Claims:We Claim

1. A fuel filter (10) for a fuel injection system, said fuel filter (10) comprising:
a housing (12);
a fuel inlet supply path (14) defined in said housing (12), the fuel inlet supply path (14) adapted to supply pressurized fuel to said housing (12);
a fuel outlet supply path (16) defined in said housing (12) and in flow communication with said fuel inlet supply path (14) via a fuel passageway (18), the fuel outlet supply path (16) adapted to deliver pressurized fuel that is channeled through the fuel passageway (18) from the fuel inlet supply path (14); characterized in that
a valve stopper (20) positioned in said fuel passageway (18), said valve stopper (20) comprising a flat shaped portion (22) and a groove (24) defined in the flat shaped portion (22), said valve stopper (20) adapted to restrict a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path (14) to the fuel outlet supply path (16) when a filter element that is present within the fuel filter 10 is removed from said housing 12.

2. The fuel filter (10) for the fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the flat shaped portion (22) of the valve stopper (20) is positioned between the fuel inlet supply path (14) and the fuel outlet supply path (16) to restrict a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path (14) to the fuel outlet supply path (16).

3. The fuel filter (10) for the fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 1 further comprising a spring member (26) secured to said valve stopper (20), said spring member (26) adapted to be compressed when said valve stopper (20) translates towards the fuel outlet supply path (16).

4. The fuel filter (10) for the fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 3 further comprising a retainer (28) positioned against said spring member (26), said retainer (28) adapted to retain said spring member (26) within said fuel passageway (18).

5. The fuel filter (10) for the fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the flat shaped portion (22) of the valve stopper (20) is positioned against the fuel outlet supply path (16) in a first position to prevent a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path (14) to the fuel outlet supply path (16).

6. The fuel filter (10) for the fuel injection system in accordance with Claim 5 wherein the valve stopper (20) is movable from the first position to a second position, wherein the groove (24) that is defined in the flat shaped portion (22) allows fuel to flow from the fuel inlet supply path (14) to the fuel outlet supply path (16) via the fuel passageway (18) when the valve stopper (20) is at the second position.
, Description:Complete Specification:

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a fuel filter, and more specifically to a valve stopper that is positioned against a fuel outlet supply path of the fuel filter.

Background of the invention
[0002] KR 100292890 B describes a structure for installing a fuel pump is provided to prevent damage of a fuel pump by absorbing vibration and to actively supply file by controlling height of the fuel pump. Structure for mounting a fuel pump comprises a fuel transferring pipe supplying fuel into an engine, a fuel pump fixed on a pump holder, a suction hole formed on the fuel pump; a fuel filter installed on a lower end of the suction hole, a fuel sender installed on a pump holder through a fixing clip, slide pipes integrally formed on the pump holder, a bracket fixed on a fuel tank, a guide bar protruded downward of the bracket, a fuel return pipe inserting the slide pipe, a but supporting the pump holder by being combined to a lower portion of the guide bar, a compressed spring inserted to the guide bar, and a stopper supporting the compressed spring.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a fuel filter for a fuel injection system.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates a fuel filter 10 for a fuel injection system. The fuel filter 10 comprises a housing 12 and a fuel inlet supply path 14 defined in the housing 12, the fuel inlet supply path 14 adapted to supply pressurized fuel to the housing 12. A fuel outlet supply path 16 is defined in the housing 12 and in flow communication with the fuel inlet supply path 14 via a fuel passageway 18, the fuel outlet supply path 16 adapted to deliver pressurized fuel that is channeled through the fuel passageway 18 from the fuel inlet supply path 14. A valve stopper 20 is positioned in the fuel passageway 18, the valve stopper 20 comprising a flat shaped portion 22 and a groove 24 defined in the flat shaped portion 22, the valve stopper 20 adapted to restrict a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path 14 to the fuel outlet supply path 16 when a filter element that is present within the fuel filter 10 is removed from the housing 12.

[0005] The fuel filter 10 for the fuel injection system comprises a housing 12. A fuel inlet supply path 14 is defined in the housing 12. More specifically, the fuel inlet supply path 14 is defined in the housing 12 to facilitate channeling fuel within the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10. The fuel inlet supply path 14 is adapted to supply pressurized fuel to the housing 12. The fuel inlet supply path 14 is positioned downstream from a low pressure fuel pump and is adapted to channel pressurized fuel that is delivered from the low pressure fuel pump within the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10.

