US20020047377A1 - Washer pump and motor brush support structure - Google Patents
Washer pump and motor brush support structure Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020047377A1 US20020047377A1 US09/987,741 US98774101A US2002047377A1 US 20020047377 A1 US20020047377 A1 US 20020047377A1 US 98774101 A US98774101 A US 98774101A US 2002047377 A1 US2002047377 A1 US 2002047377A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- motor
- brush
- commutator
- case
- housing
- Prior art date
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Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R39/00—Rotary current collectors, distributors or interrupters
- H01R39/02—Details for dynamo electric machines
- H01R39/38—Brush holders
- H01R39/41—Brush holders cartridge type
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
- H02K5/04—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
- H02K5/14—Means for supporting or protecting brushes or brush holders
- H02K5/143—Means for supporting or protecting brushes or brush holders for cooperation with commutators
- H02K5/146—Pivotally supported brushes or brush holders
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
- H02K5/04—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
- H02K5/22—Auxiliary parts of casings not covered by groups H02K5/06-H02K5/20, e.g. shaped to form connection boxes or terminal boxes
- H02K5/225—Terminal boxes or connection arrangements
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
- H02K5/24—Casings; Enclosures; Supports specially adapted for suppression or reduction of noise or vibrations
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K7/00—Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
- H02K7/14—Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R39/00—Rotary current collectors, distributors or interrupters
- H01R39/02—Details for dynamo electric machines
- H01R39/38—Brush holders
- H01R39/39—Brush holders wherein the brush is fixedly mounted in the holder
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a washer pump preferable for a washer device that sprays cleaning liquid to the windshield of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a motor brush support structure preferable for washer pump.
- a typical washer device for vehicles includes a tank for storing cleaning liquid and a washer pump for pumping the cleaning liquid from the tank to a washer nozzle.
- a washer pump described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 4-129863 has a housing including a motor chamber and a pump chamber.
- the motor chamber accommodates a direct current motor.
- the pump chamber includes an impeller. The motor rotates the impeller, which pumps the cleaning liquid from the tank to the washer nozzle.
- a flattened motor is desired.
- the cross section of the motor is preferably shaped as if two opposite sides of a circle were cut off.
- Such motors are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-129863, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 61-43768, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-52370, and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 4-111263.
- Each motor described in any one of these publications includes a pair of opposed arcuate portions and a pair of opposed flat portions.
- the motor includes an armature and a commutator that are located on the output shaft, a pair of magnets surrounding the armature, a pair of brushes contacting the commutator, and a pair of supports for the brushes.
- Publication No. 61-43768 and 6-52370 describe a support including a plate spring.
- the plate spring includes a proximal end supported by the lid of the motor case and a distal end on which the brush is fixed. The resilience of the plate spring presses the brush against the commutator.
- the brush contact pressure to the commutator greatly influences the operational losses of the motor, such as resistance loss and friction loss. Therefore, the brush contact pressure to the commutator must be properly maintained. However, as the brush wears, the force of the plate spring supporting the brush changes, which changes the brush contact pressure.
- the arm portion of the plate spring is perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the motor.
- the distance between the opposite flat surfaces is relatively small. Therefore, it is impossible to greatly increase the length of the arm portion of the plate spring. In other words, the size of the motor cannot be reduced by further flattening the motor without reducing the length of the arm portion of the plate spring. Accordingly, the arrangement of the plate spring shown in the publications is an obstacle to reducing the size of the motor.
- the input terminal that is connected to the external output terminal is attached to the lid of the motor case.
- the support for the brushes is attached to the lid to contact the input terminal.
- the input terminal and the support are independent and are respectively attached to the lid, which not only complicates the motor structure but limits miniaturization of the motor.
- An objective of the present invention is to provide a motor brush support structure that can downsize the motor and maintain the initial performance of the motor for a relatively long period.
- Another objective of the present invention is to provide a motor brush support structure that facilitates the motor assembly.
- a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a washer pump including such a motor brush support structure.
- the present invention provides a motor brush support structure.
- the motor includes a case having a detachable lid, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft.
- the support structure comprises a brush, a resilient member, a base and an engagement structure.
- the brush is opposed to the commutator.
- the resilient member urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator.
- the base is attached to the lid.
- the base includes a retainer for retaining the resilient member.
- the engagement structure is located between the resilient member and the retainer such that the resilient member is detachably secured to the retainer.
- the motor in a motor brush support structure provided by the another aspect of the present invention, includes a case, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft.
- the case has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case.
- the support structure comprises a brush and a resilient member.
- the brush is opposed to the commutator.
- the resilient member urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator.
- the resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed.
- the resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
- the present invention provides a pump.
- the pump comprises a housing, which includes a motor chamber, an impeller, which draws in and pumps out liquid, and a motor, which is accommodated in the motor chamber to drive the impeller.
- the motor includes a case, which has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case, an output shaft, which is coupled to the impeller, a commutator, which is located on the output shaft, a brush, which is opposed to the commutator, and a resilient member, which urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator.
- the resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed. The resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
- FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a partially cut away view of a washer device including the washer pump of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4 - 4 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the motor taken along line 5 - 5 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the brush support structure on the lid of the motor of FIG. 5;
- FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the brush support of FIG. 6;
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a base plate forming a portion of the brush support of FIG. 7;
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a plate spring forming a portion of the brush support of FIG. 7;
- FIG. 10( a ) is a cross sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a housing before installation of a motor in another embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 10( b ) is a cross sectional view showing the housing of FIG. 10( a ) accommodating a motor
- FIG. 11( a ) is a cross sectional view taken along line 11 a - 11 a of FIG. 13 showing a housing before installation of a motor in a further embodiment of the present embodiment
- FIG. 11( b ) is a cross sectional view of the housing of FIG. 11( a ) accommodating a motor
- FIG. 12 is a partially cut away front view showing a washer device
- FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump of the washer device of FIG. 12;
- FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of a housing of a washer pump according to a further embodiment the present invention.
- FIG. 2 shows a washer device 10 for vehicles.
- the washer device 10 includes a tank 11 for storing cleaning liquid and a washer pump 12 , which is attached to the tank 11 .
- the washer pump 12 pumps cleaning liquid from the tank 11 to a washer nozzle (not shown).
- the tank 11 is a generally rectangular and has a supply port 13 at the top.
- a vertical side wall 11 a which is recessed, is formed at the lower portion of the tank 11 .
- An installation hole 14 for receiving the washer pump 12 is formed in the vertical side wall 11 a .
- the washer pump 12 fitted in the installation hole 14 with a grommet 15 and the axis of the washer pump 12 extends horizontally. Approximately one half of the washer pump 12 is located in the tank 11 and the other half is located outside the tank 11 .
- the washer pump 12 includes a generally cylindrical housing 16 , a motor 17 located in the housing 16 , and an impeller 27 .
- the housing 16 is, for example, made of fiber-reinforced resin and includes a hollow cylindrical body 19 , a pump case 20 , and a lid 21 .
- the pump case 20 engages a closed end of the cylindrical body 19 and the lid 21 engages an open end of the body 19 .
- the closed end of the body 19 is located in the tank 11 and the open end of the body 19 is located outside the tank 11 .
- the lid 21 closes the open end of the body 19 and forms a motor chamber 24 in the body 19 .
- the interior surface of the motor chamber 24 , or the internal surface of the body 19 includes an internal circumferential surface 22 and an internal end surface 18 .
- a motor 17 which is a DC motor, is fitted in the motor chamber 24 .
- a pump chamber 25 which accommodates the impeller 27 , is formed between the closed end of the body 19 and the pump case 20 .
- An output shaft 23 of the motor 17 passes through the closed end of the body 19 , or through a partition 19 a , and extends into the pump chamber 25 .
- the partition 19 a is located between the motor chamber 24 and the pump chamber 25 .
- An impeller 27 is fixed to the distal end of the output shaft 23 .
- a seal 26 is located between the output shaft 23 and the partition 19 a and seals the motor chamber 24 from the pump chamber 25 .
- An inlet 20 a for drawing cleaning liquid from the tank 11 to the pump chamber 25 is located in the central portion of the pump case 20 .
- a case for covering the motor 17 includes a tube 28 having an open end and a lid 29 closing the opened end of the tube 28 .
- the tube 28 functions as a yoke.
- the tube 28 includes a pair of opposed flat walls 28 a and a pair of opposed arcuate walls 28 b .
- the cross sectional area of the motor 17 is shaped as if two opposite sides of a cylinder have been cut off. That is, the motor 17 has recessed portions (flat walls 28 a ), which are located inward of an imaginary circle centered on the axis of the motor and having a radius matching the maximum radius of the motor 17 .
- the cross sectional shape of the motor chamber 24 substantially corresponds to the cross sectional shape of the motor 17 .
- the body 19 of the housing 16 has thick portions 19 b , which correspond to the flat walls 28 a , or the recessed portions, of the motor 17 .
- a pair of magnets 31 are fixed to the inner surfaces of the arcuate walls 28 b in the case 30 .
- the tube 28 magnetically connects the magnets 31 .
- an armature 32 which is made of an iron core and a coil, is surrounded by the magnets 31 in the case 30 .
- a commutator 33 is also located in the case 30 .
- the armature 32 and the commutator 33 are attached to the output shaft 23 .
- a bearing 34 is attached to the closed end of the tube 28 through a holder 35 .
- the bearing 34 rotatably supports the output shaft 23 .
- a connector 36 a for supplying electric power is formed on the outer surface of the lid 21 of the housing 16 .
- the connector 36 a includes a pair of male terminals 36 b , which extend into the housing 16 .
- the terminals 36 b which serve as output terminals, are respectively received in a pair of connection ports 37 , which are formed in the lid 29 of the motor 17 .
- the housing 16 includes an outlet 38 for discharging cleaning liquid. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the housing 16 also includes a discharge passage 39 for connecting the pump chamber 25 to the outlet 38 .
- the discharge passage 39 extends in the axial direction of the motor 17 in the body 19 of the housing 16 , or in the lower thick portion 19 b . At least part of the discharge passage 39 is located inward of the imaginary circle mentioned previously, as seen in FIG. 4.
- the internal circumferential surface 22 of the body 19 includes a fitting surface 40 and a large diameter surface 41 .
- the large diameter surface 41 the diameter of which is greater than that of the fitting surface 40 , is located in the vicinity of the open end of the body 19 .
