Hydraulic pressure supply unit

Abstract

A hydraulic pressure supply unit has a storage chamber which stores hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump which is arranged within the storage chamber and dips at least partially into the stored hydraulic fluid, and an electric motor which drives the hydraulic pump. The electric motor is arranged below the hydraulic pump in a separate motor chamber which is situated below the storage chamber, is dry, and is not connected fluidically to the storage chamber. The electric motor is coupled in a thermally transmitting manner to a separating floor, the upper side of which delimits the storage chamber and is wetted continuously with stored hydraulic fluid.

Claims

1. A hydraulic pressure supply unit, comprising: a continuous single piece tubular housing shell, the housing shell having a continuous side wall portion extending between an upper end and a lower end; a partition base inserted into the tubular housing shell and connected in a heat-conducting manner to an inner surface of the side wall portion of the housing shell between the upper and lower ends of the housing shell such that the side wall portion of the housing shell extends both upwardly and downwardly from the partition base, the partition base having an upper side and a lower side; a hydraulic fluid reservoir having a stored hydraulic fluid therein, the hydraulic fluid reservoir being circumferentially delimited by the side wall portion of the housing shell, the upper side of the partition base delimiting the hydraulic fluid reservoir and being constantly wetted with the stored hydraulic fluid; a separate motor compartment located below the hydraulic fluid reservoir, the motor compartment being dry and not in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir, the side wall portion of the housing shell circumferentially delimiting the motor compartment; a hydraulic pump arranged within the hydraulic fluid reservoir and at least partially immersed in the stored hydraulic fluid; an electric motor driving the hydraulic pump, the electric motor being arranged below the hydraulic pump in the motor compartment, the electric motor being coupled in a heat-conducting manner to the partition base; and at least one electrical component accommodated in the motor compartment and coupled in a heat-conducting manner to the inner surface of the side wall portion of the housing shell laterally delimiting the motor compartment.

2. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing shell has cooling fins on its outside.

3. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing shell has a cylindrical shape.

4. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing shell is closed at the upper and lower ends by means of two covers.

5. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the covers is configured as a mounting plate and has at least one fastening portion extending radially beyond the housing shell.

6. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 5, wherein the at least one fastening portion is a flange.

7. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pump is mounted on a socket with an integrated line and valve arrangement.

8. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 7, wherein a projection of the socket passes through an opening in the partition base.

9. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 8, wherein the electric motor has a flange connected to a front side of the socket projection.

10. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 9, wherein the flange is fixed to the lower side of the partition base.

11. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 7, wherein a side wall of the socket has a pressure outlet opposite the side wall portion delimiting the hydraulic fluid reservoir, the pressure outlet of the socket communicating with a pressure connection provided on the the side wall portion delimiting the hydraulic reservoir.

12. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein an axis of the motor and an axis of the pump are aligned with each other.

13. The hydraulic pressure supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical component is coupled in a heat-conducting manner to the partition base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION ON THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the present invention is explained in more detail by means of two preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawing. Therein it is shown

(2) FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a pressure supply unit according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the pressure supply unit according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the pressure supply unit according to FIGS. 1 and 2; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a section of the pressure supply unit according to a second preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The hydraulic pressure supply unit shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawing has as main components a reservoir 1 storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic pump 2 located inside the reservoir 1 and immersed in the stored hydraulic fluid, and an electric motor 3 driving the hydraulic pump 2. In this respect, it corresponds to conventional, known hydraulic pressure supply units of the concept relevant here, so that no further explanations are required in this respect.

(7) The reservoir 1 is delimited laterally by a housing part 4, downward by a partition base 5 inserted into the housing part 4 and upward by a fitted upper cover 6. The partition base 5 is connected to the housing part 4 in a heat-conducting and fluid-tight manner. The housing part 4 has an oval-cylindrical basic shape. It is formed of a section of extruded aluminum profile tube. It extends downwards beyond the partition base 5 and delimits on the circumference a separate motor compartment 7 arranged below the partition base 5, which in turn is closed downwards by a lower cover 8, which is configured as a mounting plate 9 and has a fastening portion 10 extending radially beyond the profile tube. In this way, the housing part 4 forms a continuous housing shell 11. Cooling fins 12 provided on the outside of the housing shell 11 extend continuously along the level of the reservoir 1 for hydraulic fluid and the motor compartment 7.

