Title of Invention

SUCTION JET PUMP

Abstract The invention relates to a suction jet pump (8), consisting of a driving jet nozzle (10), a mixing tube (11) an intake opening (12), a working-fluid line (7) connected to the driving jet nozzle (10), and a valve (9) which is arranged with the working-fluid line (7) and whose housing (13) has an inlet (14) and an outlet (15). A throughflow opening (17) with a valve body (18) on both sides of the throughflow opening (17) is arranged in the housing (13) in such a way that the throughflow openi ng (17) can be closed on both the inlet side and the outlet side, and that at least one spring (25,27,28) is arranged inside the housing (13) in such a way that it holds the valve body (18) in a position clO sing the throughflow opening (17) on the outlet side until the system pressure is reached.
Full Text Description
Suction jet pump
The subject matter of the invention is a suction jet pump,
comprising a driving jet nozzle, a mixing tube, an intake
opening, a working-fluid line connected to the driving jet
nozzle and a valve which is arranged in the working-fluid line.
Suction jet pumps are used in fuel tanks of motor vehicles.
Such suction jet pumps are used in fuel tanks in order to
supply fuel from various regions of the fuel tank to a feed
unit, which feed unit feeds fuel from the fuel tank to an
internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. In order to
drive the suction jet pump, a portion of the fuel fed by the
fuel pump is branched off and supplied via the working-fluid
line of the suction jet pump. When starting the internal
combustion engine, the fuel pump should feed fuel in a
sufficient quantity to the internal combustion engine as fast
as possible. To this end, a valve is arranged in the working-
fluid line, which valve only opens when the system pressure is
reached so that, particularly in the event of a starting
process, all the fed fuel is first supplied to the internal
combustion engine.
In order to improve the starting behavior of the motor vehicle,
it is known to increase the pressure in the feed line for a
short time. To this end, the flow rate of the fuel pump is
increased for a short time during the starting process.
However, the effect of the valve in the working-fluid line is
thus cancelled out, which valve is supposed to release the
working-fluid line only when the system pressure is reached.
This has the disadvantage that, as a result of the increase in
pressure, the valve opens, which valve is supposed to separate

the suction jet pump from the fuel supply for the starting
process. A portion of the fuel thus reaches the suction jet
pump and is not available for the internal combustion

engine. In order to nevertheless ensure a sufficient supply of
the internal combustion engine with fuel during a starting
process, the fuel pump must be dimensioned such that it, as
well as the increased demand on the internal combustion engine,
also supplies the increased feed quantity for the suction jet
pump as a result of the opened valve. These two increased feed
quantities lead to an overdimensioning of the fuel pump. Such
fuel pumps require significantly more space and are more
costly.
The object of the invention is therefore to create a suction
jet pump which only operates when the fuel supply system
operates with system pressure.
According to the invention, the object is achieved in that a
throughflow opening is arranged in the housing, that a valve
body is arranged on both sides of the throughflow opening such
that the throughflow opening can be closed both on the inlet
side and on the outlet side, and that at least one spring is
arranged within the housing such that it holds the valve body
in a position closing the throughflow opening on the outlet
side until the system pressure is reached.
The valve arranged in the working-fluid line of the suction jet
pump is closed in the depressurized state in that the spring
holds the valve body on the outlet side in a position closing
the throughflow opening. As soon as the fuel pump reaches
system pressure, the force acting on the valve body is larger
than the spring force, as a result of which the valve body is
moved out of the position closing the throughflow opening on
the outlet side. The valve is thus open and fuel can reach the
suction jet pump. If the pressure rises above the system
pressure during a starting process, the valve body is moved

further counter to the spring force until it reaches a position
closing the throughflow opening on the inlet side,

as a result of which the valve closes. The valve according to
the invention allows operation of the suction jet pump in a
presettable pressure range, wherein the suction jet pump is
switched off above and below this pressure range. This means
that the suction jet pump operates only under normal
conditions, while, in critical situations in which the supply
of the internal combustion engine with fuel is supposed to be
ensured, the fuel fed by the fuel pump only reaches the
internal combustion engine. The fuel pump can thus be of
smaller dimensions since the flow rate of the fuel pump is only
determined by the internal combustion engine and the suction
jet pump in the case of system pressure, while in the case of
operation of the fuel pump above the system pressure the flow
rate is exclusively determined by the internal combustion
engine as a result of the switching off of the suction jet
pump.
The throughflow opening is of a particularly simple
configuration if it is embodied as a diaphragm.
A reliable sealing off is achieved according to another
advantageous configuration in that the valve body possesses two
sealing elements which interact on the inlet side and the
outlet side with a sealing seat at the throughflow opening.
The sealing elements of the valve body respectively comprise in
a simple and thus low-cost formation an annular disk, which
annular disks are arranged on the valve body.
The structure of the valve body is simplified according to
another configuration if the sealing elements are arranged on
both sides of the diaphragm relative to the direction of flow
such that they surround the throughflow opening.