[0006] A fuel outlet supply path 16 is defined in the housing 12. More specifically, the fuel outlet supply path 16 is defined in the housing 12 and in flow communication with the fuel inlet supply path 14 via a fuel passageway 18. The fuel outlet supply path 16 is adapted to deliver pressurized fuel that is channeled through the fuel passageway 18 via the fuel inlet supply path 14. The fuel outlet supply path 16 is adapted to deliver pressurized fuel out of the housing 12. More specifically, the fuel outlet supply path 16 is positioned downstream from the fuel passageway 18 and is adapted to deliver pressurized fuel that is channeled through the fuel passageway 18 from the fuel inlet supply path 14 out of the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10.

[0007] The fuel passageway 18 is positioned between the fuel inlet supply path 14 and the fuel outlet supply path 16. More specifically, the fuel passageway 18 is orthogonally positioned with respect to the fuel inlet supply path 14 and the fuel outlet supply path 16, and is adapted to receive the fuel that is supplied from the fuel inlet supply path 14. A valve stopper 20 is positioned in the fuel passageway 18. The valve stopper 20 comprises a flat shaped portion 22 and a groove 24 that is defined in the flat shaped portion 22. More specifically, the flat shaped portion 22 is defined on one side of the valve stopper 20, while the groove 24 is defined on the opposing side of the valve stopper 20. The groove 24 that is defined on the opposing side of the valve stopper 20 allows for the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path 14 to the fuel outlet supply path 16 via the fuel passageway 18. The valve stopper 20 is adapted to restrict a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path 14 to the fuel outlet supply path 16 when a filter element is removed from the housing 12. This concept will be explained in more detail in the following paragraphs.

[0008] The fuel filter 10 for the fuel injection system comprises a spring member 26 that is secured to an end of the valve stopper 20. When the valve stopper 20 translates towards the fuel outlet supply path 16, the spring member 26 is adapted to be compressed. When a translatory force that is acting on the valve stopper 20 is removed, the compressed spring member is restored to its original distended position by exerting a force and translating the valve stopper 20 away from the fuel outlet supply path 16. While a first end of the spring member 26 is positioned against an end of the valve stopper 20, an opposing second end of the spring member 26 is positioned against a retainer 28. More specifically, the retainer 28 is inserted through the fuel passageway 18 and held in place by means of an O-ring. Therefore, the retainer 28 holds the spring member 26 in place and prevents it from being pushed out of the fuel passageway 18 when the valve stopper 20 compresses against the spring member 26. In an exemplary embodiment, the filter element is positioned against an end of the valve stopper 20 that opposes the end against which the spring member 26 is positioned. When the filter element is positioned within the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10, the filter element compresses against the valve stopper 20, thereby causing the valve stopper 20 to translate upwardly, thereby aligning the groove 24 of the valve stopper 20 with the fuel outlet supply path 16 to cause the pressurized fuel to flow from the fuel inlet supply path 14 to the fuel outlet supply path 16 via the fuel passageway 18.

[0009] A working of the fuel filter 10 is described as an example. Fresh fuel is supplied to the fuel passageway 18 via the fuel inlet supply path 14 from a low pressure fuel pump. As the filter element is positioned within the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10, the valve stopper 20 is lifted upwardly to facilitate aligning the groove 24 of the valve stopper 20 with the fuel outlet supply path 16. The fuel that is present within the fuel passageway 18 flows to the fuel outlet supply path 16 via the groove 24 that is defined in the valve stopper 20 from where it is finally supplied to a high pressure fuel pump. When the filter element is removed from the fuel filter 10, the spring member 26 pushes the valve stopper 20 downwardly, thereby disengaging the groove 24 from the fuel outlet supply path 16. Therefore, the fuel outlet supply path 16 is closed due to the flat portion of the valve stopper 20 being positioned against it. The fuel that flows into the housing 12 via the fuel inlet supply path 14 cannot flow through the fuel outlet supply path 16 via the fuel passageway 18 because the groove 24 of the Valve stopper 20 is not aligned with the fuel outlet supply path 16. This causes the fuel entering the housing 12 of the fuel filter 10 from draining out of the fuel filter 10 and back to the fuel tank. Therefore, the vehicle cannot be started as fuel does not flow out of the fuel filter 10 via the fuel outlet supply path 16 to the high pressure fuel pump. The advantage of this invention is that when the filter element is removed from the fuel filter 10, the valve stopper 20 is adapted to restrict a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet supply path 14 to the fuel outlet supply path 16 when a filter element that is present within the fuel filter 10 is removed from the housing 12. Therefore, a driver of the vehicle cannot operate the vehicle when the filter element is removed from the fuel filter 10.

[0010] 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 dimensions of various components are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.