U.S. patent application number 11/916126 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-14 for delivery unit.
Invention is credited to Benjin Luo, Ulrich Mueller, Fevzi Yildirim.
Application Number | 20080193297 11/916126 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36659714 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080193297 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yildirim; Fevzi ; et
al. |
August 14, 2008 |
Delivery Unit
Abstract
A delivery unit for delivering fuel from a tank to the internal
combustion engine of a motor vehicle comprises an impeller
revolving in a pump chamber. The impeller, on at least one end
face, has a ring of blades spaced apart from one another in the
circumferential direction. The impeller blades each have one front
side leading in the direction of revolution and one rear side
trailing in the direction of revolution. The blades have at least
one triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped oblique
face on the radially outward front side and/or the radially inward
rear side in the region of the end faces, which advantageously
enlarges an inflow and outflow face formed between the blades and
discharging into the chamber, thereby increasing efficiency of the
delivery unit.
Inventors: |
Yildirim; Fevzi; (Gerlingen,
DE) ; Mueller; Ulrich; (Gerlinger, DE) ; Luo;
Benjin; (Stuttgart, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RONALD E. GREIGG;GREIGG & GREIGG P.L.L.C.
1423 POWHATAN STREET, UNIT ONE
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
36659714 |
Appl. No.: |
11/916126 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
April 21, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP06/61741 |
371 Date: |
November 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
416/223R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/188
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
416/223.R |
International
Class: |
F04D 29/18 20060101
F04D029/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 1, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 025 132.3 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A delivery unit for delivering fuel from a tank to an internal
combustion engine of a motor vehicle, comprising: an impeller
revolving in a pump chamber; a ring of blades spaced apart from one
another in the circumferential direction on at least one end face
of the impeller; each blade of the impeller having one front side
leading in a direction of revolution and one rear side trailing in
the direction of revolution; and at least one oblique face,
disposed radially outward on a front side and/or radially inward on
a rear side in a region of the end faces.
9. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique face
of the blades is formed such that an imaginary oblique section from
one end of the blades extends with decreasing depth (T) in the
radial direction of an opposite end of the blades.
10. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique
face has edges, disposed on the oblique face and which extend in an
opposite direction from adjoining edges of adjacent faces.
11. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique
face is embodied such that it enlarges an inflow and outflow face
that is formed between the blades and opens out into a chamber
disposed between the blades.
12. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique
face is curved or plane.
13. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique
face is a portion of triangular, oval, circular, or
circular-sector-shaped to the surface of the front side and rear
side.
14. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein a radial length
of the oblique face with regard to a pump axis is less than a
radial length of the blades.
15. The delivery unit according to claim 8, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
16. The delivery unit according to claim 9, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
17. The delivery unit according to claim 10, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
18. The delivery unit according to claim 11, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
19. The delivery unit according to claim 12, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
20. The delivery unit according to claim 13, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
21. The delivery unit according to claim 14, wherein the oblique
face is triangular, oval, circular, or circular-sector-shaped.
Description
[0001] The invention is based on a delivery unit as generically
defined by the preamble to the main claim. A delivery unit is
already known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,520 B1, having an impeller,
which revolves in a pump chamber and which on at least one end face
has a ring of blades, spaced apart from one another in the
circumferential direction, which each have one front side leading
in the direction of revolution and one rear side trailing in the
direction of revolution and cooperate with an annular delivery
conduit of the pump chamber. One blade chamber is formed between
each of the individual blades. The fluid leaves the delivery
conduit, radially inward with regard to an axis of rotation of the
impeller, to enter the blade chambers and emerges from these
chambers radially outward again into the delivery conduit. To
improve the inflow and outflow into and out of the chambers, the
blades, on their edge formed by a face end and the rear side, have
a chamfer extending continuously from radially inward to radially
outward.
[0002] It is disadvantageous that the edge formed by the face end
and the front side does not have a chamfer. As a result, on outflow
from the blade chamber, the flow experiences an increased flow
resistance. If the edge formed by the face end and the front side
did have a continuously extending chamfer, as the edge formed by
the face end and the rear side does, then the wall thickness of the
blades, measured in the direction of revolution, would have to be
increased, which would in turn increase the resistance to the
flow.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The delivery unit according to the invention having the
definitive characteristics of the main claim has the advantage over
the prior art that in a simple way, an improvement in the
efficiency of the delivery unit is attained by reducing the flow
resistance, in that at least one blade, radially outward on the
front side and/or radially inward on the rear side in the region of
the face ends, has at least one triangular, oval, circular, or
circular-sector-shaped oblique face. In this way, more surface area
is provided for the flow on the radially inner and radially outer
ends of the blades, so that the flow can enter the blade chambers
at a predetermined inflow angle and leave the blade chambers at a
predetermined outflow angle.