A defined position of the valve body in the open position in
the case of system pressure is achieved in a further
configuration

in that a second spring is arranged relative to the first
spring, wherein the first spring is designed with respect to
the opening pressure and the second spring allows a further
movement of the valve body only above the system pressure. In
this manner, a movement of the valve body is prevented in the
case of a system pressure in the open position.
The springs used can be both pressure springs and tension
springs, wherein the springs are arranged between the housing
and the valve body.
Insofar as pressure springs are used, these can also be
arranged in a different configuration between the valve body
and the throughflow opening. For improved guidance and
receiving of the pressure springs, a shoulder is formed on the
valve body in a further configuration.
The invention is described in greater detail with reference to
several exemplary embodiments. In the drawings
Figure 1: shows a schematic representation of a fuel tank with
a feed unit and a suction jet pump according to the
invention,
Figures
2 to 4: show a schematic representation of the valve of the
suction jet pump from Fig. 1 in various positions and
Figures
5 to 7: show further embodiments of the valve according to Fig.
2.
Figure 1 shows schematically a fuel tank 1 of a motor vehicle
with a feed unit 2 arranged therein for feeding fuel to an

internal combustion engine 3. Feed unit 2 has a fuel pump 5
driven by an electric motor 4

and is connected via a feed line 6 to internal combustion
engine 3. A working-fluid line 7 leads from feed line 6 to a
suction jet pump 8 which feeds fuel to feed unit 2. As well as
working-fluid line 7, suction jet pump 8 comprises a valve 9
arranged in working-fluid line 7, a driving jet nozzle 10
connected to working-fluid line 7, a mixing tube 11 and an
intake opening 12, by means of which fuel is sucked into mixing
tube 11 by the fuel escaping from driving jet nozzle 10.
Figure 2 shows schematically a first embodiment of valve 9 from
Figure 1. The direction of flow is marked by an arrow. Valve 9
comprises a valve housing 13 with an inlet 14 and an outlet 15.
A diaphragm 16 is arranged in valve housing 13, which diaphragm
16 has a throughflow opening 17. Valve 9 possesses a valve body
18 with two disk-like regions 19, 20 which are connected to one
another via a central part penetrating through throughflow
opening 17 such that disk-shaped regions 19, 20 are arranged on
the inlet side and outlet side of throughflow opening 17. Both
regions 19, 20 have disk-shaped sealing elements 21, 22 which
interact with sealing seats 23, 24 of diaphragm 16. A pressure
spring 25 is arranged on the outlet side, which pressure spring
25 moves valve body 18 counter to the direction of flow. The
representation shows the depressurized state in which no fuel
flows through valve 9. As a result of the spring force, valve
body 18 lies on the outlet side against diaphragm 16, wherein
sealing element 21 interacts with sealing seat 23 and thus
closes throughflow opening 17.
Figure 3 shows valve 9 in the case of system pressure. The fuel
flowing in with system pressure via inlet 14 generates a force
acting in the direction of flow, which force opposes the spring
force. Pressure spring 25 is therein designed such that in the
case of system pressure valve body 18 is moved so far in

the direction of flow that both sealing elements 21, 22 are not
in contact with sealing seats 23, 24. Throughflow opening 17 is
thus free and the fuel can flow through valve 9 to outlet 15
and further to the suction jet pump.
Figure 4 shows valve 9 during a starting process of the
internal combustion engine. Herein, the fuel pump is actuated
such that the pressure in the feed line is increased for a
short time. The increased pressure thus also acts in the
working-fluid line and in inlet 14 of valve 9. Since the spring
force generated by pressure spring 25 is smaller than the force
acting on valve body 18 as a result of the increased pressure,
valve body 18 is moved further in the direction of flow until
sealing element 22 of region 20 lies against inlet-side sealing
seat 24 of diaphragm 16. Throughflow opening 17 is thus closed
so that no fuel reaches the suction jet pump during the
starting process.
Valve 9 shown in Figure 5 differs from the valve according to
Figure 2 in the arrangement of pressure spring 25. Pressure
spring 25 is supported between diaphragm 16 and region 20 of
valve body 18. Region 20 possesses a shoulder 26 for this
purpose. Shoulder 26 is used on the one hand as a guide for
pressure spring 25 and ensures on the other hand sufficient
space in the axial extension if pressure spring 25 is
compressed.
Figure 6 shows valve 9 with a tension spring 27 which is
fastened on the inlet side between housing 13 and valve body 18
and moves valve body 18 in the depressurized state counter to
the direction of flow such that sealing element 21 interacts
with sealing seat 23 of diaphragm 16 such that valve 9 is
closed.

