electric pump

Abstract

This electric pump comprises: a pump body; an annular elastic member disposed on the outer periphery of the pump body; and locking members attached to the elastic member. The elastic member is partially divided in the peripheral direction thereof. Opposing end portions, formed as a result of the peripheral division, both have a pair of through holes which run along the axial direction of the elastic member. The locking members are inserted into the pair of through holes so that the elastic member holds the pump body by being in close contact with the pump body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric pump having an elastic member that holds a pump body. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles use electric pumps to circulate coolant and other fluids. When installing such an electric pump in a vehicle, it is necessary to suppress the vibrations of the electric pump from being transmitted to the vehicle in order to maintain the vehicle's quietness during operation. Furthermore, to ensure stable operation of the electric pump, it is necessary to suppress the vibrations transmitted from the outside to the electric pump.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose configurations for suppressing vibration by attaching an annular elastic member to the pump body of an electric pump. Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration in which a plate-shaped elastic member is wrapped around the pump body of an electric pump and both ends of the elastic member engage with protrusions provided on the pump side. Patent Document 4 also discloses a configuration in which an annular elastic member formed with a gap in a portion of the circumference is disposed on the pump body of an electric pump and fixed to the pump body by tightening the annular elastic member in the circumferential direction. Specifically, in the configuration described in Patent Document 4, a pair of fastening portions protruding radially outward are provided on both ends of the annular elastic member that sandwich the gap, and an annular ring is fitted radially into the pair of fastening portions to tighten and fix the annular elastic member to the pump body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2014-533341 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-121522 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-53756 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-139376 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the annular elastic member needs to be stretched when it is fitted into the pump body of the electric pump. However, excessive stretching of the elastic member may cause problems such as permanent deformation. On the other hand, if the stretching amount of the elastic member is set small, the possibility of the above problems occurring in the elastic member is reduced, but there is a risk that the workability of assembling the annular elastic member to the pump body may decrease or that the annular elastic member may not be sufficiently fixed after assembly to the pump body.

[0006] In the configuration described in Patent Document 3, a plate-shaped elastic member wrapped around the pump body of an electric pump is held by engaging with a convex portion on the outer circumferential surface of the pump body. If the engagement force between the convex portion of the pump body and the plate-shaped elastic member is insufficient, the elastic member may come off the convex portion of the pump body due to vibrations from the pump body or external sources, preventing the pump body from being stably held by the elastic member. In addition, in the configuration described in Patent Document 4, an annular ring is fitted along the radial direction. Therefore, in order to stably hold the elastic member, a fastening portion must be formed by significantly protruding radially outward from the annular elastic member. This results in an electric pump equipped with the elastic member being larger and less easily mountable in a vehicle. Furthermore, because the fastening portion is located radially outward from the annular elastic member, the annular elastic member may not be sufficiently fastened to the pump body, potentially reducing the holding force of the annular elastic member on the pump body.

[0007] Therefore, there is a demand for an electric pump that can appropriately suppress vibrations while improving the ease of assembly of the elastic member and the ease of mounting on a vehicle or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The characteristic configuration of the electric pump according to the present disclosure is that it comprises a pump body, an annular elastic member arranged on the outer periphery of the pump body, and a locking member assembled to the elastic member, wherein the elastic member is divided in a portion in the circumferential direction and has a pair of through holes along the axial direction of the elastic member at both ends opposite each other due to the circumferential division, and the locking member is inserted into the pair of through holes so that the elastic member is in close contact with the pump body to hold the pump body.

[0009] According to this configuration, the electric pump has an annular elastic member with a circumferentially separated portion disposed on the outer periphery of the pump body, and a pair of through holes formed along the axial direction at both ends of the elastic member into which the locking members are inserted. As a result, the electric pump can be assembled with the annular elastic member in close contact with the pump body, thereby stably holding the pump body.

[0010] To assemble a partially circumferentially divided annular elastic member to the outer periphery of the pump body, a locking member is required to hold the annular elastic member to the outer periphery of the pump body. However, if the locking member were arranged along the radial direction of the annular elastic member, it would be necessary to configure the fastening portion to protrude radially outward from the annular elastic member or to construct the locking member with two components, such as a bolt and a nut, resulting in a larger electric pump. On the other hand, by providing a pair of axial through-holes in the annular elastic member and inserting the locking members into the pair of through-holes, as in the present configuration, even if the locking member is enlarged to stably hold the pump body with the elastic member, the locking member is inserted along the axial direction and does not protrude significantly in the radial direction. In other words, the annular elastic member does not require a fastening portion that protrudes radially outward, allowing for a compact configuration. As a result, an electric pump held by the elastic member is easier to install in a vehicle, etc.

