Vapor separator, manufacturing method for vapor separator, and outboard motor

Abstract

To provide a vapor separator in which a fuel pump can be easily attached while an increase in cost associated with an increase in the number of components is restrained, and a manufacturing method for the vapor separator.SOLUTION: A vapor separator 1 (1A or 1B) provided in a fuel supply system comprises a tank 2 for storing liquid fuel, and a fuel pump 10 provided in the tank 2. The tank 2 includes: an upper side member 2A to which an upper part of the fuel pump 10 is attached; and a lower side member 2B located on a lower side of the upper side member 2A, connected to the upper side member 2A, and comprising a holding part 40 for holding a lower part of the fuel pump 10. The lower side member 2B of the tank 2 includes a guide part 60 (60A or 60B) located between a side wall 7 of the lower side member 2B and the holding part 40 in a planar view, for guiding the lower part of the fuel pump 10 toward the holding part 40 when attaching the upper side member 2A to which the upper part of the fuel pump 10 is attached, to the lower side member 2B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vapor separator provided in a fuel supply system of an engine, a manufacturing method thereof, and an outboard motor equipped with a vapor separator. [Background technology]

[0002] A vapor separator that is provided in a fuel supply system for an outboard motor engine to supply fuel to the engine has been known. Generally, the vapor separator includes a tank for storing liquid fuel and a fuel pump provided in the tank. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a vapor separator in which a case (tank) for storing liquid fuel is composed of an upper case (upper member) and a lower case (lower member), and a high-pressure fuel pump (fuel pump) is housed in the case (tank). In the vapor separator described in Patent Document 1, the upper part of the high-pressure fuel pump (fuel pump) is supported by the upper case (upper member) of the case (tank) via a rubber bushing, while the lower part of the high-pressure fuel pump (fuel pump) is supported by the lower case (lower member) via cushion rubber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-73630 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when assembling the vapor separator described in Patent Document 1, for example, a method can be considered in which the fuel pump (high-pressure fuel pump) is attached to the upper member (upper case) of the tank, and then the upper member and the fuel pump are attached to the lower member (lower case) of the tank. However, because the fuel pump itself is heavy, it can swing around the bushing while suspended from the upper case (upper member), which makes it difficult to assemble the fuel pump smoothly because the position of the fuel pump is unstable when assembling the upper tank member and the fuel pump to the lower tank member.

[0005] In order to stabilize the position of the fuel pump during assembly, it is possible to provide a bracket (pump fixing part) in addition to the bushing to immobilize the fuel pump on the upper member of the tank, but in this case, there is a problem of increased costs due to the increased number of parts.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, at least some embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a vapor separator, a method for manufacturing a vapor separator, and an outboard motor that allow for easy assembly of a fuel pump while suppressing increases in costs associated with an increase in the number of parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vapor separator according to at least some embodiments of the present invention comprises: A vapor separator provided in a fuel supply system that supplies fuel to an engine, a tank for storing liquid fuel; a fuel pump provided in the tank; Equipped with The tank is an upper member to which an upper portion of the fuel pump is attached; a lower member located below the upper member and connected to the upper member, the lower member having a holding portion for holding a lower portion of the fuel pump; Including, The lower member of the tank is located between the side wall of the lower member and the holding portion in a plan view, and includes a guide portion for guiding the lower portion of the fuel pump toward the holding portion when assembling the upper member to which the upper portion of the fuel pump is assembled to the lower member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to at least some embodiments of the present invention, a guide portion is provided to guide the lower part of the fuel pump toward the holding portion when assembling the upper part of the fuel pump to the lower part, thereby making it easy to assemble the fuel pump. Furthermore, since a bracket (pump fixing part) for fixing the fuel pump immovably to the upper member of the tank is not required, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs due to an increase in the number of parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vapor separator according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly of the vapor separator shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor separator according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a view of a lower portion of a fuel pump of a vapor separator according to an embodiment, viewed from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fuel pump and a filter element of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partially cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the vapor separator according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor separator according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an outboard motor according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of components described as embodiments or shown in the drawings are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vapor separator according to one embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly of the vapor separator shown in Fig. 1.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the vapor separator 1 includes a tank 2 for storing liquid fuel and a fuel pump 10 provided in the tank 2.

