Pump case

Abstract

To provide a pump case that can suppress leakage of operation sound from an electric pump.SOLUTION: A pump case 40 comprises a first case 100 having a first opening, and a second case 200 that has a second opening, is attached to the first case 100 in such a manner that the first opening and the second opening face each other, and together with the first case 100 forms a storage chamber Rm housing an electric pump. The first case 100 has a first engagement rib 160 that protrudes toward the second case 200. The second case 200 has a second engagement rib 250 that protrudes toward the first case 100. In a mounting process, the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 slide against each other via inclined surfaces 163 and 252, and are thereby elastically deformed in a direction intersecting with a third direction D3, which is the mounting direction. In the attached state, the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 are in contact with each other in a direction intersecting with the third direction D3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump case. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a pump device including an electric pump that delivers air, a pump case that houses the electric pump, and a vibration-damping member disposed between the electric pump and the pump case. The electric pump draws air from inside the pump case and discharges it to the outside of the pump case. The pump case is configured to be separable into a first case and a second case. More specifically, the first case and the second case sandwich the electric pump and the vibration-damping member, so that the pump case houses the electric pump and the vibration-damping member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-182784 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the pump device described above, there is a gap between the first and second cases that allows air to enter the pump case, and therefore, when the electric pump is operating, there is a risk that the operating noise of the electric pump will leak out of the pump case through the gap. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A pump case that solves the above problem comprises a first case having a first opening, and a second case having a second opening, attached to the first case so that the first opening and the second opening face each other, and which together with the first case form a storage chamber that houses an electric pump, wherein the first case has a first engagement rib that is provided along the periphery of the first opening and protrudes toward the second case, and the second case has a second engagement rib that is provided along the periphery of the second opening and protrudes toward the first case, and when the direction in which the second case is attached to the first case is defined as an attachment direction, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the attachment direction, and when the second case is attached to the first case, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib slides against the other engagement rib via the inclined surface, thereby elastically deforming in a direction intersecting the attachment direction, and in an attached state in which the second case is attached to the first case, the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib are in contact in a direction intersecting the attachment direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The pump case can suppress leakage of the operating noise of the electric pump. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pump device. [Figure 2] 2 is an exploded perspective view of the contents of the pump device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is an exploded perspective view of a case of the pump device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is an exploded perspective view of the case of the pump device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of a first case of the pump device of FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second case of the pump device of FIG. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the pump device of FIG. 1 when it is assembled. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the pump device of FIG. 1 during assembly. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the pump device of FIG. 1 during assembly. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the pump device of FIG. 1 when in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A pump device including a pump case will be described below. The pump device is used, for example, to supply air to an air bag built into the seat back and seat cushion of a vehicle seat. In this case, the pump device supplies air to the air bag, thereby inflating the air bag and massaging the body of a user seated in the vehicle seat.

[0009] <Configuration of this embodiment> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pump device 10 includes an electric pump 20, a tube 31, a cable 32, a first mount 33, a second mount 34, and a pump case 40.

[0010] <Electric Pump 20> As shown in FIG. 2, the electric pump 20 includes a pump 21 and an electric motor 22. Pump 21 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Pump 21 is an air pump that discharges air. For example, pump 21 may be a reciprocating pump or a rotary pump. Pump 21 has an intake port 21a that takes in air and an exhaust nozzle 21b that discharges air. Intake port 21a opens to the outer surface of pump 21. A second end of tube 31, the first end of which is connected to an object to which air is supplied, is connected to exhaust nozzle 21b.

[0011] The electric motor 22 is a drive source for the pump 21. The electric motor 22 is integrated with the pump 21. A cable 32 is connected to the electric motor 22. The cable 32 includes a power line for supplying power to the electric motor 22 and a signal line for transmitting a signal for controlling the electric motor 22.

[0012] <Pump case 40> As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the pump case 40 is a case that houses the electric pump 20. The pump case 40 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the following description, directions of the pump case 40 will be referred to in accordance with the shape of the pump case 40. Specifically, the longitudinal direction of the pump case 40 will be referred to as a first direction D1. Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 will be referred to as a second direction D2, and a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 will be referred to as a third direction D3.

[0013] The pump case 40 includes a first case 100 and a second case 200. Both the first case 100 and the second case 200 are molded from a resin material. The first case 100 and the second case 200 are preferably molded from a resin material, such as engineering plastic, that has a moderate degree of elasticity while being resistant to external forces and heat. In this embodiment, the first case 100 and the second case 200 have the same shape.

[0014] <First case 100> 3 to 5, first case 100 has a first bottom wall 110, a first side wall 120, a first reinforcing wall 130, a plurality of first reinforcing ribs 140, a plurality of first locking portions 150, and a first engaging rib 160. First case 100 also has a first housing chamber Rm1 and a first opening Op1. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of first case 100 cut at the center in first direction D1.

