Integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an integrated housing-bracket (10) for a fuel pump (11). The housing-bracket (10) comprises a unitary body. The unitary body comprises a housing section (12) for housing the fuel pump (11) therein. The housing section (12) comprises a chamber housing (21) and a pump chamber (23) within the chamber housing (21). The unitary body further comprises a bracket section (14) for mounting the housing-bracket (10) to an engine assembly (3), the bracket section (14) being integrated with the housing section (12) and comprising a mounting arrangement (41) for at least one fastener (5) to be inserted therein for attachment to the engine assembly (3).

Description

[0001] INTEGRATED HOUSING-BRACKET FOR A FUEL PUMP

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to an integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump.

[0004] Background

[0005] Fuel pumps may be mounted inside pump housings. The pump housings may hold the fuel pump in place relative to parts of an engine assembly and / or may direct the fuel from the fuel pump in a desired direction. To hold the pump housing in place relative to the engine assembly, the pump housing may be mounted to a bracket which may be in turn mounted to the engine assembly. This may result in an increased stock of different components needed to mount the fuel pump to the engine assembly, and / or may result in several steps being required to mount the fuel pump to the engine assembly.

[0006] One such existing bracket is described in GB2573284A. This document describes a bracket for mounting a fuel pump on an internal combustion engine.

[0007] In general, the bracket may comprise a manifold, or outlet channel, to direct fuel from the pump housing. An interface between the pump housing and the manifold of the bracket may be prone to leak fuel. This may damage the engine assembly or lead to reduced efficiency of the fuel pump.

[0008] Due to the above considerations, there is a need for an improved pump housing.

[0009] Summary

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump which may house the fuel pump and is also configured to be mounted directly to an engine assembly without requiring an additional intervening bracket. Therefore, fewer components may be required, and the integrated housing-bracket may be mounted to the engine assembly in fewer steps.

[0011] The present disclosure is therefore generally directed towards an integrated housingbracket comprising a unitary body comprising both a housing section, for housing a fuel pump, and a bracket section, for mounting the integrated housing-bracket to the engine assembly.

[0012] The integrated housing-bracket may also comprise an outlet channel within the unitary body to direct fuel from the pump housing to the needed location within the engine assembly. There may therefore not be an interface between the pump housing and a manifold of a bracket and therefore a reduced risk of a fuel leak.

[0013] The present disclosure provides an integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump, the housing-bracket comprising a unitary body. The unitary body comprises a housing section for housing the fuel pump therein. The housing section comprises a chamber housing and a pump chamber within the chamber housing. The unitary body further comprises a bracket section for mounting the housing-bracket to an engine assembly, the bracket section being integrated with the housing section and comprising a mounting arrangement for at least one fastener to be inserted therein for attachment to the engine assembly.

[0014] By way of example only, embodiments according to the present disclosure are now described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Brief of the

[0016] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a housing-bracket according to the present invention mounted to an engine assembly;

[0017] Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the housing-bracket and engine assembly of Fig. 1 ;

[0018] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the housing-bracket of Fig. 1 mounted to a bracket;

[0019] Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the housing-bracket and bracket of Fig. 3;

[0020] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the housing-bracket of Fig. 1 ;

[0021] Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the housing-bracket of Fig. 1; and

[0022] Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the housing-bracket of Fig. 1 with a fuel pump mounted therein.

[0023] Detailed Description Figures 1 and 2 shows an engine system 1 comprising an engine assembly 3 and a housing-bracket 10. The housing-bracket 10 is mounted to the engine assembly 3 by at least one fastener 5.

[0024] The engine assembly 3 may be for providing torque, a driving force, and / or kinetic energy to parts of a vehicle or other system. The engine assembly 3 may be connected to wheels of the vehicle via a transmission. The engine assembly 3 may comprise a cylinder block 7 and a bracket 9.

[0025] The cylinder block 7 may comprise cylinder chambers configured to house cylinders of the engine assembly 3 and / or a crankcase for a crankshaft as is known in the art. The bracket 9 may comprise an Engine Control Module (ECM) bracket, which may be configured to support an Engine Control Module.

[0026] As illustrated in Figure 3 and 4, the housing-bracket 10 may be mounted to the bracket 9 using the at least one fastener 5. As illustrated, the at least one fastener 5 may comprise three fasteners 5, at least three fasteners 5 and / or no more than three fasteners 5. The at least one fastener 5 may comprise at least one screw. The bracket 9 may extend between a top end, proximal to the top of the cylinder block 7 and a bottom end, proximal to the bottom of the cylinder block 7. The top of the cylinder block 7 may be the side which comprises the cylinder chambers rather than the crankcase. The housing-bracket 10 may be mounted to the bottom end of the bracket 9.

