Patent Application
20210102555
The present disclosure relates to a relates to an electromotive water pump, such as a centrifugal or radial pump for a motor vehicle cooling system.
Water pumps can be generally categorized into bypass pumps and main pumps. A main power pump is primarily used for cooling the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. Conventional water pumps are typically driven by the fan belt of the engine. Such pumps are therefore coupled directly to the engine speed of the internal combustion engine, which may lead to an uneven cooling of the engine in certain operating situations of the vehicle.
Electric water pumps may be electronically controlled by electronics and a controller and driven by an electric motor that is configured to drive an impeller. Electric water pumps may be used in lieu of a conventional water pump and reduce emissions from the internal combustion engine.
According to one embodiment, an electric water pump for use in a vehicle is provided. The electric water pump may include a volute, provided with a suction side configured to receive a first flow of fluid, and a pressure side configured to expel a second flow of fluid. The electric water pump may also include a housing, a rotor, a stator, a heat sink, and a hollow shaft. The housing may include sidewalls that may extend between a cover and an end cap. The hollow shaft may be fixed to the rotor and an impeller and may include a first end, fixed to the impeller, and a second end that may be spaced apart from the heat sink. The cover may extend from the sidewall and may be fixed to the volute. The cover may include a main portion, a first protrusion, extending from a first side of the main portion towards the impeller, and a second protrusion extending from a second side of the main portion, opposite the first side, towards the base member. The first and second protrusions may define a first aperture. The second protrusion may define a second aperture that may form a first communication passage. The first communication passage may be configured to receive a portion of the first flow of fluid from a first space, disposed between the impeller and the cover, and expel the same to towards the base member.
According to another embodiment, an electric water pump for use in a vehicle is provided. The electric water pump may include a volute, provided with a suction side configured to receive a first flow of fluid, and a pressure side configured to expel a second flow of fluid. The electric water pump may also include a housing, a rotor, a stator, a heat sink, and a hollow shaft. The housing may include sidewalls that may extend between a cover and an end cap. The hollow shaft may include a first end, that may be fixed to the impeller, and a second end that may be spaced apart from the heat sink. A first communication passage may be formed between the rotor and the stator and configured to receive a portion of the first flow of fluid from a first space, disposed between the impeller and the cover. The heat sink may extend between portions of the sidewall and include a main portion and a first protrusion that may extend from the main portion towards the impeller. The first protrusion may define a first receptacle, a second receptacle, and a first aperture. The first receptacle may receive a portion of the shaft. The first aperture may extend radially between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. The first aperture may form a second communication passage configured to receive the portion of the first flow of fluid from the first communication passage.
According to yet another embodiment, an electric water pump for use in a vehicle is provided. The electric water pump may include a volute, provided with a suction side configured to receive a first flow of fluid, and a pressure side configured to expel a second flow of fluid. The electric water pump may also include an impeller, a housing, a rotor, a stator, a heat sink, and a hollow shaft. The impeller may be disposed between the volute and the cover. The rotor may be disposed within the housing and stator may be disposed between the sidewalls of the housing and the rotor. The housing may include sidewalls that may extend between a cover and an end cap. The cover may include a main portion, a first protrusion, extending from a first side of the main portion towards the impeller, and a second protrusion extending from a second side of the main portion, opposite the first side, towards the heat sink. The first and second protrusions may define a first aperture. The second protrusion may define a second aperture that may form a first communication passage. The first communication passage may be configured to receive a portion of the first flow of fluid from a first space, disposed between the impeller and the cover, and expel the same to towards the base member. The heat sink may extend between portions of the sidewall and include a main portion and a third protrusion that may extend from the main portion towards the impeller. The third protrusion may define a first receptacle, a second receptacle, and a third aperture. The first receptacle may receive a portion of the shaft. The third aperture may extend radially between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. The third aperture may form a second communication passage configured to receive the portion of the first flow of fluid from at least one of the communication passages.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could 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 embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components.
