Pump device

Abstract

To provide a pump device capable of enhancing versatility even when shapes or the like of a suction part and a discharge part have to be changed according to use.SOLUTION: The pump body 3 includes a case body 8 in which the motor and the impeller are housed, and the case body is formed with a pump chamber in which the impeller and the rotor are disposed, an inflow port 14p through which fluid flowing into the pump chamber passes, and an outflow port 14r through which fluid flowing out of the pump chamber passes. The cover member 4 includes at least one of a suction portion 14p through which the fluid flowing from the outside of the pump device 2 toward the inflow port 4d is sucked and a discharge portion 14r through which the fluid flowing from the outflow port 4e toward the outside of the pump device 2 is discharged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, electric pumps for circulating cooling water are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The electric pump described in Patent Document 1 includes a pump section having an impeller, a motor section having a rotor and a stator, a housing that houses the pump section and the motor section, and a flange member fixed to the housing. A pump chamber in which the impeller is disposed is formed inside the housing. The housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing is formed with an intake port and a discharge port. The flange member includes a mounting structure for mounting the electric pump to an external device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-159337 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors of the present application have developed a pump device that includes an intake portion through which fluid is drawn from outside the pump device toward a pump chamber, and a discharge portion through which fluid is discharged from the pump chamber toward the outside of the pump device. The shapes of the intake portion and the discharge portion may vary depending on the application for which the pump device is used. If the shapes of the intake portion and the discharge portion must be changed to suit the various applications for which the pump device is used, changing the design of the entire pump device for each application would reduce the versatility of the pump device.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a pump device that has an intake section through which fluid is sucked from outside the pump device toward the pump chamber, and an exhaust section through which fluid is exhausted from the pump chamber toward the outside of the pump device, and that can increase versatility even when the shapes of the intake section and exhaust section must be changed depending on the application. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a pump device comprising a pump body and a cover member attached to the pump body, wherein the pump body comprises a motor having a rotor and a stator, an impeller that rotates together with the rotor, and a case body in which the motor and impeller are housed, and the case body is formed with a pump chamber in which the impeller and rotor are disposed, an inlet through which fluid flowing into the pump chamber passes, and an outlet through which fluid flowing out of the pump chamber passes, and the cover member comprises at least one of an intake section through which fluid flowing from outside the pump device toward the inlet is sucked in, and a discharge section through which fluid flowing from the outlet toward the outside of the pump device is discharged.

[0007] In the pump device of this aspect, the cover member attached to the pump body has at least one of an inlet portion through which fluid flowing from outside the pump device toward the inlet of the pump body is drawn in, and a discharge portion through which fluid is discharged from the outlet of the pump body toward the outside of the pump device. Therefore, in this aspect, when the cover member has an inlet portion and a discharge portion, even if the shape of at least one of the inlet portion and the discharge portion needs to be changed depending on the application of the pump device, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member, and there is no need to change the pump body.

[0008] Furthermore, in this aspect, if the cover member only has an inlet portion, even if the shape of the inlet portion or the like must be changed depending on the use of the pump device, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member, and there is no need to change the pump body. Furthermore, in this aspect, if the cover member only has a discharge portion, even if the shape of the discharge portion or the like must be changed depending on the use of the pump device, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member, and there is no need to change the pump body. Therefore, in this aspect, it is possible to increase the versatility of the pump device, even if the shape of the inlet portion or the discharge portion or the like must be changed depending on the use of the pump device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, in one aspect of the present invention, in a pump device having an intake section through which fluid is drawn from outside the pump device toward the pump chamber and a discharge section through which fluid is discharged from the pump chamber toward the outside of the pump device, it is possible to increase the versatility of the pump device even when the shapes of the intake section and the discharge section must be changed depending on the use of the pump device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pump device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pump device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pump device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the E-E cross section of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the FF cross section of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the cross section GG of FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the second case body and the cover member taken along line HH in FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective view showing the second case body shown in FIG. 1 from the bottom side. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of a pump device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of a pump device according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] (Overall configuration of the pump device) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pump device 2 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pump device 2 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the EE cross section of Fig. 3.

[0013] The pump device 2 of this embodiment is a type of pump known as a canned pump (canned motor pump), and is used, for example, to circulate a cooling fluid. The fluid in this embodiment is a liquid such as cooling water. The pump device 2 includes a pump body 3 and a cover member 4 attached to the pump body 3. As shown in FIG. 4 , the pump body 3 includes an impeller 5, a motor 6 that rotates the impeller 5, a circuit board 7 for controlling the motor 6, and a case body 8 that houses the impeller 5, the motor 6, and the circuit board 7. The motor 6 is composed of a rotor 9 and a stator 10.

