Dual-Drive Vehicle Cooling Pump with One-Way Couplings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling pumps for vehicles lack versatility and reliability, with electrically operated pumps having low delivery power and no fail-safe feature, while mechanically operated pumps offer high power but limited cooling control and are too large, and dual-drive pumps have complex management and structure.
Innovation Solution
A dual-drive pump group with a compact structure, featuring a radial impeller with a mechanical and electric drive connected via one-way couplings, allowing for simplified management and efficient cooling control, including the use of an electromagnetic pulley for controlled mechanical drive activation and an electric drive for increased cooling capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an electrically operated pump is used, then versatile cooling control is achieved, but delivery power is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both electric drive and mechanical drive systems into a single pump unit, allowing the system to leverage the versatility of electric control while maintaining the high power delivery capability of mechanical driving through the impeller
2Adaptability or versatility
If an electrically operated pump is used, then versatile cooling control is achieved, but fail-safe feature is absent
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical drive system serves as a pre-prepared backup mechanism that automatically engages when the electric drive fails, ensuring continuous pump operation and providing the fail-safe feature through prior arrangement of alternative driving capability
3Power
If a mechanically operated pump is used, then high delivery power is achieved, but cooling control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is designed to perform multiple functions by integrating both electric and mechanical drive capabilities, allowing it to operate in high-power mechanical mode for maximum cooling and in controlled electric mode for versatile cooling regulation across different operating conditions
4Power
If a mechanically operated pump is used, then high delivery power is achieved, but device size is too large
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the electric motor and mechanical drive components into an integrated compact unit sharing common structural elements, the system achieves high delivery power while minimizing overall device size and complexity
5Adaptability or versatility
If a dual-drive pump is used, then advantages of both drives are exploited, but management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between electric and mechanical drive modes based on real-time operating conditions, with the control unit automatically selecting the appropriate drive source to simplify management while maintaining all advantages of dual-drive capability
6Adaptability or versatility
If a dual-drive pump is used, then advantages of both drives are exploited, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the electric motor components within the mechanical drive structure, with shared housing, mounting points, and structural support elements, allowing dual-drive functionality to be achieved without proportionally increasing structural complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The dual-drive pump group provides flexible and efficient cooling control, is compact, and has a fail-safe feature, ensuring operation even when the electric drive fails, with efficient energy use and reduced size, suitable for various engine conditions including 'warm-up' and 'post-run' scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a first one-way coupling (61) and a second one-way coupling (62) operatively connecting the mechanical drive (3) and the electric drive (5) to the impeller (2), respectively
Implementation Method 2
including the use of an electromagnetic pulley for controlled mechanical drive activation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A pump group (1) for a cooling circuit of an engine of a vehicle, comprising an impeller (2), rotatable around an axis (X-X). The impeller (2) comprises a paddle portion (21) and a support portion (22) having a support surface (220). The pump group (1) further comprises a mechanical drive (3) and an electric drive (5) respectively operatively connected to the impeller (2) by a first one-way coupling (61) and a second one-way coupling (62). The pump group (1) comprises a support and centering bearing (20) operatively connected to the support surface (220) suitable to support and keep the impeller (2) centred on the axis (X-X).