Dc motor type fuel pump
A dc motor fuel pump pressurizes and outputs fuel at a pump section (20) fixed to a yoke (3) of a motor section (10) accompanied by drive of a dc motor of mentioned motor section (10). The yoke (3) includes a first tubular yoke (4) provided with a ring-shaped magnet (2) of rare earths on an inner circumference and a second tubular yoke (5) provided on an outer circumference of the first tubular yoke (4) at a position conforming to the magnet. (2).
The present invention relates to a dc motor fuel pump in which fuel is pressurized by the drive of a motor, and the fuel within a fuel tank is fed under pressure to an engine.
BACKGROUND ARTFor example, according to the Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 262483/2002, a construction of a dc motor for use in a dc motor fuel pump is disclosed.
In the conventional dc motor disclosed in the foregoing official gazette, a cylindrical yoke and a magnet forming a circumferential magnetic circuit are located on an outer circumference of an armature.
In the yoke, a fixing hole for fixing the magnet is formed. This fixing hole goes through the yoke from an inner circumferential surface to an outer circumferential surface in a thickness direction thereof, and an opening diameter opening on the outer circumferential surface is formed to be larger than an opening diameter opening on the inner circumferential surface.
The magnet is a plastic magnet that is formed in a ring shape by mixing magnetic particles with resin, is formed integrally with the yoke, and a part of the yoke itself is inserted into the fixing hole of the yoke.
Owing to this construction, a part of the magnet, which is formed integrally with the yoke, is fitted to a fixing hole of the yoke, and this fit portion is larger on the outer circumferential side than on the inner circumferential side. Therefore, the magnet is never released from the yoke even if the magnet contracts after having been molded, and is reliably fixed to the yoke.
In the conventional dc motor (that is, motor section) for use in a dc motor fuel pump, a magnet is fixed to a yoke with the use of a fixing hole that goes through the yoke in thickness direction, so that it is necessary to provide a through hole on the yoke side face.
As a result, a problem exists in that a yoke deforms, or burr is produced due to punching.
Further, when injecting any resin with which magnetic particles are mixed on an inner circumferential side of the yoke to mold an integral structure of the magnet and yoke, a problem exits in that resin overflows from a through hole on the yoke side face, and burr is formed on an outer circumference of the yoke.
Moreover, a magnet is located in the innermost viewed in an axial direction from the yoke end portion, so that a problem exists in that the gate processing is difficult to be done in case of carrying out the injection molding of a magnet from the inner circumferential side of yoke.
In addition, a gate is an inlet of die at the time of injection molding, and a sol resin is injected into the die from this inlet (that is, gate). The resin having been injected in the die is kept for a predetermined time period under the conditions of a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature to obtain a complete molded article. At this time, since the resin is filled in a portion of the inlet, a solid resin of an inlet configuration (protrusion configuration) remains. This portion is removed by, e.g., cutting since it is unnecessary. This removal processing is called as gate processing.
Moreover, in the case of using a rare earth magnet of a high retentive power requiring a large polarizing force as magnet, the yoke constituting a magnetic circuit needs a large thickness. However, a problem exists in that a polarizing apparatus grows in size since the yoke is made up of one member.
This invention was made to solve the problems as described above, and has an object of providing a dc motor fuel pump in which it is unnecessary to provide a through hole for fixing a magnet to a yoke on a yoke side face and, furthermore, in the case of using a magnet of rare earths, a high degree of freedom in arrangement of a magnetic circuit formed of the magnet and yoke is achieved, and polarization of the magnet can be easily carried out with a small-sized polarizing apparatus.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONA dc motor fuel pump according to the present invention pressurizes and outputs fuel at a pump section fixed to a yoke of a motor section accompanied by drive of a dc motor of mentioned motor section, and in which the mentioned yoke includes a first tubular yoke provided with a ring-shaped magnet of rare earths on an inner circumference and a second tubular yoke provided on an outer circumference of the mentioned first tubular yoke at a position conforming to the mentioned magnet.
As a result, in this dc motor fuel pump, it is unnecessary to provide a through hole for fixing a magnet to a yoke on a yoke side face. Furthermore, in the case of using a magnet of rare earths, a high degree of freedom in arrangement of a magnetic circuit formed of the magnet and yoke is achieved, and polarization of the magnet can be easily carried out with a small-sized polarizing apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A first preferred embodiment of the present invention is hereinafter described.
