1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel delivery module adaptable for use in a diesel or gasoline fuel tank to deliver fuel to an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Fuel delivery modules have been provided in gasoline (petrol) fuel tanks for pumping fuel from the fuel tank to the vehicle gasoline engine. Such gasoline fuel delivery modules have included a plastic or stainless steel bracket or frame on which a submersible electric fuel pump and fuel level float and sender device are mounted in the fuel tank. A fuel supply hose is connected to the fuel pump for supplying fuel to the engine, while a fuel return hose is provided on the delivery module to return unused fuel back to the fuel tank. A fuel siphon hose may be present to permit siphoning of fuel from the fuel tank for auxiliary fuel-fired components.
Fuel delivery modules also have been provided in diesel fuel tanks for drawing diesel fuel from the fuel tank to the vehicle diesel engine. Diesel fuel delivery modules have used engine vacuum to draw diesel fuel from the fuel tank through a fuel pick-up hose on the fuel delivery module. Unused diesel fuel is returned to the fuel tank through a separate fuel return hose on the module.
In the past, fuel delivery modules for gasoline fuel tanks and diesel fuel tanks have not been interchangeable. As a result, different module production tooling and different module inventories have been required. Moreover, complex production line change-overs are required in changing from manufacture of gasoline fuel delivery modules to diesel fuel delivery modules and vice versa.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel delivery module having certain common module components adapted for use in both gasoline or diesel fuel delivery applications and other module components that can be configured in a production-tolerant manner for use with the common module components as required for gasoline or diesel fuel delivery applications.