Vane pump

Abstract

A vane pump including: a housing having a pump chamber; a rotor having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion accommodated in the pump chamber and having a pair of vane holding grooves facing each other in a diameter direction, and an oil chamber defined inside the peripheral wall portion to store lubricating oil; and a vane that is held in the pair of vane holding grooves and moves across the oil chamber in the diameter direction, is provided. At least one of an inner surface of the housing and an end face of the peripheral wall portion, which together with the inner surface defines a sliding interface, has an oil groove for the lubricating oil.

Claims

1. A vane pump comprising: a housing having a pump chamber; a rotor having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion accommodated in the pump chamber and having a pair of vane holding grooves facing each other in a diameter direction, and an oil chamber defined inside the peripheral wall portion to store lubricating oil; and a vane that is held in the pair of vane holding grooves and moves across the oil chamber in the diameter direction, wherein at least one of an inner surface of the housing or an end face of the peripheral wall portion, which together with the inner surface of the housing defines a sliding interface, has a plurality of oil grooves for the lubricating oil, and wherein the plurality of oil grooves extends in a circumferential direction, the plurality of oil grooves being formed concentrically about a radial center of the rotor.

2. The vane pump according to claim 1, wherein each oil groove of the plurality of oil grooves is formed in a shape of an endless ring about the radial center of the rotor.

3. The vane pump according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of the oil grooves are formed concentrically on the end face of the peripheral wall portion, and a radially innermost oil groove of the plurality of oil grooves is formed along an inner peripheral edge of the end face of the peripheral wall portion.

4. The vane pump according to claim 2, wherein the oil chamber is divided into a pair of semicircular shapes by the vane as viewed in an axial direction.

5. The vane pump according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the oil grooves are formed concentrically on the end face of the peripheral wall portion, and a radially innermost oil groove of the plurality of oil grooves is formed along an inner peripheral edge of the end face of the peripheral wall portion.

6. The vane pump according to claim 5, wherein the oil chamber is divided into a pair of semicircular shapes by the vane as viewed in an axial direction.

7. The vane pump according to claim 1, wherein the oil chamber is divided into a pair of semicircular shapes by the vane as viewed in an axial direction.

8. The vane pump according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of oil grooves indirectly communicates with the oil chamber and the pump chamber through the sliding interface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a radial section of a vane pump of a first embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a radial section of the vane pump.

(4) FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of portion V in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a radial section of a vane pump of a second embodiment.

(7) FIG. 7A shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a further embodiment (third embodiment). FIG. 7B shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a still further embodiment (fourth embodiment). FIG. 7C shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (fifth embodiment). FIG. 7D shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (sixth embodiment).

(8) FIG. 8 shows a radial section of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (seventh embodiment).

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(9) Embodiments of a vane pump of the present invention will be described below.

First Embodiment

(10) [Configuration of Vane Pump]

(11) First, the configuration of a vane pump of an embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows a radial section of the vane pump of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a radial section of the vane pump. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. FIG. 1 corresponds to a section taken along line I-I in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 corresponds to a section taken along line III-III in FIG. 4. A rotor 3 and a vane 4 of a vane pump 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 have been rotated (advanced) by 90° with respect to those of the vane pump 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The vane pump 1 is a negative pressure source of a booster of a brake device. The vane pump 1 is driven to rotate by a camshaft (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the vane pump 1 includes a housing 2, the rotor 3, and the vane 4.

(12) (Housing 2)

(13) The housing 2 is fixed to a side surface of an engine (not shown). The housing 2 includes a housing body 20, a cover 21, and a pump chamber C. The rear surface of the cover 21 is included in the concept of the “inner surface of the housing” of the present invention.

(14) The housing body 20 has the shape of a bottomed elliptic cylinder that is open toward the front. The housing body 20 includes a peripheral wall portion 200 and a bottom wall portion 201. The peripheral wall portion 200 has the shape of an elliptic cylinder. The peripheral wall portion 200 has an inlet port 200a. The inlet port 200a extends through the peripheral wall portion 200 in the vertical direction. The inlet port 200a is coupled to the booster of the brake device through an inlet passage (not shown) having a check valve. The bottom wall portion 201 seals the rear opening of the peripheral wall portion 200. The bottom wall portion 201 has a through hole 201a, an outlet port 201d, and an oil groove P3. The through hole 201a extends through the bottom wall portion 201 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction). The oil groove P3 is formed in the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 201a. The oil groove P3 extends in the longitudinal direction. The outlet port 201d extends through the bottom wall portion 201 in the longitudinal direction. The outlet port 201d is located near the front end in the rotational direction of the vane 4 in the pump chamber C. The outlet port 201d can be opened and closed by a reed valve (not shown).