[0015] The first bottom wall 110 has a plate shape. The thickness direction of the first bottom wall 110 is the third direction D3. The first bottom wall 110 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the third direction D3. The first side wall 120 has a frame shape when viewed from the third direction D3. The first side wall 120 extends from the outer edge of the first bottom wall 110 along the third direction D3. The first side wall 120 has two first opposing walls 121 and two first connecting walls 122. The two first opposing walls 121 have a plate shape. The two first opposing walls 121 extend from the first bottom wall 110 with a gap between them in the second direction D2. One of the first opposing walls 121 has a first recess 123 recessed in the third direction D3. The first recess 123 has a semicircular shape when viewed from the second direction D2. The two first connecting walls 122 have a plate shape. The two first connecting walls 122 extend from the first bottom wall 110 with a gap between them in the first direction D1. One of the first connecting walls 122 has a first recess 124 recessed in the third direction D3, and the other first connecting wall 122 has a first recess 125 recessed in the third direction D3. The first recesses 124, 125 both have a semicircular shape when viewed from the second direction D2.

[0016] The first bottom wall 110 and the first side wall 120 surround the first storage chamber Rm1. The tip of the first side wall 120 defines a first opening Op1. In the following description, of the components of the first case 100, the surface facing the first storage chamber Rm1 will be referred to as the inner surface, and the surface opposite the inner surface will be referred to as the outer surface. Also, the direction perpendicular to the third direction D3 will be referred to as the "orthogonal direction," the direction toward the first storage chamber Rm1 in the orthogonal direction will be referred to as the inward direction, and the direction opposite to the inward direction will be referred to as the outward direction. The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are orthogonal directions.

[0017] The first reinforcing wall 130 protrudes from the outer surface of the tip of the first side wall 120. The protruding direction of the first reinforcing wall 130 is the thickness direction of the first side wall 120. The first reinforcing wall 130 is provided around the entire periphery of the first side wall 120. In this way, the first reinforcing wall 130 reinforces the tip of the first side wall 120.

[0018] The multiple first reinforcing ribs 140 extend from the first bottom wall 110 along the third direction D3. The multiple first reinforcing ribs 140 form a lattice pattern when viewed from the third direction D3. The heights of the multiple first reinforcing ribs 140 vary depending on their positions in the first direction D1 and the second direction D2.

[0019] A plurality of first locking portions 150 are provided on the outer surface of the tip end of the first side wall 120. More specifically, in this embodiment, three first locking portions 150 are provided on the outer surfaces of both first opposing walls 121. The three first locking portions 150 are aligned at equal intervals in the first direction D1. Each first locking portion 150 has two arms 151 extending from the first opposing walls 121 and a connecting portion 152 connecting the tips of the two arms 151 together.

[0020] The two arms 151 are spaced apart in the first direction D1. The two arms 151 extend in the second direction D2 away from the first opposing wall 121, and then extend in the third direction D3 away from the first bottom wall 110. The connecting portion 152 connects the two arms 151 in the first direction D1. The connecting portion 152 has a first guide surface 153, a first connecting surface 154, and a first locking surface 155. The first guide surface 153 is inclined with respect to the third direction D3. The first connecting surface 154 is a surface that extends along the third direction D3. The inclination of the first connecting surface 154 with respect to the third direction D3 is smaller than the inclination of the first guide surface 153 with respect to the third direction D3. The first locking surface 155 is a surface that intersects with the third direction D3. It is preferable that the inclination of first locking surface 155 with respect to third direction D3 is approximately 90°. First locking surface 155 is connected to first guide surface 153 by first connecting surface 154. The base end of first locking portion 150 is a fixed end, and the tip end of first locking portion 150 is a free end. Therefore, when a bending load acts on first locking portion 150, the tip end of first locking portion 150 deforms more than the base end of first locking portion 150.

[0021] The first engagement rib 160 is provided at the tip of the first side wall 120. The first engagement rib 160 is provided around the entire periphery of the first side wall 120 except for the portions where the first recesses 123 to 125 are provided. In this respect, the first engagement rib 160 is provided along the periphery of the first side wall 120. The first engagement rib 160 protrudes from the tip of the first side wall 120 along the third direction D3.

[0022] The first engagement rib 160 includes a first tip surface 161, a first restriction surface 162, and a first inclined surface 163. The first tip surface 161 is a surface that forms the tip of the first engagement rib 160. The first tip surface 161 is a convex surface with respect to the protruding direction of the first engagement rib 160. The first restriction surface 162 is an outer surface of the first engagement rib 160 and is a surface that connects the first tip surface 161 and the first side wall 120. The first restriction surface 162 extends along the third direction D3. The first inclined surface 163 is an inner surface of the first engagement rib 160 and is a surface that connects the first tip surface 161 and the first side wall 120. The first inclined surface 163 is inclined with respect to the third direction D3. The thickness of the first engagement rib 160 gradually decreases from the base end of the first engagement rib 160 to the tip. Specifically, the distance between the first restricting surface 162 and the first inclined surface 163 gradually decreases from the base end to the tip end of the first engagement rib 160. The cross-sectional shape of the first engagement rib 160 perpendicular to the first direction D1 shown in Fig. 5 is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement rib 160 perpendicular to the second direction D2 (not shown).

