Title of Invention	DEVICE FOR COLLECTING FUEL IN A FUEL TANK
Abstract	A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle comprises a prefilter (12) arranged inside a swirl pot (1). Said prefilter (12) has a section (17) rising from a horizontal plane and a section (16) lying in the horizontal plane. The sections (16,17) of the prefilter (12) are produced as one piece and are connected to the swirl pot (1) in a material fit. The prefilter (12) has an especially large surface.

Title of Invention

DEVICE FOR COLLECTING FUEL IN A FUEL TANK

Abstract

A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle comprises a prefilter (12) arranged inside a swirl pot (1). Said prefilter (12) has a section (17) rising from a horizontal plane and a section (16) lying in the horizontal plane. The sections (16,17) of the prefilter (12) are produced as one piece and are connected to the swirl pot (1) in a material fit. The prefilter (12) has an especially large surface.

Full Text	Description Device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank The invention relates to a device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, having a surge pot, having a suction connection for a fuel pump and having a pre-filter which covers the suction connection. Devices of said type are often used in modern fuel tanks and are known from practice. The pre-filter is often designed as a component which is flat in its basic state and which nestles against the contours of the device in the mounted position. A fuel pump which is arranged in the surge pot sucks fuel through the pre-filter. A disadvantage of the known device is that the pre-filter is a component which must be mounted in a complex manner. Furthermore, the useful filter surface of the pre-filter is restricted by the nestling against the components of the device. The invention is based on the problem of refining a device of the type specified in the introduction in such a way that said device is particularly simple to assemble and that the pre- filter has a large filter surface. Said problem is achieved according to the invention in that the pre-filter is arranged within the surge pot and has a section which projects from a horizontal plane. By means of said design, the pre-filter is arranged in the surge pot and can therefore be pre-assembled with the latter. Said design also serves to prevent the pre-filter from nestling against other components of the device according to the invention, and filter surface thereby being lost. The pre- filter therefore has a particularly large filter surface. One advantage of the arrangement of the pre-filter with a section which deviates from the horizontal plane is that dirt is rinsed from the pre-filter by slosning movements of the fuel. The influence of dirt on the useful filter surface of the pre-filter is thereby kept low. The assembly of the device according to the invention is particularly cost-effective if the pre-filter is held with its edges on the wall of the surge pot. As a result of the edges of the pre-filter being held or the wall of the surge pot, the pre-filter is situated in its intended position throughout the further assembly of the surge pot with further components of a feed unit. The pre-filter is hereby prevented from nestling against adjacent components of the device according to the invention. According to another advantageous refinement of the invention, the production of the surge pot with the pre-filter is particularly cost-effective if the pre-filter is at least partially cohesively connected to the surge pot. In the simplest case, the pre-filter is an insert part which is inserted into an injection mold of the surge pot and which is cohesively connected to the surge pot during the injection- molding process. To reduce the number of components of the device according to the invention, it is expedient if the pre-filter and the surge pot are produced in one piece. By means of said design, the pre-filter is produced during the production of the surge pot. Opposing molds of the surge pot may have a multiplicity of individual contact points which, after the production of the surge pot, form the individual openings of the pre-filter. The device according to the invention is of particularly compact design if the surge pot has a casing and if the pre- filter is connected to the casing. The device according to the invention is of particularly simple structural design if a collecting chamber is arranged between the pre-filter and a base plate which is sealingly connected to the casing, and if a suet on connection of the fuel pump protrudes into the collecting chamber. At least in the new state of the device according to the invention, the pre-filter las a particularly large filter surface if the pre-filter has a horizontal section. To further reduce the number of components to be assembled in the device according to the invention, it is expedient if the horizontal section and that section of the pre-filter which projects from the horizontal plane are produced in one piece. The section which projects from the horizontal plane could for example taper obliquely in the direction of the casing. However, according to another advantageous refinement of the invention, particularly reliable