The term “substantially” or “about” may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The term “substantially” or “about” may modify a value or relative characteristic disclosed or claimed in the present disclosure. In such instances, “substantially” or “about” may signify that the value or relative characteristic it modifies is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% or 10% of the value or relative characteristic.
The term “radial” or “radially” may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The term “radial” or “radially” may signify a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of a shaft of the electric water pump.
The term “axial” or “axially” may be used herein to describe disclosed or claimed embodiments. The term “axial” or “axially” may signify a direction that is substantially parallel to or in line with a rotational axis of a shaft of the electric water pump.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
Referring generally to the figures, an electric water pump 100 for use in a vehicle is provided. The water pump 100 may include a volute 102 provided with a suction port 104 and a pressure port 106. The suction port 104 may be configured to receive a first flow of fluid, from a vehicle coolant system (not illustrated). The pressure port 106 may be configured to expel a second flow of fluid to one or more vehicle components, including but not limited to an engine, electric motor, a heat exchanger, or some combination thereof. The volute 102 may be fixed to a housing 108 that may include one or more sidewalls 110 that may extend between a cover 112 and an end cap 114.
The cover 112 may include a main portion 132, a first protrusion 134, and a second protrusion 136. The first protrusion 134 may extend from a first side 135 of the main portion 132 and the second protrusion 136 may extend from a second side 138 of the main portion 132, that is opposite the first side 135. The first protrusion 134 and the second protrusion 136 may each define a shaft aperture 140 that may receive a portion of the hollow shaft 124. A first communication passage 142 may be formed by an aperture 144 defined by the second protrusion 136. The first communication passage 142 may be configured to receive a portion of fluid from a first space 146 that may be disposed between the impeller 126 and the cover 112 and expel the same towards the heat sink 122. As one example, the impeller 126 and the cover 112 may form a high-pressure area 196 and a low-pressure area 198. The high-pressure area 196 may be formed by an area that is disposed radially outside of the impeller 126 and the low-pressure area 198 may be formed by an area disposed radially inward of outer portions of the impeller 126. The first space 146 may be disposed in the low-pressure area 198 defined by the cover 112 and the impeller 126.
The second protrusion 136 may include a wall 176 that may extend radially from the shaft aperture 140. The wall 176 may include one or more pockets 178 that may extend radially from the shaft aperture 140. One or more of the pockets 178 may include recessed portions that include an aperture 144 that that forms the first communication passage 142. As one example, the pockets 178 may include an inner portion and an outer portion. The inner portions of the pockets 178 may have a first width W1 and the outer portions may have a second width W2 that may be greater than the first width W1.
The electric water pump 100 may include a number of electronics, such as a printed circuit board 125 that may be configured to receive and send signals to control operating parameters of the electric water pump 100. The printed circuit board 125 may be disposed between the heat sink 122 and the end cap 114. The end cap 114 may extend between portions of the sidewall 110.
An electric motor 116 may be disposed in the housing and include a rotor 118 and a stator 120 that may be disposed between the rotor 118 and the sidewall 110. A second communication passage 121 may be formed between the rotor 118 and the stator 120. A base member, such as a heat sink 122, may be disposed between the end cap 114 and the rotor 118. The heat sink 122 may be configured to absorb excessive or unwanted heat generated by electronics, such as a printed circuit board 125 disposed between the end cap 114 and the heat sink 122. The rotor 118 and an impeller 126 may each be mounted to a shaft, such as a hollow shaft 124, that may include a first end 128 and a second end 130. The first end 128 of the hollow shaft 124 may be fixed to the impeller 126 and the second end 130 of the hollow shaft 124 may be spaced apart from a portion of the heat sink 122.