[0023] <Second case 200> 3, 4, and 6, the second case 200 has a second bottom wall 210, a second side wall 220, a plurality of second reinforcing ribs 230, a plurality of second locking portions 240, a second engagement rib 250, and a second restriction rib 260. The second case 200 also has a second housing chamber Rm2 and a second opening Op2. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second case 200 taken at the center in the first direction D1.

[0024] The second bottom wall 210 has a plate shape. The plate thickness direction of the second bottom wall 210 is the third direction D3. The second bottom wall 210 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the third direction D3. The second side wall 220 has a frame shape when viewed from the third direction D3. The second side wall 220 extends from the outer edge of the second bottom wall 210 along the third direction D3. The second side wall 220 has two second opposing walls 221 and two second connecting walls 222. The two second opposing walls 221 have a plate shape. The two second opposing walls 221 extend from the second bottom wall 210 with a gap between them in the second direction D2. One of the second opposing walls 221 has a second recess 223 recessed in the third direction D3. The second recess 223 has a semicircular shape when viewed from the second direction D2. The two second connecting walls 222 have a plate shape. The two second connecting walls 222 extend from the second bottom wall 210 with a gap between them in the first direction D1. One of the second connecting walls 222 has a second recess 224 recessed in the third direction D3, and the other second connecting wall 222 has a second recess 225 recessed in the third direction D3. The second recesses 224, 225 both have a semicircular shape when viewed from the second direction D2.

[0025] The second bottom wall 210 and the second side wall 220 surround the second storage chamber Rm2. The tip of the second side wall 220 defines a second opening Op2. In the following description, of the components of the second case 200, the surface facing the second storage chamber Rm2 will be referred to as the inner surface, and the surface opposite the inner surface will be referred to as the outer surface. In addition, in the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the third direction D3, the direction toward the second storage chamber Rm2 will be referred to as the inward direction, and the direction opposite the inward direction will be referred to as the outward direction.

[0026] The multiple second reinforcing ribs 230 extend from the second bottom wall 210 along the third direction D3. The multiple second reinforcing ribs 230 form a lattice pattern when viewed from the third direction D3. The heights of the multiple second reinforcing ribs 230 vary depending on their positions in the first direction D1 and the second direction D2.

[0027] A plurality of second locking portions 240 are provided on the outer surface of the tip end of the second side wall 220. Specifically, in this embodiment, three second locking portions 240 are provided on both second opposing walls 221. The three second locking portions 240 are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction D1. The second locking portions 240 include a second guide surface 241, a second connecting surface 242, and a second locking surface 243. The second guide surface 241 is inclined with respect to the third direction D3. The inclination of the second guide surface 241 with respect to the third direction D3 is equal to the inclination of the first guide surface 153 of the first case 100 with respect to the third direction D3. The second connecting surface 242 is a surface that extends along the third direction D3. The inclination of the second connecting surface 242 with respect to the third direction D3 is smaller than the inclination of the second guide surface 241 with respect to the third direction D3. The second locking surface 243 is a surface that intersects with the third direction D3. It is preferable that the inclination of the second locking surface 243 with respect to the third direction D3 is approximately 90°. The second locking surface 243 is connected to the second guide surface 241 by the second connecting surface 242. Unlike the first locking portion 150 of the first case 100, the second locking portion 240 has a shape that is less likely to deform even when a load is applied.

[0028] The second engagement rib 250 is provided at the tip of the second side wall 220. The second engagement rib 250 is provided around the entire circumference of the second side wall 220 except for the portions where the second recesses 223 to 225 are provided. In this respect, the second engagement rib 250 is provided along the periphery of the second side wall 220. The second engagement rib 250 protrudes from the tip of the second side wall 220 along the inner surface of the second side wall 220. The second engagement rib 250 includes a second tip surface 251 and a second inclined surface 252. The second tip surface 251 is a surface that constitutes the tip of the second engagement rib 250. The second tip surface 251 is a convex curved surface with respect to the protruding direction of the second engagement rib 250. The second inclined surface 252 is an outer surface of the second engagement rib 250 and is a surface that connects to the second tip surface 251. The second inclined surface 252 is inclined with respect to the third direction D3. The inclination of the second inclined surface 252 with respect to the third direction D3 is different from the inclination of the first inclined surface 163 of the first case 100 with respect to the third direction D3. Specifically, the inclination of the second inclined surface 252 with respect to the third direction D3 is smaller than the inclination of the first inclined surface 163 of the first case 100 with respect to the third direction D3. The thickness of the second engagement rib 250 gradually decreases from the base end to the tip end of the second engagement rib 250. In this embodiment, the height of the second engagement rib 250 is equal to the height of the first engagement rib 160. Meanwhile, the thickness of the second engagement rib 250 is thinner than the thickness of the first engagement rib 160. In other words, when a load of a given magnitude is applied, the second engagement rib 250 is more likely to deform than the first engagement rib 160. The cross-sectional shape of the second engagement rib 250 perpendicular to the first direction D1 shown in FIG. 6 is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the second engagement rib 250 perpendicular to the second direction D2 (not shown).

