Claims
- 1. A pump comprising:
a fluid pressure changing mechanism; a valve plate having ports in fluid communication with said fluid pressure changing mechanism; a port plate sealingly engaging said valve plate, and having ports therein; a pair of flappers interposed between said valve plate and port plate, and one of said flappers being sealable over a port in said valve plate, and of said flappers being sealable over a port in said port plate; a head having a head port, and in fluid communication engagement with said port plate, wherein said flappers, in cooperation with said port plate and said valve plate, control fluid flowing through said head port and to and from said fluid pressure changing mechanism, and wherein rotation of said port plate and said valve plate relative to said head reverses flow of the fluid through said head port.
- 2. The pump as in claim 1, in which said head includes a first chamber in fluid communication with said head port and a second chamber, wherein said fluid pressure changing mechanism pumps fluid into said first chamber when fluid is pumped out of said head port, and fluid is pumped into said second chamber when fluid is drawn into said first chamber through said head port.
- 3. The pump as in claim 2, in which a gasket is interposed between said port plate and said head, wherein said gasket seals around said chamber in which fluid is pumped.
- 4. The pump as in claim 3, in which said gasket is repositioned when said port plate is rotated relative to said head.
- 5. The pump as in claim 4, in which indicators are provided on said port plate which indicate to a user the proper position of said gasket for a desired flow direction of fluid.
- 6. The pump as in claim 1, in which said fluid pressure changing mechanism is a piston having one end disposed in a cylinder, wherein said piston reciprocates in said cylinder, and said cylinder is in fluid communication with said valve plate ports.
- 7. The pump as in claim 6, in which said valve plate is formed as an integral part of one end of said cylinder.
- 8. The pump as in claim 1, said valve plate is keyed to said port plate, such that said valve plate can be assembled with said port plate in only one orientation.
- 9. The pump as in claim 1, in which said pair of flappers are molded as a single piece.
- 10. A method of reversing flow of fluid through a pump including a fluid pressure changing mechanism; a valve plate in fluid communication with said fluid pressure changing mechanism; a port plate sealingly engaging said valve plate; a flapper interposed between said valve plate and port plate, and sealingly engaging said valve plate and said port plate; and a head having a head port, and disposed above and in sealed engagement with said port plate, wherein in cooperation with said port plate and said valve plate, said flapper controls fluid flowing through said head port and to and from said fluid pressure changing mechanism, said method comprising:
rotating said port plate and valve plate relative to said head to reverse flow of the fluid through said head port.
- 11. The method of claim 10, in which said head includes a first chamber in fluid communication with said head port and a second chamber, wherein said fluid pressure changing mechanism pumps fluid into said first chamber when fluid is pumped out of said head port, and fluid is pumped into said second chamber when fluid is drawn into said first chamber through said head port.
- 12. The method of claim 11, in which a gasket is interposed between said port plate and said head, wherein said gasket seals around said chamber in which fluid is pumped, and said method includes:
repositioning said gasket after said port plate is rotated relative to said head to seal around said chamber in which fluid is pumped.
- 13. A pump comprising:
a fluid pressure changing mechanism; an intake port in fluid communication with said fluid pressure changing mechanism, said intake port providing a path for fluid into said fluid changing mechanism; an exhaust port in fluid communication with said fluid pressure changing mechanism, said exhaust port providing a path for fluid out of said fluid changing mechanism; a head including a head port, said head having a first position relative to said intake and exhaust ports and a second position relative to said intake and exhaust ports, wherein operation of said fluid changing mechanism when said head is in said first position causes fluid to pass through said head port in a first direction, and operation of said fluid changing mechanism when said head is in said second position causes fluid to pass through said head port in a second direction.
- 14. The pump as in claim 1, in which said fluid pressure changing mechanism is a piston having one end disposed in a cylinder, wherein said piston reciprocates in said cylinder, and said cylinder is in fluid communication with said intake and exhaust ports.
- 15. The pump as in claim 13, in which said intake and exhaust ports are formed by a valve plate having openings in fluid communication with said fluid pressure changing mechanism, a port plate sealingly engaging said valve plate, and having openings therein, and a pair of flappers interposed between said valve plate and port plate, wherein one of said flappers being sealable over one of said openings in said valve plate to form said exhaust port, and the other of said flappers being sealable over one of said opening in said port plate to form said intake port.
- 16. The pump as in claim 15, in which said valve plate is formed as an integral part of one end of said cylinder.
- 17. The pump as in claim 15, said valve plate is keyed to said port plate, such that said valve plate can be assembled with said port plate in only one orientation.
- 18. The pump as in claim 15, in which said pair of flappers are molded as a single piece.
- 19. The pump as in claim 15, in which said head includes a first chamber in fluid communication with said head port and a second chamber, wherein said fluid pressure changing mechanism pumps fluid into said first chamber when fluid is pumped out of said head port, and fluid is pumped into said second chamber when fluid is drawn into said first chamber through said head port.
- 20. The pump as in claim 19, in which a gasket is interposed between said port plate and said head, wherein said gasket seals around said chamber in which fluid is pumped.
- 21. The pump as in claim 20, in which said gasket is repositioned when said head is moved between said first position and said second position.
- 22. The pump as in claim 21, in which indicators are provided on said port plate which indicate to a user the proper position of said gasket for a desired flow direction of fluid.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
60223812 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
|
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/223,812 filed on Aug. 8, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/24530 |
8/3/2001 |
WO |
|