Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6659734
-
Patent Number
6,659,734
-
Date Filed
Thursday, September 27, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 9, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Paik; Sang Y.
- Patel; Vinod D.
Agents
- Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 417 269
- 417 454
- 417 571
- 091 499
- 092 71
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
The invention concerns a pump for pumping a first liquid, called transferred liquid, and comprising a main unit (18) for pumping the transferred liquid actuated by an auxiliary unit (20) pumping a second liquid, called working liquid. The main (18) and auxiliary (20) units are housed in a casing (16) generally cylindrical in shape. The main unit (18) comprises at least two valves (36, 38), for respectively sucking up and delivering the transferred liquid, borne by a valve body (40) housed in the casing (16). Each valve (36, 38) communicates with two chambers, respectively a suction chamber (46) and a delivery chamber (48) for the transferred liquid, defined by opposite surfaces (50, 52) provided in the valve body (40) and the casing (16). Said surfaces (50, 52) comprise two matching shoulders (50E, 52E) pressed against each other so as to form a tight joint plane separating the suction chamber (46) and the delivery chamber (48). The invention is applicable to a high pressure pump for supplying a motor vehicle engine with fuel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high-pressure pump with improved sealing.
It applies in particular to a high-pressure pump for supplying a motor vehicle internal combustion engine with fuel. In this case, the transferred liquid is the fuel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The state of the art already discloses a high-pressure pump for pumping a first liquid, known as the transferred liquid, of the type comprising a main unit for pumping the transferred liquid and actuated by a secondary unit for pumping a second liquid, known as the working liquid, and of the type comprising a housing of cylindrical overall shape, in which the main and secondary units are arranged, the main unit comprising at least two valves, namely an intake valve and a delivery valve for the transferred liquid, carried by a valve body housed in the housing, each valve communicating with two chambers, namely an intake chamber and a delivery chamber for the transferred liquid, delimited by opposing surfaces of cylindrical overall shape, of axis coinciding more or less with that of the housing, formed in the valve body and in the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A pump of this type is described, for example, in WO 97/47883.
In the pump described in that document, the intake and delivery chambers connected to the valves are separated by a rubber O-ring seal. This seal, housed in an annular groove formed in a peripheral surface of the valve body, is relatively bulky.
A particular object of the invention is to propose a high-pressure pump, of the aforementioned type, equipped with means which are effective and not very bulky for separating the intake and delivery chambers.
To this end, the subject of the invention is a high-pressure pump of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the opposing surfaces comprise two complementary shoulders bearing on one another so as to form a sealed joining plane separating the intake and delivery chambers.
According to other features of the invention:
the housing comprises a body and a cover forming the respective two opposite ends of this housing, the housing body being connected to the cover by at least one screw more or less parallel to the axis of the housing, having a head bearing on a seat formed in the housing body, and a threaded body screwed into a tapped orifice in the cover, the pump additionally comprising an intermediate assembly clamped axially between a skirt of the housing body, internal to the cover, and the valve body so that the housing body, the intermediate assembly and the valve body are clamped between the head of the screw and the joining plane;
the intermediate assembly comprises a body in which a piston of the secondary unit is mounted so that it can slide, this piston being intended to compress the working liquid;
the housing and the valve body are made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum or of an aluminum-based alloy;
the intermediate assembly is made of steel or cast iron and the screw is made of steel, the axial dimension of the intermediate assembly being more or less equal to the length (L
2
) of the part of the body of the screw extending between the head of this screw and the tapped orifice of the cover; and
the transferred liquid is a fuel for a motor vehicle internal combustion engine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood from reading the description which will follow, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a front view of a high-pressure pump according to the invention;
FIG. 2
is a view in section on the line
2
—
2
of FIG.
