Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6783329
-
Patent Number
6,783,329
-
Date Filed
Friday, December 20, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 31, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Yu; Justine R.
- Sayoc; Emmanuel
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 417 189
- 417 168
- 417 169
- 417 170
- 417 182
- 417 183
- 417 184
- 417 187
- 137 892
- 137 6012
- 137 11513
- 137 11528
- 137 895
- 137 110
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
The invention provides a jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also possessing a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.
Description
GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of jet pumps.
The present invention finds particular but non-exclusive application in the field of motor vehicle fuel tanks.
Still more precisely, the present invention finds application in transferring fuel between different compartments in multi-compartment fuel tanks, or in filling a reserve bowl from which a fuel pump or any fuel feeder device draws fuel.
STATE OF THE ART
Examples of fuel suction devices based on jet pumps are shown in documents DE-A-3 915 185, DE-A-3 612 194, or DE-A-2 602 234.
Although known suction devices based on jet pumps have given good service, they nevertheless do not always give satisfaction.
An object of the present invention is to propose a novel and improved jet pump.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention seeks to mitigate those drawbacks.
To this end, the invention provides a jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also possessing a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.
The invention advantageously further comprises the following characteristics taken singly or in any technical feasible combination:
the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, the second sealing element being situated downstream from the auxiliary chamber;
the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, the second sealing element being also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber;
the nozzle is slidably mounted in the pump housing, to move along a longitudinal axis of the pump housing against bias from a spring urging it against a sealing element;
the first sealing element opens by means of the nozzle moving, the second sealing element being opened by limiting the displacement of a second moving element;
both sealing elements are opened by displacement of the nozzle;
the body of the nozzle comprises three portions: a central first portion generally in the form of a hollow circularly cylindrical tube of constant section; a second portion integrally molded on the outside surface of the central portion from the upstream end thereof and forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump housing over the outside of the central portion; and a third portion situated downstream from the central portion having an outside shape that is substantially frustoconical and that converges downstream, its inside shape forming a nozzle outlet formed by a through axial channel connected to the inside volume of the central portion and opening out into a downstream suction chamber;
the space defined between the drum and the central portion forms a chamber open towards the downstream end of the pump and receiving the bias spring;
the general outside shape of the body of the nozzle in longitudinal section is substantially W-shaped, the two upstream bends of the W-shape forming a flat bottom defining a surface of generally annular shape lying in a transverse plane, facing upstream, and located inside the housing of the pump;
the annular surface has a longitudinal peripheral rim on its outer periphery extending towards the upstream end of the pump, said rim co-operating with a transverse gasket fixed to the housing of the pump and situated facing the annular surface to define a first sealing element;
the pump has a finger extending inside the inside volume of the central portion of the nozzle body, a cap movable in translation co-operating with a second bias spring which presses said cap against a transverse shoulder facing towards the upstream end of the pump and formed inside said central portion of the nozzle body, thus forming a second sealing element, which second sealing element is opened when the moving element reaches the end of its stroke as it follows the displacement of the nozzle body inside the pump housing, said displacement of the nozzle being due to the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the annular surface exceeding a second pressure level;
the central portion and the downstream portion of the nozzle both have the same inside diameter, the inside opening as defined in this way being extended at the upstream end of the nozzle by a circular longitudinally-extending rim integrally molded on the annular surface, said circular rim co-operating with a deformable gasket fixed on an element of the pump so as to form a sealing element, said sealing element opening as the nozzle moves forwards, said forward movement taking place when the pressure of the injected fluid reaches a second level; and
the inside shape of the third portion comprises, in the flow direction of the injected fluid, a first segment of converging frustoconical shape followed by a through second segment of circularly cylindrical shape of constant section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics, objects, and advantages of the invention appear from the following description which is purely illustrative and non-limiting and which should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a longitudinal section view of an embodiment having two sealing elements;
FIG. 2
is a view of the
FIG. 1
device with the first sealing element in the open position;
FIG. 3
is a view of the
FIG. 1
device with the second sealing element in the open position;
FIG. 4
is a longitudinal section view of another embodiment having two sealing elements;
FIG. 5
is a view of the
FIG. 4
device with the first sealing element in the open position;
FIG. 6
is a view of the
FIG. 4
device with the second sealing element in the open position;
FIG. 7
is a circuit diagram showing how fuel is delivered to an engine from a tank including a prior art jet pump;
FIG. 8
is a circuit diagram showing how fuel is delivered to an engine from a tank including a jet pump as shown in
FIGS. 1
to
6
;
FIG. 9
is a graph showing how the pressure in the chamber varies as a function of injected flow rate when only one opening is provided in the nozzle device; and
FIG. 10
is a graph showing how the pressure in the chamber varies as a function of the injected flow rate when there are two openings provided in the nozzle device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
None of the jet pump embodiments described below has any element downstream from a nozzle. This avoids disturbing the flow of fluid downstream from the nozzle.
