Importance

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Abstract

A vane pump (20) including: a housing (21), a first motor (23) arranged to rotate a shaft (22) mounted about the shaft axis, a rotor (24) mounted for rotation with the shaft, and a member (28) having a surface (29) and having a member axis. The member is movable relative to the shaft axis through a permissible range of motion which includes portions on either side of a null position. A vane (32) is movably mounted in each rotor slot, and has a distal end arranged to engage the member surface. The vanes define with the rotor and surface a plurality of chambers (33A-33F). The individual volumes of the chambers vary as a function of the relative position between the rotor and surface. A second motor (31) is operatively arranged to selectively move the member relative to the shaft axis through the permissible range of motion. Movement of the member off-null in one direction along the range of motion will enable fluid flow in a first direction between the ports, while movement of the member off-null in the opposite direction along the range of motion will enable fluid flow in the opposite direction between the ports.

First Claim