1
;,
FIG. 3
is a view in section on the line
3
—
3
of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a detail view of
FIG. 2
, in which the section plane has been offset slightly to make it pass through the axis of the screw depicted in these
FIGS. 2 and 4
;
FIG. 5
is a detail view of the ringed portion
5
of
FIG. 3
, showing a plug that stoppers means of filling a reservoir of the pump in a prestoppering position;
FIG. 6
is a view similar to
FIG. 5
, depicting a first variant of the plug;
FIG. 7
is a view similar to
FIG. 3
, depicting a second variant of the plug;
FIGS. 8
to
11
are views similar to
FIG. 2
, depicting four respective variants of a hub of the pump according to the invention.
FIGS. 1
to
3
depict a high-pressure pump according to the invention, denoted by the general reference
12
. In the example described, the pump
12
is intended to supply a motor vehicle internal combustion engine with fuel at high pressure. The pump
12
is therefore intended to pump a first liquid, namely fuel in the example described, known as the transferred liquid.
Visible in
FIG. 1
is a connection
14
intended to connect the pump
12
to a fuel tank.
With more particular reference to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, it can be seen that the pump
12
comprises a housing
16
of cylindrical overall shape, of axis X, in which are arranged a main unit
18
for pumping fuel and a secondary unit
20
for pumping a conventional second liquid, for example a mineral oil, known as the working liquid. The main unit
18
is actuated by the secondary unit
20
, according to the general conventional operating principles described, for example, in WO 97/47883.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The housing
16
comprises a body
22
, of cylindrical overall shape, surrounding the secondary unit
20
, and a cover
24
, of cylindrical overall shape, surrounding the main unit
18
. The housing body
22
and the cover
24
respectively form two opposite ends of the housing
16
.
The housing body
22
is connected to the cover
24
by at least one screw
26
, for example three screws
26
. Each screw
26
, preferably made of steel, extends more or less parallel to the axis X. A screw
26
will be described in greater detail later.
Inside the housing
16
, the main unit
18
is separated from the secondary unit
20
by a separating disk
28
centered more or less on the axis X. This disk
28
is preferably made of steel or cast iron.
The main unit
18
comprises at least one flexible diaphragm
30
for pumping fuel, for example three diaphragms
30
, as in the example illustrated. It will be noted that just two diaphragms
30
are depicted in the figures, particularly in FIG.
3
.
The diaphragm
30
separates a fuel-pumping chamber
32
, arranged in the main unit
18
, from a chamber
34
for compressing the working liquid, arranged in the secondary unit
20
. The volume of the pumping chamber
32
is variable. The compression chamber
34
is formed partially in the separating disk
28
.
Associated with each pumping chamber
32
are a fuel intake valve
36
and a fuel delivery valve
38
. These valves
36
,
38
, of conventional structure and operation, are carried by a body
40
housed in the cover
24
between an end wall thereof and the separating disk
28
.
To make the pump
12
lighter, the housing body
22
, the cover
24
and the valve body
40
are made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy, or alternatively from some other equivalent lightweight metal.
The valves
36
,
38
are connected in a way known per se to the corresponding pumping chamber
32
and to a safety valve
42
of conventional structure and operation.
In the conventional way, each diaphragm
30
can move between a first position in which the pumping chamber
32
has maximum volume, as depicted in particular in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, and a second position in which this pumping chamber has minimum volume (this position is not depicted in the figures). The movements of the diaphragm
30
are dictated in particular by the secondary unit
20
and control the opening and closing of the fuel intake and delivery valves
36
,
38
.
Each diaphragm
30
is constantly elastically returned to its first position by a spring
44
known as the diaphragm spring.
Each valve
36
,
38
communicates, on the one hand, with a fuel intake chamber
46
and, on the other hand, with a fuel delivery chamber
48
. The intake chamber
46
is connected, in a way known per se, to the fuel supply connection
14
.
The fuel intake
46
and delivery
48
chambers are delimited, at least in part, by opposing surfaces
50
,
52
, of cylindrical overall shape, of an axis coinciding more or less with the axis X. A first surface
50
forms an internal surface of the cover
24
. The second surface
52
forms a peripheral surface of the valve body
40
.