cleaning of the pre-filter by sloshing movements in the surge pot can be generated in a simple manner if the section which projects from the horizontal plane is arranged vertically in the surge pot. The invention permits numerous embodiments. To further illustrate the basic principle of the invention, two of said embodiments are illustrated in the drawing and described below. In the drawing: figure 1 shows a partial section through a device according to the invention for collecting fuel, figure 2 shows a second partial section, which is offset in relation to the partial section from figure 1, of the device according to the invention, figure 3 shows a perspective illustration of a surge pot of the device according to the invention, with a pre- filter, in partial section, and figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the surge pot in a perspective illustration. Figure 1 shows a device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle and for feeding the collected fuel to an internal combustion engine (not illustrated) of the motor vehicle. The device has a fuel pump 2 which is driven by an electric motor and which is arranged in a surge pot 1, and a fine-mesh filter 3. The fine-mesh filter 3 is likewise arranged in the surge pot 1 and is connected by means of a fuel line 4 to the fuel pump 2. Furthermore, the fine-mesh filter 3 has a connecting pipe 5 for a feed line (not illustrated) which leads to the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. A line 7 (illustrated in figure 2) for a suction jet pump 8 is connected to a connection 6 of the fuel pump 2. The suction jet pump 8 sucks in fuel from the surroundings of the surge pot 1 and feeds said fuel into the surge pot 1. The surge pot 1 serves to collect the fuel and has a base plate 9 and a casing 10 which is sealingly connected to the base plate 9. A suction pipe 11 of the fuel pump 2 extends through a pre-filter 12 into a collecting chamber 13. The collecting chamber 13 is delimited by the base plate 9 and the pre-filter 12. Fuel flowing into the surge pot 1 passes via the pre-filter 12 into the collecting chamber 13 and therefore to the suction pipe 11 of the fuel pump 2. The fuel pump 2 can therefore suck in fuel from the surge pot 1 and feed said fuel via the fine-mesh filter 3 to the connecting pipe 5 for the feed line. The casing 10 of the surge pot 1 has an edge 15 which engages over a supporting edge 14 of the base plate 9. The edge 15 and the supporting edge 14 are sealingly connected to one another. Figure 3 shows the surge pot 1 from figure 1 in a partial section. It can be seen here that the pre-filter 12 has a horizontal section 16 and a section 17 which projects from the horizontal plane, and is cohesively connected to the casing 10 of the surge pot 1. The pre-filter 12 is produced in one piece and is encapsulated, by injection molding, with plastic of the surge pot 1. That section 17 of the pre-filter 12 which projects from the horizontal plane is inclined with respect to the vertical. Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the surge pot 1 which differs from that in figure 3 merely in that the pre-filter 12 has a vertical section 18 which adjoins a horizontal section 19. Patent claims 1. A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, having a surge pot, having a suction connection for a fuel pump and having a pre-filter which covers the suction connection, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) is arranged within the surge pot (1) and has a section (17, 18) which projects from a horizontal plane. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) is held with its edges on the wall of the surge pot (1). 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) is at least partially cohesively connected to the surge pot (1). 4. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) and the surge pot (1) are produced in one piece. 5. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surge pot (1) has a casing (10) and in that the pre-filter (12) is connected to the casing (10). 6. The device as claimed ir. at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in ;hat a collecting chamber (13) is arranged between the pre-filter (12) and a base plate (9) which is sealingly connected to the casing (10), and in that a suction connection (11) of the fuel pump (2) protrudes into the collecting chamber (13). 7. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) has a horizontal section (16, 19). 8. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the horizontal section (16, 19) and that section (17, 18) of the pre-filter (12) which projects from the horizontal plane are produced in one piece. 9. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the section (18) which projects from the horizortal plane is arranged vertically in the surge pot (1). A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle comprises a prefilter (12) arranged inside a swirl pot (1). Said prefilter (12) has a section (17) rising from a horizontal plane and a section (16) lying in the horizontal plane. The sections (16,17) of the prefilter (12) are produced as one piece and are connected to the swirl pot (1) in a material fit. The prefilter (12) has an especially large surface.