[0014] In the following description, the Z direction in Fig. 1, etc., which is the axial direction of the rotor 9, is referred to as the up-down direction; the X direction in Fig. 1, etc., which is perpendicular to the up-down direction, is referred to as the front-rear direction; and the Y direction in Fig. 1, etc., which is perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, is referred to as the left-right direction. The Z1 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is one side of the up-down direction, is referred to as the "upper" side; the Z2 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is the opposite side of the upper side, is referred to as the "lower" side; the X1 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is one side of the front-rear direction, is referred to as the "front" side; the X2 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is the opposite side of the front side, is referred to as the "rear" side; the Y1 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is one side of the left-right direction, is referred to as the "right" side; and the Y2 direction side in Fig. 1, etc., which is the opposite side of the right side, is referred to as the "left" side. In this embodiment, the upper side (Z1 direction side) is the first direction side, which is one side of the axial direction of the rotor 9, and the lower side (Z2 direction side) is the second direction side, which is the opposite side of the first direction side.

[0015] The case body 8 is composed of a first case body 13, a second case body 14 disposed above the first case body 13, and a cover member 15 disposed below the first case body 13. The first case body 13, the second case body 14, and the cover member 15 are made of resin. The second case body 14 is joined to the upper end of the first case body 13 by ultrasonic welding. The cover member 15 is fixed to the lower end of the first case body 13 by a plurality of screws 16. A pump chamber 17 is formed inside the case body 8, in which the impeller 5 and the rotor 9 are disposed. The pump chamber 17 is defined by the first case body 13 and the second case body 14. In the pump device 2, liquid is sucked from the upper side of the pump device 2 and discharged toward the front side. The second case body 14 may also be joined to the upper end of the first case body 13 by vibration welding.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 4, the rotor 9 includes a cylindrical drive magnet 19, a magnet holding member 20 that holds the drive magnet 19, and a cylindrical sleeve 21 that is held by the magnet holding member 20. The magnet holding member 20 is made of resin. The magnet holding member 20 is also formed in a cylindrical shape. Specifically, the magnet holding member 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The axial direction of the drive magnet 19, the axial direction of the magnet holding member 20, and the axial direction of the sleeve 21 coincide with the up-down direction.

[0017] A flange-shaped collar portion 20b that widens outward in the radial direction of the rotor 9 is formed at the vertical middle position of the magnet holding member 20. The collar portion 20b is formed in an annular shape. The drive magnet 19 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the lower portion of the magnet holding member 20. The upper end surface of the drive magnet 19 contacts the lower surface of the collar portion 20b. The sleeve 21 is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the lower portion of the magnet holding member 20.

[0018] The rotor 9 is rotatably supported by a fixed shaft 22. The fixed shaft 22 is arranged so that the axial direction of the fixed shaft 22 coincides with the up-down direction. A recess is formed in the second case body 14 in which the upper end of the fixed shaft 22 is arranged. The portion of the second case body 14 where this recess is formed is arranged on the inner circumferential side of the upper portion of the magnet holding member 20. The lower end of the fixed shaft 22 is held by the first case body 13. A portion of the fixed shaft 22 is arranged on the inner circumferential side of the sleeve 21. A thrust bearing member 23 that contacts the upper end surface of the sleeve 21 is attached to the fixed shaft 22. In this embodiment, the sleeve 21 functions as a radial bearing for the rotor 9, and the sleeve 21 and the thrust bearing member 23 function as a thrust bearing for the rotor 9.

[0019] The impeller 5 is installed at the upper end of the rotor 9. The impeller 5 rotates together with the rotor 9. The impeller 5 includes a first blade member 24 having a plurality of blades arranged at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction of the rotor 9, and a second blade member 25 formed separately from the first blade member 24 and to which the first blade member 24 is fixed. The impeller 5 of this embodiment is composed of the first blade member 24 and the second blade member 25. The first blade member 24 is fixed to the upper side of the second blade member 25. The first blade member 24 and the second blade member 25 are made of resin.

