pump

Abstract

This disclosure provides a pump that suppresses vibration and noise generation. The pump (1) disclosed herein includes a pump casing (2), a rotating shaft (6), a bearing (7), an impeller (9), a drive unit (3), a bearing plate (100), and a positioning member (200). The pump casing (2) forms at least a portion of a pump chamber (SP3). The rotating shaft (6) is a portion of the pump casing (2) inserted at one end. The rotating shaft (6) passes through the bearing (7). The drive unit (3) rotates the impeller (9) to allow fluid to flow. The rotating shaft (6) passes through the bearing plate (100). The bearing plate (100) is located between the bearing (7) and a portion of the pump casing (2), and contacts the opposing surface of the bearing (7). The positioning member (200) is located between the bearing plate (100) and a portion of the pump casing (2), and defines the position of the bearing plate (100) in the extending direction (D1) of the aforementioned rotating shaft (6).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a pump, and more specifically to a pump equipped with an impeller. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a submersible sliding bearing pump, which includes: a shaft, which is fixed by a separation plate and a housing; an impeller having a bearing that rotates around the shaft; and a bearing plate, which is mounted on the shaft in a manner between the bearing and the housing shaft support.

[0003] In the submersible sliding bearing pump described in Patent Document 1, the impeller rotates around the shaft while the end of the bearing is in contact with the surface of the bearing plate. Furthermore, during impeller rotation, the bearing plate contacts the housing shaft support. (Prior Art Documents, Patent Documents)

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-37825 [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] The problem this invention aims to solve is that when assembling the shaft to the separator plate and the casing (i.e., the pump casing), the shaft may sometimes tilt relative to the casing. When the shaft tilts relative to the casing, the bearing plate may tilt relative to the shaft and bearings because the bearing plate comes into contact with the casing shaft support when the impeller rotates (i.e., when the pump operates). Because the bearing plate tilts relative to the shaft and bearings, there is a possibility that the vibration and noise during pump operation will increase.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned reasons, and its purpose is to provide a pump that can suppress the generation of vibration and noise during pump operation.

[0007] Means for Solving the Problem The pump disclosed herein includes a pump casing, a rotating shaft, a bearing, an impeller, a drive unit, a bearing plate, and a positioning member. The pump casing forms at least a portion of a pump chamber. The rotating shaft is located inside the pump chamber and one end is inserted into a portion of the pump casing. The rotating shaft passes through the bearing. The impeller has a fluid flow path. The drive unit rotates the impeller around the rotating shaft to cause fluid flow. The rotating shaft passes through the bearing plate. The bearing plate is located between the bearing and the portion of the pump casing in the extending direction of the rotating shaft and contacts the opposing surface of the bearing. The positioning member is located between the bearing plate and the portion of the pump casing in the extending direction and defines the position of the bearing plate in the extending direction.

[0008] Effects of the invention According to the present disclosure, a pump that can suppress the generation of vibration and noise can be provided.

Implementation Method

[0010] The preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, in the embodiments described below, common elements are indicated by the same symbols, and repeated descriptions of these common elements are omitted. The embodiments described below are merely one example of the various embodiments of the invention. Various modifications can be made to each embodiment to achieve the purpose of this disclosure, depending on design, etc.

[0011] The figures described in this disclosure are schematic diagrams, and the proportions of the size and thickness of each component in each figure do not necessarily reflect the actual size proportions. Furthermore, the arrows indicating directions are merely examples and are not intended to specify the direction of pump use. Also, the arrows indicating directions in the figures are merely illustrative markings and do not accompany the actual pump.

[0012] Furthermore, the term "orthogonal (i.e., perpendicular)" in this disclosure means not only that the angle between the two is strictly 90°, but also that the two are approximately orthogonal within a certain degree of error. That is, the angle between two orthogonal objects is within a certain degree of error (for example, less than 10°) relative to 90°.

[0013] In the following explanation, when the values ​​of distance, area, etc. are exemplified, "less than" can also be "less than". That is, whether the comparison of two values ​​includes the case where the two values ​​are equal can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "less than" and "less than". Similarly, "greater than" can also be set to "above".

[0014] (Embodiment 1) (1) Overview First, the overview of pump 1 in embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG1, FIG2 and FIG6.

[0015] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the pump 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main parts of the pump 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main parts of the impeller 9 of the pump 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the pump 1 includes a pump casing 2, a drive unit 3, a rotating shaft 6, a bearing 7, an impeller 9, a bearing plate 100, and a positioning member 200.

[0016] The pump casing 2 forms at least a portion of the pump chamber SP3. Furthermore, the pump casing 2 in embodiment 1 has a cylindrical portion 21, and a rotating shaft 6 is inserted into one end of the cylindrical portion 21 (i.e., the first end 61).

[0017] The rotating shaft 6 is located inside the pump chamber SP3. The first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 is inserted into a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21. More specifically, in embodiment 1, the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 21 through the positioning member 200.

[0018] Bearing 7 is a cylindrical component with a rotating shaft 6 passing through it. Bearing 7 rotates around the rotating shaft 6.

[0019] The impeller 9 has a flow path 96 for the flow of fluids such as liquids (see Figure 6).

[0020] The drive unit 3 rotates the impeller 9 to cause fluid flow. Specifically, the drive unit 3 changes the magnetic field and rotates the impeller 9 around the rotating shaft 6. By rotating the impeller 9 with the drive unit 3, the pump 1 draws liquid such as water into the pump chamber SP3 from the suction unit 22 and discharges the liquid to the outside of the pump 1 from the discharge unit 24.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the bearing plate 100 is located between the bearing 7 and a portion of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21, in the extension direction D1 of the axis Ax1 (refer to Figure 1) of the rotating shaft 6. The rotating shaft 6 passes through the bearing plate 100. The bearing plate 100 contacts the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 when the impeller 9 rotates.

[0022] The positioning member 200 is located in the extension direction D1 between the bearing plate 100 and a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21. The positioning member 200 defines the position of the bearing plate 100 in the extension direction D1.

[0023] By positioning the position of the bearing plate 100 in the extension direction D1, the contact between the bearing plate 100 and the cylinder 21 can be limited, for example. For example, even when the rotating shaft 6 is installed at an angle relative to the cylinder 21 (i.e., an element of the pump housing 2), by setting the bearing plate 100 to not contact the cylinder 21, the tilting of the bearing plate 100 relative to the rotating shaft 6 can be suppressed. By suppressing the tilting of the bearing plate 100 relative to the rotating shaft 6, the contact between the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 and the rear end 101 of the bearing plate 100 can be stabilized, thereby suppressing the generation of vibration and noise during pump 1 operation.

[0024] (2) Details The following is a detailed description of the pump 1 of Embodiment 1 with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In the following description, the extension direction D1 of the axis Ax1 of the rotating shaft 6 is defined as the "front-rear direction". In addition, the direction from the rotating shaft 6 toward the cylinder 21 of the pump housing 2 is defined as the "front", and the direction from the cylinder 21 toward the rotating shaft 6 is defined as the "rear".