[0013] The vapor separator 1 is provided in a fuel supply system for an engine used in, for example, an outboard motor, and is used midway along a fuel supply pipe that supplies fuel from a fuel tank to the engine. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the vapor separator 1 is an open-type vapor separator having a vent passage (not shown) that releases fuel vapor in the tank 2 to the atmosphere in order to prevent the internal pressure of the tank 2 from increasing. In another embodiment, the vapor separator 1 is a sealed vapor separator that does not have a vent passage communicating with the interior space of the tank 2. In a sealed vapor separator, not only liquid fuel but also fuel vapor is introduced into the intake port of the fuel pump, and the fuel vapor is liquefied by the fuel pump and sent to the engine together with the liquid fuel.

[0014] The tank 2 includes a fuel inlet 3 through which fuel flows in and a fuel outlet 4 through which fuel pressurized by the fuel pump 10 flows out. The tank 2 stores liquid fuel and defines an internal space in which the fuel pump 10 is housed. The internal space of the tank 2 includes a liquid phase section 100 in which the liquid fuel exists and a gas phase section 200 in which fuel vapor generated by vaporization of the liquid fuel exists. The interface between the liquid phase section 100 and the gas phase section 200 is the liquid level L within the tank 2. When the vapor separator 1 is in use, the fuel pump 10 is at least partially located below the liquid level L within the tank 2 and is immersed in the liquid fuel (liquid phase section 100). The tank 2 includes an upper member 2A and a lower member 2B located below the upper member 2A and fastened to the upper member 2A. The upper member 2A is a lid member that closes an upper opening of the bottomed lower member 2B. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, both the fuel inlet 3 and the fuel outlet 4 are provided in the upper member 2A. In other embodiments, at least one of the fuel inlet 3 and the fuel outlet 4 is provided in the lower member 2B. A sealing member (not shown) is provided at a joint surface 2C between the upper member 2A and the lower member 2B to prevent fuel leakage from inside the tank 2 through the joint surface 2C. The upper member 2A and the lower member 2B of the tank 2 have, as support portions for supporting the fuel pump 10, an annular protrusion 50 and a holding portion 40, respectively, which will be described later.

[0015] The fuel pump 10 housed in the tank 2 having the above-described configuration includes a pump body 20 and an elastic cover 30 that covers the lower part of the pump body 20. The elastic cover 30 is made of any elastic material, and may be made of, for example, an elastic polymer material (elastomer).

[0016] The pump body 20 includes a pumping element 21 for pressurizing the fuel, an intake portion 22 for introducing the fuel to the pumping element 21, and a discharge portion 24 for discharging the fuel pressurized by the pumping element 21. The pumping element 21 of the pump body 20 can be a positive displacement pump such as a diaphragm pump or a vane pump, or a non-positive displacement pump such as a centrifugal pump, an axial flow pump, or a mixed flow pump. The suction section 22 may be a suction pipe communicating with the pumping element 21 in the pump body 20. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the suction section 22 is a suction pipe configured by an elbow including an upstream pipe section along the horizontal direction and a downstream pipe section along the vertical direction, and an upstream end 23 of the upstream pipe section of the suction section (suction pipe) 22 is connected to an outlet pipe 5 of a filter element 6 described below. The discharge portion 24 may be a discharge line that communicates with the pumping element 21 within the pump body 20 .

[0017] 1, pump body 20 has suction section 22 provided at the bottom of pump body 20 and discharge section 24 provided at the top of pump body 20. In this case, suction section 22 is at least partially covered by elastic cover 30, which will be described later. In another embodiment, the suction section 22 of the pump body 20 is provided in the upper part of the pump body 20 and draws in liquid fuel from the liquid phase section 100 via an extension pipe. In contrast, the discharge section 24 of the pump body 20 is provided in the lower part of the pump body 20 and discharges fuel toward the fuel outlet 4 via an extension pipe. In this case, the discharge section 24 is at least partially covered by an elastic cover 30 described below.