[0029] The second restriction rib 260 is provided on the outer surface of the tip end of the second side wall 220. The second restriction rib 260 is provided around the entire periphery of the second side wall 220 except for the portions where the second recesses 223 to 225 are provided. In this respect, the second restriction rib 260 is provided along the periphery of the second side wall 220. The second restriction rib 260 protrudes from the second side wall 220 along the second engagement rib 250 with a gap between it and the second engagement rib 250. The second restriction rib 260 is located farther from the second accommodation chamber Rm2 than the second engagement rib 250. The second restriction rib 260 includes a second opposing surface 261 and a second restriction surface 262. The second opposing surface 261 is a surface that constitutes the tip end of the second restriction rib 260. The second opposing surface 261 is a plane that intersects with the protruding direction of the second restriction rib 260. The second restriction surface 262 is an inner surface of the second restriction rib 260 and is a surface that connects to the second opposing surface 261. The second restriction surface 262 extends along the third direction D3. In the following description, the surface that connects the base end of the second restriction rib 260 to the base end of the second engagement rib 250, in other words, the surface that connects the second inclined surface 252 to the second restriction surface 262, is referred to as the second bottom surface 226. The second bottom surface 226 can also be regarded as the tip surface of the second side wall 220. The shape of the second restriction rib 260 perpendicular to the first direction D1 shown in FIG. 6 is the same as the shape of the second restriction rib 260 perpendicular to the second direction D2 (not shown).

[0030] <Mount 33, 34> The first mount 33 and the second mount 34 are made of an elastomer such as rubber or resin. As shown in FIG. 1 , the first mount 33 is attached to an end of the pump 21 in the first direction D1. In this regard, it is preferable that the first mount 33 has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the end of the pump 21 in the first direction D1. The second mount 34 is attached to an end of the electric motor 22 in the second direction D2. In this regard, it is preferable that the second mount 34 has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the end of the electric motor 22 in the first direction D1. The first mount 33 and the second mount 34 are configured to reduce transmission of vibrations of the electric pump 20 to the case.

[0031] <Operation of this embodiment> A method for manufacturing the pump device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. The manufacturing method of the pump device 10 includes an assembly step, an accommodation step, and an attachment step.

[0032] The assembly process is a process of assembling the tube 31, the cable 32, the first mount 33, and the second mount 34 to the electric pump 20. In the assembly process, the first mount 33 is assembled to the electric pump 20 so as not to block the suction port 21a of the pump 21.

[0033] The accommodating process is a process that follows the assembling process. The accommodating process is a process of accommodating the electric pump 20, which is assembled with the tube 31, the cable 32, the first mount 33, and the second mount 34, in the first case 100. When the accommodating process is completed, the tube 31 is accommodated in the first recess 124 of the first case 100, and the cable 32 is accommodated in the first recess 123 of the first case 100. At this time, the first mount 33 is interposed between the first recess 124 and the tube 31, and the second mount 34 is interposed between the first recess 123 and the cable 32. In other words, the first mount 33 closes the gap between the first recess 124 and the tube 31, and the second mount 34 closes the gap between the first recess 123 and the cable 32.

[0034] The mounting process is a process that follows the accommodating process. The mounting process is a process of mounting the second case 200 to the first case 100 that accommodates the electric pump 20. When mounting the second case 200 to the first case 100 in the mounting process, the first opening Op1 of the first case 100 and the second opening Op2 of the second case 200 are aligned in both the first direction D1 and the second direction D2. In this state, the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 extends toward the second case 200. Furthermore, the second engagement rib 250 and the second restriction rib 260 of the second case 200 extend toward the first case 100. Thereafter, the second case 200 is moved toward the first case 100 in the third direction D3.

[0035] 7, in the initial stage of the attachment process, second locking portion 240 of second case 200 comes into contact with first locking portion 150 of first case 100. More specifically, second guide surface 241 of second locking portion 240 comes into contact with first guide surface 153 of first locking portion 150. Therefore, if second case 200 continues to move even after second guide surface 241 comes into contact with first guide surface 153, first guide surface 153 and second guide surface 241 slide against each other.

[0036] When the first guide surface 153 of the first locking portion 150 and the second guide surface 241 of the second locking portion 240 slide against each other, the second locking portion 240 pushes the connecting portion 152 of the first locking portion 150 outward in the second direction D2, causing the first locking portion 150 to elastically deform in the direction indicated by the solid arrow. Because the first locking portion 150 extends from the upper end of the first opposing wall 121, when the first locking portion 150 elastically deforms in the direction indicated by the solid arrow, the upper end of the first opposing wall 121 also elastically deforms slightly in the direction indicated by the solid arrow.

