Integral Vacuum Pump Shield Combining Cam Ring and End Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of electric motor-driven, dry-running vane motor vehicle auxiliary unit vacuum pumps is complex due to the precise alignment requirements of multiple parts, and there is a need to mitigate wear on the cam ring where the rotor blade head slides.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece integral body made of hardened and anodized aluminum, combining the end shield, thrust washer, and cam ring, ensures coaxial alignment and enhanced wear resistance, while also improving heat transport and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the end shield, thrust washer, and cam ring are assembled as separate parts, then each component can be manufactured and replaced independently, but the assembly becomes complex and requires precise alignment of multiple parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the end shield, thrust washer, and cam ring into a single integral body made of aluminum alloy. This merging eliminates the need for precise alignment of multiple separate parts during assembly, significantly simplifying the assembly process while maintaining the functional independence of each component through integrated design features such as bearing recesses, sealing surfaces, and cooling channels built into the monolithic structure
2Ease of operation
If the cam ring is made of soft material for low wear, then the rotor blade head slides easily, but the cam ring wears excessively against the rotor blade head
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by anodizing the cam ring surface to create a hard, wear-resistant coating while maintaining the soft aluminum alloy base material. This allows the cam ring to provide low friction for rotor blade sliding while the anodized surface layer protects against excessive wear, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining aluminum alloy base material with an anodized surface layer. The aluminum alloy provides lightweight properties and low friction, while the anodized aluminum oxide coating provides enhanced wear resistance, creating a material system that simultaneously achieves ease of operation and reliability
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used for the pump housing, then each part can be optimized independently, but the coaxiality between motor rotor and pump rotor requires precise alignment during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the end shield, thrust washer, and cam ring into a single integral body that is precision-machined as one component. This ensures inherent coaxiality between the motor rotor and pump rotor mounting surfaces, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during assembly while maintaining the ability to optimize each functional zone through dedicated design features within the monolithic structure
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
Simplifies the assembly process and significantly reduces wear on the cam ring, enhancing the vacuum pump's operational reliability and cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The cam ring, which forms the peripheral wall of the pump chamber of the pump section, is made of aluminum and hardened over its entire surface. The aluminum lifting ring is anodized over its entire surface and is thus provided with a so-called smooth hard-coat coating.
Implementation Method 2
The one-piece design of the integral body significantly improves the heat transport between the electric motor section and the pump section. This improves the cooling of the warmer of the two sections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The motor vehicle-ancillary unit-vacuum pump (10) has an electric motor section (12) and a pump section (14), where the electric motor section comprises a motor rotor (17), which is surrounded by a housing pot (16) in a radial and axial-distal manner. The motor rotor is coaxially aligned with a pump rotor (30), and a rotor body (32) of the pump rotor has three rotor blades (34) displaceably mounted on a rotor body. A pump housing (29) is formed by an axial-proximal washer disk (24), an axial-distal washer disk (40) and a radial lift ring made of aluminum.