Regenerative ring impeller pump

Abstract

A regenerative pump for an automotive fuel pump assembly comprises a cover and body that define a chamber and a ring impeller disposed within the chamber. An inlet is formed in the cover, and a discharge port is formed in the body. The body includes a pumping channel adjacent the chamber and having a discharge end section extending from the discharge port. The port diameter is greater than the radial width of the discharge end section. Also, the discharge end section has a depth that progressively increases adjacent the discharge port. The configuration of the discharge port and the channel end section reduces frictional and turbulent losses and thereby improves pumping efficiency.

1 . A regenerative pump comprising: 
 a pump housing comprising a body and a cover defining a chamber;    a ring impeller received in said chamber and rotatable about an axis;    a pump inlet in said cover for supplying fluid to said chamber;    a discharge port in said body for discharging fluid from said chamber and having a port radial dimension;    a pumping channel formed in said body adjacent said chamber and comprising a discharge end section extending from said discharge port, said discharge end section having a substantially constant radial width, said port diameter and said radial width being sized such that said port radial dimension is greater than said radial width, said end section further comprising an axial depth that progressively increases adjacent said discharge port.    
     
     
         2 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said discharge end section in an arc that extends over an angle between about 20° and 40° relative to the axis.  
     
     
         3 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the depth of the discharge end section includes a centerline increases at an angle between about 50° and 70° relative to the axis.  
     
     
         4 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said discharge port comprises a coaxial circular passage.  
     
     
         5 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said body includes an outer face opposite said chamber, and wherein said discharge port includes an outer opening at said outer face, and further wherein said outer face defines an outer channel extending from said outer opening.  
     
     
         6 . A pump in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the outer channel extends from said outer opening at an angle between about 20° to 40° relative to the axis.  
     
     
         7 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the ring impeller has a continuous circumference and vanes spaced inwardly from said circumference.  
     
     
         8 . A pump in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the discharge port has a radial dimension between 1.2 and 1.5 times the radial width of the discharge end section.  
     
     
         9 . An automotive fuel pump assembly comprising: 
 a shell defining a compartment and having a shell end;    an electric motor disposed within the compartment and having a shaft rotatable about an axis;    a pump housing comprising a cover disposed in said shell end and a body inboard the cover, said cover and body defining a chamber;    a ring impeller rotatably received in said chamber and mounted on the shaft;    a pump inlet in said cover for supplying fluid to said chamber;    a discharge port in said body for discharging fluid from said chamber to said compartment and having a radial dimension diameter;    a pumping channel formed in said body adjacent said chamber and comprising a discharge end section extending from said discharge port, said discharge end section having a substantially constant radial width, said port diameter and said radial width being sized such that said port radial dimension is greater than said radial width, said end section further comprising an axial depth that progressively increases adjacent said discharge port, whereby the port diameter is greater than the radial width of the pumping channel.    
     
     
         10 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein said discharge end section extends over an angle between about 20° and 40° relative to axis.  
     
     
         11 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the depth of the discharge end section increases at an angle between about 20° and 40° relative to the axis.  
     
     
         12 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein said discharge port comprises a coaxial circular passage.  
     
     
         13 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein said body includes an outer face adjacent the compartment, and wherein said discharge port includes an outer opening at said outer face, and further wherein said outer face defines an outer channel extending from said outer opening.  
     
     
         14 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the outer channel extends from said outer opening at an angle between about 20° and 40° relative to the axis.  
     
     
         15 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the ring impeller has a continuous circumference and vanes spaced inwardly from said circumference.  
     
     
         16 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the discharge port has a diameter between 1.2 and 1.5 times the radial width of the discharge section.  
     
     
         17 . An automotive fuel pump assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the discharge port has a cross-sectional area and wherein the pumping channel has a cross-sectional area outside the end section, and wherein the cross-sectional area of the discharge port is between 3 and 5 times the cross-sectional area of the pumping channel.