[0025] Pump 1 is, for example, a pump used in water. As shown in FIG1, pump 1 includes a pump casing 2, a drive unit 3, a rotating shaft 6, a bearing 7, a rotor unit 8, an impeller 9, a bearing plate 100, a positioning member 200, an elastic member 300, and a plate 400.

[0026] (2.1) Pump casing The pump casing 2 has a cylindrical part 21, a suction part 22, a base part 23 and a discharge part 24.

[0027] The base 23 is cylindrical with a bottom. The base 23 forms a first space SP1 for accommodating the impeller 9. The first space SP1 is at least a part of the pump chamber SP3. That is, the base 23 (i.e., an element of the pump casing 2) forms at least a part of the pump chamber SP3. The base 23 has a first opening 231 and a second opening 232.

[0028] The first opening 231 is formed at the bottom of the base 23 along the extension direction D1 (i.e., the front-to-back direction) of the rotation axis 6. In a planar view along the extension direction D1, the shape of the first opening 231 in Embodiment 1 is circular. However, the shape of the first opening 231 is not limited to a circular shape, and the shape of the first opening 231 may also be, for example, a polygonal shape.

[0029] A second opening 232 is formed on the side periphery of the base 23. In a planar view along the radial direction D2, the second opening 232 is circular. However, the shape of the second opening 232 is not limited to a circle; it can also be, for example, a polygonal shape. The radial direction D2 is orthogonal to the extension direction D1 of the rotation axis 6, and is along the diameter of a virtual circle centered on the axis Ax1 of the rotation axis 6.

[0030] The suction section 22 protrudes forward from the edge of the first opening 231 of the base 23. The suction section 22 is cylindrical in shape. However, the shape of the suction section 22 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may also be a cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross-section, for example. When the impeller 9 is in operation, the suction section 22 draws liquids such as water from the outside of the pump 1.

[0031] The discharge section 24 protrudes from the side periphery of the base 23. In Embodiment 1, the discharge section 24 is cylindrical. However, the shape of the discharge section 24 is not limited to a cylindrical shape; it can also be, for example, a cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross-section. The internal space of the discharge section 24 is connected to the first space SP1 through the second opening 232. When the impeller 9 operates, the discharge section 24 discharges the liquid in the pump chamber SP3 (i.e., a part of the first space SP1) to the outside of the pump 1.

[0032] The cylindrical portion 21 is supported by the base 23 and is located in front of the rotating shaft 6 in the extending direction D1, and is located further inside than the inner edge 921 of the rear cover 92 in the radial direction D2. The cylindrical portion 21 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG2, the cylindrical portion 21 has a bottom 211 and a side peripheral portion 212. The bottom 211 is circular in shape. The side peripheral portion 212 protrudes rearward from the edge of the bottom 211. The side peripheral portion 212 is cylindrical in shape. In addition, the shape of the cylindrical portion 21 is not limited to a bottomed cylindrical shape, but may also be a bottomed angular cylindrical shape or a bottomed elliptical cylindrical shape, or a bottomed cylindrical shape with a partial defect in the side peripheral portion 212. A part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21, is formed for the insertion of the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 (i.e., one end of the rotating shaft 6).

[0033] (2.2) Drive Unit As shown in Figure 1, the drive unit 3 rotates the impeller 9 around the rotating shaft 6 to make the liquid flow. The drive unit 3 has a mold unit 4 and a separation plate 5.

[0034] (2.2.1) The mold part 4 for driving the rotor part 8 is formed by resin molding. The mold part 4 is cylindrical with a bottom. The mold part 4 forms a second space SP2 for accommodating the rotor part 8. The second space SP2 is at least a part of the pump chamber SP3. That is, the mold part 4 (i.e., an element of the drive part 3) forms at least a part of the pump chamber SP3.

[0035] The mold part 4 has a bottom 45 and a side peripheral part 46. The bottom 45 is circular in shape. The side peripheral part 46 protrudes forward from the edge of the bottom 45. The side peripheral part 46 is cylindrical in shape. However, the shape of the bottom 45 is not limited to a circular shape, and may also be, for example, a polygonal shape. The shape of the side peripheral part 46 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may also be, for example, a triangular tube shape.

[0036] The mold section 4 has a stator, a control section 43, and a connecting section 44. The stator has a plurality of teeth 41 and a plurality of coils 42. In the following description, each of the plurality of teeth 41 will sometimes be referred to as "tooth 41". Also, each of the plurality of coils 42 will sometimes be referred to as "coil 42".

[0037] The connecting part 44 protrudes from the bottom 45 of the mold part 4. The connecting part 44 electrically connects the external device to the control part 43 and the plurality of coils 42. The external device is a power source that supplies power to the control part 43 and the plurality of coils 42.

[0038] A plurality of core teeth 41 and a plurality of coils 42 are provided on the side peripheral portion 46. A coil 42 is wound around the core teeth 41. By energizing the coil 42, a magnetic field is generated.

[0039] The control unit 43 is provided at the bottom 45. The control unit 43 changes the magnetic field by controlling the energization of a plurality of coils 42. More specifically, the control unit 43 changes the magnetic field by controlling the energization of a plurality of coils 42, so as to rotate the rotor 8.

[0040] (2.2.2) Separation Plate The separation plate 5 covers the front surface of the bottom 45 and the front and inner circumferential surfaces of the side circumferential surfaces 46 of the mold section 4. The separation plate 5 is disposed between the mold section 4 and the pump chamber SP3. In other words, the separation plate 5 separates the mold section 4 from the pump chamber SP3. The separation plate 5 prevents water from entering the interior of the mold section 4 from the pump chamber SP3 by covering the front surface of the bottom 45 and the front and inner circumferential surfaces of the side circumferential surfaces 46 of the mold section 4.

[0041] The separating plate 5 has a bottom 51, a side portion 52, a flange portion 53, and a cylindrical portion 54. The bottom 51 covers the front of the bottom 45 of the mold portion 4. The bottom 51 is circular in shape. The side portion 52 protrudes forward from the edge of the bottom 51. The side portion 52 is cylindrical in shape. The side portion 52 covers the inner circumferential surface of the side portion 46 of the mold portion 4. The flange portion 53 protrudes radially D2 from the front end of the side portion 52. The flange portion 53 is annular in shape. The flange portion 53 covers the front of the side portion 46 of the mold portion 4.

[0042] The cylindrical portion 54 protrudes forward from the center of the bottom 51. The cylindrical portion 54 is cylindrical in shape. The second end portion 62 (described later) of the rotating shaft 6 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 54.

[0043] (2.3) Rotating Shaft The rotating shaft 6 is located inside the pump chamber SP3. The rotating shaft 6 is formed of, for example, ceramic. As shown in FIG2, the rotating shaft 6 has a base 60, a first end 61 and a second end 62.

