Claims
- 1. In a diaphragm pump having a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the improvement which comprises:
- valve means responsive to fluid pressure in the outlet passage and for relieving driving fluid chamber pressure when the outlet passage fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined value and wherein the valve means includes a valve chamber in communication with the outlet passage, a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber, a valve member slidably responsive within the valve chamber to changes in outlet passage fluid pressure, the valve member having a sealing surface, and a spring urging the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat; and,
- wherein said diaphragm pump further includes a pump casing and wherein the driving fluid chamber is defined by an upper diaphragm retaining member secured adjacent said casing and a cylindrical pressure chamber having cylindrical walls and a lower outwardly extending disc portion axially sandwiched between said member and the pump casing, the diaphragm pump further including an anti-blow-by seal sandwiched between the pump casing and the cylindrical pressure chamber adjacent the cylindrical walls and the disc portion.
- 2. An adjustable pressure unloader valve for use in a diaphragm pump which includes a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber for pumping driven fluid, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the unloader valve comprising:
- a valve body connected to the pump and defining a valve chamber having fluid therein;
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member having a sealing face at one end and having a pressure face located within said valve chamber;
- a spring biasing the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat;
- adjusting means for adjusting the force exerted by said spring to bias the sealing surface, said adjusting means extending axially away from said valve member, from an end opposite the sealing face; and,
- wherein said valve member has a steady state position where said sealing face is disposed in sealing relation with said seat and wherein said valve member has a first relief position where the fluid pressure in the outlet passage, while exceeding a first predetermined threshold value, acts upon the fluid in the valve chamber which acts upon the pressure face and urges said valve member against the bias of said spring and where said sealing face is unseated from said seat.
- 3. In a diaphragm pump having a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the improvement which comprises:
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a needle valve member having a sealing surface;
- a spring urging the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat;
- wherein the needle valve member is responsive to fluid pressure in the outlet passage and relieves driving fluid chamber pressure when the outlet passage fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined value; and,
- wherein said sealing surface faces axially away from the needle valve member.
- 4. An adjustable pressure unloader valve for use in a diaphragm pump which includes a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber for pumping driven fluid, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the unloader valve comprising:
- a valve body connected to the pump and defining a valve chamber having fluid therein;
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member having a sealing face at one end and having a pressure face located within said valve chamber wherein said sealing face faces axially away from said pressure face;
- a spring biasing the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat; and,
- wherein said valve member has a steady state position where said sealing face is disposed in sealing relation with said seat and wherein said valve member has a first relief position where the fluid pressure in the outlet passage, while exceeding a first predetermined threshold value, acts upon the fluid in the valve chamber which acts upon the pressure face and urges said valve member against the bias of said spring and where said sealing face is unseated from said seat.
- 5. In a diaphragm pump having a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the improvement which comprises:
- valve means responsive to fluid pressure in the outlet passage, said valve means being for relieving driving fluid chamber pressure when the outlet passage fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined valve, said valve means being at least about twelve times more responsive to outlet passage fluid pressure than to driving fluid chamber pressure.
- 6. The diaphragm pump of claim 5 wherein the valve means includes:
- a valve chamber in communication with the outlet passage;
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member slidably responsive within the valve chamber to changes in outlet passage fluid pressure, the valve member having a sealing surface; and,
- a spring urging the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat.
- 7. The diaphragm pump of claim 5 further including:
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member having a sealing surface;
- a spring urging the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat; and,
- wherein the valve member is slidably responsive away from said seat to increases in the outlet passage fluid pressure.
- 8. In a diaphragm pump having a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the improvement which comprises:
- valve means for relieving driving fluid chamber pressure when the outlet passage fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined value, said value means including a valve member defining a sealing end face in communication with the driving fluid chamber and defining an effective pressure face in communication with the outlet passage, wherein said effective pressure face has a cross-sectional area of said sealing end face, and wherein said valve member is slidably responsive within the valve chamber to changes in outlet passage fluid pressure.
- 9. The diaphragm pump of claim 8 wherein the cross-sectional area of the effective pressure face is between about thirteen and about fourteen times greater than the cross-sectional area of the sealing end face for pumps having a flow rate of about one-half gallon per minute.
- 10. The diaphragm pump of claim 8 wherein the cross-sectional area of the effective pressure face is about twenty times greater than the cross-sectional area of the sealing end face for pumps having a flow rate of about two gallons per minute.
- 11. In a diaphragm pump having a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the improvement which comprises:
- valve means responsive to fluid pressure in the outlet passage and for relieving driving fluid chamber pressure when the outlet passage fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined value, said valve means including a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber, a valve member having a sealing surface, a spring urging the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat, and a valve chamber in hydraulic communication with the outlet passage and wherein said valve member extends through said valve chamber and is slidably responsive away from said seat to outlet passage fluid pressures above a predetermined threshold value.