[0027] Figures 5 to 7 illustrate the housing-bracket 10 in more detail. The housing-bracket 10 may be referred to as a pump housing 10 and is an integrated housing-bracket 10 for a fuel pump 11 (shown in Figure 7). The housing-bracket 10 comprises a unitary body, which comprises a housing section 12 and a bracket section 14. The bracket section 14 is integrated with the housing section 12.

[0028] The housing-bracket 10 may be configured to hold the fuel pump 11 therein and may be configured to hold the fuel pump 11 in place relative to other components in the engine system 1. The housing-bracket 10 may be configured to direct the flow of fuel which is received and / or output by the fuel pump 11 to other components within the engine system 1. The fuel pump 11 may be configured to pump fuel from a fuel source and / or fuel tank to other components within the engine system 1 , such as the cylinder chambers. The fuel pump 11 may be a centrifugal pump. The fuel pump 11 may receive fuel at a pump inlet (not shown) and output fuel at a pump outlet 17.

[0029] The housing section 12 is for housing the fuel pump 11 therein and comprises a chamber housing 21 and a pump chamber 23. The pump chamber 23 is within the chamber housing 21. The housing section 12 may be elongate along a housing axis 24.

[0030] As illustrated in Figure 6, the chamber housing 21 may be a thin-walled shell member and may comprise a substantially cylindrical body. The chamber housing 21 may extend along a chamber length from a first end 25 to a second end 27. The chamber length may be measured along and / or aligned with the housing axis 24. The first end 25 may be an inlet end at which fuel may enter the pump chamber 23. The second end 27 may be open and / or unsealed. The second end 27 may be configured such that the fuel pump 11 can be inserted therethrough into the pump chamber 23. The chamber housing 21 may comprise a thickness which is substantially smaller and / or substantially insignificant as compared to the overall dimensions of the chamber housing 21 (such as the length or width). The thickness of the chamber housing 21 may be measured between inner and outer walls of the chamber housing 21.

[0031] The pump chamber 23 may be sized to fit the fuel pump 11. The pump chamber 23 may be formed and / or defined by the chamber housing 21. The chamber housing 21 may form the walls of the pump chamber 23. The pump chamber 23 may extend from the first end 25 to the second end 27 of the chamber housing 21. The pump chamber 23 may be substantially cylindrical.

[0032] The housing section 12 may further comprise a housing inlet 29 extending through the chamber housing 21 to the pump chamber 23. The housing inlet 29 may be at the first end 25 of the chamber housing 21. The housing inlet 29 may be configured to receive fuel from the fuel source and / or fuel tank via an inlet conduit. Figure 5 illustrates the bracket section 14. The bracket section 14 is for mounting the housing-bracket 10 to the engine assembly 3. The bracket section 14 comprises a mounting arrangement 41. The mounting arrangement 41 is for the at least one fastener 5 to be inserted therein for attachment to the engine assembly 3.

[0033] The mounting arrangement 41 may comprise at least one elongate mounting body 43 extending from the housing section 12. The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise an extension and / or an extrusion from the housing section 12, optionally with a constant cross section therealong. The cross section may be circular and / or the at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise a cylindrical shape extending from the housing section 12. The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise a prismatic shape, and / or a triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or N-sided polygonal cross section. The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise a planar surface distal from the housing section 12, and the planar surface may be perpendicular to the axis of extension of the elongate mounting body 43.

[0034] The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise a plurality of elongate mounting bodies 43 extending from the housing section 12, and the mounting bodies 43 may extend along parallel axes. Each of the plurality of elongate mounting bodies 43 may extend to the same height, may extend in the same direction, and / or the planar surface of each of the plurality of elongate mounting bodies 43 may be on the same plane. The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may not extend radially from the housing axis 24.

[0035] The at least one elongate mounting body 43 may comprise three elongate mounting bodies 43, at least three elongate mounting bodies 43, no more than three elongate mounting bodies 43, and / or a first elongate mounting body 43a, a second elongate mounting body 43b, and a third elongate mounting body 43c.

[0036] The elongate mounting bodies 43 may be arranged with two of the elongate mounting bodies 43, and / or with the first and second elongate mounting bodies 43a, 43b, extending from the housing section 12 at the same axial location along the housing axis 24. The elongate mounting bodies 43 may be arranged with two of the elongate mounting bodies 43, and / or with the second and third elongate mounting bodies 43b, 43c, extending from the housing section 12 at different axial locations along the housing axis 24. The second and third elongate mounting bodies 43b, 43c may be arranged in a straight line and / or a line between the second and third elongate mounting bodies 43b, 43c may be parallel to the housing axis 24.

