Hydraulic pump with variable flow and variable pressure and electric control

• US 7,726,948 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SLW Automotive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SLW Automotive, Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Douglas G., Jannausch, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; Devon C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bobish; Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/287,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 417/212, 417/220, 417/219, 417/213, 418/31, 418/30, 418/26
• US Class Current: 417/213
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/16 Controlling lubricant pressure or quantity rendering machines or engines inoperative or idling on lubricant pressure failure F01M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 14/00 Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, machines, pumps or pumping installations of pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids F04C28/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 14/22 by changing the eccentricity between cooperating members
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 14/223 using a movable cam
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2/3442 the surfaces of the inner and outer member, forming the working space, being surfaces of revolution
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2210/14 Lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/01 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/052 angular
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/18 Pressure

Abstract

A pump system including a control system for controlling a variable flow pump for controlling oil flow and oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit in an engine. The system includes a pump member, an actuating member capable of controlling the flow generated by the pump member, and a solenoid valve system including a solenoid valve portion and a pressure regulator valve portion. The solenoid valve system is operably associated with the pump and the pressure regulator valve portion is operably associated with the actuating member for selectively controlling the flow generated by the pump member. An electronic control unit is operably associated with the solenoid valve portion, wherein the electronic control unit is selectively operable to provide an input control signal to the solenoid valve portion for controlling oil flow and oil pressure.

Claims

1. A pump system including a control system for controlling a variable flow pump for controlling oil flow and oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit in an engine, comprising:

a pump member;

an eccentric ring disposed in a housing, said eccentric ring capable of controlling the flow generated by the pump member;

a decrease chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, said decrease chamber in continuous fluid communication with the discharge of said pump member and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said decrease chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said decrease chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will decrease;

a channel extending through said pump system, said channel operable for placing said discharge of said pump member in continuous fluid communication with said decrease chamber;

an increase chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said increase chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said increase chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will increase;

a pressure regulator valve stage in fluid communication with said increase chamber and providing a reference pressure to said increase chamber that acts against the pressure in said decrease chamber to determine the position of said eccentric ring; and

a solenoid valve stage for hydraulically actuating said pressure regulator valve stage.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit operably associated with the solenoid valve stage portion, wherein the electronic control unit is selectively operable to provide an input control signal to the solenoid valve stage portion for controlling oil flow and oil pressure.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit is operably associated with and monitors the pressure in a portion of the hydraulic circuit, wherein the electronic control unit generates an input signal to the solenoid valve stage portion in response to pressure conditions in the portion of the hydraulic circuit for controlling flow generated by the pump member.

4. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit monitors engine conditions selected from the group consisting of engine speed, engine temperature, engine load, and combinations thereof, and selectively adjusts oil pressure based thereon.

5. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the pressure regulator valve stage is operable to regulate a supply pressure down to a control pressure in response to the current supplied to the solenoid valve stage portion.

6. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the pump member is a vane pump and the eccentric ring is part of the vane pump, wherein the vane pump and the eccentric ring operate to control the flow of oil to the engine.

7. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a first biasable member operably associated with the eccentric ring, wherein the first biasable member is selectively operable to cause the eccentric ring to control the flow generated by the pump member.

8. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulator valve stage portion comprises a flow control spool valve, wherein the flow control spool valve is operably associated with the solenoid valve stage portion, wherein the flow control spool valve is operable to control flow to the eccentric ring.

9. The invention according to claim 8, further comprising a second biasable member operably associated with a first end of the flow control spool valve, wherein the second biasable member maintains pressure on the flow control spool valve during regular operation, and provides return pressure on the flow control spool valve in the presence of low supply pressure conditions.

10. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the oil pressure is controlled at a plurality of locations in the hydraulic circuit by applying the oil pressure to the eccentric ring.

11. The invention according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of locations is selected from the group consisting of a point within the pump, a point of the pump discharge to the engine, a point within the engine main oil gallery, and combinations thereof.

12. The invention according to claim 1, wherein oil pressure can be supplied to the pressure regulator stage from a plurality of locations in the hydraulic circuit.

13. The invention according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of locations is selected from the group consisting of a point within the pump, a point of the pump discharge to the engine, a point within the engine main oil gallery, and combinations thereof.

14. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve portion can be selectively actuated by a technique selected from the group consisting of electrical actuation, hydraulic pressure actuation, and combinations thereof.

15. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve stage comprises a variable force solenoid.

16. A pump system including a control system for controlling a variable flow pump for controlling oil flow and oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit in an engine, comprising:

a pump member;

an eccentric ring disposed in a housing, said eccentric ring capable of controlling the flow generated by the pump member;

a decrease chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, said decrease chamber in continuous fluid communication with the discharge of said pump member and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said decrease chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said decrease chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will decrease;

a channel extending through said pump system, said channel operable for placing said discharge of said pump member in continuous fluid communication with said decrease chamber for providing pressurized fluid to said decrease chamber;

an increase chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said increase chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said increase chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will increase;

a solenoid valve system including a solenoid valve stage portion and a pressure regulator valve stage portion, said pressure regulator valve stage portion in fluid communication with said increase chamber, and said pressure regulator valve stage portion in fluid communication with the discharge of said pump member;

a port for providing fluid communication between said solenoid valve stage portion and said pressure regulator valve stage portion;

wherein the solenoid valve system is operably associated with the pump member;

wherein the pressure regulator valve stage portion is operably associated with the eccentric ring for selectively controlling the flow generated by the pump member by providing a reference pressure to said increase chamber that acts against the pressure in said decrease chamber to determine the position of said eccentric ring; and

an electronic control unit operably associated with the solenoid valve stage portion, wherein the electronic control unit is selectively operable to provide an input control signal to the solenoid valve stage portion for controlling oil flow and oil pressure and said solenoid valve stage portion is operable for at least partially controlling the amount of fluid flow through said port.

17. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the electronic control unit is operably associated with and monitors the pressure in a portion of the hydraulic circuit, wherein the electronic control unit generates an input signal to the solenoid valve stage portion in response to pressure conditions in the portion of the hydraulic circuit for controlling flow generated by the pump member.

18. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the solenoid valve system is operable to regulate a supply pressure down to a control pressure in response to the current supplied to the solenoid valve portion.

19. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the oil pressure is controlled at a plurality of locations in the hydraulic circuit by applying the oil pressure to the eccentric ring and wherein the oil pressure is supplied to the solenoid valve system from a plurality of locations in the hydraulic circuit.

20. A pump system including a control system for controlling a variable flow pump for controlling oil flow and oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit in an engine, comprising:

a pump member;

an eccentric ring disposed in a housing, said eccentric ring capable of controlling the flow generated by the pump member;

wherein the pump member is a vane pump and the eccentric ring is at least part of the vane pump, wherein the vane pump and the eccentric ring operate to control the flow of oil to the main oil gallery of the engine;

a decrease chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, said decrease chamber in continuous fluid communication with the discharge of said pump member and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said decrease chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said decrease chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will decrease;

a channel extending through said pump system, said channel operable for placing said discharge of said pump member in continuous fluid communication with said decrease chamber for providing pressurized fluid to said decrease chamber;

an increase chamber formed in said pump system by said eccentric ring and said housing, and operably associated with said eccentric ring such that as the amount of fluid in said increase chamber increases and the amount of pressure in said increase chamber increases, said eccentric ring moves in said housing, and the displacement of said pump system will increase;

a solenoid valve system including a solenoid valve stage portion and a pressure regulator valve stage portion, said pressure regulator valve stage portion in fluid communication with said increase chamber, and said pressure regulator valve stage portion in fluid communication with the discharge of said pump member;

a port for providing fluid communication between said solenoid valve stage portion and said pressure regulator valve stage portion;

wherein the solenoid valve system is operably associated with the pump member;

wherein the pressure regulator valve stage portion is operably associated with the eccentric ring for selectively controlling the flow generated by the pump member by providing a reference pressure to said increase chamber that acts against the pressure in said decrease chamber to determine the position of said eccentric ring; and

an electronic control unit operably associated with the solenoid valve portion, wherein the electronic control unit is selectively operable to provide an input control signal to the solenoid valve portion for controlling oil flow and oil pressure, and said solenoid valve stage portion is operable for at least partially controlling the amount of fluid flow through said port.