Bi-Directional Pump Mechanism for Balanced Flow Fluid Exchanger

Abstract

A fluid pump assembly having a rotatable vane received with a pump housing with the vane holder rotatably carrying a plurality of vanes with each vane being biased into contact with a perimeter wall of the pump housing. A fluid exchange device utilizes the fluid pump assembly to exchange fluids in a system, such as a hydraulic system or cardiopulmonary system. The fluid exchange device may include a boost pump, a flow alignment device and a bypass valve.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 857,281, filed Nov. 7, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to pump assemblies and more particularly to a fluid pump assembly utilized in a fluid exchange device in communication with a hydraulic or other fluid system.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART[0003]The market for fluid exchanging equipment for vehicular hydraulic fluid systems, such as power steering and automatic transmissions has undergone relatively rapid recent expansion. Many such devices have been developed for such use. One unresolved problem has been the inherent need for an inexpensive fluid exchange system which is simple and automatic to operate and which supports desirable features of some known, more complex and expensive exchange units, such as the automatic fluid flow alignment mechanism as disclos...

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Benefits of technology

[0007]In one embodiment of the present invention, a fluid exchange system includes a dual chambered vane pump having extendable vanes and two ports per chamber. Additional features of an embodiment of the invention include a bypass device and means for improved exchange capacity for low flow type hydraulic systems.

Problems solved by technology

One unresolved problem has been the inherent need for an inexpensive fluid exchange system which is simple and automatic to operate and which supports desirable features of some known, more complex and expensive exchange units, such as the automatic fluid flow alignment mechanism as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,064 to Viken and U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,633 to Viken, each patent being incorporated by reference herein.

A related but unresolved problem has been the inherent need for a fluid exchange system which is inexpensive to manufacture while being simple to operate, having an automatic fluid flow alignment structure and automatic bypass at the end of the fluid exchange procedure which will allow for the easy fluid exchange of automatic transmissions in certain automobiles which are characterized as having low flow in their fluid cooling circuit, such as certain Ford Explorers, Ford pick-up type truck, and other Ford vehicles, and some Geo Metros and small foreign designed vehicles, and certain Toyotas.

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