Fuel supply apparatus

A fuel supply apparatus comprising:

• a flange that is configured to be installed to a fuel tank;
• a pump unit that is configured to be installed in an inside of the fuel tank to pump fuel received in the inside of the fuel tank to an outside of the fuel tank;
• a support shaft that is configured into a tubular body and connects between the flange and the pump unit;
• a resilient member that is received in the support shaft and exerts a restoring force in an axial direction of the support shaft to urge the pump unit, which is movable relative to the support shaft in the axial direction, toward a bottom portion of the fuel tank, and
• a holding member that holds the pump unit, wherein:
• the holding member includes a receiver, which is configured into a tubular body and axially slidably receives the support shaft;
• the restoring force of the resilient member, which is received in the support shaft, is exerted against the receiver;
• the support shaft is an upper support shaft, which is fixed to the flange installed to an upper opening of the fuel tank;
• the fuel supply apparatus further comprises a lower support shaft, which is received in the receiver;
• the resilient member is clamped between the upper support shaft and the lower support shaft;
• the lower support shaft is coupled to the receiver and the upper support shaft such that the lower support shaft is slidable in the axial direction relative to the receiver and the upper support shaft;
• and
• the lower support shaft is adapted to be engaged with the receiver when the lower support shaft is placed to a movable end of the lower support shaft upon movement of the lower support shaft into the receiver in an inserting direction of the lower support shaft for inserting the lower support shaft into the receiver.