Description of a First Embodiment
FIG. 1
shows a jet pump in accordance with the present invention comprising a substantially circularly cylindrical housing
10
centered on a longitudinal axis O—O.
The housing
10
defines a control inlet
12
receiving the injected flow at a first axial end. The control chamber extends inside a body
52
that is itself substantially circularly cylindrical in shape.
The axial outlet
14
from the pump is defined at the opposite axial end.
The housing
10
also has an auxiliary suction inlet
16
which communicates laterally with the channel
18
inside the housing
10
.
This internal channel
18
thus constitutes a suction chamber.
The axial outlet
14
into which the channel
18
opens out receives the flow injected via the inlet
12
plus the flow sucked in via the suction inlet
16
.
The auxiliary suction inlet
16
is disposed upstream from a nozzle fed with the flow injected via the inlet
12
. The suction inlet may be constituted by a short tube inclined relative to the axis O—O of the housing
10
, e.g. at an angle lying in the range 10° to 90°. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, this angle is equal to 90°.
Similarly, the inlet
12
may be inclined relative to the axis O—O, typically at an angle lying in the range 0° to 90°. In
FIG. 1
, the inlet
12
lies on the axis O—O.
The body
20
of the nozzle is situated substantially in the middle of the housing
10
. This body
20
is mounted to slide inside the inside diameter of the housing
10
.
The moving body
20
has an inside volume constituting a portion of an auxiliary chamber
26
.
At the upstream end of the body
20
, the auxiliary chamber
26
communicates with the inlet chamber
12
, and at the downstream end it communicates with the chamber
18
downstream from the nozzle. Communication between the upstream portion of the auxiliary chamber
26
and the suction chamber
18
take place via a nozzle outlet
19
.
The sliding movement of the body
20
in the housing
10
takes place against bias from spring-forming means. It enables two sealing elements located upstream and/or downstream of the auxiliary chamber
26
to be opened or closed as a function of the pressure level of the injected fluid. Depending on the open or closed state of the sealing elements, the fluid flows either via the auxiliary chamber
26
and the nozzle outlet
19
towards the pump outlet
14
, or else it flows round the outside edges of the nozzle.
A first sealing element situated on the outside portion of the nozzle, when closed, seals the nozzle against fluid leaking along the walls between the housing
10
and the body
20
.
A second sealing element situated inside the inner portion of the nozzle, when in the closed position, serves to prevent any fluid leaking via the inside channel formed by the inside volume of the nozzle. The second sealing element also prevents a self-regulation process from applying to the pressure of the injected fluid. In the open position, self-regulation can take place as a function of the extent to which the sealing element is open.
The first sealing element opens at a first predetermined pressure level, the second sealing element opens at a second predetermined pressure level, said second pressure level being greater than or equal to the first predetermined pressure level.
FIG. 9
is a graph showing how pressure varies inside the chamber as a function of variation in the injected flow rate, and it can be seen that when only one opening is provided in the nozzle, then there is a jump in the pressure inside the chamber.