[0004] By the provisions recited in the dependent claims,
advantageous refinements of and improvements to the delivery unit
defined by the main claim are possible.
[0005] It is especially advantageous if the oblique face of the
blades is formed such that an imaginary oblique section from one
end of the blades extends with decreasing depth in the radial
direction of the other end of the blades, since this embodiment is
especially easy to produce by injection molding.
[0006] It is also advantageous that the oblique face has edges,
which define the oblique face and which extend in the other
direction from the adjoining edges of the adjacent faces.
[0007] It is highly advantageous that the oblique face enlarges an
inflow and outflow face, formed between the blades and discharging
into the chamber, since in this way the efficiency of the delivery
unit is increased.
[0008] Advantageously, the oblique face is embodied as either plane
or curved.
[0009] It is also advantageous if the radial length of the oblique
face with regard to a pump axis is less than the radial length of
the blades.
DRAWINGS
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in
simplified form in the drawings and described in further detail in
the ensuing description.
[0011] FIG. 1 in section shows a view of a delivery unit;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows an impeller of this delivery unit;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a blade according to the invention in a first
exemplary embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of a blade of FIG. 3 with
triangular oblique faces;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional view of a blade of FIG. 3 with
circular-sector-shaped oblique faces;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view of a blade of FIG. 3 with
oval or circular oblique faces;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in
FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 8 shows a blade of the invention in a second exemplary
embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in
FIG. 8; and
[0020] FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional view of a blade of FIG. 8
with triangular oblique faces.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a delivery unit in which an embodiment of the
blades in accordance with the invention can be employed.
[0022] The delivery unit of the invention serves to deliver a
fluid, such as fuel, from a tank, for instance via a pressure line
to an internal combustion engine.
[0023] The delivery unit embodied according to the invention has a
pump housing 1, which has a pump part 2 and a motor part 3.
[0024] The delivery unit of the invention is a flow pump, for
instance a peripheral pump or a side-channel pump.
[0025] The pump part 2 has a pump chamber 4, in which an impeller 5
revolves rotationally about a rotationally symmetrical pump axis 8.
The impeller 5 is driven by an actuator 9, provided in the motor
part 3, via a drive shaft 10. The actuator 8 is for instance an
electric motor and is disposed in a motor compartment 7 of the
motor part 3.
[0026] A region upstream of the pump chamber 4 will be called the
intake side of the unit, and a region downstream of the pump
chamber 4 will be called the compression side of the unit.
[0027] The pump chamber 4 has a pump chamber inlet 11 and a pump
chamber outlet 12. The pump chamber 4 is defined by two end walls
diametrically opposite one another in the direction of the pump
axis 8, specifically a first end wall 15 and a second end wall 16,
and by an annular wall 17 in the radial direction relative to the
pump axis 8; the pump chamber inlet 11 is disposed in the first
wall 15, and the pump chamber outlet 12 is disposed in the second
end wall 16.
[0028] The impeller 5, for instance on both end faces 20.1, 20.2,
has a ring of blades 5.1 spaced apart from one another in the
circumferential direction. Between the blades 5.1, chambers 5.2 are
formed. For instance, the blades 5.1 and the chamber 5.2 of the
first end face 20.1 of the impeller 5 are provided
mirror-symmetrically on the second end face 20.2. The respective
diametrically opposed chambers 5.2 of the two end faces 20.1, 20.2
of the impeller communicate with one another for instance via a
connecting opening 26. Radially outward, the chambers 5.2 are for
instance closed by the provision of an encompassing ring 5.3 on the
radially outer ends of the blades 5.1.
[0029] Annular delivery conduits 14, which are disposed in the
radial region of the blades 5.1, are provided in the end walls 15,
16.
[0030] The first end wall 15 is for instance part of a suction cap
18, and the second wall 16 and the annular wall 7 are for instance
part of a pressure cap 19. In the suction cap 18, an inlet conduit
22 is provided, which discharges via the pump chamber inlet 11 into
the pump chamber 4, and the pump chamber 4 communicates fluidically
with motor compartment 7 via the pump chamber outlet 12 and an
outlet conduit 23 that is provided in the pressure cap 19.
