Electric Pump Floating Piston Atmospheric Tank
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric pumps for vehicle shock absorber lifting cylinders face issues with complex and costly pressurized tanks, and when replaced with tanks having a free surface, they experience fluid suction problems and air presence in the hydraulic circuit, especially under certain driving conditions.
Innovation Solution
An electric pump design featuring a tank with a floating piston and a detection device, coupled with a two-way gear pump and a hydraulic circuit that includes selective valves and a solenoid valve, allowing operation at atmospheric pressure and eliminating air presence, with four distinct operating modes for efficient lifting and lowering control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressurized containing tank is used, then the electric pump structure is complete and functional, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressurization function from the containing tank structure itself and relocates it to a dedicated pneumatic device. This separation allows the tank to be a simple atmospheric container while the pneumatic device provides pressurization only when needed for pump operation, thereby reducing overall system complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic device serves multiple functions: it pressurizes the operating fluid in the containing tank to enable pump operation, and it can be integrated with the pump control system to provide automated operation based on hydraulic circuit demands. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate pressurization systems.
2Device complexity
If a containing tank with free surface is used to simplify structure, then manufacturing cost decreases, but fluid suction reliability deteriorates under certain driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic pressure through a compressed air device to the operating fluid in the containing tank. This pneumatic action creates positive pressure that forces the fluid into the pump, ensuring reliable suction under all driving conditions while maintaining a simple atmospheric tank structure without complex pressurization mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If a containing tank with free surface is used, then the tank structure is simplified, but air presence in the hydraulic circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts air from the hydraulic circuit through a dedicated air removal device that separates and removes air bubbles from the operating fluid. This allows the use of a simple atmospheric tank while actively preventing air contamination in the hydraulic system, maintaining fluid purity without requiring complex sealed pressurized tank designs.
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 solution simplifies and cost-reduces the pump design, ensures reliable fluid suction, prevents air ingress, and allows for selective control of descent speed, maintaining the vehicle's raised position efficiently and effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a floating piston (9) made of a plastic material, which is mounted inside the container (8), is coupled in a fluid-tight manner with the container (8)
Implementation Method 2
a two-way gear pump (6) configured to rotate both in clockwise and in counter-clockwise direction
Implementation Method 3
a solenoid valve (28), which is mounted along the fifth branch (21)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electric pump has a containing tank (4) for an operating fluid (5), a feeding pump (6) to feed the operating fluid (5) from the containing tank (4) to a user, and a hydraulic circuit (7) to connect the containing tank (4), the feeding pump (6), and the user to one another; the containing tank (4) housing, on the inside, a floating piston (9) designed to divide the containing tank (4) into a first chamber (10) to contain the operating fluid (5) and into a second chamber (11) communicating with the outside and, hence, at atmospheric pressure.