Fluid pump

Abstract

A fluid pump comprises a pump shell, an impeller arranged in the pump shell and a motor driving the impeller to rotate in the pump shell, the pump shell is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet extends in the axial direction of the pump shell, the outlet extends in the radial direction of the pump shell, the impeller is coaxially arranged in the pump shell, and the motor drives the impeller to rotate in the pump shell. The inner wall of the pump shell is of a symmetrical structure relative to the center line of the outlet. A rib plate surrounding the impeller is further arranged in the pump shell, a flow channel is formed between the inner surface of the rib plate and the impeller, the width of the flow channel is gradually increased in the rotating direction of the impeller, the speed of fluid is reduced and the pressure of the fluid is increased in the process that the fluid flows towards the outlet along the flow channel, and the lift of the fluid pump can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to pumps, and more particularly to a fluid pump. Background Technology

[0002] Fluid pumps are typically connected to pipelines and are used for the transport and discharge of fluids such as water and coolant. For example, fluid pumps can be used as drain pumps in household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.

[0003] Existing fluid pumps consist of a pump casing, an impeller, and a motor that drives the impeller to rotate within the casing. The impeller's rotation direction within the casing is uncertain. Therefore, the pump casing is designed with a symmetrical structure about its outlet, ensuring that the drainage effect is essentially the same regardless of whether the impeller rotates clockwise or counterclockwise. However, this design results in a constant flow area between the pump casing and the impeller, preventing the fluid from slowing down and increasing in pressure as it exits the outlet, leading to low pump head and drainage efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a fluid pump that can effectively improve head and drainage efficiency.

[0005] A fluid pump includes a pump casing, an impeller disposed within the pump casing, and a motor for driving the impeller to rotate within the pump casing. The pump casing has an inlet and an outlet, the inlet extending axially along the pump casing, and the outlet extending radially along the pump casing. The impeller is coaxially disposed within the pump casing, and the inner wall of the pump casing has a symmetrical structure about the centerline of the outlet. The pump casing also has ribs arranged around the impeller, and the inner surface of the ribs forms a flow channel with the impeller, the width of which gradually increases along the rotation direction of the impeller.

[0006] The fluid pump may exhibit one or more of the following features, either individually or in combination.

[0007] In some embodiments, the radial thickness of the stiffener gradually decreases along the rotation direction of the impeller.

[0008] In some embodiments, the pump housing forms a first side and a second side on opposite sides of the outlet, the second side being located downstream of the first side; the stiffener includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being disposed adjacent to the first side and the second end being spaced apart from the second side.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first end of the rib plate bulges inward in a radial direction to form a tongue.

[0010] In some embodiments, the circumferential end face of the first end of the stiffener is a concave curved surface.

[0011] In some embodiments, the outer wall surface of the stiffener is a cylindrical surface, and the outer wall surface of the first end of the stiffener is spaced apart from the first side, forming a triangular inner cavity between them.

[0012] In some embodiments, the stiffener is C-shaped, and the circumferential length of the stiffener is greater than 1 / 2 of the circumference.

[0013] In some embodiments, the circumferential length of the stiffener is approximately 2 / 3 of the circumference.

[0014] In some embodiments, the impeller is a petal-shaped backward-curved impeller.

[0015] In some embodiments, the motor includes a stator, a rotor, and a sleeve that separates the stator and the rotor, the stiffeners extending integrally from the sleeve into the pump housing.

[0016] Compared to existing technologies, the fluid pump provided in this application features a symmetrical structure of the pump casing's inner wall relative to its outlet. The impeller is coaxially disposed within the pump casing and rotates in a predetermined direction. Ribs are installed inside the pump casing, forming a flow channel with gradually increasing width between the impeller and the inner surface of the ribs. This allows the fluid to automatically slow down and pressurize as it flows towards the outlet. Thus, without altering the existing pump casing structure, the ribs effectively increase the pump's head. Furthermore, the special structure of the ribs effectively prevents high-pressure fluid from flowing back to the low-pressure area, ensuring smooth discharge from the outlet and improving the efficiency of the fluid pump. Additionally, the petal-shaped backward impeller not only further enhances the pump's efficiency but also effectively prevents the impeller from being jammed by foreign objects, ensuring safe operation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the fluid pump of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view of the fluid pump is shown.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a top view of the fluid pump.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A sectional view along line IV-IV.

[0021] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The image shows a side view of the fluid pump.

[0022] Figure 6 for Figure 5A sectional view along line VI-VI.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the fluid pump of this application.