The heat sink 122 may include a third protrusion 148 that may extend towards the impeller 126. The third protrusion 148 may define a first receptacle 150, a second receptacle 152, and an aperture 154. The first receptacle 150 may receive a portion of the hollow shaft 124 such that the hollow shaft 124 is rotatable with respect to the first receptacle 150 of the heat sink 122. The aperture 154 may extend radially between the first receptacle 150 and the second receptacle 152 to form a third communication passage 160 that may be configured to receive the portion of the first flow of fluid from the second communication passage 121. As one example, the second receptacle 152 may include an inner portion and an outer portion. The inner portion may have a first width W3 and the outer portion may have a second width W4, that may be greater than the first width W3. An inner periphery of the hollow shaft 124 may form a fourth communication passage 162 that may be configured to receive fluid from the first receptacle 150 of the heat sink 122 and expel the same towards the impeller 126.
The hollow shaft 124 may be supported by a number of bushings. For example, a first bushing 164 may be disposed in the shaft aperture 140 and include an aperture 166 that may receive the hollow shaft 124. The first bushing 164 may be fixed to the shaft aperture 140 so that the hollow shaft 124 rotates with respect to the first bushing 164. The aperture 166 of the first bushing 164 and an outer periphery of the hollow shaft 124 may be arranged to form a fifth communication passage 168 that may be configured to receive the portion of the fluid from the first space 146.
A second bushing 170 may be disposed on the hollow shaft and between the first bushing 164 and the rotor 118. The second bushing 170 may be planar member that is configured to rotate with the hollow shaft 124. In one or more embodiments, the first bushing 164 may include a radial wall 172 that may extend in a radial direction from the aperture 166 and contact the second bushing 170. The radial wall 172 and the second bushing 170 may be arranged to form a sixth communication passage 174 that may be configured to receive the portion of the fluid from the fifth communication passage 168.
In one or more embodiments, a third bushing 184 may be disposed in the first receptacle 150 and configured to support the hollow shaft 124. The third bushing 184 may be held stationary in the first receptacle 150 so that the hollow shaft rotates with respect to the third bushing 184.
Referring specifically to
Outer portions 210 of the cover 112 in combination with outer portions 212 of the volute 102 (
The sidewall 110 may extend from the cover 112 in a direction that is substantially parallel to a rotational axis R defined by the hollow shaft 124. The heat sink 122 may extend between and may be attached to the sidewalls 110 by an outer ring 238 to position the heat sink 122 radially. A flange 240 may extend from the outer ring 238 and form one or more apertures 242 that may receive a fastener (not illustrated) to the housing 108. A barrier member, such as a wet-dry separator 216 may extend between the second receptacle 152 and the inner portion 214 of the cover 112. The cover 112, sidewall 110, and the heat sink 122 may define a receptacle or container 218 that may house the rotor 118 and define a portion of a wet area of the water pump 100. The wet area includes the space surrounding the rotor 118 within the container 218 and an area between the volute 102 and the cover 112. The stator 120 may be disposed between the sidewall 110 and the wet-dry separator 216. The stator 120 may include a lamination material and a number of windings (not illustrated) that may be electrically connected to the circuit board 125. When the stator receives current or power, the rotor 118 may be magnetically propelled to rotate about the rotational axis R.
The third communication passage 160 may be formed by the aperture 154 that may extend radially between the first receptacle 150 and the second receptacle 152. The third communication passage 160 may be configured to receive fluid from the second communication passage 121. The fourth communication passage 162 may be formed by an inner periphery of the hollow shaft 124 and configured to receive fluid from first receptacle 150 of the heat sink 122 and expel the same to the blades 204 that may move the fluid to the high-pressure area 196. In one or more embodiments, the third bushing 184 may be spaced apart from the rotor 118. The space between the rotor 118 and the third bushing may form a seventh communication passage 220. An eighth communication passage 222 may be formed between the third bushing 184 and the outer periphery of the hollow shaft 124. The eighth communication passage 222 may receive fluid from the seventh communication passage 220 and configured to cool or dissipate heat between the third bushing 184 and the hollow shaft 124. Dissipating heat between the shaft 124 and the bushings may mitigate friction and extend the life or usefulness of the bushings.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, to the extent any embodiments are described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics, these embodiments are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
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.
