# US 9,752,543 B2 · Fuel tank > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,543 B2 - Document ID: US9752543B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/185,342 - Filed: 2016-06-17 - Published: 2016-12-22 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-18 - Assignees: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masaki Ikeya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752543B2 ## CPC - F02M 37/0047: {Layout or arrangement of systems for feeding fuel (fuel injection apparatus characterised by their conduits and venting means F02M55/00; fuel injection apparatus having a common rail F02M63/0225; arrangement of fuel conduits of low pressure fuel injection apparatus F02M69/462)} - F02M 37/0076: {Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank (vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/03)} - F02M 37/103: {Mounting pumps on fuel tanks} - F02M 37/106: {the pump being installed in a sub-tank} - F02M 37/025: {Feeding by means of a liquid fuel-driven jet pump (jet pumps per se F04F)} - F02M 37/10: submerged in fuel, e.g. in reservoir - F02M 37/34: by the filter structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous - F02M 37/50: Filters arranged in or on fuel tanks - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract A fuel tank includes a tank main body having an opening, a pump unit mounted to a mounting position on a bottom of the tank main body through the opening and having a fuel pump and a pump retaining member retaining the fuel pump and, and a guide means configured to guide the pump unit from an opening side of the tank main body to the mounting position on a bottom side of the tank main body. The guide means includes a guide rail provided on the tank main body and a slider provided on the pump unit. The slider is configured to be slidably engaged with the guide rail. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel tank comprising: a tank main body having an opening; a pump unit configured to be mounted to a mounting position on a bottom of the tank main body through the opening and having a fuel pump and a pump retaining member retaining the fuel pump; and a guide means configured to guide the pump unit from an opening side of the tank main body to the mounting position on a bottom side of the tank main body; wherein the guide means includes a guide rail provided on the tank main body and a slider provided on the pump unit; wherein the slider is configured to be slidably engaged with the guide rail; and wherein the guide rail is configured such that an orientation of the pump unit with respect to the tank main body varies as the slider slides along the guide rail, so that (a) the opening of the tank main body and (b) the pump unit is oriented in a second direction that is different from the first direction when the pump unit is positioned at the mounting position on the bottom of the tank main body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the guide means are arranged on both sides of the pump unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein the tank main body has a sub tank disposed on the bottom of the tank main body and configured to store fuel to be sucked into the fuel pump; and wherein the guide rail extends to a position above an upper limit of the sub tank for storing the fuel in a horizontal attitude. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel tank according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotation support means configured to rotatably support a longitudinal end portion of the pump unit inserted into the tank main body; wherein the rotation support means includes a tank main body side support portion provided on the tank main body, and a pump unit side support portion provided on the pump unit; wherein the pump unit side support portion is configured to be engaged with the tank main body side support portion; and wherein the guide rail has a first guide portion extending from the opening side toward the bottom side of the tank main body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel pump according to claim 4, wherein the guide rail has a second guide portion continuous with a bottom side end of the first guide portion and configured to guide the slider when the pump unit is rotated downwards using the rotation support means as a rotational fulcrum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel tank according to claim 5, wherein the second guide portion of the guide rail has a radius of curvature gradually diminished as the second guide portion extends downwards; wherein the slider has an elastic member formed so as to be capable of elastic deformation when the slider slides downwards on the second guide portion; and wherein the second guide portion has a lock portion configured to be engaged with the slider through elastic restoration of the elastic member of the slider when the pump unit is rotated to the mounting position on the bottom of the tank main body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The fuel tank according to claim 4, further comprising: a lock means including a tank main body side lock portion provided on the tank main body, and a pump unit side lock portion provided on the pump unit; wherein the tank main body side lock portion and the pump unit side lock portion are configured to be engaged with each other by utilizing elastic deformation of at least one of the tank main body side lock portion and the pump unit side lock portion when the pump unit is rotated to the mounting position on the bottom of the tank main body using the rotation support means as a rotational fulcrum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The fuel tank according to claim 4, wherein the slider includes a preceding side slider disposed at the longitudinal end portion of the pump unit; and wherein the guide rail has a third guide portion continuous with a bottom side end of the first guide portion and configured to guide the preceding side slider to a predetermined position along the bottom of the tank main body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fuel tank according to claim 8, wherein the preceding side slider serves as the pump unit side support portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The fuel tank according to claim 4, wherein the guide means includes a guide member at the bottom side of the tank main body; and wherein the guide member is configured to guide the longitudinal end portion of the pump unit along the bottom of the tank main body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fuel tank according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal end portion of the pump unit has a stopper member; wherein the tank main body has a contact member configured to contact the longitudinal end portion of the pump unit and an engagement member configured to be engaged with the stopper member; wherein the contact member and the engagement member serve as the tank main body side support portion; and wherein the stopper member serves as the pump unit side support portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The fuel tank according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal end portion of the pump unit has a pump unit side lock portion; wherein the tank main body has a tank main body side lock portion configured to be engaged with the pump unit side lock portion; wherein the tank main body side lock portion serves as the tank main body side support portion; and wherein the pump unit side lock portion serves as the pump unit side support portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fuel tank according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the tank main body, and the second direction is substantially parallel to the bottom of the tank main body.