[0037] One of the elongate mounting bodies 43, and / or the third elongate mounting body 43c, may extend from the housing section 12 at and / or proximal to the second end 27. Two of the elongate mounting bodies 43, and / or the first and second elongate mounting body 43a, 43b, may extend from the housing section 12 at and / or proximal to the centre of the housing section 12 along the housing axis 24, and / or at a point between 40% and 60% of the length of the chamber housing 21.

[0038] The mounting arrangement 41 may comprise at least one blind bore 45 for the at least one fastener 5 to be inserted therein. Each of the plurality of elongate mounting bodies 43 may comprise a corresponding blind bore 45. The blind bore 45 may be located at the centre of the elongate mounting body 43 and / or along the axis of extension of the elongate mounting body 43. The mounting arrangement 41 may comprise an internal thread (not shown) on the inside of the at least one blind bore 45 for engaging the at least one fastener 5. The number of elongate mounting bodies 43 may correspond to the number of fasteners 5 used to mounting the housing-bracket 10 to the engine assembly 3.

[0039] The bracket section may further comprise ribs 47 for strengthening the mounting arrangement 41. The ribs 47 may extend between the mounting arrangement 41 and the housing section 12. The ribs 47 may extend between different parts of the mounting arrangement 41 , such as between two elongate mounting bodies 43.

[0040] The ribs 47 may comprise a first, second, third and fourth rib 47a, 47b, 47c, 47d. The first and second ribs 47a, 47b may extend between the first elongate mounting body 43a and the housing section 12. The first and second ribs 47a, 47b may be triangular ribs which extend radially from the housing axis 24 at an increasing height along the housing axis 24. The third rib 47c may extend between the second rib 47b and the housing section 12. The fourth rib 47d may extend between the first and second elongate mounting bodies 43a, 43b and the housing section 12. The third and fourth ribs 47c, 47d may be straight ribs which extend radially from the housing axis 24 to a constant height.

[0041] As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket section 41 may further comprise an engine connection port 51 and / or an outlet channel 53. The outlet channel 53 may extend from the pump chamber 23 to the engine connection port 51. The bracket section 41 may further comprise an engine connection port outer wall 52, and / or an outlet channel outer wall 54 (shown in Figure 5).

[0042] The outlet channel 53 may be configured to receive fuel from the pump outlet 17. The outlet channel 53 may extend from a proximal end 55 at the pump chamber 23 to a distal end 57 within the bracket section 14. The distal end 57 may be proximal to part of the mounting arrangement 41, such as the at least one elongate mounting body 43. The engine connection port outer wall 52, and / or the outlet channel outer wall 54 may be blended with the mounting arrangement 41, the at least one elongate mounting body 43, and / or the second elongate mounting body 43b. This may allow the mounting arrangement 41 and the engine connection port outer wall 52, and / or the outlet channel outer wall 54 to strengthen each other. The outlet channel 53 may comprise a sealed flow path from the pump chamber 23 to the engine connection port 51. The outlet channel 53 may comprise a diameter of between 7 mm and 9 mm. The outlet channel outer wall 54 may comprise a diameter of between 13 mm and 15 mm.

[0043] The outlet channel 53 may be formed by drilling from within the pump chamber 23 using an outlet drill bit 58 as illustrated in Figure 6. Drilling the outlet channel 53 from within the pump chamber 23 may allow the outlet channel 53 to be sealed apart from the engine connection port 51. This may prevent the need to seal the outlet channel 53 with an additional seal member, and / or result in a sealed flow path including the outlet channel 53 and / or the engine connection port 51 without needing to seal the distal end 57.

[0044] The outlet channel 53 may extend at an oblique angle to the housing axis 24. The oblique angle may be angled towards the first end 25 and away from the second end 27 of the pump chamber housing 23. The oblique angle may allow the outlet channel 53 to be drilled from within the pump chamber 23 as shown in Figure 6, since the outlet drill bit 58 can be inserted into the pump chamber 23 through the second end 27 of the chamber housing 21 at the oblique angle and subsequently into the bracket section 14.

[0045] The engine connection port 51 may extend from the outlet channel 53 to an external surface of the bracket section 14. The engine connection port 51 may comprise a diameter of between 10 mm and 11 mm. The engine connection port outer wall 52 may comprise a diameter of between 17 mm and 19 mm. The engine connection port 51 may extend at substantially a right angle and / or an angle between 75 degrees and 90 degrees from the outlet channel 53. The engine connection port 51 may be drilled using an engine port drill bit 59 as shown in Figure 6. The engine system 1 may further comprise an engine connection spigot 61, shown in Figure 7, inserted into the engine connection port 51. The engine connection spigot 61 may be connected to an outlet conduit and / or hose leading to other components within the engine system 1.

