Fuel pressure regulator

A fuel pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing, a diaphragm defining in cooperation with the housing a first chamber and a second chamber, a passage from the second chamber to the exterior of the housing, a fuel inlet to the first chamber, a fuel outlet from the first chamber, a valve seat associated with said fuel outlet and having a generally circular seat surface for engagement with a complementary valve element, a first spring in said second chamber and urging said diaphragm generally axially toward said valve seat, a cage carried by said diaphragm, a valve element having an exterior portion with a generally spherical surface portion complementary to and for mating sealing engagement with said circular valve seat, said valve element being carried by said cage and movable generally axially by said diaphragm to a closed position received on said valve seat and to an open position spaced from said valve seat, a second spring carried by said cage and yieldably urging said valve element generally axially toward said valve seat relative to said cage, a carrier element carried by said valve element for movement in unison therewith and projecting generally radially of the longitudinal axis of said valve element, said valve element comprises a ball, said carrier element comprises a disc encircling the mid portion of said ball, projecting generally radially outward thereof and fixed to said ball for movement in unison therewith, said cage having a cavity in which said carrier element is received, said cavity and said carrier element being dimensioned and constructed and arranged to provide a lost motion coupling between said diaphragm and said valve element so that with said valve element on said valve seat said diaphragm can move generally axially, rdially and pivotally within predetermined limits relative to said valve element without moving it from said valve seat and thereafter upon further generally axial movement of said diaphragm away from said valve seat said valve element will be moved from its closed position toward its fully open position, and an electrical switch having a first contact of an electrically conductive material fixedly disposed within said first chamber, a second contact of an electrically conductive material and movable with said diaphragm and said cage so that when said valve is closed said first and second contacts are in a conductive state, and pulse width modulation means coupled to said switch for applying pulsed d.c. energy to an electric motor of a fuel pump at a first frequency and duty cycle when said switch is in said conductive state, and at a second non-zero frequency and/or non-zero duty cycle less than said first frequency and/or duty cycle when said switch is in said non-conductive state, such that electrical power applied to the pump motor is reduced when pump outlet pressure applied to said regulator opens said switch.

A fuel pressure regulator comprising:

• a housing, a diaphragm defining in cooperation with the housing a first chamber and a second chamber, a passage from the second chamber to the exterior of the housing, a fuel inlet to the first chamber, a fuel outlet from the first chamber, a valve seat associated with said fuel outlet and having a generally circular seat surface for engagement with a complementary valve element, a first spring in said second chamber and urging said diaphragm generally axially toward said valve seat, a cage carried by said diaphragm, a valve element having an exterior portion with a generally spherical surface complementary to and for mating sealing engagement with said circular valve seat, said valve element being carried by said cage and movable generally axially by said diaphragm to a closed position received on said valve seat and to an open position spaced from said valve seat, a second spring carried by said cage and yieldably urging said valve element generally axially toward said valve seat relative to said cage, a carrier element carried by said valve element for movement in unison therewith and projecting generally radially of the longitudinal axis of said valve element, said valve element comprises a semi-spherical body, said carrier element comprises a disc fixed to said semi-spherical body and projecting generally radially outwardly thereof for movement in unison therewith, said cage having a cavity in which said carrier element is received, said cavity and said carrier element being dimensioned and constructed and arranged to provide a lost motion coupling between said diaphragm and said valve element so that with said valve element on said valve seat said diaphragm can move generally axially, radially and pivotally within predetermined limits relative to said valve element without moving it from said valve seat and thereafter upon further generally axial movement of said diaphragm away from said valve seat said valve element will be moved from its closed position toward its fully open position, said cage has a pocket therein communicating with said first chamber to receive therein liquid fuel from said first chamber, and a plunger slidably received in said pocket, bearing on said valve element and constructed and arranged to provide a hydraulic damper of generally axial movement of said valve element relative to said cage, said plunger is constructed and arranged so that said plunger can move generally radially and pivotally relative to said carrier element, an electrical switch having a first contact of an electrically conductive material fixedly disposed within said first chamber, a second contact of an electrically conductive material and movable with said diaphragm and said cage so that when said valve is closed said first and second contacts are in a conductive state when said valve is open said contacts are a non-conductive state, and pulse width modulation means coupled to said switch for applying pulsed d.c. energy to an electric motor of a fuel pump at a first frequency and duty cycle when said switch is in said conductive state, and at a second non-zero frequency and/or non-zero duty cycle less than said first frequency and/or duty cycle when said switch is in said non-conductive state, such that electrical power applied to the pump motor is reduced when pump outlet pressure applied to said regulator opens said switch.