- An annular projection 42 is formed on the end surface 18 of the body 19 . The projection 42 engages the holder 35 .
- An annular front space 43 is formed between the inner surface of the body 19 and the outer surface of the motor 17 .
- projections 44 which extend in the axial direction of the motor 17 , are formed on the fitting surface 40 at equal angular intervals to face the arcuate walls 28 b of the motor 17 .
- the projections 44 contact the arcuate walls 28 b .
- the projections 44 define longitudinal passages 51 between the fitting surface 40 and the arcuate walls 28 b .
- the longitudinal passages 51 extend in the axial direction of the motor 17 .
- the longitudinal passages 51 between the motor 17 and the housing 16 connect the front space 43 of the motor chamber 24 to a rear space (corresponding to the large diameter surface 41 ) of the motor chamber 24 .
- a drain structure 47 which connects the motor chamber 24 to the exterior of the housing 16 , is formed in the housing 16 .
- the drain structure 47 leads water in the motor chamber 24 to the exterior of the housing 16 to prevent water from remaining in the motor chamber 24 .
- the drain structure 47 is located at the lowest part of the motor chamber 24 .
- the drain structure 47 includes a first, or main, passage 48 , a pair of second, or inlet, passages 49 , and a third, or outlet, passage 50 .
- the parts of the drain structure 47 respectively extend in different directions.
- the first, or main, passage 48 is formed in the lower thick portion 19 b of the body 19 and extends in an axial direction of the housing 16 .
- the second, or inlet, passages 49 extend along the circumference of the housing 16 and connect the motor chamber 24 to one end of the main passage 48 .
- the third, or outlet, passage 50 extends radially and connects an inner end of the main passage 48 to the exterior of the housing 16 .
- At least one part of the drain structure 47 is located inward of the imaginary circle that circumscribes the motor 17 . As shown in FIG. 3, part of the main passage 48 is located inward of the imaginary circle that circumscribes the motor 17 .
- the lid 29 serves as a support for the brush support structure and includes a metal main plate 54 , which is shaped to correspond to the open end of the tube 28 .
- a resin insulator 56 is attached to the main plate 54 .
- the main plate 54 is formed, for example, by press punching a metal plate.
- the insulator 56 is integrally formed with the main plate 54 , for example, by outserting.
- connection ports 37 are respectively formed in the connectors 55 .
- the ports 37 pass through the insulator 56 .
- the insulator 56 also includes a pair of projections 59 , which are formed on the inner surface of the main plate 54 .
- the bearing 57 is attached LO the central portion of the inner surface of the main plate 54 .
- the bearing 57 is a plain bearing but may be a ball-and-roller bearing.
- the proximal end of the output shaft 23 is rotatably supported by the bearing 57 , and the output shaft 23 contacts the main plate 54 . Accordingly, the output shaft 23 is electrically connected to the main plate 54 .
- FIGS. 5 and 6 a pair of brush supports 58 are attached to the insulator 56 at opposite sides of the bearing 57 .
- the brush supports 58 are arranged to surround the commutator 33 , which is located on the output shaft 23 , and are symmetrical with respect to the axis of the output shaft 23 .
- FIG. 7 shows one of the brush supports 58 .
- Each brush support 58 includes a base plate 60 , which is crimped to a corresponding one of the projections 59 , and a plate spring 61 , which is detachably supported by the base plate 60 .
- the base plate 60 is formed by bending a resilient metal plate.
- the base plate 60 includes an attachment portion 53 fixed to the insulator 56 , a retainer 62 for retaining the plate spring 61 , and a female terminal 63 that serves as an input terminal.
- the retainer 62 and the female terminal 63 are formed by bending sides of the attachment portion at right angles.
- the attachment portion 53 includes an engagement hole 53 a , which engages the projection 59 .
- the projection 59 when engaged with the engagement hole 53 a , is held between the retainer 62 and the female terminal 63 (See FIG. 5).
- the retainer 62 has a planar retaining surface 62 a , which is on the opposite side of retainer 62 from the female terminal 63 .
- a clamping arm 62 b is curved from the top of the retainer 62 toward the retaining surface 62 a .
- the plate spring 61 is held between the retaining surface 62 a and the clamping arm 62 b by the spring force of the clamping arm 62 b (See FIG. 7). When the plate spring 61 is detached from the base plate 60 , the distal end of the clamping arm 62 b enters a slot 62 c in the retaining surface 62 a.
- Upper and lower columnar engagement projections 62 d are formed on the retaining surface 62 a adjacent to the clamping arm 62 b .
- a wedge-shaped engagement claw 62 e is formed on the retaining surface 62 a and is located between the engagement projections 62 d .
- the engagement claw 62 e has an inclined surface that is lower toward the clamping arm 62 b .
- Upper and lower engagement pieces 62 f are formed by bending part of the retainer 62 and are located on the opposite side of the clamping arm 62 b from the engagement projections 62 d.
- each female terminal 63 of the base plates 60 is aligned with the corresponding connection port 37 .
- each female terminal 63 is located inward of the retainer 62 in the radial direction of the output shaft 23 .
- each female terminal is located between the retainer 62 and the commutator 33 in a radial direction of the output shaft 23 that is parallel to the flat walls 28 a .
- each retainer 62 of the base plates 60 is located near the corresponding arcuate walls 28 b of the tube 28 .
- the retainer is arranged to correspond to the largest diameter portion of the motor 17 .
- limit columns 67 are formed at the corners of the insulator 56 .
- the limit columns 67 are parallel to the axis of the motor 17 , or the axis of the output shaft 23 .
- Each retainer 62 is supported by the corresponding limit column 67 from the inside.
- the two limit columns 67 support the corresponding retainers 62 such that each retainer 62 is parallel to the axis of the output shaft 23 and perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a of the tube 28 .
- the brush supports 58 are essentially the same, so the following describes only one brush support 58 for simplicity.
- the plate spring 61 is formed by bending a resilient metal plate near its middle at a right angle.
- the plate spring 61 includes a retained portion 64 retained by the retainer 62 of the base plate 60 and an arm portion 65 extending from one end of the retained portion 64 .
- the retained portion 64 is from the proximal end to the middle of the plate spring 61 .
- the arm portion 65 is from the middle to the distal end of the plate spring 61 .
- the proximal end of the plate spring 61 includes an engagement hole 64 a .
- the proximal end of the retained portion 64 also includes a pair of notches 64 b , which are formed on opposite sides of the engagement hole 64 a .
- a brush 66 is fixed to the distal end of the plate spring 61 , or the distal end of the arm portion 65 .
- the retained portion 64 is held between the retaining surface 62 a and the clamping arm 62 b .
- the engagement claw 62 e on the retaining surface 62 a engages the engagement hole 64 a of the retained portion 64 .
- the engagement projections 62 d engage the internal corners of the notches 64 b .
- the engagement pieces 62 f of the retainer 62 engage the sides of the retained portion 64 .
- the clamping arm 62 b , the engagement claw 62 e , the engagement projections 62 d , and the engagement pieces 62 f constitute an engagement structure, or a positioning structure, which fixes the retained portion 64 to the base plate 60 .
- two positioning pillars 68 are formed on opposite sides of the insulator 56 and correspond to the brush supports 58 .
- the positioning pillars 68 are parallel to the axis of the motor 17 , or the axis of the output shaft 23 .
- Each retained portion 64 of the plate spring 61 is supported by the corresponding positioning pillar 69 from the outside.
- Each positioning pillar 68 also positions the corresponding magnet 31 in the case 30 in the axial direction of the motor 17 . That is, when the lid 29 is attached to the tube 28 as shown in FIG. 5, the distal end of each positioning pillar 68 contacts one end of the corresponding magnet 31 . On the other hand, the other end of each magnet 31 contacts a positioning projection 28 c (FIG. 5), which is formed near the closed end of the tube 28 . Accordingly, each magnet 31 is axially positioned between the positioning pillar 68 and the positioning projection 28 c . Further, the magnets 31 are prevented from moving in the radial direction of the motor 17 by a stopper (not shown).
- the base plates 60 are respectively located near the arcuate walls 28 b of the tube 28 . Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the retained portions 64 of the plate spring 61 are also located near the arcuate walls 28 b , or at the positions corresponding to the largest diameter portions of the motor 17 . Each retained portion 64 is also retained by the corresponding retainer 62 such that the retained portion 64 is parallel to the axis of the output shaft 23 and perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a.
- the arm portions 65 extend perpendicular to the axis of the output shaft 23 at a position corresponding to the flat walls 28 a , or at positions corresponding to the recessed portions of the motor 17 .
- Each arm portion 65 presses the corresponding brush 66 to the outer surface of the commutator 33 with a predetermined force.
- the corresponding arm portion 65 is generally parallel to the flat walls 28 a and urges the brush 66 in a direction perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a.
- the assembly method of the motor 17 will be described.
- the proximal end of the output shaft 23 is received in the bearing 57 of the lid 29 .
- the base plates 60 are fixed to the lid 29 in advance.
- the armature 32 and the commutator 33 are located on the output shaft 23 .
- each retained portion 64 of the plate springs 61 is located between the corresponding engagement pieces 62 f and is held between the retaining surface 62 a and the clamping arm 62 b .
- each retained portion 64 is moved along the corresponding retaining surface 62 a such that it enters between the engagement projections 62 d .
- the engaged projections 62 d engage the correspond notches 64 b
- the engagement claw 62 e engages the engagement hole 64 a . Accordingly, each retained portion 64 is fixed to the corresponding base plate 60 .
- the lid 29 is attached to the tube 28 such that the armature 32 is accommodated in the tube 28 .
- the magnets 31 are attached to the inner surfaces of the arcuate walls 28 b of the tube 28 in advance.
- the magnets 31 are positioned in the axial direction of the motor 17 by the positioning pillars 68 and the positioning projections 28 c . As a result, the magnets 31 are properly positioned to face the armature 32 .
- the brushes 66 of the assembled motor 17 wear due to friction between the brushes 66 and the commutator 33 after long use. As the brushes 66 wear, the amount of displacement of the arm portions 65 is gradually reduced, therefore the corresponding urging forces are gradually reduced. If the force of each arm portion 65 is reduced to the extent that contact between the brushes 66 and the commutator 33 cannot be maintained, the plate springs 61 , including the brushes 66 , can be replaced.
