EP3572666B1 - Connecting element of a fluid supply pump - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a connection element of a fluid feed pump. The invention also relates to a fluid feed pump comprising such a connection element.

The DE 10 2012 100 603 A1 discloses a reciprocating compressor with at least one working cylinder, a valve plate covering the working cylinder, which carries a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve, and a valve cover which, together with the valve plate, forms a suction-side gas inlet channel and a pressure-side gas outlet channel, the gas inlet channel via the gas inlet valve and the gas outlet channel via the gas outlet valve is fluidly connected to the working cylinder and the gas outlet channel forms an air vessel to compensate for pressure fluctuations, and the volume ratio (VS: VD) between a gas volume VS of the gas inlet channel and a gas volume VD of the gas outlet channel is at least 1: 3 and at most 1: 2 .

The US 4290736 A discloses a connector comprising two concentric tubes. It is flanged to a pump and has a seal on a circumferential surface. Another seal is located on a radially extending end face. The present invention relates to a suction and pressure connection arrangement in an oil pump with a housing and a pressure and suction chamber arranged therein, as well as positive delivery pump elements.

Fluid feed pumps are known from the prior art, which are used in particular as oil pumps or hydraulic pumps in vehicles. These pumps require a fluid supply and a fluid discharge, so that a connection to two lines is necessary. For example, from the DE 10 2014 014 508 B3 and the DE 10 2014 006 556 B3 Pumps are known which comprise parallel lines for fluid supply and fluid discharge. Therefore the pump must have the intended orientation with respect to the connections present in the vehicle in order to enable a correct connection of fluid supply and fluid discharge. This leads, in particular because of the lower flexibility in the case of multiple use, to high requirements when assembling the pump.

It is the object of the invention to provide a connection element for a fluid feed pump which enables a safe and reliable connection of a fluid feed pump to a counter-element while being simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

This problem is solved by the features of the independent claim. The subclaims contain preferred developments of the invention.

The object is thus achieved by a connection element of a fluid feed pump for connecting the fluid feed pump to a counter-element. The connection element comprises at least one first connection area and at least one second connection area. The first connection area is separated from the second connection area, so that fluid can be transferred independently of one another via the first connection area and the second connection area. The first connection area is used to discharge fluid to the fluid feed pump, while the second connection area is used to feed fluid to the feed pump. A plurality of first connection areas and / or second connection areas can advantageously also be present in order to supply or discharge fluid at different pressure levels from the pump. The second connection area, which contains in particular the suction side of the fluid feed pump, is designed in an annular manner around the first connection area. In this way it is possible that the connection element with respect to the first Connection area can be connected to the counter element in any rotational orientation. The ring shape of the second connection area always ensures that there is contact with the counter-element here too, so that fluid transfer from the counter-element to the connection element is enabled both through the first connection area and through the second connection area. A special alignment of the connection element with respect to the counter element is not required. If the connection element is part of a fluid feed pump, there are therefore no increased requirements for the positioning of the fluid feed pump; rather, it is possible to connect the fluid feed pump to the counter-element in any desired rotational orientation. If there are several second connection areas, these advantageously extend around one another in a ring shape, so that every second connection area has a different diameter.

The first connection area and the second connection area are advantageously designed concentrically to a central axis. The central axis is in particular the central axis of the connection element. The connection element is thus advantageously designed to be rotationally symmetrical to the central axis. If there are several second connection areas, these are designed concentric to one another and thus concentric to the central axis.

The first connection area protrudes from the second connection area. In particular, the first connection area protrudes from the second connection area with respect to the center axis described above. In this way, a step geometry is achieved. This step geometry allows the first connection area and the second connection area to be sealed off from one another easily and with little effort if the connection element is fastened to a counter-element. Fluid to the first connection area and to the second is therefore independent of one another The connection area of the connection element can be transferred without the risk of mixing.

The first connection area has a first radial section and a first circumferential section. The second connection area has a second radial section and a second circumferential section. A radial section is to be understood as meaning, in particular, such a partial area of the respective connection area which extends radially to the center axis described above. The circumferential section is such a sub-area of the connection areas that extends in the circumferential direction around the central axis. In particular, the respective radial section and the respective circumferential section extend perpendicular to one another or at least at an angle to one another. In addition, the directions of the radial direction and the circumferential direction are preferably to be understood in relation to the central axis described above. A sealing element is attached to both the first circumferential section and the second circumferential section. The sealing element serves to seal the connection element against the counter element. The above-described protrusion of the first connection area with respect to the second connection area is also advantageously implemented by the circumferential sections. The respective peripheral section of the first connection area and of the second connection area thus serve to seal a connection of the connection element with respect to the counter-element and for sealing the first connection area with respect to the second connection area. The previously described independent transfer of fluid via the first connection area and the second connection area is thus achieved.