[0037] 8, as second case 200 continues to move, the engagement relationship between first locking portion 150 and second locking portion 240 changes. Specifically, the state changes from one in which first guide surface 153 and second guide surface 241 slide relative to one another to one in which first connecting surface 154 and second connecting surface 242 slide relative to one another. Also, second engagement rib 250 of second case 200 comes into contact with first engagement rib 160 of first case 100. Specifically, second inclined surface 252 of second engagement rib 250 comes into contact with first inclined surface 163 of first engagement rib 160. Therefore, if second case 200 continues to move after second inclined surface 252 comes into contact with first inclined surface 163, first inclined surface 163 and second inclined surface 252 slide relative to one another.

[0038] When the first guide surface 153 of the first locking portion 150 and the second guide surface 241 of the second locking portion 240 slide against each other, the first engagement rib 160 pushes the second engagement rib 250 inward in the orthogonal direction, while the second engagement rib 250 pushes the first engagement rib 160 outward in the orthogonal direction. Here, the force with which the first engagement rib 160 pushes the second engagement rib 250 is equal in magnitude to the force with which the second engagement rib 250 pushes the first engagement rib 160 but acts in the opposite direction. As a result, the first engagement rib 160 elastically deforms so as to collapse in a direction away from the second engagement rib 250, and the second engagement rib 250 elastically deforms so as to collapse in a direction away from the first engagement rib 160. In this embodiment, the bending rigidity of the second engagement rib 250 is less than the bending rigidity of the first engagement rib 160 in that the thickness of the second engagement rib 250 is less than the thickness of the first engagement rib 160. In this respect, the amount of elastic deformation of the second engagement rib 250 is greater than the amount of elastic deformation of the first engagement rib 160.

[0039] Furthermore, the timing at which the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 start to slide together is the timing at which the first locking portion 150 and the second locking portion 240 are sliding together. In other words, when the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 slide together, the upper end of the first opposing wall 121 of the first case 100 is slightly elastically deformed in the direction indicated by the solid arrow due to the sliding between the first locking portion 150 and the second locking portion 240. In this regard, when the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 slide together, the elastic deformation of the upper end of the first opposing wall 121 causes the first engagement rib 160 to be slightly displaced in a direction away from the second engagement rib 250. Therefore, the sliding resistance between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 is reduced. The first locking portion 150 is provided only on the first opposing wall 121 of the first side wall 120, and the second locking portion 240 is provided only on the second opposing wall 221 of the first side wall 120. Therefore, to be precise, the sliding resistance between the portion of the first engagement rib 160 extending from the first opposing wall 121 and the portion of the second engagement rib 250 extending from the second opposing wall 221 is reduced.

[0040] As the movement of the second case 200 continues, the sliding between the first connecting surface 154 of the first locking portion 150 and the second connecting surface 242 of the second locking portion 240 is completed. Then, the tip of the first locking portion 150 returns to its original position in the direction indicated by the solid arrow in FIG. 9 , causing the first locking surface 155 of the first locking portion 150 to contact the second locking surface 243 of the second locking portion 240. In other words, the first case 100 and the second case 200 do not separate from each other in the third direction D3. Furthermore, the multiple first locking portions 150 are respectively locked to the multiple second locking portions 240 on both sides in the second direction D2. Therefore, the first case 100 and the second case 200 do not separate from each other in the direction perpendicular to the third direction D3. In this manner, the pump case 40 is formed by attaching the second case 200 to the first case 100.

[0041] In an attached state in which the second case 200 is attached to the first case 100, the first opening Op1 of the first case 100 is blocked by the second case 200, and the second opening Op2 of the second case 200 is blocked by the first case 100. Furthermore, the first housing chamber Rm1 and the second housing chamber Rm2 are connected to each other to form the housing chamber Rm of the electric pump 20.

[0042] 1, in the attached state, the tube 31 is housed in the second recess 224 of the second case 200, and the cable 32 is housed in the second recess 223 of the second case 200. At this time, the first mount 33 is interposed between the second recess 224 and the tube 31, and the second mount 34 is interposed between the second recess 223 and the cable 32. In other words, the first mount 33 closes the gap between the second recess 224 and the tube 31, and the second mount 34 closes the gap between the second recess 223 and the cable 32.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 9 , in the attached state, the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 contacts the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 along the periphery of the first opening Op1. At this time, the first engagement rib 160 contacts the second engagement rib 250 at a position closer to the base end than the tip. Also, in the attached state, the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 contacts the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 along the periphery of the second opening Op2. At this time, the second engagement rib 250 contacts the first engagement rib 160 at a position closer to the tip than the base end. In this respect, the accommodation chamber Rm is a closed space. As a result, in the attached state, there is almost no gap between the first case 100 and the second case 200.

[0044] The accommodating step may be a step of accommodating the electric pump 20 in the second case 200. In this case, the mounting step is a step of mounting the first case 100 in the second case 200 that accommodates the electric pump 20. In other words, the mounting step may be a step of mounting the second case 200 in the first case 100, or a step of mounting the first case 100 in the second case 200. In this respect, mounting the second case 200 in the first case 100 and mounting the first case 100 in the second case 200 are synonymous. Furthermore, the mounting direction when mounting the second case 200 in the first case 100 is the same as the mounting direction when mounting the first case 100 in the second case 200.

