Rotary vane pump

A fluid pump comprising a base provided with a pair of spaced-apart pedestals, a pair of shafts rotatably supported by the pedestals, at least one of the shafts being a tubular shaft, the tubular shaft having an axial passage therethrough, an inner rotor attached to the shafts and supported thereby and rotatable therewith, the inner rotor having a cavity therein and being substantially hollow, the inner rotor having a peripheral surface, conduit means within the inner rotor forming a first passage which extends from the peripheral surface of the inner rotor to the axial passage through the tubular shaft, the inner rotor being provided with a second passage, the second passage providing communication between the cavity and the peripheral surface of the inner rotor, the peripheral position of the first passage being spaced from the peripheral position of the second passage,

• an outer rotor rotatably encompassing the inner rotor and supported by the pedestals and rotatable about an axis which is eccentric with the respect to the axis of rotation of the inner rotor, the inner rotor having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the outer rotor so that a chamber is formed between the inner rotor and the outer rotor, wall means within the inner rotor and extending substantially the length of the inner rotor, the wall means also extending radially from the peripheral surface of the inner rotor to a position adjacent the axis of rotation of the inner rotor, the wall means forming a slot which extends radially from the peripheral surface of the inner rotor to a position adjacent the axis of rotation of the inner rotor, the slot also extending axially substantially the length of the inner rotor, the peripheral position of the slot being between the peripheral position of the first passage and the peripheral position of the second passage of the inner rotor, the inner rotor being provided with a pair of opposed end portions, the outer rotor being provided with a pair of opposed end portions, the end portions of the inner rotor and the end portions of the outer rotor being provided with ports which communicate with the cavity within the inner rotor for flow of fluid from the exterior of the outer rotor into the cavity within the inner rotor,
• a vane within the outer rotor and secured to the outer rotor for movement therewith, the vane extending substantially the length of the inner rotor, the vane being slidably positioned within the slot of the inner rotor and being movable to and from a position adjacent the axis of rotation of the inner rotor,
• wherein during rotation of the rotors fluid flows into the cavity of the inner rotor through the ports in the rotors and then fluid flows from the cavity through the second passage of the inner rotor and into the chamber between the inner rotor and the outer rotor, the fluid being forced from the chamber through the conduit means and through the first passage of the inner rotor and into the axial passage of the tubular shaft and then through the axial passage.

A fluid pump comprising:

• an inner rotor, the inner rotor having a cavity therein and being substantially hollow, the inner rotor having a peripheral surface,
• first support means, the first support means rotatably supporting the inner rotor, the first support means including a hollow shaft which is attached to the inner rotor and which is rotatable with the inner rotor, the hollow shaft forming a fluid conduit, the inner rotor being rotatable about the central axis of the hollow shaft,
• a substantially hollow outer rotor encompassing the inner rotor,
• second support means, the second support means encompassing the hollow sahft, the second support means being rotatably supported upon the first support means, means joining the second support means to the outer rotor, the second support means being positioned with respect to the first support means for rotation of the outer rotor about an axis eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the inner rotor,
• the inner rotor having a peripheral surface, conduit means within the cavity of the inner rotor and forming a first passage within the cavity of the inner rotor and extending between the peripheral surface of the inner rotor and the fluid conduit of the hollow shaft, valve means positioned within the first passage and permitting flow of fluid only in a direction from the peripheral surface of the inner rotor to the fluid conduit of the hollow shaft,
• means forming a second passage within the inner rotor, the second passage providing communication between a cavity of the inner rotor and the peripheral surface of the inner rotor,
• the inner rotor having a pair of opposed end portions, the outer rotor having a pair of opposed end portions,
• fluid port means within end portions of the inner rotor and fluid port means within end portions of the outer rotor and adjacent the axis of rotation thereof, the fluid port means providing fluid communication between the end portions of the outer rotor and the cavity of the inner rotor,
• radially extending guide means within the cavity of the inner rotor, a vane attached to the outer rotor and slidably positioned within the guide means of the inner rotor, the vane being secured to the outer rotor for movement with transverse movement with the outer rotor, the vane extending radially within the cavity of the inner rotor and having a portion movable to and from a position adjacent the axis of rotation of the inner rotor, the vane extending axially substantially between the end portions of the inner rotor,
• the inside dimension of the outer rotor being greater than the outside dimension of the inner rotor, wherein a chamber is formed between the inner rotor and outer rotor, and wherein the outer rotor and the inner rotor rotate together and wherein there is relative transverse movement between the inner rotor and the outer rotor during rotation thereof, wherein fluid flows into the cavity of the inner rotor through the fluid port means, and wherein fluid flows from the cavity through the second passage and into the chamber between the inner rotor and the outer rotor, and wherein fluid is forced from the chamber into the first passage formed by the conduit means and into fluid conduit of the hollow shaft as the rotors rotate and as reciprocal transverse movement between the inner rotor and outer rotor occurs.