Device for Supplying Fuel to Engine

Abstract

A merge and discharge unit has: a reservoir unit in which fuel can be collected; a first merge unit for merging into the reservoir unit the fuel from an upstream site upstream of the merge and discharge unit on a fuel supply route; a second merge unit for merging into the reservoir unit the fuel from a first fuel return route; a first discharge unit for discharging a portion of the fuel of the reservoir unit into a downstream site downstream of the merge and discharge unit on the fuel supply route; and a second discharge unit for discharging a remaining portion of the fuel of the reservoir unit into a second fuel return route.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for supplying fuel to an engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
 a fuel tank;   a fuel supply route for supplying to the engine fuel that has been collected in the tank;   a filter provided to the fuel supply route;   a first fuel pump provided downstream of the filter in a fuel supply direction on the fuel supply route;   a merge and discharge unit for merging and discharging fuel, the merge and discharge unit being provided to a site between the fuel tank and the filter on the fuel supply route;   a first fuel return route for returning the fuel of the engine to the merge and discharge unit; and   a second fuel return route for returning to the fuel tank the fuel discharged from the merge and discharge unit;   wherein:   the merge and discharge unit has: a reservoir unit in which fuel can be collected; a first merge unit for merging into the reservoir unit the fuel from a site upstream of the merge and discharge unit on the fuel supply route; a second merge unit for merging into the reservoir unit the fuel from the first fuel return route; a first discharge unit for discharging a portion of the fuel in the reservoir unit to a site downstream of the merge and discharge unit on the fuel supply route; and a second discharge unit for discharging a remaining portion of the fuel in the reservoir unit into the second fuel return route.   
     
     
         2 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the amount of fuel discharged from the second discharge unit is less than the amount of fuel discharged from the first discharge unit.   
     
     
         3 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 2 , wherein:
 in causing the amount of fuel discharged from the second discharge unit to be less than the amount of fuel discharged from the first discharge unit, a constricted site where the flow path cross-sectional area is less than that of the first discharge unit is provided to the second discharge unit, or a constricted site where the flow path cross-sectional area is less than that of the downstream site on the fuel supply route is provided to the second fuel return route.   
     
     
         4 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first merge unit, the second merge unit, and the first discharge unit of the merge and discharge unit are arranged in sites below the reservoir unit, and the second discharge unit is arranged at a site above the reservoir unit.   
     
     
         5 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a moisture removal unit for removing moisture included in the fuel is arranged at a site between the fuel tank and the merge and discharge unit on the fuel supply route.   
     
     
         6 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a cooling unit for cooling the fuel is arranged at a site between the merge and discharge unit and the filter on the fuel supply route.   
     
     
         7 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a moisture removal unit for removing moisture included in the fuel, a second fuel pump, the merge and discharge unit, a cooling unit for cooling the fuel, a third fuel pump, the filter, and the first fuel pump are provided to the fuel supply route in the stated order from the upstream side in the fuel supply direction.   
     
     
         8 . A fuel supply device for supplying fuel to an engine, the fuel supply device comprising:
 a fuel tank, the fuel tank including:   a bottom;   a recessed reservoir unit for collecting fuel, the recessed reservoir unit being recessed so as to be lower than other portions on the bottom;   a covering for covering the recessed reservoir unit in a state where the fuel is permitted to flow into the recessed reservoir unit; and   an intake unit for taking in and drawing out fuel inside the fuel tank, above the bottom of the fuel tank.   
     
     
         9 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the covering is adapted so as to cover a middle site of the recessed reservoir unit as seen in plan view.   
     
     
         10 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the intake unit is supported by the covering, and is configured so that the covering supporting the intake unit can be inserted into or removed from the fuel tank.   
     
     
         11 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the covering is constituted of a cylindrical body having a hollow space that communicates with the recessed reservoir unit, and a lower end of the cylindrical body is formed so as to be smaller than the recessed reservoir unit when seen in plan view and is inserted into the interior of the recessed reservoir unit.   
     
     
         12 . The device for supplying fuel to an engine as in  claim 11 , wherein:
 an air discharge unit enabling air in the hollow space to be discharged to the exterior of the cylindrical body is provided to an upper site of the cylindrical body.