- Replacing the plate springs 61 is performed as follows. First the lid 29 is removed from the tube 28 . At the same time, the output shaft having the armature 32 and the commutator 33 is removed with the lid 29 from the tube 28 . Next, the plate springs 61 are detached from the base plates 60 . Then, new plate springs 61 are attached to the base plates 60 and the lid 29 is attached to the tube 28 .
- Each arm portion 65 of the plate springs 61 is substantially parallel to the flat walls 28 a of the tube 28 Also, the proximal end of each plate spring 61 , or the fixed end of each arm portion 65 , is located radially inward of a corresponding one of the arcuate walls 28 b of the tube 28 . Accordingly, the length of each arm portion 65 , or the distance from the fixed end of the arm portion 65 to the brush 66 , is maximized in the limited internal space of the tube 28 .
- each arm portion 65 The greater the length of each arm portion 65 is, the smaller the loss of urging force of the arm portion 65 due to friction wear of the brush 66 is. Accordingly, since the length of the arm portion 65 is maximized in the present embodiment, the force that presses each brush 66 against the commutator is stable for a long period. Therefore, the initial performance of the motor 17 can be maintained for a long period.
- the motor 17 can be flattened without reducing the length of the arm portions 65 . Accordingly, the size and weight of the motor 17 are reduced without reducing motor torque and the life of the brushes 66 .
- the size and weight of the washer pump 12 can be reduced without reducing the displacement of the washer pump 12 and without shortening the live of parts.
- the retainer 62 of the base plate 60 is generally perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a .
- the female terminals 63 are located between the corresponding retainers 62 and the commutator 33 in the radial direction of the output shaft 23 that is parallel to the flat walls 28 a .
- the retainers 62 are aligned with the female terminals 63 in the radial direction of the motor 17 parallel to the flat walls 28 a .
- the female terminals 63 arc located on the lid 29 without limiting the flattening of the motor 17
- the retainers 62 are close to the female terminals 63 , which permits miniaturization of the brush support structure.
- the female terminals 63 are integrally formed with the base plates 60 , the structure is simple and the number of parts is reduced.
- the plate springs have to be spread manually to arrange the commutator between the brushes when installing the output shaft, which carries the armature and the commutator, to the lid, which carries the plate springs.
- the output shaft 23 which carries the armature 32 and the commutator 33 , is attached to the lid 29 before the plate springs 61 are attached to the base plates 60 on the lid 29 . This eliminates the troublesome step of manually spreading the plate springs, which facilitates the assembly of the motor 17 .
- the clamping arms 62 b , the engagement claws 62 e , the engagement projections 62 d , and the engagement pieces 62 f are integrally formed on the corresponding base plates 60 . Accordingly, to attach the detachable plate springs 61 to the base plates 60 , there is no need for other independent parts. Therefore, the number of parts forming the brush supports 58 is minimized to two. This facilitates attaching the plate springs 61 to the base plates 60 .
- the plate springs 61 are attached to the base plates 60 by moving the plate springs 61 such that the brushes 66 approach the commutator 33 .
- the direction in which the plate springs 61 are moved when attaching them to the base plates 60 is the same as the direction in which the brushes 66 are pressed against the commutator 33 by the plate springs 61 . This prevents excessive forces from being applied to the brushes 66 when attaching the plate springs 61 to the base plates 60 , which further facilitates attaching the plate springs 61 to the base plates 60 .
- the insulator 56 supporting the insulated base plates 60 also supports the bearing 57 for the output shaft 23 . Therefore, the number of parts is reduced and the structure is simplified.
- the lid 29 includes the positioning pillars 68 for positioning and retaining the magnets 31 in the motor 17 . Therefore, the magnets 31 are retained at the right position with respect to the armature 32 when the lid 29 is attached to the tube 28 .
- the main plate 54 of the lid 29 is a metal plate.
- the main plate 54 is electrically connected to the tube 28 .
- the case 30 which is formed by the tube 28 and the lid 29 , electromagnetically shields the internal magnetic circuit of the motor 17 . This prevents electromagnetic noise from leaking from the motor 17 . Since the output shaft 23 is electrically connected to the main plate 54 , leakage of electromagnetic noise from the output shaft 23 is also prevented.
- the discharge passage 39 is formed in the lower thick portion 19 b such that at least part of the discharge passage 39 is inward of the imaginary circle circumscribing the motor 17 .
- the discharge passage 39 is arranged to correspond to the lower flat wall 28 a of the motor 17 . Therefore, the internal space of the washer pump 12 is efficiently used, which makes the washer pump compact.
- the displacement of the pump 12 is increased by increasing the cross-sectional area of the discharge passage 39 without increasing the size of the pump 12 . Since the motor 17 is flattened as much as possible, the cross-sectional area of the discharge passage 39 is easily increased.
- the front space 43 of the motor chamber 24 is connected to the rear surface of the motor chamber 24 through the longitudinal passage 51 .
- the rear space of the motor chamber 24 is connected to the exterior of the housing 16 through the drain structure 47 . Accordingly, the motor chamber 24 is always open to the atmosphere. This prevents cleaning water from being drawn from the tank 11 into the motor chamber 24 through the pump chamber 25 due to pressure changes in the motor chamber 24 . Therefore, malfunctions of the motor 17 due to water leakage are prevented.
- the drain structure 47 which is open to the exterior of the housing 16 , includes the main, inlet, and outlet passages 48 , 49 , 50 , which respectively extend in different directions. Accordingly, if the washer pump 12 is splashed by water, water does not reach the motor chamber 24 and the internal space of the motor 17 .
- Most of the drain structure 47 is formed in the lower thick portion 19 b of the body 19 such that at least part of the drain structure 47 is inward of the imaginary circle circumscribing the motor 17 .
- the drain structure 47 is located to correspond to the lower flat wall 28 a of the motor 17 . Therefore, the internal space of the washer pump 12 is effectively used, which makes the pump 12 compact.
- FIGS. 1 - 9 The embodiment shown by FIGS. 1 - 9 can be varied as follows.
- the female terminals 63 may be located on a radially outer side of the retainers 62 of the base plates 60 .
- the female terminals 63 may be independent from the base plates 60 .
- the input terminals are connected to the plate springs 61 by special connectors such as lead wires or patterned wiring.
- such input terminals may be located to be exposed to the exterior of the lid 29 .
- the input terminals may be soldered to the output terminals 36 b . In this case, there is no need for any space for the input terminals inside the lid 29 . Therefore, the retained portions 64 of the plate springs 61 can extend in a direction that is not perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a.
- the output terminals 36 b may be female terminals and the input terminals 63 may be male terminals.
- the closed end of the tube 28 may be a detachable lid.
- the brush support structure may be located in the lid on the distal side of the output shaft 23 instead of the lid 29 on the proximal side of the output shaft 23 .
- any one of the two brush supports 58 the base plate 60 and the plate spring 61 may be integrally formed.
- the plate springs 61 may be supported by objects that are integrally formed on the insulator 56 instead of the base plates 60 .
- the brush support structure may be supported by a special support member that is fixed to the case 30 of the motor 17 , instead of the lid 29 .
- the engagement structure for detachably engaging the plate springs 61 with the base plates 60 is not limited to the structure shown in FIG. 6.
- the plate springs 61 may be engaged with the base plates 60 only by the clamping arms 62 b of the base plates 60 .
- the clamping arms 62 b for holding the base plates 60 may be formed on the plate springs 61 .
- the engagement structure may be independent from the plate springs 61 or the base plates 60 .
- the four positioning pillars 68 may be located at the four corners of the insulator 56 .
- the housing 16 need not include the body 19 , the pump case 20 , and the lid 21 .
- the housing 16 may be formed by two housing members, which are divided along an axial plane.
- the housing 16 may also be formed by more than two members.
- the directions in which the drain structure 47 extends are not limited to the radial, axial, and circumferential directions of the housing 16 .
- the drain structure 47 may branch in any direction.
- the drain structure 47 may have any shape as long as it is not a single straight passage and at least part of it bends. That is, the drain structure 47 should bend to extend in two directions.
- the main passage 48 may be omitted and the inlet passages 49 may be directly connected to the outlet passage 50 .
- the main passage 48 may be a curved passage instead of a straight passage.
- the shape of the drain structure 47 may be arcuate.
- the main passage 48 may extend below the front space 43 of the motor chamber 24 and the front space 43 may be directly connected to the main passage 48 .
- air passage for connecting the motor chamber 24 to the exterior of the housing 16 may be provided.
- air is drawn to the motor chamber 24 through the other air passage as water is drained from the drain structure 47 .
- the air passage is preferably formed by a plurality of passages that extend at least in two directions.
- another passage for connecting the front space 43 of the motor chamber 24 to the rear space of the motor chamber 24 may be formed in an appropriate portion of the body 19 .
- the motor 17 does not have to include flat walls 28 a but may be cylindrical.
- the tube 28 which is a yoke, does not have to serve as a case for the motor 17 , and another case may cover the motor 17 .
- FIGS. 10 ( a ) and 10 ( b ) relate to the structure of the housing 16 for accommodating the motor 17 .
- Members similar to those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 - 9 have the same numerals, and the description will concentrate on the differences from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 - 9 .
- FIG. 10( a ) is a cross-sectional view of the body 19 of the housing 16 before the motor 17 is installed.
- a plurality of first projections 70 extend in the axial direction of the body 19 to correspond to the flat walls 28 a of the motor 17 .
- the distal ends of the first projections 70 are flat and are not easily deformed.
- the projections 70 may be formed either integrally with the body 19 or independently from the body 19 .
- Second projections 71 shown in FIG. 10( a ) correspond to the projections 44 shown in FIG. 4.
- the second projections 71 extend in the axial direction of the body 19 on the fitting surface 40 to correspond to the arcuate walls 28 b of the motor 17 .
- Each of the second projections 71 has a triangular cross section and is easily deformed.
- the second projections 71 may be formed either integrally with the body 19 or independently from the body 19 . When formed independently from the body 19 , the second projections 71 may be made of elastic material such as rubber.
- each second projection 71 absorbs force by deforming when a force is applied to it.
- the distance between the upper first projections 70 and the lower first projections 70 is determined such that the flat walls 28 a of the motor 17 are tightly held.
- the diameter of an imaginary circle that touches the distal ends of the second projections 71 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the imaginary circle defined by the arcuate walls 28 b , or an imaginary circle circumscribing the motor 17 .
- the motor 17 when installed in the housing 16 as shown in FIG. 10( b ), is moved relative to the housing 16 in a direction parallel to the flat walls 28 a such that the output shaft 23 is coaxial with the pump chamber 25 .
