WO2015075575A1

WO2015075575A1 - Adjustable cooling pump group with adjustable rotor

Info

Publication number: WO2015075575A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/064769
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio Saottini
Original assignee: Industrie Saleri Italo SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Saleri Italo SpA
Priority date: 2013-11-22
Filing date: 2014-09-23
Publication date: 2015-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-22
Also published as: ITBS20130175A1; DE112014005306T5

Abstract

Adjustable cooling pump group (1) for a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine comprising: a pump body (2) and a rotor (3), placed in the pump body (2), suitable for moving said cooling liquid by means of a shaft (5) which is suitable to move it in rotation around an axis (X-X). Where the rotor (3) comprises a bearing portion (30) attached to one end of the shaft (5) and suitable for rotating with said shaft (5) and wherein the bearing portion (30) comprises an end wall (301), the rotor (3) further comprising a functional portion (35) translatable along the axis (X-X) and comprising at least one vane (350) suitable for projecting from said end wall (301) with variable height, depending on the translation of said functional portion (35).

Description

DESCRIPTION

"ADJUSTABLE COOLING PUMP GROUP WITH ADJUSTABLE ROTOR"

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable cooling pump group for a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine and the cooling circuit comprising it.

[0002] In the automotive and motorcycle sector solutions aimed at regulating the cooling method of the combustion engine and/or other components comprised in the vehicles have already been known of for some time

[0003] Specifically, it is known how in some steps, such as starting the engine, the cooling thereof is not necessary or is required to a lesser extent.

[0004] In the prior art, embodiments of adjustable pump groups are known of in which the flow of liquid is regulated by suitable regulation means for example by choking it fully or partially. In particular, said regulation means comprise a specific obturator member placed downstream or upstream of the rotor and thus suitable to choke the flow of cooling liquid respectively in output from the rotor or input thereto, fully or partially .

[0005] In other words, according to some known embodiments, said obturator members are suitable to be placed as needed in a closed position in which they obstruct the passage of cooling liquid, thus preventing recirculation inside the circuit, and in an open position where instead said passage is allowed and thus the cooling liquid circulates in the circuit thanks to the rotation of the rotor .

[0006] As a result in each of the typical embodiments of the prior art the rotor is always the component the movement of which allows the circulation of the cooling liquid in the cooling circuit.

[0007] It is to be noted, however, that said occlusions in the circuit obtained by means of the aforesaid obturator members upstream or downstream of the rotor lead the pump group as a whole to have a less than optimal efficiency. In particular the power absorbed to start the rotation of the rotor is extremely high.

[0008] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an adjustable cooling pump group which overcomes said drawbacks of the prior art; in other words the pump group of the present invention satisfies the need to move the cooling liquid with particularly high efficiency.

[0009] Said purpose is achieved by means of the pump group claimed in claim 1, and by the cooling circuit as claimed in claim 17. The dependent claims show preferred embodiment variants entailing further advantageous effects .

[0010] The object of the present invention will be described in detail below with the help of the appended drawings, wherein:

[0011] - figure 1 is a perspective view in separate parts showing the adjustable cooling pump group which the present invention relates to, according to a possible embodiment ;

[0012] - figures 2a and 2b are two cross-sections of the pump group in figure 1, in which the rotor is, respectively, in a circulation configuration and in a rest configuration;

[0013] - figures 3a and 3b are two perspective views of the two cross-sections of the pump group in figures 2a and 2b;

[0014] - figures 4a and 4b are two perspective views of the pump group in Figure 1 wherein the rotor is, respectively, . in a circulation configuration and in a rest configuration.

[0015] With reference to the aforesaid drawings, reference numeral 1 globally denotes an adjustable cooling pump group according to a preferred embodiment of the invention .

[0016] The adjustable cooling pump group 1 is suitable to place in circulation a predefined quantity of cooling liquid in a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine, for example of a motor vehicle or motorcycle. The adjustable cooling pump group 1 which the present invention relates to is suitable to regulate the passage of cooling liquid to the engine and in particular is suitable to move a predetermined quantity of liquid according to need; in other words, the cooling pump group 1 depending on the temperature of the cooling liquid and the functioning phase of the motor (for example, if this is in the starting phase, or if it is already fully operational) permits the regulation of the quantity of cooling liquid to be placed in circulation.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the pump group 1 comprises a pump body 2 comprising upstream at least one input channel and downstream an output channel. From the input channel a predefined quantity of liquid enters the pump body 2 to then exit from the output channel.

[0018] The pump group 1 further comprises a rotor 3, placed in a rotor chamber 20 made in the pump body 2 between said input channel and said output channel, suitable for moving said cooling liquid towards the output channel.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the rotor 3 is of the radial type, the input channel joins the radial rotor 3 at the front, namely aimed towards the centre of rotation while the output channel is positioned tangentially thereto.

