, Description:FUEL PUMP MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR RESTRICTING MOVEMENT FUEL PUMP IN FUEL TANK
FIELD OF INVENTION:
[001] The present subject matter described herein, relates to fuel tank of vehicles and, in particular, to fuel pump mounting structure for restricting movement of 5 fuel pump in the fuel tank during abrupt movement or crash.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
[002] In the fuel supply system, the fuel pump assembly is used to pump fuel from the fuel tank. The fuel supply system includes a fuel pump assembly and a fuel tank. Further, the fuel pump assembly has a fuel level sensor, a suction filter 10 and a pressure regulator. The fuel pump assembly is installed into the fuel tank from the opening in the fuel tank which provides access to the inside of the fuel tank. The fuel pump is installed at the top wall of the fuel tank which has the opening to receive the fuel pump assembly. A filter is provided at suction side of the fuel pump which is located near the base of the fuel tank. From the suction 15 side, the fuel pump assembly sucks the fuel and pumps the fuel to engine unit.
[003] Generally, the fuel supply system is mounted on the upper wall of the fuel tank with covering flange and sealing the fuel pump to the upper wall with gasket. Further, the fuel pump assembly is hanging inside the fuel tank with the help of at least two axial legs. 20
[004] Japanese patent publication JP2009091958 (A) discloses a fuel pump mounting structure comprises a fuel tank for storing a fuel, and a fuel pump to be mounted inside the fuel tank. A pump mounting hole is provided in the wall surface of the fuel tank. A flange part is provided in a cylinder part of the fuel pump. The fuel pump is mounted on the pump mounting hole via a sealing 25 member. A plurality of engaging pieces is provided in the pump mounting hole. The fuel pump is attached on a groove part formed below the flange part. A leaf spring member is provided for fixing the fuel pump on the fuel tank by clamping the engaging pieces in cooperation with the flange part.
3
[005] Fig. 1 illustrates the mounting structure of the fuel pump assembly as known in the art. A fuel tank 101 has a fuel pump assembly 102. The fuel pump assembly 102 has cover 103 and fuel pump 104. It is already known that fuel pump assembly 102 is mounted on upper wall of the fuel tank 101 with the help covering flange. Further, the fuel pump 104 is hanging inside the fuel tank 101 5 with the help of at least two axial legs or axial rods 105. The at least two axial legs 105 are fixed at one end with the cover 103 from upper side and other end has the fuel pump 104 at lower side. Further, the other end of the at least two axial legs are not fixed with anything so as to be a free end. Due to the hanging construction of the fuel pump 104, weight of the fuel pump always tends in downward 10 direction.
[006] In the existing fuel pump assemblies, fuel pump does not have support at the base of the fuel tank and keeps hanging inside the fuel tank. The existing fuel pump assemblies may not fulfill regulatory requirement of rear crash test. In this test, a stationary vehicle is impacted by a rigid moving barrier at a speed of 38 15 Kmph. When the barrier hits the vehicle from the rear side, the fuel pump breaks down due to inertia of the fuel pump with respect to the fuel tank. The fuel tank breakage can cause leakage of oil from the fuel tank and improper working of fuel pump in the vehicle. Further, it can also cause sealing problem in the fuel pump assembly with the fuel tank. 20
[007] In the known and existing prior arts, there no system which provides support to the fuel pump assembly at the bottom to avoids breakage of the pump during rear crash of the vehicle. Therefore, a simple and inexpensive fuel pump mounting structure for restricting the movement of fuel pump during crash is required which can provide support from the base of the fuel tank. 25
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[008] The principal objective of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump mounting structure for restricting the movement of fuel pump during crash.
4
[009] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide support from the base of the fuel tank to the fuel pump assembly.
[0010] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a simple and low cost fuel pump mounting structure for restricting the movement of fuel pump during crash. 5
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[0011] The present subject matter disclosed herein relates to a fuel pump mounting structure for restricting movement of fuel pump in the fuel tank during crash. The fuel pump mounting structure includes an upper part which is mounted at upper wall of the fuel tank and a fuel pump which is mounted on at least two 10 axial rods near the bottom of the fuel tank. The fuel pump mounting structure has at least two grooves available on bottom layer of the fuel tank to receive free end of the at least two axial rods to restrict the movement of the fuel pump.
[0012] In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with 15 reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit scope of the present subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be 20 considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and 25 components. Some embodiments of system or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
5
[0014] Fig. 1 illustrates mounting structure of the fuel pump assembly as known in the art; and
[0015] Fig. 2 illustrates mounting structure of the fuel pump assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0016] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the 5 purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS: 10
[0017] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a fuel pump mounting structure for restricting movement of fuel pump during crash. In the present fuel pump mounting structure, upper part of a fuel pump assembly is fixed with upper wall of the fuel tank while the lower part of the fuel pump assembly lies inside the fuel tank. The fuel pump of the fuel pump assembly is mounted on at least two 15 axial rods or axial legs inside the fuel tank. Further, one end of the at least two axial rods are fixed at the upper part of the fuel pump assembly. Where the other end of the at least two axial rods has the fuel pump near the bottom layer of the fuel tank. Some part of the at least two axial rods are extending outward from the fuel pump and facing towards the bottom of the fuel tank. In the fuel tank, bottom 20 layer of the fuel tank has two ‘U’ shape grooves to receive the at least two axial rods from the open side of the grooves. When the at least two axial rods engages with the corresponding grooves, the engagement of the at least two axial rods and corresponding grooves restricts the movement of fuel pump assembly in the fuel tank. 25
[0018] Conventionally, fuel pump does not have support at the base of the fuel tank and keeps hanging inside the fuel tank. Further, the existing fuel pump assemblies have stronger support on upper side to protect the vehicle fuel tank from rear crash. When the barrier hits the vehicle from the rear side, the fuel pump
6
breaks down due to inertia of the fuel pump with respect to the fuel tank. The fuel tank breakage can cause leakage of oil from the fuel tank and improper working of fuel pump in the vehicle. Further, it can also cause sealing problem in the fuel pump assembly with the fuel tank.
