Patent ID: 8137085

Claim:
A gear pump comprising: a drive gear being mounted for rotation about a first axis, said drive gear having a plurality of gear teeth at a radially outer location; a driven gear, said driven gear being mounted for rotation about a second axis, said driven gear including a plurality of teeth at a radially outer location, and said drive gears teeth engaging said driven gear teeth at mating contact faces to cause said driven gear to rotate; and slots formed in said contact face of one of said drive and driven gear teeth; said slots extending from the radially outer location to a radially innermost end relative to one of said first and second axes; a width of said slots being defined measured along said one of said firsts and second axes, with said width decreasing moving from said radially outer location toward said radially innermost end; and said width at said radially outer location being more than twice said width at said radially innermost end.