Electric pump and modularized fuel supply system with such electric pump

Abstract

An electric pump ( 1 ) comprises a pump section ( 3 ) drawing a fluid into the pump compartment ( 11 ), a motor section ( 2 ) including a rotatable armature ( 14 ) in the motor compartment ( 10 ) driving the pump section ( 3 ). The pump ( 1 ) also comprises an outlet port ( 45 ) allowing a drawn and pressurized fluid to be discharged to the outside of the pump ( 1 ), and a communicating opening ( 48 ) discharging a portion of the fuel from the pump section ( 3 ) into the motor compartment ( 10 ). The fluid from the pump compartment ( 11 ) is discharged directly from the outlet port ( 45 ), not through the motor compartment ( 10 ). The portion of the fluid from the pump section ( 3 ) flows into the motor compartment ( 10 ) via the communicating opening ( 48 ), and is finally discharged from the second outlet port ( 30 ) after passing through the motor compartment ( 10 ).

1 . An electric pump comprising: 
 a pump section including an impeller, an inlet port, and an outlet port, the pump section drawing a fluid into the pump section from the inlet port, pressurizing the fluid by a rotation of the impeller, and discharging the fluid directly to the outside of the electric pump via the outlet port; and    a motor section including a rotatable armature and a motor compartment, the armature being disposed in the motor compartment and drives the impeller of the pump section,    wherein the pump section is integrally assembled with the motor section and further includes a communicating opening allowing a portion of the fluid to flow from the pump section into the motor compartment.    
   
   
       2 . The electric pump as in  claim 1 , wherein the armature includes an armature body and a shaft projecting from the both ends of the armature body; and 
 wherein the armature body is engaged with the impeller in such a manner that the armature body transmits the torque of the armature to the impeller at radially outer positions with respect to the shaft.    
   
   
       3 . The electric pump as in  claim 1 , wherein the communicating opening is provided at a point located after a quarter of a pumping cycle as defined from the starting end to the terminating end in a single rotation of the impeller.  
   
   
       4 . The electric pump as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a vapor vent exiting vapor generated in the fluid during a pumping cycle in a single rotation of the impeller to the outside of the pump.    
   
   
       5 . The electric pump as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second outlet port discharging to the outside of the pump the fluid discharged from the pump section into the motor compartment via the communicating opening.    
   
   
       6 . The electric pump as in  claim 5 , wherein the motor section includes an end cap member that is provided with the second outlet port.  
   
   
       7 . The electric pump as in  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a check valve in the second outlet port.    
   
   
       8 . The electric pump as in  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a jet pump using a fluid flow discharged from the second outlet port as a driving source.    
   
   
       9 . The electric pump as in  claim 1 , wherein the pump section includes an end cap member that is provided with the outlet port discharging the drawn and pressurized fluid directly to the outside of the pump.  
   
   
       10 . The electric pump as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an outer side surface through which the inlet port of the pump section opens.    
   
   
       11 . The electric pump as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a check valve in the communicating opening.    
   
   
       12 . A modularized fuel supply system comprising: 
 a fuel tank;    an in-tank fuel pump drawing, pressurizing, and discharging a fuel within the fuel tank, the fuel pump being composed of an electric pump comprising; and    a front-end filter removing foreign particles from the fuel drawn into the fuel pump,    wherin the electric pump comprises:    a pump section including an impeller, an inlet port, and an outlet port, the pump section drawing a fluid into the pump section from the inlet port, pressurizing the fluid by a rotation of the impeller, and discharging the fluid directly to the outside of the electric pump via the outlet port; and    a motor section including a rotatable armature and a motor compartment, the armature being disposed in the motor compartment and drives the impeller of the pump section,    wherein the pump section is integrally assembled with the motor section and further includes a communicating opening allowing a portion of the fluid to flow from the pump section into the motor compartment.    
   
   
       13 . A modularized fuel supply system comprising: 
 a fuel tank;    an in-tank fuel pump drawing, pressurizing, and discharging a fuel within the fuel tank, the fuel pump being composed of an electric pump;    a front-end filter removing foreign particles from the fuel drawn into the fuel pump; and    a reservoir cup disposed within the fuel tank to reserve a fuel drawn via the front-end filter by the fuel pump,    wherein the electric pump comprises:    a pump section including an impeller, an inlet port, and an outlet port, the pump section drawing a fluid into the pump section from the inlet port, pressurizing the fluid by a rotation of the impeller, and discharging the fluid directly to the outside of the electric pump via the outlet port; and    a motor section including a rotatable armature and a motor compartment, the armature being disposed in the motor compartment and drives the impeller of the pump section,    wherein the pump section is integrally assembled with the motor section and further includes a communicating opening allowing a portion of the fluid to flow from the pump section into the motor compartment,    wherein the electric pump further includes a second outlet port discharging to the outside of the pump the fluid discharged from the pump section into the motor compartment via the communicating opening, and    wherein the fuel supply system further includes a jet pump that uses a fluid flow discharged from the second outlet port of the electric pump as a driving source, and transfers a fuel from outside of the reservoir cup but within the fuel tank into the reservoir cup.    
   
