US20030017057A1 - Pump unit and fluid supplying system - Google Patents
Pump unit and fluid supplying system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20030017057A1 US20030017057A1 US10/199,915 US19991502A US2003017057A1 US 20030017057 A1 US20030017057 A1 US 20030017057A1 US 19991502 A US19991502 A US 19991502A US 2003017057 A1 US2003017057 A1 US 2003017057A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- pump
- tank
- fluid
- pump unit
- sub
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04B23/02—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs
- F04B23/025—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs the pump being located directly adjacent the reservoir
- F04B23/026—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs the pump being located directly adjacent the reservoir a pump-side forming a wall of the reservoir
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B1/00—Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders
- F04B1/12—Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders having cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis
- F04B1/128—Driving means
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B17/00—Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
- F04B17/03—Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors driven by electric motors
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04B23/04—Combinations of two or more pumps
- F04B23/08—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types
- F04B23/10—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types at least one pump being of the reciprocating positive-displacement type
- F04B23/106—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types at least one pump being of the reciprocating positive-displacement type being an axial piston pump
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04B23/04—Combinations of two or more pumps
- F04B23/08—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types
- F04B23/14—Combinations of two or more pumps the pumps being of different types at least one pump being of the non-positive-displacement type
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a pump unit that is used in a fuel supplying system of an internal combustion engine that uses dimethyl ether as fuel, and to a fluid supplying system that, which has the pump unit.
- a typical pump unit includes a piston pump, which functions as a main source for transferring fluid.
- DME dimethyl ether
- the piston pump functions as a main source for transferring fluid.
- the pump unit reliably feeds dimethyl ether (hereinafter, referred to as DME) from the tank to an internal combustion engine (or fuel injection device) without vaporizing the DME. That is, the DME is compressed in advance with the gear pump, which has no expansion phase, to prevent the pressure of the DME from decreasing below the saturation pressure by the expansion (suction) phase of the piston pump.
- the conventional fuel supplying system has the two separate pumps each having an electric motor as a drive source. Therefore, the size and the cost of the fuel supplying system are increased.
- the invention includes a first pump, a second pump, and a single drive source.
- the first pump has no expansion phase and draws in and discharges fluid.
- the second pump has an expansion phase and draws in and discharges fluid that is discharged from the first pump.
- the second pump is connected to the first pump.
- the single drive source drives the first pump and the second pump.
- the present invention also provides a fluid supplying system.
- the system includes the above described pump unit and a tank for reserving fluid.
- the pump unit transfers fluid from the tank.
- the present invention further provides a fluid supplying system.
- the fluid supplying system includes the above described pump unit, a main tank for reserving fluid, and a sub-tank arranged separately from the main tank.
- the sub-tank receives fluid from the main tank.
- the pump unit is attached to the sub-tank to transfer fluid from the sub-tank.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pump unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system, which has the pump unit shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the pump unit shown in FIG. 4;
- FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
- a fuel supplying system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a fuel supplying system for supplying fuel, which is dimethyl ether (hereinafter, referred to as DME) in the first embodiment, to a fuel injection device 101 , which includes, for example, in-line piston pumps.
- the fuel injection device 101 is located in a drive source of a vehicle, which is a diesel internal combustion engine (not shown).
- the fuel supplying system includes a tank 11 for reserving DME and a pump unit 12 .
- the pump unit 12 is attached to the tank 11 and feeds the DME in the tank 11 to the fuel injection device 101 in a liquid state.
- the DME is a fluid that is vaporized under the pressure that is less than or equal to the saturation pressure. In other words, the DME is vaporized at a normal temperature and under the atmospheric pressure.
- the housing of the pump unit 12 includes an upper first center housing 21 , a lower second center housing 22 , a first end housing 23 , which is secured to the upper end of the first center housing 21 , and a second end housing 24 , which is secured to the lower end of the second center housing 22 .
- the first end housing 23 of the pump unit 12 is inserted into a hole 11 a , which is formed through the lower part of the tank 11 .
- the upper surface of the first end housing 23 , or a small part of the pump unit 12 is exposed inside the tank 11 .
- the second center housing 22 defines a crank chamber 25 .
- a bleed passage 26 extends through the first end housing 23 to the first center housing 21 .
- the crank chamber 25 is always communicated with the tank 11 via the bleed passage 26 .
- the bleed passage 26 vertically extends from the tank 11 to the crank chamber 25 .
- the second end housing 24 defines a motor chamber 27 .
- a drive shaft 28 is rotatably supported between the first center housing 21 and the second end housing 24 .
- the drive shaft 28 extends through the crank chamber 25 and the motor chamber 27 .
- a shaft sealing assembly 60 is arranged at the middle portion of the drive shaft 28 and separates the crank chamber 25 from the motor chamber 27 .
- a stator 29 is located inside the motor chamber 27 and is secured to the inner circumferential surface of the second end housing 24 .
- a rotor 30 is located inside the motor chamber 27 and is secured to the outer circumferential surface of the drive shaft 28 facing the stator 29 . Therefore, the above structure functions as an electric motor, which is a motor M in the first embodiment. When current is supplied to the stator 29 from the outside, the rotor 30 is rotated, which in turn rotates the drive shaft 28 .
- the pump unit 12 includes a gear pump, which is a first pump P 1 in the first embodiment, and a piston pump, which is a second pump P 2 in the first embodiment.
- the gear pump has less volume efficiency compared with the piston pump and differs from the piston pump in that the gear pump has no expansion (suction) phase.
- the piston pump has an expansion phase and higher volume efficiency compared with the gear pump. Therefore, the second pump P 2 serves as a main pump for feeding the DME to the fuel injection device 101 .
- the first pump P 1 serves as a pressurization pump for preventing the DME from vaporizing during the expansion phase of the second pump P 2 .
- the first and second pumps P 1 , P 2 shares the motor M as a drive source. That is, the drive shaft 28 of the first pump P 1 and the drive shaft 28 of the second pump P 2 are coaxial and uniaxial.
- the first and second pumps P 1 , P 2 and the motor M are surrounded with the housings 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 as one unit.
- the discharge amount of the DME of the first pump P 1 rotation of the drive shaft 28 is set to be equal to or greater than that of the second pump P 2 . That is, the discharge capacity of the first pump P 1 is equal to or greater than the discharge capacity of the second pump P 2 .
- a pump chamber 31 is defined at the joint portion between the first center housing 21 and the first end housing 23 .
- the upper end portion of the drive shaft 28 projects inside the pump chamber 31 .
