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US5590631A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fuel system accumulator
Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
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Filing: 1995-04-21
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Granted: 1997-01-07
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Expires: 2015-04-21
Abstract
Abstract An accumulator for a no-return fuel system for a vehicle engine with fuel injectors. The accumulator has a housing with a flexible diaphragm between first and second chambers and a spring in one chamber yieldably closing the diaphragm to reduce the volume of the other chamber. One chamber has a fuel inlet that allows fuel into the chamber which accommodates expansion of the fuel by increasing the volume of the chamber against the bias of the spring. Preferably, the diaphragm has an over-pressure valve which opens when the system has reached its maximum over-pressure to allow the fuel to flow from one chamber to the other chamber in bypass relation to the injectors. The other chamber has an outlet communicating directly with the fuel tank. In another embodiment, the accumulator has a housing with a flexible diaphragm between first and second chambers in which one chamber has a fuel inlet for communication with the fuel rail and the other chamber continuously communicates with the engine air intake manifold so that the pressure drop across the engine fuel injectors is maintained more constant as the manifold pressure varies.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles H. Tuckey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:16
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M37/00; F02M37/0011; F02M37/0041; F02D; F02D33/00; F02D33/003; F02D41/00; F02D41/30; F02D41/3082; F02M37/0023; F02M37/0029; F02M37/0047; F02M37/0052; F02M37/0058; F02M37/0076; F02M37/0082; F02M37/04; F02M37/08; F02M37/10; F02M37/106; F02M37/20; F02M69/00; F02M69/46; F02M69/462; F02M69/465; F02M69/54; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/06; F02D2200/0602; F02D2200/0606; F02D2250/00; F02D2250/31; F02D33/006; F02M2037/085; F02M2037/087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
302 words
An accumulator for an automotive fuel delivery system for an engine having an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector operably associated therewith and a fuel pump for supplying tank fuel to the injector, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers impermeably separated by said diaphragm, said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, a spring in said second chamber and acting between said housing and said diaphragm central portion for yieldably biasing said diaphragm to resist that working travel of said diaphragm decreasing the volume of said second chamber, said housing having a reference port on one side of said diaphragm adapted for continuously communicating a source of reference air pressure related to operation of the engine with said second chamber for controlling the biasing force of said spring on said diaphragm, said housing having a fuel passage on the opposite side of said diaphragm having an inlet to said first chamber adapted for continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel delivery system such that any volumetric increase in the fuel in the system between the fuel injector and said fuel passage inlet is accommodated within limits by that working travel of said diaphragm causing expansion of said first chamber against the biasing force of said spring, said spring acting against said diaphragm being operable during such first chamber expansion to cause an increase in the pressure of the fuel in the system communicating with said first chamber as modulated by the reference air pressure communicated via said port to said second chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
302 words
An accumulator for an automotive fuel delivery system for an engine having an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector operably associated therewith and a fuel pump for supplying tank fuel to the injector, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers impermeably separated by said diaphragm, said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, a spring in said second chamber and acting between said housing and said diaphragm central portion for yieldably biasing said diaphragm to resist that working travel of said diaphragm decreasing the volume of said second chamber, said housing having a reference port on one side of said diaphragm adapted for continuously communicating a source of reference air pressure related to operation of the engine with said second chamber for controlling the biasing force of said spring on said diaphragm, said housing having a fuel passage on the opposite side of said diaphragm having an inlet to said first chamber adapted for continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel delivery system such that any volumetric increase in the fuel in the system between the fuel injector and said fuel passage inlet is accommodated within limits by that working travel of said diaphragm causing expansion of said first chamber against the biasing force of said spring, said spring acting against said diaphragm being operable during such first chamber expansion to cause an increase in the pressure of the fuel in the system communicating with said first chamber as modulated by the reference air pressure communicated via said port to said second chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
242 words
A no-return fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel rail, an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector, said fuel delivery system comprising a fuel supply, a fuel pump, a motor connected to said fuel pump for driving said fuel pump, said fuel pump having an outlet connected via a fuel delivery line and a one-way check valve therein to the fuel rail, and an accumulator in communication with said outlet downstream of said check valve, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, and biasing means in said housing for yieldably forcing said diaphragm into volume diminishing cooperation with said first chamber, said housing having a fuel passage continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel rail so that when fuel trapped between the fuel rail and said check valve expands into said first chamber working travel of said diaphragm moves said diaphragm away from said fuel passage to enlarge the volume of said first chamber to accommodate an expanded volume of fuel and maintain the trapped volume of fuel under pressure by the force of said biasing means acting on said diaphragm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