The opposing surfaces
50
,
52
comprise two complementing shoulders
50
E,
52
E bearing against one another so as to form a sealed joining plane separating the intake
46
and delivery
48
chambers. This joining plane is more or less perpendicular to the axis X. The shoulders
50
E,
52
E form an effective metal-to-metal seal.
It will be noted that the intake chamber
46
, in which the pressure is lower than it is in the delivery chamber
48
, is delimited by the end wall of the cover
24
, the thickness of which is relatively small. By contrast, the delivery chamber
48
is delimited by a peripheral wall of the cover
24
which is thicker than the end wall of this cover, so as to withstand the high pressure reached by the fuel flowing through this delivery chamber.
The secondary unit
20
comprises a piston
54
for compressing the working liquid, this piston being associated with each diaphragm
30
and intended to move this diaphragm
30
between its two positions. Thus, in the example described, the secondary unit
20
has three pistons
54
, just two of which are visible in the figures, particularly in FIG.
3
.
The piston
54
is mounted so that it can slide in a body
56
, preferably made of steel or cast iron, so that it can be moved more or less parallel to the axis X. The piston
54
extends between the chamber
34
for compressing the working liquid, formed partly in the piston body
56
, and a reservoir
58
of working liquid.
The end of the piston
54
external to the piston body
56
is returned elastically by a spring
59
into contact with a thrust rolling bearing, for example a thrust needle bearing
60
, borne by a swashplate
62
that operates the pistons
54
. This swashplate is carried via a hub
64
of the secondary unit
20
. This hub
64
is mounted so that it can rotate about the axis X in the housing body
22
which forms a bearing mount. The swashplate
62
revolves about the axis X together with the hub
64
, the latter being connected to conventional drive means by a coupling
66
of the Oldham type. Sealing against the working liquid between the housing body
22
and the hub
64
is provided by conventional means comprising, in particular, an annular seal
67
made of elastomer. The hub
64
will be described in greater detail later.
It will be noted that the separating disk
28
and the piston body
56
form an intermediate assembly EI clamped axially between a skirt
22
J of the housing body
22
, internal to the cover
24
, and the valve body
40
. Furthermore, referring in particular to
FIG. 4
, it can be seen that each screw
26
has a head
26
T and a threaded body
26
C. The head
26
T bears against a seat
68
formed in the housing body
22
. The threaded body
26
C is screwed into a tapped orifice
70
made in a lug
72
secured to the cover
24
. As a result of this, the housing body
22
, the intermediate assembly EI and the valve body
40
are clamped between the head
26
T of the screw and the joining plane embodied by the shoulders
50
E,
52
E.
As a preference, the axial dimension Ll of the intermediate assembly EI is more or less equal to the length L
2
of the part of the body
26
C of the screw that extends between the head
26
T of this screw and the tapped orifice
70
. Thus, the extensions of the various materials, namely, on the one hand, the aluminum or the lightweight metal and, on the other hand, the steel or cast iron, are more or less the same inside and outside the housing
16
.
Referring once again to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, it can be seen that the piston
54
has an axial bore
74
through which the working liquid can flow between the reservoir
58
and the compression chamber
34
. A first end of the bore
74
, internal to the piston body
56
, communicates permanently with the compression chamber
34
. The second end of the bore
74
, external to the piston body
56
, communicates permanently with the reservoir
58
.
As a preference, the bore
74
is stepped and has a large-diameter portion
74
A, opening into the compression chamber
34
, and a small-diameter portion
74
B, opening into the reservoir
58
.
A ball, forming a valve
76
, is housed in the large-diameter portion
74
A so that it can be moved, on the one hand, between a shoulder E
74
separating the portions
74
A and
74
B, forming a seat for closing the valve
76
and, on the other hand, a stop
78
that limits the opening travel of this valve
76
.
The valve
76
opens as soon as the pressure of the working liquid in the reservoir
58
exceeds that of the working liquid in the compression chamber
34
. If the reverse is true, the valve
76
closes so as to close off the bore
74
.