[0045] The operation of the pump device 10 during operation will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Note that in Fig. 10, the pump device 10 is not shown, as in Figs. 7 to 9. When air is to be supplied to an air supply target, such as an air bag, the electric pump 20 is driven. The pump 21 then draws air in through the intake port 21a and discharges it from the discharge nozzle 21b. That is, the pump 20 discharges air drawn in from the interior of the accommodation chamber Rm to the exterior of the accommodation chamber Rm. As shown in FIG. 10 , the accommodation chamber Rm is a closed space. Therefore, when the electric pump 20 is driven, the pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the pump case 40 increases as the pressure in the accommodation chamber Rm decreases. As a result, as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 10 , the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 elastically deforms in response to the pressure difference, creating a gap between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250. This gap is small enough to allow air to pass through. As a result, air flows into the accommodation chamber Rm through the gap between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250, as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in FIG. 10 . In this way, the pump device 10 can continue to discharge air to the supply target while maintaining a small gap between the first case 100 and the second case 200.

[0046] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) In order to increase the degree of sealing of the housing chamber Rm of the pump case 40, it is preferable that the portion forming the first opening Op1 of the first case 100 and the portion forming the second opening Op2 of the second case 200 be in contact with each other over the entire circumference, except for the portion between the first mount 33 and the second mount 34. More specifically, it is preferable that the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 and the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 be in contact with each other over the entire circumference.

[0047] If the first case 100 and the second case 200 contain manufacturing errors, there is a possibility that the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 will not be in contact over the entire circumference when they begin to come into contact during the attachment process, as shown in Fig. 8. However, as the attachment process progresses, the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 elastically deform while sliding against each other, as shown in Fig. 9. For this reason, as the attachment process progresses, the portion of the first engagement rib 160 that is not in contact with the second engagement rib 250 becomes smaller, and the portion of the second engagement rib 250 that is not in contact with the first engagement rib 160 also becomes smaller.

[0048] Therefore, the pump case 40 can be mounted in a state in which the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 and the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 are in contact with each other over the entire circumference. As a result, even if the first case 100 and the second case 200 contain manufacturing errors, the gap between the first case 100 and the second case 200 in the mounted state becomes very narrow. In other words, the pump case 40 can increase the degree of sealing of the housing chamber Rm.

[0049] (2) When the electric pump 20 is driven, the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 elastically deforms toward the accommodation chamber Rm as the pressure in the accommodation chamber Rm decreases. As a result, a gap is created between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250, allowing air to be drawn into the accommodation chamber Rm. In this way, when the electric pump 20 is driven, the pump case 40 can maintain a narrow gap between the first case 100 and the second case 200 while allowing air to be drawn into the accommodation chamber Rm. Therefore, the pump case 40 can prevent the driving noise of the electric pump 20 from leaking outside the pump case 40.

[0050] (3) During the mounting process, the first inclined surface 163 of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 slides against the second inclined surface 252 of the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200. Both the first inclined surface 163 and the second inclined surface 252 are inclined with respect to the third direction D3, which is the mounting direction. Therefore, during the mounting process, the first engagement rib 160 slides against the second engagement rib 250 smoothly. In other words, during the mounting process, the pump case 40 can reduce the load required to mount one of the first case 100 and the second case 200 to the other.

[0051] (4) In the attached state, the second engagement rib 250 is located inward in the orthogonal direction relative to the first engagement rib 160. Therefore, when the electric pump 20 is driven, the second engagement rib 250 elastically deforms inward in the orthogonal direction, creating a gap between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250. Here, the second engagement rib 250 is in contact with the first engagement rib 160 at a position close to its tip. Therefore, when the electric pump 20 is driven, a gap is created between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 at a stage when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pump case 40 is not very large, in other words, at a stage when the amount of inward elastic deformation of the second engagement rib 250 is small. Therefore, the pump case 40 can suppress an increase in the load when the electric pump 20 is driven.

[0052] (5) The thickness of the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 is less than the thickness of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100. Therefore, the second engagement rib 250 is more likely to elastically deform inward in the orthogonal direction when the electric pump 20 is operating. In other words, the pump case 40 can further suppress an increase in the load when the electric pump 20 is operating.

[0053] (6) In the mounted state, if an external force acts on the pump case 40, causing the first case 100 to displace perpendicularly relative to the second case 200, the first engagement rib 160 comes into contact with the second restriction rib 260, thereby restricting the displacement. In this way, the pump case 40 can prevent the first case 100 and the second case 200 from being unexpectedly separated. Meanwhile, a gap exists between the first engagement rib 160 and the second restriction rib 260. Therefore, the pump case 40 can prevent the second restriction rib 260 from interfering with the intake of air when the electric pump 20 is operating.

[0054] (7) In the attached state, a gap exists between the tip of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 and the second bottom surface 226 of the second case 200. Therefore, when the electric pump 20 is operating, the pump case 40 can take in air into the accommodation chamber Rm through the gap.

