Patent ID: 11885326
Assignee: MARINE FLOW LIMITED
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC F

Claim 8:
9. A method comprising:
a) providing a flexible impeller;
b) providing a flexible impeller pump housing having disposed therein a drive shaft for the flexible impeller;
c) providing a mounting hub operable to connect the flexible impeller to, and to support the impeller upon, the drive shaft, wherein the mounting hub comprises a drive shaft-engaging portion having an aperture located axially in the mounting hub, and an impeller body-engaging portion comprising a non-circular profiled portion on an outside of the mounting hub, and wherein further the mounting hub is tapered along its length to facilitate insertion of the mounting hub, and to provide centering of the impeller relative to the drive shaft as the mounting hub is inserted;
d) inserting the flexible impeller into the pump housing; and
e) inserting the mounting hub so that the aperture engages with the drive shaft and the impeller body-engaging portion of the mounting hub engages with the impeller to both support the flexible impeller upon and rotationally lock the flexible impeller relative to the drive shaft, wherein insertion of the mounting hub centers the impeller relative to the drive shaft, and wherein step e) occurs after step d);
wherein, in step d) the flexible impeller is rotationally decoupled from the drive shaft.