For the pump
12
to work correctly, the stiffness of the return spring
44
for the diaphragm
30
associated with the piston
54
is rated so that this spring
44
keeps the working liquid contained in the compression chamber
34
at a raised pressure compared with the working liquid contained in the reservoir
58
, this being as long as the diaphragm
44
has not reached its first position in which the pumping chamber
32
has its maximum volume.
A few particular characteristics of the operation of the main
18
and secondary
20
pumping units will be indicated hereinbelow, the main unit
18
operating according to the principles of a positive-displacement pump.
When the swashplate
62
drives the piston
54
into the piston body
56
(moving the piston
54
to the right when considering FIGS.
2
and
3
), the working liquid contained in the compression chamber
34
is compressed (to a raised pressure compared with the liquid contained in the reservoir
58
) so that the valve
76
closes and the flexible diaphragm
30
moves toward its second position in which the pumping chamber
32
has its minimum volume. This, in the conventional way, causes fuel to be delivered at high pressure to the delivery chamber
48
.
When the swashplate
62
allows the piston
54
to move in the opposite direction to the previous one (to the left when considering
FIGS. 2 and 3
) under the effect of the return spring
59
, the diaphragm
30
is returned by the spring
44
to its first position in which the pumping chamber
32
has maximum volume. This, in the conventional way, causes fuel from the intake chamber
46
to be drawn into the pumping chamber
32
.
It will be noted that the diaphragm spring
44
allows the diaphragm
30
to return automatically to its first position, even in the absence of fuel in the main pumping unit
18
. Furthermore, when the piston
54
moves to the left when considering
FIGS. 2 and 3
, given the leaks of working liquid between the compression chamber
34
and the reservoir
58
, the diaphragm
30
reaches its first position before the piston
54
completes its stroke to the left. In consequence, once the diaphragm
30
has reached its first position, the pressure of the working liquid in the compression chamber
34
drops compared with that of the working liquid in the reservoir
58
, which causes the valve
76
to open and causes the compression chamber
34
to be resupplied with working liquid so as to compensate for the leakage.
Some simple and effective means allowing the reservoir
58
to be filled completely with working liquid will be described hereinbelow with reference in particular to
FIGS. 3 and 5
.
These filling means comprise a filling neck
80
, connected to the reservoir
58
, and which can be stoppered with a plug
82
.
In the example illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 5
, the plug
82
is intended to collaborate with the neck
80
by screwing. The plug
82
has a more or less axial blind hole
84
communicating via a more or less radial bore
86
in the plug with a peripheral counterbore
88
of the plug extended axially by a stoppering surface
90
of this plug, which surface is intended to collaborate with a stoppering seat
92
formed in the end of the neck
80
near the reservoir
58
.
As a preference, the stoppering surface
90
and the stoppering seat
92
have conical overall shapes, the stoppering surface
90
converging toward the stoppering seat
92
.
The plug
82
can move in the neck
80
, by screwing, between a position for prestoppering the reservoir
58
, in which position the stoppering surface
90
is away from the seat
92
, above this seat
92
, as depicted in
FIG. 5
, and a position for stoppering this reservoir
58
, in which position the stoppering surface
90
is in sealed contact with the seat
92
, as is depicted in FIG.
3
.
The neck
80
is capable of containing an overflow of excess working liquid of the reservoir, the level N of this overflow extending into the neck
80
above the seat
92
.
It will be noted that, when the plug
82
is in its prestoppering position, the peripheral counterbore
88
of this plug communicates with the reservoir
58
, so that the blind hole
84
forms a receptacle for the excess working liquid. Furthermore, when the excess is in the neck
80
, the plug
82
can be moved in this neck between its prestoppering and stoppering positions.
To move the plug
82
, the latter is fitted with an operating head
82
T, through which the open end of the blind hole
84
emerges. The head
82
T is delimited by a polygonal interior surface
82
I allowing the plug
82
to be turned using a conventional tool.
As a variant, the operating head
82
T may be delimited by a polygonal exterior surface
82
E as depicted in
FIG. 6
, so that the plug
82
can be turned using a conventional tool.
