Fuel delivery system with flow re-director for improved re-priming sequence

1. A fuel delivery system for delivery fuel to a vehicle engine, the system comprising:

a reservoir constructed and arranged to be mounted within a fuel tank of a vehicle and to contain fuel, the reservoir having an inlet permitting fuel from the fuel tank to enter the reservoir,

a fuel pump disposed within the reservoir constructed and arranged to send fuel from the reservoir to the vehicle engine,

a jet pump operated by the fuel pump and including a venturi tube adjacent to a nozzle, the venturi tube being completely separate from the reservoir, the jet pump being constructed and arranged to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir,

a cup fluidly coupled with an end of the venturi tube, the cup being completely separate from the reservoir and constructed and arranged to contain an amount of fuel, the cup having an annular surface defining upwardly facing opening, and

a jet valve associated with the jet pump, the jet valve permitting fuel drawn by the jet pump to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank,

whereby, during a re-priming sequence of the engine, wherein an amount of fuel is left in the reservoir and fuel is added to the fuel tank in an amount enough to enter the inlet of the reservoir, and when the fuel pump is activated but there is not enough fuel in the reservoir to prime the engine, the cup is constructed and arranged to trap fuel inside the jet pump so that fuel accumulates in the venturi tube and in the cup to a level above the nozzle thereby permitting the jet pump to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir.

2. The fuel delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cup is constructed and arranged such that the upwardly facing opening is below a top portion of the jet pump.

3. The fuel delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cup is defined by a generally 90 degree hollow elbow-type fitting.

4. The fuel delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cup is constructed and arranged such that during a jet pump priming condition, fuel overflows the upwardly facing opening as the jet pump draws fuel from the fuel tank filing the reservoir.

5. The fuel delivery system of claim 1 , further including a fill valve permitting fuel to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank when the engine has not been primed previously and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank.

6. A fuel delivery system for delivery fuel to a vehicle engine, the system comprising:

a reservoir constructed and arranged to be mounted within a fuel tank of a vehicle and to contain fuel, the reservoir having an inlet permitting fuel from the fuel tank to enter the reservoir,

means, disposed within the reservoir, for sending fuel from the reservoir to the vehicle engine,

a jet pump operated by the means for sending, the jet pump including a venturi tube adjacent to a nozzle, the venturi tube being completely separate from the reservoir, the jet pump being constructed and arranged to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir,

means, completely separate from the reservoir and coupled with an end of the venturi tube and in fluid communication with the venturi tube, for trapping an amount of fuel in the jet pump, the means for trapping having and annular surface defining an upwardly facing opening, and

a jet valve associated with the jet pump, the jet valve permitting fuel drawn by the jet pump to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank,

whereby, during a re-priming sequence of the engine, wherein an amount of fuel is left in the reservoir and fuel is added to the fuel tank in an amount enough to enter the inlet of the reservoir, and when the means for sending is activated but there is not enough fuel in the reservoir to prime the engine, the means for trapping ensures that fuel accumulates in the venturi tube and in the means for trapping to a level above the nozzle thereby permitting the jet pump to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir.

7. The fuel delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the means for trapping is a cup, the cup being constructed and arranged such that the upwardly facing opening is below a top portion of the jet pump.

8. The fuel delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the means for trapping is a cup defined by a generally 90 degree hollow elbow-type fitting.

9. The fuel delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the cup is constructed and arranged such that during a jet pump priming condition, fuel overflows the upwardly facing opening as the jet pump draws fuel from the fuel tank filing the reservoir.

10. The fuel delivery system of claim 6 , further including a fill valve permitting fuel to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank when the engine has not been primed previously and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank.

11. A method of priming an engine of a vehicle using a fuel delivery system, the fuel delivery system comprising a reservoir for containing fuel, the reservoir being mounted within a fuel tank of a vehicle fuel, the reservoir having an inlet permitting fuel from the fuel tank to enter the reservoir; a fuel pump disposed within the reservoir for sending fuel from the reservoir to an engine of the vehicle; a jet pump operated by the fuel pump and including a venturi tube adjacent to a nozzle, the venturi tube being completely separate from the reservoir, the jet pump being constructed and arranged to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir; a cup fluidly coupled with the venturi tube, the cup being completely separate from the reservoir and constructed and arranged to contain an amount of fuel, the cup having an annular surface defining an upwardly facing opening; a jet valve associated with the jet pump and permitting fuel drawn by the jet pump to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank; the method including

adding fuel to the fuel tank in an amount enough to enter the inlet of the reservoir,

activating the fuel pump causing fuel to flow through the nozzle with the cup trapping fuel inside the jet pump so that fuel accumulates in the venturi tube and in the cup to a level above the nozzle, thereby permitting the jet pump to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir, and

when the jet pump draws sufficient fuel into the reservoir, sending fuel through the fuel pump to the engine.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein as the jet pump draws fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir, fuel overflows the upwardly facing opening of the cup.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cup is constructed and arranged such that the upwardly facing opening is below a top portion of the jet pump.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cup is defined by a generally 90 degree hollow elbow-type fitting.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a fill valve is provided that permits fuel to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank when the engine has not been primed previously and prevents fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank, the method including providing fuel to the fuel tank in an amount sufficient for fuel to pass through the fill valve and enter the reservoir.

16. A fuel delivery system for delivery fuel to a vehicle engine, the system comprising:

a reservoir constructed and arranged to be mounted within a fuel tank of a vehicle and to contain fuel, the reservoir having an inlet permitting fuel from the fuel tank to enter the reservoir,

a fuel pump disposed within the reservoir constructed and arranged to send fuel from the reservoir to the vehicle engine,

a jet pump operated by the fuel pump and including a venturi tube adjacent to a nozzle to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir,

a cup fluidly coupled with an end of the venturi tube, the cup being constructed and arranged to contain an amount of fuel, the cup having an annular surface defining an upwardly facing opening, and

a jet valve associated with the jet pump, the jet valve permitting fuel drawn by the jet pump to enter the reservoir from the fuel tank and preventing fuel that enters the reservoir from returning to the fuel tank,

whereby, during a re-priming sequence of the engine, wherein an amount of fuel is left in the reservoir and fuel is added to the fuel tank in an amount enough to enter the inlet of the reservoir, and when the fuel pump is activated but there is not enough fuel in the reservoir to prime the engine, the cup is constructed and arranged to trap fuel inside the jet pump so that fuel accumulates in the venturi tube and in the cup to a level above the nozzle thereby permitting the jet pump to draw fuel from the fuel tank into the reservoir and during a jet pump priming condition, fuel overflows the upwardly facing opening as the jet pump draws fuel from the fuel tank filing the reservoir.