The first radial section particularly advantageously has at least one first opening, while the second radial section has at least one second opening. The first opening and the second opening are with a pump chamber the fluid feed pump can be connected. Thus, fluid can be supplied to the pump chamber or fluid can be removed from the pump chamber. For this purpose, the connection element can advantageously be part of a housing of the pump. Alternatively, the connection element can also be designed as an adapter element, so that the pump chamber can have any connections that are adapted to the first connection area and the second connection area by the connection element. In any case, the connection element thus allows fluid to be supplied and discharged with any rotational orientation of the entire fluid feed pump, so that mounting the fluid feed pump on the counter-element is simplified and the fluid feed pump can therefore be used very easily in various arrangements. To this end, it is in particular not necessary for the second opening to extend over the entire second, in particular annular, radial section. The sealing element on the first circumferential section and the second circumferential section enables a space to remain free axially in front of the second radial section. Thus, fluid can flow from the counter-element into said space in order to then reach the fluid feed pump via the second opening. The same applies to the first connection area and the first opening. The sealing elements can be in different designs; in particular, it is possible to manufacture the sealing elements by various measures. For example, the sealing elements can be O-rings or can be produced by 2K injection molding.

The invention also relates to a fluid feed pump. The fluid delivery pump is used in particular to deliver hydraulic fluid and / or oil and / or ethanol and / or liquids for exhaust gas aftertreatment, in particular aqueous urea solutions. The fluid feed pump can also be designed for pumping water. The fluid delivery pump comprises a pump chamber in which the fluid is delivered. In addition, the fluid feed pump comprises a connection element as described above. This is the first connection area just like the second connection area of the connection element is coupled to the pump chamber for fluid transfer. The fluid feed pump according to the invention can thus be connected to a counter-element easily and with little effort via the first connection area and the second connection area, since a certain rotational alignment of the fluid feed pump with respect to the counter-element is not necessary in order to ensure fluid transfer between the counter-element and fluid feed pump. This provides great flexibility for use on different counter-elements, which enables the fluid feed pump to be provided as a common part for different applications.

The connection element of the fluid feed pump is preferably part of a housing of the pump chamber. The connection element is thus an integral part of the fluid feed pump. An inside of the connection element thus represents a boundary wall of the pump chamber. In this way, the fluid feed pump can be connected directly to the counter-element via the housing of the pump chamber, whereby, as described above, no predetermined rotational alignment has to be observed.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the fluid feed pump has an intermediate element. The intermediate element is at least part of a housing of the pump chamber. The connection element is a separate element that rests against the intermediate element. For this purpose, the intermediate element has through openings in order to connect the first connection area and the second connection area to the pump chamber. As a result, the function of the housing is decoupled from the function of the connection element. In particular, the connection element does not have to be able to withstand the high pressures that occur in the pump chamber. This enables the connection element to be manufactured from a plastic, in particular from a thermosetting plastic. If, on the other hand, the connection element is part of the housing of the pump chamber, as described above, thus the connection element is advantageously to be manufactured from a metallic material, in particular from steel or aluminum. A plastic, in particular a thermosetting plastic, can also be used as an alternative or in addition to the metallic material.

The first connection area is advantageously coupled to a high pressure side and the second connection area to a low pressure side of the pump chamber. In this way, fluid can be discharged from the pump chamber and thus from the fluid feed pump via the first connection area, while fluid can be sucked into the pump chamber via the second connection area.

Finally, it is preferably provided that the pump chamber comprises a gear pump device, preferably a toothed ring pump device or a vane cell. A toothed ring and a gearwheel are thus mounted within the pump chamber. The storage takes place in particular floating. A low-pressure side and a high-pressure side of the pump chamber, with which the first connection area and the second connection area are coupled, are thus defined by the toothed ring and the gearwheel.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Ansicht einer Fluidförderpumpe gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Ansicht eines Anschlusselements gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Ansicht eines Anschlusselements gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.