However,
FIG. 10
which is likewise a graph showing pressure as a function of flow rate, shows that the pressure remains substantially constant inside the chamber since the regulation function and the opening of the second sealing element compensates for the increase in the area of contact with the pressure fluid.
To this end, the sealing elements may be constituted by two gaskets. These two gaskets may be distinct and they may present different structures and elastic deformation properties. It is thus possible to obtain two sealing elements which open at two different pressure levels when they co-operate with means that are integrally molded with the moving body
20
that is subjected to thrust from the single spring-forming means.
Also for this purpose, the two sealing elements may be formed in a washer presenting a single set of elastic deformation properties, but co-operating with means molded integrally with the moving body
20
and having different axial extents. These different axial extents cause the sealing elements to open at different pressure levels.
Still for this purpose, a first sealing element may be formed by a gasket having elastic deformation properties and co-operating with means molded integrally with the moving body
20
, while a second sealing element is formed by at least one valve-forming element on the self-regulation nozzle and co-operating with other spring-forming means.
The moving body
20
comprises three portions:
a central first portion
60
generally in the form of a circularly cylindrical tube of constant hollow section centered on the axis O—O;
a second portion
64
integrally molded on the outside surface of the central portion
60
at the upstream end thereof, forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump body
10
, outside the central portion
60
. The space defined between the barrel
64
and the central portion
60
forms a chamber
67
that is open towards the downstream end of the pump. This chamber
67
receives a bias spring
40
; and
a third portion
62
situated downstream from the central portion
60
. The third portion
62
has an outline that is substantially frustoconical, converging downstream. The inside bore of the portion
62
forms the nozzle
19
constituting a through axial channel extending from the inside volume of the central portion
60
and opening out into the suction chamber
18
.
The inside channel in the third portion
62
preferably converges downstream.
More precisely, in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, the inside channel of the third portion
62
comprises two axially juxtaposed segments
22
and
24
.
The first segment
22
which is upstream in the flow direction is preferably of a downwardly-converging frustoconical shape. The half-angle at the apex of this segment
22
preferably lies in the range 10° to 80°.
The second segment
24
of the body
20
is preferably circularly cylindrical and of constant section. The free outside end
240
of this segment
24
is slightly rounded.
The inside diameter of the segment
24
lies advantageously in the range 1 millimeter (mm) to 3.6 mm.
A shoulder
68
extending transversely to the axis O—O and facing upstream is formed between the inside profile of the central portion
60
and the channel of the third portion
62
of the body
20
.
The general outside shape of the body
20
in longitudinal section is thus substantially W-shaped. The central point of the W-shape points towards the downstream end of the pump.
Still in longitudinal section, the two upstream bends of the W-shape form a flat bottom
66
. This surface
66
thus defines, inside the pump body and in a transverse plane, a surface that is generally annular in shape and faces upstream. The space defined inside the annular surface
66
may include a central chamfer
28
of frustoconical shape converging downstream.
An auxiliary chamber
26
is formed between the control chamber
12
and the outlet from the nozzle. The auxiliary chamber
26
is constituted by the inside volume of the housing
10
upstream from the moving body
20
of the nozzle, and by the inside volume of the moving body.
At least one orifice
56
through the body
52
enables fluid to pass from the control chamber
12
to the auxiliary chamber
26
.
The body
20
is mounted to slide in the body of the housing
10
along the axis O—O. The outside shape of the drum
64
has an outside diameter that is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the housing
10
. Complementary longitudinal fluting between the housing
10
and the body
20
allows one to slide relative to the other (possibly preventing rotation).
Fluid can thus leak between the outside of the drum
64
and the inside of the housing
10
.
Such leakage is undesirable in a rest position. Thus, a first sealing element serves to make the nozzle proof against fluid leaks around the outside of its moving body
20
.
However, this leakage phenomenon becomes desirable on going past a first pressure level.
