Fuel pump driven by an electric motor

A fuel pump comprising:

• a pump holder having a pump holder sidewall extending along an axis from a first end to a second end, said pump holder sidewall being annular in shape and surrounding said axis such that said second end is closed off by a pump holder end wall which is transverse to said axis, said pump holder having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• an electric motor which rotates when an electric current is applied thereto;
• an upper plate which is received within said pump holder sidewall and which is proximal to said electric motor, said upper plate having an upper plate flow channel formed in a lower surface thereof;
• a lower plate which is located within said pump holder sidewall and which is distal from said electric motor such that said upper plate is located axially between said electric motor and said lower plate and such that an outlet chamber is formed axially between said lower plate and said pump holder end wall, said lower plate having a lower plate flow channel formed in an upper surface thereof such that said upper surface of said lower plate faces toward said lower surface of said upper plate, said lower plate also having a lower plate outlet passage which extends from said lower plate flow channel to a lower surface thereof;
• and
• a pumping element located axially between said upper plate and said lower plate and rotationally coupled to said electric motor such that rotation of said pumping element by said electric motor causes fuel to be drawn through said fuel inlet into, and pressurized within, said upper plate flow channel and said lower plate flow channel and discharged into said outlet chamber through said lower plate outlet passage such that fuel under pressure within said outlet chamber urges said lower plate toward said upper plate.