Plural Hydraulic Pump System With Automatic Displacement Control and Pressure Relief Valve

This invention relates to hydraulic pumps and more particularly it relates to pump systems capable of both high volume, low pressure operation and low volume, high pressure operation. It is especially useful to provide pressurized fluid to power an hydraulically energized booster for the hydraulic braking system of a vehicle.

There are certain hydraulic systems which require high volume flow at low pressure as well as low volume flow at high pressure. Such a requirement occurs, for example, in a system in which a piston moves freely until it encounters a load reaction member which imposes a relatively high resistance to further motion of the piston. In such an arrangement, it is desired to have a pump system which delivers high volume flow at low pressure to provide for free travel of the piston over a relatively large range and then delivers low volume flow at high pressure for piston displacement over a small range of travel. This would allow high speed motion during the free travel and the exertion of a relatively large force over a small range of travel and at a standstill.

Hydraulic brakes on automotive vehicles are commonly provided with means to assist the driver in the application of the brakes. Such brake systems, known as "power brakes", conventionally include a servo motor called a "booster" for augmenting the force applied by the driver to the piston of the master cylinder. It has been a common practice to utilize a vacuum powered booster on vehicles having spark ignited engines because of the availability of intake manifold vacuum for energizing the booster. However, on many present day vehicles it is desired to use an hydraulic booster with an electrically energized hydraulic pump. Such is the case with diesel engine vehicles which have no convenient vacuum source. It is also desired to have an electrically powered booster for other reasons such as having booster operation with the engine off.

In an hydraulic brake system, the flow requirement during the initial brake pedal travel is different from that during the final pedal travel. The system requires a high volume, low pressure flow during the free travel of the movable brake members and then when the brake members, e.g. brake pad and disc are engaged, the system requires high pressure, low volume flow to exert the braking effort.

In the prior art, it is known to use a motor driven hydraulic booster pump with the motor being energized from the vehicle battery. In one such arrangement, hydraulic fluid under pressure from the pump is stored in an accumulator. The pump is turned on and off in response to accumulator pressure in order to meet the flow requirements of the brake system. This is disadvantageous in that it requires both the accumulator and switch which are expensive components. Also, a high power motor is required to provide sufficient fluid for the situation when the driver pumps the brake pedal. Also, accumulators are not always reliable and they gradually lose pressurization gas thus requiring replacement after a number of years. Also, the accumulator must be charged at all times when the vehicle is in operation with the consequence that the motor is turned on at times not necessarily coincident with the application of the brakes resulting in an on/off cycle which is distracting to the driver. It is also known in the prior art to maintain a continuous flow of fluid from the pump, which is energized from the vehicle engine or an electric motor, and to impose restriction on the flow to obtain the pressure required to actuate the booster.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic pump system capable of high volume, low pressure and low volume, high pressure operation, and which overcomes certain disadvantages of the prior art.

This invention provides a pump system which is adapted for operation with high efficiency in either a high volume low pressure mode or a low volume high pressure mode. This is accomplished by a combination of a first pump and an additional pump which are driven concurrently. An unloading valve is operative to dump the output of the additional pump in response to fluid pressure so that it delivers fluid to the load device when the pressure is below a first predetermined value and not when it is above the predetermined value. At a second predetermined pressure the unloading valve functions as a relief valve for the output of the pump system.

A more complete understanding of this invention may be obtained from the detailed description that follows taken with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the pump system of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view showing the pump system of this invention as it is embodied in an hydraulic brake system of a motor vehicle;

FIG. 3 shows a hydraulic brake booster;

FIG. 4 shows the construction of the pump system of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a view taken of lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on lines 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a schematic of a motor control circuit.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention in a plural pump system with each pump having a different displacement capacity. A particular illustrative embodiment is shown in an hydraulic booster pump system for use in the brake system of a motor vehicle. It will be appreciated, as the description proceeds, that the invention is useful in other hydraulic systems which require both high volume at low pressure and low volume at high pressure.

The invention will be described first with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. 1. In the system of FIG. 1, the pump system 10 of this invention is adapted to receive hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 12 and supply pressurized fluid to a hydraulic load device 14. The load device 14 may be any of the wide variety of hydraulic devices which is required to be energized with both high volume fluid flow at low pressure and with relatively low volume flow at high pressure.

The pump system 10 comprises a set of three pumps 16, 18 and 20. The pump 16 has a relatively high volume displacement, pump 18 has an intermediate volume displacement and the pump 20 has a relatively low volume displacement. Each of the pumps is a rotary, positive displacement pump. All of the pumps are driven from a single motor 22 by a drive shaft 24, which is preferably common to all of the pumps.

