# US 2008/0184971 A1 · Check valve placement in an electronic returnless fuel system

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- Number: US 2008/0184971 A1
- Document ID: US20080184971A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/703,046
- Filed: 2007-02-06
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-06
- Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc.; Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Joseph Lubinski; Hideto Takahashi; Tatsuya Matsumoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184971A1

## CPC

- F02M 37/0058: {Returnless fuel systems, i.e. the fuel return lines are not entering the fuel tank}
- F02M 37/18: characterised by provision of main and auxiliary pumps
- F02M 37/0094: {Saddle tanks; Tanks having partition walls}
- F02M 37/025: {Feeding by means of a liquid fuel-driven jet pump (jet pumps per se F04F)}
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF

## Abstract

A fuel pump module within a fuel tank employs at least one fuel pump, while in the case of additional fuel pumps, a manifold receives all pumped fuel and directs it into a surrounding fuel filter within a filter case. A check valve is adjacent the filter case at a first location and a pressure regulator is adjacent the check valve. With the check valve located between the filter case and the pressure regulator, high fuel pressures may be maintained in the engine supply line when the engine is shut off, while during engine operation the pressure regulator may relieve excessive fuel pressure and deliver fuel to the engine through an engine supply line. A jet pump supply line exits the filter case at a second case location and supplies fuel to one or more jet pumps, such as a fuel pump module reservoir jet pump.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel pump module comprising:
a first fuel pump;
a fuel filter;
a pressure regulator; and
a check valve positioned between the fuel filter and the pressure regulator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel pump module of claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel filter case, within which the fuel filter is encased; and
a jet pump feed line attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case to receive fuel from the fuel filter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel pump module of claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel filter case, within which the fuel filter is encased.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fuel pump module of claim 3, wherein the check valve is attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fuel pump module of claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel filter case, within which the fuel filter is encased and to which the check valve and pressure regulator are attached.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel pump module of claim 1, wherein the first fuel pump supplies fuel in the order of: the fuel filter, the check valve, and then the pressure regulator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuel pump module of claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel filter case, within which the fuel filter is encased; and
a jet pump feed line attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case at a first filter case location, and the check valve is attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case at a second filter case location.

### Claim 8

A fuel pump module comprising:
a first fuel pump;
a second fuel pump;
a fuel filter case;
a fuel filter within the fuel filter case to receive fuel from the first and second fuel pumps;
a pressure regulator; and
a check valve positioned between the fuel filter case and the pressure regulator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, further comprising:
a jet pump feed line attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case at a first location to receive fuel from the fuel filter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, wherein the check valve is attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case at a second location.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, further comprising:
a manifold to channel fuel from the first and second pumps into a single manifold outlet.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, wherein the check valve is attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, wherein the check valve is attached to an exterior of the fuel filter case.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The fuel pump module of claim 13, wherein the pressure regulator is attached to the check valve.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The fuel pump module of claim 8, wherein the first and second fuel pumps supply fuel in the order of: the fuel filter, the check valve, and then the pressure regulator.

### Claim 16

A fuel pump module comprising:
a first fuel pump;
a second fuel pump;
a manifold that blends fuel from the first and second fuel pumps;
a fuel filter case;
a fuel filter within the fuel filter case to receive fuel from the first and second fuel pumps;
a check valve attached to the fuel filter case at a first location; and
a pressure regulator attached to the check valve.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The fuel pump module of claim 16, further comprising:
an engine supply line that receives fuel from the pressure regulator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The fuel pump module of claim 16, wherein the fuel filter surrounds the first and second fuel pumps.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The fuel pump module of claim 16, further comprising:
a jet pump feed line attached to the fuel filter case at a second location.