[0018] In some embodiments, the upper part of the fuel pump 10 is assembled to the upper member 2A of the tank 2, while the lower part of the fuel pump 10 (elastic cover 30) is held by a holding part 40 provided on the lower member 2B of the tank 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the upper member 2A has an annular protrusion 50 to which the upper portion (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 is attached. The upper portion (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 is attached to the annular protrusion 50 of the upper member 2A via an elastic bushing 52. The elastic bushing 52 is provided between the upper portion (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 and the upper member 2A (annular protrusion 50). The elastic bushing 52 may function as a sealing member that seals the gap between the discharge portion 24 of the fuel pump 10 and the upper member 2A. The elastic bushing 52 may be formed of any elastic material, such as an elastic polymer material (elastomer). The holding portion 40 of the lower member 2B includes a mating portion 42 that mates with the lower portion (elastic cover 30) of the fuel pump 10. The holding portion 40 has a function of positioning the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 relative to the lower member 2B. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40 is a recess that mates with a protrusion provided on the lower portion of the fuel pump 10. In other embodiments, the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40 is a protrusion that mates with a recess provided on the lower portion of the fuel pump 10.

[0019] Here, when assembling the vapor separator 1 having the above-described configuration, a method can be considered in which the fuel pump 10 is assembled to the upper member 2A of the tank 2, and then the upper member 2A and the fuel pump 10 are assembled to the lower member 2B of the tank 2, as shown in FIG. However, because the fuel pump 10 itself is heavy, the fuel pump 10 can swing around the elastic bushing 52 as a fulcrum while suspended from the upper member 2A (see arrow X in FIG. 2 ). For this reason, it is necessary to stabilize the position of the fuel pump 10 when assembling the upper member 2A of the tank 2 and the fuel pump 10 to the lower member 2B of the tank 2.

[0020] Therefore, in some embodiments, the lower member 2B of the tank 2 includes a guide portion 60 for guiding the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 toward the holding portion 40 when assembling the upper member 2A, to which the upper portion of the fuel pump 10 is assembled, to the lower member 2B, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. By providing guide portion 60 on lower member 2B, the position of fuel pump 10, which tends to swing around elastic bushing 52 as a fulcrum while suspended from upper member 2A, is stabilized, and the assembly work of fuel pump 10 to holding portion 40 at the bottom can be carried out smoothly.

[0021] In some embodiments, the guide portion 60 is located between the side wall 7 of the lower member 2B and the holding portion 40 when viewed from above in the vertical direction (that is, in a plan view). 1 and 2 , a portion of guide portion 60 is located between side wall 7 of lower member 2B and holding portion 40, and at a higher position than holding portion 40. Specifically, guide portion 60 has a guide surface 61 that approaches holding portion 40 as it extends downward, and a portion of guide portion 60 including guide surface 61 is located between side wall 7 of lower member 2B and holding portion 40, and at a higher position than holding portion 40.

[0022] The guide portion 60 is not particularly limited in its specific configuration as long as it can guide the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 toward the holding portion 40 of the lower member 2B of the tank 2 when the fuel pump 10 suspended from the upper member 2A is lowered toward the holding portion 40 of the lower member 2B. In one embodiment, the guide portion 60 includes a vertical rib extending along the vertical direction. The extension direction of the vertical rib may be parallel to the vertical direction, or the angle between the extension direction of the vertical rib and the vertical direction may be greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 30 degrees. In another embodiment, the guide portion 60 is a truncated cone guide extending upward from the holding portion 40.

[0023] Below, with reference to Figures 3 to 8, we will explain the specific configuration of a vapor separator 1A in which the guide portion 60 includes vertical ribs 60A, and with reference to Figures 9 and 10, we will explain the specific configuration of a vapor separator 1B in which the guide portion 60 is a truncated cone guide 60B. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a view of a lower portion of a fuel pump of a vapor separator according to an embodiment, viewed from below. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a fuel pump and a filter element of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing an assembly state of a vapor separator according to an embodiment. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor separator according to another embodiment, and Fig. 10 is a partially cross-sectional perspective view of a lower member of a tank of a vapor separator according to another embodiment. 3 to 10, elements common to those described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0024] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 9, the vapor separator 1 (1A, 1B) includes an elastic cover 30 that covers the lower part of the pump body 20 of the fuel pump 10, and the holding portion 40 has a mating portion 42 that can be mated with the elastic cover 30.

