Mechanical Coolant Pump Valve Body Radial Clamping Noses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical coolant pumps for internal combustion engines face challenges in achieving long-term coolant tightness with high closing forces and energy consumption during the warming-up phase, especially when the engine is cold, due to high coolant pressure resisting the opening of the outlet valve.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical coolant pump design featuring a pivotable valve body with radial clamping noses and support portions that minimize actuation forces for opening and closing, ensuring low energy consumption and high sealing quality, even with worn components, by distributing radial forces evenly across the valve seat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high closing forces are used to ensure coolant tightness, then sealing quality is improved, but actuation forces and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed with a curved pivot path that follows an arc rather than a straight line. This curvature allows the radial clamping noses to maintain continuous contact with the support portions throughout the valve's opening and closing motion, ensuring consistent radial clamping forces and coolant tightness while reducing peak actuation forces required
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional linear or simple rotational valve motion to a multi-dimensional arc-shaped pivot path. The valve body rotates along a curved trajectory defined by the pivot axis and pivot radius, creating a complex spatial motion pattern that optimizes both sealing performance and actuation force requirements through geometric configuration
2Reliability
If high closing forces are used to ensure coolant tightness, then sealing quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both the sealing element and the actuating mechanism. The radial clamping noses are formed as integral features of the valve body itself, eliminating the need for separate clamping mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective sealing forces
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body's own geometry and motion provide the sealing force. As the valve body pivots along its arc path, the radial clamping noses automatically engage with the support portions, generating the necessary closing forces through the valve's inherent mechanical configuration without requiring external sealing mechanisms or additional actuators
3Reliability
If radial clamping noses are used to push the closing element, then coolant tightness is maintained with low actuation forces, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body geometry is pre-configured with radial clamping noses positioned at specific locations and angles. The pivot axis and pivot radius are predetermined during manufacturing, so that when the valve actuates, the clamping noses automatically align with and engage the support portions, ensuring proper force application without requiring high-precision real-time alignment
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical coolant pump for an internal combustion engine includes an impeller pump wheel. The pump housing comprises an outlet valve arrangement arranged between an outlet volute and a pump outlet, and a support portion. The pump housing closes and/or opens a valve opening. The outlet valve arrangement comprises a valve body which pivots. The valve body comprises a closing element which covers the valve opening, and first and second end disks. The closing element comprises an opening seat in a closed valve position. The first and second end disks are parallel to each other, are arranged at opposite axial ends of, and perpendicular to, the closing element, and rotate around a pivot axis. The first and second end disks each comprise a radial clamping nose which acts with the support portion to radially push the closing element against the opening seat in a closed valve position.