Vapor separator for an internal combustion engine

A vapor separator for the fuel system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an enclosed fuel reservoir;
• a reservoir inlet interconnected with the engine fuel system for providing fuel to the reservoir;
• a fuel pump disposed within the reservoir, the fuel pump having an inlet located toward the lower portion of the reservoir for providing fuel to the fuel pump from the reservoir, and an outlet for discharging fuel therefrom;
• a fuel filter element disposed within the reservoir upstream of the fuel pump inlet for filtering fuel supplied to the fuel pump inlet;
• and
• means associated with the reservoir for accommodating discharge of fuel therefrom through the fuel pump outlet to the engine fuel system.

A method of constructing a vapor separator, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bowl member having an open upper end and one or more walls defining an internal cavity adapted to receive fuel therein;
• positioning a fuel pump having an inlet and an outlet within the internal cavity of the bowl member such that the inlet of the fuel pump is located toward the lower portion of the internal cavity and the outlet of the fuel pump is located above the open upper end of the bowl member;
• and
• securing a cover member to the bowl member to enclose the open upper end of the bowl member, with the cover member including an opening for receiving the upper end of the fuel pump below the fuel pump discharge outlet.

A vapor separator for the fuel system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• structure defining an enclosed vapor separator fuel reservoir;
• a reservoir inlet interconnected with the engine fuel system for providing fuel to the reservoir;
• a reservoir outlet interconnected with the engine fuel system for providing fuel from the reservoir to the engine fuel system;
• a vent located toward the upper portion of the reservoir communicating between the interior and the exterior of the reservoir for venting fuel vapors present within the upper portion of the reservoir;
• a water separating filter mounting portion associated with the structure defining the enclosed reservoir and being adapted to mount a water separating filter element thereto, the mounting portion including an inlet located upstream of the reservoir inlet for supplying fuel to the filter element, and an outlet for receiving fuel discharged from the filter element;
• and
• conduit means extending between the mounting portion outlet and the reservoir inlet for supplying fuel to the reservoir inlet from the mounting portion outlet.

A vapor separator for the fuel system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• structure defining an enclosed fuel reservoir, comprising a bowl member having an internal cavity defined by a plurality of walls and having an open top, and a cover member positioned over the open top of the bowl member;
• a reservoir inlet interconnected with the engine fuel system for providing fuel to the reservoir;
• a reservoir outlet interconnected with the engine fuel system for providing fuel from the reservoir to the engine fuel system;
• a water separating filter mounting portion associated with the structure defining the enclosed reservoir and being adapted to mount a water separating filter element thereto, the mounting portion including an inlet for supplying fuel to the filter element and an outlet for receiving fuel discharged from the filter element;
• conduit means extending between the mounting portion outlet and the reservoir inlet for supplying fuel to the reservoir inlet from the mounting portion outlet;
• and
• a fuel pump disposed within the internal cavity of the bowl member, the fuel pump having an inlet for supplying fuel thereto from the lower portion of the internal cavity, and a discharge outlet interconnected with the engine fuel system.

A method of assembling a vapor separator, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bowl member having an open top and an internal cavity defined by a plurality of walls;
• mounting a cover member to the bowl member to enclose the open top thereof, the bowl member and cover member cooperating to define an internal cavity;
• providing a vent for venting vapors from the upper portion of the internal cavity;
• providing an inlet for allowing passage of fuel into the bowl member internal cavity;
• mounting a water separating filter element to the cover member such that the filter element is located exteriorly of the bowl member internal cavity, the filter element having an inlet and an outlet;
• and
• interconnecting the filter element outlet with the bowl member inlet so that fuel is supplied to the inlet of the bowl member internal cavity from the fuel element outlet.

A method of assembling a vapor separator, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bowl member having an open top and an internal cavity defined by a plurality of walls;
• mounting a cover member to the bowl member to enclose the open top thereof;
• providing an inlet for allowing passage of fuel into the bowl member internal cavity by forming an inlet in the cover member;
• mounting a water separating filter element to the cover member such that the filter element is located exteriorly of the bowl member internal cavity, the filter element having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the filter element is mounted to the cover member such that its outlet is located adjacent the cover member;
• and
• interconnecting the filter element outlet with the bowl member inlet for supplying fuel to the bowl member internal cavity from the fuel element outlet by forming a passage in the cover member communicating with and extending between the bowl member and the filter element outlet.

A vapor separator for the fuel system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a bowl member having an open top and an internal cavity defined by a plurality of walls;
• a fuel pump disposed within the internal cavity of the bowl member and including an inlet for receiving fuel from the lower portion of the internal cavity and an outlet for discharging fuel therefrom;
• a cover member mounted to the bowl member for enclosing the internal cavity thereof and for securing the fuel pump in position within the internal cavity of the bowl member, the cover member including a fuel inlet for passing fuel into the bowl member internal cavity;
• a mounting portion provided on the cover member for mounting a water separating filter element to the vapor separator exteriorly of the bowl member internal cavity, the mounting portion including an inlet for passing fuel into the water separating filter element and an outlet for receiving fuel from the water separating filter element;
• and
• a passage formed in the cover member and extending between the cover member fuel inlet and the mounting portion outlet for supplying fuel to the bowl member fuel inlet from the outlet of the water separating filter element.

A fuel system for an internal combustion engine, in which fuel is supplied from a fuel tank, comprising:

• a fuel supply line in which fuel is supplied by a low pressure pump from the tank;
• a vapor separator reservoir separate from the fuel tank for receiving fuel from the supply line;
• a fuel pump disposed within the reservoir, the fuel pump having an inlet located toward the lower portion of the reservoir for providing fuel to the fuel pump from the reservoir, and an outlet for discharging fuel therefrom;
• means associated with the reservoir for accommodating discharge of fuel therefrom through the fuel pump outlet;
• and
• a fuel discharge line connected to the fuel pump outlet for providing fuel to the engine from the fuel pump.