- forces from the arcuate walls 28 b are applied to the second projections 71 .
- the second projections 71 can be deformed when a force is applied, the motor can move in a direction parallel to the flat walls 28 a .
- the flat walls 28 a are tightly retained by the first projections 70 , which prevents the motor 17 from moving relative to the housing 16 after the axes coincide.
- the second projections 71 receive forces from the arcuate walls 28 b while the axes coincide, the deformation of the second projections 71 absorbs the forces. Accordingly, the arcuate walls 28 b do not receive excessive reaction forces from the second projections 71 . Therefore, the arcuate walls 28 b are not deformed while the axes coincide. This prevents the clearance between the magnets 31 and the armature 32 from varying. Therefore, malfunctions of the motor 17 due to changes in the clearance between the magnets 31 and the armature 32 are prevented.
- the second projections 71 are not separated from the arcuate walls 28 b although the second projections 71 are deformed. That is, the second projections 71 prevent the motor 17 from moving relative to the housing 16 by forces that are smaller than those of the first projections 70 .
- the deformable second projections 71 facilitate inserting the motor into the housing 16 .
- FIGS. 11 ( a )- 13 Members similar to those of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 - 10 b have the same reference numbers, and the description will focus on differences from the embodiments of FIGS. 1 - 10 ( b ).
- a washer device 100 of the present embodiment is different from the washer device 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that the axis of the washer pump 120 extends in a vertical direction when installed to the tank 11 .
- the housing 16 of the washer pump 120 includes an inlet pipe 16 a , which is fitted in the tank 11 .
- the washer pump 120 As shown in FIG. 13, does not have a discharge passage 39 like the washer pump 12 shown in FIG. 1.
- FIG. 11( a ) is a cross-sectional view of the body 19 of the housing 16 before the motor 17 is installed.
- FIG. 11( b ) is a cross-sectional view of the body 19 after the motor 17 is installed.
- the first projections 70 are provided on the fitting surface 40 of the body 19 to correspond to the flat walls 28 a of the motor 17 .
- the second projections 71 are located on the fitting surface 40 to oppose the arcuate walls 28 b of the motor 17 .
- the only difference from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 ( a ) and 10 ( b ) is that the upper first projections 70 are symmetrical to the lower first projections 70 .
- the upper and lower thick portions l 9 b are hollow.
- FIGS. 11 ( a )- 13 has the same advantages as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 ( a ) and 10 ( b ).
- FIGS. 10 ( a )- 13 can be varied as follows.
- the housing 16 of FIG. 14 is different from that shown in FIGS. 10 ( a ) and 10 ( b ) in that the second projections 71 are omitted. Accordingly, clearances 16 b are formed between the housing 16 and the arcuate walls of the motor 17 .
- the clearances 16 b permit the motor 17 to move in a direction parallel to the flat walls 28 a .
- the clearances 16 b also prevent forces from being applied to the arcuate walls 28 b from the housing 16 . This prevents the clearance between the magnets 31 and the armature 32 from changing. Since the flat walls 28 a are tightly retained by the first projections 70 , the motor 17 does not move relative to the housing 16 after the axes coincide. Accordingly, the embodiment of FIG. 14 also has generally the same advantages as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 ( a ) and 10 ( b ).
- the second projections 71 may be omitted from the housing shown in FIGS. 11 ( a ) and 11 ( b ).
- FIG. 15 is different from that shown in FIGS. 11 ( a ) and 11 ( b ) in that the second projections 71 are formed instead of the first projections 70 ,
- the motor 17 can move in the housing not only in a direction parallel to the flat walls 28 a but in a direction perpendicular to the flat walls 28 a . In this way, the axes coincide more accurately.
- the first projections 70 shown in FIGS. 10 ( a ) and 10 ( b ) may also be changed to the second projections 71 .
- an elastic member such as rubber may be attached to all or part of the internal surface of the body 19 opposed to the arcuate walls 28 b of the motor 17 .
- the elastic member permits the motor 17 to move in a direction parallel to the flat walls 28 a.
- the first projections 70 may be omitted and the flat walls 28 a may be retained by the entire internal surface of the body 19 that is opposed to the flat walls 28 a.
- the number and size of the projections 71 , 70 may be changed as required.
- each second projection 71 is not necessarily triangular.
- the distal ends may have a flat surface.
- each of the first and second projections 70 , 71 may be different.
- the second projections 71 may be formed on one side of the body 19 instead of the two opposed sides.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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- Connection Of Motors, Electrical Generators, Mechanical Devices, And The Like (AREA)
- Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
Abstract
A washer pump motor includes a case having a pair of arcuate walls and a pair of flat walls. A pair of brushes are opposed to a commutator. A lid, which forms part of the case, includes a pair of brush supports for respectively supporting the brushes. Each brush support includes a base plate, which is fixed to the lid, and a plate spring, which detachably engages with the base plate. The plate spring has a retained portion retained by the corresponding base plate and a resilient arm portion to which the corresponding brush is fixed. The resilient arm portion extends from the retained portion and is substantially parallel to the flat walls. This maximizes the length of the resilient arm portion and maintains the performance of the motor. Also, this arrangement permits miniaturization of the motor and facilitates assembly.
Description
- The present invention relates to a washer pump preferable for a washer device that sprays cleaning liquid to the windshield of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a motor brush support structure preferable for washer pump.
- A typical washer device for vehicles includes a tank for storing cleaning liquid and a washer pump for pumping the cleaning liquid from the tank to a washer nozzle. A washer pump described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 4-129863 has a housing including a motor chamber and a pump chamber. The motor chamber accommodates a direct current motor. The pump chamber includes an impeller. The motor rotates the impeller, which pumps the cleaning liquid from the tank to the washer nozzle.
- Compact and light vehicle washer devices are preferred. To reduce the size and weight of a washer device, it is necessary to reduce the size and weight of the motor since the motor accounts for a large portion of the weight of the washer pump. However, simply reducing the size of the motor reduces the torque and lowers the performance of the washer pump.
- To reduce the size and weight of the motor without reducing the torque, a flattened motor is desired. In detail, the cross section of the motor is preferably shaped as if two opposite sides of a circle were cut off. Such motors are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-129863, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 61-43768, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-52370, and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 4-111263. Each motor described in any one of these publications includes a pair of opposed arcuate portions and a pair of opposed flat portions.
- The motor includes an armature and a commutator that are located on the output shaft, a pair of magnets surrounding the armature, a pair of brushes contacting the commutator, and a pair of supports for the brushes. Publication No. 61-43768 and 6-52370 describe a support including a plate spring. The plate spring includes a proximal end supported by the lid of the motor case and a distal end on which the brush is fixed. The resilience of the plate spring presses the brush against the commutator.
- The brush contact pressure to the commutator greatly influences the operational losses of the motor, such as resistance loss and friction loss. Therefore, the brush contact pressure to the commutator must be properly maintained. However, as the brush wears, the force of the plate spring supporting the brush changes, which changes the brush contact pressure.
- To minimize the change of force of the plate spring due to wear of the brush, it is necessary to maximize the distance between the fixed end of the plate spring and the brush at the distal end of the plate spring. In other words, it is necessary to maximize the length of the arm portion of the plate spring. The longer the arm portion of the plate spring is, the smaller the change of the plate spring force due to brush wear is. In this way, the initial performance of the motor can be maintained for a relatively long period.
- However, in the motor described in the publications 61-43768 and 6-52370, the arm portion of the plate spring is perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the motor. The distance between the opposite flat surfaces is relatively small. Therefore, it is impossible to greatly increase the length of the arm portion of the plate spring. In other words, the size of the motor cannot be reduced by further flattening the motor without reducing the length of the arm portion of the plate spring. Accordingly, the arrangement of the plate spring shown in the publications is an obstacle to reducing the size of the motor.
- In the motor described in the publications 61-43768 and 6-52370, a pair of plate springs are fixed to the lid of the motor case. The brushes on the plate springs are arranged to surround the commutator. To install the commutator between the brushes when assembling the motor, a worker must separate the plate springs from one another. This complicates the motor assembly.
- In the motor described in the publication 6-52370, the input terminal that is connected to the external output terminal is attached to the lid of the motor case. The support for the brushes is attached to the lid to contact the input terminal. However, the input terminal and the support are independent and are respectively attached to the lid, which not only complicates the motor structure but limits miniaturization of the motor.
- An objective of the present invention is to provide a motor brush support structure that can downsize the motor and maintain the initial performance of the motor for a relatively long period.
- Another objective of the present invention is to provide a motor brush support structure that facilitates the motor assembly.
- A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a washer pump including such a motor brush support structure.
- To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a motor brush support structure. The motor includes a case having a detachable lid, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft. The support structure comprises a brush, a resilient member, a base and an engagement structure. The brush is opposed to the commutator. The resilient member urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator. The base is attached to the lid. The base includes a retainer for retaining the resilient member. The engagement structure is located between the resilient member and the retainer such that the resilient member is detachably secured to the retainer.
- In a motor brush support structure provided by the another aspect of the present invention, the motor includes a case, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft. The case has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case. The support structure comprises a brush and a resilient member. The brush is opposed to the commutator. The resilient member urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator. The resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed. The resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
- Also, the present invention provides a pump. The pump comprises a housing, which includes a motor chamber, an impeller, which draws in and pumps out liquid, and a motor, which is accommodated in the motor chamber to drive the impeller. The motor includes a case, which has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case, an output shaft, which is coupled to the impeller, a commutator, which is located on the output shaft, a brush, which is opposed to the commutator, and a resilient member, which urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator. The resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed. The resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
- Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
- The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings.
- FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump according to one embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a partially cut away view of a washer device including the washer pump of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line3-3 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line4-4 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the motor taken along line5-5 of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the brush support structure on the lid of the motor of FIG. 5;
- FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the brush support of FIG. 6;
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a base plate forming a portion of the brush support of FIG. 7;
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a plate spring forming a portion of the brush support of FIG. 7;
- FIG. 10(a) is a cross sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a housing before installation of a motor in another embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 10(b) is a cross sectional view showing the housing of FIG. 10(a) accommodating a motor;
- FIG. 11(a) is a cross sectional view taken along
line 11 a-11 a of FIG. 13 showing a housing before installation of a motor in a further embodiment of the present embodiment; - FIG. 11(b) is a cross sectional view of the housing of FIG. 11(a) accommodating a motor;
- FIG. 12 is a partially cut away front view showing a washer device;
- FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump of the washer device of FIG. 12;
- FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a washer pump according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and
- FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of a housing of a washer pump according to a further embodiment the present invention.
