Engine Oil Pump Capacity Enhancement via Two-Stage Gearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy-duty internal combustion engines face low oil pressure issues due to the lubrication system's inability to absorb increased oil flow demands from normal engine wear, leading to reduced engine performance and costly refurbishments, especially in retrofit applications where space constraints limit the size of the oil pump.
Innovation Solution
The design of an oil pump with a pump housing and gears that maintain or slightly increase capacity while adhering to size limitations, achieved through a pump length efficiency ratio of at least 0.74 and an output flow efficiency ratio of at least 0.27 gallons per minute at 1000 rpm, allowing for enhanced oil flow without enlarging the pump physically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a larger capacity oil pump is used to increase oil flow capacity, then the oil pump capacity is improved, but the physical size of the pump increases which cannot be accommodated in the limited space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional single-stage gear pump configuration to a two-stage gear pump configuration, adding a dimensional aspect to the pumping process. The first pump gear drives a second pump gear, creating a multi-stage system that increases capacity without proportionally increasing the overall pump envelope dimensions, thus resolving the contradiction between capacity and size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested gear arrangement where the second pump gear is positioned within or adjacent to the first pump gear housing. This nesting configuration allows the second stage gear to be accommodated within the space defined by the first stage, effectively increasing pumping capacity while maintaining a compact overall footprint that fits within the engine mounting constraints.
2Productivity
If the oil pump capacity is increased to meet engine wear demands, then the oil flow demand is satisfied, but the pump requires more space which is not available in retrofit applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pumping function into two distinct stages by using two separate pump gears. Each gear handles a portion of the pumping task, and their combined effect produces the required total capacity. This segmentation allows the pump to achieve high capacity through modular gear stages rather than requiring a single large gear that would demand more mounting space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the gear ratio and engagement parameters between the two pump gears to optimize the capacity-to-size ratio. By carefully selecting the gear teeth counts, diameters, and engagement length, the design achieves maximum oil flow capacity within the constrained mounting envelope, transforming the design parameters to resolve the space-capacity contradiction.
3Productivity
If a two-stage gear system is used to increase capacity, then the oil pump flow is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two pump gears into a single integrated housing assembly where the first and second pump gears share common mounting features and sealing arrangements. This merging approach consolidates the complexity of the two-stage system into a unified structure, reducing the number of separate components and assembly steps while maintaining the benefits of increased capacity through the multi-stage gear mechanism.
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
This configuration effectively increases oil pump capacity within the existing space constraints, improving engine performance and reducing the need for costly refurbishments by efficiently utilizing the available space for higher flow output.
Implementation Method 1
A first pump gear is disposed in the pump chamber and operatively coupled to the engine, and a second pump gear is disposed in the pump chamber and operatively coupled to the first pump gear. The first and second pump gears engage along an effective gear length (LG) extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of an oil pump for an engine have an increased pump capacity while maintaining or marginally increasing the overall physical size of the pump. In some embodiments, this increased capacity is reflected in a pump length efficiency ratio, which compares an effective gear length (LG) of first and second pump gears used in the oil pump, to an effective housing length (LH). The effective housing length (LH) is a longitudinal distance between surfaces on opposite ends of the oil pump that must be maintained for the oil pump to fit into an available space. Accordingly, the pump length efficiency ratio indicates how much of the effective housing length (LH) can be occupied by the gears. Alternatively, the pump capacity is measured using an output flow efficiency ratio, which compares a theoretical pump flow (FP) at a given gear speed (SG) to the effective housing length (LH) of the pump.