Suction filter

A fuel supply apparatus comprising:

• a pump unit provided in a sub tank of a fuel tank for supplying fuel from the sub tank to an outside of the fuel tank, wherein the pump unit has a jet pump for injecting fuel from a pressure regulator into a fuel inlet passage;
• a suction filter provided in the fuel tank for filtering out extraneous material contained in the fuel passing through the suction filter;
• and
• a fuel transfer pipe connected at its one end to the fuel inlet passage and at its other end to the suction filter so that the fuel is transferred to the fuel inlet passage in accordance with fuel injection from the jet pump,
• wherein the suction filter comprises:
• a core member for forming a fuel passage connected to a suction port formed at the other end of the fuel transfer pipe so that the fuel is supplied from the fuel passage into the suction port;
• and
• a filter element sheet for covering the core member and formed in a cup shape, a bottom wall portion of which faces to an inner bottom surface of the fuel tank, wherein the filter element sheet filters out the extraneous material from the fuel flowing from the fuel tank into the suction port, wherein
• the core member comprises:
• a through-hole formed in a bottom wall portion of the core member, wherein the suction port is inserted into the through-hole so that the suction port is communicated to the fuel passage;
• and
• a fuel hole formed in the bottom wall portion at a position adjacent to the suction port so as to pass through the bottom wall portion, so that a space formed in the bottom wall portion is communicated to an outside of the filter element sheet.

A method for manufacturing a suction filter for a fuel supply apparatus, which is provided in a fuel tank for supplying fuel from the fuel tank to an outside of the fuel tank, wherein the suction filter filters out extraneous material from the fuel to be sucked into a suction port of a fuel pump from the fuel tank, and wherein the suction filter comprises:

• a core member for forming a fuel passage therein connected to the suction port so that the fuel is supplied from the fuel passage into the suction port;
• and
• a filter element sheet for covering the core member and formed in a cup shape, a bottom wall portion of which faces to an inner bottom surface of the fuel tank, wherein the filter element sheet filters out the extraneous material from the fuel flowing from the fuel tank into the fuel passage, wherein
• the core member comprises:
• a through-hole formed in a bottom wall portion of the core member, wherein the suction port is inserted into the through-hole so that the suction port is communicated to the fuel passage;
• and
• a fuel hole formed in the bottom wall portion at a position adjacent to the suction port so as to pass through the bottom wall portion, so that a space formed in the bottom wall portion is communicated to an outside of the filter element sheet
• wherein
• the core member has multiple ribs respectively spaced from a neighboring rib in a circumferential direction, so that the suction port is surrounded by the ribs, and
• the filter element sheet is bent along the respective ribs so as to form multiple mountain fold portions and to form multiple valley fold portions between the neighboring ribs,
• the method comprising:
• a first step for covering the multiple ribs of the core member, which are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, with the filter element sheet;
• a second step for inserting a ring jig onto an outer periphery of the multiple ribs, so that the filter element sheet is folded along the respective ribs to form the mountain fold portions and to form the valley fold portions between the neighboring ribs;
• a third step for fixing an upper peripheral end of the cup-shaped filter element sheet to the core member by welding or adhesive bonding;
• and
• a fourth step for taking out the ring jig from the core member.

A method for manufacturing a suction filter for for a fuel supply apparatus, which is provided in a fuel tank for supplying fuel from the fuel tank to an outside of the fuel tank, wherein the suction filter filters out extraneous material from the fuel to be sucked into a suction port of a fuel pump from the fuel tank, and wherein the suction filter comprises:

• a core member for forming a fuel passage therein connected to the suction port so that the fuel is supplied from the fuel passage into the suction port;
• and
• a filter element sheet for covering the core member and formed in a cup shape, a bottom wall portion of which faces to an inner bottom surface of the fuel tank, wherein the filter element sheet filters out the extraneous material from the fuel flowing from the fuel tank into the fuel passage, wherein
• the core member comprises:
• a through-hole formed in a bottom wall portion of the core member, wherein the suction port is inserted into the through-hole so that the suction port is communicated to the fuel passage;
• and
• a fuel hole formed in the bottom wall portion at a position adjacent to the suction port so as to pass through the bottom wall portion, so that a space formed in the bottom wall portion is communicated to an outside of the filter element sheet
• wherein
• the core member has multiple ribs respectively spaced from a neighboring rib in a circumferential direction, so that the suction port is surrounded by the ribs, and the filter element sheet is bent along the respective ribs so as to form multiple mountain fold portions and to form multiple valley fold portions between the neighboring ribs, the method comprising:
• a first step for covering the multiple ribs of the core member, which are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, with the filter element sheet;
• a second step for inserting a ring member onto an outer periphery of the multiple ribs, so that the filter element sheet is folded along the respective ribs to form the mountain fold portions and to form the valley fold portions between the neighboring ribs;
• a third step for moving the ring member to an upper end of the core member in order that an upper peripheral end of the cup-shaped filter element sheet is interposed between the core member and the ring member, so that the upper peripheral end of the cup-shaped filter element sheet is firmly fixed to the core member.