Full Text

Description
Device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank
The invention relates to a device for collecting fuel in a fuel
tank of a motor vehicle, having a surge pot, having a suction
connection for a fuel pump and having a pre-filter which covers
the suction connection.
Devices of said type are often used in modern fuel tanks and
are known from practice. The pre-filter is often designed as a
component which is flat in its basic state and which nestles
against the contours of the device in the mounted position. A
fuel pump which is arranged in the surge pot sucks fuel through
the pre-filter.
A disadvantage of the known device is that the pre-filter is a
component which must be mounted in a complex manner.
Furthermore, the useful filter surface of the pre-filter is
restricted by the nestling against the components of the
device.
The invention is based on the problem of refining a device of
the type specified in the introduction in such a way that said
device is particularly simple to assemble and that the pre-
filter has a large filter surface.
Said problem is achieved according to the invention in that the
pre-filter is arranged within the surge pot and has a section
which projects from a horizontal plane.
By means of said design, the pre-filter is arranged in the
surge pot and can therefore be pre-assembled with the latter.
Said design also serves to prevent the pre-filter from nestling
against other components of the device according to

the invention, and filter surface thereby being lost. The pre-
filter therefore has a particularly large filter surface. One
advantage of the arrangement of the pre-filter with a section
which deviates from the horizontal plane is that dirt is rinsed
from the pre-filter by slosning movements of the fuel. The
influence of dirt on the useful filter surface of the pre-filter
is thereby kept low.
The assembly of the device according to the invention is
particularly cost-effective if the pre-filter is held with its
edges on the wall of the surge pot. As a result of the edges of
the pre-filter being held or the wall of the surge pot, the
pre-filter is situated in its intended position throughout the
further assembly of the surge pot with further components of a
feed unit. The pre-filter is hereby prevented from nestling
against adjacent components of the device according to the
invention.
According to another advantageous refinement of the invention,
the production of the surge pot with the pre-filter is
particularly cost-effective if the pre-filter is at least
partially cohesively connected to the surge pot. In the
simplest case, the pre-filter is an insert part which is
inserted into an injection mold of the surge pot and which is
cohesively connected to the surge pot during the injection-
molding process.
To reduce the number of components of the device according to
the invention, it is expedient if the pre-filter and the surge
pot are produced in one piece. By means of said design, the
pre-filter is produced during the production of the surge pot.
Opposing molds of the surge pot may have a multiplicity of
individual contact points which, after the production of the
surge pot, form the individual openings of the pre-filter.

The device according to the invention is of particularly
compact design if the surge pot has a casing and if the pre-
filter is connected to the casing.
The device according to the invention is of particularly simple
structural design if a collecting chamber is arranged between
the pre-filter and a base plate which is sealingly connected to
the casing, and if a suet on connection of the fuel pump
protrudes into the collecting chamber.
At least in the new state of the device according to the
invention, the pre-filter las a particularly large filter
surface if the pre-filter has a horizontal section.
To further reduce the number of components to be assembled in
the device according to the invention, it is expedient if the
horizontal section and that section of the pre-filter which
projects from the horizontal plane are produced in one piece.
The section which projects from the horizontal plane could for
example taper obliquely in the direction of the casing.
However, according to another advantageous refinement of the
invention, particularly reliable cleaning of the pre-filter by
sloshing movements in the surge pot can be generated in a
simple manner if the section which projects from the horizontal
plane is arranged vertically in the surge pot.
The invention permits numerous embodiments. To further
illustrate the basic principle of the invention, two of said
embodiments are illustrated in the drawing and described below.
In the drawing:
figure 1 shows a partial section through a device according to
the invention for collecting fuel,

figure 2 shows a second partial section, which is offset in
relation to the partial section from figure 1, of the
device according to the invention,
figure 3 shows a perspective illustration of a surge pot of
the device according to the invention, with a pre-
filter, in partial section, and
figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the surge pot in a
perspective illustration.
Figure 1 shows a device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a
motor vehicle and for feeding the collected fuel to an internal
combustion engine (not illustrated) of the motor vehicle. The
device has a fuel pump 2 which is driven by an electric motor
and which is arranged in a surge pot 1, and a fine-mesh filter
3. The fine-mesh filter 3 is likewise arranged in the surge pot
1 and is connected by means of a fuel line 4 to the fuel pump
2. Furthermore, the fine-mesh filter 3 has a connecting pipe 5
for a feed line (not illustrated) which leads to the internal
combustion engine of the motor vehicle. A line 7 (illustrated
in figure 2) for a suction jet pump 8 is connected to a
connection 6 of the fuel pump 2. The suction jet pump 8 sucks
in fuel from the surroundings of the surge pot 1 and feeds said
fuel into the surge pot 1. The surge pot 1 serves to collect
the fuel and has a base plate 9 and a casing 10 which is
sealingly connected to the base plate 9. A suction pipe 11 of
the fuel pump 2 extends through a pre-filter 12 into a
collecting chamber 13. The collecting chamber 13 is delimited
by the base plate 9 and the pre-filter 12. Fuel flowing into
the surge pot 1 passes via the pre-filter 12 into the
collecting chamber 13 and therefore to the suction pipe 11 of
the fuel pump 2. The fuel pump 2 can therefore suck in fuel
from the surge pot 1 and feed said fuel via the fine-mesh
filter 3 to the connecting pipe 5 for the feed line. The casing

