Variable-displacement lubricant vane pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752577-B2
Application number	US-201013812519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2010
Priority date	Jul 29, 2010
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A variable-displacement lubricant pump includes a first plunger. A control ring is pushed by the first plunger in a high pumping volume direction. The first plunger is arranged in a first control chamber with a side wall. A first pressure conduit connects a pump outlet port with the first control chamber. A pumping volume limitation unit is arranged so that the first plunger covers and closes an outlet opening arranged in the side wall in a lower pumping volume position of the control ring. A thermostatic element actuates a temperature controlled valve based on lubricant temperature. The thermostatic element pushes a shiftable valve body against a retraction spring to an extended closed end position when the lubricant has an operation temperature. The shiftable valve body is in a retracted closed end position at a cold lubricant temperature and in an intermediate open position at an intermediate lubricant temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable-displacement lubricant pump for providing a pressurized lubricant for an internal combustion engine, the variable-displacement lubricant pump comprising:
a first plunger configured to be radially movable;
a control ring configured to be radially shiftable and to be pushed by the first plunger in a high pumping volume direction;
a rotor comprising radially slidable vanes which are configured to rotate in the control ring;
a first control chamber comprising a side wall, the first plunger being arranged in the first control chamber;
a pump outlet port;
a first pressure conduit configured to connect the pump outlet port with the first control chamber;
a pumping volume limitation unit comprising:
an outlet opening arranged in the side wall of the first control chamber, the outlet opening and the first plunger being arranged so that the first plunger covers and closes the outlet opening in a lower pumping volume position of the control ring;
a thermostatic element; and
a temperature controlled valve configured to be actuated by the thermostatic element based on a lubricant temperature;
wherein the outlet opening is connected to an atmospheric pressure when the temperature controlled valve is actuated by the thermostatic element;

a shiftable valve body; and
a retraction spring;
wherein the thermostatic element is configured to push the shiftable valve body against a force of the retraction spring to an extended closed end position when the lubricant has an operation temperature,
the shiftable valve body is in a retracted closed end position at a cold lubricant temperature, and
the shiftable valve body is in an intermediate open position at an intermediate lubricant temperature.

2. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermostatic element is a wax element.

3. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 2 , wherein the wax element comprises a first wax and a second wax, the first wax and the second wax having different main stroke temperatures.

4. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first wax has a main stroke temperature of between 5° C. and 20° C., and the second wax has a main stroke temperature of between 90° C. and 105° C.

5. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a valve housing comprising a radial outlet opening, wherein the shiftable valve body is a sleeve comprising an axial inlet and a radial outlet, the axial inlet and the radial outlet being arranged with the radial outlet opening of the valve housing in the intermediate open position.

6. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is configured to be pushed directly by the retraction spring into the retracted closed end position.

7. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a pressure conduit, a second control chamber and a second plunger, wherein the second control chamber and the second plunger are arranged opposite the first control chamber and the first plunger, and the second control chamber is connected by the pressure conduit with the pump outlet port.

8. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a preload spring, wherein the first plunger is configured to be pushed by the preload spring into the high pumping volume direction.

9. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a pressure throttle valve arranged in the first pressure conduit.

10. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a pressure control valve and a discharge conduit arranged between the first control chamber and a low pressure, the discharge conduit being configured to be controlled by the pressure control valve, and the pressure control valve being configured to be open at a high delivery pressure and to be closed at a low delivery pressure.

11. The variable-displacement lubricant pump as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an electrical heating element which is configured to heat the temperature controlled valve.

Assignees

• Novi Nicola
• Maffeis Jerome
• Pierburg Pump Technology Gmbh

Inventors

• Novi Nicola
• Maffeis Jerome

Classifications

• F04C2270/701

  Cold start · CPC title

• F01M1/16

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

• F01M2001/0246

  Adjustable pumps · CPC title

• F04C14/226

  by pivoting the cam around an eccentric axis · CPC title

• F04C14/223 Primary

  using a movable cam · CPC title