Bi-Directional Pump Mechanism for Balanced Flow Fluid Exchanger

Abstract

A fluid pump assembly having a rotatable vane received with a pump housing with the vane holder rotatably carrying a plurality of vanes with each vane being biased into contact with a perimeter wall of the pump housing. A fluid exchange device utilizes the fluid pump assembly to exchange fluids in a system, such as a hydraulic system or cardiopulmonary system. The fluid exchange device may include a boost pump, a flow alignment device and a bypass valve.

1 . A fluid pump assembly comprising:
 a pump housing;   a plurality of fluid conduits coupled to the pump housing and directing fluid into or out of the pump assembly;   a rotatable vane holder held within the pump housing, with a working chamber defined at one side of the vane holder and a pumping chamber defined on another side of the vane holder; and   a plurality of vanes slidably coupled to the vane holder, said vanes being biased outwardly from a vane holder center to engage a perimeter of the working chamber, and wherein a fluid introduced into the working chamber from one of the plurality of fluid conduits causes the vane holder and plurality of vanes to rotate and provide an expulsion of fluid out of the pumping chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the vane holder includes a pair of generally planar surfaces matched to interior surfaces of the pump housing to seal the pumping chamber from the working chamber. 
   
   
       3 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of vanes are biased under a spring force or fluid pressure exerted on an interior surface of the vanes. 
   
   
       4 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of fluid conduits is in fluid communication with a hydraulic system of an automobile and receives used fluid during an exchange procedure. 
   
   
       5 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 4  wherein another one of the plurality of fluid conduits is in fluid communication with the hydraulic system and delivers fresh fluid during the exchange procedure. 
   
   
       6 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 5  wherein during the exchange procedure, a rate of used fluid flow through said conduit is approximately equal to a rate of fresh fluid flow through said another conduit. 
   
   
       7 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein some of said vanes are biased outwardly from a vane holder center to engage a perimeter of the pumping chamber. 
   
   
       8 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the vane holder is generally cylindrical and wherein the vane holder is fitted into the housing so that portions of the vane holder sufficiently cooperate with portions of the pump housing to substantially seal fluid from flowing from the working chamber into the pumping chamber. 
   
   
       9 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of vanes extend outwardly in radial fashion from a vane holder center. 
   
   
       10 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pump housing defines a generally elliptical cavity for receiving the vane holder. 
   
   
       11 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the working chamber and pumping chamber contain substantially equal volumes of fluid so that during an exchange procedure a used fluid rate is substantially matched to a fresh fluid rate. 
   
   
       12 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 1  wherein the vane holder is coupled to a electric motor, said electric motor providing a rotating force during an exchange procedure tending to increase rotation of the vane holder and facilitate a faster fluid exchange. 
   
   
       13 . A fluid pump assembly comprising:
 a rotating vane holder held within a pump housing, said vane holder carrying a plurality of vanes which are outwardly biased to engage interior wall surfaces of the pump housing, said plurality of vanes sliding in and out of the vane holder as said vane holder rotates; and   a working chamber defined on one side of the vane holder, wherein a fluid introduced into the working chamber from a fluid conduit coupled to the pump housing causes rotation of the vane holder and expulsion of the fluid out of the fluid pump assembly.   
   
   
       14 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a fresh fluid conduit in fluid communication with the pump housing and receiving a fresh fluid expelled out of a pumping chamber.   
   
   
       15 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the vane holder includes surfaces matched to cooperate with interior surfaces of the pump housing to seal fluid flow from the working chamber into a pumping chamber. 
   
   
       16 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of vanes are biased under a spring force or fluid pressure exerted on an interior surface of the vanes. 
   
   
       17 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein one of the plurality of fluid conduits is in fluid communication with a hydraulic system of an automobile and receives used fluid during an exchange procedure. 
   
   
       18 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 17  wherein another one of the plurality of fluid conduits is in fluid communication with the hydraulic system to deliver fresh fluid to the hydraulic system during the exchange procedure. 
   
   
       19 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 18  wherein during the exchange procedure, a rate of used fluid flow through said conduit is approximately equal to a rate of fresh fluid flow through said another conduit. 
   
   
       20 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein some of said vanes are biased outwardly from a vane holder center to engage a perimeter of the pumping chamber. 
   
   
       21 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the vane holder is generally cylindrical and wherein the vane holder is fitted into the housing so that portions of the vane holder sufficiently cooperate with portions of the pump housing to substantially seal fluid from flowing from the working chamber into the pumping chamber. 
   
   
       22 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of vanes extend outwardly in radial fashion generally from a vane holder center. 
   
   
       23 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the pump housing defines a generally elliptical cavity for receiving the vane holder. 
   
   
       24 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 13  wherein the working chamber and pumping chamber contain substantially equal volumes of fluid so that during an exchange procedure a used fluid rate is substantially matched to a fresh fluid rate. 
   
   
       25 . A fluid pump assembly comprising:
 a rotating vane holder held within a pump housing, said vane holder carrying a plurality of vanes which are outwardly biased to engage interior wall surfaces of the pump housing, said plurality of vanes sliding in and out of the vane holder as said vane holder rotates;   a used fluid conduit positioned at one end to a hydraulic system, and during an exchange procedure said used fluid conduit delivers a used fluid from the hydraulic system into the pump housing;   a fresh fluid conduit positioned at one end to the hydraulic system, and during the exchange procedure said fresh fluid conduit delivers a fresh fluid from the pump housing into the hydraulic system; and   a working chamber defined on one side of the vane holder, wherein used fluid from the used fluid conduit engages some of the plurality of vanes causing rotation of the vane holder and expulsion of a fresh fluid out of the fluid pump assembly and into said fresh fluid conduit.   
   
   
       26 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 25  wherein a pumping chamber and said working chamber are generally equal in volume. 
   
   
       27 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 26  wherein the hydraulic system is an automatic transmission or powered steering system of a vehicle. 
   
   
       28 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein the used fluid conduit receives used transmission fluid pressurized by an automatic transmission pump on the vehicle during a transmission fluid exchange procedure. 
   
   
       29 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 27  wherein the used fluid conduit receives used power steering fluid pressurized by a power steering pump on the vehicle during a power steering fluid exchange procedure. 
   
   
       30 . The fluid pump assembly of  claim 25  wherein said plurality of vanes are biased under a spring force or a fluid force tending to bias said vanes outwardly.