[0044] The base 60 is cylindrical in shape. Alternatively, the base 60 may also be cylindrical. The axis Ax1 of the rotation shaft 6 is the center of the base 60.

[0045] The first end portion 61 protrudes forward from the front end of the base 60. The shape of the first end portion 61 is a column with a semi-circular cross-section. Alternatively, the shape of the first end portion 61 may also be a polygonal column or an elliptical column. The first end portion 61 is one end of the rotating shaft 6 and is inserted into a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21. Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the first end portion 61 is inserted into a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21, through the positioning member 200.

[0046] The second end portion 62 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the base 60. The shape of the second end portion 62 is a column with a semi-circular cross-section. Alternatively, the shape of the second end portion 62 may also be a polygonal column or an elliptical column. The second end portion 62 is the other end of the rotating shaft 6 and is inserted into a part of the separating plate 5, namely the cylindrical portion 54.

[0047] (2.4) Bearing 7 is located between plate 400 and bearing plate 100 in the extending direction D1. The bearing 7 is cylindrical in shape. A rotating shaft 6 passes through the bearing 7. The bearing 7 is configured to be movable between plate 400 and bearing plate 100 along the extending direction D1.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the bearing 7 in Embodiment 1 is installed on the rotor section 8 in a manner that operates integrally with the rotor section 8, and rotates around the base 60 of the rotating shaft 6. The bearing 7 is formed of a resin, for example, mixed with a carbon material such as graphite. As shown in FIG. 2, the bearing 7 has a facing surface 71 that faces the bearing plate 100 in the extending direction D1. The normal of the facing surface 71 is along the extending direction D1.

[0049] (2.5) As shown in FIG1, the rotor section 8 has a base 81, a magnet 82 having a plurality of magnetic poles, a first connecting part 83 and a second connecting part 84.

[0050] The base 81 is cylindrical in shape. The base 81 holds a magnet 82. The magnet 82 is a permanent magnet, such as a neodymium magnet.

[0051] The first connecting portion 83 is cylindrical. In a planar view along the extending direction D1, the first connecting portion 83 surrounds the cylindrical portion 21 of the support plate 100, the positioning member 200, and the pump housing 2. A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first connecting portion 83 connects to the inner peripheral surface of the front end of the base 81. The rear end of the first connecting portion 83 is further rearward than the front end of the base 81, and the front end of the first connecting portion 83 is further forward than the front end of the base 81. The front end of the first connecting portion 83 connects to the inner edge 921 of the rear cover 92. In other words, the first connecting portion 83 protrudes rearward from the inner edge 921 of the rear cover 92.

[0052] The second connecting portion 84 protrudes rearward from the inner circumferential surface of the rear end of the first connecting portion 83. The second connecting portion 84 is cylindrical in shape. The diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the second connecting portion 84 is approximately the same as the diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 7. The second connecting portion 84 is connected to the bearing 7. Because the second connecting portion 84 is connected to the bearing 7, the rotor portion 8 and the bearing 7 operate as a single unit.

[0053] The rotor 8 is rotated by the interaction of magnetic fields. The aforementioned magnetic field is generated by the current flowing in the multiple coils 42 of the stator and the magnetic field generated by the magnet 82 of the rotor 8.

[0054] (2.6) As shown in FIG2, the bearing plate 100 is located in front of the bearing 7. More specifically, the bearing plate 100 is located between the bearing 7 and a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21, in the extending direction D1. More specifically, the bearing plate 100 is located between the bearing 7 and the positioning member 200 in the extending direction D1. The first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 passes through the hole 103 of the bearing plate 100. The hole 103 is semi-circular in shape. The hole 103 is configured such that the bearing plate 100 will not rotate relative to the first end 61 (i.e., one end of the rotating shaft 6) when the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 has passed through the hole 103. The bearing plate 100 is formed, for example, of ceramic. The bearing plate 100 is configured to be movable between the bearing 7 and the positioning member 200 along the extending direction D1.

[0055] The bearing plate 100 is a circular (i.e., annular) flat plate with a hole 103. The front 102 and rear 101 of the bearing plate 100 are parallel to each other, and the normals of the front 102 and rear 101 are along the extension direction D1. The rear 101 of the bearing plate 100 contacts the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 when the impeller 9 rotates.

[0056] (2.7) Plate 400 is located behind bearing 7. More specifically, plate 400 is located between bearing 7 and a portion of separator plate 5, namely cylindrical portion 54, in the extending direction D1. The second end 62 of rotating shaft 6 passes through hole 401 in plate 400. Hole 401 is semi-circular in shape. Hole 401 is configured such that plate 400 will not rotate relative to the second end 62 (i.e., the other end of rotating shaft 6) when the second end 62 of rotating shaft 6 has passed through hole 401. Plate 400 is formed, for example, of ceramic.

[0057] (2.8) Positioning Member The positioning member 200 is located in front of the bearing plate 100. More specifically, the positioning member 200 is located between the bearing plate 100 and a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21, in the extending direction D1. The positioning member 200 of Embodiment 1 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape. FIG3 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200 of the pump 1 of Embodiment 1. FIG4 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200 of Embodiment 1 viewed from another angle. As shown in FIG3 and FIG4, the positioning member 200 of Embodiment 1 has a side peripheral portion 201, a rear portion 202, a circular bottom portion 203, and an edge portion 204.

[0058] The edge portion 204 protrudes forward from the edge of the bottom 203. The edge portion 204 is cylindrical in shape. In a planar view along the extension direction D1, the edge portion 204 surrounds the elastic member 300 (see Figure 2).

[0059] The side portion 201 protrudes rearward from the edge of the bottom 203. The side portion 201 is cylindrical with a D-shaped cross-section. As shown in FIG4, the inner circumferential surface of the side portion 201 has a plane 205 and a circular surface 206. In the pump 1 of Embodiment 1, the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 is inserted into the inner circumferential surface of the side portion 201, and the inner circumferential surface of the side portion 201 fits into the semi-circular outer circumferential surface of the first end 61. That is, the positioning member 200 of Embodiment 1 covers the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 (i.e., one end of the rotating shaft 6). The positioning member 200 fixes the rotating shaft 6 by fitting the inner circumferential surface of the side portion 201 and the outer circumferential surface of the first end 61. By inserting the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 into the positioning member 200, the positioning member 200 can be more firmly fixed to the rotating shaft 6.

[0060] As shown in Figure 2, the rear end 202 is the planar portion at the rear end of the side peripheral portion 201. The normal of the rear end 202 is along the extension direction D1. When the pump 1 is operated, the rear end 202 will contact the front end 102 of the bearing plate 100. That is, when the pump 1 is operated, the positioning member 200 defines the position of the bearing plate 100 in the extension direction D1.