- One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.1-4. FIG. 2 shows a washer device 10 for vehicles. The washer device 10 includes a
tank 11 for storing cleaning liquid and awasher pump 12, which is attached to thetank 11. Thewasher pump 12 pumps cleaning liquid from thetank 11 to a washer nozzle (not shown). - The
tank 11 is a generally rectangular and has asupply port 13 at the top. Avertical side wall 11 a, which is recessed, is formed at the lower portion of thetank 11. Aninstallation hole 14 for receiving thewasher pump 12 is formed in thevertical side wall 11 a. Thewasher pump 12 fitted in theinstallation hole 14 with agrommet 15 and the axis of thewasher pump 12 extends horizontally. Approximately one half of thewasher pump 12 is located in thetank 11 and the other half is located outside thetank 11. - As shown in FIG. 1, the
washer pump 12 includes a generallycylindrical housing 16, amotor 17 located in thehousing 16, and animpeller 27. Thehousing 16 is, for example, made of fiber-reinforced resin and includes a hollowcylindrical body 19, apump case 20, and alid 21. Thepump case 20 engages a closed end of thecylindrical body 19 and thelid 21 engages an open end of thebody 19. The closed end of thebody 19 is located in thetank 11 and the open end of thebody 19 is located outside thetank 11. - The
lid 21 closes the open end of thebody 19 and forms amotor chamber 24 in thebody 19. The interior surface of themotor chamber 24, or the internal surface of thebody 19 includes an internalcircumferential surface 22 and aninternal end surface 18. Amotor 17, which is a DC motor, is fitted in themotor chamber 24. - A
pump chamber 25, which accommodates theimpeller 27, is formed between the closed end of thebody 19 and thepump case 20. Anoutput shaft 23 of themotor 17 passes through the closed end of thebody 19, or through apartition 19 a, and extends into thepump chamber 25. Thepartition 19 a is located between themotor chamber 24 and thepump chamber 25. Animpeller 27 is fixed to the distal end of theoutput shaft 23. Aseal 26 is located between theoutput shaft 23 and thepartition 19 a and seals themotor chamber 24 from thepump chamber 25. Aninlet 20 a for drawing cleaning liquid from thetank 11 to thepump chamber 25 is located in the central portion of thepump case 20. - A case for covering the
motor 17 includes atube 28 having an open end and alid 29 closing the opened end of thetube 28. Thetube 28 functions as a yoke. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thetube 28 includes a pair of opposedflat walls 28 a and a pair of opposedarcuate walls 28 b. In other words, the cross sectional area of themotor 17 is shaped as if two opposite sides of a cylinder have been cut off. That is, themotor 17 has recessed portions (flat walls 28 a), which are located inward of an imaginary circle centered on the axis of the motor and having a radius matching the maximum radius of themotor 17. - As shown in FIG. 4, the cross sectional shape of the
motor chamber 24 substantially corresponds to the cross sectional shape of themotor 17. Thebody 19 of thehousing 16 hasthick portions 19 b, which correspond to theflat walls 28 a, or the recessed portions, of themotor 17. - A pair of
magnets 31 are fixed to the inner surfaces of thearcuate walls 28 b in thecase 30. Thetube 28 magnetically connects themagnets 31. As shown in FIG. 1, anarmature 32, which is made of an iron core and a coil, is surrounded by themagnets 31 in thecase 30. Acommutator 33 is also located in thecase 30. Thearmature 32 and thecommutator 33 are attached to theoutput shaft 23. Abearing 34 is attached to the closed end of thetube 28 through aholder 35. The bearing 34 rotatably supports theoutput shaft 23. - A
connector 36 a for supplying electric power is formed on the outer surface of thelid 21 of thehousing 16. Theconnector 36 a includes a pair ofmale terminals 36 b, which extend into thehousing 16. As shown in FIG. 3, theterminals 36 b, which serve as output terminals, are respectively received in a pair ofconnection ports 37, which are formed in thelid 29 of themotor 17. - As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the
housing 16 includes anoutlet 38 for discharging cleaning liquid. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, thehousing 16 also includes adischarge passage 39 for connecting thepump chamber 25 to theoutlet 38. Thedischarge passage 39 extends in the axial direction of themotor 17 in thebody 19 of thehousing 16, or in the lowerthick portion 19 b. At least part of thedischarge passage 39 is located inward of the imaginary circle mentioned previously, as seen in FIG. 4. - As shown in FIG. 1, the internal
circumferential surface 22 of thebody 19 includes afitting surface 40 and alarge diameter surface 41. Thelarge diameter surface 41, the diameter of which is greater than that of thefitting surface 40, is located in the vicinity of the open end of thebody 19. Anannular projection 42 is formed on theend surface 18 of thebody 19. Theprojection 42 engages theholder 35. Anannular front space 43 is formed between the inner surface of thebody 19 and the outer surface of themotor 17. - As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,
projections 44, which extend in the axial direction of themotor 17, are formed on thefitting surface 40 at equal angular intervals to face thearcuate walls 28 b of themotor 17. Theprojections 44 contact thearcuate walls 28 b. Theprojections 44 definelongitudinal passages 51 between thefitting surface 40 and thearcuate walls 28 b. Thelongitudinal passages 51 extend in the axial direction of themotor 17. Thelongitudinal passages 51 between themotor 17 and thehousing 16 connect thefront space 43 of themotor chamber 24 to a rear space (corresponding to the large diameter surface 41) of themotor chamber 24. - As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a
drain structure 47, which connects themotor chamber 24 to the exterior of thehousing 16, is formed in thehousing 16. Thedrain structure 47 leads water in themotor chamber 24 to the exterior of thehousing 16 to prevent water from remaining in themotor chamber 24. Thedrain structure 47 is located at the lowest part of themotor chamber 24. - The
drain structure 47 includes a first, or main,passage 48, a pair of second, or inlet,passages 49, and a third, or outlet,passage 50. The parts of thedrain structure 47 respectively extend in different directions. The first, or main,passage 48 is formed in the lowerthick portion 19 b of thebody 19 and extends in an axial direction of thehousing 16. The second, or inlet,passages 49 extend along the circumference of thehousing 16 and connect themotor chamber 24 to one end of themain passage 48. The third, or outlet,passage 50 extends radially and connects an inner end of themain passage 48 to the exterior of thehousing 16. - At least one part of the
drain structure 47 is located inward of the imaginary circle that circumscribes themotor 17. As shown in FIG. 3, part of themain passage 48 is located inward of the imaginary circle that circumscribes themotor 17. - When the
motor 17 rotates theimpeller 27, cleaning liquid in thetank 11 is drawn to thepump chamber 25 through theinlet 20 a. Then cleaning liquid in thepump chamber 25 is sent to the washer nozzle (not shown) through thedischarge passage 39 and theoutlet 38. - The structure of the
motor 17 will now be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, thelid 29 serves as a support for the brush support structure and includes a metalmain plate 54, which is shaped to correspond to the open end of thetube 28. Aresin insulator 56 is attached to themain plate 54. Themain plate 54 is formed, for example, by press punching a metal plate. Theinsulator 56 is integrally formed with themain plate 54, for example, by outserting. - As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, part of the
insulator 56 that is exposed to the outer surface of themain plate 54 forms a pair ofconnectors 55.Connection ports 37 are respectively formed in theconnectors 55. Theports 37 pass through theinsulator 56. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, theinsulator 56 also includes a pair ofprojections 59, which are formed on the inner surface of themain plate 54. - The
bearing 57 is attached LO the central portion of the inner surface of themain plate 54. In FIGS. 5 and 6, thebearing 57 is a plain bearing but may be a ball-and-roller bearing. The proximal end of theoutput shaft 23 is rotatably supported by thebearing 57, and theoutput shaft 23 contacts themain plate 54. Accordingly, theoutput shaft 23 is electrically connected to themain plate 54. - As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a pair of brush supports58 are attached to the
insulator 56 at opposite sides of thebearing 57. The brush supports 58 are arranged to surround thecommutator 33, which is located on theoutput shaft 23, and are symmetrical with respect to the axis of theoutput shaft 23. FIG. 7 shows one of the brush supports 58. Eachbrush support 58 includes abase plate 60, which is crimped to a corresponding one of theprojections 59, and aplate spring 61, which is detachably supported by thebase plate 60. - As shown in FIG. 8, the
base plate 60 is formed by bending a resilient metal plate. Thebase plate 60 includes anattachment portion 53 fixed to theinsulator 56, aretainer 62 for retaining theplate spring 61, and afemale terminal 63 that serves as an input terminal. Theretainer 62 and thefemale terminal 63 are formed by bending sides of the attachment portion at right angles. - The
attachment portion 53 includes anengagement hole 53 a, which engages theprojection 59. Theprojection 59, when engaged with theengagement hole 53 a, is held between theretainer 62 and the female terminal 63 (See FIG. 5). Theretainer 62 has a planar retainingsurface 62 a, which is on the opposite side ofretainer 62 from thefemale terminal 63. A clampingarm 62 b is curved from the top of theretainer 62 toward the retainingsurface 62 a. Theplate spring 61 is held between the retainingsurface 62 a and the clampingarm 62 b by the spring force of the clampingarm 62 b (See FIG. 7). When theplate spring 61 is detached from thebase plate 60, the distal end of the clampingarm 62 b enters aslot 62 c in the retainingsurface 62 a. - Upper and lower
columnar engagement projections 62 d are formed on the retainingsurface 62 a adjacent to the clampingarm 62 b. A wedge-shapedengagement claw 62 e is formed on the retainingsurface 62 a and is located between theengagement projections 62 d. Theengagement claw 62 e has an inclined surface that is lower toward the clampingarm 62 b. Upper andlower engagement pieces 62 f are formed by bending part of theretainer 62 and are located on the opposite side of the clampingarm 62 b from theengagement projections 62 d. - As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the
lid 29 is attached to thetube 28, eachfemale terminal 63 of thebase plates 60 is aligned with thecorresponding connection port 37. Also, eachfemale terminal 63 is located inward of theretainer 62 in the radial direction of theoutput shaft 23. In other words, each female terminal is located between theretainer 62 and thecommutator 33 in a radial direction of theoutput shaft 23 that is parallel to theflat walls 28 a. When themale terminals 36 b are received in theconnection ports 37, thefemale terminals 63 resiliently hold themale terminals 36 b. - When the
lid 29 is attached to thetube 28, eachretainer 62 of thebase plates 60 is located near the correspondingarcuate walls 28 b of thetube 28. In other words, the retainer is arranged to correspond to the largest diameter portion of themotor 17. - As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, limit
columns 67 are formed at the corners of theinsulator 56. Thelimit columns 67 are parallel to the axis of themotor 17, or the axis of theoutput shaft 23. Eachretainer 62 is supported by thecorresponding limit column 67 from the inside. The twolimit columns 67 support thecorresponding retainers 62 such that eachretainer 62 is parallel to the axis of theoutput shaft 23 and perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a of thetube 28. - The brush supports58 are essentially the same, so the following describes only one
brush support 58 for simplicity. As shown in FIG. 9, theplate spring 61 is formed by bending a resilient metal plate near its middle at a right angle. Theplate spring 61 includes a retainedportion 64 retained by theretainer 62 of thebase plate 60 and anarm portion 65 extending from one end of the retainedportion 64. The retainedportion 64 is from the proximal end to the middle of theplate spring 61. Thearm portion 65 is from the middle to the distal end of theplate spring 61. - The proximal end of the
plate spring 61 includes anengagement hole 64 a. The proximal end of the retainedportion 64 also includes a pair ofnotches 64 b, which are formed on opposite sides of theengagement hole 64 a. Abrush 66 is fixed to the distal end of theplate spring 61, or the distal end of thearm portion 65. - As shown in FIG. 7, when the
