting length E of the coils 19 can be caused to overlap. This overlapping allows the distance between the bearings of the shaft to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Ikeya
  • Patent number: 7210464
    Abstract: In a fuel pump control system for an internal combustion engine whose operation is switched between cut-off-cylinder operating mode during which some of the cylinders are non-operative and full-cylinder operating mode during which all of the cylinders are operative and having a fuel injector connected to the fuel supply line and supplied with fuel pressurized by the fuel pump, it is discriminated whether the operation of the engine is in the full-cylinder operating mode or in the cut-off-cylinder operating mode, the operation of the fuel pump is controlled based on the discriminated operating mode of the engine, i.e., is controlled such that the delivery flow rate of the fuel pump when the engine is discriminated to be in the cut-off-cylinder operating mode, is reduced relative to that when the engine is discriminated to be in the full-cylinder operating mode, thereby reducing the power consumption and operating noise of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asao Ukai, Toshitaka Hachiro, Tomohiro Nishi, Takahiro Yonekura
  • Patent number: 7207319
    Abstract: Controlling means of a fuel injection system regulates an energization amount of an electric motor in accordance with a sensing signal outputted from common rail pressure sensing means. Thus, the controlling means controls a fuel supply quantity of a low-pressure pump. Thus, power consumption of the electric motor driving the low-pressure pump can be regulated in accordance with a pressure-feeding quantity of a high-pressure pump. As a result, the power consumption of the electric motor can be reduced and wasteful fuel supply of the low-pressure pump can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Yasutaka Utsumi
  • Patent number: 7156077
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine uses a fuel pump having an internally mounted pressure-responsive buffer which increases the volume available for fuel within the pump's discharge port upon shutdown of the pump, so as to assist in the mitigation of fugitive hydrocarbon emissions from fuel injectors which might otherwise result from a hot soak of an automotive engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Scott Koller, Donald Ignasiak, Thomas Joseph Luley
  • Patent number: 7146967
    Abstract: When a pressure of fuel supplied to an engine is higher than a target, the fuel is carried in a reverse direction by rotating a fuel pump in reverse, and in accordance therewith, the fuel pressure is made to fall with good responsiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Hosoya
  • Patent number: 7124740
    Abstract: In feedback control of a discharge amount of a high pressure fuel pump in which an actual fuel pressure is caused to become a target fuel pressure, when a deviation between the target fuel pressure and the actual fuel pressure has transiently changed, updating of an integral term of the feedback control is stopped. As a result, needless updating of the integral term when the deviation of the target fuel pressure and the actual fuel pressure has transiently increased is inhibited, and fuel pressure overshoot is reliably suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nomura, Yasumichi Inoue