(15) The cover 21 seals the front opening of the housing body 20. The cover 21 is fixed to the housing body 20 with a plurality of bolts 90 and a plurality of nuts (not shown). An O-ring 92 is placed between the cover 21 and the housing body 20.

(16) The pump chamber C is defined in the housing 2. The pump chamber C has an elliptical shape as viewed from the front. The pump chamber C communicates with the booster of the brake device through the inlet port 200a and the inlet passage. The pump chamber C also communicates with the outside of the vane pump 1 (an engine compartment) through the outlet port 201d and the reed valve.

(17) (Rotor 3)

(18) The rotor 3 can rotate with the camshaft. The rotor 3 includes a rotor body 30, a coupling protrusion 31, and an oil chamber A. The rotor body 30 has the shape of a bottomed perfectly circular cylinder that is open toward the front. The rotor body 30 includes a peripheral wall portion 300 and a bottom wall portion 301. The peripheral wall portion 300 has the shape of a perfectly circular cylinder. The peripheral wall portion 300 is accommodated in the pump chamber C. The front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 is included in the concept of the “end face of the peripheral wall portion” of the present invention. The peripheral wall portion 300 has a pair of vane holding grooves 300a and a plurality of oil grooves 300b. The pair of vane holding grooves 300a extend through the peripheral wall portion 300 in a diameter direction.

(19) The plurality of oil grooves 300b are formed in the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300. The plurality of oil grooves 300b are formed in a radial pattern about the radial center of the rotor 3 so as to be separated from each other by a predetermined angle, as viewed from the front. Each of the plurality of oil grooves 300b extends in the radial direction about the radial center of the rotor 3. The oil grooves 300b have a C-shaped transverse section (section in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the oil groove 300b extends). The depth of the oil grooves 300b is about 100 μm. The width of the oil grooves 300b is about 100 μm. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of portion V in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, a sliding interface B is defined between the rear surface of the cover 21 and the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300. The longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is about 50 μm. An oil film F is formed in this clearance.

(20) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bottom wall portion 301 seals the rear opening of the peripheral wall portion 300. The bottom wall portion 301 is accommodated in the through hole 201a. The bottom wall portion 301 has an oil hole P2. The oil hole P2 extends through the bottom wall portion 301 in the diameter direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the oil hole P2 can communicate with the oil groove P3 only at a predetermined rotation angle.

(21) The coupling protrusion 31 is continuous with the rear of the bottom wall portion 301. The coupling protrusion 31 extends in a diameter direction of the bottom wall portion 301. The coupling protrusion 31 has an accommodating recess 310 and an oil hole P1. The accommodating recess 310 is formed in the rear end face of the coupling protrusion 31. The oil hole P1 extends in the longitudinal direction. The oil hole P1 allows the accommodating recess 310 and the oil hole P2 to communicate with each other. The coupling protrusion 31 and the camshaft are coupled by a coupling (not shown) and an oil supply joint (not shown). The coupling transmits a rotational force from the camshaft to the rotor 3. The oil supply joint supplies lubricating oil from the camshaft to the rotor 3 (specifically, the accommodating recess 310).

(22) The oil chamber A is defined in the rotor 3. The oil chamber A has the shape of a perfect circle as viewed from the front. The oil chamber A is divided into a pair of semicircular shapes by the vane 4. The oil chamber A communicates with the pump chamber C through the pair of vane holding grooves 300a and the sliding interface B (including the plurality of oil grooves 300b).

