Cooling jacket comprising a sealing means

Abstract

A cooling jacket includes a jacket having an axial end provided with an opening, and a sealing structure which is arranged in the opening. A member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure has a radial deformation to connect the jacket to the sealing structure. The radial deformation is configured to extend into the opening.

Claims

1. A cooling jacket, comprising: a jacket having an axial end provided with an opening, said jacket including an inner jacket part and an outer jacket part in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part to define a passageway for a fluid, said cooling jacket being an independent component of a machine without having a bearing shielding to exhibit sealing; and a sealing structure arranged in the opening, said sealing structure being welded on the cooling jacket, wherein a member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure has a radial deformation forming a section of the opening with a wedge-shaped cross-section to connect the jacket to the sealing structure, said radial deformation being configured to extend into the opening.

2. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein the member is the jacket.

3. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein the sealing structure has a seal.

4. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein the sealing structure is configured to seal the opening in a direction toward the axial end in different planes.

5. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein the member is the sealing structure.

6. A machine, comprising a cooling jacket being an independent component of the machine without having a bearing shielding to exhibit sealing, said cooling jacket including a jacket, said jacket including an inner jacket part and an outer jacket part in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part to define a passageway for a fluid and having an axial end provided with an opening, and a sealing structure arranged in the opening, said sealing structure being welded on the cooling jacket, wherein a member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure has a radial deformation forming a section of the opening with a wedge-shaped cross-section to connect the jacket to the sealing structure, said radial deformation being configured to extend into the opening.

7. An electric machine, comprising: a stator having a winding; a rotor interacting with the stator and having a shaft rotatably mounted in end shields; and a cooling jacket in surrounding relationship to the stator, said cooling jacket being an independent component of the electrical machine without having a bearing shielding to exhibit sealing, said cooling jacket including a jacket, said jacket including an inner jacket part and an outer jacket part in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part to define a passageway for a fluid and having an axial end provided with an opening, and a sealing structure arranged in the opening, said sealing structure being welded on the cooling jacket, wherein a member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure has a radial deformation forming a section of the opening with a wedge-shaped cross-section to connect the jacket to the sealing structure, said radial deformation being configured to extend into the opening.

8. A method for producing a cooling jacket, comprising: forming a jacket, said jacket including an inner jacket part and an outer jacket part in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part to define a passageway for a fluid, by disposing the outer jacket part in surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part such as to form an opening at an axial end of the jacket; placing a sealing structure in the opening, said sealing structure being welded on the cooling jacket, said cooling jacket being an independent component of a machine without having a bearing shielding to exhibit sealing; and deforming a member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure such as to produce a radial deformation forming a section of the opening with a wedge-shaped cross-section sized to extend into the opening and thereby connect the jacket to the sealing structure.

9. A method for producing a machine, comprising: forming a cooling jacket being an independent component of the machine without having a bearing shielding to exhibit sealing, said cooling jacket including a jacket including an inner jacket part and an outer jacket part in spaced-apart surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part to define a passageway for a fluid, by disposing the outer jacket part in surrounding relationship to the inner jacket part such as to form at an axial end of the jacket an opening in communication with a channel between the inner and outer jacket parts for a flow of the fluid between a first connection through which the fluid enters the channel of the cooling jacket and a second connection through which the fluid exits the cooling jacket; placing a sealing structure in the opening, said sealing structure being welded on the cooling jacket; deforming a member selected from the group consisting of the jacket and the sealing structure such as to produce a radial deformation forming a section of the opening with a wedge-shaped cross-section such as to extend into the opening and thereby connect the jacket to the sealing structure; and testing a tightness of the cooling jacket before mounting an end shield on the cooling jacket.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the machine is an electric machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are achieved will become clearer and more plainly comprehensible in conjunction with the description of the exemplary embodiments which are illustrated and explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings, which show:

(2) FIG. 1 a first exemplary embodiment of a cooling jacket,

(3) FIG. 2 a cross section along the line II-II in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 an exemplary embodiment of an electric machine,

(5) FIG. 4 an exemplary embodiment of an axial end of the cooling jacket before the establishment of the radial deformation,

(6) FIGS. 5, 6 exemplary embodiments for a radial deformation on the cooling jacket,

(7) FIG. 7 an axial end of the cooling jacket before the establishment of a radial deformation,

(8) FIG. 8 a further exemplary embodiment of a radial deformation on the cooling jacket,

(9) FIGS. 9, 10 further exemplary embodiments of a radial deformation and a sealing means on a sealing jacket,

(10) FIGS. 11, 12 exemplary embodiments of a sealing means extending into a component,

(11) FIG. 13 a further exemplary embodiment of a sealing means,

(12) FIG. 14 a further exemplary embodiment of a jacket,

(13) FIG. 15 an enlarged portion of FIG. 14 in the environment of an axial end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a cooling jacket 1 comprising a jacket 2 and an inner jacket 3 and an outer jacket 4, wherein the jacket 2 has an opening 6 at an axial end 5. The cooling jacket further has a sealing means 7, arranged in the opening 6 and a radial deformation 8 connecting the jacket 2 to the sealing means 8, wherein the radial deformation 8 extends into the opening 6.

