Fuel pump and filter assembly

Abstract

A fuel pump and filter assembly includes a housing supporting a filter in a filter chamber, which is at least partially defined by first and second end walls, an outer wall extending therebetween, and an inner side wall disposed radially inwardly of the outer side wall. A fuel pump assembly is carried by the housing radially inwardly of the inner side wall and includes a sleeve that extends from the first end wall of the housing to the second end wall of the housing.

1 . A fuel pump and filter assembly, comprising:
 a filter;   a housing supporting the filter in a filter chamber, which is at least partially defined by first and second end walls, an outer side wall extending therebetween, and an inner side wall disposed radially inwardly of the outer side wall; and   a fuel pump assembly carried by the housing radially inwardly of the inner side wall and having a sleeve extending from the first end wall of the housing to the second end wall of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one end wall of the first and second end walls is circumferentially continuously attached to the sleeve of the fuel pump assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one end wall is circumferentially continuously laser welded to the sleeve of the fuel pump assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump assembly is supported by the housing by being press fit within the housing inner side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel pump assembly includes a first end and a second end, with a pump inlet and outlet substantially disposed at the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner side wall of the housing serves as the sleeve of the fuel pump assembly, such that the housing and the fuel pump assembly share a common side wall. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the filter chamber is annular in shape and the filter is annular in shape. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the filter includes an annular filter element and end caps having seals that cooperate with the housing to at least partially define inlet and outlet chambers of the filter chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a fuel inlet in communication with the inlet chamber, and a fuel return and a fuel outlet in communication with the outlet chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first end wall is attached to the outer side wall, wherein the first end wall is a mounting flange adapted for mounting to a fuel tank. 
     
     
         11 . A fuel pump module comprising the fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 10 , and further comprising at least one of a fuel strainer, a fuel pressure regulator, or a fuel pump outlet conduit between the fuel pump assembly and the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel pump module of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the fuel pump assembly extends externally of the fuel tank when the mounting flange is mounted to the fuel tank. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel pump module of  claim 12 , wherein the fuel pump assembly includes a first end cap including an electrical connector at least partially extending externally of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         14 . A fuel pump module comprising the fuel pump and filter assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising a reservoir casing in which the fuel pump and filter assembly is disposed. 
     
     
         15 . The fuel pump module of  claim 14 , wherein the reservoir casing is movably carried by the housing of the fuel pump and filter assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel pump module of  claim 15 , wherein the reservoir casing is adapted to be bottom referenced against a fuel tank bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel pump module of  claim 16 , wherein the reservoir casing is adapted to be fixed to the fuel tank bottom. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel pump module of  claim 14 , wherein the reservoir casing is fixed to the housing of the fuel pump and filter assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel pump module of  claim 14 , further comprising an upper module assembly and a lower module assembly suspended by the upper module assembly and including the reservoir casing. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel pump module of  claim 19 , wherein the reservoir casing includes a reservoir can and a reservoir cover attached to the reservoir can. 
     
     
         21 . The fuel pump module of  claim 20 , wherein the reservoir can includes at least one of a molded pump outlet conduit, or a molded return conduit and venturi jet tube. 
     
     
         22 . The fuel pump module of  claim 21 , further comprising a jet nozzle in fluid communication between the molded return conduit and venturi jet tube. 
     
     
         23 . The fuel pump module of  claim 20 , further comprising a fuel level sensor carried by the reservoir can. 
     
     
         24 . The fuel pump module of  claim 20 , further comprising a pressure regulator including at least a portion thereof integrally molded with the reservoir cover. 
     
     
         25 . The fuel pump module of  claim 24 , further comprising a check valve disposed in a passage of the integrally molded portion of the pressure regulator. 
     
     
         26 . A fuel pump and filter assembly, comprising:
 a housing defining a filter chamber;   a filter disposed in the filter chamber of the housing;   a fuel pump assembly carried by the housing radially inwardly of the filter chamber, and having a first end and a second end, electrical elements carried by the first end, and a fuel inlet and outlet disposed substantially at the second end.   
     
     
         27 . A fuel pump module, comprising:
 a fuel pump and filter assembly, comprising:   a housing including an annular filter chamber defined by first and second end walls, an outer side wall extending between the first and second end walls, and an inner side wall disposed radially inward of the outer side wall and extending between the first and second end walls, and further including a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, and a fuel return;   an annular filter in the annular filter chamber of the housing, disposed longitudinally between the first and second end walls and radially between the inner and outer side walls of the housing, defining an inlet chamber in communication with the housing fuel inlet, and also defining an outlet chamber in communication with the housing fuel outlet and return; and   a fuel pump assembly carried within the housing inner side wall, which serves as a sleeve of the fuel pump assembly, and including an end, and a fuel pump inlet and a fuel pump outlet disposed substantially at the end;   a fuel pump outlet conduit between the fuel pump outlet and the housing fuel inlet; and   a fuel pressure regulator in fluid communication with at least one of the housing fuel return or outlet.