Not applicable.
This invention relates to a valve pin insert, and particularly a valve pin insert in a polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) material valve plate.
Chemical duty pumps require corrosion-resistant materials to be used. Non-chemical duty pumps, particularly high vacuum, oilless vacuum pumps, have been diaphragm pumps and one of the designs utilizes an aluminum pin press fit into an aluminum valve plate to hold a flapper valve which operated as the pump stroked. The diaphragm hit the pin on each stroke, but since the pin was held firmly in the valve plate by the tight press fit, that was harmless and acceptable.
In chemical duty pumps, the materials of the valve plate must be corrosion resistant and therefore the material of the valve plate is made of PTFE, commonly known as Teflon™. The pins also must be corrosion resistant, but since they are subjected to the stresses of holding the flapper valve, which is stretched over them, they are made of a harder plastic material, for example, glass- or graphite-filled polyetheretherketone (“PEEK”). The valve itself is typically a corrosion resistant elastomer, for example, Kalrez™. Typically the valve is a flat rubber valve attached to the valve plate with two pins. The valve has two oblong holes for the pins to allow movement needed to open and close the valve.
The diaphragm contacting the pins on each stroke causes the pins to become sunk into the valve plate, which adversely affects the operation of the valve. The valve opening may be restricted or it may not be able to completely close. The press fit in the PTFE is not sufficient to prevent this condition.
The invention provides a new design for a pin and the joint between the valve plate and the pin, which supports the pin at the required height for the pump life. The pin accomplishes this by being provided with a sharpened shoulder which shears the material of the valve plate as the pin is inserted into it, and causes the material under the shoulder to flow and compress in a manner that provides support against the inward forces to which the pin is subjected by the diaphragm.
In the invention, the undercut shoulder forms a tooth that shears material of the valve plate as the pin is inserted into a hole in the valve plate. The shoulder may be molded or machined into the pin, which is preferably made of a relatively harder plastic, such as PEEK. The valve plate is preferably made of a relatively softer plastic, such as PTFE.
In a preferred form, the undercut shoulder extends to a radial depth that is beneath the surface of the lower shank. This forms an outwardly facing shoulder above the lower shank such that when the pin is inserted into the hole, the material that is sheared from the valve plate flows into the undercut and flows and is compacted therein on top of the outwardly facing shoulder, so as to help prevent any spring-back of the pin out of the hole.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description which follows. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Referring to
The junction of the lower shank 16 and the upper shank 18 has a downwardly facing undercut shoulder 22 formed all the way around the pin 10 which forms a sharpened edge or tooth 24, which extends for 360 degrees around the upper shank 18 of the pin 10. Hole 14 is slightly larger than shank 16 and serves to guide the pin 10 as it is inserted into the hole 14. When the end of tooth 24 contacts the upper surface of valve plate 12 around the hole 14 upon initial insertion, with further insertion of the pin 10, the tooth 24 is depressed into the valve plate 12 around the hole 14, and shears the material where it is pressed into it. Insertion continues for approximately an additional 2 mm until the top surface 26 of shank 18 is flush with the top surface 28 of valve plate 12. The force for inserting the pin 10 is preferably applied through the top surface 26 of shank 18, rather than the stud 20, to keep from deforming the stud 20. When fully inserted, the pin 10 and valve plate 12 appear as shown in
The material of the valve plate 12 is PTFE, which is a soft and flowable material with low elasticity. Other materials with similar characteristics may also work. However, PTFE is desirable since it also is highly chemical resistant. The combination of shearing, flowing, and compression provided by the invention results in this material becoming compressed and able to resist the loads to which the pin is subjected which would otherwise adversely affect the function of the valve and pump.
The pin 10 is preferably made of a PEEK material which may be either glass-filled, graphite-filled, or otherwise filled. In the embodiment shown in
The embodiment shown in
Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in considerable detail. Many modifications and variations to the preferred embodiments described will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, studs of various shapes could extend from the body, or a hole could be formed in the body to receive a fastener for securing the valve to the valve plate. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the embodiments described, but should be defined by the claims which follow.
This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/439,071 filed Jan. 9, 2003.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2221141 | Kindt | Nov 1940 | A |
3621868 | Wise | Nov 1971 | A |
4146206 | Malloy et al. | Mar 1979 | A |
4182217 | Runge | Jan 1980 | A |
6267527 | Miller | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6435758 | Hinkel | Aug 2002 | B1 |
20030181560 | Kawaguchi et al. | Sep 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20040140006 A1 | Jul 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60439071 | Jan 2003 | US |