[0020] The first blade member 24 is composed of a plurality of blades and a top plate portion 24b to which the upper ends of the plurality of blades are connected. The blades protrude downward from the top plate portion 24b. The second blade member 25 is formed integrally with the magnet holding member 20 by injection molding. The second blade member 25 is formed in a flange shape that spreads from the upper end of the magnet holding member 20 toward the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 9. The second blade member 25 is formed in an annular, flat plate shape. The plurality of blades are joined and fixed to the upper surface of the second blade member 25 by welding such as ultrasonic welding. The second blade member 25 formed separately from the magnet holding member 20 may be fixed to the upper end of the magnet holding member 20.

[0021] The stator 10 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape as a whole. The stator 10 is disposed on the outer periphery of the rotor 9. The stator 10 is disposed so that the axial direction of the stator 10 coincides with the up-down direction. The stator 10 includes a drive coil 27, a stator core 28, and an insulator 29. The stator core 28 includes an outer circumferential ring portion formed in an annular shape, and a plurality of salient pole portions that protrude from the outer circumferential ring portion toward the inside in the radial direction of the rotor 9. The tip surfaces of the salient pole portions (inner surfaces in the radial direction of the rotor 9) face the outer circumferential surface of the drive magnet 19 via an inner tubular portion 13b (described later) that constitutes a part of the first case body 13.

[0022] The insulator 29 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The drive coil 27 is wound around the salient pole portion of the stator core 28 via the insulator 29. A plurality of terminal pins 30 are attached to the insulator 29. Ends of the drive coil 27 are electrically connected to and fixed to the terminal pins 30. The terminal pins 30 are electrically connected to and fixed to the circuit board 7.

[0023] The first case body 13 includes a cylindrical inner cylindrical portion 13b arranged between the tip surface of the salient pole portion of the stator core 28 and the outer peripheral surface of the drive magnet 19, a bottom portion 13c closing the lower end of the inner cylindrical portion 13b, an outer cylindrical portion 13d arranged on the outer peripheral side of the inner cylindrical portion 13b, and an annular upper surface portion 13e connecting the upper end of the inner cylindrical portion 13b and the upper end of the outer cylindrical portion 13d. The first case body 13 also includes a fixing portion 13f to which the second case body 14 is welded and fixed, and a terminal block 13g on which terminal pins 31 are installed for electrically connecting the pump device 2 to an external device.

[0024] The stator 10 is disposed between the inner cylindrical portion 13b and the outer cylindrical portion 13d. The stator 10 is disposed below the top surface portion 13e. The circuit board 7 is disposed below the bottom portion 13c. The fixed portion 13f is formed in a flange shape that spreads outward in the radial direction of the rotor 9 from the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 13d. The fixed portion 13f is formed in an annular shape. The fixed portion 13f is disposed above the center of the outer cylindrical portion 13d in the up-down direction. The terminal block 13g protrudes forward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 13d. The terminal pin 31 is electrically connected to and fixed to the circuit board 7.

[0025] The circuit board 7 is a rigid board such as a glass epoxy board, and is formed in a flat plate shape. The circuit board 7 is arranged so that the thickness direction of the circuit board 7 coincides with the up-down direction. The circuit board 7 is also arranged outside the pump chamber 17. The circuit board 7 is fixed to a first case body 13. The first case body 13 functions to prevent liquid from flowing into the areas where the stator 10 and the circuit board 7 are arranged. The cover member 15 is fixed to the lower end side of the first case body 13 so as to cover the circuit board 7 from below. A seal member 32 is arranged between the first case body 13 and the cover member 15 to prevent liquid from entering the areas where the stator 10 and the circuit board 7 are arranged. The seal member 32 is an O-ring.

[0026] (Configuration of second case body and cover member) Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the FF cross section of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the GG cross section of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the second case body 14 and the cover member 4 in the HH cross section of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the second case body 14 shown in Fig. 1 from the bottom side. Note that Figs. 5 and 6 omit illustration of the motor 6.

[0027] As described above, the second case body 14 is disposed above the first case body 13. The cover member 4 covers the second case body 14 from above. Sealing members 34, 35 are disposed between the cover member 4 and the second case body 14 to prevent liquid from entering between the cover member 4 and the second case body 14 (see FIG. 4). That is, the pump device 2 is provided with sealing members 34, 35 to prevent liquid from entering between the cover member 4 and a portion of the case body 8 covered by the cover member 4. The sealing members 34, 35 are O-rings.

[0028] The second case body 14 includes a cylindrical upper cylindrical portion 14b and a cylindrical lower cylindrical portion 14c that is also positioned below the upper cylindrical portion 14b. The upper cylindrical portion 14b is positioned such that its axial direction coincides with the up-down direction, and the lower cylindrical portion 14c is positioned such that its axial direction coincides with the up-down direction. The upper cylindrical portion 14b and the lower cylindrical portion 14c are both cylindrical and short in the up-down direction. The outer diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 14c is larger than the outer diameter of the upper cylindrical portion 14b. The inner diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 14c is larger than the inner diameter of the upper cylindrical portion 14b.

