Fuel pump module and method of assembly
AssigneeDENSO International America, Inc.
InventorPatrick Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel pump module and method for mounting such to a fuel tank having a limited mounting depth, includes a reservoir, a modular flange, and a compressible coupling element, wherein the modular flange and the reservoir containing the fuel pump are connected offset to each other vertically, by means of the compressible coupling element. Upon installation in a shallow fuel tank, the offset attachment provides for the reservoir, to be biased against the bottom wall of the fuel tank without vertically interfering with the modular flange embodying various components such as vent valves or carbon canisters, which after mounting, are at least partially adjacent horizontally to the reservoir within the fuel tank.
Claims9
A fuel pump module for mounting to a fuel tank having a limited mounting depth, comprising:
- a modular flange, for sealing and attaching through an aperture in the fuel tank, said flange having a top side, a bottom side, a vertical center, and a mounting height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank;
- a reservoir attached to said modular flange offset from said center, and adapted to be inserted into said fuel tank through said aperture, said reservoir having a height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank;
- a vertically-compressible attachment means having an uncompressed height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank, operatively connecting said flange to said reservoir,
- wherein the sum of said flange mounting height, said reservoir height, and said uncompressed attachment means height,
- comprises fuel pump module height, and is greater than the fuel tank mounting depth.
The fuel pump module of claim I wherein when attachment means is compressed, said modular flange is at least partially horizontally adjacent to said reservoir.
A method of mounting a fuel pump module to a fuel tank having a limited mounting depth and an aperture through an upper wall, said pump module comprising:
- a modular flange having a top side, a bottom side, a vertical center, and a mounting height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank;
- a reservoir attached to said modular flange offset from said center, having a height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank;
- a vertically-compressible attachment means having an uncompressed height less than the mounting depth of the fuel tank, operatively connecting said flange to said reservoir, comprising the steps of:
- positioning the fuel pump module above the fuel tank so as said reservoir is directly positioned in line above the aperture of the fuel tank,
- lowering said fuel pump module towards the fuel tank until said reservoir traverses through the aperture and contacts the bottom wall of the fuel tank, opposite the aperture,
- sliding said fuel pump module horizontally relative to the fuel tank, so as to position fuel pump modular flange directly in line above said aperture, and said reservoir inside the fuel tank is no longer in line with the aperture,
- applying downward force to said modular flange, compressing the attachment means of said module until said modular flange closes the aperture in the fuel tank,
- attaching the modular flange to the fuel tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.