10 of the surge pot 1 has an edge 15 which engages over a
supporting edge 14 of the base plate 9. The edge 15 and the
supporting edge 14 are sealingly connected to one another.
Figure 3 shows the surge pot 1 from figure 1 in a partial
section. It can be seen here that the pre-filter 12 has a
horizontal section 16 and a section 17 which projects from the
horizontal plane, and is cohesively connected to the casing 10
of the surge pot 1. The pre-filter 12 is produced in one piece
and is encapsulated, by injection molding, with plastic of the
surge pot 1. That section 17 of the pre-filter 12 which
projects from the horizontal plane is inclined with respect to
the vertical.
Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the surge pot 1 which
differs from that in figure 3 merely in that the pre-filter 12
has a vertical section 18 which adjoins a horizontal section
19.

Patent claims
1. A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor
vehicle, having a surge pot, having a suction connection
for a fuel pump and having a pre-filter which covers the
suction connection, characterized in that the pre-filter
(12) is arranged within the surge pot (1) and has a
section (17, 18) which projects from a horizontal plane.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
the pre-filter (12) is held with its edges on the wall of
the surge pot (1).
3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the pre-filter (12) is at least partially cohesively
connected to the surge pot (1).
4. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) and the
surge pot (1) are produced in one piece.
5. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the surge pot (1) has a
casing (10) and in that the pre-filter (12) is connected
to the casing (10).
6. The device as claimed ir. at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in ;hat a collecting chamber (13) is
arranged between the pre-filter (12) and a base plate (9)
which is sealingly connected to the casing (10), and in
that a suction connection (11) of the fuel pump (2)
protrudes into the collecting chamber (13).

7. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the pre-filter (12) has a
horizontal section (16, 19).
8. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the horizontal section (16,
19) and that section (17, 18) of the pre-filter (12) which
projects from the horizontal plane are produced in one
piece.
9. The device as claimed in at least one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the section (18) which
projects from the horizortal plane is arranged vertically
in the surge pot (1).

A device for collecting fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle comprises a prefilter (12) arranged inside a swirl pot (1). Said prefilter (12) has a section (17) rising from a horizontal
plane and a section (16) lying in the horizontal plane. The sections (16,17) of the prefilter (12) are produced as one piece and are connected to the swirl pot (1) in a material fit. The prefilter (12) has an especially large surface.

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Patent Number

279977

Indian Patent Application Number

12/KOLNP/2009

PG Journal Number

06/2017

Publication Date

10-Feb-2017

Grant Date

06-Feb-2017

Date of Filing

01-Jan-2009

Name of Patentee

CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH

Applicant Address

VAHRENWALDER STRASSE 9, 30165 HANNOVER

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	KARL ECK	LENAUSTR. 36, 60318 FRANKFURT
2	MATTHIAS KADLER	MAINZER LANDSTRASSE 55, 64521 GROSS-GERAU
3	MARTIN MAASZ	NEUGARTENSTR. 34, 65843 SULZBACH
4	OLIVER SCHOENERT	SCHMIDT-SCHOLL-WEG 6 59757 ARNSBERG
5	MICHAEL TEICHERT	FRIEDRICH EBERT STR. 15 65824 SCHWALBACH
6	DIETER HAGIST	HIRSCHSPRUNG 8, 56112 LAHNSTEIN

PCT International Classification Number

B60K 15/077

PCT International Application Number

PCT/EP2007/056987

PCT International Filing date

2007-07-09

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	102006032098.0	2006-07-11	Germany