[0029] The second case body 14 also has a circular upper surface portion 14d connected to the upper end of the upper cylindrical portion 14b, a circular connecting portion 14e connecting the lower end of the upper cylindrical portion 14b and the upper end of the lower cylindrical portion 14c, a cylindrical inlet forming portion 14f protruding upward from the center of the upper surface portion 14d, a square cylindrical outlet forming portion 14g extending forward from the right end of the upper cylindrical portion 14b, a circular sealing member arranging portion 14h in which the sealing member 35 is arranged, and three fixing portions 14j for fixing the cover member 4 to the second case body 14.

[0030] The inner circumferential sides of the inlet-forming portion 14f and the outlet-forming portion 14g communicate with the inner circumferential side of the upper cylindrical portion 14b. The seal member arrangement portion 14h is formed in a flange-like shape that extends from the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the lower cylindrical portion 14c toward the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 9. An annular recess 14k in which a seal member 35 is arranged is formed on the upper surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h. The recess 14k is recessed downward from the upper surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h. The lower surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h is welded and fixed to the fixing portion 13f of the first case body 13. A small gap is formed between the lower surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h and the upper surface of the fixing portion 13f, at a portion of the seal member arrangement portion 14h that is welded to the fixing portion 13f (hereinafter, this portion will be referred to as the "welded fixing portion 36"), which is radially inward of the rotor 9.

[0031] The three fixing portions 14j protrude radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h in the radial direction of the rotor 9. The three fixing portions 14j are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor 9. The upper surfaces of the fixing portions 14j are arranged on the same plane as the upper surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h. A circular through-hole is formed in the fixing portion 14j, penetrating the fixing portion 14j in the vertical direction. A cylindrical spacer 37 is arranged in this through-hole.

[0032] The impeller 5 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the upper cylindrical portion 14b. The connecting portion 14e is disposed above the upper surface portion 13e of the first case body 13. A gap is formed between the lower surface of the connecting portion 14e and the upper surface of the upper surface portion 13e. The upper end portion of the outer cylindrical portion 13d of the first case body 13 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the lower cylindrical portion 14c. A gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the lower cylindrical portion 14c and the outer peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the outer cylindrical portion 13d.

[0033] In this embodiment, the inner circumferential side of the inner cylindrical portion 13b of the first case body 13, the inner circumferential side of the upper cylindrical portion 14b, the inner circumferential side of the inlet forming portion 14f, and the inner circumferential side of the outlet forming portion 14g form a pump chamber 17. In addition, the gap between the lower surface of the connecting portion 14e and the upper surface of the upper surface portion 13e, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 14c and the outer circumferential surface of the upper end portion of the outer cylindrical portion 13d, and the gap between the lower surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h, which is located radially inward of the rotor 9 from the welded fixing portion 36, and the upper surface of the fixing portion 13f also form part of the pump chamber 17.

[0034] The upper end of the inlet forming portion 14f forms an inlet 14p through which the liquid flowing into the pump chamber 17 passes. The inlet 14p is formed in a circular shape. The front end of the outlet forming portion 14g forms an outlet 14r through which the liquid flowing out of the pump chamber 17 passes. The outlet 14r is formed in a rectangular shape. That is, the case body 8 is formed with the inlet 14p and the outlet 14r. An annular recess 14s in which the seal member 34 is disposed is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the upper end side of the inlet forming portion 14f. The recess 14s is recessed from the outer peripheral surface of the upper end side of the inlet forming portion 14f toward the inside in the radial direction of the rotor 9.

[0035] The second case body 14 has an annular case body-side facing surface 14t formed on its outer circumferential surface, surrounding the outlet 14r. The case body-side facing surface 14t is composed of a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 14c that is positioned below the outlet-forming portion 14g and the front end surface of the outlet-forming portion 14g. The case body-side facing surface 14t is formed in a curved shape with the same radius of curvature as the outer circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 14c. The case body-side facing surface 14t is also formed in a quadrangular annular shape. The case body-side facing surface 14t has a groove 14u recessed toward the inside of the second case body 14.