[0011] Another characteristic configuration of the electric pump is that the locking member has a U-shape consisting of a pair of retaining portions extending in the axial direction and a connecting portion connecting the pair of retaining portions, and the pair of retaining portions are inserted into the pair of through holes.

[0012] According to this configuration, the locking member has a simple U-shaped configuration consisting of a pair of retaining portions and a connecting portion connecting the pair of retaining portions, making it easy to manufacture the locking member. Furthermore, since the pair of retaining portions of the locking member extend in the axial direction, the pair of retaining portions can be easily inserted into the pair of through-holes of the elastic member. This further improves the ease of assembly of the elastic member in the electric pump.

[0013] Another characteristic feature of the electric pump is that the annular elastic member has a notch formed radially inward in the region between the pair of through holes in the circumferential direction, along the axial direction, from the side of the extended end of the retaining portion to the midpoint, and this notch makes a part of the locking member visible from the outside.

[0014] To stably assemble the annular elastic member to the pump body using the locking member, it is preferable that the pair of retaining portions be inserted into the pair of through-holes over a length, for example, at least half the axial length of the elastic member. However, because the pair of retaining portions of the locking member are inserted into the pair of through-holes, it is usually impossible to confirm the insertion state of the pair of retaining portions into the pair of through-holes from outside the annular elastic member unless the length of the retaining portions is longer than the length of the elastic member along the axial direction. Therefore, in this configuration, the annular elastic member has notches formed radially inward in the circumferential region between the pair of through-holes, extending along the axial direction from the extended ends of the retaining portions to the midpoints. The notches allow a portion of the locking member to be visible from outside. This allows the notches to easily confirm whether the pair of retaining portions of the locking member are properly positioned. By adjusting the position of the locking member based on the confirmation result, the locking member can be reliably positioned and assembled in the proper position on the annular elastic member.

[0015] Another characteristic feature of the electric pump is that the pump body has a pair of protrusions that protrude radially outward on its outer surface at positions opposite both ends of the elastic member, the elastic member has a pair of recesses with which the pair of protrusions engage, and the circumferential distance between the pair of recesses is shorter than the circumferential distance between the pair of through holes.

[0016] The annular elastic member is elastically deformed in a circumferential direction continuous with the pair of through holes by the locking members inserted into the pair of through holes, causing both ends of the member to move closer together. However, the elastic deformation by the locking members is less effective in the inner peripheral portion of the annular elastic member closer to the pump body than the pair of through holes. This inner peripheral portion may receive a reaction force that moves the both ends of the annular elastic member apart, resulting in an open-ended state. Therefore, in this configuration, the pump body has a pair of protrusions that protrude radially outward on its outer peripheral surface opposite both ends of the elastic member, and the elastic member has a pair of recesses that engage with the pair of protrusions, with the circumferential distance between the pair of recesses being shorter than the circumferential distance between the pair of through holes. This allows the annular elastic member to absorb the reaction force that moves the both ends apart, caused by the pair of protrusions of the pump body that engage with the pair of recesses. As a result, the annular elastic member can prevent the opening of the portion inner than the pair of through holes. In addition, by engaging a pair of concave portions of the elastic member with a pair of convex portions of the pump body, it becomes easier to position the elastic member relative to the pump body, and by temporarily fixing the elastic member to the pump body, the electric pump can quickly position the elastic member on the outer periphery of the pump body.

[0017] Another characteristic feature of the electric pump is that each of the pair of through holes has a relief portion that expands radially inward and radially outward on the side closer to the other through hole in the circumferential direction of the elastic member.

[0018] In an electric pump, a locking member inserted into a pair of through holes in an elastic member can be manufactured by, for example, press-forming a metal material. In this case, burrs may occur on the end of the locking member on the sagging surface side. The presence of burrs on the end of the locking member hinders insertion into the pair of through holes. Furthermore, the burrs may cause cracks in the through holes, leading to fracture of the elastic member. Therefore, when manufacturing the locking member, burr removal is required to prevent the burrs from contacting the through holes. However, burr removal requires labor. Therefore, in this configuration, each of the pair of through holes in the elastic member is configured to have a recess that expands radially inward and radially outward on the side closer to the other through hole in the circumferential direction of the elastic member. This allows the recesses formed in the pair of through holes to tolerate the burrs on the locking member while preventing the burrs from contacting the through holes. As a result, the locking member can be easily manufactured because no burr removal process is required. Furthermore, in the pair of through holes, the relief portions are formed both radially inward and radially outward, so that the pressed locking member can be assembled without distinguishing whether the sagging surface is on the front or back side.

