Coolant pump for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJustin CRAFT, William Michael SANDERSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pump is provided with a pump housing defining a volute chamber positioned between a central inlet and an impeller face, with the housing defining a recess intersecting the face and surrounding an aperture, and the housing defining sequentially first and second ramps, a wall section, and a protrusion extending into the recess. An impeller is positioned within the chamber adjacent to the face, with the impeller connected to a drive shaft extending through the aperture. A method is provided for cooling a drive shaft sealing member by controlling fluid flow through the pump.
Claims20
A pump comprising:
- a housing defining a volute chamber extending to an impeller face, the housing defining a recess formed by a dished wall intersecting the face and surrounding a pump drive shaft aperture, the housing defining sequentially first and second ramps, a wall section, and a protrusion extending from the dished wall into the recess, wherein the first and second ramps and the wall section intersect the face, wherein a channel is defined by the second ramp, the wall section, and the dished wall, the channel being positioned radially opposite an outlet from the volute chamber, wherein the first ramp is positioned between the outlet and the second ramp, and the protrusion is positioned between the wall section and the outlet.
A pump comprising:
- a pump housing defining a volute chamber positioned between a central inlet and an impeller face, the housing defining a recess intersecting the face and surrounding an aperture, the housing defining sequentially first and second ramps, a wall section, and a protrusion extending into the recess;
- and
- an impeller positioned within the chamber adjacent to the face, the impeller connected to a drive shaft extending through the aperture.
A method of cooling a pump drive shaft seal comprising:
- directing fluid flow from a volute chamber through a gap formed between an impeller and an impeller face and into a recess bounded by the impeller face and surrounding a pump drive shaft;
- directing fluid flow via a first inclined ramp extending into the recess;
- directing fluid flow via a second inclined ramp extending into the recess;
- feeding fluid flow from the gap through a channel and into the recess;
- guiding fluid flow using an end face of a wall section extending into the recess, thereby increasing velocity of the fluid flow;
- and
- inducing a fluid separation using a protrusion extending into the recess;
- wherein the first ramp, second ramp, the channel, the wall section, and the protrusion are sequentially arranged in the recess in a direction of impeller rotation, the channel being radially opposite an outlet from the volute chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.