This first sealing element is formed by co-operation between a first gasket and a rim molded integrally on the body
20
.
For this purpose, a rim
69
integrally molded on the bend of the drum
64
is directed towards the upstream end of the pump, longitudinally along the axis O—O.
It co-operates with a fixed gasket
76
on the body
52
, compressing the gasket due to the urging from the spring
40
. The spring
40
placed between the elements
60
and
64
is positioned between the upstream portion of the body
20
and a step
21
in the housing
10
. The spring
40
thus urges the body
20
upstream to press against the gasket
76
.
A second sealing element must be capable of closing off the nozzle
19
in a rest position and continues to do so up to a second pressure level. This second sealing element must consequently be pressed against the nozzle outlet, even during movement of the moving body
20
, and it must release the nozzle outlet
19
once the second pressure level has been reached. The sealing element must consequently be movable in translation so as to be capable of tracking movement of the moving body
20
, but its own displacement must be limited.
For this purpose, a finger
50
extends inside the central portion
60
. The finger
50
is integrally molded on the body
52
of the control chamber
12
. It is substantially circularly cylindrical.
An extension
51
integrally molded with the finger
50
extends towards the downstream end of the pump inside the central portion
60
. The extension
51
has a circularly cylindrical base of constant section adjacent to the finger
50
. The outside diameter of the extension
51
is smaller than the outside diameter of the finger
50
. A shoulder
53
facing towards the downstream end of the pump demonstrates this difference in diameter and serves as a bearing surface for means that bias the second sealing element.
The extension also has at least one groove
72
occupying at least one of its generator lines and serves as a guide for movement in translation of a moving element that forms the moving sealing element.
A moving cap
70
substantially in the form of a hollow circular cylinder is slidably mounted on the free end of the extension
51
. The bore of the cap is blind at one end. The cap
70
has at least one spur
74
integrally molded with the open end of the cap and engaged in the groove
72
of the extension
51
. Each spur
74
is a guide for movement in translation and also serves as an abutment in the groove
72
so as to restrict the axial displacement of the moving cap
70
.
The blind plane end
55
of the cap
70
extends across the axis O—O. The surface
55
may advantageously carry a finger for centering in the nozzle outlet
19
.
The ratio between the outside diameter of the moving cap
70
and the inside diameter of the housing
10
is advantageously less than 0.5.
A second bias spring
77
is situated between the rim of the cap
70
and the shoulder
53
that extends transversely to the axis O—O between the finger
50
and the extension
51
.
The spring
77
urges the cap
70
downstream against the shoulder
68
.
Where appropriate, one of the two surfaces
55
and
68
may be fitted for this purpose with a specific sealing lining, for example a lining based on elastomer.
Thus, in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, the nozzle is formed by the combination of the moving body
20
mounted to move in translation and the assembly formed by the finger
50
and its extension
51
placed inside the moving body.
The spring
77
is stiffer than the spring
40
.
The first sealing element is situated upstream of the auxiliary chamber
26
, while the second sealing element is situated downstream of the auxiliary chamber
26
.
The device operates essentially as follows.
FIG. 1
shows the rest position of the device, i.e. a situation in which fluid is injected into the auxiliary chamber
26
at low pressure. At rest, when the pressure of the injected fluid is relatively low, the bias force of the spring
40
presses the rim
69
against the gasket
76
, thus forming the first sealing element. The bias force of the spring
77
presses the downstream surface
55
of the cap
70
against the step
68
, thus forming the second sealing element.
It is assumed that the pressure of the injected fluid rises.
The injected fluid will reach a pressure such that the product of that pressure multiplied by the area of the surface
66
becomes greater than the rated force delivered by the spring
40
. The moving body
20
will thus be moved in translation towards the downstream end of the pump, thereby opening the first sealing element.
In
FIG. 2
, the first pressure level has been exceeded in the auxiliary chamber
26
relative to the situation shown in FIG.