[0024] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The exploded view of the fluid pump is shown.

[0025] Figure 9 for Figure 7 The image shows a side view of the fluid pump.

[0026] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A sectional view along line XX.

[0027] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Fluid pump; 20. Pump casing; 22. Top plate; 24. Side plate; 24A. First side edge; 24B. Second side edge; 241. Inner wall; 26. Inlet; 28. Outlet; 30. Impeller; 32. Disc; 321. Through hole; 34. Hub; 341. Shaft hole; 343. Outer wall surface; 36. Blade; 40. Motor; 42. Stator; 44. Rotor; 46. Sleeve; 461. First shaft seat; 463. Second shaft seat; 465. Housing; 467. Flange; 48. Motor shaft; 49a / 49b. Bearings; 50. Rib plate; 50A. First end; 50B. Second end; 52. Inner surface; 54. Outer surface; 56. Flow channel; 58. Tongue; 59. Circumferential end face. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments of this application are exemplarily shown in the drawings to provide a more accurate and thorough understanding of the technical solutions disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0029] This application provides a fluid pump that can be used in household appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers, as a drain pump. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The fluid pump 100 shown is a specific embodiment of this application. It includes a pump housing 20, an impeller 30 disposed in the pump housing 20, and a motor 40 that drives the impeller 30 to rotate in the pump housing 20.

[0030] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, the motor 40 is preferably an internal rotor motor, including a stator 42, a rotor 44 rotatably disposed in the stator 42, and a sleeve 46 separating the stator 42 and the rotor 44. The sleeve 46 can be made of plastic or metal and is a cylindrical structure with one end open and the other end closed, wherein the open end of the sleeve 46 is mated with the pump housing 20, and the two are preferably sealed together.

[0031] The stator 42 is sleeved outside the sleeve 46, and the rotor 44 is installed inside the sleeve 46. A motor shaft 48 passes through the center of the rotor 44, and one end of the motor shaft 48 (e.g., Figure 4 The bottom end shown is rotatably pivotally connected to the first bearing 461 at the closed end of the sleeve 46, and the other end (as shown) Figure 4 The rotor 44 (as shown) extends into the pump casing 20 and is fixedly connected to the impeller 30. In this way, the rotor 44 can drive the impeller 30 to rotate via the motor shaft 48.

[0032] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, the pump housing 20 covers the open end of the sleeve 46 and includes a circular top plate 22 and an annular side plate 24 integrally extending from the outer edge of the top plate 22 toward the sleeve 46. The top plate 22 forms an inlet 26, and the side plate 24 forms an outlet 28. The inlet 26 is located at the center of the top plate 22 and extends axially along the pump housing 20, through which external fluid flows into the pump housing 20. The outlet 28 extends radially along the pump housing 20, through which fluid in the pump housing 20 is discharged outward.

[0033] The pump casing 20 has a central axis X1, and the inner wall 241 of its side plate 24 is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis X1; the impeller 30 is coaxially disposed in the pump casing 20, and its central axis X2 coincides with the central axis X1 of the pump casing 20, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown. In this application, the impeller 30 is a unidirectional rotating centrifugal wheel, according to... Figure 6 As indicated by the middle arrow, the impeller 30 rotates counterclockwise during operation. In other embodiments, the rotation direction of the impeller 30 can also be set to clockwise according to the change of the rib 50, achieving the effect of gradually increasing the width of the flow channel.

[0034] In this application, the motor 40 rotates in one direction, and its direction of rotation can be controlled by internal electronic devices, so that the impeller 30 can only rotate in a predetermined single direction, such as counterclockwise as shown in the figure. In a specific embodiment, the motor 40 may be an ASIC motor, and its direction of rotation is controlled by an internal direction control device.

[0035] The outlet 28 of the pump casing 20 extends radially along the inner wall 241 of the pump casing 20, and the inner wall 241 of the pump casing 20 has a symmetrical structure with respect to the outlet 28. The outlet 28 has a central axis X3, which intersects perpendicularly with the central axis X1 of the pump casing 20 and the central axis X2 of the impeller 30. (See [reference]) Figure 4 and Figure 6 .

[0036] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the pump casing 20 is also equipped with a stiffener 50, which is generally C-shaped and has a first end 50A and a second end 50B that are opposite each other in the circumferential direction. An opening is formed between the first end 50A and the second end 50B, which corresponds to the outlet 28 of the pump casing 20. The stiffener 50 has an inner surface 52 and an outer surface 54 that are opposite each other. The outer surface 54 of the stiffener 50 is in contact with the inner wall 241 of the side plate 24 of the pump casing 20, and the inner surface 52 is radially spaced from the impeller 30 to form a flow channel 56.