- a first gear 32 is secured to the projecting portion and is rotated integrally with the drive shaft 28 .
- a second gear 33 which meshes with the first gear 32 , is arranged inside the pump chamber 31 .
- the second gear 33 is rotated on the same plane as the first gear 32 .
- An inlet 34 is formed on the upper surface of the first end housing 23 above the pump chamber 31 .
- a suction passage 35 vertically extends through the first end housing 23 .
- the suction passage 35 connects the inlet 34 and the low pressure side (left side in FIG. 3) of the pump chamber 31 .
- a communication passage 36 extends downward from the high pressure side (right side in FIG. 3) of the pump chamber 31 through the first center housing 21 .
- the communication passage 36 is connected to the suction side of the second pump P 2 .
- a pressure release passage 37 vertically extends through the first end housing 23 .
- the pressure release passage 37 connects the high pressure side of the pump chamber 31 to the tank 11 .
- a relief valve 38 which is formed of a ball valve 38 a and a spring 38 b , is arranged in the pressure release passage 37 .
- the ball valve 38 a is normally urged by the force of the spring 38 b to close the pressure release passage 37 .
- the ball valve 38 a moves against the force of the spring 38 b to open the pressure release passage 37 .
- the second pump P 2 includes a cylinder block 39 located inside the crank chamber 25 .
- the cylinder block 39 is fitted to the drive shaft 28 by splines such that the cylinder block 39 is rotated integrally with and relatively moves with respect to the drive shaft 28 .
- Cylinder bores 39 a are formed in the cylinder block 39 about the drive shaft 28 .
- Each cylinder bore 39 a accommodates a piston 40 .
- a cam 41 is secured to the second center housing 22 below the crank chamber 25 .
- An inclined surface 41 a which is inclined with respect to the axis of the drive shaft 28 , is formed on the upper surface of the cam 41 .
- Each piston 40 is coupled to a shoe 43 via a spherical joint 42 .
- a valve plate 44 is fixed to the inner end surface of the crank chamber 25 in the first center housing 21 .
- the valve plate 44 includes a suction port 44 a and a discharge port 44 b , each defining an arc about the axis of the drive shaft 28 .
- the cylinder block 39 has a spring chamber 39 b formed in the center.
- the spring chamber 39 b accommodates a spring 45 , which is arranged about the drive shaft 28 .
- the force of the spring 45 acts on the cylinder block 39 via a spring seat 46 .
- the force of the spring 45 also acts on a shoe retainer via another spring seat 47 , a pin 48 , and a pivot 49 .
- the shoes 43 on the shoe retainer 50 are pressed against the inclined surface 41 a of the cam 41 and the cylinder block 39 is pressed against the valve plate 44 .
- the force of the spring and the force of the cylinder block 39 that is generated by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cylinder bores 39 a and acting toward the valve plate 44 improve the sealing effect between the cylinder block 39 and the valve plate 44 .
- each piston 40 is converted to the reciprocation of the pistons 40 .
- the stroke of each piston 40 is determined by the inclination angle of the inclined surface 41 a of the cam 41 .
- Each cylinder bore 39 a is alternately communicated with the suction port 44 a and the discharge port 44 b of the valve plate 44 .
- the DME that is pressurized by the first pump P 1 is drawn into each cylinder bore 39 a via the communication passage 36 and the suction port 44 a .
- the DME drawn into each cylinder bore 39 a is discharged from the corresponding discharge port 44 b by a pumping action.
- the DME discharged from the discharge port 44 b is transferred to the fuel injection device 101 via a discharge passage 51 , which is formed in the first center housing 21 , and an external pipe 13 .
- the first embodiment provides the following advantages.
- the first pump P 1 and the second pump P 2 share the motor M as the drive source. Therefore, compared to a case where a drive source is provided for each of the first and second pumps P 1 and P 2 , the size of the fuel supplying system is reduced and the structure is simplified, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. Sharing the drive source between the first pump P 1 and the second pump P 2 is advantageous for integrating the first and second pumps P 1 , P 2 and the motor M as a single pump unit 12 .
- the electric motor M has a simpler structure compared to an internal combustion engine, or the like.
- the first and second pumps P 1 , P 2 and the housings 21 , 22 , 23 , and 24 can easily be integrated.
- the electric motor M is also suitable for using as a drive source of the pump unit 12 of the fuel supplying system in that the electric motor M is safe.
- the relief valve 38 is located in the communication passage 36 , which connects the discharge side of the first pump P 1 and the suction side of the second pump P 2 .
- the relief valve 38 releases excessive pressure in the communication passage 36 to the tank 11 , or the upstream of the first pump P 1 . Therefore, the relief valve 38 prevents the pressure from increasing excessively in the communication passage 36 . This prevents the increase of the power loss of the pump unit 12 due to the excessive pressure in the second pump P 2 .
- the crank chamber 25 of the second pump P 2 is communicated with the tank 11 , or the upstream of the first pump P 1 , via the bleed passage 26 . Therefore, even when the DME that has leaked into the crank chamber 25 is vaporized by the heat generated by sliding parts (such as the cam 41 and the shoes 43 ) inside the crank chamber 25 , the vaporized DME returns to the tank 11 through the bleed passage 26 . Thus, the vaporized DME inside the crank chamber 25 is prevented from accumulating inside the cylinder bore 39 a , thereby hindering the suction of the DME through the suction port 44 a . This improves the reliability of the pump unit 12 .
- the bleed passage 26 also prevents the pressure inside the crank chamber 25 from increasing excessively.
- the bleed passage 26 extends vertically upward from the crank chamber 25 . This structure allows the vaporized DME in the crank chamber 25 to reliably float upward to the tank 11 .
- the suction passage 35 of the pump unit 12 extends vertically upward from the pump chamber 31 of the first pump P 1 . Therefore, even when cavitation occurs are generated inside the suction chamber 35 , the vaporized DME floats upward to the tank 11 , or the upstream of the suction passage 35 . Therefore, the vaporized DME are prevented from being drawn into the first pump P 1 or the second pump P 2 .
- the pump unit 12 is integrated with the tank 11 . Therefore, the tank 11 and the pump unit 12 can easily be installed in a vehicle.
- the tank 11 need not be connected to the pump unit 12 with a pipe.
- FIGS. 4 and 5 A second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
- the differences from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 will mainly be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and like or the same reference numerals are given to those components that are like or the same as the corresponding components of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- the pump unit 12 according to a second embodiment is accommodated inside the tank 11 and is secured to the bottom of the tank 11 .
