Patent Publication Number: US-9890783-B2

Title: Pump assembly with charge pump rotor, inversion pump rotor and scavenge pump rotor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a pump assembly and, more particularly, to a pump assembly with a charge pump rotor, an inversion pump rotor and a scavenge pump rotor. 
     A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases) or sometimes slurries by mechanical action. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they use to move the fluid. These include direct lift, displacement and gravity pumps. A displacement pump (or a positive displacement pump) makes a fluid move by trapping a fixed amount and forcing or displacing that trapped volume into a discharge pipe. Some positive displacement pumps use an expanding cavity on a suction side and a decreasing cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pump as the cavity on the suction side expands and the liquid flows out of the discharge as the cavity collapses. The volume is constant through each cycle of operation. 
     A positive displacement pump can be further classified according to the mechanism used to move the fluid into rotary type positive displacement pumps, reciprocating type positive displacement pumps and linear type positive displacement pumps. Rotary type positive displacement pumps move fluid using a rotating mechanism that creates a vacuum or low pressure region that captures and draws in fluid and then creates a high pressure region that forces that fluid into the discharge pipe. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to one aspect of the disclosure, a pump assembly is provided and includes a housing having first, second and third pairs of fluid openings and first, second and third rotary pumps, which are co-rotatable about a common longitudinal axis defined through the housing to drive fluid flow relative to the first, second and third pairs of fluid openings, respectively. The first rotary pump includes an input member receptive of rotational drive energy for the first, second and third rotary pumps. 
     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a pump assembly is provided and includes a housing having opposed open and closed ends and plural pairs of fluid openings at plural axial locations, respectively, an end plate having an aperture secured to the housing at the open end and plural rotary pumps, which are co-rotatable at the plural axial locations, respectively, about a common longitudinal axis defined through the housing to drive fluid flow relative to the plural pairs of fluid openings, respectively. One of the plural rotary pumps includes an input member extendable through the aperture to be receptive of rotational drive energy for the plural rotary pump. 
     According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a pump assembly is provided and includes a housing having opposed open and closed ends, a first pair of fluid openings at a first axial location proximate to the open end, a second pair of fluid openings at a second axial location proximate to the closed end and a third pair of fluid openings at a third axial location between the first and second axial locations, an end plate having an aperture secured to the housing at the open end and first, second and third rotary pumps, which are co-rotatable at the first, second and third axial locations, respectively, about a common longitudinal axis defined through the housing to drive fluid flow relative to the first, second and third pairs of fluid openings, respectively. The first rotary pump includes an input member extendable through the aperture to be receptive of rotational drive energy for the first, second and third rotary pumps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a pump assembly for disposition in a fluid supply system in accordance with embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pump assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the pump assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a charge pump rotor of the pump assembly of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a scavenge pump rotor of the pump assembly of  FIGS. 1-3 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an inversion pump rotor of the pump assembly of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains embodiments of the disclosure, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     As will be described below, a pump assembly is provided and includes a charge pump rotor, an inversion pump rotor and a scavenge pump rotor. The charge pump rotor, the inversion pump rotor and the scavenge pump rotor are co-rotatable about a common rotational axis defined through a housing of the pump assembly and all have a non-standard ratio of hub diameter to hub length. This non-standard ratio facilitates a capability of the charge pump rotor, the inversion pump rotor and the scavenge pump rotor to pump a given amount of fluid in gallon per minute (GPM) at a given number of revolutions per minute (RPM). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , a pump assembly  10  is provided and includes a housing  20 , an end plate  30 , plural rotary pumps  40  and multiple pairs of input and output pipes  50 . The housing  20  may have a tubular or cylindrical shape and has a first, open end  201  and a second, closed end  202 , which is opposite the first, open end  201 . The housing  20  also has a first pair of opposite fluid openings  203 ,  204  at a first axial location  205 , which is defined proximate to the first, open end  201 , a second pair of opposite fluid openings  206 ,  207  at a second axial location  208 , which is defined proximate to the second, closed end  202 , and a third pair of fluid openings  209 ,  210  at a third axial location  211 , which is defined between the first and second axial locations  205  and  208 . 
     The end plate  30  has an end plate body  31  that is formed to define an aperture  32  from one side thereof to the other side. The end plate body  31  is secured to flanges of the housing  20  at the first, open end  201 . 
     The plural rotary pumps  40  may include, for example, a first rotary pump  41 , a second rotary pump  42  and a third rotary pump  43 . Additional pumps may be included as well but for the purposes of clarity and brevity the case where three rotary pumps are provided will be described herein. The first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43  are co-rotatable at the first, second and third axial locations  205 ,  208  and  211 , respectively, about a common longitudinal axis  44 . The common longitudinal axis  44  is defined through the housing  20  and may be substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the housing  20 . Such co-rotation of the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43  serves to drive fluid flow relative to the first pair of fluid openings  203 ,  204 , the second pair of fluid openings  206 ,  207  and the third pair of fluid openings  209 ,  210 , respectively. 