- 12. The diaphragm pump of claim 11 wherein said valve means further includes a fluid line connected between and providing communication between the outlet passage and said valve chamber and wherein said valve chamber and said fluid line are filled with a dense liquid.
- 13. The diaphragm pump of claim 12 wherein the dense liquid is grease.
- 14. The diaphragm pump of claim 12 wherein said valve means further includes:
- a valve body and seals surrounding said valve member and sealing said valve chamber, and
- seal failure hole means for indicating failure of the seals.
- 15. The diaphragm pump of claim 12 further including a diaphragm with a restrictor hole, the diaphragm located within said fluid line or said outlet passage to provide separation between the dense liquid within the fluid line and the outlet fluid within the outlet passage.
- 16. An adjustable pressure unloader valve for use in a diaphragm pump which includes a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber for pumping driven fluid, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the unloader valve comprising:
- a valve body connected to the pump and defining a valve chamber having fluid therein;
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member having a sealing face at one end and having a pressure face located within said valve chamber;
- a spring biasing the sealing surface against and in sealing relation with the seat;
- wherein said valve member has a steady state position where said sealing face is disposed in sealing relation with said seat and wherein said valve member has a first relief position where the fluid pressure in the outlet passage, while exceeding a first predetermined threshold value, acts upon the fluid in the valve chamber which acts upon the pressure face and urges said valve member against the bias of said spring and where said sealing face is unseated from said seat; and,
- wherein said valve body includes seals surrounding said valve member and wherein said valve body, in combination with said valve member and said seals, define major and minor pressure faces.
- 17. The adjustable pressure unloader valve of claim 16 wherein said valve body includes seal failure indicator means for indicating failure of the seals.
- 18. The adjustable pressure unloader valve of claim 17 further including a fluid line between said valve chamber and the outlet passage and providing fluid communication therebetween and wherein said valve chamber and said fluid line are filled with a thick hydraulic fluid.
- 19. The adjustable pressure unloader valve of claim 18 wherein the thick hydraulic fluid is grease.
- 20. The adjustable pressure unloader valve of claim 18 wherein the outlet passage is a conduit for the driven fluid and further including a diaphragm with restrictor hole disposed between the thick hydraulic fluid and the driven fluid.
- 21. An adjustable pressure unloader valve for use in a diaphragm pump which includes a driving fluid chamber and a pump chamber for pumping driven fluid, a diaphragm separating the chambers, inlet and outlet passages to the pump chamber, a check valve between the pump chamber and the outlet passage, and drive means for alternately pressure loading and unloading driving fluid in the driving fluid chamber, the unloader valve comprising:
- a valve body connected to the pump and defining a valve chamber having fluid therein;
- a seat defining a pressure relief orifice in communication with the driving fluid chamber;
- a valve member having a sealing face at one end and having a pressure face located within said valve chamber;
- a spring biasing the sealing surfaces against and in sealing relation with the seat;
- wherein said valve member has a steady state position where said sealing face is disposed in sealing relation with said seat and wherein said valve member has a first relief position where the fluid pressure in the outlet passage, while exceeding a first predetermined threshold value, acts upon the fluid in the valve chamber which acts upon the pressure face and urges said valve member against the bias of said spring and where said sealing face is unseated from said seat; and,
- wherein the unloader valve further includes a pump casing and wherein the driving fluid chamber is defined by an upper diaphragm retaining member secured adjacent said casing and a cylindrical pressure chamber having cylindrical walls and a lower outwardly extending disc portion axially sandwiched between said member and the pump casing, the diaphragm pump further including an anti-blow-by seal sandwiched between the pump casing and the cylindrical pressure chamber adjacent the cylindrical walls and the disc portion.
- 22. A diaphragm pump having a sump, a driving fluid chamber, a pump chamber and a diaphragm separating the chambers, comprising:
- a pump casing having a central bore in communication at its top with the sump;
- an upper diaphragm retaining member secured adjacent said casing below and aligned with the bore;
- a cylindrical pressure chamber received within the bore, having cylindrical walls and having a lower outwardly extending disc portion axially sandwiched between said member and said pump casing, the disc portion having a top;
- wherein said casing includes an annular recess in communication with the bore and which, along with the outside of the cylindrical walls and the top of the disc portion, defines an annular seal receiving region; and,
- an anti-blow-by seal sandwiched between said pressure chamber and said casing within the annular seal receiving region.
- 23. The diaphragm pump of claim 22 wherein said retaining member is physically distinct from said pressure chamber.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 520,130, filed May 7, 1990, now abandoned, which is continuation of application Ser. No. 391,714, filed Aug. 7, 1989now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 120,938, filed Nov. 16, 1989 abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Continuations (2)
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Date |
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Parent |
520130 |
May 1990 |
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Parent |
391714 |
Aug 1989 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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120938 |
Nov 1987 |
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