plate spring 61 is attached to thebase plate 60, the retainedportion 64 is held between the retainingsurface 62 a and the clampingarm 62 b. In this state, theengagement claw 62 e on the retainingsurface 62 a engages theengagement hole 64 a of the retainedportion 64. Also, theengagement projections 62 d engage the internal corners of thenotches 64 b. Further, theengagement pieces 62 f of theretainer 62 engage the sides of the retainedportion 64. As a result, the retainedportion 64 of theplate spring 61 is fixed to thebase plate 60. The clampingarm 62 b, theengagement claw 62 e, theengagement projections 62 d, and theengagement pieces 62 f constitute an engagement structure, or a positioning structure, which fixes the retainedportion 64 to thebase plate 60. - As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, two positioning
pillars 68 are formed on opposite sides of theinsulator 56 and correspond to the brush supports 58. Thepositioning pillars 68 are parallel to the axis of themotor 17, or the axis of theoutput shaft 23. Each retainedportion 64 of theplate spring 61 is supported by the corresponding positioning pillar 69 from the outside. - Each
positioning pillar 68 also positions thecorresponding magnet 31 in thecase 30 in the axial direction of themotor 17. That is, when thelid 29 is attached to thetube 28 as shown in FIG. 5, the distal end of eachpositioning pillar 68 contacts one end of thecorresponding magnet 31. On the other hand, the other end of eachmagnet 31 contacts apositioning projection 28 c (FIG. 5), which is formed near the closed end of thetube 28. Accordingly, eachmagnet 31 is axially positioned between the positioningpillar 68 and thepositioning projection 28 c. Further, themagnets 31 are prevented from moving in the radial direction of themotor 17 by a stopper (not shown). - As already described, when the
lid 29 is attached to thetube 28, thebase plates 60 are respectively located near thearcuate walls 28 b of thetube 28. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the retainedportions 64 of theplate spring 61 are also located near thearcuate walls 28 b, or at the positions corresponding to the largest diameter portions of themotor 17. Each retainedportion 64 is also retained by the correspondingretainer 62 such that the retainedportion 64 is parallel to the axis of theoutput shaft 23 and perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a. - As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and6, the
arm portions 65 extend perpendicular to the axis of theoutput shaft 23 at a position corresponding to theflat walls 28 a, or at positions corresponding to the recessed portions of themotor 17. Eacharm portion 65 presses the correspondingbrush 66 to the outer surface of thecommutator 33 with a predetermined force. When one of thebrushes 66 contacts thecommutator 33, thecorresponding arm portion 65 is generally parallel to theflat walls 28 a and urges thebrush 66 in a direction perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a. - Next, the assembly method of the
motor 17 will be described. First, the proximal end of theoutput shaft 23 is received in the bearing 57 of thelid 29. Thebase plates 60 are fixed to thelid 29 in advance. Thearmature 32 and thecommutator 33 are located on theoutput shaft 23. - Next, the plate springs61 are respectively attached to the
corresponding base plates 60. In detail, each retainedportion 64 of the plate springs 61 is located between thecorresponding engagement pieces 62 f and is held between the retainingsurface 62 a and the clampingarm 62 b. In this state, each retainedportion 64 is moved along the corresponding retainingsurface 62 a such that it enters between theengagement projections 62 d. As a result, the engagedprojections 62 d engage thecorrespond notches 64 b, and theengagement claw 62 e engages theengagement hole 64 a. Accordingly, each retainedportion 64 is fixed to thecorresponding base plate 60. - In the process of attaching each
plate spring 61 to thecorresponding base plate 60, the correspondingbrush 66 is gradually brought closer to and then contacts the peripheral surface of thecommutator 33. Then, the correspondingbrush 66 is pressed against thecommutator 33 by the predetermined force of the resilientlydeformed arm portion 65. - Subsequently, the
lid 29 is attached to thetube 28 such that thearmature 32 is accommodated in thetube 28. Themagnets 31 are attached to the inner surfaces of thearcuate walls 28 b of thetube 28 in advance. When thelid 29 is attached to thetube 28, themagnets 31 are positioned in the axial direction of themotor 17 by thepositioning pillars 68 and thepositioning projections 28 c. As a result, themagnets 31 are properly positioned to face thearmature 32. - The
brushes 66 of the assembledmotor 17 wear due to friction between thebrushes 66 and thecommutator 33 after long use. As thebrushes 66 wear, the amount of displacement of thearm portions 65 is gradually reduced, therefore the corresponding urging forces are gradually reduced. If the force of eacharm portion 65 is reduced to the extent that contact between thebrushes 66 and thecommutator 33 cannot be maintained, the plate springs 61, including thebrushes 66, can be replaced. - Replacing the plate springs61 is performed as follows. First the
lid 29 is removed from thetube 28. At the same time, the output shaft having thearmature 32 and thecommutator 33 is removed with thelid 29 from thetube 28. Next, the plate springs 61 are detached from thebase plates 60. Then, new plate springs 61 are attached to thebase plates 60 and thelid 29 is attached to thetube 28. - The illustrated embodiment has the following advantages.
- Each
arm portion 65 of the plate springs 61 is substantially parallel to theflat walls 28 a of thetube 28 Also, the proximal end of eachplate spring 61, or the fixed end of eacharm portion 65, is located radially inward of a corresponding one of thearcuate walls 28 b of thetube 28. Accordingly, the length of eacharm portion 65, or the distance from the fixed end of thearm portion 65 to thebrush 66, is maximized in the limited internal space of thetube 28. - The greater the length of each
arm portion 65 is, the smaller the loss of urging force of thearm portion 65 due to friction wear of thebrush 66 is. Accordingly, since the length of thearm portion 65 is maximized in the present embodiment, the force that presses eachbrush 66 against the commutator is stable for a long period. Therefore, the initial performance of themotor 17 can be maintained for a long period. - Since the
arm portion 65 is generally parallel to theflat walls 28 a, the distance between the flat walls 25 a is determined regardless of the length of thearm portion 65. Therefore, themotor 17 can be flattened without reducing the length of thearm portions 65. Accordingly, the size and weight of themotor 17 are reduced without reducing motor torque and the life of thebrushes 66. By employing themotor 17 in thewasher pump 12, the size and weight of thewasher pump 12 can be reduced without reducing the displacement of thewasher pump 12 and without shortening the live of parts. - The
retainer 62 of thebase plate 60 is generally perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a. Thefemale terminals 63 are located between thecorresponding retainers 62 and thecommutator 33 in the radial direction of theoutput shaft 23 that is parallel to theflat walls 28 a. In other words, theretainers 62 are aligned with thefemale terminals 63 in the radial direction of themotor 17 parallel to theflat walls 28 a. In this arrangement, thefemale terminals 63 arc located on thelid 29 without limiting the flattening of themotor 17 Further, theretainers 62 are close to thefemale terminals 63, which permits miniaturization of the brush support structure. Also, since thefemale terminals 63 are integrally formed with thebase plates 60, the structure is simple and the number of parts is reduced. - In the prior art, the plate springs have to be spread manually to arrange the commutator between the brushes when installing the output shaft, which carries the armature and the commutator, to the lid, which carries the plate springs. However, in the present invention, the
output shaft 23, which carries thearmature 32 and thecommutator 33, is attached to thelid 29 before the plate springs 61 are attached to thebase plates 60 on thelid 29. This eliminates the troublesome step of manually spreading the plate springs, which facilitates the assembly of themotor 17. - When replacing the plate springs61, it is not necessary to remove the output shaft, which carries the
armature 32 and thecommutator 33, from thelid 29. This facilitates replacing the plate springs 61. - The clamping
arms 62 b, theengagement claws 62 e, theengagement projections 62 d, and theengagement pieces 62 f are integrally formed on thecorresponding base plates 60. Accordingly, to attach the detachable plate springs 61 to thebase plates 60, there is no need for other independent parts. Therefore, the number of parts forming the brush supports 58 is minimized to two. This facilitates attaching the plate springs 61 to thebase plates 60. - The plate springs61 are attached to the
base plates 60 by moving the plate springs 61 such that thebrushes 66 approach thecommutator 33. In other words, the direction in which the plate springs 61 are moved when attaching them to thebase plates 60 is the same as the direction in which thebrushes 66 are pressed against thecommutator 33 by the plate springs 61. This prevents excessive forces from being applied to thebrushes 66 when attaching the plate springs 61 to thebase plates 60, which further facilitates attaching the plate springs 61 to thebase plates 60. - The
insulator 56 supporting theinsulated base plates 60 also supports the bearing 57 for theoutput shaft 23. Therefore, the number of parts is reduced and the structure is simplified. - The
lid 29 includes thepositioning pillars 68 for positioning and retaining themagnets 31 in themotor 17. Therefore, themagnets 31 are retained at the right position with respect to thearmature 32 when thelid 29 is attached to thetube 28. - The
main plate 54 of thelid 29 is a metal plate. When thelid 29 is attached to thetube 28 serving as a yoke, themain plate 54 is electrically connected to thetube 28. Accordingly, thecase 30, which is formed by thetube 28 and thelid 29, electromagnetically shields the internal magnetic circuit of themotor 17. This prevents electromagnetic noise from leaking from themotor 17. Since theoutput shaft 23 is electrically connected to themain plate 54, leakage of electromagnetic noise from theoutput shaft 23 is also prevented. - The
discharge passage 39 is formed in the lowerthick portion 19 b such that at least part of thedischarge passage 39 is inward of the imaginary circle circumscribing themotor 17. In other words, thedischarge passage 39 is arranged to correspond to the lowerflat wall 28 a of themotor 17. Therefore, the internal space of thewasher pump 12 is efficiently used, which makes the washer pump compact. In other words, the displacement of thepump 12 is increased by increasing the cross-sectional area of thedischarge passage 39 without increasing the size of thepump 12. Since themotor 17 is flattened as much as possible, the cross-sectional area of thedischarge passage 39 is easily increased. - The
front space 43 of themotor chamber 24 is connected to the rear surface of themotor chamber 24 through thelongitudinal passage 51. The rear space of themotor chamber 24 is connected to the exterior of thehousing 16 through thedrain structure 47. Accordingly, themotor chamber 24 is always open to the atmosphere. This prevents cleaning water from being drawn from thetank 11 into themotor chamber 24 through thepump chamber 25 due to pressure changes in themotor chamber 24. Therefore, malfunctions of themotor 17 due to water leakage are prevented. - Even if cleaning liquid enters the
front space 43 of themotor chamber 24 from thepump chamber 25, the cleaning liquid flows to the rear space of themotor chamber 24 through thelongitudinal passages 51. Water from condensation in the front space of themotor chamber 24 is also led to the rear space of themotor chamber 24 through thelongitudinal passages 51. Cleaning liquid and condensation water are drained from the rear space of themotor chamber 24 to the exterior of thehousing 16 through thedrain structure 47. Accordingly, cleaning liquid and condensation water cannot remain in the internal space of thewasher pump 12. - The
drain structure 47, which is open to the exterior of thehousing 16, includes the main, inlet, andoutlet passages washer pump 12 is splashed by water, water does not reach themotor chamber 24 and the internal space of themotor 17. - Most of the
drain structure 47 is formed in the lowerthick portion 19 b of thebody 19 such that at least part of thedrain structure 47 is inward of the imaginary circle circumscribing themotor 17. In other words, thedrain structure 47 is located to correspond to the lowerflat wall 28 a of themotor 17. Therefore, the internal space of thewasher pump 12 is effectively used, which makes thepump 12 compact. - The embodiment shown by FIGS.1-9 can be varied as follows.
