VANE PUMP

摘要

A vane pump (10) includes a cylindrical rotor (78) rotatable inside of an oval-shaped rotor chamber (66) defined by a cam ring (46) around the rotor (78). A thrust plate (42) and a pressure plate (44) on opposite sides of the cam ring (46) cover the rotor chamber (66) and are squeezed together by a pressure force attributable to fluid in a discharge chamber (70) of the vane pump (10) at a discharge pressure thereof. A first thrust face (56) of the thrust plate (42) is pressed against an end wall (18) of a cavity (20) of a pump housing (12) in which the components are installed. Fluid at the discharge pressure is ported to one or more balance chambers (124A, 124B) between the thrust plate (42) and the end wall (18) of the housing (12). The balance chambers (124A, 124B) are defined by a gasket (122) received in a groove (126) of the first thrust face (56). Fluid at the discharge pressure within the balance chamber (124A, 124B) balances a fraction of the pressure force on the thrust plate (42) on an opposite second thrust face (57) thereof attributable to fluid discharge from a rotor chamber (66) in which the rotor (78) operates, in order to place the thrust plate (42) in axial static equilibrium.