A fuel pump cover assembly and method for a vehicle includes a cover arranged over the vehicle fuel pump for inhibiting water access to the vehicle fuel pump and at least one clip securing the cover to a feed line for the vehicle fuel pump.

A cover assembly and method for a vehicle fuel pump includes a cover base secured in a fixed position relative to the vehicle fuel pump and a flexible cover connected to the cover base and positioned by the cover base to inhibit water access to the vehicle fuel pump. The method includes securing the cover base in a fixed position relative to the vehicle fuel pump, connecting the flexible cover to the cover base, and positioning the flexible cover with the cover base to inhibit water access to the vehicle fuel pump.

An improved an end cap assembly for a fuel pump is provided. The end cap assembly includes first and second brush caps herein that are overmolded onto first and second shunt wires to ensure a fluid-tight seal around the shunt wires without requiring heat staking, sonic welding, or melt flowing the end cap to the shunt wires. The brush caps are cone-shaped and include a snap-fit feature that retains the brush caps in place when the endcap assembly is transported prior to being assembled to a fuel pump body.

A variable output fuel pump includes a BLDC motor and a control module to supply three power phases A, B and C to the motor, wherein the control module connects to a power supply connection of a vehicle, and to a vehicle communications network such as a CANbus to control operation of the BLDC motor. The motor is driven by a motor driver that is connected to a micro-controller and in turn, the micro-controller is connected to a communications or CANbus I/F module. In this manner, the micro-controller can be operated by the vehicle control system such as an engine control unit (ECU) through a connection with the vehicle CANbus or other vehicle communications network. The motor driver also detects characteristics of the power used in the three power phases of the motor so that the system is operated with or without motor sensors located within the motor. By connection to the vehicle CANbus or other vehicle communications network, the vehicle ECU can be used to remotely control the fuel pump motor speed and other operational parameters of the motor to thereby provide a variable operate fuel pump.

In at least some implementations, a wire includes a core formed from an electrically conductive material and having an outer surface, and a polymeric insulator surrounding the core. The insulator has a resistivity of between 10.sup.5 and 10.sup.9 ohms/square, and the insulator has an inner surface engaged with the core. In at least some implementations, the core is formed from metal and has a conductivity of at least 1106 m. The insulator may include a base material and a conductive material in the base material, wherein the conductive material has a conductivity between 10.sup.5 and 10.sup.6 ohms/square. The insulator may have an outer surface that defines an outer surface of the wire and/or the insulator may have an inner surface engaged with the core.

A system for housing a fuel pump and a fuel filter including a stem body having a first surface and an opposing second surface. A first, third, and fifth orifice may be located in the first surface. A second, fourth and sixth orifice may be located in the second surface. The second orifice may carry the fuel filter, and be in fluid communication with the first orifice. The fourth orifice may interface with an inlet to the fuel pump, and be in fluid communication with the third orifice. The sixth orifice may be in fluid communication with the fifth orifice. A first channel may be adapted to place the first orifice in fluid communication with the third orifice. A second channel may be adapted to place the fifth orifice, located at a first end of the second channel, in fluid communication with a second end of the second channel.

The disclosed lift pump employs a unique arrangement of conductive studs to transmit the three phases of motor power from the control board to the brushless motor. The conductive studs penetrate the wall of the motor/pump enclosure, which is otherwise non-conductive. The conductive studs are intentionally larger than needed to transmit the current used by the motor, and are arranged in thermal contact with heat conductive portions of the motor control board to transmit heat from the control board into the motor/pump enclosure where heat is transmitted to fuel passing through the assembly. An additional center heat sink is situated in a position aligned with heat generating capacitors that are part of the motor drive circuitry on the motor control board.

A fuel filter assembly incorporates a BLDC motor and control circuit configured to operate at a first rotational speed upon startup and switch to a second rotational speed when measured variables indicate that the filter assembly is filled with fuel. The first rotational speed is initiated as a default when power is applied to the control circuit. If the filter assembly has been serviced, it must be primed before resuming normal operation. The first rotational speed is significantly higher than the second rotational speed to reduce the amount of time necessary to prime the filter assembly. The control circuit is arranged to monitor a variable which corresponds to the torque necessary to drive the pump. When the pump is filled with air prior to priming, lower torque is required to drive the pump, which corresponds to lower current draw and power consumption at the BLDC motor.

A variable output fuel pump includes a BLDC motor and a control module to supply three power phases A, B and C to the motor, wherein the control module connects to a power supply connection of a vehicle, and to a vehicle communications network such as a CANbus to control operation of the BLDC motor. The motor is driven by a motor driver that is connected to a micro-controller and in turn, the micro-controller is connected to a communications or CANbus I/F module. In this manner, the micro-controller can be operated by the vehicle control system such as an engine control unit (ECU) through a connection with the vehicle CANbus or other vehicle communications network. The motor driver also detects characteristics of the power used in the three power phases of the motor so that the system is operated with or without motor sensors located within the motor. By connection to the vehicle CANbus or other vehicle communications network, the vehicle ECU can be used to remotely control the fuel pump motor speed and other operational parameters of the motor to thereby provide a variable operate fuel pump.

A system for housing a fuel pump and a fuel filter including a stem body having a first surface and an opposing second surface. A first, third, and fifth orifice may be located in the first surface. A second, fourth and sixth orifice may be located in the second surface. The second orifice may carry the fuel filter, and be in fluid communication with the first orifice. The fourth orifice may interface with an inlet to the fuel pump, and be in fluid communication with the third orifice. The sixth orifice may be in fluid communication with the fifth orifice. A first channel may be adapted to place the first orifice in fluid communication with the third orifice. A second channel may be adapted to place the fifth orifice, located at a first end of the second channel, in fluid communication with a second end of the second channel.