Patent ID: 7361001

Claim:
A hydraulic vane pump comprising: a plurality of vanes circumferentially spaced about a rotor for rotation therewith; a plurality of members cooperating with said plurality of vanes and said rotor to define reciprocally expanding and contracting vane cells in a fluid inlet sector and a fluid discharge sector, respectively, said expanding and contracting vane cells being operable to transfer fluid from a fluid inlet at said inlet sector to a fluid outlet at said discharge sector; and said plurality of members defining an air flow path including a recession and an orifice, said recession and orifice being disposed at said inlet sector and being in fluid communication with one another and with said vane cells such that entrained air in said fluid is vented from said vane cells via said air flow path prior to said fluid being transferred to said discharge sector, thereby increasing pump capacity and decreasing cavitation noise.