Water Pump Nesting in Water-Cooled Engine Crankshaft

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing water-cooled internal combustion engines with power transmission controlling means on a crankshaft have a large axial width and weight due to the location of the water pump, which projects outwardly, increasing the engine size and weight.

Innovation Solution

The water pump is positioned axially inside the power transmission control means, such as a centrifugal type start clutch, allowing it to overlap and be closer to the crankshaft, reducing the length and weight of the pump drive shaft, and utilizing the space efficiently without increasing the engine's axial width.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the water pump is located on the axial outside with respect to the torque converter, then the water pump can be positioned outside the power transmission control means, but the axial width of the entire internal combustion engine increases to enlarge the size of the internal combustion engine

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning of water pumpVSAvoidaxial width of engine

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The water pump is nested within the axial space occupied by the power transmission control means (torque converter or centrifugal start clutch). The water pump is positioned on the axial inside of the power transmission control means, allowing it to overlap with the power transmission control means axially. This nesting arrangement enables the water pump to be housed within the existing axial envelope of the power transmission control means, thereby avoiding any increase in the overall axial width of the engine while still providing adequate space for the water pump and its drive shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If the water pump is located on the axial outside with respect to the torque converter, then the water pump can be positioned outside the power transmission control means, but the length of the pump drive shaft increases to increase the weight of the internal combustion engine

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning of water pumpVSAvoidweight of engine

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The water pump is nested within the axial space occupied by the power transmission control means (torque converter or centrifugal start clutch). The water pump is positioned on the axial inside of the power transmission control means, allowing it to overlap with the power transmission control means axially. This nesting arrangement enables the water pump to be housed within the existing axial envelope of the power transmission control means, thereby avoiding any increase in the overall axial width of the engine while still providing adequate space for the water pump and its drive shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Volume of moving object

If the water pump is disposed on the axial inside of the power transmission control means, then the axial width of the engine is reduced, but the water pump overlaps with the power transmission control means requiring precise spatial arrangement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaxial width of engineVSAvoidspatial arrangement of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The water pump is nested within the axial space occupied by the power transmission control means (torque converter or centrifugal start clutch). The water pump is positioned on the axial inside of the power transmission control means, allowing it to overlap with the power transmission control means axially. This nesting arrangement enables the water pump to be housed within the existing axial envelope of the power transmission control means, thereby avoiding any increase in the overall axial width of the engine while still providing adequate space for the water pump and its drive shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS7617803B2Water-cooled internal combustion engine

Publication Date: 2009.11.17 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A water-cooled internal combustion engine includes a water pump having a short pump drive shaft for reducing the weight and size thereof. In a water-cooled internal engine equipped with a clutch at the end of a crankshaft, a water pump having a water pump drive shaft parallel to the crankshaft is disposed on the axial inside of the clutch, that is, on a central side of the crankshaft.