[0055] (8) In the mounting process, the upper end of the first side wall 120 of the first case 100 elastically deforms in the direction of the solid arrow shown in Figure 8 together with the first locking portion 150. Here, the direction in which the first side wall 120 elastically deforms is the direction in which the sliding resistance between the first engagement rib 160 and the second engagement rib 250 is reduced. Therefore, in the mounting process, the pump case 40 can reduce the load required to mount one of the first case 100 and the second case 200 to the other.

[0056] <Example of change> This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0057] The capacity of the first storage chamber Rm1 of the first case 100 and the capacity of the second storage chamber Rm2 of the second case 200 may be significantly different. For example, the height of the second side wall 220 of the second case 200 in the third direction D3 may be half or less of the height of the first side wall 120 of the first case 100.

[0058] The first inclined surface 163 of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be a surface extending along the third direction D3. Also, the second inclined surface 252 of the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 may be a surface extending along the third direction D3.

[0059] In the attached state, the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be in contact with the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 near the tip end. Also, in the attached state, the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200 may be in contact with the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 near the base end.

[0060] The material of the first case 100 may be different from the material of the second case 200. For example, the elastic modulus of the resin material that makes up the second case 200 may be lower than the elastic modulus of the resin material that makes up the first case 100.

[0061] The thickness of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be equal to the thickness of the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200. The thickness of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be thinner than the thickness of the second engagement rib 250 of the second case 200. In other words, when the electric pump 20 is driven, the first engagement rib 160 may be mainly elastically deformed to create a gap for taking in air into the accommodation chamber Rm.

[0062] In the first case 100, the first locking portion 150 may be provided on at least one of the first opposing wall 121 and the first connecting wall 122. Similarly, in the second case 200, the second locking portion 240 may be provided on at least one of the second opposing wall 221 and the second connecting wall 222.

[0063] The first case 100 may have a structure equivalent to the second locking portion 240 instead of the first locking portion 150. In this case, it is preferable that the second case 200 has a structure equivalent to the first locking portion 150 instead of the second locking portion 240.

[0064] The second restricting rib 260 of the second case 200 can be omitted. In the attached state, the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be in contact with the second restriction rib 260 of the second case 200.

[0065] In the attached state, the tip of the first engagement rib 160 of the first case 100 may be in contact with the second bottom surface 226 of the second case 200 . The first case 100 may be attached to the second case 200 with fastening members such as screws or bolts. In this case, the first locking portion 150 and the second locking portion 240 may be omitted.

[0066] <Summary of this embodiment> The pump case comprises a first case having a first opening, and a second case having a second opening, attached to the first case so that the first opening and the second opening face each other, and which together with the first case form a storage chamber for accommodating an electric pump, wherein the first case has a first engagement rib provided along the periphery of the first opening and protruding toward the second case, and the second case has a second engagement rib provided along the periphery of the second opening and protruding toward the first case, and when the direction in which the second case is attached to the first case is defined as an attachment direction, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the attachment direction, and when the second case is attached to the first case, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib slides against the other engagement rib via the inclined surface, thereby elastically deforming in a direction intersecting the attachment direction, and in an attached state in which the second case is attached to the first case, the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib are in contact in a direction intersecting the attachment direction.

[0067] When the second case is attached to the first case, at least one of the first and second engagement ribs elastically deforms by sliding against the other engagement rib via the inclined surface. Therefore, even if the first and second cases contain manufacturing errors, the gap between the first and second cases tends to become very narrow when attached. In other words, the pump case can increase the sealing performance of the housing chamber.

[0068] When the electric pump is driven to discharge air drawn in from the housing chamber to the outside of the pump case, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pump case increases as the pressure in the housing chamber decreases. As a result, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib elastically deforms in response to the pressure difference, creating a gap between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib. As a result, air flows into the housing chamber through the gap between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib. In this way, when the electric pump is driven, the pump case can take in air into the housing chamber through the gap while maintaining a narrow gap between the first case and the second case. Therefore, the pump case can prevent the driving noise of the electric pump from leaking outside the pump case.

[0069] In the pump case, it is preferable that the first engagement rib has a first inclined surface as the inclined surface, and the second engagement rib has a second inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the mounting direction so as to follow the first inclined surface, and that when the second case is mounted to the first case, the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface slide against each other.

[0070] When the second case is attached to the first case, the pump case allows the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib to slide smoothly, which means that the pump case can reduce the load required to attach the second case to the first case.

[0071] In the pump case, when the direction perpendicular to the mounting direction is defined as the orthogonal direction and the direction toward the storage chamber within the orthogonal direction is defined as the inward direction, in the mounted state, it is preferable that the second engagement rib is located more inward than the first engagement rib, and the second engagement rib is in contact with the first engagement rib at a position closer to the tip end than the base end.

