Unified Variable Displacement Pump Rotor Bilateral Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical vacuum pumps are prone to tilting and flaring due to lack of bilateral support, leading to inefficiencies and potential mechanical failures during operation.
Innovation Solution
A unified variable displacement pump that combines a vacuum pump and a fluid pump into a single unit driven by the same shaft, with a vacuum pump rotor extending from both sides of the rotor to provide balanced support and a vane pump rotor for fluid circulation, enhancing stability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the rotor hub extends from only one side of the rotor, then the structure is simpler, but the rotor becomes vulnerable to tilting and flaring due to lack of bilateral support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vacuum pump rotor and fluid pump rotor into a single integrated rotor assembly that rotates on a common shaft. This merging provides bilateral support for the vacuum pump rotor while maintaining structural efficiency, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid pump rotor acts as a counterbalancing element that provides support on the opposite side of the vacuum pump rotor. This counterbalancing arrangement prevents tilting and flaring of the vacuum pump rotor lobes by distributing mechanical loads more evenly during rotation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the vacuum pump and fluid pump are separate units, then each pump can be optimized independently, but the overall system occupies more space and has higher part count
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vacuum pump and fluid pump into a single unified assembly with a common shaft and integrated rotors. This reduces the overall part count and packaging space while maintaining the functional independence of each pump through separate housing sections and fluid pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The common shaft serves multiple functions by driving both the vacuum pump rotor and fluid pump rotor simultaneously. This multi-functional design element reduces the number of separate drive mechanisms needed, simplifying the overall system while preserving independent optimization of each pump's performance characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The unified pump design improves robustness, reduces part count, and increases packaging efficiency by eliminating tilting issues while effectively generating vacuum for various applications, including fluid circulation and air removal.
Implementation Method 1
When the rotor and vane rotate, the vane slides within the slot, creating an enclosed volume in the cavity which expands in size... The volume which expands in size creates a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
the fluid pump is used to circulate engine oil throughout the engine
Data Source
AI summary
A unified variable displacement pump having a housing which includes a fluid pump and a vacuum pump. A portion of the housing is part of the fluid pump, and a portion of the housing is part of the vacuum pump. A shaft extends through the fluid pump and the vacuum pump. A vacuum pump rotor is formed as part of the shaft, and a vane pump rotor is mounted to the shaft such that when the shaft rotates, the vacuum pump rotor and the vane pump rotor rotate, causing the fluid pump to pump fluid and the vacuum pump to generate a vacuum. The vacuum pump and fluid pump are combined into a single component driven by a single shaft.