Patent ID: 6152719
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: F04C,F05C

Abstract:
A gear pump configured for operation within a predetermined operating environment, said gear pump comprising:a gear pump inlet port lying along a gear pump inlet port axis;a gear pump outlet port lying along a gear pump outlet port axis, said outlet port axis being substantially perpendicular to said inlet port axis;a pump case defining an interior pump cavity and also including a pump case inlet port and a pump case outlet port;a drive shaft having a drive shaft pump gear mounted thereon, said drive shaft having a longitudinal axis configured to pass through said inlet port substantially parallel to said inlet port axis;an idler shaft having an idler shaft pump gear mounted thereon, said idler shaft pump gear configured to fit along with said drive shaft pump gear within said interior pump cavity and interact such that rotation of both tends to pump fluid from said pump cavity inlet port to said pump cavity outlet port; anda single-piece manifold configured to be attached as a unit to said pump case, said manifold defining an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway, said inlet passageway configured to provide fluid communication from said gear pump inlet port to said pump case inlet port, and said outlet passageway configured to provide fluid communication from said gear pump outlet port to said pump case outlet port,such that rotation of said drive shaft causes said drive shaft pump gear and said idler shaft pump gear to pump fluid from said gear pump inlet port to said gear pump outlet port such that fluid flows along the axis of said drive shaft when entering said gear pump inlet port.