[0019] Another characteristic feature of the electric pump is that the annular elastic member is configured so that both ends thereof can be locked together in the circumferential direction.

[0020] According to this configuration, the annular elastic member is configured so that both ends thereof can be locked together in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even if the annular elastic member receives a reaction force in the direction of opening, the ends of the elastic member do not separate, making it easier to bring the annular elastic member into close contact with the pump body. Furthermore, by locking both ends of the elastic member together in the circumferential direction, the elastic member can be temporarily fixed to the pump body. This allows the electric pump to quickly position the elastic member on the outer periphery of the pump body.

[0021] Another characteristic configuration of the electric pump is that the elastic member has an annular portion including both end portions and an extension portion connected to the annular portion, the pump body has a cylindrical portion to which the annular portion is in close contact, and the extension portion extends radially outward from a portion of the outer periphery of the annular portion and has an opening formed therein.

[0022] With this configuration, the annular portion of the elastic member tightly contacts the cylindrical portion of the pump body, so the pump body can be securely held by the elastic member. Furthermore, the electric pump can be easily held by a bracket, for example, by inserting the bracket into an opening formed in the extension portion connected to the annular portion.

[0023] Another characteristic configuration of the electric pump is that the elastic member has an annular portion that includes both end portions, the pump body has a cylindrical portion to which the annular portion is in close contact, and the annular portion is formed so that both end portions protrude radially outward from the cylindrical portion.

[0024] According to this configuration, the annular portion of the elastic member tightly contacts the cylindrical portion of the pump body, so the pump body can be securely held by the elastic member. Also, since both ends of the annular portion of the electric pump protrude radially outward from the cylindrical portion of the pump body, for example, wide through holes can be formed at both ends to facilitate insertion of the locking member into the through holes.

[0025] Another characteristic configuration of the electric pump is that the elastic member has an annular portion, the pump body has a tubular portion to which the annular portion is in close contact, the tubular portion has a pair of protrusions that protrude radially outward on its outer surface at positions opposite both ends of the annular portion, the annular portion has a pair of recesses with which the pair of protrusions engage, and is arranged along the tubular portion of the pump body so that the pair of recesses engage with the pair of protrusions.

[0026] According to this configuration, the annular portion of the elastic member tightly contacts the tubular portion of the pump body, allowing the pump body to be securely held by the elastic member. Furthermore, the pair of protrusions on the tubular portion of the pump body, which engage with the pair of recesses, can absorb a reaction force that moves the two ends of the annular portion of the elastic member apart. As a result, the annular portion of the elastic member can suppress opening at a portion that is more inward than the pair of through-holes. Furthermore, by engaging the pair of recesses on the annular portion with the pair of protrusions on the tubular portion of the pump body, it is easy to position the annular portion relative to the tubular portion. Since the annular portion is temporarily secured to the tubular portion of the pump body, the electric pump allows the elastic member to be quickly positioned around the outer periphery of the pump body.

[0027] Another characteristic configuration of the electric pump is that the elastic member has an annular portion, the pump body has a cylindrical portion to which the annular portion is in close contact, and a pair of flanges provided on both axial ends of the annular portion on the cylindrical portion, and the pair of flanges are arranged to be able to regulate movement of the annular portion in the axial direction.

[0028] According to this configuration, the annular portion of the elastic member tightly contacts the cylindrical portion of the pump body, allowing the pump body to be securely held by the elastic member. Furthermore, the pair of flanges provided on the cylindrical portion of the pump body prevent the annular portion of the elastic member from moving axially along the cylindrical portion and becoming detached from the pump body. As a result, the electric pump can more securely hold the elastic member in the pump body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the pump body taken along the rotation axis. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electric pump. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the electric pump. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the electric pump. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a partial front cross-sectional view of the electric pump. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of the electric pump. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of an electric pump according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view of an elastic member according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. An electric pump according to the present disclosure is provided in, for example, a cooling water supply system of an automobile. However, the application of the electric pump is not limited to automobiles, and the electric pump may be used to supply fluids other than cooling water.