[0037] The radial thickness of the stiffener 50, i.e., the radial distance between its inner surface 52 and outer surface 54, gradually decreases along the rotation direction of the impeller 30. Thus, the inner surface 52 of the stiffener 50 is eccentrically positioned relative to the impeller 30. Figure 6 As shown, on a plane perpendicular to the central axis X1 of the pump casing 20, the central axis X4 of the inner surface 52 of the stiffener 50, the central axis X2 of the impeller 30, and the central axis X1 of the inner wall 241 of the pump casing 20 are all represented as projection points. Among them, the central axis X4 of the inner surface 52 of the stiffener 50 is located to the lower left of the central axis X1 of the impeller 30. Thus, the width of the flow channel 56 formed between the stiffener 50 and the impeller 30 gradually increases from the first end 50A to the second end 50B of the stiffener 50 along the rotation direction of the impeller 30. That is, the flow channel 56 gradually widens towards the outlet 28.

[0038] When the fluid flows along the flow channel 56, the flow channel width gradually increases, which can automatically reduce the speed and increase the pressure. Some of the kinetic energy is converted into pressure potential energy. When the inner wall 241 of the pump casing 20 is symmetrical with respect to its outlet 28, the gradually expanding flow channel 56 is formed by configuring the rib plate 50. At the same time, the impeller 30 is controlled to rotate in one direction. Without changing the overall structure of the pump casing and the pump casing outlet, the head and efficiency of the fluid pump of this application can be effectively improved. It can be applied to a variety of household appliances and has high adaptability.

[0039] The circumferential width of the opening of the stiffener 50, i.e. the circumferential distance between the first end 50A and the second end 50B, is preferably greater than the circumferential width of the outlet 28 and less than 1 / 2 of the circumference. In this way, the opening can span the entire outlet 28 without affecting the discharge of fluid. At the same time, the stiffener 50 can extend an appropriate length in the circumferential direction, preferably close to 2 / 3 of the circumference. Correspondingly, the flow channel 56 has a larger length, which can fully reduce the speed and increase the pressure of the fluid.

[0040] The side plates 24 of the pump casing 20 form a first side 24A and a second side 24B on opposite sides of the outlet 28. Following the rotation direction of the impeller 30, the second side 24B is located downstream of the first side 24A, meaning the fluid flows from the first side 24A along the flow channel 56 towards the second side 24B. Preferably, the first end 50A of the rib 50 is adjacent to the first side 24A of the outlet 28, and the second end 50B is spaced a certain distance from the second side 24B of the outlet 28. This distance is preferably close to 1 / 4 of the circumference, achieving optimal discharge efficiency.

[0041] After entering the pump casing 20 through inlet 26, the fluid is first dispersed from the center of the pump casing 20 into the flow channel 56 under the action of the impeller 30. Then, driven by the impeller 30, it flows along the flow channel 56 and is accelerated and pressurized. Due to the setting of the rib 50, the flow channel 56 gradually widens towards the outlet 28. According to Bernoulli's principle, the fluid can automatically slow down and increase in pressure as it flows towards the outlet 28, and part of the kinetic energy is converted into pressure potential energy, which can effectively increase the head of the fluid pump 100 of this application.

[0042] Preferably, the inner surface 52 of the stiffener 50 is substantially cylindrical, and its first end 50A convexes radially inward to form a tongue 58. In this case, the outer surface 54 of the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 is adjacent to the outlet 28, or the side plate of the outer surface 54 of the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 is located at the junction of the inner wall 241 of the side plate 24 and the outlet 28. This makes the width of the flow channel 56 narrower at the position corresponding to the tongue 58 of the stiffener 50. This allows the high-pressure fluid flowing along the flow channel 56 towards the outlet 28 to be separated from the low-pressure fluid just entering the flow channel 56, effectively preventing the high-pressure fluid at the outlet 28 from flowing into the low-pressure area, reducing volumetric loss, and improving the efficiency of the fluid pump 100 of this application. Preferably, the circumferential end face 59 of the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 is a concave curved surface, which is more conducive to the discharge of high-pressure fluid.

