US5078167A — Fuel filter and pressure regulator system apparat…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 174 words

A combination fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter apparatus for vehicle fuel systems comprising: a fuel supply tank; a housing operably attached to said fuel supply tank; an inlet supply tube attached to said housing adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel pump; a fluid outlet attached to said housing adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means disposed within said housing and disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve means closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 174 words

A combination fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter apparatus for vehicle fuel systems comprising: a fuel supply tank; a housing operably attached to said fuel supply tank; an inlet supply tube attached to said housing adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel pump; a fluid outlet attached to said housing adapted to be in fluid communication with a fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means disposed within said housing and disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve means closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 133 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises: a valve tube having a central passageway and an annular valving surface on one end thereof; and an annular valve seat which is movable with respect to said valving surface and having a closed position in abutment with said valving surface on said one end of the tube whereby flow will be stopped between the valving surface and the valve seat thereby causing all flow through the inlet supply tube to pass through the filter means and an open position spaced from said valving surface of said tube whereby flow will be permitted between the said valving surface and said valve seat thereby reducing the flow of fuel through said filter means by permitting flow of fuel back to the fuel supply tank.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 2 including guide conduit means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube and in fluid communication with said valve tube for guiding the annular valve seat as it moves, while at the same time permitting fuel to flow therethrough.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including means for holding said guide conduit tube coaxial with said valve tube.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including alignment means for permitting said valve seat to automatically align itself with respect to said valving surface.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said alignment means comprises a first member supporting said valve seat and having a partially spherical convex surface thereon and a second member having a mating concave spherical surface thereon for abutment with said partially spherical convex surface.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said valve biasing means is in abutment with and pushes said second member toward said first member, said first member toward said annular valve seat and said valve seat toward said valving surface of said valve tube.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said second member has a plurality of slots along the top thereof for permitting fuel flow therethrough when said relief valve means is open.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fuel filter means is annular in shape and has a central opening in fluid communication with said valve tube.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 2 including means for causing the flow of fuel back to the fuel tank to be generally coaxial with the axis of said valve tube.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said biasing means biases said valve sent toward said valving surface.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said valve tube is fixed with respect to said housing.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said annular valve seat is elastomeric.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 12 including a flexible diaphragm sealingly attached to said housing; means for causing one side of said flexible diaphragm to be in fluid communication with said fluid outlet and thereby be disposed downstream of said filter means; and means for fluidly communicating the other side of said diaphragm with said fuel supply tank.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said diaphragm is operatively sealingly attached to said valve tube radially inwardly from where it is sealingly attached to said housing.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said diaphragm is a flexible member generally annular in shape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 54 words

The apparatus of claim 14 including a first stop means operatively attached to said housing for preventing said diaphragm from being displaced too far in one direction and a second stop means operatively connected to said housing to prevent said diaphragm from being displaced too far in a direction opposite to said one direction.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said valve means includes diaphragm biasing means for biasing said diaphragm to a first position corresponding to the closed position of said valve means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 18 including pushing means for causing said valve seat to be pushed away from said valving surface to the open position thereof when said diaphragm moves to a second position thereof due to an increase in the pressure at the fluid outlet.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said valve biasing means includes cushioning means for preventing the force of said diaphragm biasing means to be exerted on said valve seat whereby said valve seat will not be permanently damaged by excessive forces pushing it against said valving surface.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said cushioning means comprises a spring for urging said seat means toward said valving surface and toward said pushing means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said spring is less forceful than said diaphragm biasing means thereby exerting less force on said seat means than said diaphragm biasing means exerts on said diaphragm.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 176 words

Vehicle fuel system comprising: a fuel supply tank; a fuel supply rail; a fuel pump; a housing operably attached to said fuel supply tank; an inlet supply tube attached to said housing and being in fluid communication with said fuel pump; a fluid outlet attached to said housing and being in fluid communication with said fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means disposed within said housing and disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank before it passes through said fuel filter means when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 176 words

Vehicle fuel system comprising: a fuel supply tank; a fuel supply rail; a fuel pump; a housing operably attached to said fuel supply tank; an inlet supply tube attached to said housing and being in fluid communication with said fuel pump; a fluid outlet attached to said housing and being in fluid communication with said fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means disposed within said housing and disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank before it passes through said fuel filter means when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 181 words

A combination fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter apparatus for vehicle fuel systems comprising: a fuel supply tank; a fuel supply rail adapted to have fuel injectors attached thereto; a fuel pump means having an inlet port and an outlet port for pumping fuel to said fuel supply rail; an inlet supply tube in fluid communication with said fuel pump means outlet port; a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means operatively disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve means closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 181 words

A combination fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter apparatus for vehicle fuel systems comprising: a fuel supply tank; a fuel supply rail adapted to have fuel injectors attached thereto; a fuel pump means having an inlet port and an outlet port for pumping fuel to said fuel supply rail; an inlet supply tube in fluid communication with said fuel pump means outlet port; a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said fuel supply rail; a fuel filter means operatively disposed between said inlet supply tube and said fluid outlet for filtering impurities from substantially all of the fuel passing to said outlet; valve means in fluid communication with said inlet supply tube for causing flow to be short circuited back into said fuel supply tank when the pressure in said fluid outlet exceeds a predetermined level; and valve biasing means for biasing said valve means closed when said pressure is below said predetermined pressure whereby all of the fuel in said inlet supply tube will pass through said filter when the pressure in said fluid outlet is below said predetermined pressure.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-01-06	1995-07-08	1996-01-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-01-06	1999-07-08	2000-01-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-01-06	2003-07-08	2004-01-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fuel filter and pressure regulator system apparatus

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