(15) In FIG. 1, for orientation on the cooling jacket 1, the axial direction is indicated by a horizontal arrow 10 and the radial direction by a vertical arrow 9.

(16) The cooling jacket 1 has a first connection 12 through which a fluid 14 flowing in the cooling jacket can enter the cooling jacket. The direction in which the fluid 14 is flowing is indicated by arrows 14 in FIG. 1.

(17) The inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 4 are formed from solid parts in the shape of a hollow cylinder. Aluminum extruded parts were used for the solid parts of the inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 4, since the radial deformation 8 can be effectively established thereon and turning for sealing geometry on outer jacket 4 is possible.

(18) FIG. 2 shows a cross section along the line II-II FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the second connection 13 for the outlet of the fluid 14 from the cooling jacket 1. The fluid 14 entering the cooling jacket 1 through the first connection 12 flows in the cooling jacket 1 in a meandering fashion through channels 11 of the cooling jacket 1 to the second connection 13 where it reemerges from the cooling jacket 1. The direction of flow of the fluid 14, which is a liquid, is represented by the arrows 14 in the channels 11, in the first connection 12 and in the second connection 13.

(19) The opening 6 extends into the channels 11. Between the channels 11, the opening 6 at the axial end 5 of the jacket 2 is embodied as a groove bounded by the inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 4.

(20) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of an electric machine 39 comprising a stator 35, a rotor 36 and a winding 351. A housing of the electric machine 39 has a cooling jacket 31 and end shields 34. The rotor 36 comprises a shaft 32 and is mounted rotatably in the end shields 34 by bearings 33. The cooling jacket 31 comprises the inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 4 and a sealing means 37, which is arranged in the opening 6. The cooling jacket 31 also comprises a radial deformation 8, which connects the jacket 2 to the sealing means 37. The radial deformation 8 extends into the opening 6.

(21) FIG. 4 shows an axial end 5 of a cooling jacket 1 before establishment of a radial deformation on the inner jacket 3 or the outer jacket 44. The outer jacket 44 has a sealing geometry 40, which extends into the opening 46. Thus, the sealing means 37 can be fixed before or during the establishment of a radial deformation. The sealing means 37 is a seal comprising a rubber. The opening 46 is an axial opening 46.

(22) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of the axial end 5 of the cooling jacket in FIG. 4 after the establishment of a radial deformation 58. The radial deformation 58 extends into the opening 56. Thus, the radial deformation 58 exerts an increased pressure via the surface 54 of the inner jacket 3 and the surface 55 of the outer jacket 44 onto an elastic surface of the sealing means 37. In addition, the radial deformation 58 forms a sealing edge 53 which obstructs the flow of the fluid 14 between the sealing means 37 and the surface 54 of the inner jacket 3 at the opening 56. By the exertion of increased pressure, the radial deformation 53 also causes the flow of the fluid 14 at the surface 55 of the outer jacket 44 to be obstructed to a high degree by the sealing geometry 40.

(23) The radial deformation 58 can advantageously be created by pressing in a tool.

(24) FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an axial end of a cooling jacket 1. In FIG. 6, the radial deformation 68 of the inner jacket 3 forms an opening 66, which has an x-shaped cross section.

(25) FIG. 7 shows an axial end of a cooling jacket 1 before the establishment of a radial deformation. The outer jacket 74 has two sealing geometries 70.

(26) FIG. 8 shows an axial end of a cooling jacket 1 after the establishment of a radial deformation 58. Thus, the opening 86 of the jacket 2like the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5has a section with a wedge-shaped cross section, which is formed by the radial deformation 58 of the inner jacket 3. In FIG. 5, the opening 56 of the inner jacket 3 has a section with a wedge-shaped cross section, which is formed by the radial deformation 58 of the inner jacket 3. In FIG. 8, the sealing geometries 70 are formed by recesses in the surface 55 of the outer jacket 74. Due to fact that the radial deformation 58 exerts increased pressure on the elastic surfaces of the sealing means 37, the sealing means 37 is pressed into the sealing geometries 70 so that the flow of the fluid 14 between sealing means 37 and the surface 55 of the outer jacket 74 at the opening 86 is obstructed.

(27) FIG. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment of an axial end of a cooling jacket 1 in which the sealing means 97 is a welded seam. The effect of the radial deformation 98 of the inner jacket 3 is that, before closing with a welded seam 97, the opening 96 has such a narrow width that a single welded seam is sufficient to close the opening 96 of the jacket 2. Thus, the radial deformation 98 connects the jacket 2 comprising the inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 94 to the sealing means 97, which is a welded seam.