[0031] First Embodiment 1 to 7, the electric pump 1 includes a pump section 2, a motor 3 that drives the pump section 2, a pump body 40 that houses the pump section 2 and the motor 3, an elastic member 50 that is provided around the pump body 40, and a locking member 60 that is attached to the elastic member 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the pump body 40 is configured by connecting a pump housing 41 that houses the pump section 2 and a motor body 42 that houses the motor 3.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, pump housing 41 is formed with cylindrical suction port 21 and discharge port 22. Suction port 21 and discharge port 22 each communicate with an impeller chamber 23 (see Figure 2) formed inside pump housing 41. An impeller 24 is housed in impeller chamber 23. When impeller 24 rotates, fluid is sucked from suction port 21 into impeller chamber 23, and fluid is discharged from impeller chamber 23 to discharge port 22.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the stator 31 is integrally disposed within the motor body 42 by insert molding. The rotor 32, which incorporates magnets, is disposed radially inside the stator 31, with a radial gap between the rotor 32 and the stator 31. The end of the rotating shaft 33 is embedded in the motor body 42, making it unrotatable relative to the motor body 42. The rotating member 34 is disposed on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 33 via a bearing member 36 and is rotatable around the rotating shaft 33. The rotor 32, into which a magnet (not shown) is inserted, is disposed at one end of the rotating member 34, and the impeller 24 is formed at the other end of the rotating member 34. With this configuration, the rotor 32 rotates due to the magnetic force generated between the rotor 32 and the stator 31, and the rotating member 34 and impeller 24 rotate integrally with the rotor 32.

[0034] The pump main body 40 includes a driver case 43 that houses a driver that controls the motor 3. The driver case 43 is connected to the motor body 42, with the driver case 43 and the pump housing 41 located on either side of the motor body 42. The motor body 42 is provided with a connector 35 for connecting the motor 3 to a power source and controls.

[0035] 3, the motor body 42 is cylindrical overall, with a flange 42a provided at the end on the pump housing 41 side and a flange 42c provided at the end on the driver case 43 side. The driver case 43 is provided in a lid-like manner around the motor body 42. As described above, the pump main body 40 has a cylindrical portion 42b in which an annular portion 51 of an elastic member 50 (described later) is disposed, and a pair of flanges 42a, 42c provided on both ends of the cylindrical portion 42b in the direction of the axis X of the annular portion 51. The pair of flanges 42a, 42c are provided to restrict movement of the annular portion 51 in the direction of the axis X. As a result, the pair of flanges 42a, 42c in the electric pump 1 can prevent the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 (described later) from moving in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 42b and becoming detached from the pump main body 40.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic member 50 is formed in an annular shape and is disposed circumferentially around the outer periphery (cylindrical portion 42b) of the pump body 40 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). In this embodiment, the elastic member 50 is disposed on the outer periphery of the motor body 42 of the pump body 40 (see FIGS. 2 and 4). The elastic member 50 has an annular portion 51 and an extending portion 52 connected to the annular portion 51. The annular portion 51 is disposed on the cylindrical portion 42b of the motor body 42. The annular portion 51 is disposed so as to be in close contact with the cylindrical portion 42b of the pump body 40. The extending portion 52 extends radially outward from a portion of the outer periphery of the annular portion 51 and has an opening 52a formed therein for attachment to a bracket (not shown). As a result, the electric pump 1 is held by a bracket, for example, by inserting the bracket into the opening 52b formed in the extending portion 52 connected to the annular portion 51. The elastic member 50 is made of a rubber material such as ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM). As shown in Fig. 3, the inner circumferential surface 51a of the annular portion 51 that abuts against the motor body 42 is formed in a shape that corresponds to the outer circumferential shape of the cylindrical portion 42b of the motor body 42. The inner circumferential surface 51a may be provided with a recessed portion that does not abut against the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 42b of the motor body 42.

[0037] The elastic member 50 is partially divided in the circumferential direction at the annular portion 51. The annular portion 51 is divided in the circumferential direction to form end portions 53, 53 that face each other. The end portions 53, 53 have a pair of through holes 54, 54 that extend along the axis X direction of the annular portion 51 (elastic member 50). Hereinafter, the end portions 53, 53 will also be collectively referred to as both end portions 53.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7 , each of the pair of through holes 54, 54 is formed as an elongated hole that is long in the circumferential direction in a plan view. Each of the pair of through holes 54, 54 includes a first hole portion 54a having a width W1 substantially equal to the thickness of the locking member 60 and a second hole portion 54b having a width W2 larger than the width W1 of the first hole portion 54a, which are continuously formed along the circumferential direction of the annular portion 51. The first hole portions 54a of the pair of through holes 54, 54 face each other in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 51. When the width W1 of the first hole portion 54a is substantially equal to the thickness of the locking member 60, the locking member 60 is stably held by the first hole portion 54a. Furthermore, when the width W2 of the second hole portion 54b is larger than the width W1 of the first hole portion 54a, insertion of the locking member 60 into the pair of through holes 54, 54 is facilitated.

