U.S. patent application number 13/907002 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-03 for dual relief valve of bsm for vehicle engine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hyundai Motor Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Hyundai Motor Company. Invention is credited to Jeong Soo Shin.
Application Number | 20140182714 13/907002 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50990919 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140182714 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shin; Jeong Soo |
July 3, 2014 |
DUAL RELIEF VALVE OF BSM FOR VEHICLE ENGINE
Abstract
A dual relief valve apparatus of a Balance Shaft and Oil Pump
Module (BSM) of a vehicle engine may include the pump housing, and
a primary relief valve and a secondary relief valve mounted inside
the pump housing, wherein the primary relief valve and the
secondary relief valve may be sequentially opened or closed,
wherein the primary relief valve may be first opened to release a
first oil by a first oil discharge pressure applied thereto and
sequentially the secondary relief valve may be opened to release a
second oil by a second oil discharge pressure applied thereto, the
first oil discharge pressure being relatively smaller than the
second oil discharge pressure.
Inventors: |
Shin; Jeong Soo; (Suwon-si,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hyundai Motor Company |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hyundai Motor Company
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
50990919 |
Appl. No.: |
13/907002 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/505.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 2/18 20130101; Y10T
137/7794 20150401; F04C 14/24 20130101; F04C 2270/185 20130101;
F16F 15/00 20130101; F04C 2210/206 20130101; F16F 15/267
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/505.11 |
International
Class: |
F04C 14/24 20060101
F04C014/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 27, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0154213 |
Claims
1. A dual relief valve apparatus of a Balance Shaft and Oil Pump
Module (BSM) of a vehicle engine, which is a valve mounted inside a
pump housing to be opened/closed by pressure of oil discharged from
the BSM, the dual relief valve apparatus comprising: the pump
housing; and a primary relief valve and a secondary relief valve
mounted inside the pump housing, wherein the primary relief valve
and the secondary relief valve are sequentially opened or closed,
wherein the primary relief valve is first opened to release a first
oil by a first oil discharge pressure applied thereto and
sequentially the secondary relief valve is opened to release a
second oil by a second oil discharge pressure applied thereto, the
first oil discharge pressure being relatively smaller than the
second oil discharge pressure.
2. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary
relief valve includes: a primary plunger slidably positioned inside
a primary valve groove formed in the pump housing to operate
therein; and a primary elastic member disposed beneath the primary
plunger inside the primary valve groove to elastically support the
primary plunger.
3. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 2, further including: a
first relief aperture formed in the pump housing and connected to
the primary valve groove.
4. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 3, further including:
an oil flow path through which the first oil is configured to pass
is formed inside the primary plunger of the primary relief valve,
wherein the second oil flowed from a high pressure region in the
pump housing through an upper portion of the primary plunger to the
oil flow path is released through the first relief aperture via the
oil flow path according to a movement of the primary plunger.
5. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first
oil is released through the first relief aperture in starting to
move the primary relief valve in a middle-low speed region at the
same time when movement of the primary relief valve is started in a
low-speed region, and the opening of the primary relief valve is
finished before opening of the secondary relief valve.
6. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
secondary relief valve includes: a secondary plunger positioned
inside a secondary valve groove formed in the pump housing to
operate therein; and a secondary elastic member disposed beneath
the secondary plunger inside the secondary valve groove to
elastically support the secondary plunger.
7. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 6, further including: a
second relief aperture formed in the pump housing and connected to
the secondary valve groove.
8. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first
relief aperture is positioned higher than the second relief
aperture.
9. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
secondary relief valve includes: a secondary plunger positioned
inside a secondary valve groove formed in the pump housing to
operate therein; and a secondary elastic member disposed beneath
the secondary plunger inside the secondary valve groove to
elastically support the secondary plunger.
10. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 9, further including:
a second relief aperture formed in the pump housing and connected
to the secondary valve groove.
11. The dual relief valve apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second
oil in the secondary valve groove is released through the second
relief aperture by starting to move the secondary relief valve in a
high-speed region formed in the pump housing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2012-0154213 filed Dec. 27, 2012, the entire
contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a dual relief valve of a
BALANCE SHAFT & OIL PUMP MODULE (BSM) for a vehicle engine.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a dual relief
valve of a BSM for a vehicle engine, which can maintain the
pressure of oil discharged from the BSM for the vehicle engine to
be an appropriate pressure.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In general, the lubrication of a vehicle engine is very
important to reduce frictional resistance inside the engine and to
cool the inside of the engine.
[0006] The lubrication of the vehicle engine is usually performed
on all parts from a valve apparatus to a cylinder as well as a
major moving part. For example, the lubrication places a great deal
of weight on not only reduction in frictional resistance of a crank
shaft, a connecting rod and a piston in the major moving part but
also cooling of the piston and cylinder. The sealing performance of
the piston and the cylinder is maintained by engine oil.