Pump 16 has an inlet 26 connected with the reservoir 12 and an outlet 28 which communicates with the load device 14 through a passage or conduit 32, a check valve 34 and a common discharge passage 46. An unloading valve 38 is disposed between the passage 32 and a return passage 42 which communicates with the reservoir 12. The unloading valve 38 obstructs flow from the outlet 28 to the return passage 42 when the valve is closed. The valve 38 is biased toward its closed position by a spring 44 and it is urged toward its open position by fluid pressure in the common discharge passage 46. When the pressure in the common discharge passage 46 reaches a predetermined value, the unloading valve 38 is opened and the outlet of the pump 16 is dumped through the passage 42 to the reservoir and the pump operates in an idle condition. In this condition, the deck valve 34 prevents back flow from the common discharge passage 46 to the outlet 28 of pump 16.

Pump 18, which has a smaller displacement than pump 16, has an inlet 52 connected with the reservoir 12 and it has an outlet 54 which communicates through a passage or conduit 56 and a check valve 58 and the common discharge passage 46 with the load device 14. An unloading valve 62, in its closed position, obstructs fluid flow from the outlet 54 to the return passage 42 which communicates with the reservoir 12. The unloading valve 62 is biased toward its closed position by a spring 64. it is urged toward its open position by fluid pressure from the common discharge passage 46. When the pressure in the passage 46 reaches a predetermined value, which is higher than the pressure value at which valve 38 opens, the unloading valve 62 is opened and the outlet of the pump 18 is dumped through the return passage 42 to the reservoir and the pump operates in an idle condition. When the pressure in passage 46 reaches a predetermined value which is higher than the pressure at which valve 62 opens the stem of valve 62 rises beyond channel 63 and releases fluid from passage 46 through passage 63 into return passage 42 through which it returns to the reservoir thereby functioning as a pressure relief valve.

The pump 20, which has a relatively low displacement, has an inlet 66 communicating with the reservoir 12 and an outlet 68 which communicates through the check valve 72 and the common discharge passage 46 with the load device 14. The check valve 72 is required only if the pump 20 is driven intermittently.

In operation of the pump system 10, as depicted in FIG. 1, pumps 16, 18 and 20 are driven simultaneously by the motor 22. Further, the unloading valve 38 is adapted to open at a first predetermined pressure in the common discharge passage 46 and the unloading valve 62 is adapted to open at a second predetermined pressure, the second predetermined pressure being higher than the first. For explanatory purposes, it will be assumed that the load device 14 requires a high volume of fluid at a low pressure when the motor is first turned on and that the flow requirement diminishes and the fluid pressure requirement increases over a period of time until the only flow is that needed to supply the loss due to leakage.

When the motor 22 is first started, the pressure in the common discharge passage 45 is zero which is lower than the first predetermined value and consequently the unloading valve 38 and the unloading valve 62 are both closed. Accordingly, all three pumps 16, 18 and 20 supply pressurized fluid through the common discharge passage 46 to the load device 14. When the pressure in the common discharge passage 46 increases to the first predetermined pressure, the unloading valve 38 is opened thereby against the resistance of spring 44 and the output of pump 16 is dumped to the reservoir so pump 16 imposes minimal load on motor 22. Check valve 34 prevents back flow to the outlet of pump 16. As the fluid pressure increases further in the common discharge passage 46 to the second predetermined pressure, the unloading valve 62 is opened and the outlet of pump 18 is dumped to the reservoir so pump 18 imposes minimal load on motor 22. The check valve 58 prevents back flow from the discharge passage 46 to the outlet of pump 18. Thus both pumps 16 and 18 are operated in an idle condition and the pump 20 continues to supply pressurized fluid through the common discharge passage 46 to the load device. As the fluid pressure increases further in the common discharge passage 46 to the third predetermined pressure the unloading valve 62 opens further and the stem of the unloading valve 62 rises clear of passage 63 and allows fluid from common discharge passage 46 to be released through passage 63 to return passage 42 to the reservoir thereby limiting the pressure in common discharge passage 46 to the third predetermined pressure. This mode of operation continues so long as the pump 20 continues to supply more fluid than is used by the load device and the pressure is maintained at the third predetermined pressure. If the pressure decreases below this value the stem of unloading valve 62 blocks passage 63 and the discharge of fluid from the common discharge passage 46 through passage 63 ceases. This mode of operation continues so long as the pressure in the discharge passage 46 is greater than the second predetermined pressure. If the pressure decreases below this value, the unloading valve 62 will be closed and pump 18, in addition to pump 20, will supply pressurized fluid to the load device. If the pressure should decrease below the first predetermined pressure, the unloading valve 38 will be closed and all three pumps will again supply pressurized fluid to the load device.