[0039] Furthermore, since both end portions 53 of the annular portion 51 are formed to protrude radially outward from the cylindrical portion 42b of the pump body 40, for example, by forming wide through holes 54, 54 in both end portions 53, it is possible to easily insert the locking member 60 into the through holes 54, 54.

[0040] The locking member 60 is inserted into the pair of through-holes 54, 54, and the inner circumferential surface 51a of the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 is in close contact with the cylindrical portion 42b of the motor body 42 of the pump body 40, with the annular portion 51 tightly attached to the cylindrical portion 42b. In this manner, the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 is in close contact with the cylindrical portion 42b of the pump body 40, allowing the electric pump 1 to securely hold the pump body 40 with the elastic member 50. As shown in FIG. 3 , the locking member 60 has a U-shape including a pair of retaining portions 61 extending in the direction of the axis X and a connecting portion 62 connecting the pair of retaining portions 61. In this embodiment, the locking member 60 is formed in a flat plate shape. The locking member 60 can be manufactured, for example, by pressing a metal material or molding a hard resin. The pair of retaining portions 61 of the locking member 60 are inserted into the pair of through-holes 54, 54.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the holding portion 61 of the locking member 60 has a leg portion 63 and a retaining portion 64. The leg portion 63 extends in the axial direction X, and the retaining portion 64 is connected to the tip of the leg portion 63. The retaining portion 64 protrudes toward the opposing leg portion 63 and is formed in a triangular shape having a bottom surface 64a and an inclined surface 64b. The bottom surface 64a extends from a midpoint of the leg portion 63 in the axial direction X toward the opposing leg portion 63. The inclined surface 64b is provided from an end portion 64c of the bottom surface 64a to the extending end 61a of the holding portion 61. The inclined surface 64b of the retaining portion 64 acts as a guide when inserting the locking member 60 into the through hole 54. The locking member 60 can be inserted by pushing the holding portion 61 into the through hole 54 while the end portion 64c of the retaining portion 64 abuts against the inner surface of the through hole 54. The locking member 60 is set so that the distance between the pair of legs 63, 63 is equal to or less than the distance between the pair of through holes, 54, 54.

[0042] The annular portion 51 has a hole 55 formed in a region 53A between the pair of through holes 54, 54 at one end side in the axial X direction (the side where the holding portion 61 of the locking member 60 is inserted), where the connecting portion 62 of the locking member 60 can be accommodated. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 , 5 , 6 , and 7 , a hole 56 communicating with the pair of through holes 54, 54 is formed at the other end side in the axial X direction of the annular portion 51 (the side where the extending end 61 a of the holding portion 61 of the locking member 60 is located). The pair of holding portions 61, 61 of the locking member 60 are inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54 in the axial X direction until the end 64 c of the retaining portion 64 is positioned within the hole 56. As a result, the locking member 60 is inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54 while being prevented from coming off the through holes 54 by the retaining portion 64, and both end portions 53 of the annular portion 51 are held in a pulled state so as to be close to each other. As a result, the electric pump 1 is assembled with the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 in close contact with the pump body 40, thereby stably holding the pump body 40. At this time, the extending ends 61 a, 61 a of the locking member 60 do not protrude from the hole 56 in the direction of the axis X.

[0043] To assemble the annular portion 51, which is partially separated in the circumferential direction, to the outer periphery of the pump body 40, a locking member is required to hold the annular portion 51 on the outer periphery of the pump body 40. Arranging the locking member along the radial direction of the annular portion 51 requires measures such as a configuration in which a fastening portion protrudes radially outward from the annular portion 51 or a configuration in which the locking member is composed of two components, such as a bolt and a nut, resulting in an increase in size of the electric pump 1. On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, by providing a pair of through holes 54, 54 along the axial center X direction in the annular portion 51 and inserting the locking member 60 into the pair of through holes 54, 54, even if the locking member 60 is enlarged to stably hold the pump body 40 with the annular portion 51, the locking member 60 is inserted along the axial center X direction and does not protrude significantly in the radial direction. In other words, the annular portion 51 does not need a fastening portion protruding radially outward, allowing for a compact configuration. As a result, the electric pump 1 held by the elastic member 50 is easily mountable on a vehicle or the like.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the locking member 60 has a simple U-shaped configuration consisting of a pair of holding portions 61, 61 and a connecting portion 62 connecting the pair of holding portions 61, 61, so the locking member 60 can be easily manufactured. Furthermore, since the pair of holding portions 61, 61 of the locking member 60 extend in the direction of the axis X, the pair of holding portions 61, 61 can be easily inserted into the pair of through-holes 54, 54 of the annular portion 51. This further improves the ease of assembling the elastic member 50 to the electric pump 1.

