Venturi pump system for a fuel sending unit

A venturi pump for a fuel circulation system in a vehicle, the fuel circulation system including a fuel tank having a fuel tank reservoir, and a lift pump having a first fluid outlet, the lift pump being configured to output fuel from the first fluid outlet at a first prescribed pressure, the venturi pump comprising:

• a housing sized to be disposable in the fuel tank reservoir, the housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, and a sidewall extending between the upper wall and the lower wall, the housing defining a venturi pump reservoir;
• a venturi jet coupled to the housing and including a drive inlet and a suction inlet, the drive inlet being configured to be fluidly connectable to the first fluid outlet of the lift pump to receive fluid therefrom at the first prescribed pressure, the suction inlet being configured to be placeable in fluid communication with the fuel tank reservoir and to draw fluid from the fuel tank reservoir into the venturi pump reservoir in response to fluid flowing through the venturi jet at the first prescribed pressure;
• a tube coupled to the upper wall and extending toward the lower wall wherein the tube includes a terminal edge adjacent the lower wall;
• and
• at least one finger extending from the tube, the at least one finger being configured to space the terminal edge from the lower wall.

A method of circulating fuel through a fuel circuit in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• urging fuel from a fuel tank reservoir of a fuel tank to a lift pump located outside of the fuel tank;
• outputting fuel from the lift pump via a first fluid outlet, the lift pump being configured to output fuel from the first fluid outlet at a first prescribed pressure;
• receiving fuel output from the first fluid outlet at a venturi pump, the received fuel being at the first prescribed pressure, the venturi pump having a venturi pump reservoir and a venturi jet;
• and
• allowing the received fuel to flow through the venturi jet, the venturi jet being configured to generate a force which draws fuel from the fuel tank reservoir into the venturi pump reservoir in response to the received fuel flowing through the venturi jet.