The plug
82
carries a peripheral O-ring seal
93
positioned axially between the head
82
T and the counterbore
88
. This seal
93
provides sealing between the neck
80
and the plug
82
above the counterbore
88
.
The plug
82
allows the reservoir
58
to be filled under vacuum as follows.
Initially, the plug
82
is screwed into the neck
80
into its prestoppering position as depicted in FIG.
5
.
In order to fill the reservoir
58
with working liquid, a vacuum is pulled in this reservoir, using conventional means, then the working liquid is introduced via the blind hole
84
of the plug. Thus, the working liquid flows into the reservoir
58
by flowing into the blind hole
84
, the radial bore
86
and the counterbore
88
.
The reservoir
58
continues to be filled until excess remains in the neck
80
and the blind hole
84
, as depicted in FIG.
5
.
Finally, with the excess present, the plug
82
is screwed into its stoppering position as depicted in FIG.
3
. The reservoir
58
is thus isolated from the filling neck
80
, the amount of working liquid remaining in the blind hole
84
being easily removed via the end of the blind hole
84
that opens through the operating head
82
T.
With reference to
FIG. 3
, it will be noted that the reservoir
58
is connected to conventional means
94
for compensating for the expansion of the working liquid contained in the reservoir
58
. These means comprise a flexible diaphragm
96
separating a duct
98
that places the diaphragm
96
in communication with the working liquid of the reservoir
58
and a space
100
for disengaging the diaphragm
96
, which space is protected by a shell
102
of hemispherical overall shape. The diaphragm
96
deforms in accordance with the variations in the working liquid volume contained in the reservoir
58
.
FIG. 7
depicts a variant form of the plug
82
.
In this case, the plug
82
comprises a ball
104
which can be forced to move between a position of prestoppering the reservoir
58
, as depicted in chain line in
FIG. 7
, and a position of stoppering this reservoir
58
, as depicted in solid line in this FIG.
7
.
The surface of the ball
104
forms the stoppering surface intended to collaborate in sealed fashion with the seat
92
of the neck.
The filling neck
80
is stoppered using the ball
104
, as follows.
In the presence of excess working liquid, the level N of which is depicted in chain line in
FIG. 7
, the ball
104
is placed in its prestoppering position as depicted in chain line in this FIG.
7
. The ball
104
is then forced along the neck
80
so as to press it against the seat
92
, as depicted in solid line in FIG.
7
.
It will be noted that, during the forced movement of the ball
104
between its positions for prestoppering and stoppering the reservoir
58
, the excess working liquid, forced into the reservoir
58
under the effect of the movement of the ball
104
, is compensated for by the deformation of the diaphragm
96
of the expansion compensating means
94
, as depicted in FIG.
7
.
The hub
64
will be described in further detail hereinbelow with reference to FIG.
3
.
In the example illustrated in this
FIG. 3
, the hub
64
comprises a sleeve
106
, of axis coincident with the axis X, in which the swashplate
62
is housed.
The hub
64
also comprises a ring
108
fixed to the exterior surface of the sleeve
106
.
The exterior surface of the sleeve
106
forms a peripheral cylindrical surface SG for guiding the rotation of the hub in the housing body
22
. One face of the ring
108
forms a shoulder FE for the axial positioning of the hub
64
with respect to the housing body
22
.
Elsewhere, the housing body
22
has a liner
110
, the interior surface of which forms a cylindrical bearing surface SP in sliding contact with the peripheral guiding surface SG of the hub.
The housing body
22
also comprises a washer
112
, arranged at one end of the liner
110
, with one face forming a flat bearing surface FP in sliding contact with the shoulder FE of the hub.
The liner
110
and the washer
112
are fixed in a way known per se to the housing body
22
and are made of conventional materials, preferably ones with low coefficients of friction.
It will be noted that the shoulder FE of the hub
64
, extending the guiding surface SG of this hub, is urged against the bearing surface FP of the housing body
22
by the elastic return force of the pistons
54
in contact with the thrust needle bearing
60
and by the pressure of the working liquid in contact with the swashplate
62
.
