ELECTROMOTIVE OIL PUMP COMPRISING A NON-RETURN VALVE

Abstract

An electrical oil pump comprising a pump housing containing an electromotively driven pump rotor, and a discharge branch arranged on the housing side and receiving a non-return valve, said valve comprising a preferably spherical closing body arranged such that it can move between a valve seat and a supporting surface, and a closing body holder which is inserted into the discharge branch, forms the supporting surface and comprises through-flow sections, said holder being inserted into the discharge branch for captive holding therein.

Claims

1. An electromotive oil pump comprising: an electric motor; a pump housing including an intake nozzle and a discharge nozzle; a pump rotor driven by the electric motor and arranged in the pump housing; and a valve spring-free check valve including, a spherical closing body disposed in the intake nozzle arranged movably between a valve seat, defining a valve opening, and a supporting surface, and a closing body holder, having a cage-like shape, disposed in the discharge nozzle and forming the supporting surface and defining a number of throughflow portions and a first joining contour, wherein the first joining contour interacts directly or indirectly with a second joining contour defined by the discharge nozzle via a joining element to securely retain the closing body holder in the discharge nozzle.

2. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the closing body holder includes a hollow-cylindrical wall provided with a number of wall portions extending in a longitudinal direction defined by the discharge nozzle and wherein the throughflow portions are formed between the number of wall portions.

3. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the discharge nozzle defines a throughflow chamber extending between the second joining contour and the valve seat and the closing body holder is received by the throughflow chamber and an annular gap is formed between the circumferential wall of the discharge nozzle and the closing body holder.

4. The electromotive oil pump of claim 2, wherein the closing body holder includes at least one circumferentially closed annular wall portion that forms the number of wall portions.

5. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the closing body holder includes annular bearing contour that forms the supporting surface and define throughflow regions aligned with the throughflow portions.

6. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the joining element is a circlip at least partially disposed in an annular groove defined by the circumferential wall of the discharge nozzle.

7. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein an outer circumference the closing body holder includes a latching projection forming the first joining contour and a circumferential wall of the discharge nozzle defines an undercut edge forming the second joining contour.

8. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the supporting surface of the closing body holder is formed as a centering surface configured to center the spherical closing body.

9. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the pump housing includes a housing part that receives the pump rotor and a pump flange that forms the discharge nozzle.

10. The electromotive oil pump of claim 1, wherein the pump rotor is formed by a gear set provided with an inner rotor, mounted eccentrically in the pump housing, and an outer rotor, mounted centrally in the pump housing, that receives the inner rotor.

11. An electric oil pump comprising: a pump housing including a discharge nozzle; a pump rotor disposed in the pump housing and configured to be electromotively driven; and a check valve arranged in the discharge nozzle and including, a closing body movable in the discharge nozzle, and a closing body holder disposed in and securely fixed to the discharge nozzle and defining throughflow portions adjoining the closing body.

12. The electric oil pump of claim 11, wherein the pump housing includes an intake nozzle communicatively connected to discharge nozzle to communicate a medium from the intake nozzle to the discharge nozzle and including a valve seat defining an valve opening, wherein the closing body holder includes an upper annular wall portion and a lower annular wall portion that lies along the valve seat.

13. The electric motor pump of claim 12, wherein the closing body holder includes a number of walls extending between the upper and lower annular wall portions and spaced apart from one another to form the throughflow portions.

14. An electric oil pump comprising: a pump housing defining a flow channel; a discharge nozzle extending from the housing and configured to receive fluid from the flow channel, wherein the discharge nozzle includes an inner periphery provided with a first contoured edge; a ball disposed between the flow channel and the discharge nozzle; a cage disposed in the discharge nozzle and including an outer periphery provided with a second contoured edge; and a circlip sandwiched between the first and second contoured edges configured to secure the cage within the discharge nozzle.

15. The electric oil pump of claim 14, wherein the first contoured edge is formed by a first annular groove.

16. The electric oil pump of claim 15, wherein the second contoured edge is formed by a second annular groove.

17. The electric oil pump of claim 15, wherein the cage includes an upper annular wall, a lower annular wall, and a number of walls extending therebetween and spaced apart from one another to define throughflow portions configured to facilitate a flow of fluid through the discharge nozzle.