[0025] 3 and 9, the discharge portion 24 of the fuel pump 10 is configured as a discharge pipe for guiding fuel pressurized by the fuel pump 10 to the fuel outlet 4. The discharge portion 24 of the fuel pump 10 is attached to the inner peripheral side of the annular protrusion 50 of the upper member 2A of the tank 2 via an elastic bushing 52 having a plurality of annular protrusions 53 on its outer peripheral surface. A pressure regulator 8 is connected to the branch pipe portion 25 of the discharge portion 24 of the fuel pump 10 for regulating the pressure of the fuel flowing toward the fuel outlet 4 and returning excess fuel to the tank 2. 3 and the vapor separator 1B shown in Fig. 9 differ in that the guide portion 60 is a vertical rib 60A or a truncated cone guide 60B. However, the vapor separator 1A and the vapor separator 1B share the same configuration of the lower portion (elastic cover 30) of the fuel pump 10 and the configuration of the holding portion 40 of the lower member 2B of the tank 2, which will be described below.

[0026] 4 and 5, the elastic cover 30 has a protrusion 32 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 31 of the elastic cover 30 and is engageable with the engagement portion 42 of the holding portion 40. The protrusion 32 includes an annular portion 34, a pair of linear portions 36 that extend radially from the annular portion 34, and a cylindrical portion 38 that is provided integrally with the annular portion 34. The annular portion 34 extends partially annularly along the circumferential direction between a pair of end portions 35. Each end portion 35 of the annular portion 34 is connected to a cylindrical portion 38. The cylindrical portion 38 protrudes downward from the lower surface 31 of the elastic cover 30 so as to cover the suction portion 22 of the pump body 20. The pair of straight portions 36 are provided along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which suction portion 22 of pump body 20 protrudes from elastic cover 30 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion amounts of the respective portions of the convex portion 32 relative to the lower surface 31 of the elastic cover 30 increase in the order of the pair of linear portions 36, the annular portion 34, and the cylindrical portion 38.

[0027] 6, 7, and 10, the holding portion 40 includes an annular protrusion 41 that protrudes from the bottom surface of the lower member 2B of the tank 2, and a mating portion 42 that is provided on the inner circumferential side of the annular protrusion 41. The annular protrusion 41 is provided so as to surround the lower portion (elastic cover 30) of the fuel pump 10. The mating portion 42 is mated with the protrusion 32 of the elastic cover 30 on the inner circumferential side of the annular protrusion 41. The annular protrusion 41 is provided only in a certain area in the circumferential direction, and in the circumferential range where the annular protrusion 41 is not provided, the intake portion 22 of the fuel pump 10 protrudes radially outward from the elastic cover 30.

[0028] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 6, 7 and 10, the mating portion 42 includes a first recess 44, a pair of second recesses 46 extending radially from the first recess 44, and a third recess 48 connected to the first recess 44. The first recess 44 is defined by the inner circumferential surface of an annular wall portion 45 protruding from the bottom surface of the lower member 2B of the tank 2 and the bottom surface of the lower member 2B, and the annular portion 34 of the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40 fits into the first recess 44. Each second recess 46 is defined by the side wall surfaces of a pair of linear wall portions 47 protruding from the bottom surface of the lower member 2B and the bottom surface of the lower member 2B, and the linear portion 36 of the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40 fits into the second recess 46. Of the total of four linear wall portions 47 (47A, 47B) that define a pair of linear wall portions 47, the linear wall portions 47A of the first pair are each connected to an end of the annular wall portion 45, and the linear wall portions 47B of the second pair face each other across the third recess 48. The third recess 48 is defined by the side wall surfaces of the second pair of linear wall portions 47B and the upper surface of a raised portion 49 that rises from the bottom surface of the lower member 2B, and is fitted with the cylindrical portion 38 of the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40. The raised portion 49 protrudes less from the bottom surface of the lower member 2B of the tank 2 than the other convex portions (annular wall portion 45 and linear wall portion 47) that form the mating portion 42. The raised portion 49 has a circular outline corresponding to the cylindrical portion 38 in a plan view.

[0029] 6 to 8, in some embodiments, the guide portion 60 includes a plurality of vertical ribs 60A protruding from the inner wall of the side wall 7 of the lower member 2B of the tank 2. The plurality of vertical ribs 60A are provided radially around the holding portion 40 along the vertical direction. The amount of protrusion d of each vertical rib 60A from the inner surface of the side wall 7 of the lower member 2B of the tank 2 increases downward. Therefore, the upper surface of the vertical rib 60A functions as a guide surface 61A that is oblique to the vertical direction and approaches the holding portion 40 as it extends downward. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 8, when viewed from the out-of-plane direction, each vertical rib 60A has a trapezoidal shape defined by one side corresponding to the guide surface 61A and three sides connected to the outer peripheral surface of the annular protrusion 41 of the holding portion 40, the bottom surface of the lower member 2B, and the side wall 7 of the lower member 2B, respectively. When the upper member 2A to which the upper portion (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 is attached is assembled to the lower member 2B, as shown in FIG. 8, the multiple vertical ribs 60A guide the lower portion (elastic cover 30) of the fuel pump 10 toward the holding portion 40 by means of the guide surfaces 61A.