1
. The fluid flows along the inside wall of the housing
10
and along the outside wall of the barrel
64
. The path followed by the fluid is represented by arrows Q in FIG.
2
. Nevertheless, the quantity of fluid following this path is relatively small. It does not suck liquid into the auxiliary inlet
16
.
As the pressure of the fluid in the auxiliary chamber
26
continues to increase, the body
20
moves axially towards the suction chamber
18
. Nevertheless, the bias spring
77
continues to press the moving element
70
against the shoulder
68
and causes the element
70
to move together with and in leaktight manner against the body
20
. The second sealing element remains closed.
However, a second pressure level will eventually be reached, such that the moving body
20
has moved towards the suction chamber
18
by a distance greater than the stroke available in the grooves
72
for the moving body.
This second pressure level is greater than or equal to the first pressure level. When the second sealing element opens, the fluid engages other surfaces which compensate for the areas that were under pressure prior to said second sealing element opening, particularly inside the structure of the nozzle.
Each spur
74
reaches the end of its stroke in the corresponding groove
72
formed in the element
51
.
The cap
70
can therefore no longer follow the body
20
in its displacement towards the suction chamber
18
. As the pressure continues to rise, so that the body
20
continues to move axially, the second sealing element opens. This is a situation shown in FIG.
3
.
It should be observed that it is advantageous for the total stroke of each spur
74
in the corresponding groove
72
between the position in which both sealing elements are closed and the position in which both sealing elements are open lies in the range 0.1 mm to 4 mm.
The liquid can then flow through the space left empty between the face
55
of the element
70
and the shoulder
68
. This flow of fluid is represented by arrows Qi in FIG.
3
.
The flow Qi is greater than the flow Q shown in FIG.
2
. Thus, fluid represented by arrow Qa can be sucked in and sent to the axial outlet
14
. Arrow Qt represents the sum of the flows Qi plus Qa.
The self-regulation effect is obtained by the space
23
between the step
68
and the wall
55
. The space
23
results from equilibrium between the bias force from the spring
40
and the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the surface
66
once the second sealing element has opened. The suction of fluid through the inlet
16
is thus regulated by the size of the space
23
.
A hysteresis effect may be obtained by increasing the area on which the fluid pressure acts.
Before and after opening of the first sealing element, but before opening of the second sealing element, the pressure of the fluid acts on the surface
66
.
Once the second sealing element opens, the fluid also applies pressure to the shoulder
68
of the inside shape of the nozzle.
Consequently, closure of the sealing element requires the pressure of the fluid to drop to a pressure lower than that needed for opening it.
Description of a Second Embodiment of a Pump with a Regulating Jet
The device shown in
FIG. 4
possesses the same elements as the device shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
of the present application.
In this figure, and in the following figures, elements that are similar or have the same function as those shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
and that are described above are given the same numerical references.
The auxiliary chamber
26
extends between the control inlet
12
and the nozzle outlet
19
, and consequently it extends in the inside volume of the moving body
20
of the nozzle.
The moving body
20
is generally substantially identical in shape to the nozzle body
20
shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
.
However, the inside space of the central portion
60
is of constant section.
The first sealing element is still situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber
26
and is constituted by co-operation between a rim
69
and a gasket
76
fixed to the body
52
, but in the embodiment of
FIG. 4
, the second sealing element is also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber
26
.
The second sealing element is situated on the axis O—O upstream from the upstream inlet
83
to the inside volume of the body
20
.
A peripheral rim
80
at the inlet
83
extends towards the upstream end of the pump longitudinally along the axis O—O. It is integrally molded with the surface
66
around the inlet
83
.
Because of the bias force of the spring
40
situated outside the moving body
20
, the rim
80
co-operates with a transverse gasket
82
situated on the axis O—O. The gasket
82
is fixed on the body
52
of the control inlet
12
.
The second sealing element needs to open when the pressure of the injected fluid is higher than the pressure needed for opening the first sealing element.
For this purpose, the axial extent of the rim
80
towards the upstream end of the pump is greater than the axial extent of the rim
69
.
However, in a variant, it would be possible to use rims of identical axial extent but co-operating with gaskets, e.g.
76
and
82
, having different elastic deformation properties, such that the seals open at different pressure levels.
This embodiment has the advantage of requiring only one bias spring.
The device operates as follows.
FIG. 4
shows the rest position. The fluid injected is at relatively low pressure and both sealing elements are closed. The pump is entirely leaktight.
Assume that the pressure increases.
The pressure will eventually reach the first pressure level such that the product of the pressure multiplied by the area of the surface
66
becomes sufficient to overcome the rated force of the spring
40
. The moving body
20
is moved in translation towards the downstream end of the device. The first sealing element is opened. This situation is shown in FIG.
5
. The fluid can thus flow along the inside walls of the housing
10
. However, since the axial extent of the rim
80
is greater than that of the rim
69
, the second sealing element remains closed.
As the pressure continues to increase it reaches a threshold which corresponds to the moving body having moved in translation far enough for the rim
80
to cease to make contact with the gasket
82
, thus reaching the situation shown in FIG.
6
. The injected fluid can then flow through the inside space of the body
20
. Fluid is now sucked in through the inlet
16
. The injected flow, the sucked-in flow, and the total outlet flow are represented by arrows Qi, Qa, and Qt respectively.
The self-regulation effect is obtained by the size of the space
23
left between the rim
80
and the gasket
82
. The size of the space
23
is a function of equilibrium between the rated force of the spring
40
and the force that results from the product of the pressure of the injected fluid multiplied by the area of the surface
66
.
A hysteresis effect can be obtained if the inside wall of the moving body
20
includes a transverse step facing towards the upstream end of the pump. Thus, before the second sealing element opens, the pressure acts on the area of the surface
66
, whereas after said element has opened, the pressure of the fluid acts both on the area of the surface
66
plus the area of said step.
FIG. 7
is a circuit diagram for a conventional circuit for feeding fuel from an upstream tank
100
to an engine
102
situated downstream. A pump
101
takes fuel from the tank
100
and injects it into a delivery circuit
110
connecting the tank
100
to the engine
102
.
A regulator
103
including a conventional valve enables the circuit
110
downstream from the regulator
103
to be maintained under pressure when fuel is no longer injected into said circuit
110
.
A branch connection
104
situated upstream from the regulator
103
and downstream from the pump
101
enables fuel to be delivered to a jet pump
105
. In the state of the art, the jet pump
105
is not leaktight when at rest.
The above circuit operates as follows.
When a user starts the engine
102
, the pump
101
begins to operate so that the pressure in the circuit
110
reaches its operating level. The assembly comprising the branch connection
104
and the jet pump
105
constitutes a fuel leak from the circuit upstream from the regulator
103
, thus decreasing pressure. The pump
101
must therefore always operate faster in order to compensate for the pressure loss. Compensation is particularly unfortunate when the vehicle battery is low.
FIG. 8
is a diagram of the circuit for delivering fuel from an upstream tank
100
to a downstream engine
102
. A pump
101
draws fuel from the tank
100
and injects it into a delivery circuit
110
connecting the tank
100
to the engine
102
.
A branch connection
104
situated in the middle of the circuit
110
allows fuel to be diverted to a jet pump
105
. The jet pump
105
is one of the embodiments of
FIGS. 1
to
6
. It has a self-regulating function and it is leaktight when at rest.
At rest, the
FIG. 8
circuit does not leak. In contrast, in the
FIG. 7
circuit, there is a leak through the jet pump
105
.
After the pump has started, the prior art circuit shown in
FIG. 7
has two leaks: a first leak through the regulator
103
, and a second leak through the jet pump
105
.
In the circuit of the invention as shown in
FIG. 8
, the only leak is through the regulating jet pump
105
.
