Two rotor vane pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9599108-B2
Application number	US-201514751472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A vane pump includes a first cam ring and a second cam ring, a first rotor positioned in the first cam ring and a second rotor positioned in the second cam ring, and a shaft. The first rotor is engaged with the shaft so that the first rotor rotates relative to the first cam ring about an axis extending through the shaft, and the second rotor selectively engages with the shaft so that the second rotor selectively rotates relative to the second cam ring about the axis. A piston positioned in the shaft translates within the shaft between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the shaft engages with the second rotor so that the second rotor rotates relative to the second cam ring about the axis, and when in the second position, the shaft disengages with the second rotor so that the second rotor does not rotate relative to the second cam ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vane pump comprising:
a first cam ring and a second cam ring;
a first rotor positioned in the first cam ring and a second rotor positioned in the second cam ring;
a shaft, the first rotor being engaged with the shaft so that the first rotor rotates relative to the first cam ring about an axis extending through the shaft, and the second rotor being selectively engaged with the shaft so that the second rotor selectively rotates relative to the second cam ring about the axis;
a piston positioned in the shaft, the piston configured to translate within the shaft between a first positon and a second position,
wherein in the first position, the shaft engages with the second rotor so that the second rotor rotates relative to the second cam ring about the axis, and in the second position, the shaft disengages with the second rotor so that the second rotor does not rotate relative to the second cam ring; further comprising a dog clutch positioned about the shaft, the shaft engaging and disengaging with the second rotor with the dog clutch.

2. The vane pump of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a pair of slots and the piston includes a hole through which a pin extends and engages with the slots, the pin sliding back and forth in the slot as the dog clutch translates between the first position and the second position.

3. The vane pump of claim 1 further comprising a spring positioned within the shaft and between the piston and an interior face within the shaft.

4. The vane pump of claim 3 wherein the first position results when the force of the spring pushes the piston away from the interior face.

5. The vane pump of claim 2 wherein the second position results when the movement of the piston compresses the spring between the interior surface and the piston.

6. The vane pump of claim 1 wherein the first rotor includes a first plurality of vanes, the first plurality of vanes being space apart and positioned about the outer surface of the first rotor between the first rotor and the first cam ring.

7. The vane pump of claim 6 wherein the second rotor includes a second plurality of vanes, the second plurality of vanes being space apart and positioned about the outer surface of the second rotor between the second rotor and the second cam ring.

8. The vane pump of claim 1 further comprising a housing, the first and second cam rings being positioned in the housing.

9. The vane pump of claim 1 further comprising a first pressure plate positioned between the first rotor and the housing.

10. The vane pump of claim 1 further comprising a second pressure plate positioned between the second rotor and the housing.

11. A method of operating a vane pump comprising:
rotating a shaft that is engaged to a first rotor positioned in a first cam ring so that the first rotor rotates relative to the first cam ring about an axis extending through the shaft; and
sliding a dog clutch positioned about the shaft such that the dog clutch engages with a second rotor positioned in a second cam ring, the dog clutch being rotationally engaged with the shaft so that the second rotor rotates relative to the second cam ring as the shaft rotates about its axis.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a pair of slots and the piston includes a hole through which a pin extends and engages with the slots, the pin sliding back and forth in the slot as the dog clutch translates between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising a spring positioned within the shaft and between the piston and an interior face within the shaft.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the engaged position results when the force of the spring pushes the piston away from the interior face.

15. The method claim 14 wherein the disengaged position results when the movement of the piston compresses the spring between the interior surface and the piston.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first rotor includes a first plurality of vanes, the first plurality of vanes being space apart and positioned about the outer surface of the first rotor between the first rotor and the first cam ring.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second rotor includes a second plurality of vanes, the second plurality of vanes being space apart and positioned about the outer surface of the second rotor between the second rotor and the second cam ring.

18. The method claim 12 further comprising a housing, the first and second cam rings being positioned in the housing.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising a first pressure plate positioned between the first rotor and the housing and further comprising a second pressure plate positioned between the second rotor and the housing.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Khanzode Tushar P
• Olenzek Richard F
• Hogan Terrence D

Classifications

• F04C15/0073

  Couplings between rotors and input or output shafts acting by interengaging or mating parts, i.e. positive coupling of rotor and shaft · CPC title

• F04C11/001 Primary

  of similar working principle · CPC title

• F04C2/3448

  with axially movable vanes · CPC title

• F04C14/02 Primary

  specially adapted for several machines or pumps connected in series or in parallel · CPC title

• F04C2/344

  with vanes reciprocating with respect to the inner member · CPC title