Fluid pumps and motors

Claim 2

A fluid pump or motor device comprising: low and high pressure fluid conducting means, one of which is an inlet means and the other an outlet means; a housing having a bore therein; a unitary cam ring in said housing bore; a working rotor rotatably disposed within said cam ring; said cam ring being formed to provide at least one working zone between the inner peripheral suface of said cam ring and the outer peripheral surface of said rotor, said working zone having end portions respectively in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet means; said unitary cam ring having a separable portion and being radially expandable when the inner surface thereof is subjected to pressure whereby the outer surface of said cam ring sealingly engages said housing bore to prevent fluid leakage around the periphery of said cam ring.

Claim 3

The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam ring has a circular outer periphery and an inner surface of a predetermined contour forming a cam track, said cam ring being split between said inner and outer surfaces at a location associated with that end of said working zone which is subjected to the lesser pressure.

Claim 4

The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam ring has a radially extending opening communicating one end of said working zone with said inlet mEans and a second radially extending opening communicating the other end of said working zone with said outlet means, said cam ring having a split portion forming said separable portion, said split portion being associated with the end of said working zone in communication with the low pressure fluid conducting means.

Claim 5

The device as defined in claim 1 comprising a second working zone, and wherein said cam ring has a pair of diametrically opposed openings radially extending from its inner surface to its outer surface and communicating said end portion of each working zone with said inlet means; and said cam ring having a second pair of diametrically opposed openings angularly spaced from said first mentioned pair of openings and radially extending from its inner surface to its outer surface for communicating said other end portions of said working zones with said outlet means; said cam ring being split at a location associated with one of the pair of openings in communication with the low pressure fluid conducting means.

Claim 6

The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said split portion is disposed across said cam ring opening.

Claim 7

The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said split portion at least in part comprises a crack extending across the inner surface of said cam ring.

Claim 8

As a new article of manufacture for use within a fluid pressure energy translating device of the type having low and high pressure fluid conducting means in a housing having a bore therein with a working rotor rotatably mounted within the housing, said new article of manufacture comprising: a unitary cam ring having parallel opposing sides connecting inner and outer peripheral surfaces, the outer surface of said cam ring being contoured to engage the housing bore in a fluid sealing relationship, the inner surface of said cam ring being contoured in such a manner as to cooperate with the working rotor to form at least one working zone, said cam ring having an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface thereof to provide fluid communication between one end of said zone and the low pressure fluid means, said cam ring being split from the inner to the outer surface thereof at a location associated with said end of said working zone whereby high pressure fluid in said working zone acts against the inner surface of said cam ring to expand same radially outward into a sealing engagement with said housing bore.

Claim 9

As a new article of manufacture for use within a fluid pressure energy translating device of the type having low and high pressure fluid conducting means in a housing having a bore therein with a working rotor rotatably mounted within the housing, said new article of manufacture comprising: a unitary cam ring having parallel opposing sides connecting inner and outer peripheral surfaces, the outer surface of said cam ring being contoured to engage the housing bore in a fluid sealing relationship, the inner surface of said cam ring being contoured in such a manner as to cooperate with the working rotor to form at least one working zone, said cam ring having an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface thereof to provide fluid communication between one end of said zone and the low pressure fluid means, said cam ring being split from the inner to the outer surface thereof at a location associated with said end of said working zone whereby high pressure fluid in said working zone acts against the inner surface of said cam ring to expand same radially outward into a sealing engagement with said housing bore.

Claim 10

The new article of manufacture as defined in claim 7 further comprising a second working zone, and wherein said cam ring has a first pair of diametrically opposed openings extending from its inner surface to its outer surface for communicating one end of each of said working zones with the low pressure conducting means, and a second pair of diametrically opposed openings angularly spaced from said first mentioned pair of openings, said second openings extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of said cam ring for providing fluid communication from the other ends of said zones to said high pressure fluid conducting means; said cam ring being split at a location associated with one of said first mentioned pair of diametrically opposed bores.

Claim 11

The article as defined in claim 7 wherein said cam ring is split across said opening.

Claim 12

The article as defined in claim 7 wherein said cam ring has a crack extending across the inner surface of said cam ring.

Claim 13

A rotary vane fluid pump or motor device comprising: a housing having low and high pressure fluid conducting means; a bore in said housing; a unitary peripheral cam ring within said housing bore, said cam ring having an inner peripheral surface forming a cam track; a rotor rotatably disposed within said cam ring, said rotor having a plurality of radially sliding vanes, the outer ends of which engage said cam track, said cam ring formed to provide a fluid inlet zone and fluid outlet zones between said cam track and the outer periphery of said rotor as said rotor rotates; said cam ring having a first pair of diametrically opposed openings extending radially from its inner surface to its outer surface for communicating fluid from one of said fluid zones to said low pressure fluid conducting means, and a second pair of diametrically opposed openings angularly spaced from said first mentioned openings, said second openings extending radially from the inner surface to the outer surface of said cam ring for communicating fluid from the other of said zones to said high pressure fluid conducting means; said cam ring being split at a location associated with one of said first mentioned openings such that pressure acting on the inner surface of said cam ring radially expands said cam ring into a sealing engagement with said housing bore.

Claim 14

A rotary vane fluid pump or motor device comprising: a housing having low and high pressure fluid conducting means; a bore in said housing; a unitary peripheral cam ring within said housing bore, said cam ring having an inner peripheral surface forming a cam track; a rotor rotatably disposed within said cam ring, said rotor having a plurality of radially sliding vanes, the outer ends of which engage said cam track, said cam ring formed to provide a fluid inlet zone and fluid outlet zones between said cam track and the outer periphery of said rotor as said rotor rotates; said cam ring having a first pair of diametrically opposed openings extending radially from its inner surface to its outer surface for communicating fluid from one of said fluid zones to said low pressure fluid conducting means, and a second pair of diametrically opposed openings angularly spaced from said first mentioned openings, said second openings extending radially from the inner surface to the outer surface of said cam ring for communicating fluid from the other of said zones to said high pressure fluid conducting means; said cam ring being split at a location associated with one of said first mentioned openings such that pressure acting on the inner surface of said cam ring radially expands said cam ring into a sealing engagement with said housing bore.