[0019] According to present subject matter, fuel tank has two ‘U’ shape grooves 5 at the bottom layer to receive at least two axial rods extending from the fuel pump. Further, one end of the at least two axial rods are fixed at cover of the fuel pump assembly which is mounted on the upper layer or wall of the fuel tank while the other end of the at least two axial rods are in engagement with the grooves present at the bottom layer of the fuel tank. In the present engagement, the fuel 10 pump is not hanging inside the fuel tank. When there is an impact force either from the rear side or the front side, the fuel pump does not move due to engagement of the two axial rods with the two grooves. Accordingly, there is no breakage of fuel pump in the fuel tank.
[0020] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the 15 principles of the present subject matter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present subject matter. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by devising various arrangements that, although not 20 explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be 25 construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present subject matter, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the
7
following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
[0021] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject 5 matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0022] Fig. 2 illustrates mounting structure of the fuel pump assembly in the fuel tank, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. As shown 10 in the figure 2, a fuel tank 201 has a fuel pump assembly 202. The fuel tank 201 receives the fuel pump assembly 202 from a opening at the upper wall. The fuel pump assembly 202 has upper part or cover 203, fuel pump 204, and at least two axial rods 206. The upper part 203 is mounted on upper wall of the fuel tank 201. Further, mounting of the upper part 203 with the upper wall of the fuel tank 201 is 15 well known in the art. Therefore, for the sake of clarity in the present subject matter, description about the mounting of upper part 203 with the fuel tank 201 is not described.
[0023] In the fuel pump assembly 202, one end, i.e., upper end of the at least two axial rods 206 is fixed at the upper part 203 while the other end, i.e., lower end or 20 free end has the fuel pump 204 near bottom of the fuel tank. The fuel pump 204 has through bores along its width to receive the at least two axial rods. The fuel pump 204 and the at least two axial rods 206 may be mounted with each other through a thread mounting. Further, the fuel pump 204 and the at least two axial rods 206 may be mounted with each other through nut and bolt mechanism. Any 25 mounting mechanism can be used to mount the fuel tank 204 to the at least two axial rods 206. After mounting of the fuel pump 204 with the at least two axial rods 206, some part of the at least two axial rods 206 remains outside the fuel pump 204 which is facing towards the bottom of the fuel tank 201. The fuel tank 201 has at least two grooves 205 at bottom layer of the fuel tank 201 to receive the 30
8
at least two axial rods 206 from the open side of the grooves 205. Further, the shape of the at least two grooves 205 is ‘U’ shape. When the at least two axial rods 206 engage with the corresponding at least two grooves 205, the engagement of the two axial rods 206 and corresponding grooves 205 restricts the movement of fuel pump assembly 202 in the fuel tank 201 during any crash or impact force 5 either from the rear side or from the front side.
[0024] The fuel tank 201 is made of sheet metal or plastic material. Further, the at least two grooves 205 can be made in the fuel tank 201 during molding process of the fuel tank or it can be welded on the bottom layer of the fuel tank 201. The at least two grooves 205 are in line with the opening at the upper wall of the fuel 10 tank 201 to receive the at least two axial rods 206. The at least two grooves 205 made during molding process of the fuel tank 201 have high restraining strength.
[0025] When there is any impact on the fuel tank 201, the impact force moves the liquid fuel inside the fuel pump and transfers the impact to the fuel pump in the direction 207 due to its hanging nature. After engagement of the at least two axial 15 rods 206 with the corresponding at least two ‘U’ shape grooves 205, the impact force receives by the fuel pump 204 transfer to the fuel tank 201 through grooves. Further, engagement of the at least two axial rods 206 with the at least two ‘U shape grooves 205 does not allow movement of the fuel pump 204 mounted on the at least two axial rods 206. In this engagement, free end of the at least two 20 axial rods 206 is enclosed in the U shape grooves 205. Further, there is no positive mounting between the at least two grooves (205) and the at least two axial rods (206). Therefore, the grooves 205 restrict to-fro or pendulum movements of the hanging fuel pump 204 and avoid the breakage of the fuel pump 204 during crash.
[0026] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described 25 in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/device of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is 30
9
intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

Claims:We claim:
1. A fuel pump mounting structure for restricting movement of fuel pump (204) in the fuel tank (201) during abrupt movements, the fuel pump mounting structure comprising:
a upper part (203) mounted at upper wall of the fuel tank (201); 5
a fuel pump (204) which is mounted on at least two axial rods (206), wherein the at least two axial rods (206) are fixed with the upper part (203) at one end; and
at least two grooves (205) available on the fuel tank (201) receives other end of the at least two axial rods (206) to avoid breakage of the fuel 10 pump (204).
2. The fuel pump mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two grooves (205) are in ‘U’ shape.
15
3. The fuel pump mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two grooves (205) are available on bottom layer of the fuel tank (201).
4. The fuel pump mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two grooves (205) are made during molding of the fuel tank (201). 20
5. The fuel pump mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel pump (204) is mounted at lower end of the at least two axial rods (206).
6. The fuel pump mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein material 25 of the at least two grooves (205) and the fuel tank (201) is same.