Fuel delivery unit with a filling level sensor operating with ultrasonic waves

• US 8,302,472 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rumpf, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOLB, NATHANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/677,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20100186500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.V, 340/621
• US Class Current: 73/290.V
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/00 Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks tanks in general B65D, F17C; supplying combustion engines with combustible mixtures or constituents F02M
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/077 with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03111 Swirl pots
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/103 Mounting pumps on fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/106 the pump being installed in a sub-tank
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/14 the pumps being combined with other apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves

Abstract

A fuel delivery unit for insertion into a fuel tank of a motor vehicle has a swirl pot, a flange for closing an opening in the fuel tank, and a support element arranged between the flange and the swirl pot that prestresses the swirl pot towards a bottom of the fuel tank. A filling level sensor is arranged on the swirl pot. The swirl pot has at least one receptacle. The receptacle extends to a bottom of the swirl pot and completely surrounds the periphery of the support element and has an opening in the bottom region through which fuel from the fuel tank can enter the receptacle. The filling level sensor comprises a transmission and receiving unit for ultrasonic waves arranged in the fuel delivery unit such that the ultrasonic waves run in the receptacle and the support element.

Claims

1. A fuel delivery unit configured to be inserted into a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a swirl pot having at least one substantially vertical receptacle formed as far as a base of the swirl pot, the at least one receptacle having an opening arranged in a base region proximate to the base of the swirl pot through which opening fuel can enter into the at least one receptacle from the fuel tank;

a flange configured to close an opening in the fuel tank;

at least one support element having a hollow profile arranged between the flange and the swirl pot configured to preload the swirl pot against a base of the fuel tank, the at least one support element supported and slideably received in the at least one receptacle, such that the at least one receptacle completely surrounds a circumference of the at least one support element; and

a filling level sensor arranged on the swirl pot, the filling level sensor comprises a transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves, and the transmitting and receiving unit being arranged such that the ultrasound waves transmitted by the transmitting and receiving unit travel in the at least one receptacle and in the at least one support element.

2. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is arranged in an upper end of the at least one support element in the installed position of the fuel delivery unit.

3. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one support element is arranged with its upper end in a bush of the flange, and the transmitting and receiving unit is arranged in the flange.

4. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in one of claims 3, wherein the bush defines an opening providing a connection between the interior of the at least one support element and the surroundings in the fuel tank.

5. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in one of claims 4, wherein the opening in the bush is a bore.

6. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is arranged in the bush for the at least one support element.

7. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is arranged in a lower region of the at least one receptacle in which the at least one support element is received in the installed position of the fuel delivery unit.

8. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is arranged on the base of the at least one receptacle for the support element in the installed position of the fuel delivery unit.

9. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is connected cohesively to one of the flange and the swirl pot by one of extrusion coating, welding, and adhesive bonding.

10. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving unit comprises evaluating electronics configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the filling level based at least in part on the ultrasound waves.

11. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the evaluating electronics are arranged remote from the transmitting and receiving unit.

12. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in one of claim 11, wherein the evaluating electronics are arranged in the flange.

13. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claims 1, wherein the at least one support element and the at least one receptacle have a same cross-sectional shape.

14. The fuel delivery unit as claimed in claims 13, wherein the cross-sectional shape is one of circular, oval and rectangular.