[0043] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, in this embodiment, the stiffening rib 50 and the sleeve 46 are an integral structure, which simplifies subsequent assembly. Furthermore, the stiffening rib 50 can be positioned and fixed within the pump housing 20 by assembling the sleeve 46 with the pump housing 20. Specifically, the open end of the sleeve 46 extends gradually towards the impeller 30 to form a shell portion 465. The shell portion 465 is located directly below the impeller 30 and coaxially arranged with it. The outer diameter at the end of the shell portion 465 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the impeller 30. The stiffening rib 50 extends axially outward from the outer edge of the end of the shell portion 465 into the pump housing 20. A flange 467 also extends radially outward from the end of the shell portion 465, and the flange 467 is sealed to the pump housing 20.

[0044] In some embodiments, the stiffener 50 can also be formed separately and then assembled into the pump housing 20. The two can be fixed together by means of bonding, welding, snap-fit ​​connection, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0045] Figures 7 to 10 The following is another embodiment of the fluid pump 100 of this application, which also includes a pump casing 20, an impeller 30, and a motor 40 that drives the impeller 30 to rotate in the pump casing 20. The motor 40 includes a stator 42, a rotor 44, and a sleeve 46 that separates the stator 42 and the rotor 44. A rib 50 extends from the open end of the sleeve 46 toward the pump casing 20. The radial thickness of the rib 50 gradually decreases along the direction of rotation of the impeller 30. A flow channel 56 is formed between its inner surface 52 and the impeller 30. The flow channel 56 gradually widens along the direction of rotation of the impeller 30.

[0046] Similarly, the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 bulges inward in the radial direction to form a tongue 58, preventing high-pressure fluid from flowing to the low-pressure area at the outlet 28. Unlike the previous embodiment, as... Figure 10 As shown, the outer surface of the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 is a cylindrical surface, which is spaced apart from the first side edge 24A of the side plate 24 of the pump housing 20, forming a roughly triangular cavity 57 between them.

[0047] In the previous embodiment, as Figure 6 As shown, the outer surface of the first end 50A of the stiffener 50 bulges outward in the radial direction, fitting against the first side 24A of the outlet 28. Due to the outward bulge of the stiffener 50, it can better fit with the first side 24A, avoiding the formation of a cavity 57 that would affect fluid flow. However, the outward bulge of the stiffener 50 also causes interference with the first side 24A, and the position of the stiffener 50 is fixed and cannot be changed. In contrast, the stiffener 50 in this embodiment can rotate within the pump housing 20 without interference, facilitating position adjustment of the stiffener 50 to achieve optimal results.

[0048] In another specific embodiment, the impeller 30 includes a disc 32, a hub 34, and a plurality of blades 36, which are preferably integrally formed by injection molding. The hub 34 is formed in the center of the disc 32, with its two ends protruding a certain length relative to the sides of the disc 32. The hub 34 has a shaft hole 341 in the center, and the top end of the motor shaft 48 is inserted into the shaft hole 341, and the two are fixed together by tight fit, keying, adhesive bonding, etc.

[0049] The hub 34 is flared at the end facing the inlet 26, and the diameter of its outer wall surface 343 gradually increases in the direction away from the inlet 26, which can quickly guide the fluid entering the pump casing 20 into the flow channel 56. The plurality of blades 36 are located on the side of the impeller 32 facing the inlet 26 and are evenly spaced along the circumference of the impeller 32. Each blade 36 extends from the flared outer wall surface 343 of the hub 34 towards the outer periphery of the impeller 32.

[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, the impeller 30 is constructed as a petal-shaped backward-curved impeller, characterized by high efficiency, low noise, and high static pressure, resulting in lower input power for the same output. Specifically, the blades 36 of the impeller 30 are arc-shaped and their curvature direction is opposite to the rotation direction of the impeller 30, making the outlet angle of the blades 36 much less than 90°, preferably less than 45°, resulting in a higher static pressure ratio and better total pressure efficiency. In other embodiments, the impeller 30 can also be a radial impeller, with its blades being radially extending straight strips, not limited to specific embodiments.

[0051] The outer periphery of the impeller 32 is divided into several circumferential segments by the plurality of blades 36. Each circumferential segment extends radially from the radial center of the adjacent following blade 36 to the radial outer end of the adjacent preceding blade 36, so that the distance between the outer edge of the impeller 32 and the central axis X3 of the impeller 30 varies, preventing the impeller 30 from being jammed by foreign objects during operation. Preferably, each circumferential segment is a concave arc surface, which not only reduces axial force and foreign object blockage, but also increases the effective working area of ​​the blades, improves the pump's working capacity, and increases the head.