     The first rotary pump  41  includes an input member  410 . The input member  410  is extendable through the aperture  32  of the end plate body  31 . The input member  410  is thus exposed at an exterior of the housing  20  and positioned to be receptive of rotational drive energy for the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43 . In particular, the pump assembly  10  may include a drive shaft  411 , which is connectable with the input member  410 , such that rotation of the drive shaft  411  can be transmitted to the input member  410  and in turn to the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the multiple pairs of input and output pipes  50  include first, second and third input pipes  51 ,  52  and  53  and first, second and third output pipes  54 ,  55  and  56 . The first input pipe  51  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  203  and the first output pipe  54  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  204 . The second input pipe  52  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  206  and the second output pipe  55  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  207 . The third input pipe  53  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  209  and the third output pipe  56  is fluidly connectable to fluid opening  210 . As such, where at least the first and second output pipes  54  and  55  and the third input pipe  53  are fluidly coupled with, for example, a generator for providing oil flow to the generator, the pump assembly  10  and the multiple pairs of input and output pipes  50  form a fluid supply system  60 . 
     For the particular cases where the housing  20  is tubular or cylindrical, fluid openings  203  and  204  may be provided on opposite tubular/cylindrical sides of the housing  20  and circumferentially extend along respective arc-segments of the housing  20  at the first axial location  205 . Similarly, fluid openings  206  and  207  may be provided on opposite tubular/cylindrical sides of the housing  20  and circumferentially extend along respective arc-segments of the housing  20  at the second axial location  208  and fluid openings  209  and  210  may be provided on opposite tubular/cylindrical sides of the housing  20  and circumferentially extend along respective arc-segments of the housing  20  at the third axial location  211 . 
     In accordance with further embodiments and, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the pump assembly  10  may include a first spline coupling  70  and a second spline coupling  71 . The first spline coupling  70  is disposable between complementary interior splined ends  701 / 702  (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) of the first rotary pump  41  and the third rotary pump  43  whereby the first and third rotary pumps  41  and  43  are connectable and co-rotatable with each other. The second spline coupling  71  is disposable between complementary interior splined ends  703 / 704  (see  FIGS. 6 and 5 ) of the third rotary pump  43  and the second rotary pump  42  whereby the third and second rotary pumps  43  and  42  are connectable and co-rotatable with each other. 
     In accordance with embodiments and, with additional reference to  FIGS. 4-6 , structures and operations of the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43  will now be described. 
     The first rotary pump  41  has an elongate body  412  from a longitudinal end of which the input member  410  extends in an axial direction and a hub section  413 . The input member  410  may include flats on either side thereof to mechanically interact with complementary flats on the drive shaft  411 . When the pump assembly  10  is assembled, the hub section  413  corresponds in position to the first axial location  205  of the housing  20 . The hub section  413  includes multiple blades  4131  arranged annularly about the elongate body  412  and slots  4132  defined to extend longitudinally between adjacent blades  4131 . The multiple blades  4131  define an outer diameter that closely fits with an inner diameter of the housing  20 . Thus, as the first rotary pump  41  rotates within the housing  20 , fluid may be drawn into each of the advancing slots  4132  from the first input pipe  51  due to a high pressure condition therein and subsequently expelled into the first output pipe  54  due to a low pressure condition therein or centrifugal force. 
     The second rotary pump  42  has an elongate body  420  and a hub section  421 . When the pump assembly  10  is assembled, the hub section  421  corresponds in position to the second axial location  208  of the housing  20 . The hub section  421  includes multiple blades  4211  arranged annularly about the elongate body  420  and slots  4212  defined to extend longitudinally between adjacent blades  4211 . The multiple blades  4211  define an outer diameter that closely fits with an inner diameter of the housing  20 . Thus, as the second rotary pump  42  rotates within the housing  20 , fluid may be drawn into each of the advancing slots  4212  from the second input pipe  52  due to a high pressure condition therein and subsequently expelled into the second output pipe  55  due to a low pressure condition therein or centrifugal force. 
     The third rotary pump  43  has an elongate body  430  and a hub section  431 . When the pump assembly  10  is assembled, the hub section  431  corresponds in position to the third axial location  211  of the housing  20 . The hub section  431  includes multiple blades  4311  arranged annularly about the elongate body  430  and slots  4312  defined to extend longitudinally between adjacent blades  4311 . The multiple blades  4311  define an outer diameter that closely fits with an inner diameter of the housing  20 . Thus, as the third rotary pump  43  rotates within the housing  20 , fluid may be drawn into each of the advancing slots  4312  from the third input pipe  53  due to a high pressure condition therein and subsequently expelled into the third output pipe  56  due to a low pressure condition therein or centrifugal force. 
     In accordance with further embodiments, the first rotary pump  41  may include or be provided as a charge pump  414  with a standard hub diameter D of about 0.8454 inches and a non-standard hub length L 1  of about 0.5635 inches, the second rotary pump  42  may include or be provided as a scavenge pump  422  with a standard hub diameter D of about 0.8454 inches and a non-standard hub length L 2  of about 0.7451 inches and the third rotary pump  42  may include or be provided as an inversion pump  432  with a standard hub diameter D of about 0.8454 inches and a non-standard hub length L 3  of about 0.5635 inches. With these dimensions, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first and third rotary pumps  41  and  43  direct fluid flow in a first direction at about 10.85 GPM at 7176 RPM and the second rotary pump  42  directs fluid flow in a second direction opposite the first direction at about 11.51 GPM at 7176 RPM. 
     The dimensions provided above are exemplary and it is to be understood that additional or alternative dimensions can be used for the various hub sections  413 ,  421  and  431  of the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43 . In each case, the additional or alternative dimensions will result in a modification of the pumping capability of the first, second and third rotary pumps  41 ,  42  and  43  at a same RPM. It is to be further understood that the exemplary dimensions and the additional or alternative dimensions will also provide for modification pumping capabilities for any corresponding modifications of RPMs. 
     While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.