Housing with intersecting passages for high pressure fluid applications
View Patent ↗A housing for use in high pressure fluid applications comprises a first drilling having a region of enlarged diameter bounded by an upper boundary in a first plane and a lower boundary in a second plane; and a second drilling intersecting with the first drilling via an intersection region. The intersection region includes a first substantially flat surface which defines a ceiling of the intersection region and which intersects the upper boundary of the region of enlarged diameter, and a second substantially flat surface which is opposed to the first substantially flat surface and which defines a floor of the intersection region and intersects the lower boundary of the region of enlarged diameter. As the flat surfaces are in alignment with a region of maximum hoop stress they do not act as a significant stress raiser at the intersection.
1. A housing ( 30 ) for use in high pressure fluid applications, the housing comprising:
a first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ), defining a first axis, and having a region of enlarged diameter ( 32 b ) bounded by an upper boundary ( 36 ) in a first plane and a lower boundary ( 38 ) in a second plane; and
a second drilling ( 42 ), defining a second axis, and intersecting with the first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ) via an intersection region ( 44 );
wherein the intersection region ( 44 ) includes,
a first substantially flat surface ( 54 ) which defines a ceiling of the intersection region ( 44 ) and which intersects the upper boundary ( 36 ) with no blend radius, and
a second substantially flat surface ( 56 ) which is opposed to the first substantially flat surface ( 56 ) and which defines a floor of the intersection region ( 44 ) and intersects the lower boundary ( 38 ) with no blend radius,
wherein the first and second substantially flat surfaces ( 54 , 56 ) are substantially perpendicular to the first axis so as to align with the plane of a respective one of the upper and lower boundaries ( 36 , 38 ),
wherein the first and second axes intersect with one another.
2. A housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the intersection region ( 44 ) further includes side walls defined by first and second opposed tangential surfaces ( 50 , 52 ) which form a tangent to the circumference of the first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ).
3. A housing as claimed in claim 1 , in the form of a housing for a fuel pump assembly, wherein the first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ) is a bore for receiving a plunger of the pump and the second drilling ( 42 ) is a passage for conveying high pressure fuel, in use, from the plunger bore ( 32 a , 32 b ) to a pump outlet.
4. A housing ( 30 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the intersection region ( 44 ) further includes side walls defined by first and second opposed radiused surfaces ( 46 , 48 ).
5. A housing as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the intersection region ( 44 ) further includes side walls defined by first and second opposed tangential surfaces ( 50 , 52 ) which form a tangent to the circumference of the first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ) and wherein the first and second opposed radiused surfaces ( 46 , 48 ) form a tangent to a respective one of the first and second opposed tangential surfaces ( 50 , 52 ).
6. A housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the intersection region ( 44 ) is tapered progressively between the second drilling ( 42 ) and the first drilling ( 32 a , 32 b ).
7. A housing as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the direction of taper is such that the first and second substantially flat surfaces ( 54 , 56 ) are divergent at their intersection with the upper and lower boundaries ( 36 , 38 ) of the enlarged diameter region ( 32 b ), respectively.
8. A housing as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the direction of taper is such that the first and second substantially flat surfaces ( 54 , 56 ) are convergent at their intersection with the upper and lower boundaries ( 36 , 38 ) of the enlarged diameter region ( 32 b ), respectively.
9. A housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second substantially flat surfaces ( 54 , 56 ) are of triangular-like form.
10. A housing as claimed in claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second substantially flat triangular-like surfaces has a base ( 54 a ) which connects with the respective one of the upper and lower boundaries ( 36 , 38 ) and a vertex ( 54 b ) opposite to the base ( 54 a ) which intersects with an end of the second drilling ( 42 ).