According to a first variant depicted in
FIG. 8
, the cylindrical bearing surface SP is formed by the interior surface of a sleeve
114
, borne by the housing body
22
, equipped with one end extended by a flange
116
delimiting the flat bearing surface FP.
According to a second variant depicted in
FIG. 9
, the peripheral guiding surface SG of the hub is formed by the exterior surface of a sleeve
118
, in which the swashplate
62
is housed, equipped with an end extended by a flange
120
delimiting the shoulder FE for the axial positioning of the hub. The sleeve
118
of the hub collaborates with a sleeve
114
secured to the housing body
22
of the type depicted in FIG.
8
.
According to third and fourth variants depicted in
FIGS. 10 and 11
respectively, the peripheral guide surface SG and the shoulder FE for the axial positioning of the hub are formed by the exterior surface of a stepped tubular member
122
, made of a single piece, in which the swashplate
62
is housed. The stepped member
122
may easily be manufactured in conventional ways, particularly by drawing, treating and grinding.
In the third variant depicted in
FIG. 10
, the stepped member
122
is in sliding contact with a cylindrical bearing surface SP and a flat bearing surface FP which are formed on elements similar to those depicted in FIG.
3
.
In the fourth variant depicted in
FIG. 11
, the peripheral guiding surface SG of the stepped member
122
is in contact with bearing needles
124
running more or less parallel to the axis X, and the axial positioning shoulder FE is in contact with bearing needles
126
running more or less radially with respect to the axis X .
The needles
124
,
126
are contained by cages
128
,
130
fixed, in ways known per se, to the housing body
22
.
The following will be noted amongst the advantages of the invention.
The invention makes it possible to separate the intake and delivery chambers associated with the intake and delivery valves of the high-pressure pump using simple and effective means.
The housing and the valve body, made of aluminum or equivalent lightweight metal, allow the pump to be lightened, without this in any way leading to problems of differential expansion between these aluminum components and other components of the pump that are made of steel or of cast iron.
Claims
- 1. A high pressure pump for pumping a motor vehicle fuel, and comprising:a main unit for pumping the fuel, which unit is actuated by a secondary unit for pumping a working liquid; a generally cylindrical housing for receiving the main and the secondary units; the main unit having at least an intake valve and a delivery valve for the fuel; the valves being supported by a valve body located in the housing; each of the valves communicating with an intake chamber and a delivery chamber for the fuel; the intake and delivery chambers being bounded by spaced opposing coaxial surfaces of generally cylindrical shape and having a common axis substantially coinciding with an axis of the housing; wherein the opposing surfaces include two complementary shoulders bearing on one another to form a sealed joining plane separating the intake and the delivery chambers.
- 2. The pump set forth in claim 1 wherein a first of the opposing surfaces forms an internal surface of a housing cover, and a second of the opposing surfaces forms a peripheral surface of the valve body;a body of the housing being connected to the cover by at least one screw oriented generally parallel to the axis of the housing, a screw head bearing on a seat formed in the housing body, and a threaded screw portion located in a tapped orifice in the cover; an intermediate assembly clamped axially between a skirt of the housing body, inside the cover, and the valve body; whereby the housing body, the intermediate assembly and the valve body are clamped between the screw head and the joining plane.
- 3. The pump set forth in claim 2 wherein the intermediate assembly comprises a body in which a piston of the secondary unit is slidably mounted for compressing the working liquid.
- 4. The pump set forth in claim 2 wherein the intermediate assembly is selectively made of steel or cast iron, and the screw is made of steel; and further wherein the axial dimension of the intermediate assembly is substantially equal to the length of the screw extending between the screw head and the tapped orifice of the cover.
- 5. The pump set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing and the valve body are made of lightweight metal.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
99 07214 |
Jun 1999 |
FR |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/FR00/01465 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO00/75514 |
12/14/2000 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
466 045 |
Jan 1969 |
CH |
860429 |
Jan 1941 |
FR |
WO 9747883 |
Dec 1997 |
WO |