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US 12,117,003 B2Granted
Flexible crescent for low pressure fuel pump
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsAmol Yashwant Alsundkar, Senthil Kumar Selvaraj, Nitin Khojare, Rashmi Prakash Keskar, Jayesh Mahadev Gudekar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crescent member is disclosed which is configured to be in constant contact with outer and inner gear teeth to prevent unwanted fluid backflow between the gears. The crescent member may be part of a low-pressure fuel pump system for a diesel engine. In order to reduce heat buildup in the crescent member and gear teeth, the crescent member comprises a gap to allow fluid to flow within the crescent member to absorb and dissipate the heat generated by friction. The crescent member is resilient to maintain constant contact, but flexible enough to reduce wear from friction over time.
Claims20
A fuel pump assembly comprising:
- a fuel pump housing,
- an inner gear comprising inner gear teeth, rotatably coupled to the fuel pump housing;
- an outer gear comprising outer gear teeth, rotatably coupled to the fuel pump housing and configured to operably mesh with the inner gear;
- a retaining member having a body, comprising at least one coupling member protruding from the body and at least one retaining indent on an outer surface of the body, the retaining member directly coupled to the fuel pump housing through the at least one coupling member and located between the outer gear and the inner gear;
- a crescent member comprising at least one outer surface and a gap in the at least one outer surface configured to allow fuel to at least partially flow through the gap into the crescent member, the crescent member being coupled to the outer surface of the retaining member and including at least one protruding indent at an inner surface thereof to interface with the at least one retaining indent of the retaining member, the crescent member being flexible such that a force applied to the crescent by the inner gear teeth or the outer gear teeth causes the crescent member to flex;
- an inlet that allows fuel to enter the fuel pump assembly;
- and
- an outlet that allows fuel to leave the fuel pump assembly, wherein the fuel enters the fuel pump through the inlet, increases in pressure due to at least the rotation of the inner gear, and leaves the fuel pump through the outlet.
5 more elements
A pump, comprising:
- an outer gear;
- an inner gear disposed within the outer gear and configured to rotate, thereby causing rotation of the outer gear;
- a housing configured to receive the inner gear and the outer gear, the housing comprising an inlet in flow communication with a passage between the inner gear and the outer gear and an outlet in flow communication with the passage;
- a retaining member having a body and comprising at least one post protruding from the body and at least one complimentary indent, the retaining member directly coupled to the housing through the at least one post;
- and
- a flexible curved spacer coupled to the housing through the retaining member and disposed within the passage, the flexible curved spacer comprising,
- an outer surface biased into contact with the inner gear and the outer gear to inhibit fluid from flowing through the passage in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of the inner gear and the outer gear,
- a first end disposed proximate the inlet,
- a second end disposed proximate the outlet, and
- a gap within the first end configured to permit fluid flow into an interior space of the flexible curved spacer.
7 more elements
A pump assembly comprising:
- a pump housing;
- an inner gear rotatably coupled to the pump housing;
- an outer gear rotatably coupled to the pump housing and configured to operably mesh with the inner gear;
- a continuous flexible crescent member coupled to the pump housing through a retaining member, the flexible crescent member positioned between the inner gear and the outer gear and configured to interface with the inner gear and the outer gear, the retaining member having a retaining indent on an outer surface thereof to interface with a protruding indent of the flexible crescent member;
- an inlet disposed within the pump housing and configured to allow a fluid to enter the pump assembly;
- and
- an outlet disposed within the pump housing and configured to allow the fluid to leave the pump assembly, wherein rotation of the inner gear and the outer gear drives the fluid from the inlet to the outlet past the flexible crescent member.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.