[0036] The groove 14u is formed in a linear shape extending downward from the lower end of the outlet 14r. That is, the groove 14u is connected to the outlet 14r. The groove 14u is formed between the lower end of the outlet 14r and the upper surface of the seal member arrangement portion 14h. The depth of the groove 14u increases downward. In addition, a through hole 14v connected to the groove 14u is formed in the second case body 14. The through hole 14v is formed in a linear shape penetrating the seal member arrangement portion 14h in the up-down direction. The upper end of the through hole 14v is connected to the lower end of the groove 14u. The through hole 14v is formed at the inner end of the seal member arrangement portion 14h in the radial direction of the rotor 9. The size of the through hole 14v gradually increases downward.

[0037] As described above, the gap between the lower surface of the seal member placement portion 14h and the upper surface of the fixed portion 13f, which is located radially inward of the rotor 9 from the welded fixed portion 36, also constitutes part of the pump chamber 17, and part of the pump chamber 17 is located below the groove portion 14u. The through hole 14v is located radially inward of the rotor 9 from the welded fixed portion 36, and is connected to part of the pump chamber 17 located below the groove portion 14u. That is, the case body 8 is formed with the through hole 14v, which communicates with the part of the pump chamber 17 located below the groove portion 14u and also communicates with the groove portion 14u.

[0038] The cover member 4 is made of resin. The cover member 4 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 4b. The tubular portion 4b is arranged so that the axial direction of the tubular portion 4b coincides with the up-down direction. The tubular portion 4b is formed into a cylindrical shape with a short length in the up-down direction. The cover member 4 also includes an annular upper surface portion 4c that connects to the upper end of the tubular portion 4b. The cover member 4 covers the second case body 14 from the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 9 and from above. In other words, the cover member 4 covers a portion of the case body 8 from the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 9 and from above.

[0039] The cover member 4 also has an intake portion 4d through which liquid flowing from the outside of the pump device 2 toward the inlet 14p of the second case body 14 is sucked, an outlet portion 4e through which liquid flowing from the outlet 14r of the second case body 14 toward the outside of the pump device 2 is discharged, and three fixing portions 4f for fixing the cover member 4 to the second case body 14. Furthermore, the cover member 4 has an attachment portion 4g for attaching the pump device 2 to an external device. The cover member 4 in this embodiment has two attachment portions 4g.

[0040] The upper surface of the cover member 4 is a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. The upper surface of the upper surface portion 4c forms a part of the upper surface of the cover member 4. The inner diameter of the upper portion of the tubular portion 4b is smaller than the inner diameter of the lower portion of the tubular portion 4b. The inner diameter of the upper portion of the tubular portion 4b is larger than the outer diameter of the upper tubular portion 14b of the second case body 14. The inner diameter of the upper portion of the tubular portion 4b is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower tubular portion 14c of the second case body 14. The inner diameter of the lower portion of the tubular portion 4b is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the lower tubular portion 14c of the second case body 14. The upper tubular portion 14b is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the upper portion of the tubular portion 4b. The lower tubular portion 14c is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the lower portion of the tubular portion 4b.

[0041] The three fixing portions 4f protrude radially from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 4b toward the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 9. The three fixing portions 4f are arranged at the same positions as the three fixing portions 14j of the second case body 14 in the circumferential direction of the rotor 9. The upper surfaces of the fixing portions 4f are arranged on the same plane as the upper surface of the upper surface portion 4c. The lower surfaces of the fixing portions 4f are arranged on the same plane as the lower end surface of the cylindrical portion 4b.

[0042] The fixing portion 4f has a circular through-hole formed therein that penetrates the fixing portion 4f in the vertical direction. A cylindrical sleeve 38 is fixed in this through-hole. An internal thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve 38. The cover member 4 is fixed to the second case body 14 with three screws 39. A portion of the screws 39 is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the spacer 37. Another portion of the screws 39 is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the sleeve 38 and engages with the internal thread of the sleeve 38.

[0043] The inlet-forming portion 14f of the second case body 14 is disposed in a through-hole formed in the center of the upper surface portion 4c. The seal member 34 is in contact with the bottom surface of the recess 14s of the inlet-forming portion 14f and the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole in the upper surface portion 4c at a predetermined contact pressure. The lower end surface of the cylindrical portion 4b is in contact with the upper surface of the seal member disposing portion 14h. The lower surface of the fixing portion 4f is in contact with the upper surface of the fixing portion 14j. The seal member 35 is in contact with the lower end surface of the cylindrical portion 4b and the bottom surface of the recess 14k at a predetermined contact pressure.