[0007] Engine oil for lubrication is injected into the engine. The
engine oil is pressure-fed to each lubricating part by a BSM.
[0008] Here, the BSM represents an oil pump or a balance shaft
& oil pump module having the oil pump as a module.
[0009] For example, the BSM is an apparatus that absorbs oil stored
in an oil fan and supplies the absorbed oil to each lubricating
part requiring lubrication. The oil pumped by the BSM is increased
to a high pressure inside the BSM. The oil discharged in a
high-pressure state from the BSM may apply impact and damage to an
oil filter or lubrication circuit.
[0010] Therefore, a relief valve for maintaining the pressure of
the pumping oil to be an appropriated pressure is provided to an
oil discharge port of the BSM.
[0011] In a case where the pressure of oil discharged toward a main
gallery of the engine from the BSM is increased to an appropriate
pressure or more, the relief valve form a bypass flow path along
which a portion of the oil discharged from the BSM is returned to
the BSM or the oil fan, so that it is possible to maintain the
pressure of the oil discharged from the BSM to be an appropriate
pressure, and particularly to prevent the damage of the main
gallery due to a high pressure of the oil discharged from the
BSM.
[0012] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective and sectional views showing a
conventional relief valve of a BSM.
[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the relief valve is a valve that
is mounted at one side of a pump housing 100 to be opened/closed by
the pressure of oil discharged from the BSM. The relief valve is
configured to include a plunger 130 opening/closing a relief
aperture (not shown) positioned in a valve groove 110 formed at the
one side of the pump housing 100 to bypass a portion of the oil
pumped from the pump housing 100, and a spring 140 elastically
supporting the plunger 130 from the lower position thereof.
[0014] Here, undescribed reference numeral 120 represents a plug,
and undescribed reference numeral 150 represent an oil discharge
aperture.
[0015] Thus, the plunger of the relief valve directly receives the
pressure of the oil pumped and discharged from the BSM. When the
pressure of oil discharged from the BSM is remarkably increased,
the plunger of the relief valve is pushed by the pressure of the
oil discharged from the BSM, thereby opening the relief
aperture.
[0016] If the plunger opens the relief aperture as described above,
a portion of the pumping oil is bypassed through the relief
aperture to be returned toward the BSM or an oil fan.
[0017] However, in the BSM to which a conventional single-type
relief valve is applied, fuel efficiency and output loss occur due
to excessive driving torque. Particularly, since the BSM uses a
method in which the relief valve is simply opened or closed in
response to the pressure of oil discharged therefrom, the amount of
the oil discharged from the BSM is not properly controlled, and
therefore, the BSM cannot effectively deal with various operation
regions, thereby causing loss of the BSM.
[0018] The information disclosed in this Background of the
Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the
general background of the invention and should not be taken as an
acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information
forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the
art.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0019] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to
providing a dual relief valve of a BSM for a vehicle engine, which
is configured with the combination of a primary relief valve and a
secondary relief valve so that the amount of oil discharged from
the BSM can be efficiently controlled while each relief valve is
operated in connection with a low-speed region, a middle-low speed
region and a high-speed region, thereby minimizing loss of the
BSM.
[0020] In an aspect of the present invention, a dual relief valve
apparatus of a Balance Shaft and Oil Pump Module (BSM) of a vehicle
engine, which is a valve mounted inside a pump housing to be
opened/closed by pressure of oil discharged from the BSM, may
include the pump housing, and a primary relief valve and a
secondary relief valve mounted inside the pump housing, wherein the
primary relief valve and the secondary relief valve are
sequentially opened or closed, wherein the primary relief valve is
first opened to release a first oil by a first oil discharge
pressure applied thereto and sequentially the secondary relief
valve is opened to release a second oil by a second oil discharge
pressure applied thereto, the first oil discharge pressure being
relatively smaller than the second oil discharge pressure.
[0021] The primary relief valve may include a primary plunger
slidably positioned inside a primary valve groove formed in the
pump housing to operate therein, and a primary elastic member
disposed beneath the primary plunger inside the primary valve
groove to elastically support the primary plunger.
[0022] The dual relief valve apparatus may further include a first
relief aperture formed in the pump housing and connected to the
primary valve groove.
[0023] The dual relief valve apparatus may further include an oil
flow path through which the first oil is configured to pass is
formed inside the primary plunger of the primary relief valve,
wherein the second oil flowed from a high pressure region in the
pump housing through an upper portion of the primary plunger to the
oil flow path is released through the first relief aperture via the
oil flow path according to a movement of the primary plunger.
