Patent ID: 8800360
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: F02M,F04C

Abstract:
1. A vane pump apparatus, which is adapted to depressurize or pressurize gas, the vane pump apparatus comprising: a housing; a rotor that is rotatably received in and is eccentric to the housing; an electric motor that drives the rotor upon energization of the electric motor; at least one vane that is received in the rotor in a manner that enables radial reciprocation of the at least one vane relative to the rotor, wherein a radially outer end part of the at least one vane is adapted to slide along an inner peripheral wall of the housing when the rotor is rotated by the electric motor; a pressure sensor that senses a pressure of the gas, which is depressurized or pressurized by the rotation of the rotor and the at least one vane; and means for controlling the rotation of the electric motor, wherein: the controlling means determines whether condensed water is present at the rotor and the at least one vane based only on an electric current, which flows in the electric motor upon driving of the electric motor; when the controlling means determines that the condensed water is present at the rotor and the at least one vane, the controlling means drives the electric motor for a predetermined time period; when the controlling means determines that the condensed water is absent at the rotor and the at least one vane, the controlling means stores the pressure, which is sensed through the pressure sensor after the determining of the absence of the condensed water at the rotor and the at least one vane, as a first pressure; and the controlling means is adapted to sense an abnormality in a pump characteristic of the vane pump apparatus based on a value of the first pressure.