(23) (Vane 4)

(24) The vane 4 can rotate with the rotor 3 and the camshaft. The vane 4 includes a vane body 40 and a pair of caps 41. The vane body 40 has the shape of a rectangular plate. The vane body 40 is accommodated in the pump chamber C. The vane body 40 can reciprocate in the diameter direction of the rotor 3 along the pair of vane holding grooves 300a. The vane body 40 can partition the pump chamber C into a plurality of operation chambers C1 to C3 according to the rotation angle. Clearance P4 is defined between the rear end face of the vane body 40 and the bottom wall portion 301.

(25) The pair of caps 41 are placed at both diametric ends of the vane body 40. The caps 41 can protrude radially outward with respect to the vane body 40. The caps 41 are in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 200.

(26) [Operation of Vane Pump]

(27) Next, operation of the vane pump of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, when the vane pump 1 is driven (when the rotor 3 and the vane 4 are rotated), the oil hole P2 communicates with the oil groove P3 only at a predetermined rotation angle. At this time, an oil passage P is formed between the camshaft and the oil chamber A. The oil passage P includes the oil holes P1, P2, the oil groove P3, and the clearance P4 from upstream to downstream. Lubricating oil O is introduced from the camshaft into the oil chamber A through the oil passage P. The lubricating oil O is stored in the oil chamber A. The amount of lubricating oil O to be stored in the oil chamber A, the storage state of the lubricating oil O in the oil chamber A, etc. are not particularly limited.

(28) As shown in FIG. 5, each oil groove 300b has an upstream end (inner peripheral end) 300b1 and a downstream end (outer peripheral end) 300b2. The upstream end 300b1 of the oil groove 300b is included in the concept of “one end of the oil groove” of the present invention. The downstream end 300b2 of the oil groove 300b is included in the concept of the “other end of the oil groove” of the present invention. The lubricating oil O in the oil chamber A is supplied to the oil grooves 300b through the upstream ends 300b1. The lubricating oil O in the oil grooves 300b is supplied to the sliding interface B. The lubricating oil O thus supplied is spread over the entire sliding interface B with rotation of the rotor 3. The oil film F is thus formed in the sliding interface B. The lubricating oil O having formed the oil film F is discharged into the pump chamber C through the downstream ends 300b2. The oil film F is thus continuously and fluidly formed in the sliding interface B by the lubricating oil O in the oil grooves 300b.

(29) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the capacities of the plurality of operation chambers C1 to C3 are increased or reduced with rotation of the vane 4. With such a change in capacities, the operation chambers C1 to C3 suck air from the booster through the inlet port 200a. The air thus sucked is discharged from the operation chambers C1 to C3 to the outside through the outlet port 201b.

(30) [Functions and Effects of Vane Pump]

(31) Functions and effects of the vane pump of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 of the rotor 3 has the oil grooves 300b. The oil grooves 300b directly communicate with the oil chamber A of the rotor 3. The lubricating oil O in the oil chamber A therefore directly flows into the oil grooves 300b. According to the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment, the oil film F is thus easily formed in the sliding interface B. Sufficient sealability of the sliding interface B is therefore easily provided, and the sliding interface B is easily protected from thrust load. The front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 and the rear surface of the cover 21 are therefore less likely to wear. According to the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment, members such as the biasing portions and the sliding member of Patent Document 1 need not be additionally disposed in order to provide sufficient sealability of the sliding interface B. An increase in number of parts is thus restrained.

(32) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each oil groove 300b extends in the radial direction (the direction crossing the circumferential direction). This allows the lubricating oil O to flow in the radial direction of the sliding interface B. The lubricating oil O can be spread in the circumferential direction of the sliding interface B with rotation of the rotor 3. The oil film F can thus be formed in the entire sliding interface B.

(33) The oil film F need be formed in the sliding interface B. The longitudinal clearance width (see FIG. 5) of the sliding interface B is therefore very small. This makes it difficult for the lubricating oil O to flow from the oil chamber A into the sliding interface B. However, the lubricating oil O continuously flows into the oil chamber A through the oil passage P shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the lubricating oil O tends to accumulate in the oil chamber A. Moreover, since the lubricating oil O is incompressible fluid, the pressure in the oil chamber A tends to become high with respect to that in the pump chamber C. When the pressure in the oil chamber A becomes high, a large amount of lubricating oil O in the oil chamber A flows at once into the pump chamber C through the sliding interface B in order to release the pressure. The pressure in the oil chamber A changes significantly with the flow of the lubricating oil O. With such a change in pressure in the oil chamber A, the rotor 3 tends to move in the longitudinal direction by an amount corresponding to the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B.

