VEHICLE HAVING A PUMP DEVICE

Abstract

A coolant pump is provided that includes a pump housing that receives a pump shaft for driving a pump member for a liquid medium in a medium chamber. The pump shaft is arranged at least in sections in the medium chamber and is rotatable mounted by means of an anti-friction bearing. The anti-friction bearing has a plurality of rolling bodies which are arranged in a rolling body chamber. The rolling body chamber and the medium chamber are fluidly connected, such that the anti-friction bearing device is lubricated and/or can be lubricated with the medium from the medium chamber.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. A coolant pump configured for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a pump shaft for driving an impeller, the impeller configured to move a liquid medium in a medium chamber, and the pump shaft arranged at least in a section of the medium chamber; a pump housing section that receives the pump shaft; the pump shaft mounted to the pump housing section via an anti-friction bearing having a plurality of rolling elements arranged in a rolling element chamber, the rolling element chamber fluidly connected to the medium chamber; and, the anti-friction bearing configured to be lubricated with the liquid medium from the medium chamber.

8. The coolant pump of claim 7, wherein an inner raceway of the anti-friction bearing is arranged directly on the pump shaft.

9. The coolant pump of claim 7, wherein the anti-friction bearing comprises two rows of rolling elements.

10. The coolant pump of claim 7, wherein at least one annular gap is formed around the pump shaft, the at least one annular gap fluidly connecting the rolling element chamber to the medium chamber.

11. The coolant pump of claim 7, further comprising a seal arranged on a side of the anti-friction bearing which faces away from the medium chamber.

12. The coolant pump of claim 11, wherein the seal allows radial and axial sealing of the pump shaft within the pump housing section.

13. The coolant pump of claim 11, wherein the seal is a mechanical seal.

14. The coolant pump of claim 7, wherein components of the anti-friction bearing are manufactured from a material that is corrosion resistant in relation to the liquid medium.

15. The coolant pump of claim 14, wherein the material is a nitrogen-alloyed chromium steel or a corrosion-resistant case-hardened steel.

16. An internal combustion engine comprising: an engine coolant; a coolant pump having: a pump shaft for driving an impeller, the impeller configured to move the engine coolant in a medium chamber, and the pump shaft arranged at least in a section of the medium chamber; a pump housing section that receives the pump shaft; the pump shaft mounted to the pump housing section via an anti-friction bearing having a plurality of rolling elements arranged in a rolling element chamber, the rolling element chamber fluidly connected to the medium chamber; and, the anti-friction bearing configured to be lubricated with the engine coolant from the medium chamber.

17. The internal combustion engine of claim 16, wherein the pump shaft is driven by a belt.

18. The internal combustion engine of claim 16, wherein the pump shaft is driven by an input wheel.

19. The internal combustion engine of claim 18, wherein the input wheel is driven by either the internal combustion engine or an electric motor.

20. A vehicle comprising: an internal combustion engine having: an engine coolant; a coolant pump having: a pump shaft for driving an impeller, the impeller configured to move the engine coolant in a medium chamber, and the pump shaft arranged at least in a section of the medium chamber; a pump housing section that receives the pump shaft; the pump shaft mounted to the pump housing section via an anti-friction bearing having a plurality of rolling elements arranged in a rolling element chamber, the rolling element chamber fluidly connected to the medium chamber; and, the anti-friction bearing configured to be lubricated with the engine coolant from the medium ch

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further features, advantages and effects of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description of a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention and from the attached figures, of which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through an example embodiment of a coolant pump.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows another schematic longitudinal section through the coolant pump shown in FIG. 1, incorporated into a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 shows, in a highly schematized illustration, a pump 1, which is designed as a coolant pump for delivering a coolant K as a liquid medium in a vehicle for the purpose of cooling an internal combustion engine. The pump 1 has a pump shaft 2, which is mounted in such a way as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation R and which carries a vane wheel impeller 3 as a pump member at a free end. The vane wheel impeller 3 is rotated about the axis of rotation R together with the pump shaft 2 and has a roughly frustoconical shape in the longitudinal section illustrated, wherein the frustoconical shape is formed by vanes of the vane wheel impeller 3 in order to transfer the coolant K as the liquid medium.