- The
female terminals 63 may be located on a radially outer side of theretainers 62 of thebase plates 60. - The female terminals63 (input terminals) may be independent from the
base plates 60. In this case, the input terminals are connected to the plate springs 61 by special connectors such as lead wires or patterned wiring. Also, such input terminals may be located to be exposed to the exterior of thelid 29. The input terminals may be soldered to theoutput terminals 36 b. In this case, there is no need for any space for the input terminals inside thelid 29. Therefore, the retainedportions 64 of the plate springs 61 can extend in a direction that is not perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a. - The
output terminals 36 b may be female terminals and theinput terminals 63 may be male terminals. - The closed end of the
tube 28 may be a detachable lid. In this case, the brush support structure may be located in the lid on the distal side of theoutput shaft 23 instead of thelid 29 on the proximal side of theoutput shaft 23. - In any one of the two brush supports58, the
base plate 60 and theplate spring 61 may be integrally formed. - The plate springs61 may be supported by objects that are integrally formed on the
insulator 56 instead of thebase plates 60. - The brush support structure may be supported by a special support member that is fixed to the
case 30 of themotor 17, instead of thelid 29. - The engagement structure for detachably engaging the plate springs61 with the
base plates 60 is not limited to the structure shown in FIG. 6. The plate springs 61 may be engaged with thebase plates 60 only by the clampingarms 62 b of thebase plates 60. Also, the clampingarms 62 b for holding thebase plates 60 may be formed on the plate springs 61. Further, the engagement structure may be independent from the plate springs 61 or thebase plates 60. - The four
positioning pillars 68 may be located at the four corners of theinsulator 56. - The
housing 16 need not include thebody 19, thepump case 20, and thelid 21. For example, thehousing 16 may be formed by two housing members, which are divided along an axial plane. Thehousing 16 may also be formed by more than two members. - The directions in which the
drain structure 47 extends are not limited to the radial, axial, and circumferential directions of thehousing 16. Thedrain structure 47 may branch in any direction. - The
drain structure 47 may have any shape as long as it is not a single straight passage and at least part of it bends. That is, thedrain structure 47 should bend to extend in two directions. For example, themain passage 48 may be omitted and theinlet passages 49 may be directly connected to theoutlet passage 50. Themain passage 48 may be a curved passage instead of a straight passage. Further, the shape of thedrain structure 47 may be arcuate. - The
main passage 48 may extend below thefront space 43 of themotor chamber 24 and thefront space 43 may be directly connected to themain passage 48. - In addition to the
drain structure 47 shown in FIG. 1, another air passage for connecting themotor chamber 24 to the exterior of thehousing 16 may be provided. In this case, air is drawn to themotor chamber 24 through the other air passage as water is drained from thedrain structure 47. This facilitates water drainage from themotor chamber 24. The air passage is preferably formed by a plurality of passages that extend at least in two directions. - In addition to or instead of the
longitudinal passages 51 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, another passage for connecting thefront space 43 of themotor chamber 24 to the rear space of themotor chamber 24 may be formed in an appropriate portion of thebody 19. - The
motor 17 does not have to includeflat walls 28 a but may be cylindrical. - The
tube 28, which is a yoke, does not have to serve as a case for themotor 17, and another case may cover themotor 17 . - Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The embodiment shown in FIGS.10(a) and 10(b) relates to the structure of the
housing 16 for accommodating themotor 17. Members similar to those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9 have the same numerals, and the description will concentrate on the differences from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9. - FIG. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view of the
body 19 of thehousing 16 before themotor 17 is installed. As shown in FIG. 10(a), a plurality offirst projections 70 extend in the axial direction of thebody 19 to correspond to theflat walls 28 a of themotor 17. The distal ends of thefirst projections 70 are flat and are not easily deformed. Theprojections 70 may be formed either integrally with thebody 19 or independently from thebody 19. -
Second projections 71 shown in FIG. 10(a) correspond to theprojections 44 shown in FIG. 4. Thesecond projections 71 extend in the axial direction of thebody 19 on thefitting surface 40 to correspond to thearcuate walls 28 b of themotor 17. Each of thesecond projections 71 has a triangular cross section and is easily deformed. Thesecond projections 71 may be formed either integrally with thebody 19 or independently from thebody 19. When formed independently from thebody 19, thesecond projections 71 may be made of elastic material such as rubber. - As shown in FIG. 10(b), when the
motor 17 is accommodated in thebody 19, theflat walls 28 a of themotor 17 are retained by thefirst projections 70, and thearcuate walls 28 b of themotor 17 are retained by thesecond projections 71. The pointed distal end of eachsecond projection 71 absorbs force by deforming when a force is applied to it. - The distance between the upper
first projections 70 and the lowerfirst projections 70 is determined such that theflat walls 28 a of themotor 17 are tightly held. The diameter of an imaginary circle that touches the distal ends of thesecond projections 71 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the imaginary circle defined by thearcuate walls 28 b, or an imaginary circle circumscribing themotor 17. - If the
impeller 27, which is coupled to theoutput shaft 23 of themotor 17, is offset from the center of thepump chamber 25, cleaning liquid is not effectively pumped. Therefore, themotor 17 must be installed to thehousing 16 such that theoutput shaft 23 is coaxial with thepump chamber 25. - Therefore, the
motor 17, when installed in thehousing 16 as shown in FIG. 10(b), is moved relative to thehousing 16 in a direction parallel to theflat walls 28 a such that theoutput shaft 23 is coaxial with thepump chamber 25. At this time, forces from thearcuate walls 28 b are applied to thesecond projections 71. Since thesecond projections 71 can be deformed when a force is applied, the motor can move in a direction parallel to theflat walls 28 a. On the other hand, theflat walls 28 a are tightly retained by thefirst projections 70, which prevents themotor 17 from moving relative to thehousing 16 after the axes coincide. - If the
second projections 71 receive forces from thearcuate walls 28 b while the axes coincide, the deformation of thesecond projections 71 absorbs the forces. Accordingly, thearcuate walls 28 b do not receive excessive reaction forces from thesecond projections 71. Therefore, thearcuate walls 28 b are not deformed while the axes coincide. This prevents the clearance between themagnets 31 and thearmature 32 from varying. Therefore, malfunctions of themotor 17 due to changes in the clearance between themagnets 31 and thearmature 32 are prevented. - When the axes coincide, the
second projections 71 are not separated from thearcuate walls 28 b although thesecond projections 71 are deformed. That is, thesecond projections 71 prevent themotor 17 from moving relative to thehousing 16 by forces that are smaller than those of thefirst projections 70. The deformablesecond projections 71 facilitate inserting the motor into thehousing 16. - A further embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.11(a)-13. Members similar to those of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-10 b have the same reference numbers, and the description will focus on differences from the embodiments of FIGS. 1-10(b).
- As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a
washer device 100 of the present embodiment is different from the washer device 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that the axis of thewasher pump 120 extends in a vertical direction when installed to thetank 11. Thehousing 16 of thewasher pump 120 includes aninlet pipe 16 a, which is fitted in thetank 11. When themotor 17 rotates theimpeller 27, cleaning liquid is drawn to thepump chamber 25 through theinlet pipe 16 a and is pumped to a washer nozzle (not shown) through anoutlet 38. Thewasher pump 120, as shown in FIG. 13, does not have adischarge passage 39 like thewasher pump 12 shown in FIG. 1. - FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view of the
body 19 of thehousing 16 before themotor 17 is installed. FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of thebody 19 after themotor 17 is installed. As shown by the figures, like the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), thefirst projections 70 are provided on thefitting surface 40 of thebody 19 to correspond to theflat walls 28 a of themotor 17. Also, thesecond projections 71 are located on thefitting surface 40 to oppose thearcuate walls 28 b of themotor 17. The only difference from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) is that the upperfirst projections 70 are symmetrical to the lowerfirst projections 70. The upper and lower thick portions l9 b are hollow. - The illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS.11(a)-13 has the same advantages as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 10(b).
