Fluid Pump One-Piece Sealing Element Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluid pumps for vehicles face a challenge in balancing ease of production with reliable functionality over their entire life, especially in aggressive environments with high temperatures and vibrations, as simplicity in production often conflicts with long-term reliability.
Innovation Solution
A fluid pump design with a pump unit in one housing part and an electrical drive unit in a separate housing part, sealed by a one-piece sealing element that also seals against a housing cover, allowing for preassembly and easy assembly, using thermoset plastic and elastic materials like fluorocarbon rubber for durability and ease of production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate sealing components are used to seal different interfaces, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate sealing components into a single integrated sealing element that simultaneously seals multiple interfaces (between housing parts and between housing and cover). This merging approach maintains sealing reliability across all interfaces while reducing the total number of components, simplifying the device structure and assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is designed with multi-functional capability to perform sealing duties at multiple different locations and interfaces within the pump assembly. This single component replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized sealing elements, achieving both reliability and simplicity.
2Device complexity
If the pump and drive unit are integrated in one housing, then device complexity is reduced, but sealing reliability and serviceability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pump assembly into separate functional modules (pump unit and drive unit) housed in separate housing parts, allowing independent assembly and sealing of each module. This segmentation enables specialized sealing solutions at each interface while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element acts as an intermediary component between the separate housing parts, creating reliable seals at the interfaces without requiring the housing parts themselves to be complex or integrated. The sealing element mediates the connection between simplified housing structures.
3Reliability
If multiple sealing interfaces are sealed with individual sealing elements, then sealing reliability is improved, but assembly time and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sealing functions into a single sealing element that can be installed in one assembly operation. This eliminates the need for multiple separate sealing installations, reducing assembly time and production costs while maintaining reliable seals at all interfaces through the integrated design.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fluid pump is described, in particular an oil pump for supply to a clutch actuator, a gearbox actuator, a lubrication system and/or a cooling system of a drive train. The fluid pump has a pump unit (12) and an electrical drive unit. The pump unit (12) is arranged in a first housing part (22) of the fluid pump, and the electrical drive unit is arranged in a second housing part (24) of the fluid pump. Furthermore, a one-piece sealing element (28) is provided which seals the first housing part (22) against the second housing part (24), and seals the first housing part (22) against a housing cover (26) arranged on a side opposite the second housing part (24). Furthermore, a method for producing such a fluid pump is proposed.