[0024] The first oil is released through the first relief aperture
in starting to move the primary relief valve in a middle-low speed
region at the same time when movement of the primary relief valve
is started in a low-speed region, and the opening of the primary
relief valve is finished before opening of the secondary relief
valve.
[0025] The secondary relief valve may include a secondary plunger
positioned inside a secondary valve groove formed in the pump
housing to operate therein, and a secondary elastic member disposed
beneath the secondary plunger inside the secondary valve groove to
elastically support the secondary plunger.
[0026] The dual relief valve apparatus may further include a second
relief aperture formed in the pump housing and connected to the
secondary valve groove.
[0027] The first relief aperture is positioned higher than the
second relief aperture.
[0028] The second oil in the secondary valve groove is released
through the second relief aperture by starting to move the
secondary relief valve in a high-speed region formed in the pump
housing.
[0029] Other aspects and exemplary embodiments of the invention are
discussed infra.
[0030] Advantages of the relief valve of the BSM for the vehicle
engine according to the present invention are described as
follows.
[0031] The dual relief valve of the BSM is configured with the
combination of a primary relief valve and a second relief valve, so
that oil is released through a primary relief valve at a low
pressure in a low-speed region and a middle-low speed region, and
the oil is released through a secondary relief valve at a high
pressure in a high-speed region. Thus, the amount of oil discharged
from the BSM can be pumped as much as the amount of oil required in
an actual vehicle engine, and accordingly, loss of the BSM can be
minimized. As a result, it is possible to reduce driving torque, to
improve fuel efficiency and to minimize output loss.
[0032] The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have
other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are
set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which
together serve to explain certain principles of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the mounting position
of a conventional relief valve of a BSM.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the conventional relief
valve of the BSM.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a dual relief valve of a
BSM according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0036] FIGS. 4A to 4C are sectional views showing an operating
state of the dual relief valve of the BSM according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 5 is a graph comparing the performance of the dual
relief valve of the BSM according to the exemplary embodiment of
the present invention with the performance of the conventional
relief valve.
[0038] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various preferred features illustrative of the
basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of
the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment.
[0039] In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or
equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several
figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] Hereinafter reference will now be made in detail to various
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While
the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not
intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On
the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the
exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives,
modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a dual relief valve of a
BSM according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the dual relief valve of the BSM is
configured with the combination of a primary relief valve releasing
a primary oil at a low pressure and a secondary relief valve
releasing a secondary oil at a high pressure, to efficiently pump
the amount of oil discharged in a low-speed region, a middle-low
speed region and a high-speed region, thereby minimizing loss of
the BSM.
[0043] To this end, two parallel vertical valve grooves for
mounting the relief valve, i.e., a primary valve groove 13 and a
secondary valve groove 18 are respectively formed at positions
adjacent to one internal side of a pump housing 10, e.g., a place
in which an oil discharge aperture 21 having pumping oil discharged
therethrough is formed. Each of the primary and secondary valve
grooves 13 and 18 communicates with a high-pressure region 22 at an
upper portion thereof and simultaneously communicates with a
low-pressure region 23 at a side portion thereof.
[0044] Accordingly, the oil from the upper portion communicating
with the high-pressure region 22 can be released to the side
portion communicating with the low-pressure region 23.
[0045] A primary relief valve 11 and a secondary relief valve 12
are mounted in the primary valve groove 13 and the secondary valve
groove 18, respectively. The primary and secondary relief valves 11
and 12 mounted described above can release the oil while being
sequentially opened/closed.
[0046] For example, the primary relief valve 11 is first opened
under a low-pressure condition, i.e., an oil discharge pressure
relatively smaller than that of the secondary relief valve 12 to
release the oil. Continuously, the secondary relief valve 12 is
opened under a high-pressure condition, i.e., an oil discharge
pressure relatively greater than that of the primary relief valve
11 to release the oil.
[0047] That is, the downward movement of the primary relief valve
11 is started in the low-speed region and releases the oil through
a first relief aperture 17 at the same time when the opening of the
primary relief valve 11 is started in the middle-low speed
region.
[0048] Then, the primary relief valve 11 is further descended by
the oil discharge pressure continuously applied so that the opening
of the primary relief valve 11 can be finished before the secondary
relief valve 12 is opened.
[0049] At the same time when the opening of the primary relief
valve 11 is finished, the opening of the secondary relief valve 12
is started in the high-speed region, thereby releasing the oil
through the relief aperture 17.
[0050] Here, the time at which the primary and secondary relief
valves are sequentially opened/closed may be changed by differently
adjusting the elastic coefficients of primary and secondary springs
described later. In this case, the oil discharge pressure for
opening each of the primary and secondary relief valves may be set
through various calibrations linked with each of the high-speed
region, the middle-low speed region and the high-speed region.