In a further configuration, Figure 7 shows valve 9 in the case
of system pressure. Herein, two pressure springs 25, 28

are arranged on the outlet side. Pressure spring 25 behaves in
accordance with its design as in Figures 2 to 4. Pressure
spring 28 is harder and is designed with a shorter length,
wherein the length and the spring rigidity of pressure spring
28 are selected such that, in the case of system pressure,
valve body 18 is moved in the direction of flow as a result of
the force acting on it until it lies against pressure spring 28
without pressure spring 28 being compressed. Valve 9 in an open
position is located in this position. In this manner, a defined
position is created for valve body 18 in the case of system
pressure. In the case of a further pressure increase in the
event of a starting process, the force acting on valve body 18
is larger than the spring forces of pressure springs 25, 28
such that the valve behaves as in Figure 4.

Patent Claims
1. A suction jet pump, comprising a driving jet nozzle, a
mixing tube, an intake opening, a working-fluid line
connected to the driving jet nozzle and a valve which is
arranged in the working-fluid line, the housing of the
valve possessing an inlet and an outlet, characterized in
that a throughflow opening (17) is arranged in the housing
(13), that a valve body (18) is arranged on both sides of
the throughflow opening (17) such that the throughflow
opening (17) can be closed both on the inlet side and on
the outlet side, and that at least one spring (25, 27, 28)
is arranged within the housing (13) such that it holds the
valve body (18) in a position closing the throughflow
opening (17) on the outlet side until the system pressure
is reached.
2. The suction jet pump according to claim 1, characterized
in that the throughflow opening is embodied as a diaphragm
(16) .
3. The suction jet pump according to claim 1 and 2,
characterized in that the valve body (18) possesses two
sealing elements (21, 22) which interact on the inlet side
and the outlet side with in each case a sealing seat (23,
24) of the throughflow opening (17).
4. The suction jet pump according to claim 3, characterized
in that the sealing elements (21, 22) are annular disks.
5. The suction jet pump according to claim 1 and 2,
characterized in that the sealing elements (21, 22) are
arranged on both sides of the diaphragm (16) relative to

the direction of flow such that they surround the
throughflow opening (17).

6. The suction jet pump according to one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that a second spring (28) is
arranged relative to the first spring (25), wherein the
first spring (25) is designed with respect to the opening
pressure of the valve (9) and the second spring (28)
allows a further movement of the valve body (18) only
above the system pressure.
7. The suction jet pump according to one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that at least one spring (25, 28)
is a pressure spring.
8. The suction jet pump according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that at least one spring (27) is a
tension spring.
9. The suction jet pump according to one of claims 7 or 8,
characterized in that the springs (25, 27, 28) are
arranged between the housing (13) and the valve body (18).
10. The suction jet pump according to claim 7, characterized
in that the springs (25, 28) are arranged between the
valve body (18) and the throughflow opening (17).
11. The suction jet pump according to claim 10, characterized
in that a shoulder (26) is formed on the valve body (18)
for receiving the springs (25, 28).

The invention relates to a suction jet pump (8),
consisting of a driving jet nozzle (10), a mixing tube (11)
an intake opening (12), a working-fluid line (7) connected to the
driving jet nozzle (10), and a valve (9) which is
arranged with the working-fluid line (7) and whose housing (13)
has an inlet (14) and an outlet (15). A throughflow opening (17) with
a valve body (18) on both sides of the throughflow opening (17) is
arranged in the housing (13) in such a way that the throughflow openi
ng (17) can be closed on both the inlet side and the outlet side, and
that at least one spring (25,27,28) is arranged inside the housing
(13) in such a way that it holds the valve body (18) in a position clO
sing the throughflow opening (17) on the outlet side until
the system pressure is reached.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=oaBS/0sTc3LtvdQNXZ3lFw==&loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==


Patent Number 271158
Indian Patent Application Number 4643/KOLNP/2008
PG Journal Number 07/2016
Publication Date 12-Feb-2016
Grant Date 05-Feb-2016
Date of Filing 17-Nov-2008
Name of Patentee CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Applicant Address VAHRENWALDER STRASSE 9, 30165 HANNOVER
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 HEIKO GENSERT HAUPTSTR. 93, 65817 EPPSTEIN
PCT International Classification Number F02M 37/00,F04F 5/10
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2007/054945
PCT International Filing date 2007-05-22
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 102006024456.7 2006-05-24 Germany