Fuel pump assembly

Abstract

A fuel pump assembly has a pump mounted to an electric motor by a spring clamp device preferably having a plurality of arms spaced circumferentially around the pump and extending axially generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the motor, from a common base member. The base member is preferably received by the motor, and each arm preferably has a clip which projects radially inward to contact an outboard end face of the pump. The clips are preferably disengageable from the pump and exert a controlled force on the pump, thus producing a consistent and controlled clamping force across the housing encasement to eliminate any potential distortion of the preferably plastic housing.

1 . An electric motor pump assembly comprising: 
 a pump;    a separate electric motor coupled to the pump along an axis of rotation; and    a spring clamp device having; 
 a base member carried by one of the pump and the motor;  
 at least two flex arms each carried by the base member and circumferentially spaced apart and extending axially along at least one portion of the pump and motor; and  
 a clip projecting radially inward from each flex arm adjacent a distal end of the flex arm and received by the other of the pump and motor.  
   
   
   
       2 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 1  comprising: 
 an inboard end cap of the motor axially facing the pump; and    at least one fastener engaging the base member to the inboard end cap.    
   
   
       3 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 2  wherein the base member is substantially disposed axially between the pump and motor.  
   
   
       4 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 3  wherein the at least one fastener threads into the inboard end cap.  
   
   
       5 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 1  wherein the flex arm is bowed radially outward when the spring clamp device is in a disengaged state.  
   
   
       6 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 1  comprising a contact portion of the clip projecting radially inward from the flex arm and projecting slightly axially inward with respect to the axis of rotation when the spring clamp device is in a disengaged state, and the contact portion being biased directly against the other of the pump and motor when the spring clamp device is in an engaged state by the flex arm.  
   
   
       7 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 6  comprising a distal tab projecting substantially axially outward from the contact portion for moving the clip radially outward against the radially inward biasing force of the flex arm to release the spring clamp device from the other of the pump and motor.  
   
   
       8 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 1  wherein the at least two flex arms are equally spaced circumferentially about the motor and pump and are each bowed radially outward.  
   
   
       9 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 8  comprising a contact portion of the clip projecting radially inward from each one of the plurality of flex arms and projecting slightly axially inward with respect to the axis of rotation when the spring clamp device is in the disengaged state, and the contact portion being biased directly against the other of the pump and motor when the spring clamp device is in an engaged state by the respective plurality of flex arms.  
   
   
       10 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 9  comprising a distal tab projecting substantially axially outward from the contact portion of the clip for moving the clip radially outward against the radially inward biasing force of each one of the at least two flex arms to release the spring clamp device from the other of the pump and motor.  
   
   
       11 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 1  comprising: 
 an inboard end cap of the motor axially facing the pump;    an opposite outboard end cap of the motor;    an outboard face of the pump facing axially from the motor; and    the base member being in biased contact with the outboard end cap when the clips are in biased contact with the outboard face.    
   
   
       12 . The pump assembly set forth in  claim 11  wherein the base member is planar and annular in shape.  
   
   
       13 . A spring clamp device for preventing de-coupling of a pump from a motor of a pump sub-assembly and along an axis of rotation, the spring clamp device having: 
 a base member spanning radially with respect to the axis of rotation;    a plurality of arms projecting axially from the first member and spaced circumferentially from one-another about the pump sub-assembly; and    a clip projecting radially with respect to the axis of rotation and from a distal end of each one of the plurality of arms.    
   
   
       14 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 13  comprising an engaged state wherein the base member and the clips are biased axially away from one-another by at least a portion of the pump sub-assembly.  
   
   
       15 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 14  comprising: 
 a disengaged state wherein each one of the plurality of arms are bowed radially outward with respect to the axis of rotation; and    the engaged state causing each one of the plurality of arms to be less bowed than when in the disengaged state.    
   
   
       16 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 14  comprising: 
 the base member being in contact with an outboard surface carried by the pump sub-assembly;    the clips being in biased contact with an opposite outboard face carried by the pump sub-assembly; and    wherein the pump sub-assembly extends axially between the outboard surface and the outboard face.    
   
   
       17 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 13  comprising: 
 the base member being in contact with an outboard surface carried by the motor;    the clips being in biased contact with an outboard face carried by the pump; and    wherein the outboard surface faces axially away from to the outboard face.    
   
   
       18 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 13  comprising: 
 the base member being engaged to the motor via at least one fastener; and    the clips being in biased contact with an outboard face carried by the pump.    
   
   
       19 . The spring clamp device set forth in  claim 13  wherein the base member, the plurality of arms and the clips are unitarily formed together from a single stamping of metal.