[0045] In order for the locking member 60 to stably hold the annular portion 51 to the pump body 40, it is preferable that the pair of holding portions 61, 61 are inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54 in the axial X direction over a length that is at least half the length of the elastic member 50 along the axial X direction. However, because the pair of holding portions 61, 61 of the locking member 60 are inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54, it is not possible to confirm the insertion state of the pair of holding portions 61, 61 into the pair of through holes 54, 54 from the outside of the annular portion 51 unless the length of the holding portions 61 is longer than the length of the elastic member 50 along the axial X direction.

[0046] 1 , 3 , 5 , and 7 , in the elastic member 50, the annular portion 51 has a notch 57 formed radially inward in a region 53A between the pair of through holes 54 along the axial core X direction from the extending end 61 a of the retaining portion 61 to a midpoint, and a portion of the locking member 60 is configured to be visible from the outside through the notch 57. Specifically, the notch 57 and the hole 56 are in communication with each other, and the retaining portion 64 of the locking member 60 is configured to be visible from the outside through the notch 57. The notch 57 is formed in the annular portion 51, for example, along the axial core X direction from the extending end 61 a of the retaining portion 61 to a position equal to or less than half the length of the annular portion 51 in the axial core X direction. With this configuration, it is possible to easily check whether the position of the pair of holding portions 61, 61 of the locking member 60 is appropriate by using the notch portion 57, and by adjusting the position of the locking member 60 based on the check result, the locking member 60 can be reliably disposed and assembled in the appropriate position on the annular portion 51. In this embodiment, the notch portion 57 is set to occupy less than half of the area of ​​the annular portion 51 in the direction of the axis X.

[0047] In the circumferential direction continuous with the pair of through-holes 54, 54, the annular portion 51 elastically deforms in a direction in which both end portions 53 approach each other due to the engagement of the locking member 60 inserted into the pair of through-holes 54, 54. However, in an inner peripheral portion of the annular portion 51 closer to the pump body 40 than the pair of through-holes 54, 54, the elastic deformation by the locking member 60 is less likely to act. Therefore, the inner peripheral portion may receive a reaction force in the direction in which the annular portion 51 moves away from the pump body 40, resulting in an open-mouth state (a state in which the inner peripheral portions of the end portions 53, 53 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction). Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the pump body 40 has a pair of protrusions 44, 44 that protrude radially outward on the outer peripheral surface 42ba of the tubular portion 42b of the motor body 42, at positions facing the ends 53, 53 of the elastic member 50. Each of the pair of protrusions 44, 44 is formed as a vertically elongated rib extending along the direction of the rotation shaft 33. On the other hand, the annular portion 51 has a pair of recesses 58 on the inner circumferential surface 51a, with which the pair of protrusions 44, 44 engage.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 7 , the annular portion 51 is configured such that, when the circumferential distance between the pair of through holes 54, 54 is D1 and the circumferential distance between the pair of recesses 58, 58 is D2, the distance D2 is shorter than the distance D1. This allows the annular portion 51 to receive a reaction force in a direction that separates the ends 53, 53, by the protrusions 44 of the motor body 42 engaging with the pair of recesses 58, 58 of the inner circumferential surface 51 a. As a result, the annular portion 51 can suppress the opening of a portion of the annular portion 51 that is located radially inward of the pair of through holes 54, 54. Furthermore, by engaging the pair of recesses 58, 58 of the annular portion 51 with the pair of protrusions 44, 44 of the motor body 42, positioning of the annular portion 51 (elastic member 50) relative to the pump body 40 is facilitated. Since the annular portion 51 is temporarily fixed to the pump body 40, the electric pump 1 can quickly position the elastic member 50 on the outer periphery of the pump body 40.

