Axial flow pump with integrated motor

An appliance comprising:

• a fluid line presenting a fluid passageway;
• a mechanism coupled to the line so as to be operable to act on fluid within the passageway;
• and
• an axial flow pump operable to move fluid along the passageway, said pump including—
• a housing coupled to the fluid line, with the housing at least in part defining a primary flow path therethrough that is fluidly connected to the passageway,
• a motor including a rotor and a stator,
• said rotor including a magnet, a stationary shaft, a sleeve bearing rotatably supported on the shaft, and an impeller fixed to the sleeve bearing for rotational movement therewith,
• said sleeve bearing including a radial bearing face engaging the shaft so as to permit rotational movement of the sleeve bearing relative to the shaft,
• said impeller including a substantially annular rim that is spaced radially from the sleeve bearing and supports the magnet,
• said impeller further including a blade disposed in the primary flow path, and
• a stationary bearing surface facing a generally axial direction,
• said sleeve bearing including an axial bearing face engaging the stationary bearing surface so as to permit rotational movement of the sleeve bearing relative to the stationary bearing surface while restricting relative axial movement of the sleeve bearing.

An appliance comprising:

• a fluid line presenting a fluid passageway;
• a mechanism coupled to the line so as to be operable to act on fluid within the passageway;
• and
• an axial flow pump operable to move fluid along the passageway, said pump including—
• a housing coupled to the fluid line, with the housing at least in part defining a primary flow path therethrough that is fluidly connected to the passageway, and
• a motor including a rotor and a stator,
• said rotor including an impeller and a magnet,
• said impeller including a blade disposed in the primary flow path,
• said housing at least in part defining a fluid chamber spaced radially outward from the primary flow path, with the magnet being located generally within the chamber,
• said chamber being fluidly interconnected with the primary flow path by a restricted flow conduit,
• said flow conduit including substantially orthogonal sections, with a first conduit section extending generally radially outward from the primary flow path and a second conduit section extending from the first section in a generally axial direction, such that fluid is prevented from flowing linearly from the primary flow path to the chamber.