[0020] Preferably the pump group 1 comprises a shaft 5 connected to said rotor 3 and suitable to move it in rotation around an axis X-X.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, in fact, the rotor 3 is connected to one end of the shaft 5 while at the other end, the drive means are connected, for example a pulley and a belt and/or an electric motor (not shown), or directly an electric motor with adjustable rotation (not shown) .

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the pump 1, comprises a specific rotor embodiment 3, to regulate the flow of cooling liquid moved by the rotor 3, suitable to regulate the flow of cooling liquid towards the output channel, in other words, the rotor 3 itself is suitable to perform a regulation of the circulation of the cooling liquid in the cooling circuit, depending on the cooling requirements of the engine and/or preferably, depending on the temperature of the cooling liquid.

[0023] Preferably in fact the rotor 3 is suitable to assume a circulation configuration, in which it is suitable, by rotating, to place the cooling liquid in circulation and a rest configuration in which instead it is suitable to not act on the cooling liquid which is therefore not moved in the cooling circuit.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, in fact, the rotor 3 preferably comprises two portions: a bearing portion 30 and a functional portion 35.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the bearing portion 30 is attached to one end of the shaft 5 and suitable to rotate with said shaft 5.

[0026] In other words the bearing portion 30 constitutes the bearing structure of the rotor 3. Specifically the bearing portion 30 is the part of the rotor integrally connected to the shaft 5, for example shrunk on to it.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment, the bearing portion 30 comprises an end wall 301 where, preferably, said end wall 301 extends radially from the shaft 5. Preferably, the bearing portion 30 is thus arranged so as to extend transversely to the input direction of the cooling liquid into the rotor chamber 20.

[0028] Preferably, the direction of development and extension of said bearing portion 30 is radial; however the bearing portion 30, in particular the end wall 301 is also preferably shaped in such a way as to favour the flow of cooling liquid radially, preferably from the input channel to the output channel; in other words the bearing portion 30 has a shape such that the part thereof next to the shaft 5 is at a different height from its radially distant edge (as shown in figures 2a, 2b and 3a and 3b appended, without limiting the type of moulding) .

[0029] In addition, preferably, the bearing portion 30 comprises a containment wall 302 extending axially in height from said end wall 301.

[0030] Preferably, the containment wall 302 extends parallel to the axis X-X.

[0031] Preferably, the containment wall 302 extends next to the walls of the rotor chamber 20.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment therefore, the bearing portion 30 comprises a rotor housing 39 made inside the end wall 301 and containment wall 302. Said rotor housing 39 is preferably suitable to contain the functional portion 35 when the rotor 3 is placed in the rest configuration.

[0033] The rotor 3 further comprises the functional portion 35 translatable along the axis X-X.

[0034] Said functional portion 35 comprises at least one vane 350 suitable to project from said end wall 301 of the bearing portion 30 in a controlled manner, with variable height above said surface.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the functional portion 35 is suitable to be positioned in a circulating position, in which the vane 350 projects from the end wall 301 and is suitable, with the rotation of the rotor 3, to place the cooling liquid in circulation, and a rest position in which the vane 350 is retracted, in such a way that the top of the vane 350 is flush with the end wall 301, that is to say does not project in height from it, so as to be in a position in which the cooling liquid is not moved in the cooling circuit.

[0036] In other words the aforesaid configurations of the rotor 3 correspond to respective positionings of the functional portion 35 in relation to the bearing portion 30.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, said end wall 301 presents at least one aperture 311, specially made, to permit the passage of the vane 350 between said circulating position and said rest position.

[0038] In other words, the end wall 301 is traversed by an aperture 311, having an analogous shape to the shape of the vane 350; in other words, the vane 350 is suitable to move in the aperture 311 in such a way that its edges are, at any height, substantially flush with the walls delimiting the aperture 311.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the functional portion 35 comprises a plurality of vanes 350 angularly equidistant, and the bearing portion 30 comprises a plurality of apertures 311 specially made for the passage of each of said vanes 350.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, the vane 350 has a twisted shape. In other words the vane 350, in cross-section, has a twisted shape. This way, the vane 350 encourages the flow of cooling liquid in the radial direction .

[0041] According to a preferred embodiment, the functional portion 35 has an axial symmetric extension.

[0042] Preferably, the functional portion 35 comprises a command wall 351 from which at least one vane 350 protrudes. Preferably the command wall 351 has a disc and/or ring shape.

[0043] In other words, the rotor 3 and thus its aforementioned components have a radial extension suitable to extend around the shaft 5.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment, the pump group 1 further comprises command means 50 suitable to configure the rotor in the circulation configuration or in the rest configuration.

[0045] In other words, the command 50 means are suitable to move the functional portion 35 between said circulation position and said rest position and vice versa.

[0046] According to a preferred embodiment, the command means 50 are suitable to engage said command wall 351 to control the movement of the functional portion 35.

[0047] According to a preferred embodiment, the bearing portion 30 divides the rotor chamber 20 into a recirculation chamber 21 in which the cooling liquid is suitable to flow, and a sealed command chamber 22 in which access to the cooling liquid is prevented, where said command chamber 22 is preferably suitable to contain said command means 50.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment, the command means 50 are of the electromagnetic type. Preferably therefore the movement of the rotor 3 and in particular its configuration is activated by electromagnetic means by means of said command means 50.

[0049] Preferably, the command means 50 comprise an electric coil 51 and a magnetically sensitive element 52, wherein the functional portion 35 places itself in the circulating position or in the rest position depending on whether the electric coil 51 is electrically excited or not, that is to say produces a magnetic field or not.

[0050] Preferably, said electric coil 51 is housed in the command chamber 22, attached to the pump body 2, while the magnetically sensitive element 52 is attached to the functional portion 35, preferably on the command wall 351,

[0051] However, in other embodiments, the disposition of the electric coil 51 and the magnetically sensitive element 52 described above may vary, for example, be reversed in the opposite arrangement, in other words the electric coil 51 could be placed on the rotor while the magnetically sensitive element 52 could be housed fixed in the pump body 2.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment, the command means 50 are positioned so as to surround the shaft 5, in fact, preferably, the coil 51 and the magnetically sensitive element 52 have an annular shape.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment, the magnetically sensitive element 52 is made of ferromagnetic material or is a magnetic material.

[0054] In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the command means 50 comprise elastic means 55 acting . on the functional portion 35 to keep it in said circulating position .

[0055] In other words the command means 50 comprise elastic means 55 which, in the absence of the magnetic field induced by the electric coil 51, keep the functional portion 35 in the circulating position.- In other words, by using the elastic means 55, if the electric coil 51 is not electrically excited, the rotor 3 is in the circulating configuration, and the liquid is suitable to be moved in the cooling circuit. The action of the magnetic field induced by the electric electrically excited electric coil 51 is suitable to overcome the force of the elastic means so as to move the functional portion 35 along the axi's X-X and bring it into the rest position, thus configuring the rotor 3 in the rest configuration .

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, said elastic means 55 comprise a spring 551 engaging the bottom wall of the rotor chamber 20, preferably of the command chamber 22, and the command wall 351.

[0057] Preferably, the spring 551 is a coil type spring.

[0058] In some embodiments the pump group 1 comprises detection/activation means suitable for example to send an electrical signal to the command means.

[0059] Preferably, the detection/activation means are sensitive to the temperature of the liquid and are thus suitable to send an electrical signal to the coil to configure the rotor as needed.

[0060] In some embodiments, the detection/activation means are suitable to have at least a portion thereof in contact with the cooling liquid to be influenced by the temperature thereof.

[0061] The positioning of the functional portion 35 is controlled depending on the temperature to which the means of detection/activation are subject, by electrically exciting the coil, thereby limiting if not preventing the circulation of the cooling liquid.

[0062] The present invention also relates to a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine comprising an adjustable cooling pump group 1 according to the above description .

[0063] According to some embodiments, the pump group 1 further comprises special sealing elements, specifically suitable to prevent the leakage of cooling liquid from the rotor chamber 20. For example, the bearing portion 30 of the rotor 3 is designed so as to prevent the passage of cooling liquid from the recirculating chamber 21 to the command chamber 22.

[0064] In further embodiments, the command means 50 comprise specific insulating components suitable to insulate the electrical parts included in the aforementioned command means, and in particular ^' to isolate them from the pump body 2.

[0065] Preferably, embodiments are also provided for in which more than one output channel is present inside the pump body 2 downstream of the rotor 3 so that any flow of liquid flows into multiple output channels, for example in secondary cooling circuits in addition to the main cooling circuit, for example cooling the combustion engine.

[0066] Innovatively, the cooling pump group and cooling circuit to which it is applied are suitable to resolve the problems of the prior art.

[0067] Advantageously, in fact, the cooling pump group of the present invention has a higher efficiency than the efficiency of typical pump groups of the prior art.

[0068] Another advantageous aspect is, in fact, that in the rest configuration the rotor and thus the pump group do not absorb power; in the rest configuration namely when there is no demand for the cooling liquid to circulate in the circuit, there is no suction of the cooling liquid and thus no need to apply power when starting, using the appropriate drive means on the shaft and on the rotor.