- Each embodiment shown in FIGS.10(a)-13 can be varied as follows.
- The
housing 16 of FIG. 14 is different from that shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) in that thesecond projections 71 are omitted. Accordingly,clearances 16 b are formed between thehousing 16 and the arcuate walls of themotor 17. Theclearances 16 b permit themotor 17 to move in a direction parallel to theflat walls 28 a. Theclearances 16 b also prevent forces from being applied to thearcuate walls 28 b from thehousing 16. This prevents the clearance between themagnets 31 and thearmature 32 from changing. Since theflat walls 28 a are tightly retained by thefirst projections 70, themotor 17 does not move relative to thehousing 16 after the axes coincide. Accordingly, the embodiment of FIG. 14 also has generally the same advantages as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b). - The
second projections 71 may be omitted from the housing shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b). - The embodiment of FIG. 15 is different from that shown in FIGS.11(a) and 11(b) in that the
second projections 71 are formed instead of thefirst projections 70, In this case, themotor 17 can move in the housing not only in a direction parallel to theflat walls 28 a but in a direction perpendicular to theflat walls 28 a. In this way, the axes coincide more accurately. - The
first projections 70 shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) may also be changed to thesecond projections 71. - Instead of the
second projections 71, an elastic member such as rubber may be attached to all or part of the internal surface of thebody 19 opposed to thearcuate walls 28 b of themotor 17. The elastic member permits themotor 17 to move in a direction parallel to theflat walls 28 a. - The
first projections 70 may be omitted and theflat walls 28 a may be retained by the entire internal surface of thebody 19 that is opposed to theflat walls 28 a. - The number and size of the
projections - The cross-sectional shape of each
second projection 71 is not necessarily triangular. The distal ends may have a flat surface. Also, each of the first andsecond projections - The
second projections 71 may be formed on one side of thebody 19 instead of the two opposed sides. - The present examples and embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalence of the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A motor brush support structure, wherein the motor includes a case having a detachable lid, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft, the support structure comprising:
a brush, which is opposed to the commutator;
a resilient member, which urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator;
a base, which is attached to the lid, wherein the base includes a retainer for retaining the resilient member; and
an engagement structure, which is located between the resilient member and the retainer such that the resilient member is detachably secured to the retainer.
2. The support structure according to claim 1 further including an input terminal, which is attached to the lid to supply the brush with electricity, wherein the input terminal is located between the retainer and the commutator.
3. The support structure according to claim 2 , wherein the input terminal is integrally formed with the base.
4. The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the base is one of two bases, wherein the lid includes an insulator that insulates the bases from one another and supports them, wherein a bearing for supporting the output shaft is attached to the insulator.
5. The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the motor includes a magnet accommodated in the case, and the lid includes a positioning member for determining the position of the magnet when the lid is attached to the case.
6. A motor brush support structure, wherein the motor includes a case, an output shaft, and a commutator located on the output shaft, wherein the case has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case, the support structure comprising;
a brush, which is opposed to the commutator; and
a resilient member, which urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator, wherein the resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed, wherein the resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
7. The support structure according to claim 6 , wherein the case has a maximum diameter portion that defines the imaginary circle, wherein the fixed portion is located radially inward of the maximum diameter portion.
8. The support structure according to claim 6 further including an input terminal, which is attached to the case to supply the brush with external electricity, wherein the input terminal is located between the fixed portion and the commutator.
9. The support structure according to claim 6 , wherein the case includes a tubular yoke having an open end and a conductive support member attached to the open end to be electrically connected to the yoke, wherein the resilient member is insulated from and is supported by the support member.
10. The support structure according to claim 9 , wherein a bearing is attached to the support member such that the output shaft contacts the support member and is supported by the bearing.
11. The support structure according to claim 9 , wherein the motor includes a magnet accommodated in the yoke, and the support member includes a positioning member for determining the position of the magnet when the support member is attached to the yoke.
12. A pump comprising:
a housing, which includes a motor chamber;
an impeller, which draws in and pumps out liquid; and
a motor, which is accommodated in the motor chamber to drive the impeller, the motor including:
a case, which has a flat wall located inward of an imaginary circle circumscribing the case;
an output shaft, which is coupled to the impeller;
a commutator, which is located on the output shaft;
a brush, which is opposed to the commutator; and
a resilient member, which urges the brush toward the commutator such that the brush contacts the commutator, wherein the resilient member includes a fixed portion supported by the case and a resilient arm portion to which the brush is fixed, wherein the resilient arm portion extends from the fixed portion such that the resilient arm portion is substantially perpendicular to the output shaft and is substantially parallel to the flat wall.
13. The pump according to claim 12 , wherein the housing includes a discharge passage through which liquid from the impeller flows, wherein the discharge passage is radially aligned with the flat wall such that at least part of the discharge passage is located inward of the imaginary circle.
14. The pump according to claim 12 , wherein the housing includes a drain structure for connecting the motor chamber to the exterior of the housing, wherein the drain structure is arranged to guide liquid from the motor chamber to the exterior of the housing, the drain structure including passages that extend in at least two different directions, wherein the drain structure is radially aligned with the flat wall such that at least part of the drain structure is located inward of the imaginary circle.
15. The pump according to claim 12 , wherein the motor in the motor chamber is retained by the housing such that the motor is movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the output shaft.
16. The pump according to claim 15 , wherein the housing permits the motor to move at least in a direction parallel to the flat wall.
17. The pump according to claim 16 , wherein the case has a maximum diameter portion that defines the imaginary circle, wherein a retainer is formed on an internal surface of the housing and is opposed to the maximum diameter portion, wherein the retainer contacts and retains the maximum diameter portion, and wherein the retainer is deformed when a force is applied from the maximum diameter portion to the retainer.
18. The pump according to claim 17 , wherein the retainer is a projection that radially projects from the internal surface of the housing.
19. The pump according to claim 16 , wherein the case has a maximum diameter portion that defines the imaginary circle, wherein a clearance is formed between the maximum diameter portion and the housing to permit the motor to move in the direction parallel to the flat wall.
20. The pump according to claim 16 , wherein a retainer for firmly retaining the flat wall is formed on an internal surface of the housing and is opposed to the flat wall.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/987,741 US6445104B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 2001-11-15 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
Applications Claiming Priority (10)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP10-366943 | 1998-12-24 | ||
JP10-366944 | 1998-12-24 | ||
JP36694498A JP3538047B2 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1998-12-24 | Brush holding structure, brush holding housing and motor in motor |
JP36694398A JP3798562B2 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1998-12-24 | Washer pump and vehicle washer device |
JP11-002811 | 1999-01-08 | ||
JP11002811A JP2000205196A (en) | 1999-01-08 | 1999-01-08 | Washer pump and washing device for vehicle |
JP11004967A JP2000209818A (en) | 1999-01-12 | 1999-01-12 | Brush-holding structure in motor and motor |
JP11-004967 | 1999-01-12 | ||
US09/471,145 US6339272B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1999-12-23 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
US09/987,741 US6445104B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 2001-11-15 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US09/471,145 Division US6339272B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1999-12-23 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20020047377A1 true US20020047377A1 (en) | 2002-04-25 |
US6445104B1 US6445104B1 (en) | 2002-09-03 |
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US09/471,145 Expired - Lifetime US6339272B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1999-12-23 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
US09/987,741 Expired - Lifetime US6445104B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 2001-11-15 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
Family Applications Before (1)
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US09/471,145 Expired - Lifetime US6339272B1 (en) | 1998-12-24 | 1999-12-23 | Washer pump and motor brush support structure |
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US (2) | US6339272B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE19962705A1 (en) |
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WO2007051681A1 (en) * | 2005-11-02 | 2007-05-10 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Electric motor |
US20100033053A1 (en) * | 2007-02-06 | 2010-02-11 | Ryoichi Kimura | Brush device for motor |
JP2014096941A (en) * | 2012-11-09 | 2014-05-22 | Mitsuba Corp | Motor device |
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JP3523546B2 (en) * | 1999-11-02 | 2004-04-26 | マブチモーター株式会社 | Small motor |
DE10004059A1 (en) * | 2000-02-01 | 2001-11-08 | Buhler Motor Gmbh | Multi-phase motor has coil wires essentially connected directly to plug pins or conducting tracks, connecting part accepting coil wire section between each coil and plug part or circuit board |
DE10063405C2 (en) * | 2000-12-19 | 2003-01-23 | K Tec Gmbh | Holder for a carbon brush |
US7268461B2 (en) * | 2001-02-15 | 2007-09-11 | Integral Technologies, Inc. | Low cost electrical motor components manufactured from conductive loaded resin-based materials |
JP4569046B2 (en) * | 2001-05-29 | 2010-10-27 | 株式会社デンソー | Electric motor |
JP3954376B2 (en) * | 2001-12-25 | 2007-08-08 | 愛三工業株式会社 | Fuel pump |
DE10207406A1 (en) * | 2002-02-21 | 2003-09-11 | K Tec Gmbh | Holder for a carbon brush |
DE10342221B4 (en) * | 2003-09-11 | 2008-05-08 | K-Tec Kunststoffverarbeitung Gmbh | Arrangement for the electrical supply of an engine |
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- 1999-12-23 DE DE19962705A patent/DE19962705A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1999-12-23 US US09/471,145 patent/US6339272B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2001
- 2001-11-15 US US09/987,741 patent/US6445104B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (5)
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WO2007051681A1 (en) * | 2005-11-02 | 2007-05-10 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Electric motor |
US20100001597A1 (en) * | 2005-11-02 | 2010-01-07 | Michael Noll | Electric Motor |
US20100033053A1 (en) * | 2007-02-06 | 2010-02-11 | Ryoichi Kimura | Brush device for motor |
US7994682B2 (en) * | 2007-02-06 | 2011-08-09 | Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd. | Brush device for motor |
JP2014096941A (en) * | 2012-11-09 | 2014-05-22 | Mitsuba Corp | Motor device |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE19962705A1 (en) | 2000-07-06 |
US6445104B1 (en) | 2002-09-03 |
US6339272B1 (en) | 2002-01-15 |
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