(34) This problem is caused by the fact that “the lubricating oil O tends to accumulate in the oil chamber A of the rotor 3.” Accordingly, this problem cannot occur in the type of vane pump disclosed in Patent Document 1 (a vane pump having a shaft inserted radially inside a rotor so as to extend through the rotor and having no oil chamber in the rotor).

(35) In this respect, according to the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment, the oil grooves 300b are formed in the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 of the rotor 3. The upstream ends 300b1 of the oil grooves 300b are open to the oil chamber A. The lubricating oil O therefore easily flows from the oil chamber A into the sliding interface B. The downstream ends 300b2 of the oil grooves 300b are open to the pump chamber C. The lubricating oil O therefore easily flows from the sliding interface B into the pump chamber C. The pressure in the oil chamber A is therefore less likely to become high with respect to that in the pump chamber C. Moreover, the pressure in the oil chamber A does not significantly change even with the flow of the lubricating oil O. The longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is therefore easily stabilized. That is, the rotor 3 is less likely to move in the longitudinal direction.

(36) The downstream ends 300b2 of the oil grooves 300b are open to the pump chamber C. Accordingly, even if the lubricating oil O is excessively supplied to the sliding interface B, the excess lubricating oil O can be discharged from the sliding interface B into the pump chamber C.

(37) The oil grooves 300b are formed in the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 of the rotor 3. The longitudinal thickness of the cover 21 is therefore reduced as compared to the case where the oil grooves 300b are formed in the rear surface of the cover 21. Accordingly, the cover 21 and the vane pump 1 are reduced in size.

Second Embodiment

(38) A vane pump of the present embodiment is different from the vane pump of the first embodiment in that the oil grooves extend in the circumferential direction rather than in the radial direction. Only the difference will be described below. FIG. 6 shows a radial section of the vane pump of the present embodiment. Portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted with the same reference characters. As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of oil grooves 300c are formed concentrically about the radial center of the rotor 3, as viewed from the front. Each of the plurality of oil grooves 300c extends in the circumferential direction in the shape of an endless ring about the radial center of the rotor 3. The plurality of oil grooves 300c indirectly communicate with each other through a sliding interface. The plurality of oil grooves 300c indirectly communicate with an oil chamber A and a pump chamber C through the sliding interface.

(39) Regarding the portions having the same configuration as the vane pump of the first embodiment, the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment has functions and effects similar to those of the vane pump of the first embodiment. According to the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment, the rotational direction of the rotor 3 is the same as the direction in which the oil grooves 300c extend. An oil film is therefore easily formed in the sliding interface. As in the vane pump 1 of the present embodiment, the oil grooves 300c may not directly communicate with the oil chamber A and the pump chamber C.

Other Embodiments

(40) The embodiments of the vane pump of the present invention are described above. However, embodiments are not particularly limited to those described above. The present invention can be carried out in various modified or improved forms that occur to those skilled in the art.

(41) FIG. 7A shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a further embodiment (third embodiment). FIG. 7B shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a still further embodiment (fourth embodiment). FIG. 7C shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (fifth embodiment). FIG. 7D shows an axial section of a portion near a sliding interface of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (sixth embodiment). Portions corresponding to those in FIG. 5 are denoted with the same reference characters.

(42) As shown in FIG. 7A, an oil groove 300d may be formed so that the depth of the oil groove 300d decreases as it gets farther away from its upstream end 300d1 and closer to its downstream end 300d2. In this case, lubricating oil O is less likely to flow from the pump chamber C back into the oil chamber A.

(43) As shown in FIG. 7B, an oil groove 300e may be formed so that the depth of the oil groove 300e changes in a sawtooth pattern. Tilt angles θ1, θ2 may be θ1<θ2, where θ1 represents the tilt angle, with respect to a radial plane a0, of a slope a10 of any sawtooth portion which faces toward an oil chamber A and θ2 represents the tilt angle, with respect to the radial plane a0, of a slope a20 of any sawtooth portion which faces toward a pump chamber C. In this case, lubricating oil O is less likely to flow from the pump chamber C back into the oil chamber A.

