Outboard motor fuel supply system
First Claim
1. An outboard motor for a watercraft, the motor comprising a power head having an internal combustion engine, a delivery fuel tank, which contains fuel for operation of the engine carried by the outboard motor, a low-pressure fuel pump adapted to communicate with an external fuel supply tank and in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank to deliver fuel from the external supply tank to the delivery fuel tank, the low-pressure fuel pump being selectively operable so as to maintain a fuel level generally lower than a first predetermined level of fuel within the delivery fuel tank, a high-pressure fuel pump in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank that pumps fuel from the delivery tank to the engine, the high-pressure pump being selectively operable so the fuel level does not drop generally below a second predetermined level of fuel within the delivery fuel tank, the low-pressure fuel pump and high-pressure fuel pump being independently operable.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An outboard motor for a watercraft includes a simply structured fuel supply system of a smaller size and a longer life than prior fuel supply systems. The fuel supply system includes a delivery fuel tank carried by the outboard motor. Fuel is pumped from an external fuel supply tank carried by the watercraft to the delivery fuel tank by a low-pressure fuel pump located within the outboard motor. A control system controls the low-pressure fuel pump so that a predetermined level of fuel is maintained in the delivery fuel tank. The control system includes a fluid level detection sensor that detects the level of fuel within the delivery fuel tank and produces a corresponding signal indicative of the fuel level. A control unit circuit receives the fluid level signal and determines if the fluid level in the tank is higher or lower than a predetermined maximum fuel level. If the fluid level is determined to be higher than a maximum fuel level, the control unit circuit deactivates the low-pressure fuel pump. If the fluid level is determined to be lower than the maximum fuel level, the control unit circuit activates the low-pressure fuel pump.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. An outboard motor for a watercraft, the motor comprising a power head having an internal combustion engine, a delivery fuel tank, which contains fuel for operation of the engine carried by the outboard motor, a low-pressure fuel pump adapted to communicate with an external fuel supply tank and in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank to deliver fuel from the external supply tank to the delivery fuel tank, the low-pressure fuel pump being selectively operable so as to maintain a fuel level generally lower than a first predetermined level of fuel within the delivery fuel tank, a high-pressure fuel pump in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank that pumps fuel from the delivery tank to the engine, the high-pressure pump being selectively operable so the fuel level does not drop generally below a second predetermined level of fuel within the delivery fuel tank, the low-pressure fuel pump and high-pressure fuel pump being independently operable.
- 16. An outboard motor for a watercraft, the motor comprising a cowling member and an internal combustion engine carried by the cowling member, a delivery fuel tank, which contains fuel for operation of the engine, carried by the cowling member, an external supply fuel tank, a low-pressure fuel pump adapted to communicate with the external supply fuel tank and in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank to deliver fuel from the external supply tank to the delivery fuel tank, a high-pressure fuel pump in fluid communication with the delivery fuel tank for pumping fuel from the delivery fuel tank to the engine, first means for selectively operating the low-pressure fuel pump to maintain a fuel level generally lower than a first predetermined level of fuel in the delivery fuel tank, and second means for selectively operating the high-pressure fuel pump so the fuel level does not drop generally below a second predetermined level of fuel in the delivery fuel tank.
- 21. An outboard motor for a watercraft, the motor comprising a power head having an internal combustion engine, a delivery fuel tank, which contains fuel for operation of the engine, carried by the outboard motor, a fuel supply system including a high-pressure fuel pump which supplies fuel to the engine from the delivery fuel tank, and a control system which controls the high-pressure fuel pump so that a fuel level in the delivery fuel tank does not fall generally below a predetermined level.
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26. A method for controlling a level of fuel in a fuel tank of an outboard motor, the method comprising:
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providing a low-pressure fuel pump in the outboard motor for supplying fuel to the fuel tank; detecting the fuel level in the fuel tank; activating the low-pressure fuel pump when the fuel level detected in the fuel tank falls generally below a predetermined maximum fuel level; and deactivating the low-pressure fuel pump when the fuel level detected in the fuel tank rises generally above the predetermined maximum fuel level. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method for controlling a level of fuel in a fuel tank of an outboard motor, the method comprising:
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providing a high-pressure fuel pump in the outboard motor for delivering fuel from the fuel tank to an engine of the outboard motor; detecting the fuel level in the fuel tank; activating the high-pressure fuel pump when the fuel level in the fuel tank rises generally above a predetermined minimum fuel level; and
,deactivating the high-pressure fuel pump when the fuel level in the fuel tank falls generally below the predetermined fuel level.
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Specification