- the pump unit 12 of the second embodiment differs from the pump unit 12 of the first embodiment in that the pump unit 12 is arranged laterally, that is, the drive shaft 28 is arranged horizontally.
- the discharge passage 51 of the pump unit 12 is communicated with an outlet 52 , which is formed in the bottom of the tank 11 .
- the discharge passage 51 is connected to the external pipe 13 via the outlet 52 .
- the bleed passage 26 vertically extends through the circumferential wall of the second center housing 22 .
- a centrifugal pump is used as the first pump P 1 .
- a bladed wheel 55 which forms the centrifugal pump, is secured to the drive shaft 28 inside the pump chamber 31 and rotates integrally with the drive shaft 28 . Therefore, the bladed wheel 55 is rotated with the rotation of the drive shaft 28 , thereby drawing the DME into the low pressure side (left side in FIG. 5) of the pump chamber 31 from the tank 11 through the inlet 34 and the suction passage 35 .
- the DME that is drawn into the low pressure side of the pump chamber 31 is then transferred to the high pressure side (upper side in FIG. 5) of the pump chamber 31 by the space formed between the adjacent blades of the bladed wheel 55 and the inner surface of the pump chamber 31 .
- the DME transferred to the high pressure side of the pump chamber 31 is discharged toward the communication passage 36 by the centrifugal force exerted by the rotation of the bladed wheel 55 .
- the second embodiment provides the same advantages as (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7) of the first embodiment.
- the second embodiment further provides the following advantages.
- the pump unit 12 is entirely accommodated inside the tank 11 . Therefore, the tank 11 has no projections outside. This further facilitates the installation of the tank 11 and the pump unit 12 in a vehicle.
- the bleed passage 26 is shorter than that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the advantage described in (5) of the first embodiment is more efficiently provided. Furthermore, even when the suction passage 35 extends in the horizontal direction, the same advantage as described in (6) of the first embodiment is provided. This adds to the flexibility of the design of the suction passage 35 .
- the centrifugal pump used as the first pump P 1 has simpler structure compared to, for example, the gear pump. Therefore, the structure of the pump unit 12 can be simplified.
- FIG. 6 A third embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. The differences from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 will mainly be discussed below with reference to FIG. 6, and like or the same reference numerals are given to those components that are like or the same as the corresponding components of the first embodiment.
- the pump unit 12 is directly attached to the tank 11 .
- a sub-tank 61 is provided separately from the tank (main tank) 11 , which reserves fuel, as shown in FIG. 6.
- the pump unit 12 is arranged in the sub-tank 61 .
- the pump unit 12 that is the same as the one that is described in the first and second embodiments is used in the third embodiment.
- the pump unit 12 is secured to the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 61 . More specifically, the first end housing 23 is secured to the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 61 .
- the first center housing 21 which incorporates the first pump P 1 , is secured on top of the first end housing 23 and the second center housing 22 , which incorporates the second pump P 2 , is secured on top of the first center housing 21 .
- the second end housing 24 which incorporates the motor M, is secured on top of the second center housing 22 .
- the bleed passage 26 , the suction passage 35 , and the discharge passage 51 are formed as shown in FIG. 6 to be suitable for arranging in the pump unit 12 .
- the discharge passage 51 is connected to the fuel injection device 101 by the external pipe 13 .
- the position of the sub-tank 61 with respect to the main tank 11 is determined such that the first pump P 1 is arranged lower than the inner bottom surface of the main tank 11 .
- the inlet 34 which introduces the DME in the sub-tank 61 into the first pump P 1 , is located lower than the inner bottom surface of the main tank 11 .
- the sub tank 61 is connected to the main tank 11 by a connecting pipe 62 .
- the inlet of the connecting pipe 62 is connected to the bottom wall of the main tank 11 and the outlet of the connecting pipe 62 is connected to the lower portion of the side wall of the sub-tank 61 .
- the DME in the main tank 11 is introduced into the sub-tank 61 through the connecting pipe 62 by its own weight.
- a return pipe 63 connects the upper wall of the sub-tank 61 (or preferably the uppermost portion of the sub-tank 61 ) to the upper portion of the side wall of the main tank 11 . Gas is retained in the upper portion of the main tank 11 and the liquid DME does not reach the gaseous space.
- the return pipe 63 is communicated with the gaseous space.
- the vaporized DME generated in the sub-tank 61 returns to the main tank 11 through the return pipe 63 .
- the fuel injection device 101 is connected to the upper portion of the side wall of the main tank 11 by a feedback pipe 64 .
- the feedback pipe 64 is communicated with the gaseous space in the main tank 11 .
- the remaining DME that was not injected by the fuel injection device 101 returns to the main tank 11 through the feedback pipe 64 .
- the third embodiment provides the following advantages.
- the tank 11 When the tank 11 is empty, the tank 11 may be filled with DME without being removed, or the empty tank 11 may be exchanged with another tank 11 filled with DME. Since the pump unit 12 is directly attached to the tank 11 in the first and second embodiments, the pump unit 12 is also replaced when exchanging the tank 11 . In this case, the same number of pump units 12 as the tanks 11 must be provided, which increases the cost. In the first and second embodiments, the pump unit 12 may be detached from the tank 11 when exchanging the tank 11 . However, such process is very troublesome.
- the pump unit 12 according to the third embodiment is arranged inside the sub-tank 61 separately from the main tank 11 . Therefore, when the main tank 11 is empty, only the main tank 11 is easily removed from the fuel supplying system and replaced with another main tank 11 filled with DME. Thus, the pump unit 12 is not wasted by exchanging the pump unit 12 with the main tank 11 and it is not necessary to detach the pump unit 12 from the main tank 11 .
- the first pump P 1 of the pump unit 12 is arranged lower than the inner bottom surface of the main tank 11 .
- the DME in the main tank 11 flows into the sub-tank 61 through the connecting pipe 62 , which is connected to the bottom wall of the main tank 11 , by its own weight.
- the vaporized DME retained at the upper portion of the sub-tank 61 returns to the main tank 11 via the return pipe 63 . Therefore, even when the level of liquid surface of the DME in the main tank 11 is close to the inner bottom surface of the main tank 11 , the DME is reliably sent to the sub-tank 61 from the main tank 11 and the first pump P 1 reliably draws the DME while being immersed in the DME inside the sub-tank 61 .
- the first pump P 1 is able to draw in the DME even when the remaining DME in the main tank 11 is only a small amount.