[0031] The pressure cap 19 has a through opening 24. The drive
shaft 10, mechanically coupled to the actuator 9, protrudes from
the motor compartment 7 through the through opening 24 in the
pressure cap 19 into the pump chamber 4.
[0032] The axial width of the pump chamber 4 is greater than the
axial width of the impeller 5, so that there is axial gap 20
approximately 10 to 30 micrometers in width between the impeller 5
and the end walls 15, 16. The difference between the width of the
pump chamber 4 and the width of the impeller 5 is defined as the
total axial gap.
[0033] The impeller 5 is for instance slipped onto the drive shaft
10 that protrudes into the pump chamber 4; for this purpose, the
impeller 5 has an impeller opening 25, into which the drive shaft
10 at least protrudes so as to be joined to the impeller by
positive and/or nonpositive engagement. The impeller 5 is supported
on the drive shaft for instance in such a way that it is axially
movable between the first end wall 15 and the second end wall
16.
[0034] The delivery unit for instance aspirates fluid from a tank
32 via the inlet conduit 22 and the pump chamber inlet 11 into the
pump chamber 4 and delivers it via the pump chamber outlet 12, the
outlet conduit 23, the motor compartment 7 of the motor part of the
pump housing 1, and a pressure line 33, for instance to an internal
combustion engine 34. A check valve 35 is for instance provided in
the pressure line 33 so as to maintain a predetermined pressure in
the pressure line 33 after the delivery unit has been shut off.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows an impeller from the prior art, which is
embodied according to the invention as described in the following
FIGS. 3-9.
[0036] In the impeller of FIG. 2, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the delivery unit of FIG. 1 are identified
by the same reference numerals.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a detail of an impeller embodied according to
the invention, in a first exemplary embodiment with a blade
according to the invention.
[0038] In the impeller of FIG. 3, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the delivery unit of FIG. 1 and the
impeller of FIG. 2 are identified by the same reference
numerals.
[0039] Viewed in a direction of revolution 29 of the impeller 5,
the blades 5.1 have a front side 30 and a rear side 31. Toward the
end faces 20.1, 20.2 of the impeller 5, the blades 5.1 have a face
end 32.
[0040] According to the invention, it is provided that at least one
blade 5.1 has at least one oblique face 38, radially outward on the
front side 30 and/or radially inward on the rear side 31, in the
region of the face end 32.
[0041] The oblique face 38 is provided radially outward in the
region of a front edge 30.1, formed by the front side 30 and the
face end 32 of the blades 5.1, and/or radially inward in the region
of a rear edge 31.1 formed by the rear side 31 and the face end 32
of the blades 5.1.
[0042] In a first exemplary embodiment, the oblique face 38 of the
blades 5.1 is formed such that an imaginary oblique section from
one end of the blades 5.1 extends, with decreasing depth T, in the
radial direction of the other end of the blades 5.1. The imaginary
oblique section at the front edge 30.1 and rear edge 31.1 of the
blades 5.1 extends over only a portion of the length of the front
edge 30.1 and rear edge 31.1, respectively, so that the radial
length of the oblique face 38 with regard to the pump axis 8 is
less than the radial length of the blades 5.1.
[0043] The oblique face 38 is a portion of the surface of the front
side 30 and the rear side 31.
[0044] The oblique face 38 has edges 39, which define the oblique
face 38 and which extend in a different direction (FIG. 4) from the
adjoining edges of the adjacent faces 30, 31, 32. As a result, the
oblique face 38 has an inclination relative to the front side 30
and the rear side 31. The oblique face 38 thus extends obliquely
relative to the front side 30, the rear side 31, and the face end
32 of the blades 5.1 and thus in a different direction in space
than the face of the front side 30, of the rear side 31, and of the
face end 32 of the blades 5.1.
[0045] The oblique face 38 is embodied such that the flow
resistance upon inflow and outflow enlarges an inflow and outflow
face formed between the blades 5.1 and discharging into the chamber
5.2.
[0046] According to the invention, the oblique face 38 is embodied
for instance in triangular form (FIG. 3, FIG. 4), in the form of a
sector of a circle (FIG. 5), or in oval or circular form (FIG. 6),
or the like. The oblique face 38 may be embodied as plane or
curved.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows a blade embodied according to the invention, in
accordance with the first exemplary embodiment, having a triangular
oblique face.
[0048] In the blade of FIG. 4, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the delivery unit of FIG. 1 and the
impeller of FIGS. 2 and 3 are identified by the same reference
numerals.
