Pump housing, pump, and seat

Abstract

A pump housing may accommodate a pump unit and a pump motor, especially for a lumbar support function or massage function for mounting in a vehicle seat, wherein the pump motor and the pump unit are attached to one another along a longitudinal axis, and furthermore may support the pump motor with at least two flexible support elements in a radial direction and a second coil spring in an axial direction. Related pump and seat concepts are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A pump comprising: a pump housing; a pump motor; a pump unit; at least two flexible support elements; and a coil spring; wherein the pump motor and the pump unit are arranged in the pump housing; wherein the pump motor and the pump unit are attached to each other along a longitudinal axis to form an assembly; wherein the at least two flexible support elements include damping elements made of foam configured in the shape of pads or blocks, each damping element being arranged in a respective radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis between the assembly and the pump housing; and wherein the coil spring is arranged in compression in an axial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis between the pump motor and the pump housing to support the pump motor.

2. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump housing has at least one of cylindrical protrusions for the coil spring and fixing elements to fasten the coil spring.

3. The pump according to claim 2, wherein the fixing elements have a pocket-shaped design.

4. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes two half shells, the two half shells being configured substantially symmetrical to one another.

5. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the coil spring is selected from a cylindrical coil compression spring, a coil compression spring with exposed end coils, and an exposed coil compression spring with enlarged end coils.

6. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the coil spring is a steel spring.

7. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump motor has at least one of cylindrical protrusions for accommodating the coil spring and fixing elements to fasten the coil spring.

8. A seat with a pump according to claim 1.

9. The seat according to claim 8, wherein one or several of the pumps are arranged in a backrest and connected to one of a massage system or a lumbar support system.

10. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the coil spring is a second coil spring, the pump further including a plurality of first coil springs arranged in compression in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis between the assembly and the pump housing.

11. The pump according to claim 1, including four of the damping elements arranged at 90-degree intervals around the longitudinal axis.

12. A pump comprising: a pump housing; a pump motor; a pump unit; at least two flexible support elements; and a coil spring; wherein the pump motor and the pump unit are arranged in the pump housing; wherein the pump motor and the pump unit are attached to each other along a longitudinal axis to form an assembly; wherein the at least two flexible support elements include four damping elements made of foam, each damping element being arranged in a respective radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis between the assembly and the pump housing, the damping elements being arranged at 90-degree intervals around the longitudinal axis; and wherein the coil spring is arranged in compression in an axial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis between the pump motor and the pump housing to support the pump motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure will now be explained in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a half shell of a pump housing;

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b are respectively side and isometric views showing a pump in an opened pump housing;

(4) FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing a ring element;

(5) FIGS. 4a and 4b are respectively side and isometric views showing a first coil spring example;

(6) FIGS. 4c and 4d are respectively side and isometric views showing a second coil spring example; and

(7) FIGS. 4e and 4f are respectively side and isometric views showing a third coil spring example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a half shell 4 of a pump housing 2. On a head side, the pump housing 2 has a first passage 10 and a second passage 12. The first passage 10 is designed to execute a pump outlet 34 and the second passage 12 to execute an electrical connection. The first and the second passage 10, 12 are located in the first area 14 of the pump housing 2. The first area 14 of the pump housing 2 is suitable for accommodating the pump unit 32. The second area 16 of the pump housing 2 adjoining the first area 14 is suitable for accommodating a pump motor 30, which is especially attached to the pump unit 32 along the longitudinal axis A. The first area 14 and the second area 16 can especially have a different inner diameter. Here, the pump housing has three pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7, 8. The pocket-shaped fixing element 6 and the pocket-shaped fixing element 7 are radially arranged on opposite sides of the housing wall, which is essentially cylindrical here. They are arranged in a middle area of the cylindrical housing wall, arranged in the first area 14 in the design shown here. Alternately, the fixing elements 6 and 7 can also be arranged in the second area 16. The pocket-shaped fixing element 8 is arranged on the side of the pump housing 2 opposite the first and second passage 10, 12 and is located in the area of the longitudinal axis A. In addition, a seal 18 can be circumferentially arranged around the half shell 4.

(9) FIGS. 2a and 2b show two views of a pump 1 according to the disclosure that includes a pump housing 2. In contrast to the pump housing 2 shown in FIG. 1, the pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7 are arranged in the second area 16. An arrangement of the pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7 in the first area 14 is alternately possible as well.

(10) The pump unit 32 is arranged in the first area 14 in such a way that the pump connection 34 is led through the first passage 10. The pump motor 30 is arranged in the second area 16. Around the pump motor 30, a ring element 22 with two protrusions 24, 25 radially opposite one another has been arranged. Such a ring element is shown once more separately in FIG. 3. The protrusions 24, 25 lie in each case opposite the pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7. The pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7 accommodate in each case an end coil of a first coil spring 20, which encloses the protrusions 24, 25 on the other side. Alternately, several end coils of a first coil spring 20 can also be accommodated in the pocket-shaped fixing elements 6, 7. Furthermore, the pocket-shaped fixing element 21 accommodates the end coil of a second coil spring 21, braced against a protrusion of the pump motor 30. Here, the pocket-shaped fixing element 21 can also accommodate several end coils of the second coil spring 21.

(11) Furthermore, damping elements 28 are arranged on the pump unit 32. In pump 1 according to the disclosed embodiment, four damping elements 28 are arranged in each case in pairs radially opposite one another, although only three of such damping elements 28 are visible in FIGS. 2a and 2b.

(12) FIGS. 4a and b show a first design of a first or second coil spring 20a, 21a. The coil spring shown is a cylindrical one. FIGS. 4c and d show a second design of a first or second coil spring 20b, 21b in which the coil spring has a flared end coil. FIGS. 4e and f show a third design of a first and second coil spring 20c, 21c in which the coil spring has an enlarged end coil. The coil springs shown can be used as first or second coil spring 20, 21 in the pump 1 according to the disclosure, wherein different designs can be chosen for the first and second coil spring 20, 21.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(13) 1 Pump 2 Pump housing 4 Half shell 6 Pocket-shaped fixing element 7 Pocket-shaped fixing element 8 Pocket-shaped fixing element 10 First passage 12 Second passage 14 First area 16 Second area 18 Seal 20, 20a, 20b, 20c First coil spring 21, 21a, 21b, 21c Second coil spring 22 Ring element 24 Protrusion 25 Protrusion 28 Damping element 30 Pump motor 32 Pump unit 34 Pump connection A Longitudinal axis