Gear Pump

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gear pump (10) with at least three gear wheels (12, 14, 16), which are arranged in a pump housing (18), and a drive shaft (20). With such a device, in which the at least three gear wheels (12, 14, 16) are arranged radially adjacent to one another, and wherein a pump is formed by in each case two adjacent ones of the at least three gear wheels (12, 14, 16) and wherein one of the at least three gear wheels (12, 14, 16) can be driven by the drive shaft (20), a multiple pump is described which is more compact in construction than the known prior art and has a greater level of efficiency. Furthermore, considerable potential savings in system costs result from this.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A gear pump comprising:
 at least three gear wheels arranged in a pump housing and a drive shaft;   the at least three gear wheels arranged radially adjacent to one another;   a pump is formed by two adjacent ones of the at least three gear wheels and one of the at least three gear wheels can be driven by the drive shaft.   
     
     
         15 . The gear pump according to  claim 14 , wherein each pump comprises a suction side and a pressure side. 
     
     
         16 . The gear pump according to  claim 14 , wherein at least two of the at least three gear wheels have an equal number or a different number of teeth. 
     
     
         17 . The gear pump according to  claim 14 , wherein the drive shaft is driven by a drive motor arranged in a motor housing. 
     
     
         18 . The gear pump according to  claim 17 , wherein the drive motor is an electric motor. 
     
     
         19 . The gear pump according to  claim 18 , wherein the electric motor includes of a stator arranged in the motor housing and a rotor arranged in a motor chamber, the rotor connected to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The gear pump according to  claim 19 , wherein a side plate fluidically seals the suction sides and the pressure sides of each pump from the motor chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The gear pump according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the pumps is associated with at least one valve arranged on the side plate, and a fluid conveyed by the pump is directed into the motor chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The gear pump according to  claim 17 , wherein the drive shaft is formed as a hollow shaft and includes a radial throttle opening to the motor chamber. 
     
     
         23 . The gear pump according to  claim 17 , wherein an end plate is arranged on the side of the pump housing that is facing away from the motor housing. 
     
     
         24 . The gear pump according to  claim 23 , wherein the end plate provides vibration damping and/or sealing. 
     
     
         25 . The gear pump according to  claim 23 , wherein the end plate has at least two suction ports for connecting the suction sides of the pumps and at least two pressure ports for connecting the pressure sides of the pumps. 
     
     
         26 . The gear pump according to  claim 23 , wherein the end plate comprises a servo pressure port for providing servo pressure fed from the motor chamber.