Fluid pump pressure relief valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156293-B1
Application number	US-201715653044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 18, 2017
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a pressure relief valve for a fluid pump has a valve head that has a recessed outlet-side surface that confronts a support end of a spring such that the valve head extends past the support end of the spring toward a pump outlet. The spring is biased to urge the valve head against a valve seat to a seated position. The spring is also configured to be compressed when fluid pressure at an inlet to the relief valve exceeds fluid pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined amount such that the valve head is pushed away from the valve seat to an unseated position. A pressure relief valve may have multiple outlets at least some of which have unequal flow areas such that fluid pressure distribution across the flow area of the pressure relief valve cavity is nonsymmetrical.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure relief valve for a fluid pump, the pressure relief valve comprising:
a housing assembly defining a cavity, an inlet at a first end of the cavity, a valve seat at the inlet, and multiple outlets at a second end of the cavity opposite from the first end; and wherein at least some of the multiple outlets have unequal flow areas such that fluid pressure distribution across a flow area of the cavity is nonsymmetrical;
wherein:
the housing assembly includes an intermediate housing defining the cavity, and a pump cover secured to the intermediate housing and defining the multiple outlets;
an internal wall of the intermediate housing has grooves extending lengthwise between the inlet and the multiple outlets; and
at least some of the grooves have unequal flow areas.

2. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring disposed in the cavity;
a valve head having an inlet-side surface configured to seat against the valve seat to close the inlet; and
wherein the spring is biased to urge the valve head against the valve seat to a seated position, and is configured to be compressed when fluid pressure at the inlet exceeds fluid pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined amount such that the valve head is pushed away from the inlet to an unseated position in which the valve head is off-center within the cavity and remains in partial contact with the valve seat.

3. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the multiple outlets include three symmetrically-spaced outlets;
a first of the multiple outlets has a first flow area;
a second of the multiple outlets has a second flow area greater than the first flow area; and
a third of the multiple outlets has the second flow area.

4. The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein:
a smallest one of the grooves has a smaller flow area than each other one of the grooves;
a smallest one of the multiple outlets has a smaller flow area than each other one of the multiple outlets; and
the smallest one of the grooves is disposed nearest to the smallest one of the multiple outlets.

5. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 , wherein each of the grooves is a U-channel.

6. The pressure relief valve of claim 4 , wherein each of the multiple outlets has a circular flow area.

7. An engine assembly for a vehicle comprising:
an engine cover defining a pump inlet and a valve seat at the pump inlet;
an oil pump configured to pump oil through the engine assembly and including:
a pump housing secured to the engine cover; wherein the pump housing defines a cavity;
a pump cover defining an outlet; and
a pressure relief valve comprising:
a spring disposed in the cavity; and
a valve head having an inlet-side surface configured to seat against the valve seat to close the inlet, and having a recessed outlet-side surface confronting a support end of the spring such that the valve head extends past the support end of the spring toward the outlet;

wherein the spring is biased to urge the valve head against the valve seat to a seated position, and is configured to be compressed when fluid pressure at the inlet exceeds fluid pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined amount such that the valve head is pushed away from the valve seat to an unseated position.

8. The engine assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the valve head has a generally uniform thickness between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface; and
a contact surface of the valve head with the valve seat is annular.

9. The engine assembly of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the inlet-side surface exposed to fluid pressure at the inlet when the valve head is in the seated position is flat.

10. The engine assembly of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the inlet-side surface exposed to fluid pressure at the inlet when the valve head is in the seated position has a recessed center.

11. The engine assembly of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the inlet-side surface with a protruding center is exposed to fluid pressure at the inlet when the valve head is in the seated position.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Bennett Andy
• Pike Joel H

Classifications

• F16K17/0433

  with vibration preventing means · CPC title

• F16K17/0493

  with a spring other than a helicoidal spring · CPC title

• F01M2001/0284

  mounting of the pump · CPC title

• F01M1/02 Primary

  using lubricating pumps (pumps in general F04; lubricating pumps per se F16N) · CPC title

• F01M1/16

  Controlling lubricant pressure or quantity (rendering machines or engines inoperative or idling on lubricant pressure failure F01M1/22) · CPC title