[0051] Each of the primary and secondary relief valves 11 and 12 is
configured with the combination of a plunger and a spring, and can
release the oil using the plunger that performs a vertical
operation by being elastically supported by the spring in each
valve groove.
[0052] To this end, the primary relief valve 11 includes a primary
plunger 14 vertically operated while being positioned inside the
primary valve groove 13 of the pump housing 10, and a primary
spring 15 supporting the bottom surface of the primary plunger 14
at the inner bottom of the primary valve groove 13.
[0053] Accordingly, if the oil discharge pressure greater than a
predetermined value is applied to an upper portion of the primary
plunger 14, the primary plunger 14 is descended downward while
pressing the primary spring 15. As a result, the oil can be
released to the low-pressure region 23 through the first relief
aperture 17 formed at a side surface of the primary valve groove
13.
[0054] Particularly, an oil flow path 16 communicating from the top
end to the side end of the primary plunger 14 is formed inside the
primary plunger 14, so that oil flowed from the upper portion of
the primary plunger 14 through the oil flow path 16 can be
discharged to the first relief aperture 17 through the side portion
of the primary plunger 14.
[0055] In this case, the primary plunger 14 may be divided into an
upper plunger head body and a lower plunger support body. The
plunger head body and the plunger support body may be integrally
connected by a horizontal rib, except the portion at which the
vertical oil flow path 16 is formed.
[0056] The secondary relief valve 12 includes a secondary plunger
19 vertically operated while being positioned inside the secondary
valve groove 18 of the pump housing 10, and a secondary spring 20
supporting the bottom surface of the secondary plunger 19 at the
inner bottom of the second valve groove 18.
[0057] Accordingly, when the oil discharge pressure greater than a
predetermined value is applied to an upper portion of the secondary
plunger 19, the secondary plunger 19 is descended downward while
pressing the secondary spring 20. As a result, the oil can be
released to the low-pressure region 23 through the second relief
aperture 27 formed at a side surface of the secondary valve groove
18.
[0058] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
first relief aperture 17 is positioned higher than the second
relief aperture 27.
[0059] The operating state of the relief valve of the BSM,
configured as described above, will be described as follows.
[0060] FIGS. 4A to 4C are sectional views showing are sectional
views showing an operating state of the dual relief valve of the
BSM according to the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 4A, in the operation of a vehicle engine,
the movement of the primary plunger 14 of the primary relief valve
11 is started in the low-speed region. Continuously, the primary
plunger 14 is further moved downward in the middle-low speed
region. As the oil flow path 16 of the primary plunger 14
communicates with the first relief aperture 17 formed in the
primary valve groove 13, the oil can be primarily released while
flowing from the high-pressure region 22 to the low-pressure region
23 via the oil flow path 16 and the relief aperture 17.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 4B, when the operation region of the
vehicle engine reaches the high-speed region, the primary plunger
14 of the primary relief valve 11 is further moved downward as the
oil pressure increases. Accordingly, the first relief aperture 17
formed in the primary valve groove 13 is blocked, so that the oil
cannot be released through the relief aperture 17.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 4C, at the same time when the operation
region of the vehicle engine reaches the high-speed region, the
secondary relief valve 12 operates to release the oil.
[0064] That is, the secondary plunger 14 of the secondary relief
valve 12 is moved downward by the oil discharge pressure. As the
second relief aperture 27 formed in the secondary valve groove 18
is opened by the secondary plunger 19, the oil can be secondarily
released while flowing from the high-pressure region 22 to the
low-pressure region 23 via the second relief aperture 27.
[0065] FIG. 5 is a graph comparing the performance of the dual
relief valve of the BSM according to the exemplary embodiment of
the present invention with the performance of the conventional
relief valve.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 5, the pressure of oil is changed depending
on an increase in speed (rpm).
[0067] In the dual relief valve of the present invention, the
amount of oil discharged from the BSM can be variably controlled by
the slashed portion in the variable graph as compared with the
existing single relief valve. Thus, an unnecessary loss of the BSM
can be minimized by pumping the amount of oil discharged from the
BSM as much as the amount of oil required in an actual vehicle
engine.
[0068] Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the dual relief valve releasing oil while being
sequentially opened/closed according to the low-speed region, the
middle-low speed region and the high-speed region is implemented,
so that it is possible to efficiently control the amount of oil
discharged from the BSM, thereby minimizing loss of the BSM.
[0069] For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in
the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner" and
"outer" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments
with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in
the figures.
[0070] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments
of the present invention have been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. They are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments
were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of
the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable
others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, as well as various
alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the
scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *