VANE PUMP WITH ADJUSTABLE DELIVERY VOLUME

Abstract

The invention proposes a vane pump (VP) with adjustable delivery volume, which vane pump has a pump housing (G), a cam ring (KR) arranged therein, and a rotor (R) which is rotatably movably mounted therein. The vane pump (VP) has a regulating device (RV) through which the delivered pressure medium (DM) flows and which has two outlets (A1, A2) which are each connected to one of two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) in order to charge these with regulable proportions of the pressure medium (DM), wherein, to change the eccentricity of the cam ring (KR) relative to the rotor (R), the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) act on the outer surface of the cam ring (KR). The vane pump (VP) has two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#) which connect in each case one of the outlets (A1, A2) to one of the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) in order to charge these with the regulable proportions of the pressure medium (DM). The criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#) are preferably arranged in a cover (D) of the pump housing such that the control ducts (STK*, STK#) are in a criss-crossing arrangement without coming into contact with one another. By means of this design, the vane pump (VP) can be easily reconfigured for a change in rotational direction of the rotor.

Claims

1. A vane pump (VP) with adjustable delivery volume, which vane pump has a pump housing (G), a cam ring (KR) arranged therein, and a rotor (R) which is rotatably movably mounted therein and has radial slots, in which vanes (F) are arranged such that the vanes can be displaced radially and are positively guided, wherein, in order to deliver a pressure medium (DM) through the vane pump, the vanes slide along the cam ring with outer ends of the vanes resting on an inner wall of the cam ring (KR), and the vane pump has a control device (RV), through which pressure medium (DM) flows, and the control device has two outlets (A1, A2), which are each connected to a respective one of two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2), in order to charge the pressure chambers with controllable proportions of the pressure medium (DM), wherein, to change an eccentricity of the cam ring (KR) relative to the rotor (R), the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) act on an outer surface of the cam ring (KR), characterized in that the vane pump (VP) has two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#), which each connect one of the outlets (A1, A2) to a respective one of the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) in order to charge the pressure chambers with the controllable proportions of the pressure medium (DM).

2. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the two control ducts (STK*, STK#) is arranged in the pump housing (G) or in a cover (D) of the pump housing, such that the control ducts (STK*, STK#) cross without coming into contact with one another.

3. The vane pump as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the two control ducts is arranged on the pump housing (G) or on a cover (D) of the pump housing such that the control ducts cross without coming into contact with one another.

4. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a first outlet (A1) of the two outlets is arranged closer to a first pressure chamber (DK1) of the two pressure chambers than a second outlet (A2) of the two outlets, and in that the two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#) are arranged such that one (STK*) of the two control ducts connects the first outlet (A1) to the second pressure chamber (DK2), and the other (STK#) of the control ducts connects the second outlet (A2) to the first pressure chamber (DK1).

5. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the first outlet (A1) and the first pressure chamber (DK1) are arranged on a pressure side (PDS) of the vane pump (VP), and in that the second outlet (A2) and the second pressure chamber (DK2) are arranged on a suction side (PDS) of the vane pump (VP).

6. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#) are created by bores in the pump housing (G) or in a cover (D) of the pump housing, wherein un-needed bore openings are closed by closure elements.

7. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the cover (D) of the pump housing has a trailing vane geometry for a left-rotating or right-rotating rotor, which is formed with mirror symmetry relative to a trailing vane geometry for a right-rotating or left-rotating rotor respectively.

8. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the vane pump (VP) has a front plate with a control geometry for a left-rotating or right-rotating rotor, which is formed with mirror symmetry relative to a control geometry for a right-rotating or left-rotating rotor respectively.

9. A kit for a vane pump (VP) with adjustable delivery volume, which vane pump has a pump housing (G), a cam ring (KR) arranged therein, and a rotor (R) which is rotatably movably mounted therein and has radial slots, in which vanes (F) are arranged such that the vanes can be displaced radially and are positively guided, wherein, in order to deliver a pressure medium (DM) through the vane pump, the vanes slide along the cam ring with outer ends of the vanes resting on the inner wall of the cam ring (KR), and the vane pump has a control device (RV), through which pressure medium (DM) flows, and the control device has two outlets (A1, A2), which are each connected to a respective one of two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2), in order to charge the pressure chambers with controllable proportions of the pressure medium (DM), wherein, to change an eccentricity of the cam ring (KR) relative to the rotor (R), the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) act on an outer surface of the cam ring (KR), characterized in that the kit for the pump housing (G) has a first cover (D) with two non-criss-crossing control ducts (STK1, STK2) in order to each connect one of the outlets (A1, A2) to a respective one of the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) in a non-criss-crossing manner, in order to charge the latter with the controllable proportions of the pressure medium (DM), and in that the kit for replacing the first cover (D) has a second cover (D) with two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#), in order to connect respectively one of the outlets (A1, A2) to one of the two pressure chambers (DK1, DK2) in a criss-crossing manner.

10. A power steering system having a vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 1.

11. The vane pump (VP) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the two criss-crossing control ducts (STK*, STK#) are created by bores in the pump housing (G) or in a cover (D) of the pump housing, wherein un-needed bore openings are closed by plugs (TN).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the following text, the invention will be described in detail by using an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the appended drawings:

[0019] FIGS. 1 to 3 show the conventional structure of a vane pump VP, and can also be used for the invention since, in the vane pump according to the invention, most of the components remain unchanged and only a few design measures and reconfigurations have to be carried out in order to change the direction of rotation of the pump.

[0020] FIGS. 4 a) and 4b) show alternative covers. In the following text, the differences between the invention and the conventional structure will be described, reference also being made to FIGS. 4a and 4b, which reproduce the following illustrations:

[0021] FIG. 4a) shows a first cover with straight control duct bores; and

[0022] FIG. 4b) shows a second cover with criss-crossing control duct bores.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Starting from FIGS. 1 to 3, the vane pump VP according to the invention also has a pump housing G, in which a rotor R is arranged within a cam ring KR, which in turn can be displaced via pressure chambers DK1 and DK2 such that the eccentricity of the cam ring KR relative to the rotor R required for the desired delivery volume is set.

[0024] For a left-rotating configuration of the pump, the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is suitable. In conjunction with the kit according to the invention, the cover D shown in FIG. 4a, which has two control ducts STK1 and STK2 running in parallel, is now used, so that initially the pressure chambers are still connected as usual to the control device (valve RV in FIGS. 1-3). In order to reconfigure the pump to right-hand rotation, the cover D is replaced by a cover D, which is shown in FIG. 4b. This cover D has two criss-crossing control ducts STK* and STK#, which are implemented by means of appropriate bores, un-needed openings being closed by plugs TN. The control ducts are therefore preferably implemented by bores which, although they cross, do not intersect.

[0025] As FIG. 4b shows when viewed together with FIGS. 1-3, the cover D effects an interchange of the control ducts, so that the pump can then be set up for right-hand rotation. To this end, the cover D merely has to have a mirrored trailing vane geometry. In addition, another front plate, which has a mirrored control geometry, must also be used. Otherwise, no measures have to be taken; in particular, the housing G does not have to be reconfigured; likewise nor does the control valve RV.

[0026] In the present example, the vane pump is designed with only one stroke and has two control ducts for this purpose. The pump can also be designed with multiple strokes (e.g. double-stroke) and have a corresponding number of control ducts.

[0027] The invention is supplied for all types of vane pump, but is particularly suitable as a steering pump for installation within a power steering system.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0028] VP Vane pump with adjustable cam ring (adjustable pump) [0029] G Pump housing [0030] R Rotor [0031] F Vane [0032] KR Cam ring (Stroke contour ring) [0033] D Cover of the housing [0034] PDS Pressure side (pump pressure side) [0035] PSS Suction side (pump suction side) [0036] DK1 First pressure chamber (adjustable pressure chamber) [0037] DK2 Second pressure chamber (adjustable pressure chamber) [0038] STK1 First control duct [0039] STK2 Second control duct [0040] RV Control device (control valve) through which a pressure medium flows [0041] A1 First outlet to the respectively connected pressure chamber [0042] A2 Second outlet to the respectively connected pressure chamber [0043] STK*, STK# Criss-crossing control ducts