18. The electric oil pump of claim 17, wherein the inner periphery of the discharge nozzle is provided with an undercut edge and at least one of the walls of the number of walls includes a stepped portion that engages the undercut edge.

19. The electric oil pump of claim 18, wherein at least one of the walls of the number of walls is hollow.

20. The electric oil pump of claim 18, wherein portions of a wall of the number of walls are spaced apart from a portion of the inner periphery of the discharge nozzle to form an annular gap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below in greater detail on the basis of a drawing. In the drawing:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows, in perspective representation, an electromotive (electric) oil pump with a pump housing which is formed from a housing part for a pump rotor and a pump flange with a one-part discharge nozzle, and with a valve spring-free check valve in the discharge nozzle,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows the electromotive (electric) oil pump according to FIG. 1 in a sectional representation,

[0024] FIG. 3 shows, in a sectional representation, in sections on a large scale the pump flange with discharge nozzle and check valve received therein in the opened state, with a ball as a closing body and with a grid- or cage-like closing body holder which is latched for retaining the balls directly in the discharge nozzle, and

[0025] FIG. 4 shows, in a representation according to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the check valve in the closed state, wherein its closing body holder for holding back the balls is clipped (latched) in the discharge nozzle indirectly by means of a circlip for retention of the ball.

[0026] Corresponding parts are provided in all the figures with the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows electromotive oil pump 1 in its preferred installation position or orientation with vertically oriented, one-piece discharge nozzle 3. Oil pump 1 installed, for example, in a motor vehicle is integrated there into a hydraulic system in order, for example, in an oil circuit to convey the oil as medium or as lubricant for rotating parts, for example, transmission parts. The system pressure can be up to 40 bar. In other words, the pressure difference between an inflow side and an outflow side of oil pump 1 is correspondingly up to approximately 40 bar.

[0029] On the inflow side of oil pump 1, the medium flows via an intake nozzle 2 into oil pump 1 and escapes from it via discharge nozzle 3. Intake nozzle 2 and discharge nozzle 3 are integrated into a pump flange 4 of a pump housing 5. Pump flange 4 is mounted on a further housing part 6 of pump housing 5, for example, screw-fastened. A motor housing 7 of an electric motor is in turn placed on pump housing 5 and connected thereto, for example, also screwed. An electronic housing 8 adjoins motor housing 7, in which electronic housing 8 electronics (motor electronics) are accommodated. Electronic housing 8 has cooling bodies 9 for cooling power elements, for example, semiconductor switches, of the motor electronics. Connection tabs or flanges 10, 11 on electronic housing 8 or on pump housing 4 serve to fasten oil pump 1, for example, in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows oil pump 1 in a longitudinal section. It is comparatively clearly apparent that a valve spring-free check valve 12 with a valve or closing body 12a and a valve or closing body holder 12b is arranged in advantageously one-piece discharge nozzle 3 of pump flange 4. Closing body 12 may be embodied as a ball (steel ball) serves to close a valve opening 12c which is surrounded by a valve seat 12d. If oil pump 1 is not operated and such as when the electric motor is deenergized, closing body 12a is pushed against valve seat 12d as a result of its weight and closes valve opening 12c there.

[0031] Valve opening 12c is flow-connected via a flow channel 13 within pump flange 4 to a pump chamber 14 provided in housing part 6 of pump housing 5. What is known as a G-rotor (gerotor) is arranged as pump rotor 15 rotationally movably within pump chamber 14. Pump rotor 15 comprises an inner rotor 15a embodied as externally toothed internal gear and an outer rotor 15b embodied as an internally toothed external gear. Outer rotor 15b in which inner rotor 15a lies (sits) is centrally mounted. Inner rotor 15a is mounted eccentrically and coupled to motor shaft 16 of electric motor 17. Electric motor 17 is mounted on what is known as the A-side in a first bearing (ball bearing) 18a which is arranged in housing part 6 of pump housing 4. Motor shaft 16 is mounted within motor housing 7 in a further bearing (ball bearing) 18b on what is known as the B-side. Rotor 19 of electric motor 17 may be embodied as a rotor assembly (laminated core) with pocket magnets. Stator 20, surrounding rotor 19, of electric motor 17 is provided with appropriately connected coils while producing a stator or motor winding and may be overmolded with plastic. The appropriately three-phase motor winding is electrically connected to motor electronics 21 arranged in electronic housing 8 and is energized and actuated by the motor electronics 21.