The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments. Show:

Fig. 1

a schematic view of a fluid feed pump according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2

a schematic view of a connection element according to a first embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 3

a schematic view of a connection element according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a fluid feed pump 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The fluid feed pump 10 comprises a drive 17, which is designed in particular as an electric motor. A shaft 18 can be driven via the drive 17. The shaft 18 in turn drives a toothed wheel 16 which meshes with a toothed ring 15.

The gear wheel 16 and the toothed ring 15 are arranged in a pump chamber 12 and are particularly floating there. Fluid can be conveyed in the pump chamber 12, as a result of which the fluid conveying pump 10 can suck in fluid and dispense it under pressure.

The fluid feed pump 10 also has a connection element 1 for connecting the fluid feed pump 10 to a counter element 11 (cf. Figures 2 and 3 ) to supply fluid to the fluid feed pump 10 and to discharge fluid from the fluid feed pump 10. The connection element 1 as well as the exact configuration of the pump chamber 12 are described below with reference to FIG Figures 2 and 3 explained.

Figure 2 shows schematically the connection element 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. In the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connection element 1 represents part of a housing of the pump chamber 12. Further parts of the housing of the pump chamber 12 are a hollow cylindrical element 19 and a cover element 20.

A low-pressure side 22 and a high-pressure side 21 are present within the pressure chamber 12. Fluid can be fed to the pump chamber 12 via the low-pressure side 22, while the fluid can be discharged from the pump chamber 12 via the high-pressure side 21. It is thus provided that the connection element 1 connects to the counter element 11 both to the High pressure side 21 as well as the low pressure side 22 allows. For this purpose, the connection element 1 has a first connection area 2 and a second connection area 3. The first connection area 2 is used to couple the counter element 11 to the high pressure side 21, while the second connection area 3 is used to couple the counter element 11 to the low pressure side 22. The fluid feed pump 1 can thus in particular suck in fluid from the counter-element 11 via the second connection area 3 and in particular output fluid to the counter-element 11 via the first connection area 2. Alternatively, the connection areas 2, 3 can also be interchanged, so that the first connection area 2 is coupled to the low-pressure side 22 and the second connection area 3 is coupled to the high-pressure side.

An outer contour of the connection element 1 is designed to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to a central axis 100. The first connection area 2 extends along said central axis 100, while the second connection area 3 is annular around the first connection area 2 and thus annular around the central axis 100. The first connection area 2 has a first radial section 4 and a first circumferential section 6, while the second connection area 3 has a second radial section 5 and a second circumferential section 7. Through the first circumferential area 6, the first connection area 2 protrudes with respect to the second connection area 3 with respect to the central axis 100. Sealing elements 13 can be attached to the first circumferential area 6 and to the second circumferential area 7 in order to seal the connection element 1 with respect to the counter-element 11.

The counter-element 11 can thus be coupled to the first connection area 2 and the second connection area 3 at the same time in order to receive fluid without mixing via the first connection area 2 from the pump chamber 12 and to transfer it via the second connection area 3 to the pump chamber 12. For this purpose, the first connection area 2 points to the first Radial section 4 has a first opening 8, while the second connection area 3 has a second opening 9 on the second radial section 5. The first opening 8 is connected to the high pressure side 21 of the pump chamber 12, while the second opening 9 is connected to the low pressure side 22 of the pump chamber 12. Thus, fluid can be transported from the counter element 11 to and from the pump chamber 12. The second opening can extend in the shape of a ring along the entire second radial section 5 or can only be formed on a partial area of the second radial section 5.

One advantage of the connection element 1 can be seen in the fact that a rotational alignment of the connection element 1 about the central axis 100 is irrelevant for a connection to the counter-element 11. Fluid transfer between the counter element 11 and the connection element 1 can thus be achieved in any desired orientation about the central axis 100. The protrusion of the first connection area 2 with respect to the second connection area 3 and the sealing elements 13 mean that the first connection area 2 is sealed against the second connection area 3 and the second connection area 3 with respect to the surroundings. Mixing of fluid on the high pressure side 21 and the low pressure side 22 of the pump chamber 12 is thus avoided. Rather, fluid can be transmitted safely and reliably via the respective connection area 2, 3 at a different pressure.

In particular, the sealing element 13 on the second radial section 7 delimits a hollow cylindrical area between the second radial section 5 and the counter element 11. Fluid can flow into this area in order to then reach the pump chamber 12 through the second opening 9.