[0049] As described above, the locking member 60 to be inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54 can be manufactured by pressing a metal material, molding a hard resin, or the like. In this case, burrs may occur on the end of the locking member 60 on the sagging surface side. The presence of burrs on the end of the locking member 60 hinders insertion into the pair of through holes 54, 54. Furthermore, the burrs may cause cracks in the through holes 54, 54, leading to fracture of the annular portion 51. For this reason, when manufacturing the locking member 60, burr removal processing is required to prevent the burrs from contacting the through holes 54, 54. However, removing the burrs requires a lot of work. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 , each of the pair of through holes 54, 54 in the annular portion 51 has a relief portion 59 that expands radially inward and radially outward on the side closer to the other through hole 54 in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 51. As a result, even if burrs are present on the locking member 60, the recesses 59 formed in the pair of through holes 54, 54 can tolerate the burrs on the locking member 60 while preventing the burrs from contacting the through holes 54, 54. As a result, the locking member 60 can be easily manufactured because no processing for removing the burrs is required. In the example shown in FIG. 7 , two circular recesses 59 are provided in each of the pair of through holes 54, 54. The two recesses 59 are disposed radially inward and radially outward of the through hole 54 and extend to a position closer to the other through hole 54 than the portion 54a1 of the first hole portion 54a with which the locking member 60 contacts. Furthermore, because the recesses 59 are formed on both the radially inward and radially outward sides of the pair of through holes 54, 54, the press-formed locking member 60 can be assembled without distinguishing whether the sagging surface is on the front or back side.

[0050] The method for attaching the elastic member 50 to the motor body 42 (pump main body 40) will be described below. First, the ends 53, 53 of the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 are opened, and the annular portion 51 is positioned from the side of the pump main body 40 so as to follow the cylindrical portion 42b of the motor body 42, and the pair of recesses 58 are engaged with the pair of protrusions 44 of the motor body 42. As a result, both ends 53 of the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 are positioned at predetermined locations on the outer periphery of the motor body 42.

[0051] Next, the locking member 60 is inserted into a pair of through holes 54 provided at both end portions 53 of the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50. The locking member 60 is inserted into the pair of through holes 54 until the retaining portions 64 are positioned in the hole portions 56. In an initial state, the locking member 60 cannot be inserted into the through holes 54 of the elastic member 50, and the elastic member 50 is inserted into the through holes 54, 54 with the pair of holding portions 61, 61 elastically deformed in directions separating them. After the retaining portions 64 pass through the through holes 54, a restoring force causes the pair of legs 63, 63 to abut against the regions 53A, 53A between the pair of through holes 54, 54, and the annular portion 51 is held in a state where both end portions 53 are close to each other.

[0052] Second Embodiment 8, the elastic member 50 may be configured such that the annular portion 51 has end portions 53, 53 that can be locked together in the circumferential direction. Specifically, one of the end portions 53 has a locking portion 53b and the other has a locking portion 53c, and the locking portion 53b and the locking portion 53c are formed with projections and recesses that lock together in a plan view, so that the locking portion 53b and the locking portion 53c overlap in the radial direction of the annular portion 51. In the second embodiment, the motor body 42 does not have a pair of projections 44, and the annular portion 51 does not have a pair of recesses 58. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0053] According to the second embodiment, the annular portion 51 is configured such that the end portions 53, 53 can be locked together in the circumferential direction by the locking portions 53b and 53c. Therefore, even if a reaction force acts on the region of the annular portion 51 that is inward of the pair of through holes 54, 54 in a direction that moves the end portions 53, 53 away from the end portions 53, 53, the annular portion 51 can prevent the opening of the portion inward of the pair of through holes 54, 54. Furthermore, the elastic member 50 can temporarily secure the annular portion 51 to the pump body 40 by locking the end portions 53, 53 of the annular portion 51 together in the circumferential direction. This allows the electric pump 1 to quickly position the elastic member 50 on the outer periphery of the pump body 40. The configuration that allows the end portions 53, 53 of the annular portion 51 to be locked together is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 8 . Other configurations may be used as long as the end portions 53, 53 overlap each other in the radial direction of the annular portion 51.

[0054] Other Embodiments (1) As shown in Fig. 9, the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 may be formed in an annular shape as a whole, with both end portions 53 not protruding radially outward and having the same radial thickness as the other portions of the elastic member 50. With this configuration, the elastic member 50 becomes more compact than the above-described embodiments, thereby further improving the mountability of the electric pump 1. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the elastic member 50 is composed of only the annular portion 51. As a variation of the example shown in Fig. 9, the elastic member 50 may have an extension portion 52.