[0072] In the pump case, the second engagement rib is located inward in the orthogonal direction from the first engagement rib. Therefore, when the electric pump is operating, the second engagement rib elastically deforms inward in the orthogonal direction, widening the gap between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib. Here, the second engagement rib is in contact with the first engagement rib at a position close to its tip. Therefore, when the electric pump is operating, the gap between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib widens at a stage when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the pump case is not very large, in other words, when the amount of inward elastic deformation of the second engagement rib is small. Therefore, the pump case can prevent the load on the electric pump from becoming too high when the electric pump is operating.

[0073] In the pump case, the thickness of the second engagement rib is preferably less than the thickness of the first engagement rib. In the pump case, the second engagement rib is more likely to be elastically deformed when the electric pump is driven. That is, the pump case can further suppress an increase in the load on the electric pump when the electric pump is driven.

[0074] In the pump case, when the direction perpendicular to the mounting direction is defined as the orthogonal direction, the direction toward the storage chamber within the orthogonal direction is defined as the inward direction, and the direction opposite to the inward direction is defined as the outward direction, it is preferable that the second case is located outward from the second engagement rib and has a second regulating rib that protrudes toward the first case, and in the mounted state, the first engagement rib is located between the second engagement rib and the second regulating rib in the orthogonal direction, and that a gap exists between the first engagement rib and the second regulating rib in the orthogonal direction.

[0075] In the mounted state, if an external force acts on the first case or the second case, causing one of the first and second cases to displace perpendicularly relative to the other, the first engagement rib comes into contact with the second restriction rib, thereby restricting the displacement. In this way, the pump case can prevent the first and second cases from accidentally separating. Furthermore, a gap exists between the first engagement rib and the second restriction rib. Therefore, the pump case can prevent the second restriction rib from interfering with the intake of air into the housing chamber when the electric pump is operating.

[0076] In the second case, when the surface connecting the base end of the second engagement rib and the base end of the second regulating rib is the second bottom surface, it is preferable that in the attached state, a gap exists between the tip of the first engagement rib and the second bottom surface.

[0077] Since there is a gap between the tip of the first engagement rib of the first case and the second bottom surface of the second case, the pump case can take in air into the storage chamber through the gap when the electric pump is operating.

[0078] In the pump case, the first case and the second case are made of a resin material, and the first case has a first side wall that defines the first opening and has the first engagement rib provided thereon, and a first locking portion that is provided on the first side wall and engages with the second case, and the second case has a second side wall that defines the second opening and has the second engagement rib provided thereon, and a second locking portion that is provided on the second side wall and engages with the first locking portion, and when the second case is attached to the first case, the first locking portion and the second locking portion lock with each other by at least one of them elastically deforming, and it is preferable that at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall elastically deforms in a direction that reduces the sliding resistance between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib when the first locking portion and the second locking portion lock with each other.

[0079] The second case is attached to the first case by snap-fitting with the first locking portion and the second locking portion. When the second case is attached to the first case, at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall elastically deforms together with at least one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion. The direction of elastic deformation of the one side wall is a direction that reduces the sliding resistance between the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib. Therefore, when the second case is attached to the first case, the pump case can reduce the load required to attach the second case to the first case. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 10...pump device, 20...electric pump, 40...pump case, 100...first case, 120...first side wall, 150...first locking portion, 160...first engagement rib, 163...first inclined surface, 200...second case, 220...second side wall, 226...second bottom surface, 240...second locking portion, 250...second engagement rib, 252...second inclined surface, 260...second regulating rib, D1...first direction (orthogonal direction), D2...second direction (orthogonal direction), D3...third direction (mounting direction), Op1...first opening, Op2...second opening, Rm...storage chamber.

Claims

1. a first case having a first opening; a second case having a second opening, attached to the first case so that the first opening and the second opening face each other, and constituting, together with the first case, an accommodation chamber for accommodating the electric pump; the first case has a first engagement rib provided along the periphery of the first opening and protruding toward the second case; the second case has a second engagement rib provided along the periphery of the second opening and protruding toward the first case; When the direction in which the second case is attached to the first case is defined as an attachment direction, At least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib has an inclined surface inclined with respect to the mounting direction, When the second case is attached to the first case, at least one of the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib slides against the other engagement rib via the inclined surface, thereby elastically deforming in a direction intersecting the attachment direction, In a mounted state in which the second case is mounted to the first case, the first engagement rib and the second engagement rib are in contact with each other in a direction intersecting the mounting direction. Pump case.

2. the first engagement rib has a first inclined surface as the inclined surface, the second engagement rib has a second inclined surface inclined with respect to the mounting direction so as to follow the first inclined surface, When the second case is attached to the first case, the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface slide against each other. The pump case according to claim 1 .

3. When a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction is defined as an orthogonal direction, and a direction toward the accommodation chamber in the orthogonal direction is defined as an inward direction, In the mounted state, the second engagement rib is located inwardly of the first engagement rib, The second engagement rib is in contact with the first engagement rib at a position closer to the tip end than to the base end. The pump case according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The thickness of the second engagement rib is less than the thickness of the first engagement rib. The pump case according to claim 1 or 2.

Images