[0027] Together with at least one section of the pump shaft 2, the vane wheel impeller 3 is arranged in a medium chamber M, in which the coolant K is present as the liquid medium. In particular, the medium chamber M is completely filled with the coolant K (see also FIG. 2).

[0028] The pump 1 has a pump housing section 4, in which the pump shaft 2 is rotatably mounted by means of an antifriction bearing 5. The antifriction bearing 5 preferably forms the only bearing support for the pump shaft 2. The pump housing section 4 can be subdivided into a receiving section 6 and a flange section 7, wherein the pump housing section 4 can be screwed by means of the flange section 7 onto a further pump housing section 4, which is not shown here (see FIG. 2) and forms a perimeter of the medium chamber M. The receiving section 6 is designed as a hollow cylinder section. The antifriction bearing 5 has an outer race 8 and a plurality of rolling elements 9, which, in this example, are designed as two rows of balls. On the radial inner side, the rolling elements 9 run on raceways 10, which are arranged directly on the pump shaft 2. As an alternative, it is also possible to provide an inner race which carries the raceways and which is mounted on the pump shaft 2. A rolling element chamber 11 is formed radially within the outer race 8, wherein the rolling elements 9 are arranged in the rolling element chamber 11.

[0029] It is envisaged that the medium chamber M is connected to the rolling element chamber 11 in terms of flow, thus allowing the coolant K to enter the rolling element chamber 11 and lubricate the rolling elements 9 there. For this purpose, there remains at least one annular gap 12, which extends from the medium chamber M as far as the rolling element chamber 11. Via this annular gap 12, the coolant K can flow from the medium chamber M to the rolling elements 9.

[0030] The rolling elements 9, the outer race 8 and optionally the inner race can be manufactured from a corrosion-resistant steel, in particular Cronidur 30 or Cronitect. This ensures that the antifriction bearing 5 does not corrode in the environment containing the coolant K, shortening the life of the antifriction bearing 5. In the antifriction bearing 5, the coolant K has the function of lubricating the rolling elements 9 in order in this way to keep friction in the antifriction bearing 5 low.

[0031] A seal, which is implemented as a mechanical seal 13 in this illustrative embodiment, is provided on the side of the pump shaft 2 facing away from the vane wheel impeller 3. The mechanical seal 13 allows radial and axial sealing of the pump shaft 2 with respect to the pump housing section 4.

[0032] Thus, the medium chamber M extends from the vane wheel impeller 3, along the pump shaft 2, via the annular gap 12, to the rolling element chamber 11 and is ended only by the seal, designed as a mechanical seal 13. In accordance with its intended purpose, there is no longer any coolant K on the side of the mechanical seal 13 facing away from the vane wheel impeller 3; on the contrary, a driving device or a mechanical interface for driving the pump shaft 2 can be provided there.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows another schematic longitudinal section through the pump 1 shown in FIG. 1, incorporated into a vehicle 100. In this case, the vehicle 100 is here illustrated in simplified form solely by an internal combustion engine housing 14 filled with engine oil 15. Identical reference signs to those in FIG. 1 designate identical elements. The vane wheel impeller 3 is situated in a further pump housing section 4, which is screwed to pump housing section 4. Here, the pump shaft 2 is connected to a transmission stage 16 comprising two input wheels 16a, 16b. In this case, the transmission stage 16 can be driven either by the internal combustion engine or by an electric motor (not shown here). As an alternative, however, the pump shaft 2 can also be driven by means of a conventional belt drive.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0034] 1 pump

[0035] 2 pump shaft

[0036] 3 vane wheel impeller

[0037] 4, 4 pump housing section

[0038] 5 antifriction bearing

[0039] 6 receiving section

[0040] 7 flange section

[0041] 8 outer race

[0042] 9 rolling elements

[0043] 10 raceways

[0044] 11 rolling element chamber

[0045] 12 annular gap

[0046] 13 mechanical seal

[0047] 14 internal combustion engine housing

[0048] 15 engine oil

[0049] 16 transmission stage

[0050] 16a, 16b input wheel

[0051] K coolant

[0052] R axis of rotation

[0053] M medium chamber