Cell Pump Pivotable Cam Ring Reduces Vibration and Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing volume-controllable cell pumps with pivoting control slides face challenges such as high production and assembly costs, increased installation space, vibrations, noise, and efficiency losses due to surface roughness and complex channel designs, especially when used for lubricating oil supply in internal combustion engines.

Innovation Solution

A volume-controllable cell pump design featuring a pivotable control slide with a bearing sleeve and flow chambers on both sides of the sleeve, eliminating the need for internal connecting channels in the pump housing, allowing for simpler and cost-effective manufacturing, reduced installation space, and improved sealing to minimize vibrations and noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If connecting channels are introduced into the covers (cast aluminum), then defined inflow and discharge are ensured, but production costs increase and surface roughness increases causing flow losses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefined inflow and dischargeVSAvoidproduction costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting channels are extracted from the covers and relocated to the control slide itself. This eliminates the need for complex sand casting processes in the covers, reduces production costs, and allows for smoother channel surfaces that reduce flow losses while maintaining reliable inflow and discharge definitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The control slide acts as an intermediary component that now houses the connecting channels. By moving the channels to the control slide, the invention simplifies cover manufacturing while maintaining the functional integrity of fluid distribution through the pump chambers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If connecting channels are arranged directly in the control slide, then production costs decrease, but installation space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costsVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting channels are arranged in a planar configuration within the control slide's thickness dimension rather than extending outward. This utilizes the available space efficiently, reducing the overall installation footprint while maintaining manufacturability benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If spring-loaded sealing bolts are used to seal the bearing area, then sealing is achieved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesealingVSAvoidproduction costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The complex spring-loaded sealing bolt mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler sealing arrangement. The invention achieves reliable sealing through alternative means that eliminate the need for expensive spring-loaded bolts, reducing production costs while maintaining sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs simpler, more cost-effective sealing solutions that may be less durable than spring-loaded bolts but provide adequate sealing performance at lower cost, aligning with the goal of reducing production expenses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Power

If the force vector from drive power is directed at the pivot point, then mechanical transmission is achieved, but vibrations and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical transmissionVSAvoidvibrations and noise
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention acknowledges the inevitable force transmission through the pivot point but converts the harmful vibrations and noise into acceptable levels through design modifications. By optimizing the control slide geometry, bearing arrangements, and housing structures, the harmful effects are minimized while maintaining effective mechanical power transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP2206924B1Cell pump with adjustable displacement with pivotable cam ring
Publication Date: 2014.09.10 MAHLE INT GMBH
  • EP2206924B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2206924B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2206924B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention is therefore based on the objective of developing a flow-controllable cell pump with a swiveling control valve, which can be manufactured simply and cost-effectively in large series with minimal manufacturing and assembly effort and minimal installation space, i.e., also with minimal weight and minimized material usage for the valve and housing, operates significantly quieter than prior art pumps, minimizes vibrations at the control valve caused by pressure pulsations during operation, operates almost wear-free, is robust and resistant to malfunctions, enables a high pump efficiency and is characterized by high stability of the individual components, so that even very cost-effective control valves made of plastic material can be used in the production of the solution according to the invention.The inventive flow-controlled cell pump with pivotable control slide (1), comprising a drive shaft (3) mounted in a pump housing (2), an inner rotor (4) arranged on the drive shaft (3), a bearing nose (5) arranged on the control slide (1) with a bearing shell (6) arranged in the bearing nose (5), and a bearing element arranged in this bearing shell (6), is characterized in that the bearing element is a bearing sleeve (16) with a flow-through opening (17), wherein an inlet chamber (19) is arranged on both sides of the flow-through opening (17) of the bearing sleeve (16), i.e., in the pump housing covers (18) or in the pump housing (2) and in the opposite pump housing cover (18), which is directly connected to the pressure kidney (12) arranged on the same side of the control slide (1), but is sealed to the suction kidney (10) arranged on the suction side by adjacent assemblies.The invention relates to a quantity-controllable cell pump with a swiveling control slide for liquids, for example water, fuels or oil, but in particular for supplying lubricating oil to an internal combustion engine.