- the DME in the main tank 11 can almost be used up. This is particularly effective with the structure that permits the main tank 11 to be exchanged.
- the pump unit 12 is arranged inside the sub-tank 61 , which is separate from the main tank 11 , in the same manner as in the third embodiment.
- the pump unit 12 is laterally secured to the inner side surface of the sub-tank 61 . That is, the pump unit 12 is arranged such that the drive shaft 28 becomes horizontal.
- the feedback pipe 64 which extends from the fuel injection device 101 , is connected to the upper portion of the sub-tank 61 instead of the main tank 11 .
- the feedback pipe 64 is communicated with the upper portion, or the gaseous space, of the sub-tank 61 .
- the fourth embodiment provides the following advantages in addition to the advantages of the third embodiment.
- the feedback pipe 64 is connected to the sub-tank 61 instead of the main tank 11 . Therefore, the number of pipes connected to the main tank 11 is reduced as compared to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6. This facilitates detaching and connecting procedures when exchanging the main tank 11 .
- cChlorofluorocarbon or propane may be used instead of DME asfor fluid that turns into gaseous state under the pressure that is less than or equal to the saturation pressure. That is, the present invention may be embodied in a pump unit that transfers chlorofluorocarbon or propane.
- a pump that has no expansion phase includes screw pump and roots pump in addition to the gear pump and the centrifugal pump. That is, the screw pump or roots pump may be used as the first pump.
- the pressure release passage 37 and the relief valve 38 may be omitted.
- the discharge amount of DME of the first and second pumps P 1 and P 2 per one rotation of the drive shaft 28 is set to be equal.
- the shaft sealing assembly 60 is provided between the second pump P 2 (the crank chamber 25 ) and the motor M (the motor chamber 27 ).
- the shaft sealing assembly 60 may be omitted and the motor chamber 27 may be exposed to the DME.
- the motor M may be separated from the pump unit 12 .
- the motor M is connected to and driven by the drive shaft 28 of the pump unit 12 via the power transmission mechanism, which includes a belt and a pulley.
- the feedback pipe 64 according to the third embodiment of FIG. 6 may be applied to the system according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 or the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
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- Details Of Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
- Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
- Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
- Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
Abstract
A fuel supplying system includes a tank and a pump unit, which transfers fluid from the tank. The pump unit includes a first pump, a second pump, and a drive source. The first pump and the second pump are driven by the common drive source. The first pump, the second pump, and the drive source are structured as one unit. This reduces the size and simplifies the structure of the fuel supplying system.
Description
- The present invention relates to a pump unit that is used in a fuel supplying system of an internal combustion engine that uses dimethyl ether as fuel, and to a fluid supplying system that, which has the pump unit.
- A typical pump unit includes a piston pump, which functions as a main source for transferring fluid. To reliably feed dimethyl ether (hereinafter, referred to as DME) from a tank to an internal combustion engine (or fuel injection device) without vaporizing DME, it has been proposed that a gear pump be provided at upstream of piston pump. The piston pump functions as a main source for transferring fluid. The pump unit reliably feeds dimethyl ether (hereinafter, referred to as DME) from the tank to an internal combustion engine (or fuel injection device) without vaporizing the DME. That is, the DME is compressed in advance with the gear pump, which has no expansion phase, to prevent the pressure of the DME from decreasing below the saturation pressure by the expansion (suction) phase of the piston pump.
- However, the conventional fuel supplying system has the two separate pumps each having an electric motor as a drive source. Therefore, the size and the cost of the fuel supplying system are increased.
- Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a compact and low-cost pump unit and to provide a fluid supplying system that has the pump unit.
- To achieve the forgoing and other objectives and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, the invention includes a first pump, a second pump, and a single drive source. The first pump has no expansion phase and draws in and discharges fluid. The second pump has an expansion phase and draws in and discharges fluid that is discharged from the first pump. The second pump is connected to the first pump. The single drive source drives the first pump and the second pump.
- The present invention also provides a fluid supplying system. The system includes the above described pump unit and a tank for reserving fluid. The pump unit transfers fluid from the tank.
- The present invention further provides a fluid supplying system. The fluid supplying system includes the above described pump unit, a main tank for reserving fluid, and a sub-tank arranged separately from the main tank. The sub-tank receives fluid from the main tank. The pump unit is attached to the sub-tank to transfer fluid from the sub-tank.
- 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 in which:
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pump unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system, which has the pump unit shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line3-3 in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
- FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the pump unit shown in FIG. 4;
- FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and
- FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a fuel supplying system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
- A fuel supplying system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.1 to 3.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a fuel supplying system for supplying fuel, which is dimethyl ether (hereinafter, referred to as DME) in the first embodiment, to a
fuel injection device 101, which includes, for example, in-line piston pumps. Thefuel injection device 101 is located in a drive source of a vehicle, which is a diesel internal combustion engine (not shown). The fuel supplying system includes atank 11 for reserving DME and apump unit 12. Thepump unit 12 is attached to thetank 11 and feeds the DME in thetank 11 to thefuel injection device 101 in a liquid state. The DME is a fluid that is vaporized under the pressure that is less than or equal to the saturation pressure. In other words, the DME is vaporized at a normal temperature and under the atmospheric pressure. - As shown in FIG. 1, the housing of the