(8) The motor compartment 7 is dry and is not fluidically connected to the reservoir 1 for hydraulic fluid. The electric motor 3 driving the hydraulic pump 2 is accommodated in it, below the hydraulic pump 2. The electric motor 3 is coupled to the partition base 5 in a heat-conducting manner. For this purpose, it is attached to the partition base 5 by means of a flange 13, which lies flat against the underside 14 of the partition base 5 along an annular surface.

(9) Above the electric motor 3, the partition base 5 has an opening 15. Through this opening 15 passes with a corresponding projection 16 a socket 17, in which a line and valve arrangement is accommodated and on which the hydraulic pump 2 is mounted. The socket 17 is connected to the electric motor 3 at the front side of its flange 13. The positioning of the electric motor 3 and the hydraulic pump 2 is such that the motor axis and pump axis are aligned with each other. The socket 17 has an opening through which the electric motor 3 and the hydraulic pump 2 are directly coupled by means of an appropriate shaft arrangement.

(10) The two fluid connections 18, 19 of the pressure supply unit are located on the housing part 4 at a level above the partition base 5. One of the two connections, namely the “tank connection” 18, opens directly into the reservoir 1, wherein the backflowing hydraulic fluid is fed into the reservoir 1 at a position remote from the suction point of the hydraulic pump 2 via a pipe arrangement 20 in order to support circulation of the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir 1. A side wall of the socket 17 having the pressure outlet is directly opposite the housing part 4, so that the pressure connection 19 of the pressure supply unit communicates directly with the pressure outlet of the socket 17. (However, in the case of reversible pressure supply units, both connections lead to the line and valve arrangement accommodated in the socket.)

(11) In addition to the electric motor 3, motor compartment 7 accommodates further electrical components K, in particular a transformer-, switching- and control-group 21, which does not serve the operation of the pressure supply unit, and which is coupled in a heat-conducting manner to a wall portion that laterally delimits motor compartment 7. The cooling fins 12 arranged on the outside of the housing shell 11 extend (also) over the mounting point of the transformer-, switching- and control-group 21. A media-tight bushing 23 is provided in the housing shell 11 for the electrical supply of the electric motor 3 of the pressure supply unit and the transformer-, switching- and control-group 21 as well as for control and signal lines 22.

(12) The second preferred embodiment of a hydraulic pressure supply unit according to the present invention shown in FIG. 4—in deviation from the first embodiment explained above—is characterized in particular by the fact that here the partition base 5′ is configured in the manner of a carrier plate 24. It consists of aluminum. The hydraulic pump 2 is directly attached to it at the top and the electric motor 3 at the bottom. In addition, the hydraulic functionalities, which are accommodated in the socket 17 in the first embodiment, are integrated into it by means of appropriate built-in elements (channels, lines, throttles, valves, filters, etc.). And also a line useful for optimum circulation of the hydraulic fluid in reservoir 1 (cf. pipe arrangement 20 according to the first embodiment) is integrated into the carrier plate separation base 5′.

(13) A first housing part 25, which laterally delimits the hydraulic fluid reservoir 1, is attached to the top of the carrier plate partition base 5′ and a separate second housing part 26, which laterally delimits the motor compartment 7, is attached to the bottom. Between the two housing parts 25, 26 the carrier plate partition base 5′ is accessible at the circumference; on the circumferential surface 27 both hydraulic connections 18, 19 and—illustrated by line 22—the electrical supply and control connections are provided.

(14) As illustrated, the unit consisting of carrier plate partition base 5′, upper and lower housing parts 25, 26 and upper and lower cover 6, 8 can be held together, for example, via external tie rods 28.

(15) Two further special features of the pressure supply unit according to the second embodiment can be seen in FIG. 4. Firstly, the motor compartment 7 is not hermetically sealed. Rather, the partition base 5′ has a ventilation hole 29, which communicates on the one hand with the motor compartment 7 and on the other hand with the environment and thus enables a gas exchange between the motor compartment 7 and the environment. The ventilation hole 29 is covered by a cap 30, which is equipped with a Goretex® insert 31. This ensures that moisture—in the form of vapour—can escape from the motor compartment 7 to the outside, while at the same time effectively preventing foreign objects and/or moisture from entering the motor compartment 7 through the ventilation hole. This makes the pressure supply unit particularly suitable for the target application, namely as a hydraulic aggregate for hydraulic steering drives of watercraft.

(16) Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows a filling micrometer 32 which is equipped with an oil level dipstick 33 and closes an oil filling opening in the upper cover 6.

(17) In addition, the pressure supply unit according to the second embodiment is understandable for the skilled person from the above explanations of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, so that further explanations are not necessary.