Rotary vane pump

1. A rotary vane pump for pumping a fluid, the rotary vane pump comprising:

(a) a pump housing defining an interior chamber having a sealing surface;

(b) a rotor rotatingly disposed within the interior chamber, the rotor having a plurality of slots;

(c) a plurality of vanes, each vane moveably disposed in one of the plurality of slots;

(d) an input shaft coupled to the rotor for applying a torque to the rotor, wherein the input shaft and rotor are a unitary, integrally formed component;

(e) wherein the plurality of vanes are actuatable into a substantially sealing relationship with the sealing surface of the pump housing by centrifugal forces and hydraulic forces and not mechanical forces during pumping of the fluid; and

(f) a fixed shaft disposed in the housing and wherein the rotor includes a bore for rotatingly receiving the fixed shaft, wherein the input shaft includes a fluid passageway passing axially through the input shaft.

2. The rotary vane pump of claim 1 , wherein the input shaft and rotor are an integrally molded component.

3. The rotary vane pump of claim 1 , wherein the rotor has a diameter less than about 1.5 inches.

4. The rotary vane pump of claim 1 , wherein the rotary vane pump is configured to pump a preselected amount of a fluid per each revolution of the rotor, wherein the preselected amount is less than about 3 ml per revolution.

5. A rotary vane pump for pumping a fluid, the rotary vane pump comprising:

(a) a pump housing;

(b) a fixed shaft disposed in the housing;

(c) a rotor having a bore for rotatingly receiving the fixed shaft, the rotor having a plurality of slots;

(d) a plurality of vanes, each vane moveably disposed in one of the plurality of slots; and

(e) an input shaft coupled to the rotor for applying a torque to the rotor for rotating the rotor upon the fixed shaft, wherein the input shaft includes an axial bore passing through the input shaft for supplying a fluid through the axial bore to lubricate the fixed shaft.

6. A pump assembly comprising:

(a) a pump housing;

(b) a rotor rotatingly disposed within the housing, the rotor having a plurality of slots;

(c) a plurality of vanes, each vane moveably disposed in one of the plurality of slots; and

(d) an input shaft coupled to the rotor for applying a torque to the rotor;

(e) a prime mover for generating a torque; and

(f) a magnetic coupling unit for magnetically transferring the torque generated by the prime mover to the input shaft; wherein the input shaft includes a passageway passing axially through the input shaft for transferring a fluid between the pump housing and the magnetic coupling unit.

7. The pump assembly of claim 6 , further comprising an input shaft coupled to the rotor and passing through the pump housing in a non-fluid sealing manner through an aperture, wherein the magnetic coupling unit includes a pressure vessel sealingly coupled to the pump housing for containing any fluid passing out of the housing through the aperture.

8. The pump assembly of claim 7 , wherein the magnetic coupling unit includes a first magnet coupled to the input shaft and disposed inside of the pressure vessel and a second magnet rotatingly disposed outside of the pressure vessel for interacting with the first magnet to induce rotation of the first magnet.

9. The pump assembly of claim 6 , wherein a single rotation of the rotor results in less than 3 ml of fluid being pumped.