Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps – Including means for handling working fluid leakage – Leakage through seal between runner or shaft and static part
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-25
2003-10-28
Verdier, Christopher (Department: 3745)
Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps
Including means for handling working fluid leakage
Leakage through seal between runner or shaft and static part
C415S230000, C415S231000, C123S041440, C417S364000, C417S423110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06638015
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 with respect to a Japanese Patent Application 2001-084511, filed on Mar. 23, 2001, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a water pump apparatus, and more particularly to a water pump apparatus which is used in a cooling system for vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional water pump apparatus of this kind is disclosed in, for example, Japanese examined utility model publication No. 6(1994)-23760. As shown in
FIG. 7
, this water pump apparatus includes a body (a housing)
4
which is fixed to an engine block
3
via a gasket
2
and which has a central bore
5
and a pump chamber
6
. A rotational shaft
8
having one end to which a pulley
7
is fixed is rotatably supported in the central bore
5
via a bearing
9
. The pulley
7
is connected with a crank pulley (not shown) via a belt (not shown) and is rotated by the rotational force of a crank shaft (not shown). An impeller
10
is fixed to the other end of the rotational shaft
8
so that the impeller
10
is rotatably disposed in the pump chamber
6
. The engine block
3
to which the body
4
is fluid-tight fixed is provided with a concave portion
11
which has an outer shape corresponding the pump chamber
6
. The pump chamber
6
ensures a necessary volume in cooperation with the concave portion
11
.
A mechanical seal
12
is disposed between the rotational shaft
8
and the body
4
for ensuring a liquid-tightness between the central bore
5
and the pump chamber
6
. A water inlet
13
which is coaxially located at the rotational shaft
8
is provided with the engine block
3
and is opened into the concave portion
11
. A water outlet
14
which is located at outer side of the impeller
10
in the radial direction is provided with the engine block
3
and is opened into the concave portion
11
. Thus, when the rotational shaft
8
and the impeller
10
are rotated by the pulley
7
, the water is sucked from the water inlet
13
to the pump chamber
6
and is discharged from the pump chamber
6
to the water outlet
14
by a centrifugal force.
The water which is leaked from the pump chamber
6
into the central bore
5
via the mechanical seal
12
flows into a drain pocket, namely a collection chamber portion
15
formed on the body
4
via a drain passage
16
. The collection chamber portion
15
is opened in the opposite direction with respect to the engine block
3
and the opening of the collection chamber portion
15
is closed by a cap
17
which, is fixed to the body
4
. A drain port
19
which is located in the upper side of the collection chamber portion
15
and which communicates between the collection chamber portion
15
and the atmosphere is formed on the body
4
. Thus, when the collection chamber portion
15
is filled with the water leaked via the mechanical seal
12
, the water is discharged from the collection chamber portion
15
via the drain port
19
. In
FIG. 7
, a numeral
18
is a vapor outlet.
In the above mentioned prior water pump, since it is necessary to fix the cap
17
to the body
4
in a fluid-tight manner by, for example, press fitting and so on, the number of parts is increased and the precise processing is required for forming the opening of the collection chamber portion
15
and the cap
17
. As a result, an increase in manufacturing cost cannot be avoided.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved water pump apparatus which overcomes the above drawback.
In order to achieve this objective, according to the present invention, an improved water pump apparatus is provided which includes a body adapted so as to fix to a mounting surface of an engine and having a bore, a rotational shaft rotatably supported on the body via a bearing, an impeller fixed to the shaft and located in a pump chamber for forcibly supplying water from a water inlet to a water outlet, a seal member for sealing between the pump chamber and the bore of the body, and a collection chamber portion provided on at least one of the body or the engine so as to communicate with the bore between the bearing and the seal member via a drain passage and for collecting water leaked via the seal member, wherein the collection chamber portion is opened toward the mounting surface of the engine and an opening of the collection chamber portion is fluid-tightly closed by fixing the body to the engine.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5216984 (1993-06-01), Shimano et al.
patent: 6062812 (2000-05-01), Ozawa
patent: 39 31 938 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 41 28 286 (1991-08-01), None
patent: 43 18 158 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 0 473 359 (1991-08-01), None
patent: 6-23760 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 5-39718 (1993-02-01), None
Official letter from the German Patent Office dated Jan. 16, 2003 in a corresponding German Patent application along with an English Translation.
Chujo Masaki
Ozawa Yasuo
Ozeki Takao
Yamamoto Junya
Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
Verdier Christopher
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