COOLING MODULE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0045201, filed Apr. 3, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following disclosure relates to a cooling module formed by assembling a water pump for circulating coolant in a cooling system of a vehicle into a reservoir tank.

BACKGROUND

A water pump is a device for circulating a coolant to an engine or a heater in order to cool the engine or heat an interior. Alternatively, the water pump is used in a thermal management system for cooling a battery or a drive motor of an electric vehicle, etc.

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional water pump.

Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional water pump largely includes a housing 10, a stator 20, a can 30, a rotor 40, a rotation axis 41, a lower bearing 42, an upper bearing 43, an impeller 50, and an upper casing 60.

More specifically, the stator 20 is provided inside a housing 10 in which a concave accommodation space is formed, a protrusion formed convexly downward of the can 30 is inserted so as to pass through a central portion of the stator 20, and an upper side of the can 30 is coupled to an upper end portion of the housing 10. In addition, a concave space is formed on the inside of the protrusion portion of the can 30, and the rotor 40 is disposed inside the space, and both end portions of the rotation axis 41 coupled to the rotor 40 are coupled to and supported by the lower bearing 42 and the upper bearing 43. In addition, the upper casing 60 is coupled to the upper side of the can 30, and the impeller 50 is provided in the internal space formed by the coupling of the can 30 and the upper casing 60, and the impeller 50 is configured to be coupled to the rotation axis 41 and rotate together with the rotor 40. Thus, the fluid introduced into the inlet pipe 61 formed in the upper casing 60 by the rotation of the impeller 50 may be pressurized through the impeller 50 and then discharged through an outlet pipe 62 formed in the upper casing 60. The stator 20 may be electrically connected to the connector 70.

The conventional water pump directly mounts the water pump on the reservoir tank to form a cooling module, thereby implementing the miniaturization and improving the efficiency of the system.

However, the conventional water pump includes the upper casing 60 that is coupled to the upper side of the can 30 and forms a space in which the impeller 50 is accommodated inside, and the cooling module is formed by coupling the water pump to the reservoir tank. In this case, parts adjacent to the upper casing of the water pump in the reservoir tank and the upper casing of the water pump are overlapping parts, and one of them has a substantially unnecessary part.

RELATED ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

• • KR 10-2015-0052436 A (2015.05.14.) “Water Pump”

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing a cooling module formed by assembling a water pump and a reservoir tank, in which a part corresponding to an upper casing of a conventional water pump is integrally formed with a reservoir tank, thereby saving unnecessary materials and implementing a compact configuration.

In one general aspect, a cooling module includes: a water pump including a motor housing that has a stator accommodated therein, and is formed with a rotor accommodation part formed concavely on one surface thereof and formed with a first channel groove formed concavely along a circumference on one surface thereof, an impeller that is disposed on one side of the motor housing, a rotor that is formed integrally with the impeller and rotatably provided inside the rotor accommodation part, and a shaft that is inserted through a through hole formed in a center of the rotor and the impeller, and has one end exposed to one side of the rotor and the other end coupled and fixed to the other side of the rotor accommodation part; and a reservoir tank including a main body in which coolant is stored, a pump mounting part that is formed corresponding to one side of the impeller and motor housing of the water pump and is concavely formed with a second channel groove corresponding to the first channel groove, a communication part that makes the main body and a cooling water inlet side of the impeller communicate with each other, and a pump coupling part that is coupled to the motor housing.

The water pump may further include a thrust member that is coupled to one end of the shaft to limit the impeller and rotor from moving to one side.

The main body, the pump mounting part, the communication part, and the pump coupling part of the reservoir tank may be integrally formed as a single member.

The communication part of the reservoir tank may be formed at a lower end of the main body.

The pump mounting part of the reservoir tank and a portion of the pump coupling part may be disposed below the lower end of the main body.

The pump coupling part of the reservoir tank may be formed to protrude from the main body and the pump mounting part, and one side of the motor housing of the water pump may be inserted into an inside of the pump coupling part.

A fastening part may be formed to protrude from an outer peripheral surface of the motor housing of the water pump, and a separate fastening member may penetrate through the fastening part of the water pump so that one end of the fastening member is coupled to the pump coupling part and the other end is hooked and coupled to the fastening part.

