Coolant pump for automotive use

A pump for pumping liquids, wherein:

• the pump includes a housing, and the housing includes walls, which define a pumping chamber having an inlet channel and an outlet channel;
• the pump includes an impeller, and the impeller is disposed inside the pumping chamber;
• the pump includes a motor, and the impeller is in driving engagement with the motor, and the arrangement of the pump is such that the impeller imparts energy to the flow of liquid passing through the pump, during operation thereof;
• the pump includes a flow control vane;
• the vane lies inside the pumping chamber;
• the vane is mounted for pivoting movement relative to the housing walls, and the pump includes an operable vane-adjuster, which is effective, when operated, to adjust the orientation of the vane;
• the structure of the pump is such that the liquid enters the impeller at an angle-of-incidence, and is such that the angle of incidence is proportional to the orientation of the vane;
• the structure of the pump is such that the flow-rate at which liquid is pumped through the pump is proportional to the angle-of-incidence;
• the vane-adjuster includes a vane-driver, for mechanically driving the vane from one orientation to another;
• the vane-adjuster includes a temperature-sensor, for sensing the temperature of the liquid passing through the pump;
• the temperature-sensor and the vane-driver are so co-ordinated in the vane-adjuster that, when the temperature-sensor senses a change in the temperature of the liquid, the vane-driver responsively makes a corresponding change in the orientation of the vane;
• whereby the volumetric flow-rate of liquid passing through the pump is proportional to the temperature of the liquid.