pump unit 12 includes an upperfirst center housing 21, a lowersecond center housing 22, afirst end housing 23, which is secured to the upper end of thefirst center housing 21, and asecond end housing 24, which is secured to the lower end of thesecond center housing 22. Thefirst end housing 23 of thepump unit 12 is inserted into ahole 11 a, which is formed through the lower part of thetank 11. The upper surface of thefirst end housing 23, or a small part of thepump unit 12, is exposed inside thetank 11. - The
second center housing 22 defines acrank chamber 25. - A
bleed passage 26 extends through thefirst end housing 23 to thefirst center housing 21. Thecrank chamber 25 is always communicated with thetank 11 via thebleed passage 26. Thebleed passage 26 vertically extends from thetank 11 to thecrank chamber 25. - The
second end housing 24 defines amotor chamber 27. Adrive shaft 28 is rotatably supported between thefirst center housing 21 and thesecond end housing 24. Thedrive shaft 28 extends through thecrank chamber 25 and themotor chamber 27. A shaft sealing assembly 60 is arranged at the middle portion of thedrive shaft 28 and separates thecrank chamber 25 from themotor chamber 27. - A
stator 29 is located inside themotor chamber 27 and is secured to the inner circumferential surface of thesecond end housing 24. Arotor 30 is located inside themotor chamber 27 and is secured to the outer circumferential surface of thedrive shaft 28 facing thestator 29. Therefore, the above structure functions as an electric motor, which is a motor M in the first embodiment. When current is supplied to thestator 29 from the outside, therotor 30 is rotated, which in turn rotates thedrive shaft 28. - The
pump unit 12 includes a gear pump, which is a first pump P1 in the first embodiment, and a piston pump, which is a second pump P2 in the first embodiment. The gear pump has less volume efficiency compared with the piston pump and differs from the piston pump in that the gear pump has no expansion (suction) phase. The piston pump has an expansion phase and higher volume efficiency compared with the gear pump. Therefore, the second pump P2 serves as a main pump for feeding the DME to thefuel injection device 101. The first pump P1 serves as a pressurization pump for preventing the DME from vaporizing during the expansion phase of the second pump P2. - The first and second pumps P1, P2 shares the motor M as a drive source. That is, the
drive shaft 28 of the first pump P1 and thedrive shaft 28 of the second pump P2 are coaxial and uniaxial. The first and second pumps P1, P2 and the motor M are surrounded with thehousings drive shaft 28 is set to be equal to or greater than that of the second pump P2. That is, the discharge capacity of the first pump P1 is equal to or greater than the discharge capacity of the second pump P2. - As shown in FIG. 1, a
pump chamber 31 is defined at the joint portion between thefirst center housing 21 and thefirst end housing 23. The upper end portion of thedrive shaft 28 projects inside thepump chamber 31. Afirst gear 32 is secured to the projecting portion and is rotated integrally with thedrive shaft 28. Asecond gear 33, which meshes with thefirst gear 32, is arranged inside thepump chamber 31. Thesecond gear 33 is rotated on the same plane as thefirst gear 32. - An
inlet 34 is formed on the upper surface of thefirst end housing 23 above thepump chamber 31. Asuction passage 35 vertically extends through thefirst end housing 23. Thesuction passage 35 connects theinlet 34 and the low pressure side (left side in FIG. 3) of thepump chamber 31. Acommunication passage 36 extends downward from the high pressure side (right side in FIG. 3) of thepump chamber 31 through thefirst center housing 21. Thecommunication passage 36 is connected to the suction side of the second pump P2. - When the
drive shaft 28 is rotated, thefirst gear 32 is rotated, which in turn rotates thesecond gear 33. Therefore, the DME is drawn into the low pressure side of thepump chamber 31 from thetank 11 via theinlet 34 and thesuction passage 35. The DME is then transferred to the high pressure side of thepump chamber 31 using the space between the teeth grooves of thegears pump chamber 31. The DME that is transferred to the high pressure side of thepump chamber 31 is discharged toward thecommunication passage 36. - As shown in FIG. 3, a
pressure release passage 37 vertically extends through thefirst end housing 23. Thepressure release passage 37 connects the high pressure side of thepump chamber 31 to thetank 11. Arelief valve 38, which is formed of aball valve 38 a and aspring 38 b, is arranged in thepressure release passage 37. Theball valve 38 a is normally urged by the force of thespring 38 b to close thepressure release passage 37. When the pressure in the high pressure side of thepump chamber 31, or the pressure in thecommunication passage 36, is excessive, theball valve 38 a moves against the force of thespring 38 b to open thepressure release passage 37. - As shown in FIG. 1, the second pump P2 includes a
cylinder block 39 located inside thecrank chamber 25. Thecylinder block 39 is fitted to thedrive shaft 28 by splines such that thecylinder block 39 is rotated integrally with and relatively moves with respect to thedrive shaft 28. Cylinder bores 39 a are formed in thecylinder block 39 about thedrive shaft 28. Each cylinder bore 39 a accommodates apiston 40. Acam 41 is secured to thesecond center housing 22 below thecrank chamber 25. Aninclined surface 41 a, which is inclined with respect to the axis of thedrive shaft 28, is formed on the upper surface of thecam 41. - Each
piston 40 is coupled to ashoe 43 via a spherical joint 42. - A
valve plate 44 is fixed to the inner end surface of thecrank chamber 25 in thefirst center housing 21. Thevalve plate 44 includes asuction port 44 a and adischarge port 44 b, each defining an arc about the axis of thedrive shaft 28. Thecylinder block 39 has aspring chamber 39 b formed in the center. Thespring chamber 39 b accommodates aspring 45, which is arranged about thedrive shaft 28. The force of thespring 45 acts on thecylinder block 39 via aspring seat 46. The force of thespring 45 also acts on a shoe retainer via anotherspring seat 47, apin 48, and apivot 49. Therefore, theshoes 43 on theshoe retainer 50 are pressed against theinclined surface 41 a of thecam 41 and thecylinder block 39 is pressed against thevalve plate 44. The force of the spring and the force of thecylinder block 39 that is generated by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cylinder bores 39 a and acting toward thevalve plate 44 improve the sealing effect between thecylinder block 39 and thevalve plate 44. - The rotation of the
cylinder block 39 with thedrive shaft 28 is converted to the reciprocation of thepistons 40. The stroke of eachpiston 40 is determined by the inclination angle of theinclined surface 41 a of thecam 41. Each cylinder bore 39 a is alternately communicated with thesuction port 44 a and thedischarge port 44 b of thevalve plate 44. Thus, the DME that is pressurized by the first pump P1 is drawn into each cylinder bore 39 a via thecommunication passage 36 and thesuction port 44 a. The DME drawn into each cylinder bore 39 a is discharged from thecorresponding discharge port 44 b by a pumping action. The DME discharged from thedischarge port 44 b is transferred to thefuel injection device 101 via adischarge passage 51, which is formed in thefirst center housing 21, and anexternal pipe 13. - The first embodiment provides the following advantages.
