Patent ID: 8419384

Claim:
A vane pump assembly for a fluid pump, said pump assembly comprising: a pump housing having a proximate portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximate portion of the housing is adapted to be mounted to a pump motor; a fluid inlet port formed in a distal portion of the housing; a fluid outlet port formed in a proximate portion of the housing; a first bearing member disposed within the distal portion of the housing, the first bearing member having a plurality of inlet orifices in fluid flow communication with the fluid inlet port; a cam ring disposed within the housing adjacent the first bearing member; a rotor adapted to be mounted to a pump drive shaft and disposed within an opening in the cam ring, the rotor having a plurality of radial slots formed therein; a plurality of vanes slidably received within the slots of the rotor; a second bearing member disposed within the proximate portion of the housing adjacent the cam ring, the second bearing member having a plurality of outlet orifices in fluid flow communication with the fluid outlet port; and an end plate mounted within the distal portion of the housing wherein rotation of the rotor by the drive shaft causes fluids from the fluid inlet port to be drawn through the plurality of inlet orifices at an initial fluid pressure, to be directed along a plurality of fluid flow paths disposed between an inner surface of the cam ring and an outer surface of the rotor, and to be ejected through the plurality of outlet orifices to the fluid outlet port at a second fluid pressure which is greater than the initial fluid pressure and wherein the pump housing comprises a molded polymeric material with unmachined molded surfaces.