   
       14 . A modularized fuel supply system for supplying a fuel to a comprising: 
 a fuel tank;    an in-tank fuel pump drawing, pressurizing, and discharging a fuel within the fuel tank, the fuel pump being composed of an electric pump;    a front-end filter removing foreign particles from the fuel drawn into the fuel pump; and    a reservoir cup disposed within the fuel tank to reserve a fuel drawn via the front-end filter by the fuel pump,    wherein the electric pump comprises:    a pump section including an impeller, an inlet port, and an outlet port, the pump section drawing a fluid into the pump section from the inlet port, pressurizing the fluid by a rotation of the impeller, and discharging the fluid directly to the outside of the electric pump via the outlet port; and    a motor section including a rotatable armature and a motor compartment, the armature being disposed in the motor compartment and drives the impeller of the pump section,    wherein the pump section is integrally assembled with the motor section and further includes a communicating opening allowing a portion of the fluid to flow from the pump section into the motor compartment,    wherein the electric pump further includes a second outlet port discharging to the outside of the pump the fluid discharged from the pump section into the motor compartment via the communicating opening, and a jet pump using a fluid flow discharged from the second outlet port as a driving source, and    wherein the jet pump of the electric pump uses a fluid flow discharged from the second outlet port of the electric pump as a driving source, and transfers a fuel from outside of the reservoir cup but within the fuel tank into the reservoir cup.    
   
   
       15 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 12 , wherein the front-end filter includes a filter case in which a filter element is disposed; and 
 wherein the filter element includes a multilayer structure in which the outer layer is coarse while the inner layer is fine.    
   
   
       16 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 12 , wherein the front-end filter includes a filter case in which a filter element is disposed; and 
 wherein the filter element is formed substantially cylindrically so as to surround the fuel pump.    
   
   
       17 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a pressure regulator controlling the fuel pressure of the pressurized fuel discharged from the fuel pump.    
   
   
       18 . The fuel supply system as in  claim 16  further comprising: 
 a pressure regulator controlling the fuel pressure of the pressurized fuel discharged from the fuel pump;    wherein the pressure regulator is disposed overlapping radially with respect to the fuel pump and the front-end filter.    
   
   
       19 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 17 , wherein the front-end filter includes a filter case in which a filter element is disposed; and 
 wherein the pressure regulator includes a regulator housing, at least a portion of which is integrally formed with the filter case.    
   
   
       20 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 17 , wherein the front-end filter includes a filter case in which a filter element is disposed; and 
 wherein the filter case includes a mounting recesses, into which the pressure regulator is fitted.    
   
   
       21 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 12 , wherein the front-end filter is provided with an outlet path including an outlet path entrance, which is connected with the outlet port of the fuel pump discharging a fuel drawn into the pump section of the fuel pump, directly to the outside of the pump; and 
 wherein the fuel discharged from the outlet port flows into a predetermined part through the outlet path.    
   
   
       22 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 12 , wherein the front-end filter is provided with an inlet path including an inlet path exit, which is connected with the inlet port of the fuel pump in a fitting structure with a male port and a corresponding female port.  
   
   
       23 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 22  further comprising: 
 a sealing member interposed between the inlet port of the fuel pump and the inlet path exit of the front-end filter.    
   
   
       24 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 21 , wherein the outlet path entrance of the front-end filter is connected with the outlet port of the fuel pump in a fitting structure with a male port and a corresponding female port.  
   
   
       25 . The modularized fuel supply system as in  claim 24  further comprising: 
 a sealing member interposed between the outlet path entrance of the front-end filter and the outlet port of the fuel pump.    
   
   
       26 . An electric pump for sending a fluid to a target, comprising: 
 a pump section including an impeller, an inlet port, and first and second outlet ports, so that a fluid is drawn into the pump section via the inlet port and is discharged from the first and second outlet ports as the impeller rotates; and    a motor section arranged and constructed to drive the impeller of the pump section, the motor section being integrally assembled with the pump section,    wherein the fluid discharged from the first outlet port flows to the target,    wherein the fluid discharged from the second outlet port flows through the motor section so as to cool the motor section and is then discharged to the outside of the pump.    
   
   
       27 . The electric pump as in  claim 26  further comprising a casing for accommodating the pump section and the motor section within the casing, wherein the casing has a third outlet port, and 
 wherein the motor section defines a flow path having a first end communicating with the second outlet and a second end communicating with the third outlet.    
   
   
       28 . The electric pump as in  claim 27 , wherein the motor section comprises an armature rotatably disposed within the casing and a pair of magnets attached to an inner wall of the casing, and 
 wherein the flow path is defined between the armature and the magnets.    
   
   
       29 . A fluid supply system for supplying a fluid to a target, comprising the electric pump as in  claim 26 , and further comprising: 
 a reservoir arranged and constructed to store the fluid, so that the fluid stored within the reservoir is drawn into the inlet port of the pump section of the electric pump, wherein the reservoir receives the supply of the fluid discharged from the electric pump via the second outlet port and the motor section; and    a flow passage connected between the first outlet port and the target, so that the fluid is supplied to the target from the first outlet port.