First, the motor section 10 is described. A magnet 2 is formed in a cylindrical configuration, and is located with a predetermined distance from an outer circumferential surface of an armature 6 on an inner circumferential surface of a yoke 3 to form a magnetic circuit along with the yoke 3 at an outer circumference of the armature 6.
In addition, on the supposition that a magnet material, for example, neodym of Sm Fe N is injected onto an inner circumferential surface of the yoke 3 to form the magnet 2 integrally with the yoke 3, an adhesive between the magnet 2 and the yoke 3 becomes unnecessary.
The yoke 3 consists of a first tubular yoke 4 and a second tubular yoke 5 that are made of STKM (carbon steel tube for machine structure). The first tubular yoke 4 is press-fitted into the second tubular yoke 5 in an axial direction until coming in contact with a convex portion 50a of the second tubular yoke 5.
Additionally, as described later, from the viewpoint of easier polarization, in the case of forming the magnet 2 integrally with the first tubular yoke 4 by the method of injection molding, it is preferable to polarize the magnet 2 before the first tubular yoke 4 is press-fitted into the second tubular yoke 5.
Further, a gate portion for the purpose of forming the magnet 2 by injection molding is formed at an end face of the magnet 2.
In this case, in view of accuracy in polarization, or low likelihood of deformation at the time of machining the first tubular yoke 4, a thickness of the first tubular yoke 4 is preferably not more than 3 mm, more preferably not more than 2 mm.
The second tubular yoke 5 is bent toward a shaft center direction of a shaft 7 at both ends thereof, thereby forming an integral structure of a bearing holder 12, an inlet housing 21, and an outlet housing 23.
Additionally, it is preferable that one end portion of the second tubular yoke 5 is bent toward a shaft center direction of the shaft 7.
In this case, either the bearing holder 12 or the housing consisting of the inlet housing 21 and the outlet housing 23 is press-fitted and fixed to the other end portion that has not been bent.
For example, the bearing holder 12 that is made of an insulating resin of which main component is poly-acetal houses a check-valve 13, a bearing 8 to journal the shaft 7, a brush 9 having conductive properties, a coil spring 10 pressing this brush 9 to the commutator 6a, a lead wire 11 for supplying a current outside of the fuel pump to the brush 9, and others.
Now, the pump section 20 is described. The inlet housing 21 is made of resin, houses a shaft stopper 28, and is provided with an inlet for sucking fuel within the fuel tank not shown.
The outlet housing 23 is made of resin, is provided with an outlet 24 for discharging fuel having been pressurized in a passage 27 to the side of the armature 6, and houses a bearing 25 journaling the shaft 7.
A D-shaped cut portion 7a, being an end portion of the shaft 7 of which cross section is formed in a D shape, is fitted into a D-shaped bore at a center portion of an impeller 26 that is molded of resin and provided with a plurality of blade grooves on an outer circumference.
A passage 27 is formed by concave grooves 21a, 23a of the inlet housing 21 and outlet housing 22, and a plurality of impeller grooves of the impeller 26.
Now, operation of the fuel pump is described.
When current is fed from a battery, not shown, to the armature 6 via a feed terminal (not shown), the lead wire 11, the brush 9 and a commutator 6a, the armature 6 rotates along with the impeller 26 using the shaft 7 as a rotary shaft.
Thus, fuel within a fuel tank, not shown, is induced from the inlet 22 and pressurized to be 300 Kpa to 500 Kpa in the passage 27, and thereafter passes through the outlet 24 and flows into a space within the motor section 10. This pressurized fuel cools the armature 6 when passing through between the armature 6 and the magnet 2 within the motor section 10, causes the check valve 13 to open, and is discharged from a discharge pipe 12a of the bearing holder 12. This pressurized fuel having been discharged is fed to an internal combustion engine (engine), not shown.
As described above, the yoke 3 consists of the first tubular yoke 4 having a smaller thickness and the second tubular yoke 5 having a larger thickness.
Accordingly, in the case of using a magnet 2 of rare earths having a large retentive power, first the magnet 2 of rare earths is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the first tubular yoke 4 by injection molding, and the magnet 2 is polarized in the state as it is. Thereafter, the first tubular yoke 4 provided with the magnet 2 on an inner surface can be fixed at a desired position of the second tubular yoke 5.
In the meantime, as compared with the conventional fuel pump employing a sintered magnet having a smaller retentive power than the magnet of rare earths, the fuel pump 2 using the magnet 2 of rare earths according to the first embodiment requires a yoke 3 having a larger thickness.
