Integrated Electric Vane Oil Pump Compact Housing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing integrated electric vane oil pumps are bulky and costly due to redundant casings and inefficiencies in motor-pump integration, leading to increased size and weight, and there is a need for a more compact and efficient design.
Innovation Solution
The design integrates an electric motor and vane pump with a housing comprising aluminum die-cast shells and a stator, where the rotor assembly and vanes are supported by a center vane support, with a unique fastening system and magnetic arrangement to optimize motor efficiency and pump operation, allowing for submersibility and efficient fluid handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple casings are used to integrate the motor and pump, then the structural integrity is improved, but the volume and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the motor casing and pump casing into a single integrated housing structure. The stator is positioned within the housing that also contains the pump chamber, eliminating the need for separate motor and pump casings. This integration maintains structural integrity while significantly reducing the overall volume and weight of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump components are nested within the motor housing structure. The rotor and vanes are positioned inside the housing that also contains the stator, creating a nested arrangement where the pump assembly is contained within the motor assembly's housing space, thereby reducing total volume.
2Reliability
If redundant components are included in the integrated pump design, then the reliability is improved, but the cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the motor casing, the pump casing, and provides structural support for both the stator and rotor assemblies. This multi-functionality eliminates redundant components while maintaining the reliability needed for both motor and pump operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant casings and unnecessary intermediate components from the design. By removing these extraneous elements, the design achieves the desired reliability through essential components only, thereby reducing complexity and cost.
3Ease of manufacture
If the motor and pump are integrated with separate casings, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor and pump casings are merged into a single integrated housing that can be manufactured as one piece or pre-assembled unit. The aluminum housing serves dual purposes as both motor enclosure and pump chamber, simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate casting and assembly operations while simultaneously reducing weight.
4Manufacturing precision
If gaps are present in the motor-pump integration, then the assembly tolerance is improved, but the motor efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing design incorporates localized features such as precision-machined mounting surfaces, tapered bore sections, and interference-fit transitions at critical interfaces. These local quality enhancements ensure tight tolerances and minimal gaps at the motor-pump interface while maintaining reasonable overall assembly tolerances, thereby preserving motor efficiency.
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 results in a more compact, efficient, and cost-effective integrated electric vane oil pump that maintains proper function across various speeds and operational modes, with enhanced heat transfer and reduced weight, while minimizing gaps for improved motor efficiency and fluid handling.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor and a vane pump that are usable separately or in combination with one another
Implementation Method 2
a vane pump with an inlet and an outlet, the vane pump having a rotor and a plurality of vanes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An electric vane pump includes a first cover plate having a substantially planar first pump surface and a second cover plate coupled to the first cover plate defining a substantially planar second pump surface spaced apart from and extending substantially parallel to the first pump surface. A plurality of permanent magnets are fixed to a rotor. A plurality of radially moveable vanes are fixed for rotation with the rotor. Each vane is positioned between the first and second pump surfaces and has a first end slidably engaging the center vane support. An electric motor stator is positioned between the first and second cover plates and circumscribes the rotor. A resilient member biases each of the vanes into engagement with the center vane support.