[0061] By positioning the position of the bearing plate 100 in the extension direction D1, contact between the bearing plate 100 and the cylinder 21 can be suppressed. For example, even when the rotating shaft 6 is installed at an angle relative to the cylinder 21 (i.e., an element of the pump housing 2), by setting the bearing plate 100 to not contact the cylinder 21, the tilting of the bearing plate 100 relative to the rotating shaft 6 can be suppressed. By suppressing the tilting of the bearing plate 100 relative to the rotating shaft 6, the contact between the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 and the rear end 101 of the bearing plate 100 can be stabilized, thereby suppressing the generation of vibration and noise during pump 1 operation.

[0062] Furthermore, by contacting the rear end 202 of the positioning member 200 with the front end 102 of the bearing plate 100 when the pump 1 is activated, the positioning member 200 defines the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion (i.e., the rear end 101) of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 (see Figure 5 described later). For example, the positioning member 200 defines the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 by setting the bearing plate 100 to not contact the cylinder portion 21. Preferably, the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 defined by the positioning member 200 is in the range of 85° to 95°. More preferably, the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 defined by the positioning member 200 is in the range of 88° to 92°. By allowing the positioning member 200 to define the intersection angle θ1 between the rear end 101 of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6, the tilting of the bearing plate 100 relative to the rotation axis 6 can be further suppressed.

[0063] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the intersection angle θ2 between the rear end 202 of the positioning member 200 and the rotation axis 6 (refer to Figure 5 described later) is 90° (i.e., perpendicular). That is, in Embodiment 1, the positioning member 200 defines the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion (i.e., the rear end 101) of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 as 90° (i.e., perpendicular). For example, the positioning member 200 defines the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 as perpendicular by ensuring that the bearing plate 100 does not contact the cylinder portion 21. By defining the intersection angle θ1 between the planar portion of the bearing plate 100 and the rotation axis 6 as perpendicular, the contact between the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 and the rear end 101 (i.e., the planar portion) of the bearing plate 100 can be made more stable.

[0064] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the positioning member 200 positions the bearing plate 100 such that the rear end 101 (i.e., the flat surface) of the bearing plate 100 makes surface contact with the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7. For example, the positioning member 200 is configured such that the flat surface of the bearing plate 100 makes surface contact with the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 by setting the bearing plate 100 to not contact the cylinder portion 21. Here, "surface contact" as used in this disclosure refers to a state in which surfaces that are parallel to each other or considered to be parallel to each other are in surface contact. By positioning the bearing plate 100 such that the rear end 101 of the bearing plate 100 makes surface contact with the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7, the generation of vibration and noise during pump 1 operation can be suppressed.

[0065] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump 1 in Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG5, in the pump 1 of Embodiment 1, a gap SP4 is formed between the positioning member 200 and the cylinder 21. More specifically, a gap SP4 is formed between the side peripheral portion 201 of the positioning member 200 and the side peripheral portion 212 of the cylinder 21. Also, a gap SP4 is formed between the bottom 203 of the positioning member 200 and the bottom 211 of the cylinder 21.

[0066] Figure 5 shows the state in which the rotating shaft 6 is assembled at an angle relative to the cylinder 21. Even when the rotating shaft 6 is assembled at an angle relative to the cylinder 21, the positioning member 200 will tilt relative to the cylinder 21 according to the tilt angle of the rotating shaft 6 due to the gap SP4 between the positioning member 200 and the cylinder 21. By tilting the positioning member 200 relative to the cylinder 21 according to the tilt angle of the rotating shaft 6, the intersection angle θ2 between the rear end 202 of the positioning member 200 and the rotating shaft 6 can remain perpendicular.

[0067] By keeping the intersection angle θ2 between the rear end 202 of the positioning member 200 and the rotation shaft 6 perpendicular, the intersection angle θ1 between the flat part of the bearing plate 100 (i.e., the rear end 101) and the rotation shaft 6 can be kept perpendicular, thereby making the contact between the opposing surface 71 of the bearing 7 and the rear end 101 (i.e., the flat part) of the bearing plate 100 more stable.

[0068] (2.9) Elastic Member The elastic member 300 is located in the extension direction D1 between the positioning member 200 and a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylinder 21. More specifically, the elastic member 300 is located in the extension direction D1 between the bottom 203 of the positioning member 200 and the bottom 211 of the cylinder 21.

[0069] The elastic member 300 in Embodiment 1 is cylindrical in shape. The elastic member 300 is formed of, for example, rubber, and functions as a displacement absorbing material for at least one of the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump housing 2 and the positioning member 200. By equipping the pump 1 with the elastic member 300, the vibration generated when the impeller 9 rotates can be suppressed from propagating to the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump housing 2.

[0070] (2.10) As shown in Figure 1, in Embodiment 1, the impeller 9 and the rotor 8 are integrally formed. The impeller 9 is located in front of the rotor 8. The impeller 9 is located in the first space SP1 within the pump chamber SP3.

[0071] The impeller 9 has a front shroud 91 (i.e., an example of the first shroud) and a rear shroud 92 (i.e., an example of the second shroud). As shown in FIG1, the front shroud 91 and the rear shroud 92 are arranged in the extending direction D1. More specifically, the rear end 910 of the front shroud 91 and the front end 923 of the rear shroud 92 face each other in the extending direction D1.

[0072] The rear cover 92 is formed as an annular shape having an inner edge 921 and an outer edge 922.

[0073] The front cover 91 is located in front of the rear cover 92. The front cover 91 is formed as an annular shape having an inner edge 94 and an outer edge 95.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of blade portions 93 facing each other in the rotational direction (i.e., the circumferential direction D3) are formed on the front cover 91. In FIG. 6, 13 blade portions 93 are formed. In other words, the impeller 9 has a plurality of blade portions 93. In the following description, each of the plurality of blade portions 93 will sometimes be referred to as "blade portion 93".

[0075] The blade portion 93 protrudes rearward from the rear end 910 of the front shield 91 along the extending direction D1 (see Figure 1). In other words, the blade portion 93 protrudes towards the front end 923 of the rear shield 92 along the extending direction D1. In Embodiment 1, the height H0 of the blade portion 93 along the extending direction D1 is approximately the same as the distance along the extending direction D1 between the rear end 910 of the front shield 91 and the front end 923 of the rear shield 92.

[0076] In a planar view along the extending direction D1, the blade portion 93 is formed into an arc-shaped plate shape, with the inner edge portion 94 covering the outer edge portion 95. The blade portion 93 has a first surface 931 and a second surface 932. The impeller 9 of Embodiment 1 rotates along the circumferential direction D3 of the front cover 91 in a direction from the second surface 932 toward the first surface 931.

[0077] A plurality of flow paths 96 are formed between a plurality of blade portions 93. In Figure 6, 13 flow paths 96 are formed. In other words, the impeller 9 has a plurality of flow paths 96. In the following description, each of the plurality of flow paths 96 will sometimes be referred to as "flow path 96".

[0078] A flow path 96 is formed between two adjacent blade portions 93. More specifically, the flow path 96 is formed between a first surface 931 of one of the two adjacent blade portions 93 and a second surface 932 of the other of the two adjacent blade portions 93. That is, the flow path 96 is formed between a certain first surface 931 and a second surface 932 facing the certain first surface 931. Furthermore, the flow path 96 is formed by the inner edge 94 of the front cover 91 (i.e., an element of the impeller 9) covering the outer edge 95. When the impeller 9 rotates, liquid flows from the inlet 961 located on the inner edge 94 toward the outlet 962 located on the outer edge 95 in the flow path 96.

[0079] Furthermore, the flow path 96 in Embodiment 1 is formed by a plurality of blade portions 93 and a pair of components (i.e., a front cover 91 and a rear cover 92) respectively covering both sides of the plurality of blade portions 93. More specifically, the flow path 96 is formed by two adjacent blade portions 93 in the circumferential direction D3, and by the rear 910 of the front cover 91 and the front 923 of the rear cover 92 in the extending direction D1. The flow path 96 in Embodiment 1 is separated from the pump chamber SP3 in both the extending direction D1 and the circumferential direction D3.

[0080] Figure 9 is a graph showing the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 in Embodiment 1 and the relationship between the positions of the flow path 96 between the inlet 961 and the outlet 962.

[0081] The "cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96" as referred to in this disclosure may include the area of ​​the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 that intersects the flow direction of the flowing liquid when the pump 1 is operating (i.e., when the impeller 9 rotates). FIG7 is a plan view of the main part of the impeller 9 in Embodiment 1. FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the impeller 93 in Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG6 to FIG8, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 in Embodiment 1 is the area of ​​the cross-sectional area of ​​the distance along the extension direction D1 from the rear end 910 of the front cover 91 to the rear end of the blade portion 93 (i.e., the height of the blade portion 93) as the height H0, and the length of the vertical line from the second surface 932 toward the first surface 931 facing the second surface 932 as the width W0. In addition, the width W0 may also be the length of the vertical line from the first surface 931 toward the second surface 932 facing the first surface 931. In addition, in this disclosure, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 is set to 100% to represent the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96.

[0082] Furthermore, in FIG6, the cross-sections of the inlet 961, the outlet 962, and the narrowing portion 963 are illustrated using areas with added dots. As shown in FIG7, in Embodiment 1, the width W1 of the cross-section of the inlet 961 is the length of a vertical line from the portion of the first surface 931 closest to the inner edge 94 toward the second surface 932 facing the first surface 931. Also, as shown in FIG6 and FIG8, the height H1 of the cross-section of the inlet 961 is the length along the extension direction D1 of the portion of the first surface 931 (i.e., an element of the blade portion 93) closest to the inner edge 94. Also, as shown in FIG7, in Embodiment 1, the width W2 of the cross-section of the outlet 962 is the length of a vertical line from the first surface 931 toward the portion of the second surface 932 facing the first surface 931 closest to the outer edge 95. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the height H2 of the cross section of the outlet 962 is the length along the extension direction D1 of the portion of the second surface 932 (i.e., an element of the blade portion 93) closest to the outer edge 95.

[0083] As shown in FIG7, in this disclosure, the "position of the flow path 96" is displayed by the ratio of the second distance L2 to the first distance L1 when the first distance L1 is set to 100% (i.e., the second distance L2 / the first distance L1 [%)). The first distance L1 is the distance from the inlet 961 to the outlet 962, and the second distance L2 is the distance from the inlet 961 to a certain position. Furthermore, the first distance L1 is defined, for example, by the length of the first surface 931 or the second surface 932 from the inlet 961 to the outlet 962 from a planar view along the extension direction D1. In Embodiment 1, the first distance L1 is the length of the first surface 931 from the inlet 961 to the outlet 962. Furthermore, the second distance L2 is defined, for example, by the length of the first surface 931 or the second surface 932 from the inlet 961 to the narrowing portion 963 from a planar view along the extension direction D1. The second distance L2 in embodiment 1 is the length from the inlet 961 to the first surface 931 of the narrowing section 963.

[0084] The flow path 96 has a narrowing portion 963. As an example, in Embodiment 1, the second distance L2 of the narrowing portion 963 is set to 19% of the first distance L1. As shown in FIG9, since the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrowing portion 963, whose second distance L2 is 19% of the first distance L1, is the smallest, it is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 and the outlet 962.

[0085] Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrowing section 963 is smaller than that of the inlet 961 and the outlet 962, the narrowing section 963 pressurizes the liquid passing through it. Because the narrowing section 963 pressurizes the liquid, the pump 1 in Embodiment 1 can suppress cavitation. When cavitation occurs in the flow path, the range of liquid flow narrows, reducing the pump's efficiency. However, the pump 1 in Embodiment 1 suppresses this reduction in efficiency by suppressing cavitation. Furthermore, by suppressing cavitation, the pump 1 in Embodiment 1 can also suppress vibration and noise during operation.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in FIG7, the second distance L2 (e.g., 19%) between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 in Embodiment 1 is shorter than the third distance L3 (e.g., 81%) between the outlet 962 and the narrowing portion 963. Additionally, the third distance L3 is defined as the length from the outlet 962 to the first surface 931 or the second surface 932 of the narrowing portion 963 from a planar view along the extension direction D1. The third distance L3 in Embodiment 1 is the length from the outlet 962 to the first surface 931 of the narrowing portion 963. By making the second distance L2 shorter than the third distance L3, the occurrence of cavitation erosion can be further suppressed. In other words, by positioning the narrowing portion 963 between the inlet 961 and the outlet 962 on the inlet 961 side, the occurrence of cavitation erosion can be further suppressed.

[0087] Furthermore, it is desirable that the second distance L2 (e.g., 19%) between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 in Embodiment 1 is 10% or more of the first distance L1 between the inlet 961 and the outlet 962. By making the second distance L2 10% or more of the first distance L1, the occurrence of cavitation can be further suppressed. Additionally, it is preferable that the second distance L2 between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 is 10% to 30% of the first distance L1. More preferably, the second distance L2 between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 is 15% to 25% of the first distance L1. Furthermore, regarding the narrowing portion 963 in Embodiment 1, it is even more preferable that the second distance L2 between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 is 18% to 22% of the first distance L1. Furthermore, more preferably, the second distance L2 between the inlet 961 and the narrowing portion 963 is 20% of the first distance L1. In addition, the narrowing portion is not limited to setting a cross-section of the flow path 96 as a narrowing portion, but can also be formed to have a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the flow path 96.

[0088] Furthermore, as shown in FIG9, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 in Embodiment 1 gradually decreases as it approaches the narrowing portion 963 from the inlet 961. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 gradually decreases from the inlet 961 to the narrowing portion 963, it is possible to allow the liquid to flow smoothly in the flow path 96.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, the height H0 of the plurality of blade portions 93 in Embodiment 1 gradually decreases as it approaches the narrowing portion 963 from the inlet 961. By gradually reducing the height H0 of the plurality of blade portions 93 as it approaches the narrowing portion 963 from the inlet 961, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 can be reduced without narrowing the width W0 of the flow path 96. Alternatively, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 can also be reduced by changing the thickness of the blade portions 93 to gradually narrow the width W0 of the flow path 96 as it approaches the narrowing portion 963 from the inlet 961.

[0090] Furthermore, in the narrowing portion 963 of Embodiment 1, the height H3 of the narrowing portion 963 is lower than the height H1 of the inlet 961. By setting the height H3 of the narrowing portion 963 to be lower than the height H1 of the inlet 961, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 96 can be reduced without narrowing the width W0 (e.g., width W3) of the flow path 96.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 9, as an example, in Embodiment 1 where the second distance L2 is 19% of the first distance L1, the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 85% or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962. By setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 to 85% or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962, the occurrence of cavitation erosion can be further suppressed. Furthermore, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 75% or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962. By setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 to 75% or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962, the occurrence of cavitation erosion can be further suppressed. Moreover, it is even more preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 70% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962.

[0092] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, in Embodiment 1 where the second distance L2 is 19% of the first distance L1, the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 55% or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962. By maintaining the amount of liquid flowing in the flow path 96 at a certain level or above, the operating efficiency of the pump 1 can be maintained at a certain level or above. More preferably, the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 65% or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962. Even more preferably, the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow portion 963 is 70% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 961 or the outlet 962.

[0093] (3) Pump Operation Next, the operation of pump 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0094] First, the control unit 43 of the drive unit 3 controls the energization of the plurality of coils 42. Then, the rotor unit 8 is rotated by the interaction of magnetic fields, which are generated by the current flowing through the plurality of coils 42 and the magnetic field generated by the magnet 82 with a plurality of magnetic poles in the rotor unit 8. By rotating the rotor unit 8, the impeller 9, integrally formed with the rotor unit 8, will also rotate.

[0095] Centrifugal force is generated by rotating the impeller 9. By means of centrifugal force, the liquid in the pump chamber SP3 is discharged from the discharge section 24 and is drawn into the pump chamber SP3 through the suction section 22. That is, the suction and discharge of liquid carried out by the pump 1 is performed by rotating the impeller 9.

[0096] Furthermore, when the impeller 9 rotates, a thrust acts on the impeller 9 in the direction of extension D1 toward the suction section 22 (i.e., forward). Due to this thrust, the impeller 9, rotor 8, bearing 7, and bearing plate 100 move forward together. As shown in FIG2, the positions of the impeller 9, rotor 8, bearing 7, and bearing plate 100 in the extension direction D1 are determined by bringing the front surface 102 of the bearing plate 100 into contact with the rear surface 202 of the positioning member 200. Furthermore, the bearing 7 rotates with its facing surface 71 in contact with the rear surface 101 of the bearing plate 100.

[0097] By controlling the control unit 43 of the drive unit 3 to stop supplying power to the plurality of coils 42, the rotation of the rotor unit 8 will stop, and the operation of the pump 1 will also stop.

[0098] (4) Embodiment 1 is just one of the various embodiments disclosed herein. As long as the purpose of this disclosure can be achieved, Embodiment 1 can be modified in various ways according to design, etc.

[0099] Hereinafter, variations of Embodiment 1 are listed. The variations described below can be appropriately combined with Embodiment 1 for application.

[0100] (4.1) Figure 10 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200a of the pump 1 in the first modification example. As shown in Figure 10, the pump 1 can also replace the positioning member 200 and be equipped with the positioning member 200a.

[0101] The positioning member 200a has a plurality of anti-detachment parts 207. In FIG10, the positioning member 200a has two anti-detachment parts 207.

[0102] A plurality of anti-detachment portions 207 protrude from the plane 205 in a direction orthogonal to the extension direction D1. By having a plurality of anti-detachment portions 207 on the positioning member 200a, the rotation shaft 6 can be prevented from detaching from the positioning member 200a.

[0103] (4.2) Second Modification Example Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump 1 in the second modification example. As shown in Figure 11, the pump 1 can also replace the positioning member 200 and be equipped with the positioning member 200b, and replace the elastic member 300 and be equipped with the elastic member 300a. As will be described later, the elastic member 300a is annular.

[0104] FIG12 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200b of the pump 1 in the second modification example. As shown in FIG12, the positioning member 200b has a protrusion 208.

[0105] The protrusion 208 protrudes from the bottom 203 along the extending direction D1 toward the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump housing 2 (i.e., forward). The protrusion 208 is cylindrical with rounded corners at the front. Furthermore, by forming the protrusion 208 at the bottom 203, an annular groove is formed between the protrusion 208 and the edge portion 204.

[0106] FIG13 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200b in the second modified example from another angle. As shown in FIG13, the side peripheral portion 201 of the positioning member 200b has a wall thickness compared to the side peripheral portion 201 of the positioning member 200 (see FIG4). Furthermore, the side peripheral portion 201 of the positioning member 200b is cylindrical in shape.

[0107] The positioning member 200b has a plurality of grooves 209. In FIG. 13, the positioning member 200b has two grooves 209. The plurality of grooves 209 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the side peripheral portion 201 along the extending direction D1. More specifically, the plurality of grooves 209 are formed at both ends of the plane 205. By having the positioning member 200b have a plurality of grooves 209, it is possible to prevent the inner peripheral surface of the side peripheral portion 201 from elastically deflecting and causing the rotating shaft 6 to fall off when the rotating shaft 6 is inserted.

[0108] As shown in Figure 11, the elastic member 300a is annular in shape. The elastic member 300a is configured to be embedded in the annular groove formed between the protrusion 208 and the edge 204 of the positioning member 200b. Furthermore, when the elastic member 300a is located in the annular groove formed between the protrusion 208 and the edge 204 of the positioning member 200b, it protrudes further forward than the protrusion 208. By equipping the pump 1 with the elastic member 300a, the vibration generated when the impeller 9 rotates can be suppressed from propagating to the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump casing 2.

[0109] (4.3) Figure 14 is a perspective view of the positioning member 200c of the pump 1 in the third modification. As shown in Figure 14, the pump 1 can also replace the positioning member 200b and be equipped with the positioning member 200c.

[0110] The positioning member 200c does not have the edge 204 of the positioning member 200b in the second modification. Furthermore, the bottom 203 of the positioning member 200 is formed to protrude rearward near the outer edge as it approaches the outer edge.

[0111] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump 1 in the third modification. As shown in Figure 15, in the pump 1 of the third modification, an elastic member 300a is embedded around the protrusion 208 of the positioning member 200c. By setting the elastic member 300a to be embedded around the protrusion 208, the elastic member 300a can contact the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump casing 2 in the extending direction D1 and the radial direction D2, thereby suppressing the vibration generated when the impeller 9 rotates from propagating to the cylindrical portion 21 of the pump casing 2.

[0112] (4.4) Other variations: The plurality of blade portions 93 may also replace the front shield 91 and be formed on the rear shield 92. Also, the plurality of blade portions 93 may be formed separately on the front shield 91 and the rear shield 92.

[0113] The drive unit 3 may also replace the mold unit 4 and have a mechanism that causes a plurality of drive magnets to rotate around the separation plate 5 along the circumferential direction D3.

[0114] In Embodiment 1, although the drive unit 3 is shown to have a separation plate 5, the pump housing 2 may be made to have the separation plate 5 instead of the drive unit 3. Alternatively, at least one of the pump housing 2 and the mold part 4 may be made to have the function of the separation plate 5 instead of the drive unit 3. For example, it may be configured such that water is prevented from entering the interior of the mold part 4 from the pump chamber SP3 by molding the inner periphery of the mold part 4 with resin.

[0115] (Embodiment 2) Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump 1 in embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 16, the pump 1 in embodiment 2 differs from the pump 1 in embodiment 1 in the following ways: the positioning member 200 is replaced by the positioning member 200d, and the elastic member 300 is replaced by the elastic member 300b.

[0116] The rotating shaft 6 in embodiment 2 has a groove 63. The groove 63 is formed to cover the entire circumference along the circumferential direction of the first end 61.

[0117] The positioning member 200d is located in the extending direction D1 between the bearing plate 100 and a part of the pump housing 2, namely the cylinder 21. A gap SP4 is formed between the positioning member 200d and the rear end of the side peripheral portion 212 of the cylinder 21. Even when the rotating shaft 6 is assembled at an angle relative to the cylinder 21, the positioning member 200d will tilt relative to the cylinder 21 according to the tilt angle of the rotating shaft 6 due to the gap SP4.

[0118] The positioning member 200d is a flat plate. In Embodiment 2, the positioning member 200d is an annular flat plate having a through hole 210 through which the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 passes. The through hole 210 is semi-circular in shape. The through hole 210 is configured such that when the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 has passed through the through hole 210, the positioning member 200d will not rotate relative to the first end 61 (i.e., one end of the rotating shaft 6).

[0119] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, the through hole 210 is formed to engage with the groove 63 of the rotating shaft 6. That is, the positioning member 200d is formed to engage with the groove 63 of the rotating shaft 6. The positioning member 200d is fixed to the rotating shaft 6, and the positioning member 200d will not move along the extending direction D1. Therefore, the gap SP4 between the positioning member 200d and the rear end of the side peripheral portion 212 of the cylindrical portion 21 can be maintained.

[0120] In embodiment 2, the pump 1 has a flat plate-shaped positioning member 200d, which can reduce manufacturing costs compared to, for example, a bottom cylindrical positioning member 200.

[0121] The elastic member 300b is located between the first end 61 of the rotating shaft 6 and a part of the pump casing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21. By providing the pump 1 with the elastic member 300b, the vibration generated when the impeller 9 rotates can be suppressed from propagating to the part of the pump casing 2, namely the cylindrical portion 21.

[0122] Embodiment 2 is merely one of the various embodiments disclosed herein. As long as the purpose of this disclosure is achieved, Embodiment 2 can be modified in various ways according to design, etc.

[0123] For example, the positioning member 200d may also be a member configured such that, with the rotating shaft 6 having passed through the through hole 210, it is fixed to the rotating shaft 6 by a spring force along the radial direction D2 toward the axis Ax1 of the rotating shaft 6. The positioning member 200d may also be a so-called E-ring, etc. That is, the positioning member 200d may also be a member that is C-shaped in planar view. More specifically, the positioning member 200d may also be a flat plate member that is C-shaped in planar view. The term "C-shaped in planar view" in this disclosure may include a portion of the ring having a defective shape. Furthermore, the through hole 210 (i.e., the space) through which the rotating shaft 6 passes includes a space completely surrounded by the rotating shaft 6 and a portion of the space around the rotating shaft 6 that is defective.

[0124] The various configurations (including variations) described in Embodiment 2 can be appropriately combined with the various configurations (including variations) described in Embodiment 1.

[0125] (Summary) As explained above, the pump (1) of the first state includes a pump casing (2), a rotating shaft (6), a bearing (7), an impeller (9), a drive unit (3), a bearing plate (100), and positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d). The pump casing (2) forms at least a part of the pump chamber (SP3) (first space SP1). The rotating shaft (6) is located inside the pump chamber (SP3), and one end (first end 61) is inserted into a part of the pump casing (2) (cylindrical part 21). The rotating shaft (6) passes through the bearing (7). The impeller (9) has a fluid flow path (96). The drive unit (3) rotates the impeller (9) around the rotating shaft (6) to make the fluid flow. The rotating shaft (6) passes through the bearing plate (100). The bearing plate (100) is located between the bearing (7) and a portion of the pump housing (2) in the extending direction (D1) of the rotating shaft (6), and contacts the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7). The positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) are located between the bearing plate (100) and a portion (cylinder 21) of the pump housing (2) in the extending direction (D1), and define the position of the bearing plate (100) in the extending direction (D1).

[0126] According to this configuration, by positioning the bearing plate (100) in the extending direction (D1) specified by the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d), contact between the bearing plate (100) and a part of the pump housing (2) (e.g., the cylindrical portion 21) can be limited. For example, even when the rotating shaft (6) is installed at an angle relative to a part of the pump housing (2), by setting the bearing plate (100) to not contact a part of the pump housing (2), the tilting of the bearing plate (100) relative to the rotating shaft (6) can be suppressed. By suppressing the tilting of the bearing plate (100) relative to the rotating shaft (6), the contact between the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7) and the rear end of the bearing plate (100) can be stabilized, thereby suppressing the generation of noise and vibration during pump (1) operation.

[0127] In the second state sample of the pump (1), in the first state sample, the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) specifies the intersection angle (θ1) between the flat part (i.e., the rear 101) of the bearing plate (100) and the rotating shaft (6).

[0128] According to this configuration, by having the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) define the intersection angle (θ1) between the flat portion (i.e., the rear 101) of the bearing plate (100) and the rotation axis (6), the tilting of the bearing plate (100) relative to the rotation axis (6) can be further suppressed.

[0129] In the third state sample of the pump (1), in the second state sample, the intersection angle (θ1) between the flat part of the bearing plate (100) (i.e., the rear 101) and the rotating shaft (6) is perpendicular.

[0130] According to this configuration, by defining the intersection angle (θ1) between the flat portion of the bearing plate (100) (i.e., the rear 101) and the rotating shaft (6) as perpendicular, the contact between the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7) and the flat portion of the bearing plate (100) can be made more stable.

[0131] In the fourth state of the pump (1), in any of the first to third states, the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) specifies the position of the bearing plate (100) such that the flat part of the bearing plate (100) (i.e., the rear 101) makes surface contact with the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7).

[0132] According to this configuration, by positioning the bearing plate (100) such that the flat portion of the bearing plate (100) (i.e., the rear end 101) makes surface contact with the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7), the generation of noise and vibration during pump (1) operation can be suppressed.

[0133] In the fifth state of the pump (1), in any of the first to fourth states, a part of the pump casing (2) (e.g., the cylindrical part 21) is formed as a bottomed cylindrical part for inserting one end (i.e., the first end 61) of the rotating shaft (6). A gap (SP4) is formed between the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) and the cylindrical part (21).

[0134] According to this configuration, even when the rotating shaft (6) is assembled at an angle relative to the cylinder (21), the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) will tilt relative to the cylinder (21) due to the tilt angle of the rotating shaft (6) because there is a gap (SP4) between the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) and the cylinder (21). By tilting the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) relative to the cylinder (21) due to the tilt angle of the rotating shaft (6), the intersection angle (θ2) between the flat portion (i.e., the rear 202) of the positioning members (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) and the rotating shaft (6) can be maintained. By maintaining the intersection angle (θ2) between the planar portion of the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c; 200d) and the rotating shaft (6), the intersection angle (θ1) between the planar portion of the bearing plate (100) (i.e., the rear 101) and the rotating shaft (6) can be maintained, thereby making the contact between the opposing surface (71) of the bearing (7) and the planar portion of the bearing plate (100) more stable.

[0135] In the sixth state of the pump (1), in any of the first to fifth states, the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c) is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape to cover one end of the rotating shaft (6) (i.e., the first end 61). One end of the rotating shaft (6) is a part (cylindrical portion 21) inserted into the pump casing (2) through the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c).

[0136] According to this configuration, by setting the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c) to cover one end of the rotating shaft (6) (i.e., the first end 61), the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c) can be more firmly fixed to the rotating shaft 6.

[0137] In the seventh state sample of the pump (1), the sixth state sample further includes an elastic member (300; 300a). The elastic member (300; 300a) is located in the extension direction (D1) between the positioning member (200; 200a; 200b; 200c) and a part (cylinder 21) of the pump housing (2).

[0138] According to this configuration, by providing the pump (1) with an elastic member (300; 300a), the vibration generated when the impeller (9) rotates can be suppressed from propagating to a part of the pump casing (2) (e.g., the cylinder 21).

[0139] In the pump (1) of the eighth state, in any of the first to fifth states, the positioning member (200d) is a flat plate member having a through hole (210) through which the rotating shaft (6) passes, and is fixed to the rotating shaft (6).

[0140] According to this configuration, compared to the case where the positioning member is, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape, the cost of the positioning member (200d) can be suppressed.

[0141] In the pump (1) of the 9th state sample, the 8th state sample further includes an elastic member (300b). The elastic member (300b) is located in the extension direction (D1) between one end of the rotating shaft (6) (i.e., the first end 61) and a part of the pump housing (2) (e.g., the cylinder 21).

[0142] According to this configuration, by providing the pump (1) with an elastic member (300b), the vibration generated when the impeller (9) rotates can be suppressed from propagating to a part of the pump casing (2) (e.g., the cylinder 21).

[0143] The components other than the first state sample are not necessary for the pump (1) and can be omitted appropriately.

[0144] Industrial applicability: The pump disclosed herein is used in the following devices: (i) warm water circulation devices such as heat pump water heaters / heaters, gas boiler water heaters / heaters; (ii) cooling water circulation devices such as server cooling devices; or (iii) bathtub water circulation devices. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0009] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the pump of Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main parts of the pump of Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the positioning member of the pump of Embodiment 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the positioning member in Embodiment 1 from another angle. Figure 5 is a schematic view of the main parts of the pump of Embodiment 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main parts of the impeller of the pump of Embodiment 1. Figure 7 is a plan view of the main parts of the impeller in Embodiment 1. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the impeller in Embodiment 1. Figure 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the cross-sectional area and position in the flow path of the impeller in Embodiment 1. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the positioning member of the pump of the first modification. Figure 11 is a schematic view of the main parts of the pump of the second modification. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the positioning member of the pump of the second modification. Figure 13 is a perspective view of the positioning member in the second modification from another angle. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the positioning member of the pump of the third modification. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump in the third modification example. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the pump in embodiment 2.

Claims

1. A pump comprising: a pump casing forming at least a portion of a pump chamber; a rotating shaft located inside the pump chamber and having one end inserted into the portion of the pump casing; a bearing through which the rotating shaft passes; an impeller having a flow path for fluid; a drive unit that rotates the impeller about the rotating shaft as a rotation center to cause the fluid to flow; a bearing plate through which the rotating shaft passes and located between the bearing and the portion of the pump casing in the extending direction of the rotating shaft, and in contact with the opposing surface of the bearing; and a positioning member located between the bearing plate and the portion of the pump casing in the extending direction, and defining the position of the bearing plate in the extending direction, wherein the portion of the pump casing is formed as a bottomed cylindrical portion for insertion of the one end of the rotating shaft, a gap is formed between the positioning member and the cylindrical portion, and the positioning member is tiltable relative to the cylindrical portion.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the aforementioned positioning member specifies the intersection angle between the planar portion of the aforementioned bearing plate and the aforementioned rotating shaft.

3. The pump of claim 2, wherein the aforementioned planar portion of the aforementioned bearing plate is perpendicular to the aforementioned angle of intersection of the aforementioned rotating shaft.

4. The pump of claim 1, wherein the aforementioned positioning member positions the aforementioned bearing plate such that the flat portion of the aforementioned bearing plate makes surface contact with the aforementioned opposing surface of the aforementioned bearing.

5. The pump of claim 2, wherein the aforementioned positioning member positions the aforementioned bearing plate such that the flat portion of the aforementioned bearing plate makes surface contact with the aforementioned opposing surface of the aforementioned bearing.

6. The pump of claim 3, wherein the aforementioned positioning member positions the aforementioned bearing plate such that the flat portion of the aforementioned bearing plate makes surface contact with the aforementioned opposing surface of the aforementioned bearing.

7. The pump of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aforementioned positioning member is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape to cover the aforementioned end of the aforementioned rotating shaft, and the aforementioned end of the aforementioned rotating shaft is inserted into the aforementioned portion of the aforementioned pump housing through the aforementioned positioning member.

8. The pump of claim 7 further comprises: an elastic member located in the aforementioned extension direction between the aforementioned positioning member and the aforementioned portion of the aforementioned pump housing.

9. The pump of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aforementioned positioning member is a flat plate-shaped member having a through hole through which the aforementioned rotating shaft passes, and is fixed to the aforementioned rotating shaft.

10. The pump of claim 9 further comprises: an elastic member located in the aforementioned extension direction between the aforementioned end of the aforementioned rotating shaft and the aforementioned portion of the aforementioned pump housing.

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