[0069] Another advantageous aspect is that the regulation of the cooling liquid is thus performed directly on the rotor itself, avoiding the need for additional components downstream or upstream thereof, thereby resolving all the problems related to said type of components, from their production, to their housing inside the pump body and control of the movement thereof.

[0070] Another advantage is that the production of the pump body is extremely simplified.

[0071] Yet a further advantage is the minimisation of leakage phenomena of the cooling liquid which instead typically afflict the solutions of the prior art.

[0072] A further advantageous aspect is the simplicity and economy of the pump group according to the present invention .

[0073] A person skilled in the art may make variations to the aforesaid embodiments of the cooling pump group and cooling circuit so as to satisfy specific requirements, replacing elements with others functionally equivalent. Such variants are also contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

[0074] In addition, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be realised independently of the other embodiments described.

Claims

1. Adjustable cooling pump group (1) for a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine suitable for moving a predefined quantity of cooling liquid, comprising:

- a pump body (2) comprising an input channel and an output channel;

- a rotor (3), placed in a rotor chamber (20) made in the pump body (2) between said input channel and said output channel , suitable for moving said cooling liquid towards the output channel;

- a shaft (5) connected to the rotor (3) suitable to move it in rotation around an axis (X-X) ;

wherein the rotor (3) comprises:

i) a bearing portion (30) attached to one end of the shaft (5) and suitable for rotating with said shaft (5) and comprising an end wall (301) ;

ii) a functional portion (35) translatable along the axis (X-X) and comprising at least one vane (350) suitable for projecting from said end wall (301) with variable height depending on the translation of said functional portion (35).

2. Pump group (1) according to claim 1, wherein the functional portion (35) is suitable to be positioned in a circulating position, in which the vane (350) projects from the end wall (301) and is suitable, with the rotation of the rotor (3) , to place the cooling liquid in circulation, and a rest position in which the vane (350) is retracted, in such a way that the top of the vane (350) is flush with the end wall (301), that is to say does not project in height from it , so as to be in a position in which the cooling liquid is not moved in the cooling circuit.

3. Pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the end wall (301) has a substantially radial extension in relation to the shaft (5), and wherein the bearing portion (30) further comprises a containment wall (302) which extends axially in height from said end wall (301) suitable for / creating a rotor housing (39) suitable for containing the functional portion (35) placed in the rest position.

4. Pump group (1) according to claim 3, wherein said containment wall (302) extends parallel to the axis (X-X) near the walls of the rotor chamber (20) .

5. Pump group (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said end wall (301) presents at least one aperture (311), specially formed, to permit the passage of the vane (350) between said circulating position and said rest position.

6. Pump group (1) according to claim 5, wherein the functional portion (35) comprises a plurality of vanes (350) angularly equidistant, and the bearing portion (30) comprises a plurality of apertures (311) specially formed for the passage of each of said vanes (350).

7. Pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the vane (350) has a twisted shape.

8. Pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the functional portion (35) has an axialsymmetric extension comprising a command wall (351), of a disc and/or ring shape, from which at least one vane (350) projects.

9. Pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims, further comprising command means (50) suitable for moving the functional portion (35) between said circulating position and said rest position and vice versa, preferably suitable for engaging said command wall

(351) to command the movement of the functional portion ( 35 ) .

10. Pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the bearing portion (30) divides the rotor chamber (20) into a recirculation chamber (21) in which the cooling liquid is suitable to flow , and a sealed command chamber (22) in which access to the cooling liquid is. prevented, preferably, suitable for containing said command means (50).

11. Pump group (1) according to any of the claims from 9 to 10, wherein the command means (50) are of the electromagnetic type.

12. Pump group (1) according to claim 11, wherein the command means (50) comprise an electric coil (51) and a magnetically sensitive element (52), wherein the functional portion (35) places itself in the circulating position or in the rest position depending on whether the electric coil (51) is electrically excited or not, that is to say produces a magnetic field or not.

13. Pump group (1) according to claim 12, wherein the electric coil (51) is housed in the command chamber (22), fixed to the pump body (2), while the magnetically sensitive element (52) is attached to the functional portion (35), preferably on the command wall (351).

14. Pump group (1) according to any of the claims from 9 to 13, wherein the command means (50) are positioned in such a way as to surround the shaft (5), preferably the coil (51) and magnetically sensitive element (52) are an annular shape.

15. Pump group (1) according to any of the claims from 9 to 14, wherein the command means (50) comprise elastic means (55) operating on the functional portion (35) to keep it in said circulation position, for example in the absence of the magnetic field induced by the electric coil (51) .

16. Pump group (1) according to claim 13, wherein the elastic means (55) comprise a spring (551) engaging the bottom wall of the rotor chamber (20) , preferably of the command chamber, and the command wall (351) .

17. Cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine comprising a cooling pump group (1) according to any of the previous claims.