[0052] In existing symmetrical pump casings, the flow channel width remains constant, resulting in a uniform flow area. The high-speed fluid, after being worked on by the impeller, cannot convert its kinetic energy into pressure energy, failing to leverage the high static pressure and efficiency advantages of a backward impeller, thus leading to lower head and efficiency. In this invention, with the addition of stiffeners 50, a diffuser channel 56 with a gradually increasing flow area is formed. This gradually reduces the velocity of the high-speed fluid flowing out of the impeller 30, converting kinetic energy into pressure energy for work, effectively improving the pump's head and efficiency.

[0053] exist Figure 2 and Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the open end of the sleeve 46 is provided with a second bearing seat 463. Bearings 49a and 49b are respectively installed inside the first bearing seat 461 and the second bearing seat 463 to support the rotation of the motor shaft 48. The bearings 49a and 49b can be sliding bearings, ball bearings, etc. Preferably, the wheel disc 32 is provided with a through hole 321, which serves to reduce the axial force on the impeller 30 and can also serve as a positioning hole for auxiliary installation of other components, such as the second bearing seat 463.

[0054] Preferably, the open end of the sleeve 46 extends outward to form a shell portion 465, which is located directly below the impeller 30 and coaxially arranged with it. Preferably, the shell portion 465 extends radially outward from the open end of the sleeve 46, gradually widening towards the impeller 30, with its outer diameter at the end slightly larger than the outer diameter of the impeller 30. The shell portion 465 is eccentrically positioned relative to the pump casing 20, and its end is bent and extends to form a flange 467, which is in contact with the pump casing 20. A sealing element, such as a sealing ring, can be disposed between the flange and the flange.

[0055] In this application, the inner wall 241 of the pump casing 20 is symmetrically configured relative to its outlet 28. The impeller 30 is coaxially disposed in the center of the pump casing 20 and rotates in a predetermined direction. Ribs 50 are disposed inside the pump casing 20, with the thickness of the ribs 50 gradually decreasing along the rotation direction of the impeller 30. This causes the width of the flow channel 56 between the impeller 30 and the inner surface 52 of the ribs 50 to gradually increase. As the fluid flows towards the outlet 28, it automatically slows down and increases in pressure, thereby increasing the head of the fluid pump 100. Thus, this application can increase the head by configuring ribs 50 in the pump casing 20 without changing its structure, better meeting the needs of practical applications. Furthermore, this application can use a petal-shaped backward-curved impeller 30, whose blade 36 outlet angle can be less than 45°, resulting in a higher static pressure ratio and better total pressure efficiency, further improving the head and efficiency of the fluid pump.

[0056] It should be noted that the above embodiments only illustrate preferred embodiments of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting this application. It should be pointed out that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, such as combining different features in various embodiments, and these should all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A fluid pump comprising a pump housing, an impeller disposed in the pump housing, and a motor driving the impeller to rotate in the pump housing, characterized by, The pump casing has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet extends axially along the pump casing, and the outlet extends radially along the pump casing. The impeller is coaxially disposed in the pump casing, and the inner wall of the pump casing has a symmetrical structure about the center line of the outlet. The pump casing also has ribs arranged around the impeller. The inner surface of the ribs forms a flow channel with the impeller, and the width of the flow channel gradually increases along the rotation direction of the impeller.

2. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein, The radial thickness of the stiffener gradually decreases along the direction of rotation of the impeller.

3. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein, The pump casing forms a first side and a second side on opposite sides of the outlet, with the second side located downstream of the first side; the stiffener includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other, with the first end disposed adjacent to the first side.

4. The fluid pump of claim 3, wherein, The first end of the rib plate bulges inward in the radial direction to form a tongue.

5. The fluid pump as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The circumferential end face of the first end of the stiffener is a concave curved surface.

6. The fluid pump as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The outer wall surface of the stiffener is cylindrical, and the outer wall surface of the first end of the stiffener is spaced apart from the first side, forming a triangular inner cavity between them.

7. The fluid pump as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The stiffener is C-shaped, and its circumferential length is greater than 1 / 2 of the circumference.

8. The fluid pump as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The circumferential length of the stiffener is 2 / 3 of the circumference.

9. The fluid pump according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The impeller is a petal-shaped backward-curved impeller.

10. The fluid pump according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The motor includes a stator, a rotor, and a sleeve that separates the stator and the rotor, and the stiffener extends integrally from the sleeve into the pump casing.

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