(44) As shown in FIG. 7C, an oil groove 300f may be formed by forming a chamfered portion in the inner peripheral edge of the front end face of a peripheral wall portion 300. The oil groove 300f extends in the circumferential direction in the shape of an endless ring about the radial center of a rotor 3. Forming the oil groove 300f facilitates introduction of lubricating oil O into a sliding interface B. Moreover, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

(45) As shown in FIG. 7D, an oil groove 300g may be formed by forming a chamfered portion in the outer peripheral edge of the front end face of a peripheral wall portion 300. The oil groove 300g extends in the circumferential direction in the shape of an endless ring about the radial center of a rotor 3. Forming the oil groove 300g facilitates discharge of lubricating oil O from a sliding interface B. Moreover, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

(46) The oil groove 300f and the oil groove 300g may be formed in the front end face of a peripheral wall portion 300. In this case, it is more preferable that the oil groove 300f be deeper than the oil groove 300g. This facilitates introduction of lubricating oil O into a sliding interface B and discharge of the lubricating oil O from the sliding interface B. Moreover, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

(47) FIG. 8 shows a radial section of a vane pump of a yet further embodiment (seventh embodiment). Portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference characters. As shown in FIG. 8, a grid-like oil groove 300h may be formed in the front end face of a peripheral wall portion 300. This facilitates introduction of lubricating oil O into a sliding interface B and discharge of the lubricating oil O from the sliding interface B. Moreover, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

(48) The number of oil grooves 300b to 300h and the shape, length, depth, and width of the oil grooves 300b to 300h are not particularly limited. For example, the upstream end 300b1 of the oil groove 300b shown in FIG. 5 may not be open to the oil chamber A. Similarly, the downstream end 300b2 may not be open to the pump chamber C. The oil grooves 300c, 300f, 300g shown in FIGS. 6, 7C, and 7D may not have the shape of a continuous endless ring as viewed from the front. For example, the oil grooves 300c, 300f, 300g may have the shape of an arc (C-shape). The depth and width of the oil grooves 300b to 300h may not be constant along their entire length. The shape of the transverse section of the oil grooves 300b to 300h is not particularly limited. For example, the transverse section of the oil grooves 300b to 300h may have a C-shape, a U-shape, a V-shape, a W-shape, etc. The shape of the chamfered portions that form the oil grooves 300f, 300g shown in FIGS. 7C, 7D is not particularly limited. These chamfered portions may be flat chamfered portions or may be round chamfered portions (concave chamfered portions, convex chamfered portions) as shown by dotted lines a2, b2, a3, b3.

(49) The oil grooves 300b to 300h may be formed in the rear surface (the portion defining the sliding interface B) of the cover 21. In this case as well, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized. The oil grooves 300b to 300h may be formed in both the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 and the rear surface of the cover 21. In this case as well, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

(50) An recessed or protruding shape (e.g., taper lands, dimples, very small protrusions, etc.) may be formed in at least one of the front end face of the peripheral wall portion 300 and the rear surface of the cover 21. In this case as well, the longitudinal clearance width of the sliding interface B is easily stabilized.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

(51) 1: Vane Pump, 2: Housing, 20: Housing Body, 200: Peripheral Wall Portion, 200a: Inlet Port, 201: Bottom Wall Portion, 201a: Through Hole, 201d: Outlet Port, 21: Cover, 3: Rotor, 30: Rotor Body, 300: Peripheral Wall Portion, 300a: Vane Holding Groove, 300b to 300h: Oil Groove, 300b1: Upstream End, 300b2: Downstream End, 300d1: Upstream End, 300d2: Downstream End, 301: Bottom Wall Portion, 31: Coupling Protrusion, 310: Accommodating Recess, 4: Vane, 40: Vane Body, 41: Cap, 90: Bolt, 92: O-Ring, A: Oil Chamber, B: Sliding Interface, C: Pump Chamber, C1 to C3: Operation Chamber, F: Oil Film, O: Lubricating Oil, P: Oil Passage, P1: Oil Hole, P2: Oil Hole, P3: Oil Groove, P4: Clearance, a0: Radial Plane, a10: Slope, a20: Slope, θ1: Tilt Angle, θ2: Tilt Angle