On the other hand, the fuel pump 1 needs to be provided with a pump section 20 in an axial direction, being different from a general dc motor. Further, a pressurized fuel passes through the fuel pump 1, so that it is necessary to keep the bearing holder 12, the inlet housing 21 and the outlet housing 23 fluid-tight (that is, so as to prevent fluid from leakage) with the second tubular yoke 5.
For this reason, as compared with a general dc motor, an axial length (overall length of an axial direction) of the second tubular yoke 5 becomes larger.
According to this first embodiment, since the yoke 3 consists of the first tubular yoke 4 and the second tubular yoke 5, a magnetic circuit can be changed only by, for example, varying a length of the first tubular yoke 4.
Thus, as compared with the case of a yoke having an integral structure as the conventional one, a higher degree of freedom is achieved in arrangement of a magnetic circuit.
Further, the first tubular yoke 4 is applicable to plural types of fuel pumps of which required specifications are different only by varying a length of the firs tubular yoke 4, so that it comes to be also possible to use the second tubular yoke 5 commonly with respect to plural types of fuel pumps.
Further, since the yoke 3 consists of two members of the first tubular yoke 4 and the second tubular yoke 5 having a larger axial length than the first tubular yoke 4, it is possible to make smaller a thickness of an end portion of the second tubular yoke 5 exerting less influence on a magnetic circuit.
Further, bending of the second tubular yoke 5 to a shaft center direction of the shaft 7 becomes easy by making smaller a thickness of an end portion of the second tubular yoke 5, and an easier assembling of the fuel pump 1 is achieved.
Furthermore, it is constructed such that the magnet 2 is fixed onto an inner circumference of the first tubular yoke 4, so that a position of the magnet 2 within the fuel pump 1 can be adjusted by changing a fixed position of the first tubular yoke 4 relative to the second tubular yoke 5.
Consequently, the magnet 2 can be fixed to a position convenient for product structure in the first tubular yoke 4.
Further, by making an axial length of the first tubular yoke 4 and the magnet 2 identical to make end face positions of an end of the first tubular yoke 4 and magnet 2 the same, it is possible to form a gate for injection molding in the proximity of an end portion of the first tubular yoke 4.
In this case, it becomes unnecessary to provide a hole of a gate for injection molding on a side face of the first tubular yoke 4, or to provide a gate for the injection molding from the inner circumferential side of the first tubular yoke 4, being different from the conventional art. In addition, gate processing comes to be easy.
Further, since the first tubular yoke 4 and second tubular yoke 5 acts as a magnetic circuit of a circumferential direction in cooperation, the scope of thickness selection of the first tubular yoke 4 and second tubular yoke 5 is expanded.
For example, it is possible to make the first tubular yoke 4 thinner by making the second tubular yoke 5 acting as a main magnetic circuit thicker.
In the case of using a rare earth magnet having a large coercive force that requires a large polarization as the magnet 2, a magnetic circuit of a large thickness corresponding to the coercive force thereof. However, thickness of the first tubular yoke 4 and second tubular yoke 5 can be selected within a wide range thereby enabling to meet easily.
That is, in the case of using a rare earth magnet having a large coercive force that requires a large polarization, it is possible to make the first tubular yoke 4 thinner, to polarize the magnet 2 having been injection-molded on the inside of this first tubular yoke 4, and thereafter to mount the first tubular yoke 4 on the second tubular yoke 5 functioning as a main magnetic circuit.
In consequence, it is possible to polarize the magnet 2 with a small-sized polarizing apparatus. In addition, an occupied volume of the first tubular yoke 4, which is unnecessary for polarization of the magnet 2, is small, so that it is possible to enhance accuracy in polarization.
Now, polarization of the magnet is described referring to
In the case of
On the other hand, in the case of
Accordingly, as compared with the case of
Further, on the supposition that a smaller coefficient of linear expansion is selected for the second tubular yoke 5 than for the first tubular yoke 4, the contact between the first tubular yoke 4 and the second tubular yoke 5 is kept even if the first tubular yoke 4 and second tubular yoke 5 expands due to an elevated temperature by the operation of a fuel pump or by the influence of service condition, resulting in low likelihood of division of a magnetic circuit.
In addition, although the first tubular yoke 4 is press-fitted into the second tubular yoke 5 to be fixed in the foregoing example,, it is also preferable for the first tubular yoke 4 to be shrinkage-fitted.
EMBODIMENT 2A second preferred embodiment of this invention is hereinafter described.
In the case shown in
A second tubular yoke 5a possesses the same construction as the first tubular yoke 5 described in the foregoing first embodiment, and the other constructions, not shown, are the same as that of the first embodiment, so that descriptions thereof are omitted herein (it is the same as in the embodiments described hereinafter).
In addition, in the case where the magnet 2a is polarized after it has been molded integrally with the fist tubular yoke 4a by injection molding, an axial length of the first tubular yoke 4a is short (that is, it is substantially the same axial length as the magnet 2a) as compared with the case of
Particularly, in the case of a fuel pump, as compared with a dc motor, a pump section 20 is required in an axial direction, and an axial direction of the second tubular yoke 5a becomes longer, so that function and advantage thereof are significant.
In the case shown in
Owing to such a construction, it is sufficient that the second tubular yoke 5b is located only in a region necessary for constituting a magnetic circuit, thereby enabling to make an overall contour of a fuel pump downsized.
Further, as compared with the case of
In the case of
Furthermore, in the same manner as in the prior art, the magnet 2b of which axial length is so short as is less than about half the first tubular yoke 4b is located substantially at the axially central portion of the first tubular yoke 4b.
In consequence, it is preferable from the viewpoint of efficiency in manufacturing that the magnet 2b is inserted in and fixed to the first tubular yoke 4b after having been molded, or that a through hole, not shown, is provided on a side face of the first tubular yoke 4b, and the magnet 2b is molded integrally with the first tubular yoke 4b on an inner circumference from the side face of the first tubular yoke 4b through this through hole, in the same manner as in the prior art.
EMBODIMENT 3A third preferred embodiment of this invention is hereinafter described. The third embodiment is modifications of the magnet and the first tubular yoke in a fuel pump described in the foregoing first and second embodiments. In these modifications, the magnet is molded integrally with the first tubular yoke by injection molding.
In the case of
In the case of
In the case of
A fourth preferred embodiment of this invention is hereinafter described. This fourth embodiment is a modification of preventing a magnet from rotation in the fuel pump described in the foregoing Embodiments 1 to 3.
In addition, although
The bearing holder 12f houses the brush 9 (see
Furthermore, the concave portion 72m in the case of
In addition, the reason why the concave portion 72m of the bearing holder 12m has a spring property is now described. The concave portion 72m of the bearing holder 12m consists of an inserted-portion (trapezoidal portion) of which opening, into which the concave portion 62m of the magnet 2m is inserted, is narrower than the convex portion 62m of the magnet 2m; a pair of protrusions extending on both sides of this inserted-portion; and slits provided between the foregoing protrusion and a side portion of the bearing holder 12m. Then, when the convex portion 62m of the magnet 2m is inserted into the concave portion 72m of the bearing holder 12m, the magnet 2m and the bearing holder 12m are positioned under the state that a pair of protrusions are elastically deformed to the slit side (i.e., in the sate of having an axial spring property) due to the fact that the opening of the inserted-portion is narrower than the concave portion 72m.
In the case of molding the magnet 2h or the magnet 2m by injection molding, when a gate portion having been made at the time of molding is used as a convex portion of the magnet 2h of
Industrial Applicability
The present invention is useful in putting into practice use a dc motor fuel pump having a high degree of freedom in arrangement of a magnetic circuit, and of which magnet can be easily polarized with a small-sized polarizing apparatus.
Claims
1. A dc motor fuel pump that pressurizes and outputs fuel at a pump section fixed to a yoke of a motor section accompanied by drive of a dc motor of mentioned motor section; the dc motor fuel pump being characterized in that said yoke comprises a first tubular yoke provided with a ring-shaped magnet of rare earths on an inner circumference and a second tubular yoke provided on an outer circumference of said first tubular yoke at a position conforming to said magnet.
2. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein said magnet is formed by injection molding, and a gate portion thereof is formed at an end face of said magnet.
3. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein said magnet is provided with a convex portion or a concave portion at an end face thereof, and said convex portion or concave portion engages with a concave portion or a convex portion of the other member fixed to said yoke.
4. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 3, wherein the convex portion of said magnet is a gate portion for the injection molding.
5. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein at least one end face of said first tubular yoke and said magnet is on the same plane.
6. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein an axial length of said first tubular yoke is substantially equal to an axial length of said magnet.
7. The dc motor fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein said magnet is formed by injection molding, and said first tubular yoke is 3 mm in thickness.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 9, 2003
Publication Date: Jun 2, 2005
Inventors: Seizo Inoue (Tokyo), Kei Yonemori (Tokyo), Hiroyuki Matsuzaki (Tokyo), Kazuyuki Yamamoto (Tokyo)
Application Number: 10/509,763