Consequently, the regulating jet pump of
FIG. 8
consumes less fuel than the valve jet pump of
FIG. 7
associated with a regulator.
The pressure in the circuit
110
therefore rises more quickly.
The opening of the second sealing element avoids too great a peak in the pressure of the injected fluid.
The embodiments described above are fitted in preferred manner with bias springs outside the moving body, however embodiments could also be devised in which a spring for urging the moving body towards the upstream end of the pump is situated inside the nozzle body.
Claims
- 1. A jet pump comprising a housing containing a nozzle into which an injected fluid is introduced, the housing also including a suction orifice, the pump comprising, upstream from the outlet of the nozzle, an auxiliary chamber associated with two sealing elements, each sealing element being adapted to open when the pressure of the injected fluid exceeds a predetermined level, the first sealing element opening at a first pressure level, the second sealing element opening at a second pressure level greater than or equal to the first.
- 2. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, and the second sealing element situated downstream from the auxiliary chamber.
- 3. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber, and the second sealing element is also situated upstream from the auxiliary chamber.
- 4. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is slidably mounted in the pump housing to move along a longitudinal axis of the pump housing against bias from a spring that urges the nozzle against a sealing element.
- 5. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing element is adapted to open by movement of the nozzle, the second sealing element being adapted to open by limiting the displacement of a second moving element.
- 6. A pump according to claim 1, wherein both sealing elements are adapted to open by displacement of the nozzle.
- 7. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the body of the nozzle comprises three portions: a central first portion generally in the form of a hollow circular cylindrical tube of constant cross-section; a second portion integrally molded on an outside surface of the central portion at the upstream end of the first portion and forming a drum extending towards the downstream end of the pump housing over the outside of the central portion; and a third portion situated downstream from the central portion having an outside shape that is substantially frustoconical and that converges downstream, its inside shape forming a nozzle outlet formed by a through axial channel connected to the inside volume of the central portion and opening out into a downstream suction chamber.
- 8. A pump according to claim 7, wherein a space defined between the drum and the central portion forms a chamber open towards the downstream end of the pump and receiving the spring.
- 9. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the general outside shape of the body of the nozzle in longitudinal section is substantially W-shaped, the two upstream bends of the W-shape forming a flat bottom defining a surface of generally annular shape lying in a transverse plane, facing upstream, and located inside the housing of the pump.
- 10. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the annular surface has a longitudinal peripheral rim on its outer periphery extending towards the upstream end of the pump, said rim co-operating with a transverse gasket fixed to the housing of the pump and situated facing the annular surface to define a first sealing element.
- 11. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle body is adapted to reciprocate, and wherein the pump has a finger extending inside the inside volume of a central portion of the nozzle body, a cap movable in translation cooperating with a second spring which presses said cap against a transverse shoulder facing towards the upstream end of the pump and formed inside said central portion of the nozzle body, thus forming a second sealing element, the second sealing element is opened when the nozzle body reaches the end of a stroke as the second sealing element follows the displacement of the nozzle body inside the pump housing, said displacement of the nozzle being due to the pressure of the injected fluid acting on the annular surface exceeding the second pressure level.
- 12. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the central portion and the third portion of the nozzle body both have the same inside diameter, the inside opening of the nozzle body being extended at the upstream end of the nozzle by a circular longitudinally-extending rim integrally molded on the annular surface, said circular rim co-operating with a deformable gasket fixed on an element of the pump so as to form a sealing element, said sealing element opening as the nozzle moves forward, the nozzle being adapted to move forward when the pressure of the injected fluid reaches the second level.
- 13. A pump according to claim 7, wherein the inside shape of the third portion comprises, in the flow direction of the injected fluid, a first segment of converging frustoconical shape followed by a through second segment of circular cylindrical shape of constant cross-section.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
01 16715 |
Dec 2001 |
FR |
|
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
26 02 234 |
Apr 1977 |
DE |
32 12 194 |
Oct 1982 |
DE |
39 15 185 |
Oct 1990 |
DE |