In the first exemplary embodiment, the connection element 1 represents a housing part of the pump chamber 12. The connection element 1 is therefore as To design the housing element, in particular the connection element 1 must withstand high pressures. Thus, the connection element 1 is advantageously made of a metallic material, for example aluminum or steel. On the one hand, this enables the high pressures to be endured and, on the other hand, a safe and reliable design of the floating mounting of the gear wheel 16 and the toothed ring 15.

Fig. 3 shows schematically a second exemplary embodiment of the connection element 1. The second exemplary embodiment is essentially identical to the first exemplary embodiment, an intermediate element 14 being provided between the connection element 1 and the pump chamber 12. The intermediate element 14 thus serves as a housing part for defining the pressure chamber 12, so that the connection element 1 does not have to be designed as a housing part. As a result, the function of the housing of the pressure chamber 12 is decoupled from the function of transferring fluid.

The intermediate element 14 is thus to be designed as a housing part; in particular, the intermediate element 14 is to be manufactured from a metallic material, for example from aluminum or steel. The intermediate element 14 has through openings 23 in order to connect the first opening 8 and the second opening 9 to the high pressure side 21 and the low pressure side 22 of the pump chamber 12, respectively.

The connection element 1 is designed in terms of its geometry as in the first exemplary embodiment, the connection element 1 according to the second exemplary embodiment no longer having to function as a housing part. It is therefore possible, in particular, to manufacture the connection element 1 from plastic, preferably from a thermosetting plastic. The connection element 1 is to be aligned with the through openings 23 of the intermediate element 14. With regard to the Ability to connect the fluid feed pump 1 to the counter element 11, the connection element 1 is identical to the first exemplary embodiment.

List of reference symbols

1

Connection element

2

first connection area

3

second connection area

4th

first radial section

5

second radial section

6th

first circumferential section

7th

second circumferential section

8th

first opening

9

second opening

10

Fluid delivery pump

11

Counter element

12th

Pump chamber

13th

Sealing element

14th

Intermediate element

15th

Toothed ring

16

gear

17th

drive

18th

wave

19th

hollow cylindrical element

20th

Cover element

21

High pressure side

22nd

Low pressure side

23

Through opening

Claims (8)

1. Connection element (1) for a fluid delivery pump (10) for connecting the fluid delivery pump (10) to a counterpart element (11), comprising

   • at least one first connection region (2) for discharging fluid to the fluid delivery pump (10), and

   • at least one second connection region (3) for feeding fluid from the fluid delivery pump (10), which second connection region is separate from the first connection region (2),

   • wherein the second connection region (3) is formed annularly around the first connection region (2), characterized in that the first connection region (2) projects in relation to the second connection region (3), wherein the first connection region (2) has a first radial portion (4) and a first circumferential portion (6), and the second connection region (2) has a second radial portion (5) and a second circumferential portion (7), wherein, on the first circumferential portion (6) and the second circumferential portion (7), there is arranged in each case one sealing element (13) for sealing off the connection element (1) with respect to the counterpart element (11).
2. Connection element (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first connection region (2) and the second connection region (3) are formed concentrically with respect to a central axis (100).
3. Connection element (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first radial portion (4) has at least one first opening (8), and the second radial portion (5) has at least one second opening (9), wherein the first opening (8) and the second opening (9) are able to be connected to a pump chamber (12) of the fluid delivery pump (1) in order to feed fluid to the pump chamber (12) or in order to discharge fluid from the pump chamber (12).
4. Fluid delivery pump (10) comprising a pump chamber (12) for delivering fluid, and a connection element (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the first connection region (2) and the second connection region (3) of the connection element (1) are coupled to the pump chamber (12) for the purpose of fluid transfer.
5. Fluid delivery pump (10) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the connection element (1) constitutes at least one part of a housing of the pump chamber (12).
6. Fluid delivery pump (10) according to Claim 4, characterized by an intermediate element (14) which constitutes at least one part of a housing of the pump chamber (12), wherein the connection element (1) is arranged on the intermediate element (14), and wherein the intermediate element (14) has passage openings (23) in order to connect the first connection region (2) and the second connection region (3) of the connection element (1) to the pump chamber (12) for the purpose of fluid transfer.
7. Fluid delivery pump (10) according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the first connection region (2) is coupled to a high-pressure side (21), and the second connection region (3) is coupled to a low-pressure side (22), of the pump chamber (12).
8. Fluid delivery pump (10) according to one of Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the pump chamber (12) comprises a toothed-gear pump device, preferably a toothed-ring pump device (15, 16), or a vane-type pump device.

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