[0032] The inflow side and the outflow side of oil pump 1 are thus connected via pump chamber 14 into which intake nozzle 2 discharges which is not apparent as a result of the sectional view selected in FIG. 2. Pump chamber 14 discharges via flow channel 13 and discharge nozzle 3 into the circuit joined thereto or the like. During operation of oil pump 1, electric motor 17 drives pump rotor 15 via its motor shaft 16, wherein the medium or oil is compressed and flows out of oil pump 1 with high pressure via the discharge nozzle.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of check valve 12 embodied without a valve spring and with a closing body holder 12b. This may be formed as a plastic part and appropriately in the manner of a cage. To this end, closing body holder 12b has a hollow-cylindrical wall 22 with a number of web- or strut-like wall portions 23 running in longitudinal direction (nozzle longitudinal direction) L of discharge nozzle 3, between which wall portions 23 throughflow portions 24 are formed. Strut-like wall portions 23 are formed at both end sides on annular wall portions that may be circumferentially closed, namely an upper and lower wall portion 25 or 26 as seen in longitudinal direction L. Valve seat 12b is formed or provided in discharge nozzle 3 in the region of lower wall portion 26.

[0034] Closing body holder 12b has a supporting contour referred to below as supporting surface 27 against which closing body 12a may be embodied as a ball is pressed during operation of oil pump 1 as a result of the high pressure of the conveyed medium (oil pressure). In this position of closing body 12a, check valve 12 is opened in that its closing body 12a is lifted up from valve seat 12d and valve opening 12c is released.

[0035] Supporting surface 27 is formed on an annular stop or bearing contour 28 which is partially interrupted in the circumferential direction and which is formed on the inside (inner wall side) on strut-like wall portions 23 of closing body holder 12b. Interruptions 29 of bearing contour 28 form throughflow regions and are aligned with throughflow portions 24 of closing body holder 12d. As a result of this, it is achieved that the medium can flow, during operation of oil pump 1, without or with only a small degree of pressure loss past closing body 12a in direction of flow S, which corresponds to nozzle longitudinal direction L, out of discharge nozzle 3.

[0036] It is apparent that supporting surface 27 formed by bearing contour 28 is adapted to the surface of closing body 12a, i.e. may be embodied to have a spherical surface and is for this purpose formed as a ramp contour tapering toward outlet opening 30 of discharge nozzle 3. As a result of this, closing body 12a embodied as a ball is held centered in the represented position in the case of opened check valve 12 within closing body holder 12b and thus within discharge nozzle 3. Closing body 12a sits at least approximately in a vibration-free manner in closing body holder 12b during operation of oil pump 1 and is held securely in this position. As a result of this, noises are reliably damped during operation of oil pump 1.

[0037] Initially, closing body 12a is inserted into discharge nozzle 3 in the course of mounting check valve 12. Closing body holder 12b is subsequently inserted into discharge opening 2 and held securely therein. To this end, a positive-locking connection is appropriately produced as a joining connection between closing body holder 12b and discharge nozzle 3. The desired locking of a relative movement between closing body holder 12b and discharge nozzle 3 in nozzle longitudinal direction L which corresponds to direction of flow S of the conveyed medium is performed by corresponding, interacting joining or molding contours and is thus shape-related. To this end, closing body holder 12b has holder-side joining contours 31 in the form of latch-like cams or shoulders on the outside on its web-like wall portions. Discharge nozzle 3 has, for this purpose, on its inside surrounding wall 32 a corresponding joining or locking contour 33 as an undercut edge. For easy handling during mounting of check valve 12, strut-, cage- or grid-like wall portions 23 of closing body holder 12b are at least slightly elastically deformable transverse to the nozzle longitudinal direction.

[0038] Discharge nozzle 3 appropriately has between its joining contour (undercut edge) 33 for closing body holder 12b and valve seat 12d a throughflow chamber 34 into which closing body holder 12b is received with the formation of an annular gap 35 spaced apart from circumferential wall 32 of discharge nozzle 3 therein.

