Hydraulic pump housing with an integral dampener chamber
AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorsTIMOTHY MATTHEW STATON, JAMES RICHARD ROBERTSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic pump [14] for an electro-hydraulic power steering system is positioned in a fluid reservoir [16] in a pump housing [12]. The pump [14] has an upstream end [40] that receives fluid from a fluid source and a downstream end [42] that is in communication with fluid expelled from the pump [14]. The pump housing [12] has an integral dampening chamber [36] formed therein adjacent the downstream portion [42] of the pump [14]. The dampening chamber [36] helps minimize pressure pulsations before the fluid is passed through an outlet opening [18] in the housing [12] to a steering gear.
Claims15
A hydraulic pump for use in a power steering system, comprising:
- a pump housing having a pump reservoir formed therein;
- a pump positioned within said pump reservoir and separating said pump housing into an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
- said pump having a fluid inlet for transferring fluid received in said upstream portion of said pump housing through a fluid outlet and into said downstream portion of said pump housing;
- an integrally formed dampening chamber formed in said downstream portion of said pump housing;
- said dampening chamber increasing the available volume in said downstream portion for said fluid to rest before being transferred to a steering gear;
- whereby pressure pulses downstream of the hydraulic pump are minimized.
An electro-hydraulic power assist steering system for an automobile, comprising:
- a hydraulic pump;
- an electric motor coupled to said hydraulic pump for driving said pump;
- said hydraulic pump having an upstream end and a downstream end;
- a pump housing having a pump reservoir within which said hydraulic pump is disposed, said pump housing an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface;
- and
- a dampening chamber integrally formed in said pump housing and in fluid communication with said downstream end of said hydraulic pump;
- whereby any pressure pulsations in fluid expelled from said downstream end of said pump are minimized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.