Fuel pump and fuel sender assembly
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsRobert D. Gaston, Earle F. Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel tank assembly has a reservoir mounted to the bottom wall of a fuel tank, with a fuel pump unit and fuel sender unit both mounted to the reservoir. The fuel pump unit is removably mounted to the reservoir by a fuel pump bracket and the fuel sender unit is removably mounted to the reservoir by a fuel sender bracket The reservoir, fuel pump bracket and fuel sender bracket can be composed of materials compatible with alcohol fuels or other fuel compositions.
Claims22
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a reservoir having means for mounting said reservoir to a bottom wall of a fuel tank;
- a fuel pump unit mounted to said reservoir;
- and
- a fuel sender unit mounted to said reservoir such that said fuel sender unit moves in direct relation to said bottom wall of said fuel tank to enable an accurate fuel level reading and such that said fuel pump unit and said fuel sender unit are separately removably mounted to said reservoir to enable separate removal of said fuel pump unit or said fuel sender unit from said fuel tank.
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a fuel tank;
- a reservoir having means for mounting said reservoir to a bottom wall of said fuel tank;
- a fuel pump unit mounted to said reservoir;
- and
- a fuel sender unit mounted to said reservoir such that said fuel sender unit moves in direct relation to said bottom wall of said fuel tank to enable an accurate fuel level reading and such that said fuel pump unit and said fuel sender unit are separately removably mounted to said reservoir to enable separate removal of said fuel pump unit or said fuel sender unit from said fuel tank.
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a reservoir having means for mounting said reservoir to a bottom wall of a fuel tank;
- a fuel pump unit mounted to said reservoir;
- and
- a fuel sender unit mounted to said reservoir, said fuel pump unit being mounted within said reservoir by a fuel pump bracket comprising a cradle means for supporting said fuel pump unit, support means for removably mounting said fuel pump bracket to said reservoir, and strap means for removably securing said fuel pump unit to said fuel pump bracket, said support means for removably mounting said fuel pump bracket to said reservoir comprising a plurality of inverted U-shaped clasps which attach to said reservoir thereby suspending said fuel pump bracket within said reservoir.
The fuel tank assembly of claim wherein said fuel sender unit is mounted to a side wall of said reservoir and exterior to said reservoir by a fuel sender bracket.
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a boot-shaped reservoir having a means for mounting said reservoir to a bottom wall of a fuel tank;
- a fuel pump unit mounted within said reservoir by a fuel pump bracket comprising a cradle means for supporting said fuel pump unit, support means for removably attaching said fuel pump bracket to said reservoir comprising a plurality of inverted U-shaped clasps which attach to said reservoir thereby suspending said fuel pump bracket within said reservoir, and strap means for removably securing said fuel pump unit to said fuel pump bracket comprising a first strap means end fixedly mounted to said fuel pump bracket and a second strap means end removably mounted to said fuel pump bracket, whereby said strap means engages said fuel pump unit thus securing said fuel pump unit to said fuel pump bracket, said fuel pump bracket further comprising a vibration damping means positioned between said fuel pump unit and said fuel pump bracket where said fuel pump bracket supports said fuel pump unit;
- and
- a fuel sender unit mounted to a side wall of said reservoir and exterior to said reservoir by a fuel sender bracket of essentially rectangular design comprising a mounting means comprising an essentially inverted U-shaped clasp, a back plate and a slot frame for slidably engaging a plate secured to said fuel sender unit, said back plate having an opening for receiving a spring clip mechanism attached to said plate.
A fuel tank assembly comprising:
- a fuel tank;
- a boot-shaped reservoir having a means for mounting said reservoir to a bottom wall of said fuel tank;
- a fuel pump unit mounted within said reservoir by a fuel pump bracket comprising a cradle means for supporting said fuel pump unit, support means for removably attaching said fuel pump bracket to said reservoir comprising a plurality of inverted U-shaped clasps which attach to said reservoir thereby suspending said fuel pump bracket within said reservoir, and strap means for removably securing said fuel pump unit to said fuel pump bracket comprising a first strap means end fixedly mounted to said fuel pump bracket and a second strap means end removably mounted to said fuel pump bracket, whereby said strap means engages said fuel pump unit thus securing said fuel pump unit to said fuel pump bracket, said fuel pump bracket further comprising a vibration damping means positioned between said fuel pump unit and said fuel pump bracket where said fuel pump bracket supports said fuel pump unit;
- and
- a fuel sender unit mounted to a side wall of said reservoir and exterior to said reservoir by a fuel sender bracket of essentially rectangular design comprising a mounting means comprising an essentially inverted U-shaped clasp, a back plate and a slot frame for slidably engaging a plate secured to said fuel sender unit, said back plate having an opening for receiving a spring clip mechanism attached to said plate.
A method of assembling a fuel tank assembly for placement within a fuel tank comprising the steps of removably mounting a fuel sender unit to a reservoir by a removable fuel sender bracket, and removably mounting a fuel pump unit to said reservoir by a removable fuel pump bracket such that said fuel sender unit moves in direct relation to said reservoir to enable an accurate fuel level reading and such that said fuel pump unit and said fuel sender unit are separately removably mounted to said reservoir to enable separate removal of said fuel pump unit or said fuel sender unit form said fuel tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.