[0039] While in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 3 holder-side joining contour 31 of closing body holder which are formed from the cams or supporting shoulders formed on the outside on strut-like wall portions 23 interacts directly with nozzle-side joining contour 33 embodied as an undercut edge (undercut), in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 4, an indirect interaction of a holder-side joining contour 31 with a corresponding nozzle-side joining contour 33 is produced. For this purpose, a joining element 36 in the form of a circlip is provided which is incorporated into nozzle-side joining contour 33 embodied as a circumferential annular groove in circumferential wall 32 of discharge nozzle 3. As a result of this, joining element 36 embodied as a circlip quasi forms the undercut for correspondingly formed, holder-side joining contour 31 of closing body holder 12b.

[0040] Closing body holder 12b according to the embodiment according to FIG. 4 is in turn embodied to be grid- or cage-like with strut-like wall portions 23 extending in nozzle longitudinal direction L, between which wall portions 23 throughflow portions 24 are formed. Strut-like wall portions 23 are also connected via an upper and lower wall portion 25 or 26 and for this purpose are formed thereon. Lower annular wall portion 26 serves in this case as stop or bearing contour 28 with supporting surface 27. In the case of this embodiment, supporting surface 27 or bearing contour 28 is, in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 3, not embodied to be partially interrupted on the inside of the ring, but rather partially interrupted on the outside of the ring and with throughflow regions (interruptions) 29 which are in turn aligned with window-like throughflow portions 24 of closing body holder 12b.

[0041] Both embodiments of closing body holder 12b according to FIGS. 3 and 4 provide an adequate flow cross-section for the conveyed medium (oil). While FIG. 3 shows closing body 12a embodied as a ball in the opened state of check valve 12, check valve 12 is represented in the closed state in FIG. 4. In this case, closing body 12a sits at valve seat 12d while sealing off valve opening 12c.

[0042] The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments described above. On the contrary, other variants of the invention can also be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all of the individual features described in the context of the exemplary embodiments can furthermore also be combined with one another in a different manner without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

[0043] In summary, an electric oil pump 1 is described which has in a pump housing 5 an electromotively driven pump rotor 15 and a check valve 12 received in a housing-side discharge nozzle 3, which check valve 12 comprises a closing body 12a arranged movably in discharge nozzle 3 and a closing body holder 12b which has throughflow portions 24 and which is inserted into discharge nozzle 3 with closing body 12a received therein while producing secure retention.

[0044] The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0045] 1 Oil pump

[0046] 2 Intake nozzle

[0047] 3 Discharge nozzle

[0048] 4 Pump flange

[0049] 5 Pump housing

[0050] 6 Housing part

[0051] 7 Motor housing

[0052] 8 Electronic housing

[0053] 9 Cooling body

[0054] 10 Connection flange/tab

[0055] 11 Connection flange/tab

[0056] 12 Check valve

[0057] 12a Valve/closing body (ball)

[0058] 12b Valve/closing body holder

[0059] 12c Valve opening

[0060] 12d Valve seat

[0061] 13 Flow channel

[0062] 14 Pump chamber

[0063] 15 Pump rotor/G-rotor

[0064] 15a Inner rotor

[0065] 15b Outer rotor

[0066] 16 Motor shaft

[0067] 17 Electric motor

[0068] 18a A-side bearing

[0069] 18b B-side bearing

[0070] 19 Rotor

[0071] 20 Stator

[0072] 21 Motor electronics

[0073] 22 Hollow-cylindrical wall

[0074] 23 Strut/web-like wall portion

[0075] 24 Throughflow portion

[0076] 25 Upper annular wall portion

[0077] 26 Lower annular wall portion

[0078] 27 Supporting surface

[0079] 28 Stop/bearing contour

[0080] 29 Interruption/throughflow region

[0081] 30 Outlet opening

[0082] 31 Holder-side joining contour

[0083] 32 Circumferential wall

[0084] 33 Nozzle-side joining contour/undercut edge

[0085] 33 Nozzle-side joining contour/annular groove

[0086] 34 Throughflow chamber

[0087] 35 Annular gap

[0088] 36 Joining element/circlip

[0089] L Nozzle/longitudinal direction

[0090] S Direction of flow

[0091] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.