- (1) The first pump P1 and the second pump P2 share the motor M as the drive source. Therefore, compared to a case where a drive source is provided for each of the first and second pumps P1 and P2, the size of the fuel supplying system is reduced and the structure is simplified, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. Sharing the drive source between the first pump P1 and the second pump P2 is advantageous for integrating the first and second pumps P1, P2 and the motor M as a
single pump unit 12. - (2) The electric motor M has a simpler structure compared to an internal combustion engine, or the like. Thus, the first and second pumps P1, P2 and the
housings - The electric motor M is also suitable for using as a drive source of the
pump unit 12 of the fuel supplying system in that the electric motor M is safe. - (3) The
drive shaft 28 of the first pump P1 and thedrive shaft 28 of the second pump P2 and theoutput shaft 28 of the motor M are coaxial and uniaxial. Therefore, for example, a complex power transmission mechanism need not be arranged between the motor M and the second pump P2, and between the second pump P2 and the first pump P1. Thus, the structure of thepump unit 12 can be simplified, thereby reducing the size of thepump unit 12. - (4) The
relief valve 38 is located in thecommunication passage 36, which connects the discharge side of the first pump P1 and the suction side of the second pump P2. Therelief valve 38 releases excessive pressure in thecommunication passage 36 to thetank 11, or the upstream of the first pump P1. Therefore, therelief valve 38 prevents the pressure from increasing excessively in thecommunication passage 36. This prevents the increase of the power loss of thepump unit 12 due to the excessive pressure in the second pump P2. - (5) The crank
chamber 25 of the second pump P2 is communicated with thetank 11, or the upstream of the first pump P1, via thebleed passage 26. Therefore, even when the DME that has leaked into thecrank chamber 25 is vaporized by the heat generated by sliding parts (such as thecam 41 and the shoes 43) inside thecrank chamber 25, the vaporized DME returns to thetank 11 through thebleed passage 26. Thus, the vaporized DME inside thecrank chamber 25 is prevented from accumulating inside the cylinder bore 39 a, thereby hindering the suction of the DME through thesuction port 44 a. This improves the reliability of thepump unit 12. Thebleed passage 26 also prevents the pressure inside thecrank chamber 25 from increasing excessively. - The
bleed passage 26 extends vertically upward from thecrank chamber 25. This structure allows the vaporized DME in thecrank chamber 25 to reliably float upward to thetank 11. - (6) The
suction passage 35 of thepump unit 12 extends vertically upward from thepump chamber 31 of the first pump P1. Therefore, even when cavitation occurs are generated inside thesuction chamber 35, the vaporized DME floats upward to thetank 11, or the upstream of thesuction passage 35. Therefore, the vaporized DME are prevented from being drawn into the first pump P1 or the second pump P2. - (7) The
pump unit 12 is integrated with thetank 11. Therefore, thetank 11 and thepump unit 12 can easily be installed in a vehicle. Thetank 11 need not be connected to thepump unit 12 with a pipe. - (8) The
pump unit 12 is almost entirely exposed outside thetank 11. This facilitates the maintenance of thepump unit 12. - A second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In the second embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment of FIGS.1 to 3 will mainly be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and like or the same reference numerals are given to those components that are like or the same as the corresponding components of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.
- As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the
pump unit 12 according to a second embodiment is accommodated inside thetank 11 and is secured to the bottom of thetank 11. Thepump unit 12 of the second embodiment differs from thepump unit 12 of the first embodiment in that thepump unit 12 is arranged laterally, that is, thedrive shaft 28 is arranged horizontally. Thedischarge passage 51 of thepump unit 12 is communicated with an outlet 52, which is formed in the bottom of thetank 11. Thedischarge passage 51 is connected to theexternal pipe 13 via the outlet 52. - The
bleed passage 26 vertically extends through the circumferential wall of thesecond center housing 22. - In the second embodiment, a centrifugal pump is used as the first pump P1. A
bladed wheel 55, which forms the centrifugal pump, is secured to thedrive shaft 28 inside thepump chamber 31 and rotates integrally with thedrive shaft 28. Therefore, thebladed wheel 55 is rotated with the rotation of thedrive shaft 28, thereby drawing the DME into the low pressure side (left side in FIG. 5) of thepump chamber 31 from thetank 11 through theinlet 34 and thesuction passage 35. The DME that is drawn into the low pressure side of thepump chamber 31 is then transferred to the high pressure side (upper side in FIG. 5) of thepump chamber 31 by the space formed between the adjacent blades of the bladedwheel 55 and the inner surface of thepump chamber 31. The DME transferred to the high pressure side of thepump chamber 31 is discharged toward thecommunication passage 36 by the centrifugal force exerted by the rotation of the bladedwheel 55. - The second embodiment provides the same advantages as (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7) of the first embodiment. The second embodiment further provides the following advantages.
- (1) The
pump unit 12 is entirely accommodated inside thetank 11. Therefore, thetank 11 has no projections outside. This further facilitates the installation of thetank 11 and thepump unit 12 in a vehicle. Thebleed passage 26 is shorter than that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the advantage described in (5) of the first embodiment is more efficiently provided. Furthermore, even when thesuction passage 35 extends in the horizontal direction, the same advantage as described in (6) of the first embodiment is provided. This adds to the flexibility of the design of thesuction passage 35. - (2) The centrifugal pump used as the first pump P1 has simpler structure compared to, for example, the gear pump. Therefore, the structure of the
pump unit 12 can be simplified. - A third embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. The differences from the first embodiment of FIGS.1 to 3 will mainly be discussed below with reference to FIG. 6, and like or the same reference numerals are given to those components that are like or the same as the corresponding components of the first embodiment.
- In the first and second embodiments, the
pump unit 12 is directly attached to thetank 11. However, in the third embodiment, a sub-tank 61 is provided separately from the tank (main tank) 11, which reserves fuel, as shown in FIG. 6. Thepump unit 12 is arranged in the sub-tank 61. - The
pump unit 12 that is the same as the one that is described in the first and second embodiments is used in the third embodiment. Thepump unit 12 is secured to the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 61. More specifically, thefirst end housing 23 is secured to the inner bottom surface of the sub-tank 61. Thefirst center housing 21, which incorporates the first pump P1, is secured on top of thefirst end housing 23 and thesecond center housing 22, which incorporates the second pump P2, is secured on top of thefirst center housing 21. Thesecond end housing 24, which incorporates the motor M, is secured on top of thesecond center housing 22. Thebleed passage 26, thesuction passage 35, and thedischarge passage 51 are formed as shown in FIG. 6 to be suitable for arranging in thepump unit 12. Thedischarge passage 51 is connected to thefuel injection device 101 by theexternal pipe 13. - The position of the sub-tank61 with respect to the
main tank 11 is determined such that the first pump P1 is arranged lower than the inner bottom surface of themain tank 11. In other words, theinlet 34, which introduces the DME in the sub-tank 61 into the first pump P1, is located lower than the inner bottom surface of themain tank 11. - The
sub tank 61 is connected to themain tank 11 by a connectingpipe 62. The inlet of the connectingpipe 62 is connected to the bottom wall of themain tank 11 and the outlet of the connectingpipe 62 is connected to the lower portion of the side wall of the sub-tank 61. The DME in themain tank 11 is introduced into the sub-tank 61 through the connectingpipe 62 by its own weight. Areturn pipe 63 connects the upper wall of the sub-tank 61 (or preferably the uppermost portion of the sub-tank 61) to the upper portion of the side wall of themain tank 11. Gas is retained in the upper portion of themain tank 11 and the liquid DME does not reach the gaseous space. Thereturn pipe 63 is communicated with the gaseous space. The vaporized DME generated in the sub-tank 61 returns to themain tank 11 through thereturn pipe 63. - The
fuel injection device 101 is connected to the upper portion of the side wall of themain tank 11 by afeedback pipe 64. Thefeedback pipe 64 is communicated with the gaseous space in themain tank 11. The remaining DME that was not injected by thefuel injection device 101 returns to themain tank 11 through thefeedback pipe 64. - The third embodiment provides the following advantages.
