Clog-resistant jet pump for a fuel system

A jet pump assembly comprising:

• at least one fuel reservoir refill passage, each fuel reservoir refill passage being defined by a separate tube having a refill passage inlet and a refill passage outlet;
• and
• a jet pump comprising:
• a body that defines a fuel passage therein, the body including an inlet and at least one exit orifice, the at least one exit orifice being downstream from the inlet in a direction of fuel flow from the inlet to the at least one exit orifice, and a flow path is defined through the fuel passage from the inlet to the at least one exit orifice;
• and
• a flow restrictor disposed in the fuel passage between the inlet and the at least one exit orifice, wherein the flow restrictor is a preliminary orifice that is proximate the inlet of the body along the flow path, the preliminary orifice is closer to the inlet along the flow path than the preliminary orifice is to the at least one exit orifice, and the preliminary orifice is larger in diameter than each of the at least one exit orifice of the jet pump;
• the inlet of the jet pump being configured to be connected to receive pressurized fuel from a fuel pump outlet of a fuel pump;
• each exit orifice of the jet pump extending into a respective one of the at least one fuel reservoir refill passage;
• wherein each exit orifice is configured to discharge a first flow of fuel into the respective fuel reservoir refill passage and create a venturi effect within the respective fuel reservoir refill passage which draws a second flow of fuel into the respective fuel reservoir refill passage through the refill passage inlet such that the first flow of fuel and the second flow of fuel combine in the respective fuel reservoir refill passage and exit the respective fuel reservoir refill passage through the refill passage outlet.

A fuel system for supplying fuel to a fuel consuming device, the fuel system comprising:

• a fuel pump having a fuel pump inlet and a fuel pump outlet such that the fuel pump is configured to pump fuel from the fuel pump inlet to the fuel pump outlet;
• and
• a jet pump assembly comprising:
• at least one fuel reservoir refill passage, each fuel reservoir refill passage being defined by a separate tube having a refill passage inlet and a refill passage outlet;
• and
• a jet pump comprising:
• a body that defines a fuel passage therein, the body including an inlet and at least one exit orifice, the at least one exit orifice being downstream from the inlet in a direction of fuel flow from the inlet to the at least one exit orifice, and a flow path is defined through the fuel passage from the inlet to the at least one exit orifice;
• and
• a flow restrictor disposed in the fuel passage between the inlet and the at least one exit orifice, wherein the flow restrictor is a preliminary orifice that is proximate the inlet of the body along the flow path, the preliminary orifice is closer to the inlet along the flow path than the preliminary orifice is to the at least one exit orifice, and the preliminary orifice is larger in diameter than each of the at least one exit orifice of the jet pump;
• the inlet of the jet pump being configured to be connected to receive pressurized fuel from the fuel pump outlet of the fuel pump;
• each exit orifice of the jet pump extending into a respective one of the at least one fuel reservoir refill passage;
• wherein each exit orifice is configured to discharge a first flow of fuel into the respective fuel reservoir refill passage and create a venturi effect within the respective fuel reservoir refill passage which draws a second flow of fuel into the respective fuel reservoir refill passage through the refill passage inlet such that the first flow of fuel and the second flow of fuel combine in the respective fuel reservoir refill passage and exit the respective fuel reservoir refill passage through the refill passage outlet.