Oil pump system for an engine

• US 8,801,396 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Sundquist, Walter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US13/153,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20110297259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 137/538, 137/516.27, 123/196.R, 417/307, 417/310
• US Class Current: 417/310
• 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: Y10T 137/7867 Sequential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7925 Piston-type valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86002 Fluid pressure responsive

Abstract

An oil pump system can include a housing defining a pocket for an oil pump, a cavity, and a pump outlet passage connecting the pocket to the cavity. Low and high pressure relief passages can be defined by the housing for selectively fluidly coupling the cavity to a pressure relief area. A pressure relief valve positioned in the cavity can comprise first and second ends, first and second internal bores, and a slot in communication with the first internal bore. A biasing member positioned in the second internal bore can biasing the valve to a first position. The valve can translate to a second position aligning the slot with the low pressure relief passage to selectively provide low pressure relief to the oil pump, and can translate to a third position aligning the slot with the high pressure relief passage to selectively provide high pressure relief to the oil pump.

Claims

1. An oil pump system for an engine, comprising:

an oil pump housing defining a pocket configured to receive an oil pump therein, a cavity, and an oil pump outlet passage connecting the pocket to a first end of the cavity;

a low pressure relief passage defined by the pump housing for selectively fluidly coupling the cavity to a pressure relief area defined by the pump housing and adapted to be in fluid communication with an oil sump;

a high pressure relief passage defined by the pump housing for selectively fluidly coupling the cavity to the pressure relief area;

a pressure relief valve positioned in the cavity and comprising a body having a first end, a second opposite end, a first internal bore extending from the valve first end, a second internal bore extending from the valve second end, and at least one slot positioned in the body in communication with the first internal bore; and

a biasing member positioned in the second internal bore and biasing the pressure relief valve to a first position;

wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to overcome a biasing force of the biasing member and translate to a second position aligning the at least one slot with the low pressure relief passage to selectively provide low pressure relief to the oil pump in response to pressurized oil from the pump outlet passage flowing into the first internal bore being greater than a first predetermined pressure value, and to further translate to a third position aligning the at least one slot with the high pressure relief passage to selectively provide high pressure relief to the oil pump in response to pressurized oil from the pump outlet passage being greater than a second predetermined pressure value.

2. The oil pump system of claim 1, wherein the pressure relief valve comprises an internal wall member separating the first and second internal bores from each other, the pressurized oil exerting a force against the internal wall member.

3. The oil pump system of claim 2, wherein the biasing member is positioned in the second internal bore in engagement with the internal wall member and a second end of the cavity.

4. The oil pump system of claim 3, further comprising a plug member threadably received in the second end of the cavity, the spring being in engagement with the plug member.

5. The oil pump system of claim 2, wherein the pressure relief valve comprises an annular member.

6. The oil pump system of claim 2, wherein the at least one slot includes a plurality of slots, each slot having at least one axially extending arcuate shaped sidewall, the arcuate shaped sidewalls configured to provide a staged alignment between the slots and the respective low and high pressure relief passages.

7. The oil pump system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of slots are positioned in the body axially between the internal wall member and the first end of the pressure relief valve.

8. The oil pump system of claim 2, wherein the low pressure relief passage includes an annular groove formed in the cavity.

9. The oil pump system of claim 2, wherein the low pressure relief passage is positioned a first axial distance from the first end of the cavity and the high pressure relief passage is positioned a second axial distance from the first end of the cavity, the second axial distance being greater than the first axial distance.

10. The oil pump system of claim 9, wherein when the pressure relief valve is in the second position, the high pressure relief passage is blocked by the body, and wherein when the pressure relief valve is in the third position, the low pressure relief passage is blocked by the body.

11. The oil pump system of claim 10, further comprising the pressure relief valve being configured to translate to a fourth position selectively allowing fluid communication between the cavity and the high and low pressure relief passages, the pressure relief valve being sized and shaped such that in the fourth position the at least one slot is aligned with the high pressure relief passage and the first end of the pressure relief valve is positioned axially beyond the low pressure relief passage.

12. The oil pump system of claim 1, wherein the oil pump comprises a fixed displacement oil pump, and wherein the oil pump housing includes only a single oil pump outlet passage.

13. The oil pump system of claim 1, wherein the high pressure relief passage is a separate passage from the low pressure relief passage.

14. The oil pump system of claim 1, wherein the first internal bore faces the first end of the cavity and is in fluid communication with the oil pump outlet passage, and wherein the first end of the pressure relief valve is biased into engagement with the first end of the cavity when in the first position.

15. An oil pump system for an engine, comprising:

a fixed displacement oil pump;

an oil pump housing defining a pocket configured to receive the fixed displacement oil pump therein, a cavity in fluid communication with the pocket, and an oil pump outlet passage connecting the pocket to a first end of the cavity;

a low pressure relief passage defined by the pump housing for selectively fluidly coupling the cavity to a pressure relief area defined by the pump housing and adapted to be in fluid communication with an oil sump of the engine;

a high pressure relief passage defined by the pump housing for selectively fluidly coupling the cavity to the pressure relief area, the high pressure relief passage being separate from the low pressure relief passage;

an annular pressure relief valve positioned in the cavity and comprising a body having a first end, a second opposite end, a first internal bore extending from the valve first end, a second internal bore extending from the valve second end, and at least one slot extending through the body and in communication with the first internal bore, the first internal bore facing the first end of the cavity and being separated from the second internal bore by an internal wall member, the at least one slot including an arcuate shaped sidewall extending in an axial direction toward the internal wall member; and

a biasing member positioned in the second internal bore and biasing the pressure relief valve to a first position where the pressure relief valve engages the first end of the cavity;

wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to overcome a biasing force of the biasing member and translate to a second position aligning the at least one slot with the low pressure relief passage to selectively provide low pressure relief to the oil pump in response to pressurized oil from the pump outlet passage that flows into the first internal bore and into engagement with the internal wall member being greater than a first predetermined pressure value, and to further translate to a third position aligning the at least one slot with the high pressure relief passage to selectively provide high pressure relief to the oil pump in response to pressurized oil from the pump outlet passage being greater than a second predetermined pressure value, the second predetermined pressure value being greater than the first predetermined pressure value.

16. The oil pump system of claim 15, further comprising a plug member positioned in a second opposite end of the cavity, the biasing member positioned in the second internal bore in engagement with the internal wall member and the plug member.

17. The oil pump system of claim 15, wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of separate slots circumferentially spaced around the body and in communication with the first internal bore, each slot being positioned axially between the internal wall member and the valve first end and including the arcuate shaped sidewall configured to provide a staged alignment between the slots and the respective low and high pressure relief passages.

18. The oil pump system of claim 15, further comprising the pressure relief valve being configured to translate to a fourth position selectively allowing fluid communication between the cavity and the high and low pressure relief passages, the pressure relief valve being sized and shaped such that in the fourth position the at least one slot is aligned with the high pressure relief passage and the first end of the pressure relief valve is positioned axially beyond the low pressure relief passage;

and

wherein when the pressure relief valve is in the second position, the high pressure relief passage is blocked by the body, and wherein when the pressure relief valve is in the third position, the low pressure relief passage is blocked by the body.

19. The oil pump system of claim 15, wherein the low pressure relief passage includes an annular groove formed in a wall of the cavity, and wherein the pump outlet passage includes only a single pump outlet passage.