[0030] In some other embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the guide portion 60 is a truncated cone guide 60B that extends upward and radially outward from the retaining portion 40. 9 and 10, the truncated cone guide 60B is connected to the upper surface of the annular protrusion 41 of the holder 40, and the inner diameter of the truncated cone guide 60B gradually increases upward. The upper surface of the truncated cone guide 60B functions as a guide surface 61B that is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and approaches the holder 40 as it extends downward. 10, the truncated cone guide 60B may be provided over the entire circumferential range occupied by the annular protrusion 41, or may be provided over only a portion of the circumferential range occupied by the annular protrusion 41. Furthermore, the truncated cone guide 60B may be provided discretely in a plurality of regions included in the circumferential range occupied by the annular protrusion 41.

[0031] The vapor separator 1 (1A, 1B) having the above-described structure can be assembled in the following procedure. First, the upper part (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 is assembled to the upper member 2A of the tank 2. At this time, the upper part (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 may be assembled to the annular protrusion 50 of the upper member 2A via an elastic bushing 52. Next, the upper member 2A of the tank 2 and the fuel pump 10 are lowered toward the lower member 2B while the guide portions 60 (60A, 60B) guide the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 (elastic cover 30) toward the holding portion 40 (see FIGS. 2 and 8). At this time, the lowering of the upper member 2A and the fuel pump 10 continues until the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 and the mating portion 42 of the holding portion 40 are mated. In this way, the upper portion (discharge portion 24) of the fuel pump 10 is assembled to the upper member 2A of the tank 2, and the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 (elastic cover 30) is held by the holding portion 40 of the lower member 2B. Thereafter, the upper member 2A and the lower member 2B of the tank 2 are fastened together to obtain the vapor separator 1 (1A, 1B).

[0032] Next, with reference to FIG. 11, an outboard motor including the vapor separator 1 (1A, 1B) having the above-described configuration will be described. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an outboard motor according to one embodiment. As shown in the figure, an outboard motor 400 is attached to a transom 402 of a hull 404. The outboard motor 400 includes a vapor separator 1, an engine 410 for generating power by combusting fuel supplied via the vapor separator 1, and a propeller 420 driven by power from the engine 410. Engine 410 includes a cylinder block 412 and a cylinder head 414. The fuel that has passed through vapor separator 1 reaches fuel injector 418 via delivery pipe 416. Fuel injector 418 injects fuel into each cylinder of engine 410. The power generated by the engine 410 is transmitted to a propeller shaft 422 of the propeller 420 via a power transmission member 430. The power transmission member 430 includes a drive shaft 432 connected to a crankshaft (not shown) of the engine 410, and a bevel gear 434 provided between the propeller shaft 422 and the drive shaft 432.

[0033] The characteristic features of the vapor separator and the method for manufacturing the vapor separator according to the above-described several embodiments can be summarized as follows.

[0034] [1] The vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B) according to at least some embodiments of the present invention comprises: A vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B) provided in a fuel supply system that supplies fuel to an engine, a tank (2) for storing liquid fuel; a fuel pump (10) provided in the tank (2); Equipped with Tank (2) an upper member (2A) to which an upper portion of the fuel pump (10) is attached; a lower member (2B) located below the upper member (2A) and connected to the upper member (2A), the lower member (2B) having a holding portion (40) for holding a lower portion of the fuel pump (10); Including, The lower member (2B) of the tank (2) is located between the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) and the holding portion (40) in a plan view and includes guide portions (60; 60A, 60B) for guiding the lower portion of the fuel pump (10) toward the holding portion (40) when the upper member (2A) to which the upper portion of the fuel pump (10) is attached is assembled to the lower member (2B).

[0035] According to the configuration [1], the guide portions (60; 60A, 60B) are provided to guide the lower portion of the fuel pump (10) toward the holding portion (40) when assembling the upper portion of the fuel pump (10) to the lower portion of the tank (2) to which the upper portion of the fuel pump (10) is attached to the lower portion of the tank (2). This facilitates the assembly of the fuel pump (10). Furthermore, since a bracket (pump fixing part) for immovably fixing the fuel pump (10) to the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) is not required, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs due to an increase in the number of parts.