242 words
A no-return fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel rail, an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector, said fuel delivery system comprising a fuel supply, a fuel pump, a motor connected to said fuel pump for driving said fuel pump, said fuel pump having an outlet connected via a fuel delivery line and a one-way check valve therein to the fuel rail, and an accumulator in communication with said outlet downstream of said check valve, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, and biasing means in said housing for yieldably forcing said diaphragm into volume diminishing cooperation with said first chamber, said housing having a fuel passage continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel rail so that when fuel trapped between the fuel rail and said check valve expands into said first chamber working travel of said diaphragm moves said diaphragm away from said fuel passage to enlarge the volume of said first chamber to accommodate an expanded volume of fuel and maintain the trapped volume of fuel under pressure by the force of said biasing means acting on said diaphragm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 2 wherein said diaphragm has a fuel delivery system bypass valve carried by said diaphragm and movable relative to said diaphragm to open and closed positions when diaphragm travel approaches first chamber maximum volume to thereby communicate fuel between said first chamber and said second chamber for relieving system pressure above a predetermined maximum set point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 3 wherein said housing has a bypass outlet port in continuous communication with the fuel supply and the outlet of said bypass valve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 3 wherein said bypass valve comprises a bypass valve actuating stem extending from a sealing portion of said valve disposed in said first chamber through an opening in said diaphragm into said second chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 5 comprising a spring retainer on a free end of said valve stem in said second chamber and a spring surrounding said valve stem and received between said stem spring retainer and said diaphragm to yieldably bias the bypass valve closed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 6 wherein said valve stem abuts said housing when said diaphragm is displaced in said second chamber as said first chamber reaches its maximum volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 7 comprising an electric switch cooperable with said bypass valve stem and pump and operable to eliminate or reduce fuel flow from said pump to said first chamber to thereby eliminate or reduce bypass flow into said second chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 8 wherein said switch controls said pump to vary the amount of fuel supplied by said pump inversely relative to first chamber volume.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
105 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 9 wherein said switch comprises an electrically conductive rod encased in an electrical insulator screw mounted in an opening in said housing, said rod having a contact on one end disposed in said second chamber for circuit closing engagement with said valve and electrically connected to said pump, said valve being electrically energized through electrically conductive structure of said housing so that when said expansion chamber expands to its maximum volume said valve contacts the metal rod to close the electric circuit to generate an electrical control signal causing said pump to reduce its fuel output, and vice versa.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fuel delivery system of claim 2 which also comprises a pressure relief bypass passage communicating with said outlet upstream of said check valve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
298 words
An accumulator for an automotive fuel delivery system for an engine having an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector operably associated therewith and a fuel pump for supplying tank fuel to the injector, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers impermeably separated by said diaphragm, said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, a biasing means in said second chamber and yieldably biasing said diaphragm to resist that working travel of said diaphragm decreasing the volume of said second chamber, said housing having a reference port on one side of said diaphragm adapted for continuously communicating a source of reference air pressure related to operation of the engine with said second chamber for controlling the biasing force of said biasing means on said diaphragm, said housing having a fuel passage on the opposite side of said diaphragm having an inlet to said first chamber adapted for continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel delivery system such that any volumetric increase in the fuel in the system between the fuel injector and said fuel passage inlet is accommodated within limits by that working travel of said diaphragm causing expansion of said first chamber against the biasing force of said biasing means, and wherein said diaphragm has a fuel delivery system bypass valve carried by said diaphragm and movable relative to said diaphragm to open and closed positions when diaphragm travel communicates fuel between said first chamber and said second chamber for relieving system pressure above a predetermined maximum set point.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
298 words