[0055] (2) In the first embodiment, an example was shown in which a pair of protrusions 44, 44 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 42ba of the pump body 40 and a pair of recesses 58, 58 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 51a of the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50. However, recesses may be provided on the outer peripheral surface 42ba of the pump body 40 and protrusions that engage with the recesses may be provided on the inner peripheral surface 51a of the annular portion 51. Also, in the first embodiment, the electric pump 1 may be configured without providing the recesses 58 on the inner peripheral surface 51a of the annular portion 51 and the protrusions 44 on the outer peripheral surface 42ba of the pump body 40.

[0056] (3) In the above embodiment, the locking member 60 inserted into the pair of through holes 54, 54 is configured as a single U-shaped member, but the locking member 60 may be configured by combining multiple members. Also, in the above embodiment, the locking member 60 is configured as a pair of recesses 58, 58 and a pair of protrusions 44, 44, but the locking member 60 may be configured by providing three or more recesses 58 and protrusions 44.

[0057] (4) In the above embodiment, the annular portion 51 of the elastic member 50 has the hole 55 in which the connecting portion 62 of the locking member 60 is accommodated and the hole 56 in which the retaining portion 64 of the locking member 60 is accommodated. However, the electric pump 1 may be configured without providing one or both of the hole 55 and the hole 56. Furthermore, the electric pump 1 may be configured without providing the notch 57 in the annular portion 51. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] The present disclosure can be widely applied to electric pumps that include an elastic member that holds the pump body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Electric pump 40: Pump body 42: Motor body 42a, 42c: flange 42b:Cylinder part 42ba: Outer surface 44: Convex part 50: Elastic member 51: Annular section 51a: Inner surface 52: Extension part 52a:Aperture 53: Edge 53b, 53c: Locking part 54:Through hole 57: Notch 58: Recess 59:Retreat 60:Locking member 61: Holding part 61a: Extending end 62: Connection part 63: Legs 64: Retaining part D1: Distance between a pair of through holes D2: Distance between a pair of protrusions X: Axial center

Claims

1. A pump body, an annular elastic member disposed on the outer periphery of the pump body; a locking member attached to the elastic member, The elastic member is divided into a part in the circumferential direction, and has a pair of through holes along the axial direction of the elastic member at both ends opposed to each other by the division in the circumferential direction, The locking member is inserted into the pair of through holes so that the elastic member is in close contact with the pump body to hold the pump body.

2. 2. The electric pump according to claim 1, wherein the locking member has a U-shape consisting of a pair of retaining portions extending in the axial direction and a connecting portion connecting the pair of retaining portions, and the pair of retaining portions are inserted into the pair of through holes.

3. the annular elastic member has a notch portion formed radially inward in a region between the pair of through holes in the circumferential direction, the notch portion extending along the axial direction from the extension end of the holding portion to a midpoint; 3. The electric pump according to claim 2, wherein the notch allows a portion of the locking member to be visible from the outside.

4. the pump body has a pair of protrusions on an outer circumferential surface thereof that protrude radially outward at positions opposite the two end portions of the elastic member, the elastic member has a pair of recesses with which the pair of protrusions engage, The electric pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a circumferential distance between the pair of recesses is shorter than a circumferential distance between the pair of through holes.

5. 4. The electric pump according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of through holes has a recess portion that expands radially inward and radially outward on a side closer to the other through hole in the circumferential direction of the elastic member.

6. The electric pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the annular elastic member is configured so that both ends thereof can be locked together in the circumferential direction.

7. the elastic member has an annular portion including both end portions and an extension portion connected to the annular portion, the pump body has a cylindrical portion with which the annular portion is in close contact, The electric pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the extension portion extends radially outward from a part of the outer periphery of the annular portion and has an opening formed therein.

8. the elastic member has an annular portion including both end portions, the pump body has a cylindrical portion with which the annular portion is in close contact, The electric pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the annular portion is formed such that both end portions thereof protrude radially outward from the cylindrical portion.

9. the elastic member has an annular portion including both end portions, the pump body has a cylindrical portion with which the annular portion is in close contact, the cylindrical portion has a pair of protrusions that protrude radially outward on an outer circumferential surface at positions facing the both end portions of the annular portion, 4. The electric pump according to claim 1, wherein the annular portion has a pair of recesses that engage with the pair of protrusions, and is arranged along the cylindrical portion of the pump body so that the pair of recesses engage with the pair of protrusions.

10. the elastic member has an annular portion including both end portions, the pump body includes a cylindrical portion with which the annular portion is in close contact, and a pair of flanges provided at both ends of the cylindrical portion in an axial direction of the annular portion, The electric pump according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of flanges are provided to be able to restrict movement of the annular portion in the axial direction.

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