[0036] [2] In some embodiments, in the configuration of [1] above, The guide portion (60; 60A, 60B) is provided on the lower member (2B) so as to be at least partially located between the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) and the retaining portion (40) and at a higher position than the retaining portion (40).

[0037] According to the configuration [2], the guide portions (60; 60A, 60B) are at least partially positioned higher than the holding portion (40), so that when the fuel pump (10) is lowered toward the lower member (2B) while suspended from the upper member (2A) of the tank (2), the guide portions (60; 60A, 60B) are likely to come into contact with the fuel pump (10) before the holding portion (40). This allows the guide portions (60; 60A, 60B) to effectively demonstrate their guiding function for the fuel pump (10).

[0038] [3] In some embodiments, in the configuration of [1] or [2] above, The guide portion (60) includes a plurality of vertical ribs (60A) provided radially and vertically around the holding portion (40) so as to protrude from the inner wall of the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2); The amount of protrusion of each vertical rib (60A) from the inner surface of the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) increases downward.

[0039] According to the configuration [3] above, by using the vertical rib (60A) protruding from the inner wall of the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2), it is possible to inexpensively realize the function of the guide portion (60) while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of vertical ribs (60A) protruding from the inner wall of the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) radially around the holding portion (40), the fuel pump (10) can be guided toward the holding portion (40) from a plurality of directions. Furthermore, since the protrusion amount (d) of the vertical ribs (60A) from the inner surface of the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) increases downward, the fuel pump (10) can be effectively guided toward the holding portion (40) along the upper surface (61A) of the vertical ribs (60A), which is oblique to the vertical direction.

[0040] [4] In some embodiments, in the configuration of [1] or [2] above, The guide portion (60) is a truncated cone guide (60B) that extends upward and radially outward from the holding portion (40).

[0041] According to the configuration [4] above, the fuel pump (10) can be effectively guided toward the holding portion (40) along the upper surface (61B) of the truncated cone guide (60B), which is oblique to the vertical direction, within the circumferential range in which the truncated cone guide (60B) is installed.

[0042] [5] In some embodiments, in any of the configurations [1] to [4] above, The fuel pump (10) A pump body (20); an elastic cover (30) that covers the lower part of the pump body (20); Including, The holding portion (40) an annular projection (41) projecting from the bottom surface of the lower member (2B) so as to surround the lower portion of the fuel pump (10); a mating portion (42) that is mated with the elastic cover (30) on the inner circumferential side of the annular protrusion (41); Includes:

[0043] In the configuration [5] above, when assembling the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) to which the upper part of the fuel pump (10) is attached to the lower member (2B), it is necessary to mate the elastic cover (30) covering the lower part of the pump body (20) of the fuel pump (10) with the mating portion (42) located on the inner peripheral side of the annular protrusion (41) of the holding portion (40). In this regard, as described in [1] above, the guide portion (60; 60A, 60B) located between the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) and the holding portion (40) in a plan view guides the lower portion of the fuel pump (10) toward the holding portion (40), thereby facilitating the engagement of the elastic cover (30) of the fuel pump (10) with the engagement portion (42) of the holding portion (40).

[0044] [6] In some embodiments, in any of the configurations [1] to [5] above, The vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B) includes an elastic bush (52) provided between the top of the fuel pump (10) and the upper member (2A).

[0045] As described above in [6], when the upper part of the fuel pump 10 is attached to the upper member 2A of the tank 2 via the elastic bushing 52, the fuel pump 10 tends to swing around the elastic bushing 52. Therefore, when attaching the upper member 2A of the tank 2 and the fuel pump 10 to the lower member 2B of the tank 2, it is necessary to stabilize the position of the fuel pump 10. In this regard, as described in [1] above, when the upper member 2A of the tank 2, to which the upper portion of the fuel pump 10 is attached, is attached to the lower member 2B, the guide portions 60; 60A, 60B guide the lower portion of the fuel pump 10 toward the holder 40. This makes it possible to easily assemble the fuel pump 10 while suppressing an increase in costs due to an increase in the number of parts.