[0044] The mounting portion 4g extends from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 4b toward both the left and right sides. Mounting holes 4h are formed in the mounting portion 4g. The suction portion 4d is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes upward from the center of the upper surface portion 4c. The suction portion 4d is disposed above the inlet forming portion 14f. The inner peripheral side of the suction portion 4d communicates with the inner peripheral side of the cylindrical portion 4b. The inner peripheral side of the suction portion 4d also communicates with the inner peripheral side of the inlet forming portion 14f.

[0045] The discharge portion 4e is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes forward from the right end of the lower part of the tubular portion 4b. The discharge portion 4e is located in front of the outlet forming portion 14g. A rectangular through-hole 4j is formed in the tubular portion 4b, connecting the inner periphery of the tubular portion 4b with the inner periphery of the discharge portion 4e, and the inner periphery of the discharge portion 4e communicates with the inner periphery of the tubular portion 4b. The through-hole 4j penetrates the tubular portion 4b. The inner periphery of the discharge portion 4e also communicates with the inner periphery of the outlet forming portion 14g.

[0046] As described above, the case body-side opposed surface 14t is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second case body 14. The cover member-side opposed surface 4k opposing the case body-side opposed surface 14t is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 4b. That is, the case body-side opposed surface 14t is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a portion of the case body 8 that is covered by the cover member 4 from the radial outside of the rotor 9, and the cover member-side opposed surface 4k opposing the case body-side opposed surface 14t is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cover member 4 that covers a portion of the case body 8 from the radial outside of the rotor 9.

[0047] The cover member-side facing surface 4k is formed in a ring shape surrounding the through-hole 4j. The cover member-side facing surface 4k is formed in a curved shape with a radius of curvature approximately equal to that of the curved case body-side facing surface 14t. The cover member-side facing surface 4k is also formed in a quadrangular ring shape. The case body-side facing surface 14t and the cover member-side facing surface 4k are in light contact with each other. Alternatively, the case body-side facing surface 14t and the cover member-side facing surface 4k face each other with a small gap between them.

[0048] (Main effect of this form) As described above, in this embodiment, the cover member 4 attached to the pump body 3 includes the suction portion 4d and the discharge portion 4e. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the shape, etc. of at least one of the suction portion 4d and the discharge portion 4e must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member 4, and there is no need to change the pump body 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the shape, etc. of at least one of the suction portion 4d and the discharge portion 4e must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is possible to improve the versatility of the pump device 2.

[0049] In this embodiment, the cover member 4 includes an attachment portion 4g for attaching the pump device 2 to an external device. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the shape or position of the attachment portion 4g needs to be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, there is no need to modify the pump body 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, the versatility of the pump device 2 can be further improved.

[0050] In this embodiment, liquid may flow into the gap between the second case body 14 covered by the cover member 4 and the cover member 4 from between the case body-side facing surface 14t and the cover member-side facing surface 4k, potentially creating an air pocket in the gap. This air pocket may result in a pressure loss, potentially preventing the pump device 2 from properly discharging the liquid. However, in this embodiment, the second case body 14 has the case body-side facing surface 14t formed on its outer circumferential surface, and the case body-side facing surface 14t has a groove 14u that leads to the outlet 14r. Therefore, even if air pockets form in the gap between the second case body 14 and the cover member 4, the air in the gap can be discharged together with the liquid from the outlet 4e via the groove 14u by utilizing the relatively large negative pressure of the liquid generated at the outlet 14r. This embodiment therefore prevents problems caused by air pockets in the gap between the second case body 14 and the cover member 4.

[0051] In this embodiment, a through-hole 14v is formed in the second case body 14, which is in communication with a part of the pump chamber 17 located below the groove 14u and is in communication with the groove 14u. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if air gets into the pump chamber 17, the air in the pump chamber 17 can be discharged together with the liquid from the discharge portion 4e via the through-hole 14v and the groove 14u by utilizing the relatively large negative pressure of the liquid generated at the outlet 14r.

[0052] (Pump device modification example 1) 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a pump device 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the cover member 4 does not necessarily have to include the suction portion 4d. In this case, for example, as shown in Fig. 9, the second case body 14 includes the suction portion 14w. The suction portion 14w is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape that is connected to the upper end of the inlet-forming portion 14f and extends upward from the upper end of the inlet-forming portion 14f. In this modification, the upper end of the suction portion 14w serves as the inlet 14p.