A particular illustrative embodiment of the invention is a hydraulic booster pump system for use in a brake system of a motor vehicle. This illustrative embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 8.

A vehicle hydraulic brake system which incorporates the subject invention is represented in the pictorial view of FIG. 2. This system comprises a brake pedal 110 which is manually actuated to operate a hydraulic booster 212, which in turn energizes a master cylinder 114. A booster pump system 126, constructed in accordance with this invention, supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid to the booster 212.

The hydraulic booster 212 is depicted further in FIG. 3 and will be described briefly prior to the description of the booster pump system 116. Hydraulic boosters are well known and a booster of conventional design may be used with this invention; however, the booster shown in FIG. 3 is especially adapted for use with the invention. This booster, which is of simple economical and compact design, is advantageous in a system, as in this invention, which does not rely on an accumulator and the attendant requirement for minimum leakage.

In general the booster comprises a body or cylinder 222, a control element 224 and an output piston 226. The control element 224 is connected with the brake pedal 110 through suitable linkage and is actuated thereby. The output piston 226 is operatively connected with the master cylinder 114 which pressurizes the brake fluid in the brake lines to the wheel cylinders to exert braking effort in accordance with the manual effort applied to the brake pedal. Pressurized fluid from the pump system 116 is supplied to the booster through an inlet passage 228 which communicates with annular chamber 232. Fluid from the chamber 232 is supplied through a passage 234 in the control element 224 to a pressure chamber 236 in the manner to be described below. At times, the pressure chamber 236 may be connected through passages 238' and 238" and through a passage 240 to a chamber 242 and then to a sump or low pressure reservoir through an outlet passage 244 whereby fluid is released from pressure chamber 236.

When the brake pedal 110 is in its free or retracted position, the control element 224 is retracted so that fluid is blocked from flowing through passages 234' and 234" into passages 238' and 238". When the brake pedal 110 is depressed, the control element 224 moves to the left relative to the output piston 226 causing passages 234' and 234" to move toward alignment with passages 238' and 238". Leftward movement of control element 224 relative to the output piston 226 tends to close the communication through passages 238' and 238" of the pressure chamber 236 with the passage 240 and the reservoir and allows a build-up of pressure in chamber 236. Further travel of the control element 224 relative to the output piston 226 causes passages 234' and 234" to communicate with passages 238' and 238" and causes the pressure chamber 236 to be pressurized. The pressure in chamber 236 acts on the output piston 226 which exerts a force on the piston of the master cylinder to apply the brakes. The pressure in chamber 236 also acts on the face 225 of control element 224 with a force proportional to the pressure in chamber 236 which is imparted through the brake pedal 110 to give the driver an indication of the braking force. Increased force on the brake pedal causes further leftward movement of the control element 224 and additional pressurized fluid is admitted to the pressure chamber 236 causing further movement of the output piston 226 such that it tends to follow the movement of the control element 224. When the brake pedal is released, a spring (not shown) in combination with the pressure in the pressure chamber 236 acting on face 225 of the control element 224 urges it to the right so that the brake pedal assumes its free position. The pressure in chamber 236 is relieved through passages 238' and 238" which communicates through passages 240 with the outlet chamber 242 and the outlet passage 244 to the reservoir. The output piston 226 is restored to its home position by the master cylinder. The booster is failsafe in that the control element 224 is adapted to mechanically engage the output piston 226 which is then actuated by motivating force from the brake pedal, in the event that fluid pressure fails to move the output piston 226.

The booster pump system 116, as it is adapted for use in the hydraulic brake system of FIG. 2, is depicted in detail in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In general, the booster pump system comprises a first pump 122 of relatively small displacement and a second or additional pump 124 of relatively large displacement, both of which are driven by an electric motor 126. Additionally, the pump system comprises an unloading valve 128.

The pumps 122 and 124 share a common housing 132 and are connected with the motor 126 by a common drive shaft 134. Both pumps 122 and 124 are internal gear pumps with one-tooth difference, known as a gerotor type pump.

The smaller displacement pump 122 comprises an internal gear 138 which is rotatably mounted in the pump body 136 which is preferably integral with the casing 132 and held by a pressure plate retainer 137. Pressure plate retainer 137 is held in place by ring 139. The pump includes an impeller 142 which is mounted for rotation on the drive shaft 134 eccentrically of the internal gear 138. The pump has an inlet 144 which communicates with the reservoir (not shown) through a suitable fitting 146 in the casing 132. The pump has an outlet 148 in the body 136 which is connected through a check valve 152 with a common discharge passage 154 in the body 156 of the unloading valve 128.

The larger displacement pump 124 comprises an internal gear 162 which is rotatably mounted in the pump body 164 which is preferably integral with the casing 132 and held by a pressure plate retainer 166. The pump includes an impeller 168 which is mounted for rotation on the drive shaft 134 eccentrically of the internal gear 162. The pump has an inlet 172 which is in fluid communication with the reservoir through the fitting 146 in the casing 132. The pump has an outlet 174 which communicates through an outlet passage 176 and a check valve 178 in the body 156 of the unloading valve 128.

The unloading valve 128 comprises a valve body 156 which defines a valve cylinder 182. A valve piston 184 has an enlarged head 186 slidably mounted in the cylinder 182 and a stem 188 which extends from one end of the head 186 and is slidably mounted in a bore 192 in the body. The stem 188 terminates in a face 188a in fluid communication with the discharge passage 154. Additionally, the piston 184 includes an annular shoulder 198. A cover plate 204 is secured to the body and closes the cavity 202.

The piston 184 is biased towards the closed position by a helical spring 208 which has one end seated upon the shoulder 198 and the other end in abutment with the cover plate 204. The cavity 202 also contains a spring retainer 212 which seats against a stop shoulder 214 at the end of the cavity 202. A helical spring 216, which is much stronger than spring 208, has one end seated on the spring retainer 212 and the other end in abutment with the cover plate 204.

The unloading valve 128 has an inlet 218 in communication with the outlet passage 176 from the larger displacement pump 124. The inlet 218 is of annular configuration and surrounds the piston head 186. The unloading valve 128 has an outlet 220 which communicates through a flow restrictor 224 with the cylinder 182. Flow restrictor 224 may be a simple orifice or may be any conventional means to maintain an approximately constant pressure drop. The outlet 220 is in fluid communication with the reservoir through a passage (not shown). When the piston 184 is in its closed position, the piston head 186 obstructs fluid flow between the valve inlet 218 and the valve outlet 220. When it is in its open position, a flow path extends from the inlet 218 through the flow restrictor 224 to the outlet 220.

A control circuit for the motor 126 is depicted in FIG. 7. The circuit comprises, in general, a vehicle battery 256 for energizing the motor 126 through a brake switch 258. The battery 256 has its negative terminal connected to ground and its positive terminal connected to one terminal of the motor 126 through the switch 258. The other terminal of the motor 126 is connected to ground. The brake switch 258 is a normally open single pole single throw switch which is closed by actuation of the brake pedal. Thus, when the brake switch 258 is closed by actuation of the brake pedal the motor 126 is energized and the pumps 124 and 122 are operated. When switch 258 is opened the motor 126 is turned off and both pumps stop.

The operation of the booster pump system in the hydraulic brake system will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 through 7. As previously noted, the motor circuit is energized through the brake switch 258 from the battery 256. The brake switch is actuated by the brake pedal and may be the same switch that energizes the vehicle brake lights. With the brake pedal 110 in its free position, the brake switch 258 is open and no power is applied to the motor 126. When the driver depresses the brake pedal, the initial movement thereof causes the brake switch to close and the motor is energized. The mode of operation of the system will depend upon the rate of displacement of the brake pedal by the driver. Two modes of operation will be described; first a panic stop produced by rapid depression of the brake pedal and second, a gradual stop produced by slow depression of the brake pedal.

In the case of a panic stop, the driver forcefully depresses the brake pedal causing it to be moving fast at the time the brake switch 258 is closed. This will create an immediate demand for a large volume of low pressure fluid and as soon as the switch closes, the motor will quickly approach maximum speed and drive the pumps at near maximum speed. At pump start-up, the pressure in the discharge passage 154 is low and the unloading valve 128 is closed. While the unloading valve remains closed, both the small displacement pump 122 and the large displacement pump 124 deliver fluid to the discharge passage 154. Most or all of the output from the discharge passage enters the inlet passage 228 of the booster 212 and flows through the annular chamber 232 to passage 234 and thence through passages 234' and 234" to passages 238' and 238" to the pressure chamber 236. This causes a pressure build-up in the chamber 236 which applies pressure to the piston 226 to assist the driver in applying the brakes. It is possible in this mode of operation, that the failsafe character of the booster 212 will come into effect and the driver will force the output piston to move ahead of the fluid supply to the pressure chamber 236 thus tending to drawn fluid into the chamber.

When the vehicle braking system becomes pressurized, the demand for pressurized fluid will decrease, the motor speed will decrease due to the increased load and the flow rate of the pressurized fluid will drop. The pressure at the discharge passage 154 of the pumps will increase, thus increasing the force acting on the face 188a of the stem 188. When the pressure increases to a first predetermined value, this force will exceed the bias force exerted by the spring 280, the piston 184 will move toward the open position. When the displacement of the piston is great enough so that fluid is admitted to the cylinder 182, the flow restrictor 224 will cause a back pressure to develop in the cylinder 182. The pressurized fluid in cylinder 182 acts on the face 186a of the piston head 186 and increases the opening force, causing the unloading valve to move abruptly to its open position The valve is in the open position when the bias spring 208 is compressed sufficiently that the piston head 186 is in engagement with the spring retainer 212 and unobstructed fluid flow is permitted from the inlet 218 to the cylinder 182.

With the unloading valve 128 open, i.e. dumping, the larger displacement pump 124 will idle, i.e. the outlet passage 176 will be connected through the cylinder 182, the flow restrictor 224 and the outlet passage 220 with the reservoir. In this condition, the smaller displacement pump 122 will continue to deliver pressurized fluid to the common discharge passage 154 and the output thereof will be diminished to a fraction of the previous flow, although the diminished load on the motor will enable it to run faster. The diminished flow may be inadequate to meet the demand and the pressure in the discharge passage 154 may fall off and the unloading valve may reclose. Several cycles of the opening and closing of the unloading valve may occur before the demand for fluid drops to a point that can be met by the smaller displacement pump. This effect can be minimized, if desired, by inclusion of a third intermediate displacement pump and a second unloading valve, as described with reference to FIG. 1. Finally, the demand for fluid will drop to a minimal value because the driver is satisfied with the braking force and does not increase the force applied to the pedal or because he is demanding and obtaining the maximum boost from the system. As the demand for fluid diminishes, the pressure in the common discharge passage 154 increases and thus the force on the face 188a of the stem 188 increases. When the pressure increases to a predetermined value, this force on the stem 188 will exceed the force exerted on the spring retainer 212 by the spring 216, plus the force exerted by the spring 208, and the piston 184 will move and further compress the springs 208 and 216. As the pressure further increases in the discharge passage 154, the springs 208 and 216 are further compressed. When the pressure in discharge passage 154 reaches a predetermined pressure, under the influence of the smaller displacement pump 122, the piston 184 will be displaced sufficiently against the springs 208 and 216 that the stem part 196 will move out of passage 192 and release fluid into cylinder 182 thereby releasing fluid to maintain a second predetermined pressure. Assuming that the brake pedal position remains constant, either requiring maximum boost or some value less than maximum, the braking force will remain at a steady value and the only flow required will be that needed to replenish leakage.

In case of gradual brake application by the driver, the brake switch 258 is closed during the initial movement of the brake pedal and the motor 126 is turned on. Except for fluid leakage, there is no immediate demand for fluid flow because the passages 234' and 234" in the booster are obstructed. Thus, the pressure in the discharge passage 154 increases and the unloading valve 128 is opened. With the unloading valve opened, the larger displacement pump 124 idles and the smaller displacement pump pressurizes the output passage 154. The increasing pressure in the discharge passage 154 will increase the compression of the springs 208 and 216 until the pressure reaches a predetermined value. At this point, the stem 188 will allow sufficient fluid escape to the reservoir to maintain the pressure at the predetermined value. As the driver further depresses the brake pedal, the passages 234' and 234" move into alignment with passages 238' and 238" and fluid flows into he pressure chamber 236. With fluid flow into the pressure chamber 236, there will be a pressure drop between the passages 234' and 234" and the passages 238' and 238", respectively, to control the pressure in chamber 236 and cause the output piston 226 to move in synchronism with the control element 224. As the pedal is further depressed and the flow increases up to a certain point, the unloading valve 128 will remain open and the smaller displacement pump 122 will deliver the required flow. However, if the flow rate exceeds the capacity of the smaller displacement pump 122, the pressure in the discharge passage 154 will decrease and the unloading valve 128 will close causing the larger displacement pump 124 to become operative and both pumps will deliver fluid to the discharge passage 154. When the vehicle braking system becomes pressurized, the demand for fluid will diminish and the unloading valve 128 will open and the pressure at the discharge passages 154 will increase. The increasing pressure will compress the springs 208 and 216 and when the stem part 196 moves sufficiently, pressure relief will occur.

Although the description of this invention has been given with reference to a particular embodiment, it is not to be construed in a limiting sense. Many variations and modifications will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention reference is made to the appended claims.