- (1) When the
tank 11 is empty, thetank 11 may be filled with DME without being removed, or theempty tank 11 may be exchanged with anothertank 11 filled with DME. Since thepump unit 12 is directly attached to thetank 11 in the first and second embodiments, thepump unit 12 is also replaced when exchanging thetank 11. In this case, the same number ofpump units 12 as thetanks 11 must be provided, which increases the cost. In the first and second embodiments, thepump unit 12 may be detached from thetank 11 when exchanging thetank 11. However, such process is very troublesome. - In contrast, the
pump unit 12 according to the third embodiment is arranged inside the sub-tank 61 separately from themain tank 11. Therefore, when themain tank 11 is empty, only themain tank 11 is easily removed from the fuel supplying system and replaced with anothermain tank 11 filled with DME. Thus, thepump unit 12 is not wasted by exchanging thepump unit 12 with themain tank 11 and it is not necessary to detach thepump unit 12 from themain tank 11. - (2) The first pump P1 of the
pump unit 12 is arranged lower than the inner bottom surface of themain tank 11. The DME in themain tank 11 flows into the sub-tank 61 through the connectingpipe 62, which is connected to the bottom wall of themain tank 11, by its own weight. The vaporized DME retained at the upper portion of the sub-tank 61 returns to themain tank 11 via thereturn pipe 63. Therefore, even when the level of liquid surface of the DME in themain tank 11 is close to the inner bottom surface of themain tank 11, the DME is reliably sent to the sub-tank 61 from themain tank 11 and the first pump P1 reliably draws the DME while being immersed in the DME inside the sub-tank 61. That is, the first pump P1 is able to draw in the DME even when the remaining DME in themain tank 11 is only a small amount. As a result, the DME in themain tank 11 can almost be used up. This is particularly effective with the structure that permits themain tank 11 to be exchanged. - (3) Excessive DME in the
fuel injection device 101 returns to themain tank 11 through thefeedback pipe 64. The excessive DME is heated while flowing through thefuel injection device 101, but the heat is released in the relatively largemain tank 11. This suppresses the temperature increase of the DME and decreases the amount of DME that is vaporized. - In the fourth embodiment, the differences from the third embodiment of FIG. 6 will mainly be discussed below with reference to FIG. 7. In the fourth embodiment, the
pump unit 12 is arranged inside the sub-tank 61, which is separate from themain tank 11, in the same manner as in the third embodiment. - As shown in FIG. 7, the
pump unit 12 is laterally secured to the inner side surface of the sub-tank 61. That is, thepump unit 12 is arranged such that thedrive shaft 28 becomes horizontal. Thefeedback pipe 64, which extends from thefuel injection device 101, is connected to the upper portion of the sub-tank 61 instead of themain tank 11. Thefeedback pipe 64 is communicated with the upper portion, or the gaseous space, of the sub-tank 61. - The fourth embodiment provides the following advantages in addition to the advantages of the third embodiment.
- (1) The
feedback pipe 64 is connected to the sub-tank 61 instead of themain tank 11. Therefore, the number of pipes connected to themain tank 11 is reduced as compared to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6. This facilitates detaching and connecting procedures when exchanging themain tank 11. - It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Particularly, it should be understood that the invention may be embodied in the following forms.
- Instead of DME, cChlorofluorocarbon or propane may be used instead of DME asfor fluid that turns into gaseous state under the pressure that is less than or equal to the saturation pressure. That is, the present invention may be embodied in a pump unit that transfers chlorofluorocarbon or propane.
- A pump that has no expansion phase includes screw pump and roots pump in addition to the gear pump and the centrifugal pump. That is, the screw pump or roots pump may be used as the first pump.
- In the above embodiments, the
pressure release passage 37 and therelief valve 38 may be omitted. In this case, the discharge amount of DME of the first and second pumps P1 and P2 per one rotation of thedrive shaft 28 is set to be equal. - In the above embodiments, the shaft sealing assembly60 is provided between the second pump P2 (the crank chamber 25) and the motor M (the motor chamber 27). However, the shaft sealing assembly 60 may be omitted and the
motor chamber 27 may be exposed to the DME. - In the above embodiments, the motor M may be separated from the
pump unit 12. In this case, the motor M is connected to and driven by thedrive shaft 28 of thepump unit 12 via the power transmission mechanism, which includes a belt and a pulley. - The
feedback pipe 64 according to the third embodiment of FIG. 6 may be applied to the system according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 or the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. - Therefore, 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 (21)
1. A pump unit comprising:
a first pump, which has no expansion phase, wherein the first pump draws in and discharges fluid;
a second pump, which has an expansion phase, wherein the second pump is connected to the first pump for drawing in and discharging fluid that is discharged from the first pump; and
a single drive source for driving the first pump and the second pump.
2. The pump unit according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge capacity of the first pump is equal to or greater than the discharge capacity of the second pump.
3. The pump unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first pump, the second pump, and the drive source are coupled with one another to form a single unit.
4. The pump unit according to claim 3 , wherein the drive source is an electric motor, and wherein a housing of the electric motor, a housing of the first pump, and a housing of the second pump are coupled to one another.
5. The pump unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first pump and the second pump are driven by a common single drive shaft.
6. The pump unit according to claim 5 , wherein the drive shaft extends to the drive source to serve also as an output shaft of the drive source.
7. The pump unit according to claim 1 further comprising:
a communication passage for introducing fluid that is discharged from the first pump into the second pump; and
a relief valve for releasing excessive pressure from the communication passage.
8. The pump unit according to claim 7 , wherein the relief valve releases excessive pressure from the communication passage toward a section where the fluid is stored before being introduced into the first pump.
