Fuel Pump Electric Connector Drainage Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fuel pumps are prone to corrosion and short circuits due to accumulated foreign objects like water, which cannot be effectively expelled from the electric connector, especially when the pump is tilted, leading to potential damage to metal connection terminals.

Innovation Solution

The fuel pump design includes a receiving chamber with primary communication holes oriented perpendicular to their outside openings, allowing foreign objects to be expelled regardless of the pump's tilting direction, and a downwardly tilted inner wall to facilitate drainage, ensuring that connection terminals are protected from corrosion and short circuits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If communication holes are formed to enable outputting of foreign objects to the outside of the electric connector, then foreign objects can be expelled, but the holes are only effective in a single direction and cannot expel foreign objects when the pump is tilted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign object expulsion capabilityVSAvoidexpulsion effectiveness across different pump orientations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensionality change by forming multiple communication holes at different orientations (including perpendicular directions) rather than a single hole. This multi-directional arrangement ensures that at least one hole remains effective for expelling foreign objects regardless of the pump's tilting direction, solving the limitation of single-direction expulsion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the electric connector is sealed to protect connection terminals, then terminals are protected from corrosion, but foreign objects accumulate inside and cause corrosion and short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of connection terminalsVSAvoidprevention of corrosion and short circuits

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful foreign objects from the electric connector by providing communication holes that allow water and other contaminants to be expelled from the receiving chamber. This extraction mechanism removes the source of corrosion and short circuits while maintaining the protective enclosure for the connection terminals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication holes act as intermediaries between the sealed receiving chamber and the external environment. They allow selective passage of foreign objects outward while maintaining the overall protective sealing of the electric connector, enabling both protection and expulsion functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If communication holes are formed in the electric connector, then foreign objects can be expelled, but connection terminals remain exposed to potential corrosion from accumulated water

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign object removalVSAvoidcorrosion risk to connection terminals

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The downwardly tilted inner wall design enables self-service drainage by utilizing gravity to naturally guide accumulated water toward the communication holes. This passive drainage mechanism automatically expels foreign objects without requiring additional active components, ensuring continuous protection of connection terminals from corrosion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design effectively prevents corrosion and short circuits by ensuring that foreign objects are expelled from the electric connector, regardless of the pump's orientation, thereby safeguarding the connection terminals and maintaining the fuel pump's operational integrity.

Implementation Method 1

The plurality of primary communication holes is formed to direct at least one of perpendicular directions, each of which is perpendicular to a corresponding one of opening planes of outside openings of the plurality of primary communication holes, toward a downside when a central axis of the pump case is tilted relative to a vertical direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

A downward side inner wall (bottom wall) of the receiving chamber may decline from an upside to the downside from a location of each of the plurality of connection terminals toward at least one of the plurality of primary communication holes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitational drainage: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS10107291B2Fuel pump

Publication Date: 2018.10.23 AISAN IND CO LTD

AI summary

Partitioned chambers of an electric connector, which receive connection terminals electrically connected to windings of a stator, are communicated with an outside of the electric connector through primary communication holes. The primary communication holes are formed to direct at least one of perpendicular directions, each of which is perpendicular to a corresponding one of opening planes of outside openings of the primary communication holes, toward a downside when a central axis of a fuel pump is tilted relative to a vertical direction. In this way, a foreign object, which is accumulated in any of the portioned chambers, can be outputted to the outside through the primary communication hole even when the fuel pump is tilted in any direction.