[0049] Looking in the radial direction with respect to the pump
axis 8, the blades 5.1 are embodied for instance as V-shaped or
arrowhead-shaped. The two legs of the V-shaped blades 5.1 are
positioned obliquely relative to the pump axis 8. On the radially
inner end of the rear edge 31.1 and on the radially outer end of
the front edge 30.1, the blades 5.1 for instance have triangular
oblique faces 38. The triangular oblique faces 38 are formed by
three edges 39. For instance, the blades 5.1 have oblique faces 38
according to the invention toward both end faces 20.1, 20.2 of the
impeller 5.
[0050] FIG. 5 shows a blade embodied according to the invention in
accordance with the first exemplary embodiment, with an oblique
face in the form of a sector of a circle.
[0051] In the blade of FIG. 5, the pans that remain the same or
function the same as in the delivery unit of FIG. 1 and the
impeller of FIG. 2 through FIG. 4 are identified by the same
reference numerals.
[0052] FIG. 6 shows a blade embodied according to the invention in
accordance with the first exemplary embodiment, having an oval or
circular oblique face.
[0053] In the blade of FIG. 6, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the delivery unit of FIG. 1 and the
impeller of FIG. 2 through FIG. 5 are identified by the same
reference numerals.
[0054] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the impeller taken along
the line VII-VII in FIG. 3 in accordance with the first exemplary
embodiment.
[0055] In the impeller of FIG. 7, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the previous drawings are identified by the
same reference numerals.
[0056] The fluid flows from the delivery conduits 14 radially
inward into the chambers 5.2 of the impeller 5 at an inflow angle E
and radially outward at an outflow angle A from the chambers 5.2
into the delivery conduits 14. The inflow angle E and the outflow
angle A are embodied differently by the oblique faces 38; the
inflow angle E is larger than the outflow angle A.
[0057] In the pump chamber 4 of the delivery unit, a spiral
circulatory flow ensues, which upon inflow into the chambers 5.2
and upon outflow from the chambers 5.2 experiences a flow
resistance. By the provision of the oblique faces 38, a greater
inflow and outflow surface area is made available, and the flow
resistance is thus reduced markedly. The oblique faces 38 enlarge
the inflow angle E and the outflow angle A compared to the prior
art. Because of the enlargement of the outflow angle A, local
underpressure zones at the blade edges 30.1, 31.1 are avoided or at
least are reduced in size. In this way, the delivery of fuel at
high temperature (so-called hot-gasoline delivery) is improved.
[0058] FIG. 8 shows a detail of an impeller of the invention in a
second exemplary embodiment.
[0059] In the impeller of FIG. 8, the parts that remain the same or
function the same as in the previous drawings are identified by the
same reference numerals.
[0060] The blades 5.1 in the second exemplary embodiment are, as in
the first exemplary embodiment, shaped like a V or an arrowhead.
The blades 5.1 in the second exemplary embodiment differ from the
blades of the first exemplary embodiment in that radially outward
they have a portion 5.4 that trails in the direction of revolution
29 and radially inward they have a portion 5.5 that leads in the
direction of revolution 29. The trailing portion 5.4 and the
leading portion 5.5 are for instance angled relative to a middle
portion 5.6 that is provided between the portions 5.4 and 5.5. As a
result of this angled embodiment of the blades 5.1, it is attained
that the outflow angle A (FIG. 9) is enlarged still further, and as
a result underpressure zones at the blade edges 30.1, 31.1 are
avoided or at least reduced in size, which further improves the
delivery of hot gasoline. Moreover, an improvement in the inflow
and outflow from the pump chamber 5.2 is attained, so that the flow
losses are reduced.
[0061] The blades 5.1 in the second exemplary embodiment also have
at least one oblique face 38 radially outward on the front side 30
and/or radially inward on the rear side 31 in the region of the
face end 32, and these oblique faces are embodied as described for
the first exemplary embodiment.
[0062] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the impeller taken along
the line IX-IX in FIG. 8 in accordance with the second exemplary
embodiment.
[0063] FIG. 9 shows a detail of an impeller of the invention in a
second exemplary embodiment.
[0064] The angling of the blades 5.1 in the portions 5.4, 5.5
extends over the entire width B of the impeller 5.
[0065] FIG. 10 shows a three-dimensional view of a blade with
triangular oblique faces in accordance with the second exemplary
embodiment.
[0066] FIG. 9 shows a detail of an impeller of the invention in a
second exemplary embodiment.
* * * * *