[0046] [7] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing a vapor separator includes: A method for producing a vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B) having any of the configurations [1] to [6] above, a step of assembling an upper portion of the fuel pump (10) to an upper member (2A) of the tank (2); a step of lowering the upper member (2A) and the fuel pump (10) toward the lower member (2B) while guiding a lower portion of the fuel pump (10) toward the holding portion (40) by the guide portion (60; 60A, 60B); fastening the upper member (2A) and the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) together in a state in which the lower portion of the fuel pump (10) is held by the holding portion (40); Equipped with.

[0047] According to the method [7], as described in [1] above, when assembling the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) to which the upper part of the fuel pump (10) is assembled to the lower member (2B), the lower part of the fuel pump (10) is guided toward the holding part (40) by the guide part (60) located between the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) and the holding part (40) in a plan view, thereby making it easy to assemble the fuel pump (10). Furthermore, since a bracket (pump fixing part) for immovably fixing the fuel pump (10) to the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) is not required, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs due to an increase in the number of parts.

[0048] [8] In some embodiments, the outboard motor (400) includes: A vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B) having any one of the configurations [1] to [6] above; an engine (410) for generating power by combusting fuel supplied via a vapor separator (1; 1A, 1B); a propeller (420) driven by power from an engine (410); Equipped with.

[0049] According to the configuration [8], as described in [1] above, when assembling the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) to which the upper part of the fuel pump (10) is assembled to the lower member (2B), the lower part of the fuel pump (10) is guided toward the holding part (40) by the guide part (60) located between the side wall (7) of the lower member (2B) of the tank (2) and the holding part (40) in a plan view, thereby facilitating the assembly of the fuel pump (10). Furthermore, since a bracket (pump fixing part) for immovably fixing the fuel pump (10) to the upper member (2A) of the tank (2) is not required, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs due to an increase in the number of parts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1(1A, 1B): Vapor separator 2: Tank 2A: Upper member 2B: Lower part 7: Side wall 10: Fuel pump 20: Pump body 30: Elastic cover 32: Convex part 40: Holding part 41: Annular convex part 42: Engagement part 50: Annular convex part 52: Elastic bushing 53: Annular convex part 60: Guide section 60A: Vertical rib 60B: Cone guide 400: Outboard motor 410: Engine 420: Propeller

Claims

1. A vapor separator provided in a fuel supply system that supplies fuel to an engine, a tank for storing liquid fuel; a fuel pump provided in the tank; Equipped with The tank is an upper member to which an upper portion of the fuel pump is attached; a lower member located below the upper member and connected to the upper member, the lower member having a holding portion for holding a lower portion of the fuel pump; Including, The lower member of the tank includes a guide portion that is located between a side wall of the lower member and the holding portion in a plan view and that guides the lower portion of the fuel pump toward the holding portion when the upper member, to which the upper portion of the fuel pump is assembled, is assembled to the lower member. Vapor separator.

2. The guide portion is provided on the lower member so as to be at least partially located between the side wall of the lower member and the holding portion and at a higher position than the holding portion. The vapor separator of claim 1 .

3. the guide portion includes a plurality of vertical ribs provided radially and vertically around the holding portion so as to protrude from an inner wall of the side wall of the lower member of the tank, Each of the vertical ribs protrudes downward from the inner surface of the side wall of the lower member of the tank. The vapor separator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The guide portion is a truncated cone guide that extends upward and radially outward from the holding portion. The vapor separator according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The fuel pump A pump body, an elastic cover that covers a lower portion of the pump body; Including, The holding portion is an annular protrusion provided to protrude from the bottom surface of the lower member so as to surround the lower portion of the fuel pump; a mating portion that is mated with the elastic cover on an inner circumferential side of the annular protrusion; Contains The vapor separator according to claim 1 or 2.

6. an elastic bushing provided between the upper portion of the fuel pump and the upper member; The vapor separator according to claim 1 or 2.

7. 3. A method for producing the vapor separator of claim 1 or 2, comprising: assembling the upper portion of the fuel pump to the upper member of the tank; lowering the upper member and the fuel pump toward the lower member while guiding the lower portion of the fuel pump toward the holding portion using the guide portion; fastening the upper member and the lower member of the tank together in a state in which the lower portion of the fuel pump is held by the holding portion; A method for manufacturing a vapor separator comprising:

8. The vapor separator according to claim 1 or 2; an engine for generating power by combusting fuel supplied via the vapor separator; a propeller driven by the power from the engine; An outboard motor equipped with

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