Dual outlet pump

Abstract

A dual outlet pressure pump includes a housing having first and second inlets as well as first and second outlets. A plurality of vanes are driven by a rotor. An asymmetric rotor cavity includes a first surface engaged by the vanes shaped to at least partially define a plurality of low pressure, high volume chambers. The cavity also includes a second surface engaged by the vanes shaped to at least partially define a plurality of high pressure, low volume chambers. Rotation of the rotor and vanes substantially simultaneously pumps a high volume of low pressure fluid between the first inlet and the first outlet and a low volume of high pressure fluid between the second inlet and the second outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual outlet pressure pump, comprising:
 a housing including first and second inlets as well as first and second outlets;   a rotor;   a plurality of vanes driven by the rotor; and   an asymmetric rotor cavity having a first surface engaged by the vanes and being shaped to at least partially define a plurality of low pressure, high volume chambers, the cavity also including a second surface engaged by the vanes and being shaped to at least partially define a plurality of high pressure, low volume chambers, wherein rotation of the rotor and vanes substantially simultaneously pumps a high volume of low pressure fluid between the first inlet and the first outlet, and a low volume of high pressure fluid between the second inlet and the second outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first cavity surface is spaced apart further from the rotor than the second cavity surface. 
     
     
         3 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 1 , wherein the low pressure high volume chambers define volumes greater than the high pressure, low volume chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a fixed capacity pump. 
     
     
         5 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump includes first, second and third plates fixed to one another, the second plate including the asymmetrical cavity in receipt of the rotor and the vanes. 
     
     
         6 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 5 , wherein the first plate includes a first outlet port in communication with at least one of the low pressure, high volume chambers and the first outlet, the plate also including a second outlet port spaced apart from the first outlet port, in communication with at least one of the high pressure, high volume chambers and the second outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 6 , wherein the first plate includes a first slot in receipt of low pressurized fluid and a second spaced apart slot in receipt of high pressure fluid, the slots providing pressurized fluid to faces of the vanes to urge the vanes toward the first and second surfaces of the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 7 , wherein the second plate includes a chamfered edge providing a flow path in communication with the first inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 8 , wherein the third plate includes a first outlet port in communication with at least one of the low pressure, high volume chambers and the first outlet, the third plate also including a second outlet port spaced apart from the first outlet port, in communication with at least one of the high pressure, low volume chambers and the second outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 9 , wherein the second plate includes a high pressure passageway interconnecting the second outlet port of the first plate and the second outlet port of the third plate. 
     
     
         11 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 10 , wherein the third plate includes a first inlet port in communication with the low pressure, high volume chambers and a second inlet port in communication with the high pressure, low volume chambers. 
     
     
         12 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 11 , wherein a storage cavity is formed between the second plate and the housing to store low pressure fluid, the second plate including a low pressure inlet passageway to allow fluid to flow from the storage cavity to the rotor cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The dual outlet pressure pump of  claim 1 , further including an electric motor mounted within the housing and a monolithic shaft driven by the motor driving the rotor. 
     
     
         14 . A fluid pump, comprising:
 a housing including an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet;   a rotor rotatably supported in the housing;   a plurality of vanes driven by the rotor and defining pressure chambers having different volumes; and   the first and second outlets receiving fluid from the inlet and being associated with chambers having a decreasing volume, wherein the second outlet supplies fluid at a higher pressure and a lower flow rate than the first outlet.   
     
     
         15 . The fluid pump of  claim 14 , wherein the pump is a fixed capacity pump. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid pump of  claim 14 , wherein the housing includes first, second and third plates fixed to one another, the second plate including a cylindrically shaped cavity in receipt of the rotor and the vanes. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid pump of  claim 16 , wherein the first plate includes a first outlet port in communication with several pressure chambers and the first outlet, the plate also including a second outlet port spaced apart from the first outlet port and in communication with the second outlet. 
     
     
         18 . The pump of  claim 17 , wherein the second outlet port is circumferentially spaced apart from the first outlet port and positioned further downstream than the first outlet port.