[0054] In this modified example, even if the shape of the discharge portion 4e or the like must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member 4, and there is no need to change the pump body 3. Therefore, even if the shape of the discharge portion 4e or the like must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is possible to improve the versatility of the pump device 2. Note that in this modified example, the suction portion formed separately from the second case body 14 may be fixed to the upper end side of the inlet-forming portion 14f.

[0055] (Pump device modification example 2) Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of a pump device 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 10, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the cover member 4 does not necessarily have to include the discharge portion 4e. In this case, for example, as shown in Fig. 10, the second case body 14 includes the discharge portion 14x. The discharge portion 14x is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape that is connected to the front end of the outlet forming portion 14g and extends forward from the front end of the outlet forming portion 14g. In this modification, the front end of the discharge portion 14x serves as the outlet 14r.

[0057] In this modified example, even if the shape of the suction portion 4d or the like must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is only necessary to change the design of the cover member 4, and there is no need to change the pump body 3. Therefore, even if the shape of the suction portion 4d or the like must be changed depending on the application of the pump device 2, it is possible to improve the versatility of the pump device 2. Note that in this modified example, the discharge portion formed separately from the second case body 14 may be fixed to the front end side of the outlet forming portion 14g.

[0058] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiment is one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, groove 14u does not have to be formed on case body-side facing surface 14t of second case body 14. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in addition to groove 14u formed on case body-side facing surface 14t, or instead of groove 14u, a groove leading to outlet 14r may be formed on cover member-side facing surface 4k of cover member 4. This groove is also formed, for example, in a linear shape extending downward from the lower end of outlet 14r, similar to groove 14u.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment, the cover member 4 may be formed with a recess for lightening that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the cover member 4. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the second case body 14 may not be formed with the through-hole 14v. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the cover member 4 may not be formed with the mounting portion 4g. Depending on the application, the pump body 3 without the cover member 4 attached may also be used as a pump device.

[0061] (Configuration of this technology) The present technology can be configured as follows: (1) A pump device comprising a pump body and a cover member attached to the pump body, the pump body includes a motor having a rotor and a stator, an impeller that rotates together with the rotor, and a case body that houses the motor and the impeller; the case body is formed with a pump chamber in which the impeller and the rotor are disposed, an inlet through which fluid flowing into the pump chamber passes, and an outlet through which the fluid flowing out of the pump chamber passes, The cover member has at least one of an intake portion through which the fluid flowing from the outside of the pump device toward the inlet is sucked in, and a discharge portion through which the fluid flowing from the outlet toward the outside of the pump device is discharged. (2) The pump device according to (1), wherein the cover member includes the suction portion and the discharge portion. (3) The pump device according to (1) or (2), wherein the cover member has a mounting portion for mounting the pump device to an external device. (4) The pump device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the cover member covers a part of the case body. (5) The pump device according to (4), further comprising a seal member for preventing the fluid from entering between the cover member and a portion of the case body covered by the cover member. (6) The cover member is formed with the discharge portion, the fluid is a liquid, a portion of the case body is covered by the cover member from the radially outer side of the rotor; a ring-shaped case body-side facing surface surrounding the outlet is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the case body that is covered by the cover member from the radial outside of the rotor, a cover member-side opposing surface facing the case body-side opposing surface is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the cover member, the cover member covering a part of the case body from the radial outside of the rotor; The pump device according to (4) or (5), characterized in that a groove portion leading to the outlet is formed on at least one of the surface facing the case body side and the surface facing the cover member side. (7) When one side of the rotor in the axial direction is defined as a first direction side and the side opposite to the first direction side is defined as a second direction side, The impeller is installed at an end of the rotor on the first direction side, The groove portion is formed on the surface facing the case body and is formed linearly extending from the outlet toward the second direction, a portion of the pump chamber is disposed on the second direction side of the groove portion, The pump device described in (6) is characterized in that a through hole is formed in the case body that communicates with a part of the pump chamber that is positioned on the second direction side of the groove portion and that communicates with the groove portion.

[0062] In this aspect, the cover member preferably includes an inlet portion and a discharge portion. This configuration eliminates the need to modify the pump body even when the shape of at least one of the inlet portion and the discharge portion must be changed depending on the application of the pump device. Therefore, the versatility of the pump device can be improved even when the shape of at least one of the inlet portion and the discharge portion must be changed depending on the application of the pump device.

[0063] In this aspect, the cover member preferably includes a mounting portion for mounting the pump device to an external device. This configuration eliminates the need to modify the pump body even if the shape or position of the mounting portion needs to be changed depending on the application of the pump device. This further enhances the versatility of the pump device.

