Fuel Supply Device
First Claim
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1. A fuel supply device for feeding fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
- a pump for pumping fuel from within a tank;
a fuel supply passage configured to feed the fuel pumped by the pump to the internal combustion engine;
a leak passage coupled to the fuel supply passage, wherein the leak passage is configured to branch the fuel pumped up by the pump away from the fuel supply passage to the tank; and
a vapor outlet passage configured to discharge vapor from the pump,wherein a mesh member is arranged within the leak passage, and wherein the mesh member is configured to generate an interfacial tension at an interface between fuel and air within the leak passage.
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Abstract
When a fuel tank is inclined at a negative slope and tilted to the right side, it may be tilted such that a position of a mesh member is relatively higher than a position of a vapor outlet of a vapor outlet passage. In this case, air may enter into a leak passage from an outlet port such that interfacial tension is generated in the mesh member. The interface between fuel and air is present at the mesh member, and the interfacial tension generated at the interface serves to prevent air from entering into a discharge pipe.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A fuel supply device for feeding fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
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a pump for pumping fuel from within a tank; a fuel supply passage configured to feed the fuel pumped by the pump to the internal combustion engine; a leak passage coupled to the fuel supply passage, wherein the leak passage is configured to branch the fuel pumped up by the pump away from the fuel supply passage to the tank; and a vapor outlet passage configured to discharge vapor from the pump, wherein a mesh member is arranged within the leak passage, and wherein the mesh member is configured to generate an interfacial tension at an interface between fuel and air within the leak passage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fuel supply device for feeding fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
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a pump formed as an elongated cylinder, wherein a longitudinal direction of the pump is disposed laterally, and wherein the pump is configured to pump fuel from within a tank; a fuel supply passage that is downstream from an outlet of the pump, wherein the fuel supply passage comprises a check valve configured to allow fuel pumped up by the pump to flow toward the internal combustion engine; a leak passage extending orthogonally, in a vertical direction, from the fuel supply passage, wherein the leak passage is configured to branch the fuel pumped up by the pump away from the fuel supply passage to the tank; and a vapor outlet passage extending from an upstream lateral end of the pump, wherein the vapor passage comprises a vapor outlet and is configured to discharge vapor from the pump through the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet extends downwards in the vertical direction, wherein a mesh member is arranged within the leak passage, downstream of the check valve and upstream of the leak passage, and wherein the mesh member is configured to generate interfacial tension at an interface between fuel and air in the mesh member. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A fuel supply device for feeding fuel to an internal combustion engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
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a pump formed as an elongated cylinder, wherein a longitudinal direction of the pump is disposed laterally, and wherein the pump is configured to pump fuel from within a tank; a fuel supply passage that is downstream from an outlet of the pump, wherein the fuel supply passage comprises a check valve configured to allow fuel pumped by the pump to flow toward the internal combustion engine; a leak passage extending orthogonally, in a vertical direction, from the fuel supply passage, wherein the leak passage is configured to branch the fuel pumped by the pump away from the fuel supply passage to the tank; and a vapor outlet passage extending from an upstream lateral end of the pump, wherein the vapor passage comprises a vapor outlet and is configured to discharge vapor from the pump through the vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet extends downwards in the vertical direction, wherein a mesh member is arranged within the leak passage, downstream of the check valve and upstream of the leak passage, and wherein the mesh member is configured to generate interfacial tension at an interface between fuel and air in the mesh member, and wherein the leak passage includes; a first passage portion extending downwards to upwards substantially vertically from an upstream end of the first passage portion to a downstream end of the first passage portion, wherein the upstream end of the first passage portion is connected to a branched part that extends orthogonally from the fuel supply passage; an elongated passage including an upstream end that is orthogonal to the downstream end of the first passage portion, wherein the elongated passage extends parallel to a lateral longitudinal direction of the pump and traverses over a breadth of the pump to a downstream end of the elongated passage, and a second passage portion parallel to the first passage portion, extending upwards to downwards substantially vertically from an upstream end of the second passage portion to a downstream end of the second passage portion, with the upstream end of the second passage portion is orthogonal to the downstream end of the elongated passage and wherein the downstream end of the second passage portion is connected to a fuel discharge port located below the leak passage. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification