Vane pump assembly and propeller

Abstract

The application discloses a vane pump assembly and a propeller. The vane pump assembly comprises a rotating shaft, an outer shell arranged at the periphery of the rotating shaft, and at least one vane assembly arranged between the rotating shaft and the outer shell and comprising a vane and a pivot assembly. The vane is connected to the rotating shaft through the pivot assembly and can rotate around a rotating axis. The pivot assembly is configured to switch the vane between a first position and a second position when the rotating direction of the rotating shaft changes. The first position and the second position are located on opposite sides of a reference plane which is parallel to the central axis of the rotating shaft and the rotating axis. The vane pump assembly and the propeller can keep the same pumping direction of lubricating oil when the rudder propeller is reversed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lubrication technology, and in particular to a vane pump assembly and a propeller. Background Technology

[0002] With market and technological development, the types of ships have gradually increased. Different types of ships have different performance requirements for ship propulsion, and these requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. As a result, a new product, the azimuth propeller, has emerged, combining a conventional rudder and propeller. The azimuth propeller includes a propeller, lower gearbox, upper gearbox, rudder steering mechanism, lubrication system, and cooling system, and it combines ship propulsion and steering functions.

[0003] Typically, propellers employ a closed-loop circulating lubrication system, with an internal lubricating oil circulation circuit where a lubricating pump drives the lubricating oil to circulate. However, in the aforementioned azimuth propeller propellers, due to the compact design requirements of the azimuth propeller, the lubricating oil is usually driven by an internal drive shaft system, eliminating the need for a separate lubricating oil drive device. Currently, the industry commonly uses a method of installing a pressure sleeve on the drive shaft of the azimuth propeller; however, the pressure sleeve is difficult to manufacture; furthermore, when the drive shaft of the azimuth propeller reverses, the pressure sleeve will cause the lubricating oil to flow in the opposite direction, leading to malfunction of the lubrication system and limiting the use of the azimuth propeller propeller. Therefore, how to maintain the same pumping direction of the lubricating oil during both forward and reverse rotation of the propeller without a drive device is a key challenge in improving the internal lubricating oil circulation system of azimuth propeller propellers.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a vane pump assembly and propeller to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a vane pump assembly and a propeller to ensure that the lubricating oil maintains the same pumping direction when the propeller rotates in both directions.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, in one aspect, this application provides a vane pump assembly, comprising:

[0007] Rotation axis;

[0008] A housing, disposed around the periphery of the rotating shaft; and,

[0009] At least one blade assembly is disposed between the rotation shaft and the housing and includes a blade and a pivot assembly. The blade is connected to the rotation shaft via the pivot assembly and is rotatable about the rotation axis. The pivot assembly is configured to switch the blade between a first position and a second position when the rotation direction of the rotation shaft changes. The first position and the second position are located on opposite sides of the same reference plane, which is parallel to the central axis of the rotation shaft and the rotation axis.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the pivoting assembly includes:

[0011] A pivot shaft extends radially along and is fixed to the rotation axis; the blades are disposed around the pivot shaft and are rotatable about the pivot shaft; and...

[0012] The limiting member has a first limiting part and a second limiting part, the first limiting part being used to hold the blade in a first position, and the second limiting part being used to hold the blade in a second position.

[0013] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the limiting member is disposed on the periphery of the pivot shaft and has a limiting opening communicating with the inner cavity of the limiting member. The limiting opening has a first side and a second side opposite to each other. The first side is configured as the first limiting part, and the second side is configured as the second limiting part.

[0014] The blade has a mounting portion and a blade portion connected together. The mounting portion is housed in the inner cavity of the limiting member and has a pivot hole. The pivot shaft passes through the pivot hole. The blade portion passes through the limiting opening and exits the inner cavity. The blade portion can rotate between the first side and the second side.

[0015] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, when the blade is in the first position, the blade and the reference plane form a first angle, the angle of the first angle being in the range of 30° to 60°; and / or,

[0016] When the blade is in the second position, there is a second included angle between the blade and the reference plane, and the angle range of the second included angle is 30° to 60°.

[0017] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, when the blade is in the first position, the blade and the reference surface form a first angle, and when the blade is in the second position, the blade and the reference surface form a second angle.

[0018] The first included angle and the second included angle are the same.

[0019] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the vane pump assembly further includes a mounting base that is fitted and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, and the pivoting assembly is fixedly mounted on the mounting base.

[0020] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, a mounting groove is recessed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, the mounting groove extends circumferentially along the rotating shaft, and the blade assembly is mounted in the mounting groove.

[0021] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the blade assembly is in multiple groups, and the multiple groups of blade assemblies are evenly spaced along the circumference of the rotation axis.

[0022] Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the blade is a flat blade.

[0023] Accordingly, this application also provides a propulsion device including a vane pump assembly as described in this application.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the blade pump assembly and propeller of this application include a rotating shaft, a housing surrounding the rotating shaft, and a blade assembly disposed between the rotating shaft and the housing. The blade assembly includes blades and a pivoting assembly. The blades are connected to the rotating shaft via the pivoting assembly and are rotatable about a rotation axis. The pivoting assembly is configured to allow the blades to pivot from a first position to a second position when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft changes. The first and second positions are located on opposite sides of the same reference plane, which is parallel to the central axis of the rotating shaft and the rotation axis of the blades. The blade pump assembly and propeller of this application enable the lubricating oil to maintain the same pumping direction when the propeller rotates in both forward and reverse directions. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vane pump assembly provided according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a vane pump assembly provided according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 .

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the blade and pivot assembly provided according to the embodiments of this application.

[0029] The main reference numerals in the drawings of this application are explained as follows:

[0030] 100-Vannel pump assembly; 10-Rotating shaft; 20-Housing housing; 30-Vannel assembly; 31-Vannel; 311-Vannel section; 312-Connecting part; 32-Pivoting assembly; 321-Limiting element; 33-Mounting base. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0033] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] Please refer to this as well. Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a vane pump assembly 100, which includes a rotating shaft 10, a housing 20, and a vane assembly 30. The housing 20 is disposed around the rotating shaft 10, and the vane assembly 30 is located between the rotating shaft 10 and the housing 20, and includes vanes 31 and a pivoting assembly 32. The vanes 31 are connected to the rotating shaft 10 via the pivoting assembly 32 and are rotatable about a rotation axis. The pivoting assembly 32 is configured to switch the vanes 31 between a first position and a second position when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10 changes. The first position and the second position are located on opposite sides of the same reference plane P, which is parallel to the central axis of the rotating shaft 10 and the rotation axis.

[0036] In one preferred embodiment, the direction of extension of the rotation axis is parallel to the radial direction of the rotation shaft 10. In this case, the direction of extension of the rotation axis is perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 10 (i.e., the direction of extension of the central axis of the rotation shaft 10).

[0037] Furthermore, the blade pump assembly 100 is disposed in the thruster to provide driving force for the lubricating oil in the thruster. More specifically, the blade pump assembly 100 is used in an azimuth propeller assembly. Based on this embodiment, the rotating shaft 10 is the drive shaft of the azimuth propeller assembly, the housing 20 is the housing of the azimuth propeller assembly, and the cavity between the rotating shaft 10 and the housing 20 is filled with lubricating oil.

[0038] When the rotating shaft 10 rotates in one direction (e.g., clockwise), the lubricating oil in the cavity, due to its high viscosity, will generate a resistance to the rotation of the blade 31 that is opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 10 (e.g., counterclockwise). Under the action of this resistance, the blade 31 will deflect at a certain angle in the opposite direction of rotation to reach the first position and be held in the first position by the pivot assembly 32. Please refer to [the relevant documentation] for details. Figure 2 When the blade 31 is held in the first position, it rotates in the same direction and speed as the rotating shaft 10. At this time, the blade 31 functions similarly to an axial flow pump, driving the lubricating oil to flow in one pumping direction. Similarly, when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10 changes (e.g., counterclockwise), the direction of the resistance of the lubricating oil to the blade 31 also changes. The blade 31 will rotate in the opposite direction under the action of this changed resistance, i.e., towards the direction of deflection from the first position to the second position, until the blade 31 reaches the second position. Then, the pivot assembly 32 holds the blade 31 in the second position. When the blade 31 is held in the second position, it rotates in the same direction and speed as the rotating shaft 10. At this time, the blade 31 functions similarly to an axial flow pump, driving the lubricating oil to flow in the pumping direction.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, in the solution of this application, the blade 31 achieves the oil pumping effect under the drive of the rotating shaft 10, thereby eliminating the need for an oil pumping device or a lubricating oil driving device. More importantly, the rotation direction of the blade 31 is determined by the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10, and when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10 changes, the rotation direction of the blade 31 (i.e., the deflection angle or tilt angle of the blade 31) also changes accordingly, so that the blade 31 maintains the same oil pumping direction when the rotating shaft 10 rotates in both directions, meeting the requirements of the thruster's forward and reverse operation. Thus, the blade pump assembly 100 of this application can solve the problem of the blade 31 changing the oil pumping direction when the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10 changes without an additional driving device, thereby solving the problem that the thruster's lubrication system design can only operate normally in a certain fixed lubricating oil flow direction and cannot meet the forward and reverse operation of the thruster.

[0040] Furthermore, the deflection direction of the blade 31 is adaptively switched and adjusted according to the change in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 10. The tilt angle of the blade 31 can be adjusted without the need for additional drive or adjustment mechanisms, which can reduce the overall volume of the blade pump assembly and meet the purpose of the compact design of the propeller.

[0041] Furthermore, when the blade 31 is in the first position, the angle between the blade 31 and the reference surface P is a first angle, the angle range of which is 30° to 60°. When the blade 31 is in the second position, the angle between the blade 31 and the reference surface P is a second angle, the angle range of which is 30° to 60°. By adjusting the first angle and the second angle, the pumping oil volume of the blade 31 at the first position and the second position can be adjusted.

[0042] Therefore, in some embodiments, the first included angle and the second included angle are the same. In this case, when the rotation shaft 10 changes direction, the blades 31 not only maintain the same oil pumping direction, but also the same oil pumping volume, ensuring that the propeller's lubrication system operates under stable conditions.

[0043] Schematic illustration: both the first and second included angles are 30°. In other embodiments, both the first and second included angles are 60°. However, it should be noted that this application does not limit the specific implementation of the first and second included angles. For example, in some embodiments, both the first and second included angles are 45° or 50°. Furthermore, in some embodiments, considering the actual operating conditions of the lubrication system in the propeller, the first and second included angles can be set differently.

[0044] In some embodiments, a mounting groove 101 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 10. The mounting groove 101 is recessed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 10 and extends circumferentially along the rotating shaft 10. By providing the mounting groove 101, the length of the blade 31 can be increased, the gap between the cavity and the rotating shaft 10 can be reduced, and the pumping effect of the blade 31 can be improved.

[0045] In this embodiment, the mounting groove 101 is arranged around the entire outer circumference of the rotating shaft 10. That is, the mounting groove 101 is an annular groove.

[0046] In some embodiments, the blade 31 is a flat blade. In this case, the blade 31 does not have cambered surfaces or helical angles, ensuring that the front and back surfaces (i.e., the two surfaces in the thickness direction of the blade) are identical, thus satisfying the requirement for forward and reverse rotation of the blade 31. More specifically, the blade 31 is rectangular to reduce the gap between it and the cavity and the rotating shaft 10, thereby improving the pumping effect of the blade 31.

[0047] More specifically, the blade 31 includes a mounting portion and a blade portion 311 connected together. The mounting portion is used for mounting the blade 31 and the pivot assembly 32. The blade portion 311 has an overall flat plate structure and is the main part used for suction or pumping the lubricating oil.

[0048] Furthermore, the blade portion 31 also includes a connecting portion 312, which is disposed between the mounting portion and the blade portion 311 and connected to both the mounting portion and the blade portion 311. Furthermore, the connecting portion 312 has a cutout that extends to the mounting portion, thus facilitating the installation of the blade 31.

[0049] In some embodiments, the pivoting assembly 32 includes a pivot shaft and a limiting member 311. The pivot shaft extends radially along the rotation shaft 10 and is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft 10. The blade 31 is disposed around the pivot shaft and is rotatable about the pivot shaft. The limiting member 311 has a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion. The first limiting portion is used to hold the blade 31 in a first position, and the second limiting portion is used to hold the blade 31 in a second position.

[0050] It is understood that the first limiting part and the second limiting part are arranged at different circumferential positions along the pivot axis. The blade 31 rotates between the first limiting part and the second limiting part, which are used to limit the blade 31 along the circumferential direction of the pivot axis.

[0051] Schematic illustration: The limiting member 311 is configured as a limiting sleeve. This configuration improves the overall integrity of the pivot assembly 10 and prevents excessive lubricating oil residue between the pivot shaft and the mounting portion of the blade 31.

[0052] The limiting member 311 is disposed around the pivot shaft and has a limiting opening communicating with the inner cavity of the limiting member 311. The limiting opening has opposing first sides and second sides, the first sides being configured as the first limiting portion and the second sides being configured as the second limiting portion. Based on the above embodiment where the blade 31 has the mounting portion and the blade portion 311, the mounting portion is received in the inner cavity of the limiting sleeve and has a pivot hole, the pivot shaft passes through the pivot hole, and the blade portion 311 passes through the limiting opening to exit the inner cavity of the limiting sleeve, and the blade portion 311 can rotate between the first side and the second side.

[0053] At this time, the blade 31 can only rotate within the range of the limiting opening. When the connecting part 312 of the blade 31 contacts the first side or the second side, the blade 31 is stopped at the first position or the second position.

[0054] As can be seen, in specific implementation, the first included angle of the blade 31 in the first position or the second included angle of the blade 31 in the second position can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the limiting opening.

[0055] It is understood that the first side and the second side (or the size of the limiting opening) define the angle of the first included angle of the blade 31 at the first position or the angle of the second included angle of the blade 31 at the second position. Therefore, in a specific implementation, the angles of the first and second included angles can be adjusted by adjusting the opening range of the limiting opening along the pivot axis, i.e., the positions of the first and second sides, thereby limiting the pumping oil volume of the blade 31 at the first or second position.

[0056] In some embodiments, the blade assembly 30 further includes a mounting base 312. The mounting base 312 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 10, and the pivoting assembly 32 is mounted on the side of the mounting base 312 opposite to the rotating shaft 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the mounting base 312 is configured as an arc-shaped sheet member. This allows the mounting base 312 to be fitted and fixed to the rotating shaft 10. In specific implementation, the mounting base 312 is fixedly mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 10 using screws.

[0058] In some embodiments, the number of blade assemblies 30 is four groups. The four groups of blade assemblies 30 are evenly spaced along the circumference of the rotation axis 10. However, it should be noted that this application does not limit the number of blades 30. In specific implementations, the number of blade assemblies 30 can be adjusted according to the pumping effect or pumping volume adaptability. For example, in other embodiments, the number of blade assemblies 30 is two, three, five, or six groups.

[0059] In a specific implementation, the blade assembly 30 is disposed within the mounting groove 101. Multiple sets of the blade assemblies 30 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the mounting groove 101.

[0060] In some embodiments, this application also provides a thruster, the thruster including the blade pump assembly 100 described in this application. For details regarding the specific implementation of the blade assembly 100 and the specific arrangement of the blade pump assembly 100 within the thruster, please refer to the preceding text; further details will not be repeated here.

[0061] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0062] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of protection of the claims. Furthermore, specific examples have been used in the specification to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application, and the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A vane pump assembly, characterized by, The application relates to a vane pump assembly, comprising: a rotating shaft; an outer shell arranged at the periphery of the rotating shaft; and at least one vane assembly arranged between the rotating shaft and the outer shell and comprising a vane and a pivoting assembly, the vane being connected to the rotating shaft through the pivoting assembly and being capable of rotating around a rotating shaft axis, the pivoting assembly being configured to switch the vane between a first position and a second position when the rotating direction of the rotating shaft changes, the first position and the second position being located on opposite sides of a reference plane, the reference plane being parallel to the central axis of the rotating shaft and the rotating shaft axis; the pivoting assembly comprising: a pivoting shaft extending along the radial direction of the rotating shaft and being fixed on the rotating shaft, the vane being arranged at the periphery of the pivoting shaft and being capable of rotating around the pivoting shaft; the cavity between the rotating shaft and the outer shell being filled with lubricating oil, when the rotating shaft rotates in one direction, the lubricating oil generates a resistance force opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating shaft due to the large viscosity of the lubricating oil, the vane is deflected by a certain angle in the direction opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating shaft under the action of the resistance force and reaches the first position; when the rotating direction of the rotating shaft changes, the direction of the resistance force of the lubricating oil on the vane also changes, the vane rotates in the opposite direction under the action of the resistance force after the change, that is, the vane is deflected from the first position to the second position until the vane reaches the second position; the pivoting assembly further comprising: a limiting piece having a first limiting part and a second limiting part, the first limiting part being used for keeping the vane in the first position, and the second limiting part being used for keeping the vane in the second position; the limiting piece being arranged at the periphery of the pivoting shaft and having a limiting opening in communication with the inner cavity of the limiting piece, the limiting opening having opposite first and second side edges, the first side edge being configured as the first limiting part, and the second side edge being configured as the second limiting part; the vane having a mounting part and a vane part connected to each other, the mounting part being accommodated in the inner cavity of the limiting piece and having a rotating shaft hole, the pivoting shaft being arranged in the rotating shaft hole, and the vane part penetrating out of the inner cavity through the limiting opening, the vane part being capable of rotating between the first and second side edges; when the vane is in the first position, a first included angle is formed between the vane and the reference plane, the angle of the first included angle being 30-60 DEG; and / or when the vane is in the second position, a second included angle is formed between the vane and the reference plane, the angle of the second included angle being 30-60 DEG; when the vane is in the first position, a first included angle is formed between the vane and the reference plane, and when the vane is in the second position, a second included angle is formed between the vane and the reference plane; the angle of the first included angle is the same as that of the second included angle; the vane pump assembly further comprising a mounting base fixedly arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, and the pivoting assembly being fixedly arranged on the mounting base. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 3. The vane pump assembly of claim 2, wherein, ​ ​ 4. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 5. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein ​ ​ 6. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein ​ 7. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein An installation groove is concavely arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, the installation groove extends along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, and the vane assembly is installed in the installation groove.

8. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein, The vane assemblies are multiple groups, and the multiple groups of vane assemblies are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft.

9. The vane pump assembly of claim 1, wherein, The vane is a flat plate vane.

10. A propeller characterized by A vane pump assembly comprising a vane assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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