# US 2016/0258402 A1 · Automotive fuel pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0258402 A1 - Document ID: US20160258402A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/640,389 - Filed: 2015-03-06 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06 - Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. - Applicants: Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. - Inventors: Jason Abdulghani Abbas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258402A1 ## CPC - F02M 59/025: {characterised by a single piston} - F02M 59/367: {Pump inlet valves of the check valve type being open when actuated} - F02M 59/462: {Delivery valves} - F02M 59/466: {Electrically operated valves, e.g. using electromagnetic or piezoelectric operating means} - F02M 63/005: {Pressure relief valves} - F04B 7/0076: {the members being actuated by electro-magnetic means} - F04B 11/00: Equalisation of pulses, e.g. by use of air vessels; Counteracting cavitation - F04B 11/0016: {with a fluid spring} - F04B 53/10: Valves; Arrangement of valves - F04B 53/1002: {Ball valves} - F04B 53/1032: {Spring-actuated disc valves (F04B53/1022, F04B53/103 take precedence)} - F02M 59/102: {Mechanical drive, e.g. tappets or cams (F02M45/063 takes precedence)} - F02M 63/0054: {Check valves (F02M59/462, F02M59/464 take precedence)} - F02M 2200/31: Fuel-injection apparatus having hydraulic pressure fluctuations damping elements - F02M 2200/315: for damping fuel pressure fluctuations - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract An automotive fuel pump having a body with an inlet, an outlet, and an elongated chamber therebetween. A relief valve, relief valve housing, and check valve are respectively disposed in the chamber between the inlet and the outlet. The relief valve housing has a portion which extends across the chamber so that a first axial end of the relief valve housing forms a valve seat for the check valve while the other axial end forms a valve seat for the relief valve. The check valve permits fluid flow from the body chamber to the outlet while the relief valve exhausts excess fluid pressure at the outlet back into the body chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid fuel pump comprising: a body having an inlet, an outlet and an elongated chamber between said inlet and said outlet, a relief valve, a relief valve housing and a check valve respectively disposed in said chamber between said inlet and said outlet, said relief valve housing having a portion extending across said chamber, a first axial side of said relief valve housing portion forming a valve seat for said check valve and a second axial side of said relief valve housing portion forming a valve seat for said relief valve, said check valve movable between an open position to enable fluid flow from said chamber into said outlet and a closed position, a first spring which urges said check valve towards said closed position, said relief valve movable between an open position to enable fluid flow from said outlet into said chamber and a closed position, a second spring which urges said relief valve towards said closed position, a pump member which supplies pressurized fuel from said inlet to said chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pump as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second springs respectively urge said check valve and said relief valve in opposite axial directions toward said relief valve housing portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pump as defined in claim 1 wherein said relief valve housing portion includes a port which registers with a port in said check valve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pump as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressurized fuel source comprises a reciprocating piston. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pump as defined in claim 4 and comprising an inlet valve movable between an open position to establish fluid communication from a source of fuel to said chamber and a closed position, and a solenoid which actuates said inlet valve between said open and said closed position in synchronism with reciprocation of said piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pump as defined in claim 5 wherein said piston is reciprocally mounted in a cylinder attached to said body, an end of said cylinder forming a seat for said inlet valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pump as defined in claim 1 and comprising a pressure dampener disposed in said chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pump as defined in claim 7 wherein said dampener includes an elongated annular chamber filled with a compressible material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pump as defined in claim 8 wherein said compressible material comprises a gas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The pump as defined in claim 8 wherein said dampener includes a plurality of outwardly protruding ribs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pump as defined in claim 10 wherein said ribs are arranged in a helical pattern. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The pump as defined in claim 8 wherein said dampener is annular in shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pump as defined in claim 12 wherein said inlet extends radially with respect to said body chamber and wherein said dampener is aligned with said inlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The pump as defined in claim 6 and comprising an annular pressure dampener disposed around said cylinder. ### Claim 15 A liquid fuel pump comprising: an elongated body having an elongated chamber, an inlet open adjacent one end of said body and an outlet open adjacent the other end of said body, a cylinder having an inlet valve seat which extends across said body chamber between said inlet and said outlet, said inlet valve seat having at least one through passageway, an inlet valve movable between an open position to permit fluid flow through said through passageway and a closed position to stop fluid flow through said through passageway, a solenoid coil disposed around said housing adjacent said inlet valve which, upon energization, moves said inlet valve from one of said open and closed positions to the other of said open and closed positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The fuel pump as defined in claim 15 and comprising a spring which urges said inlet valve from one of said open and closed positions to the other of said open and closed positions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The pump as defined in claim 15 wherein said inlet valve is attached to an anchor made of a magnetic material and wherein said solenoid coil is radially aligned with said anchor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pump as defined in claim 17 wherein said body comprises a lower body part, an upper body part and a non-magnetic flux separator positioned between said upper and lower body parts, said flux separator positioned in radial alignment with said solenoid coil so that said flux separator directs magnetic flux from said solenoid coil through said anchor. ### Claim 19 A pressure dampener for a fuel pump comprising: an inner annular shell, an outer annular shell hermetically sealed to said inner shell and forming a closed chamber between said shells, a plurality of helical ribs fainted on at least one of said shells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The pressure dampener as defined in claim 19 wherein said shells are constructed from metal sheets.