[0064] In this aspect, for example, the cover member covers a part of the case body, and the pump device includes a seal member for preventing fluid from entering between the cover member and the part of the case body covered by the cover member.

[0065] In this embodiment, for example, the cover member has an outlet portion, the fluid is liquid, a portion of the case body is covered by the cover member from the radial outside of the rotor, a ring-shaped case body-side opposing surface surrounding the outlet is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the case body covered by the cover member from the radial outside of the rotor, a cover member-side opposing surface opposing the case body-side opposing surface is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cover member covering the portion of the case body from the radial outside of the rotor, and a groove portion leading to the outlet is formed in at least one of the case body-side opposing surface and the cover member-side opposing surface.

[0066] In this case, liquid may flow into the gap between the cover member and the portion of the case body covered by the cover member, for example, from between the case body-facing surface and the cover member-facing surface, potentially creating an air pocket in the gap. This air pocket may result in a loss of pressure, potentially preventing the pump device from properly discharging the liquid. However, in this case, because a groove leading to the outlet is formed in at least one of the case body-facing surface and the cover member-facing surface, even if air pockets form in the gap between the portion of the case body and the cover member, the air in the gap can be expelled from the outlet along with the liquid via the groove by utilizing the relatively large negative pressure of the liquid generated at the outlet. This makes it possible to prevent problems caused by air pockets in the gap between the case body and the cover member.

[0067] In this aspect, for example, if one axial side of the rotor is defined as a first direction side and the side opposite the first direction side is defined as a second direction side, the impeller is installed at the first direction side end of the rotor, the groove is formed on the surface facing the case body and is formed linearly extending from the outlet toward the second direction side, a portion of the pump chamber is located on the second direction side of the groove, and the case body is formed with a through hole that communicates with the portion of the pump chamber located on the second direction side of the groove and with the groove. In this case, even if air gets mixed into the pump chamber, it is possible to discharge the air from the pump chamber together with the liquid from the discharge portion through the through hole and the groove by utilizing the relatively large negative pressure of the liquid generated at the outlet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 2. Pumping equipment 3 Pump body 4 Cover member 4d suction part 4e Discharge part 4g Mounting part 4k Cover material side facing surface 5 impeller 6 motors 8 Case body 9 rotor 10 Stator 14p inlet 14r Outlet 14t Case body side facing surface 14u groove 14v through hole 17 Pump Room 34, 35 Seal member Z Axial direction of rotor Z1 1st direction side Z2 2nd direction side

Claims

1. A pump device comprising a pump body and a cover member attached to the pump body, the pump body includes a motor having a rotor and a stator, an impeller that rotates together with the rotor, and a case body that houses the motor and the impeller; the case body is formed with a pump chamber in which the impeller and the rotor are disposed, an inlet through which fluid flowing into the pump chamber passes, and an outlet through which the fluid flowing out of the pump chamber passes, The cover member has at least one of an intake portion through which the fluid flowing from the outside of the pump device toward the inlet is sucked in, and a discharge portion through which the fluid flowing from the outlet toward the outside of the pump device is discharged.

2. 2. The pump device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member includes the suction portion and the discharge portion.

3. 3. The pump device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member includes a mounting portion for mounting the pump device to an external device.

4. 3. The pump device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member covers a part of the case body.

5. 5. The pump device according to claim 4, further comprising a seal member for preventing the fluid from entering between the cover member and the part of the case body covered by the cover member.

6. The cover member is formed with the discharge portion, the fluid is a liquid, a portion of the case body is covered by the cover member from the radially outer side of the rotor; a ring-shaped case body-side facing surface surrounding the outlet is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the case body that is covered by the cover member from the radial outside of the rotor, a cover member-side opposing surface facing the case body-side opposing surface is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the cover member, the cover member covering a part of the case body from the radial outside of the rotor; 5. The pump device according to claim 4, wherein a groove leading to the outlet is formed in at least one of the surface facing the case body and the surface facing the cover member.

7. When one side of the rotor in the axial direction is defined as a first direction side and the side opposite to the first direction side is defined as a second direction side, The impeller is installed at an end of the rotor on the first direction side, The groove portion is formed on the surface facing the case body and is formed linearly extending from the outlet toward the second direction, a portion of the pump chamber is disposed on the second direction side of the groove portion, The pump device according to claim 6, wherein the case body has a through hole that communicates with a part of the pump chamber that is positioned on the second direction side of the groove and that communicates with the groove.

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