In another general aspect, a cooling module includes: a water pump including a motor housing that has a stator accommodated therein, and is formed with a rotor accommodation part formed concavely on one surface thereof and formed with a first channel groove formed concavely along a circumference on one surface thereof, an impeller that is disposed on one side of the motor housing, a rotor that is formed integrally with the impeller and rotatably provided inside the rotor accommodation part, and a shaft that is coupled to the rotor and has one end exposed to one side of the rotor and the other end rotatably coupled to the motor housing; a reservoir tank including a main body in which coolant is stored, a pump mounting part that is formed corresponding to one side of the impeller and motor housing of the water pump and is concavely formed with a second channel groove corresponding to the first channel groove, a communication part that makes the main body and a fluid inlet side of the impeller communicate with each other, and a pump coupling part that is coupled to the motor housing; and an insert member having one side inserted into and coupled to the communication part of the reservoir tank, the other side rotatably coupled to one end of the shaft, and formed with a communication channel that makes the main body of the reservoir tank and the fluid inlet side of the impeller communicate with each other.

The insert member may include: a body formed in a tubular shape and inserted into the communication part; a rotating support part having one end of the shaft rotatably coupled thereto; and a support connecting the body and the rotating support member.

An opening penetrating through an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface may be formed on one side of the body.

An outer peripheral surface of the body may be in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the communication part, and one end of the body may be in contact with one end of the communication part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional water pump.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and a front cross-sectional view illustrating a cooling module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are an exploded perspective view and a front cross-sectional view illustrating a cooling module according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an insert member of a cooling module according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a cooling module according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1

FIGS. 2 to 4 are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and a front cross-sectional view illustrating a cooling module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

As described above, a cooling module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure may include a water pump 1000 and a reservoir tank 600, and the water pump 1000 may be coupled to and communicate with a reservoir tank 600 in which coolant is stored.

The water pump 1000 is a coolant pump that may supply the coolant from the reservoir tank 600 and pump the coolant to a required location. The water pump 1000 may include a stator 100, a motor housing 300, an impeller 500, a rotor 400, and a shaft 410, and may further include a thrust member 420.

The stator 100 may have, for example, a shape in which a plurality of teeth are formed to protrude radially inward from an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical core and are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction, an insulator made of an electrically insulating material surrounds the core and teeth, and coils are wound on an outer side of the teeth surrounded by the insulator. In addition, the stator 100 may be formed in a form in which the central portion is hollow.

The motor housing 300 may be formed, for example, of a plastic material, and may be formed by insert molding in a form in which the stator 100 is buried inside the motor housing 300. A rotor accommodation part 310 may be formed concavely in a central portion of one surface of the motor housing 300, and a first seating groove 320 may be formed concavely on one surface of the motor housing 300. A first channel groove 330 may be formed concavely along a circumference on one surface of the motor housing 300. In addition, a connector for electrical connection with the stator 100 may be formed on the other surface of the motor housing 300.

The impeller 500 is disposed to be spaced apart from one side of the motor housing 300, and the impeller 500 serves to pump fluid by rotation. The impeller 500 may be formed integrally with the rotor 400. A central portion of one side of the impeller 500 may be provided with an inlet side where coolant flows in, and a radially outer side may be an outlet side where coolant is discharged. A radially outer end of the impeller 500 may be disposed adjacent to a first channel groove 330 of the motor housing 300, and the first channel groove 330 may be disposed outside the radially outer end of the impeller 500.

The rotor 400 is inserted into an inner space of the rotor accommodation part 310, and an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 400 is disposed to be spaced apart from an inner peripheral surface of the rotor accommodation part 310 so that the rotor 400 may rotate smoothly. A through hole that penetrates through one side and the other side may be formed in the center of the rotor 400 and the impeller 500.

The shaft 410 is inserted by penetrating through the through hole formed in the center of the rotor 400 and the impeller 500, and one end of the shaft 410 is exposed to one side of the rotor 400 and the other end of the shaft 410 may be coupled and fixed to the other side of the rotor accommodation part 310. For example, the shaft 410 may be integrally formed with the motor housing 300 by insert molding. Therefore, the other end of the shaft 410 may be fixed to the rotor accommodation part 310, and one end thereof may be a free end. In addition, a bushing is inserted into and coupled to the through hole of the rotor 400, and the shaft 410 is inserted into the bushing of the rotor 400 so that the rotor 400 may smoothly rotate around the shaft 410. In addition, a thrust member 420 may be coupled to one end of the shaft 410, and the impeller 500 may be supported by the thrust member 420 in one side direction. Therefore, the impeller 500 and the rotor 400 may be restricted from moving to one side by the thrust member 420. For example, the thrust member 420 may include a washer and a bolt.

The reservoir tank 600 serves to store coolant and supply the coolant to the water pump 1000. The reservoir tank 600 may include a main body 610, a pump mounting part 620, a communication part 630, and a pump coupling part 640. For example, the main body 610, the pump mounting part 620, the communication part 630, and the pump coupling part 640 may be integrally formed as a single integral member by injection molding using a plastic material.

The main body 610 may be formed in the form of a hollow container so that coolant may be stored inside, and a pressure cap 611 is coupled to an upper surface of the main body 610 so that the pressure inside the main body 610 may be controlled by the pressure cap 611. An inlet pipe 612 through which coolant is introduced from a radiator and a direction change valve, etc., may be formed on a side surface of the main body 610.

The pump mounting part 620 is formed in a form corresponding to one side of the impeller 500 and the motor housing 300, and a portion of the impeller 500 may be accommodated in the pump mounting part 620. A second seating groove 622 into which a portion of the impeller 500 is inserted may be concavely formed in the pump mounting part 620, and a second channel groove 623 may be concavely formed in the pump mounting part 620 in a shape corresponding to the first channel groove 330 of the water pump 1000. Here, an outlet pipe through which coolant is discharged may be formed in the pump mounting part 620, and a discharge channel formed by the first channel groove 330 and the second channel groove 623 may communicate with the outlet pipe.

The communication part 630 may be formed at a lower end of the main body 610, and the communication part 630 is a part that connects the inside of the main body 610 and a coolant inlet side of the impeller 500 to communicate with each other.

The pump coupling part 640 may be formed to protrude from the main body 610 and the pump mounting part 620, and one side of the motor housing 300 may be inserted into and coupled to the inside of the pump coupling part 640. Here, a groove may be formed concavely along a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of one side of the motor housing 300, an O-ring may be inserted into this groove, and the O-ring may be pressed by the pump coupling part 640 so that the space between the pump coupling part 640 and the motor housing 300 may be sealed. For example, a fastening part 301 is formed to protrude on the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 300, and a bolt, which is a separate fastening member 302, penetrates through the fastening part 301 so that one end of the fastening member 302 is screwed to the pump coupling part 640 and the other end of the fastening member 302 is hooked and coupled to the fastening part 301.

According to the cooling module of the present disclosure, there is no unnecessary overlapping part in the adjacent parts of the reservoir tank and the water pump, it is possible to save the materials and implement the compact configuration.

In addition, a portion of the pump mounting part 620 of the reservoir tank 600 and the pump coupling part 640 may be disposed below a lower end of the main body 610. That is, as illustrated, the pump mounting part 620 and the pump coupling part 640 of the reservoir 600 may be formed in a structure that is coupled in the left and right lateral directions of the main body 610. In this structure, when the communication part 630 is formed at the lower end of the main body 610, a portion of the pump mounting part 620 and the pump coupling part 640 is disposed below the lower end of the main body 610. That is, a portion of the pump mounting part 620 and the pump coupling part 640 may be disposed to be spaced apart from the main body 610 without being adjacent the main body 610. Therefore, the water pump 1000 may be firmly coupled and fixed to the reservoir tank 600 even while deleting some parts.

Embodiment 2

FIGS. 5 and 6 are exploded perspective views and front cross-sectional views illustrating a cooling module according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an insert member of the cooling module according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated, the cooling module according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure may include a water pump 1000, an insert member 700, and a reservoir tank 600. The water pump 1000 may be coupled to and communicate with the reservoir tank 600 in which coolant is stored. One side of the insert member 700 may be coupled to the reservoir tank 600 and the other side may be coupled to the water pump 1000.

The water pump 1000 may include a stator 100, a motor housing 300, an impeller 500, a rotor 400, and a shaft 410.

The stator 100 and the motor housing 300 may be formed in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

The impeller 500 serves to pump a fluid by rotation. The impeller 500 is disposed to be spaced apart from one side of the motor housing 300, and the impeller 500 may be formed integrally with the rotor. A central portion of one side of the impeller 500 may be provided with an inlet side where coolant flows in, and a radially outer side thereof may be an outlet side where coolant is discharged. In addition, a radially outer end of the impeller 500 may be disposed adjacent to a first channel groove 330 of the motor housing 300, and the first channel groove 330 may be disposed outside the radially outer end of the impeller 500.

The rotor 400 is inserted into an inner space of the rotor accommodation part 310, and an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 400 is disposed to be spaced apart from an inner peripheral surface of the rotor accommodation part 310.

The shaft 410 is coupled to the rotor 400 and the impeller 500 by penetrating through the center of the rotor 400 and the impeller 500, and the shaft 410 may be formed integrally with the rotor 400 and the impeller 500. One end of the shaft 410 is exposed to the inlet side of the impeller 500 by penetrating through the rotor 400, and the other end of the shaft 410 may be rotatably coupled to the first support part 311 of the motor housing 300. In addition, a bushing and a ball are coupled to the first support part 311, and the other end of the shaft 410 may be supported radially by the bushing and supported axially by the ball.

The reservoir tank 600 is different from the first embodiment only in the inner shape of the communication part 630, and the remaining parts except for the communication part 630 may be formed in the same manner as the first embodiment. The communication part 630 may be formed with a larger inner diameter than the first embodiment so that the insert member 700 may be inserted.

One side of the insert member 700 may be inserted into and coupled to the communication part 630 of the reservoir tank 600, and the other side of the insert member 700 may be rotatably coupled to one end of the shaft 410. In addition, a communication channel may be formed in the insert member 700 so that coolant may pass from the reservoir tank 600 to the inlet side of the impeller 500. For example, the insert member 700 may include a body 710, a second support part 720, and a plurality of supports 730. The body 710 may be formed in a tubular shape, and the body 710 may be inserted into and coupled to the communication part 630. The second support part 720 may be formed in a cup shape, and a bushing and a thrust pin may be coupled to the inside, and one end of the shaft 410 may be supported radially by the bushing and axially by the thrust pin. In addition, the impeller 500 may have a concave groove formed in the central portion, and the second support part 720 may be inserted into the groove. The plurality of supports 730 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction, and one end of the plurality of supports 730 may be connected to the body 710 and the other end may be connected to the second support part 720. The coolant may pass through between the plurality of supports 730.

According to the cooling module of the second embodiment of the present disclosure, since there is no unnecessary overlapping part in the adjacent parts of the reservoir tank and the water pump, it is possible to save the materials and implement the compact configuration. In addition, since both ends of the rotating shaft may be firmly supported, it is possible to improve the stability and durability.

In addition, an opening 711 penetrating through the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface may be formed in the body 710 of the insert member 700. For example, the opening 711 may be formed in a concave groove shape from one end of the body 710 to the other end. The outer peripheral surface of the body 710 may be fitted into the inner side of the communication part 630 to come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the communication part 630, and one end of the body 710 may be inserted to a position where it touches one end of the communication part 630. Therefore, a gap between the other end of the second support part 720 and the rotor 400 may be accurately aligned, and the inside of the reservoir tank 600 and the inlet side of the impeller 500 may easily communicate with each other by the opening 711. In addition, the opening 711 may be formed in plurality, and the plurality of openings 711 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the insert member 700 may be assembled to the communication part 630 regardless of the position in which the insert member 700 rotates in the circumferential direction, and the inside of the reservoir tank 600 and the inlet side of the impeller 500 may easily communicate with each other.

According to the cooling module of the present disclosure, since there is no unnecessary overlapping part in the adjacent parts of the reservoir tank and the water pump, it is possible to save the materials and implement the compact configuration.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be applied to various fields. In addition, the present disclosure may be variously modified by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure claimed in the claims.