(28) FIG. 10 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an axial end of a cooling jacket 1, wherein a sealing means 107 has a radial deformation 108. In a first cross section 101, the radial deformation 108 of the sealing means 107 creates a higher compression force than in a second cross section 102 of the sealing means 107. Thus, unintentional leakage of the fluid 14 flowing in the cooling jacket 1 is reduced. In order to reinforce the difference between the compression forces of the first and the second cross section, in addition to a rubber, the sealing means 107, comprises a solid spring component 100. The solid spring component 100 has a spring steel. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 10, the compression force is reduced in a direction toward the axial end. In the vicinity of a first end of the sealing means 107, which is more remote from the axial end of the jacket, a high compression force achieves a sealing of the opening 106. In a further region of the sealing means 107 toward a second end, which is closer to the axial end of the jacket, a further sealing can be achieved with a lower compression force and a more extended sealing surface 109 on the inner jacket 103 and a more extended sealing surface 105 on the outer jacket 104.

(29) The sealing means 107 has a recess 110 at the first end so that the fluid 14 flowing in the cooling jacket 1 flows more closely to the axial end of the jacket 2 between the inner jacket 103 and the outer jacket 104 than in the vicinity of the surface 154 of the inner jacket 103 or the surface 155 of the outer jacket 104.

(30) FIG. 11 shows an axial end the electric machine 39. The sealing means 117, which has a rubber, extends into a component, which is an end shield 112 and which, together with the outer jacket 114 of the cooling jacket 2, forms a housing. The inner jacket 3 has a radial deformation 118 which connects the sealing means 117 with the inner jacket 3 and the outer jacket 114 such that the leakage of the fluid 14 from the cooling jacket 1 is reduced independently of the presence of the end shield 112.

(31) FIG. 12 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an axial end the electric machine 39. The sealing means 127 extends into the end shield 122, wherein, at a connecting point between the outer jacket 114 and the end shield 122, it has a collecting chamber 121. The collecting chamber 121 collects a liquid which unintentionally infiltrates the electric machine 39 from the environment of the electric machine 39 at the connecting point. The sealing means 127 also seals the connecting point in that it is pressed onto a surface of the end shield 122.

(32) FIG. 13 shows an exemplary embodiment of a sealing means. The sealing means 137 has, in an axial direction 130, a simple continuous inner surface 133, which enables simple production of the sealing means 137. There is no need for any recesses or projections on the inner surface 133 of the sealing means 137 that are pronounced enough to enable the sealing means 137 to be mounted on the jacket 2 in a pressure resistant way. The sealing means 137 is held by means of a radial deformation according to the invention in the jacket 2.

(33) The outer surface 134 of the sealing means 137 is also a simple continuous surface permitting a further simplification of the production of the sealing means 137.

(34) In FIG. 13, a radial direction is depicted by the arrow 139.

(35) The sealing means 137 has a first radial region 131 with a smaller length in the axial direction 130 and a second radial region 132 with greater length in the axial direction 130. Thus, the sealing means 137 has different lengths in the axial direction 130 in different radial directions. Thus, a jacket 2 of a cooling jacket 1 can be sealed at an opening 6 in a direction toward the axial end 5 in different planes while using the sealing means 137.

(36) When the sealing means 137 are used, the different planes extend perpendicularly to the axial direction 130. Thus, the first and the second radial regions 131 and 132 of the sealing means 137 are formed by simple continuous surfaces.

(37) In the exemplary embodiment of the sealing means 137 according to FIG. 13, the sealing means 137 is a seal produced from a rubber.

(38) FIG. 14 shows an exemplary embodiment of a jacket 2. It has an opening 146. This has a deflection opening 149. An arrangement of the sealing means 137 in the opening 146 of the jacket 2 causes the deflection opening 149 to be partially closed by the second radial region 132 of the sealing means 137. Thus, a diversion of the fluid from one channel 11 to a second channel 11 is achieved, wherein the sealing means 137 separates the first and the second channel 11 from a third channel 11 by the second radial region 132 of the sealing means 137. By means of a first plane 147 of the jacket 2 and a second plane 148, the jacket 2 has different planes to seal the cooling jacket 1.

(39) FIG. 15 shows an exemplary embodiment of an axial end 5 of a jacket 2. The axial end 5 has sealing geometries 150 in the opening 6. In order to achieve an establishment of a radial deformation at the axial end 5 in a simple manner, the jacket 2 advantageously has means at the axial end 5, which simplify the creation of a radial deformation and/or enable this in a defined manner. The means is a recess 151, which is applied in the opening 6 on the inner jacket 3.

(40) Although the invention was described in more detail by the preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not restricted to the disclosed examples. Other variants can be derived herefrom the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.