Fuel intake device for fuel systems

Abstract

A fuel intake device (20) for a fuel system (10) having a fuel tank (14) for containing a supply of fuel (16) and an internal fuel feed line (18) which is disposed internally of the fuel tank (14). The fuel intake device (20) is operative to provide uninterrupted fuel flow in icing conditions and is characterized by a flexible fuel filter (40) having a plurality of primary flow apertures (42) apertures therein for facilitating a primary flow P.sub.F of fuel therethrough, a bypass means (50) for providing a secondary flow S.sub.F of fuel to the internal fuel feed line (18) when an accumulation of ice (80) restricts the primary flow P.sub.F of fuel through the primary flow apertures (42), and force bias means (60) for rapidly reconfiguring the flexible fuel filter (40) for forcibly shedding the accumulation of ice (80), thereby restoring the primary flow P.sub.F of fuel. The flexible fuel filter (40) is reconfigurable from an extended position to a collapsed position in response to a threshold pressure differential across the flexible fuel filter (40). Upon sensing the threshold pressure differential, the bypass means (50) provides a secondary fuel flow S.sub.F which effects a nominal pressure differential across the flexible fuel filter (40). In response to the nominal pressure differential, the force bias means (60) is actuated or released so as to rapidly expand the flexible fuel filter (40).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.