9. The pump unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second pump is a piston pump, the piston pump comprising:
a drive shaft;
a piston;
a housing, which defines a crank chamber;
a cam arranged in the crank chamber, wherein the cam converts the rotation of the drive shaft into the reciprocation of the piston; and
a bleed passage, which communicates the crank chamber with the outside of the housing.
10. The pump unit according to claim 9 , wherein the bleed passage communicates the crank chamber with a section where the fluid is stored before being introduced into the first pump.
11. The pump unit according to claim 9 , wherein the bleed passage extends upward from the crank chamber.
12. The pump unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first pump is a gear pump or a centrifugal pump.
13. The pump unit according to claim 1 further comprising a suction passage for introducing fluid into the first pump, wherein the suction passage is structured such that gas that is generated in the suction passage can ascend toward the upstream of the suction passage.
14. A fluid supplying system comprising:
a tank for reserving fluid; and
a pump unit for transferring fluid from the tank, wherein the pump unit includes:
a first pump, which has no expansion phase, wherein the first pump draws in fluid from the tank and discharges the fluid;
a second pump, which has an expansion phase, wherein the second pump is connected to the first pump for drawing in and discharging fluid that is discharged from the first pump; and
a single drive source for driving the first pump and the second pump.
15. The fluid supplying system according to claim 14 , wherein the pump unit is attached to the tank such that substantially almost the entire pump unit is exposed outside the tank.
16. The fluid supplying system according to claim 14 , wherein the pump unit is accommodated in the tank.
17. A fluid supplying system comprising:
a main tank for reserving fluid;
a sub-tank arranged separately from the main tank, wherein the sub-tank receives fluid from the main tank; and
a pump unit attached to the sub-tank, wherein the pump unit transfers fluid from the sub-tank, wherein the pump unit includes:
a first pump, which has no expansion phase, wherein the first pump draws in fluid from the sub-tank and discharges the fluid;
a second pump, which has an expansion phase, wherein the second pump is connected to the first pump for drawing in and discharging fluid that is discharged from the first pump; and
a single drive source for driving the first pump and the second pump.
18. The fluid supplying system according to claim 17 , wherein the first pump is located below an inner bottom surface of the main tank.
19. The fluid supplying system according to claim 17 further comprising a return pipe for returning vaporized fluid in the sub-tank into the main tank.
20. The fluid supplying system according to claim 17 , wherein the fluid is fuel for an internal combustion engine, the system further comprising:
a fuel injection device for injecting the fuel into the internal combustion engine; and
a feedback pipe, which connects the fuel injection device to the main tank, wherein the feedback pipe returns excessive fuel that is generated in the fuel injection device to the main tank.
21. The fluid supplying system according to claim 17 , wherein the fluid is fuel for an internal combustion engine, the system further comprising:
a fuel injection device for injecting fuel into the internal combustion engine; and
a feedback pipe, which connects the fuel injection device to the sub-tank, wherein the feedback pipe returns the excessive fuel generated in the fuel injection device to the sub-tank.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2001217902A JP2003028055A (en) | 2001-07-18 | 2001-07-18 | Fluid force-feed device and tank for storing fluid |
JP2001-217902 | 2001-07-18 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20030017057A1 true US20030017057A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 |
Family
ID=19052157
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/199,915 Abandoned US20030017057A1 (en) | 2001-07-18 | 2002-07-18 | Pump unit and fluid supplying system |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20030017057A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1293663A3 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2003028055A (en) |
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EP1310672A3 (en) * | 2001-11-07 | 2005-06-08 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Fuel pump for a fuel system of an internal combustion engine and fuel system |
US6913038B2 (en) | 2001-10-09 | 2005-07-05 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki | Pump for exerting pressure on fluid and fluid tank unit having the same |
US20100186372A1 (en) * | 2007-06-01 | 2010-07-29 | Simona Pinto | Method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal-combustion engine |
CN103277279A (en) * | 2013-06-09 | 2013-09-04 | 淮阴工学院 | Pump assisted type valve distributing plunger pump |
CN104234966A (en) * | 2013-06-20 | 2014-12-24 | 扬州市宝元机械制造有限公司 | Hydraulic pump |
US20150354355A1 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2015-12-10 | Danfoss Power Solutions Gmbh & Co Ohg | Adaptation of a hydraulic motor |
US11293390B2 (en) * | 2020-05-25 | 2022-04-05 | Hyundai Motor Company | Fuel pump for a liquid fuel injection system of a motor vehicle |
US11460013B2 (en) * | 2017-11-22 | 2022-10-04 | Parker-Hannifin Corporation | Bent axis hydraulic pump with centrifugal assist |
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GB201516861D0 (en) * | 2015-09-23 | 2015-11-04 | Parker Hannifin Mfg Uk Ltd | A motor pump assembly |
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US5482441A (en) * | 1994-04-18 | 1996-01-09 | Permar; Clark | Liquid flow control system |
Cited By (10)
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US6913038B2 (en) | 2001-10-09 | 2005-07-05 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki | Pump for exerting pressure on fluid and fluid tank unit having the same |
EP1310672A3 (en) * | 2001-11-07 | 2005-06-08 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Fuel pump for a fuel system of an internal combustion engine and fuel system |
US20100186372A1 (en) * | 2007-06-01 | 2010-07-29 | Simona Pinto | Method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal-combustion engine |
US8371110B2 (en) * | 2007-06-01 | 2013-02-12 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal-combustion engine |
CN103277279A (en) * | 2013-06-09 | 2013-09-04 | 淮阴工学院 | Pump assisted type valve distributing plunger pump |
CN104234966A (en) * | 2013-06-20 | 2014-12-24 | 扬州市宝元机械制造有限公司 | Hydraulic pump |
US20150354355A1 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2015-12-10 | Danfoss Power Solutions Gmbh & Co Ohg | Adaptation of a hydraulic motor |
US9879532B2 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2018-01-30 | Danfoss Power Solutions Gmbh & Co Ohg | Adaptation of a hydraulic motor |
US11460013B2 (en) * | 2017-11-22 | 2022-10-04 | Parker-Hannifin Corporation | Bent axis hydraulic pump with centrifugal assist |
US11293390B2 (en) * | 2020-05-25 | 2022-04-05 | Hyundai Motor Company | Fuel pump for a liquid fuel injection system of a motor vehicle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1293663A3 (en) | 2004-12-01 |
EP1293663A2 (en) | 2003-03-19 |
JP2003028055A (en) | 2003-01-29 |
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