Oil Pump Unit Spacer Integration for Engine Component Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing oil pump units for internal combustion engines are complex and heavy due to a large number of component parts, which complicates their configuration and increases size and weight.
Innovation Solution
The oil pump unit is designed with a spacer that forms a division wall between the oil tank chamber and the crank chamber, integrating a pump case half-body to reduce the number of components, simplify the suction oil passage, and share a partition plate for both the feed and scavenge pumps, eliminating the need for additional parts like connection pipes and O-rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the oil pump unit is configured with separate pump cases and connection components, then the pump can perform oil suction and discharge functions, but the number of component parts increases making the configuration complex and increasing size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The pump case half-body is integrated directly into the spacer structure, merging two previously separate components (pump case and spacer) into one unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate connection pipes, O-rings, and fastening components, thereby reducing the total number of component parts while maintaining the oil pump's suction and discharge functions
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a structural spacer component and as the pump case half-body housing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated separate components for each function, simplifying the overall configuration while ensuring reliable oil pump operation
2Ease of repair
If the pump case is configured as a separate component from the engine case, then the oil pump can be independently maintained, but the overall size and weight of the oil pump unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump case half-body is merged with the spacer to form a unified structure, eliminating redundant materials and connections. This integration significantly reduces the overall weight of the oil pump unit while the modular design allows the pump assembly to remain independently removable for maintenance purposes
3Reliability
If multiple connection components are used to connect the pump case to the engine case, then the sealing and connection reliability is improved, but the configuration becomes more complex and the assembly requires more parts
Solution Approach 1:
The pump case half-body and spacer are merged into a single integrated structure, eliminating the need for separate connection pipes, O-rings, and fastening components. This integration maintains connection reliability through the unified structure while dramatically simplifying the configuration and reducing the number of parts required for assembly
Data Source
AI summary
An oil pump unit for an internal combustion engine can reduce the number of component parts to configure a simplified pump case, reducing the size and weight thereof. In an oil pump unit has a case cover put on the outside of a crankcase via a spacer and an oil tank chamber formed by the inside surface of the case cover and the spacer. The spacer is formed inside an outer circumferential wall thereof with a division wall which partitions the oil tank chamber from a crank chamber and with one pump case half-body portion forming a half-body of a pump case of an oil pump. Another pump case half-body is joined to the pump case half-body portion to form the pump case. The pump case half-body portion is formed in a lower portion thereof with an oil suction port communicating with a bottom portion of the oil tank chamber.