[0046] A method of manufacturing the integrated housing-bracket 10 is now described. The housing-bracket 10 may be formed as a unitary body. The housing-bracket 10 may be formed by casting, and / or additive manufacture. The housing-bracket 10 may be initially formed without the engine connection port 51 and / or the outlet channel 53.

[0047] The engine connection port 51 and / or the outlet channel 53 may be machined by drilling into the bracket section 14 after the initial formation of the housing-bracket 10. The outlet channel 53 may be drilled by inserting the outlet drill bit 58 into the pump chamber 23 through the second end 27 of the chamber housing 21 at the oblique angle and subsequently into the bracket section 14.

[0048] The at least one blind bore 45 may be machined by drilling into the mounting arrangement after the initial formation of the housing-bracket 10. The at least one blind bore 45 may be tapped to form a threaded bore.

[0049] Industrial Applicability

[0050] The housing-bracket 10 may be used to house the fuel pump 11 and it may be mounted to the engine assembly 3 without requiring an additional intervening bracket. Therefore, fewer components may be required and the integrated housing-bracket 10 may be mounted to the engine assembly 3 in fewer steps. In addition, if the integrated housing-bracket 10 comprises the outlet channel 53, fuel may be directed from the pump chamber 23 to the needed location within the engine assembly 3 without an additional interface between the pump chamber 23 and a manifold. This may reduce the number of locations for a potential fuel leak and therefore the risk of a fuel leak.

[0051] Having the outlet channel 53 extending at an oblique angle may allow the outlet channel 53 to be drilled from within the pump chamber 23, and therefore a strong sealed flow path is possible. Without the oblique angle, the outlet channel 53 may have had to be drilled from the outside of the housing-bracket 10 and then sealed with an additional seal member at the unintended orifice to the outside. This may have resulted in a weaker sealed flow path.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump, the housing-bracket comprising a unitary body, the unitary body comprising: a housing section for housing the fuel pump therein, the housing section comprising a chamber housing and a pump chamber within the chamber housing; and a bracket section for mounting the housing-bracket to an engine assembly, the bracket section being integrated with the housing section and comprising a mounting arrangement for at least one fastener to be inserted therein for attachment to the engine assembly.

2. The housing-bracket of claim 1 , wherein the bracket section further comprises an engine connection port and an outlet channel extending from the pump chamber to the engine connection port.

3. The housing-bracket of claim 2, wherein the housing section is elongate along a housing axis and the outlet channel extends at an oblique angle to the housing axis.

4. The housing-bracket of claim 2 or 3, wherein the outlet channel comprises a sealed flow path from the pump chamber to the engine connection port.

5. The housing-bracket of any preceding claim, wherein the mounting arrangement comprises at least one elongate mounting body extending from the housing section.

6. The housing-bracket of claim 5, wherein the mounting arrangement comprises a plurality of elongate mounting bodies extending from the housing section along parallel axes.

7. The housing-bracket of any preceding claim, wherein the mounting arrangement comprises at least one blind bore for the at least one fastener to be inserted therein.

8. The housing-bracket of claim 7, wherein the mounting arrangement comprises an internal thread on the inside of the at least one blind bore for engaging the at least one fastener.

9. The housing-bracket of any preceding claim, wherein the bracket section further comprises ribs extending between the mounting arrangement and the housing section for strengthening the mounting arrangement.

10. The housing-bracket of any preceding claim, wherein the housing section further comprises an inlet extending through the chamber housing to the pump chamber.

11. An engine system comprising: an engine assembly; and the housing-bracket of any preceding claim, wherein the housing-bracket is mounted to the engine assembly using at least one fastener.

12. The engine system of claim 11 , wherein the engine assembly comprises: a cylinder block; and a bracket, wherein the housing-bracket is mounted to the bracket using the at least one fastener.

13. A method of manufacturing an integrated housing-bracket for a fuel pump, the method comprising forming a unitary body, the unitary body comprising: a housing section for housing the fuel pump therein, the housing section comprising a chamber housing and a pump chamber within the chamber housing; and a bracket section for mounting the housing-bracket to an engine assembly, the bracket section being integrated with the housing section and comprising a mounting arrangement for at least one fastener to be inserted therein for attachment to the engine assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising drilling into the bracket section to form:an engine connection port; and an outlet channel extending from the pump chamber to the engine connection port.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, further comprising drilling into the mounting arrangement to form at least one blind bore for the at least one fastener to be inserted therein.

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