Claims:We Claim

1. A fuel filter (10) for a fuel injection system, said fuel filter (10) comprising:
a housing (12); characterized in that
an accelerometer (14) secured to said housing (12), said accelerometer (14) adapted to determine a level of vibration in said fuel filter (10).

2. The fuel filter (10) for a fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said accelerometer (14) is adapted to electronically communicate with an engine control unit, said accelerometer (14) adapted to transmit a signal to said engine control unit that is indicative of the level of vibrations in said fuel filter (10).

3. The fuel filter (10) for a fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 2 wherein the transmitted signal from the accelerometer (14) is adapted to be displayed on a display device.

4. The fuel filter (10) in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said accelerometer (14) is secured to said housing (12) by means of a fastener (16), wherein said fastener (16) comprises one of a screw and an adhesive.
, Description:Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a fuel filter for a fuel injection system.

Background of the invention
[0002] JP Patent Number 60057233 A describes a diagnostic device of the output state of an engine. To grasp easily and quantitatively an output state of an engine by installing a vibration detector to the engine, and processing its detecting signal. An output signal of an accelerometer functioning as a vibration detector fixed to a cylinder block of an engine E passes through an amplifier, and is inputted to an arithmetic device through a filter for extracting a signal regarding the engine E, a signal converter and a filter for extracting a natural vibration component of the engine E. The arithmetic device derives a representative voltage of a peak voltage from a signal of the signal converter, and detects an abnormality. Also, the representative voltage is derived by extracting the natural vibration component of the engine E from an output signal of the filter, a fuel ratio is calculated from its voltage, and it is compared with a relation of a stored fuel ratio and an output, by which an output state of the engine is diagnosed, and also displayed or recorded. Accordingly, the output state of the engine E can be grasped easily and quantitatively.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a fuel filter with an accelerometer secured thereto in one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0005] Figure 1 illustrates a fuel filter 10 for a fuel injection system. The fuel filter 10 comprises a housing 12 and an accelerometer 14 secured to the housing 12, the accelerometer 14 adapted to determine a level of vibration in the fuel filter 10.

[0006] The fuel filter 10 for the fuel injection system comprises a housing 12. The housing 12 comprises a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a plurality of fuel flow passages defined between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet. A dust adsorbing material is positioned within the plurality of fuel flow passages and filters the fuel, thereby trapping dust particles when the fuel flows from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet. An accelerometer 14 is secured to the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10. More specifically, the accelerometer 14 is secured to the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10 by means of a fastener 16. In an exemplary embodiment, the fastener 16 comprises one of a screw and an adhesive. The accelerometer 14 is adapted to determine a level of vibration induced in the fuel filter 10.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the accelerometer 14 is in electronic communication with an engine control unit. The accelerometer 14 is adapted to transmit a signal to the engine control unit that is indicative of the level of vibration in the fuel filter 10. Under normal circumstances, if the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is below a threshold level of vibrations, the dust particles are retained within the fuel filter 10. If the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is above the threshold level of vibrations, the dust particles that are retained within the dust adsorbing material are released to the fuel outlet along with the fuel that is then delivered to the low pressure fuel pump which causes erosion of the low pressure fuel pump. Therefore, the signal that is transmitted from the accelerometer 14 is adapted to be displayed on a display device that is in electronic communication with the engine control unit. If the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is below the threshold level of vibrations, the amplitude of the displayed signal is lower than a threshold, thereby signaling to a user that the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is low. If the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is above the threshold level of vibrations, the amplitude of the displayed signal is higher than the threshold, thereby signaling to the user that the vibrations induced by the engine on the fuel filter 10 is high, and suitable correction action is required to be taken. The corrective actions include but are not limited to ensuring proper fuel filter 10 mounting, fuel filter 10 replacement, fuel filter 10 cleaning, and fuel filter 10 service or replacement.

[0008] It must be understood that the embodiments explained above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many modifications in the embodiments with regard to leverage and dimensions of various levers are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.