An accumulator for an automotive fuel delivery system for an engine having an air intake manifold and at least one fuel injector operably associated therewith and a fuel pump for supplying tank fuel to the injector, said accumulator comprising a housing, a flexible diaphragm defining in cooperation with said housing first and second chambers impermeably separated by said diaphragm, said diaphragm having a circumferentially continuous annular pleat portion surrounding a central portion of the diaphragm and sized to permit by gathering and ungathering thereof a predetermined full working travel of said diaphragm central portion in said chambers within said pleat portion, a biasing means in said second chamber and yieldably biasing said diaphragm to resist that working travel of said diaphragm decreasing the volume of said second chamber, said housing having a reference port on one side of said diaphragm adapted for continuously communicating a source of reference air pressure related to operation of the engine with said second chamber for controlling the biasing force of said biasing means on said diaphragm, said housing having a fuel passage on the opposite side of said diaphragm having an inlet to said first chamber adapted for continuously communicating said first chamber with the fuel delivery system such that any volumetric increase in the fuel in the system between the fuel injector and said fuel passage inlet is accommodated within limits by that working travel of said diaphragm causing expansion of said first chamber against the biasing force of said biasing means, and wherein said diaphragm has a fuel delivery system bypass valve carried by said diaphragm and movable relative to said diaphragm to open and closed positions when diaphragm travel communicates fuel between said first chamber and said second chamber for relieving system pressure above a predetermined maximum set point.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 12 wherein said housing has a bypass outlet port adapted for continuously communicating the fuel supply and the outlet of said bypass valve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 12 wherein said bypass valve comprises a bypass valve actuating stem extending from a sealing portion of said valve disposed in said first chamber through an opening in said diaphragm into said second chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 14 and further comprising a spring retainer on a free end of said valve stem in said second chamber and a spring surrounding said valve stem and received between said stem spring retainer and said diaphragm to yieldably bias the bypass valve closed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 15 wherein said valve stem abuts said housing when said diaphragm is displaced in said second chamber as said first chamber reaches its maximum volume.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 16 and further comprising an electric switch adapted to cooperate with said bypass valve stem and the pump to eliminate or reduce fuel flow from the pump to said first chamber to thereby eliminate or reduce bypass flow into said second chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 17 wherein said switch is adapted to control the pump to vary the amount of fuel supplied by the pump inversely relative to first chamber volume.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
108 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 18 wherein said switch comprises an electrically conductive rod encased in an electrical insulator screw mounted in an opening in said housing, said rod having a contact on one end disposed in said second chamber for circuit closing engagement with said valve and electrically connected to the pump, said valve being adapted to be electrically energized through electrically conductive structure of said housing so that when said expansion chamber expands to its maximum volume said valve contacts the metal rod to close the electric circuit to generate an electrical control signal causing the pump to reduce its fuel output, and vice versa.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
92 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 12 wherein said biasing means comprises a second spring disposed in said second chamber and acting between housing and said central portion of said diaphragm for yieldably resisting ensmalling of said second chamber by fuel accumulation in said first chamber, and wherein said housing has a reference port communicating with said second chamber adapted for continuously communicating a source of reference air pressure related to operation of the engine with said second chamber for controlling the biasing force of said second spring acting on said diaphragm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 20 wherein said housing has a bypass outlet port adapted for continuously communicating the fuel supply and the outlet of said bypass valve.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 21 wherein said bypass valve comprises a bypass valve actuating stem extending from a sealing portion of said valve disposed in said first chamber through an opening in said diaphragm into said second chamber.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 22 further comprising a spring retainer on a free end of said valve stem in said second chamber and a spring surrounding said valve stem and received between said stem spring retainer and said diaphragm to yieldably bias the bypass valve closed.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 23 wherein said valve stem abuts said housing when said diaphragm is displaced in said second chamber as said first chamber reaches its maximum volume.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 24 further comprising an electric switch adapted to cooperate with said bypass valve stem and the pump and operable to eliminate or reduce fuel flow from the pump to said first chamber to thereby eliminate or reduce bypass flow into said second chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 25 wherein said switch is adapted to control the pump to vary the amount of fuel supplied by the pump inversely relative to first chamber volume.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
108 words
The accumulator set forth in claim 26 wherein said switch comprises an electrically conductive rod encased in an electrical insulator screw mounted in an opening in said housing, said rod having a contact on one end disposed in said second chamber for circuit closing engagement with said valve and electrically connected to the pump, said valve being adapted to be electrically energized through electrically conductive structure of said housing so that when said expansion chamber expands to its maximum volume said valve contacts the metal rod to close the electric circuit to generate an electrical control signal causing the pump to reduce its fuel output, and vice versa.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-01-07 | 2000-07-08 | 2001-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-01-07 | 2004-07-08 | 2005-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-01-07 | 2008-07-08 | 2009-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |