Marzocchi Pompe’s new patent for reversible Elika pumps and motors opens up fresh design options for OEMs developing next‑generation electric and hybrid drivetrains, where low noise, compactness and high efficiency of electrohydraulic actuation are becoming critical differentiators.
Marzocchi Pompe has secured an industrial invention patent covering the reversible version of its Elika gear pump family, granted by the Italian Patent and Trademark Office, with the European extension (EP24711633.8) in progress. The patented unit is a reversible hydraulic gear machine with helical gearing and a bilateral hydraulic compensation system that fully balances axial forces, enabling operation both as a pump and as a motor.
Developed by Marzocchi Pompe’s R&D department in close cooperation with the Engineering Department of the University of Bologna, the concept uses helical‑toothed rotors with conjugate profiles that eliminate fluid entrapment and the associated overpressure or negative flow phenomena. The goal is a versatile, reliable and manufacturable machine that can seamlessly support clockwise and counterclockwise operation without compromising efficiency or durability.
Technical features of interest for motor-driven systems
The new patent enables an additional subfamily within the Elika line: external gear pumps for reversible, non‑traditional profile applications, using helical gearing with a reduced tooth count and a combination of involute and circular sections. This geometry delivers smooth motion, zero trapped volume, reduced vibration and lower noise emissions compared with conventional external gear solutions.
Crucially for electric motor‑driven systems, the architecture supports true four‑quadrant operation, overcoming the technical limitations that have so far restricted reversible gear units in demanding duty cycles. The same hydraulic unit can therefore be used as a pump or as a motor, in both directions of rotation, simplifying system layouts and enabling more compact, modular electrohydraulic assemblies around an electric prime mover.
Fit with hybrid & electric powertrains
The patent arrives at a time when the spread of hybrid and fully electric off‑highway machines and public transport vehicles is pushing demand for low‑noise hydraulic and electrohydraulic actuators. As the combustion engine no longer masks system noise, hydraulic components increasingly define acoustic comfort and perceived quality of the vehicle or machine.
Many of these applications—such as hydrostatic transmissions, advanced steering systems or reversible hydraulic drives—require bi‑directional pumps and motors for torque reversal at the output shaft. Marzocchi Pompe positions the reversible Elika range precisely for these use cases, targeting mobile machinery, hybrid and electric buses and industrial systems where high quietness and minimal vibration transmission to surrounding components are design priorities.
Business and competitive impact
For Marzocchi Pompe, the new patent extends its flagship Elika portfolio into the reversible pump and motor segment, strengthening its positioning in high‑value electrohydraulic niches tied to electrification trends in automotive, mobile and industrial markets. The company expects the commercialization of the new range to generate incremental revenues and to progressively steer its product mix toward solutions with higher added value.
CEO Gabriele Bonfiglioli underscores that the patent underpins a sustainable competitive advantage, combining high volumetric and mechanical efficiency with low noise and vibration levels, protected over time by the new IP coverage. Entirely developed and manufactured in Italy at the Casalecchio di Reno and Zola Predosa plants and distributed in more than 50 countries, the reversible Elika line reinforces Marzocchi Pompe’s role as a specialist partner for OEMs looking to optimize the interface between electric motors and hydraulic actuation in next‑generation platforms.
