The invention relates generally to an apparatus and/or corresponding method of use in at least the energy industries. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a self-priming transfer pump with a quick pump attachment/detachment.
The background description provided herein gives context for the present disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art.
A diaphragm pump, also known as a membrane pump, is a positive displacement pump that uses a combination of the reciprocating action of a rubber, thermoplastic or polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., Teflon®) diaphragm and suitable valves on either side of the diaphragm (check valve, butterfly valves, flap valves, or any other form of shut-off valves) to pump a fluid.
Three types of diaphragm pumps are known in the art: (1) diaphragm pumps where the diaphragm is sealed with one side in the fluid to be pumped, the other side is scaled in air or hydraulic fluid, and the diaphragm is flexed, causing the volume of the pump chamber to increase and decrease; in these diaphragm pairs, often there exists a pair of non-return check valves prevent reverse flow of the fluid; (2) diaphragm pumps employing volumetric positive displacement where the prime mover of the diaphragm is electro-mechanical, working through a crank or geared motor drive, or purely mechanical, such as with a lever or handle; and (3) diaphragm pumps employing one or more unsealed diaphragms with the fluid to be pumped on both sides wherein the diaphragm(s) are flexed, causing the volume to change.
When the volume of a chamber of either type of pump is increased and the diaphragm moves up, the pressure decreases, and fluid is drawn into the chamber. When the chamber pressure later increases from decreased volume and the diaphragm moves down, the fluid previously drawn in is forced out. When the diaphragm is again allowed to move up, fluid is once again drawn into the chamber, and a cycle of reciprocating motion is thus created. The reciprocating motion is similar to that of the cylinder in an internal combustion engine of an aircraft.
Diaphragm pumps generally have good suction lift characteristics, such as those with low pressure pumps and low flow rates. Other diaphragm pumps are capable of higher flow rates, such as those employing more specific/effective working diameters and stroke lengths, and can handle sludges and slurries with a relatively high amount of grit and solid content.
Known pumps in the art require bolts to hold the pump to the motor and the pumping ‘guts’ are not permanently affixed to the pump housing. Still others include different mechanical fasteners that require undue time and burden to remove a pump section for replacement, repair, and/or inspection.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for an apparatus which allows end users to remove a pump and replace it without use of any tools or exposure to the product that was pumped.
The following objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments, are not exhaustive and do not limit the overall disclosure. No single embodiment need provide each and every object, feature, or advantage. Any of the objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments disclosed herein can be integrated with one another, either in full or in part.
It is a primary object, feature, and/or advantage of the invention to improve on or overcome the deficiencies in the art.
It is a further object, feature, and/or advantage of the invention to prevent cross-contamination between products being pumped and/or to design the self-priming transfer pump so as to separate pump fluids from sensitive internal pump parts (the ‘guts’ of the pump). For example, multiple pump sections can be used use with a single motor.
It is still yet a further object, feature, and/or advantage of the invention to hermetically seal the drive mechanism and the compression chamber to one another, allowing the pump to transfer, compress, and evacuate the medium without a lubricant. For example, an elastomeric diaphragm can be used as a versatile dynamic seal that does not leak, offers little friction, and is constructed for low pressure sensitivity. Depending on the application for the pump, suitable material(s) for the diaphragms can be chosen to provide a seal that is effective over a wide range of pressures and temperatures without needing lubrication or maintenance.
It is preferred the self-priming transfer pump be safe, cost effective, and durable. In a preferred embodiment, there will thus exist a pump cartridge permanently attached to the pump housing to eliminate user exposure to hazardous chemicals and the need for tools when replacing or changing out the pump. For example, surface(s) of the self-priming transfer pump can be insulated and/or otherwise adapted to resist thermal transfer and/or electric conductivity. Furthermore: internal pump parts can operate within oil, suspended and isolated, to promote pump longevity; the self-priming transfer pump can be designed to mitigate and/or pump highly viscous, abrasive, corrosive, toxic, and/or flammable solutions; the self-priming transfer pump can operate with fluid in the casing; and the self-priming transfer pump can be adapted such that it can safely operate even with parameters that are in excess of standard operating parameters for a diaphragm pump, characterized as follows: flows of 18 (eighteen) gallons per minute (gpm), liquid pressures of 30 (thirty) pounds per square inch (psi); liquid temperatures up to 150 (one-hundred fifty) degrees Fahrenheit (° F.); an operating current of 20 (twenty) amperes (A); and dead head current of 29 (twenty-nine) amperes (A).
The self-priming transfer pump disclosed herein can be used in a wide variety of pumping applications which are not limited to use of a diaphragm in the pump.
At least one embodiment disclosed herein comprises a distinct aesthetic appearance. Ornamental aspects included in such an embodiment can help capture a consumer's attention and/or identify a source of origin of a product being sold. Said ornamental aspects will not impede functionality of the invention.
Methods can be practiced which facilitate use, manufacture, assembly, maintenance, and repair of a self-priming transfer pump which accomplishes some or all of the previously stated objectives. For example, maintenance of the pump can include avoiding operation of the pump above liquid freezing points.
The self-priming transfer pump can be incorporated into fluid systems which accomplish some or all of the previously stated objectives. For example, wherever there exists a need to transfer chemical product(s), said transfer can be enhanced by employing a self-priming transfer pump according to one or more of aspects of the invention described herein.
The self-priming pump can be also incorporated into systems kits which include one or more components of the self-priming pump described above and/or complementary components. For example, such kits can include an electronic flow meter along with a diaphragm pump. Such kits may also include, but are not limited to: hoses, recirculation piping, various fittings and adapters, brackets, dispensing nozzles, and dip-tubes.
These and/or other objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the following brief and detailed descriptions of the drawings. Furthermore, the present disclosure encompasses aspects and/or embodiments not expressly disclosed but which can be understood from a reading of the present disclosure, including at least: (a) combinations of disclosed aspects and/or embodiments and/or (b) reasonable modifications not shown or described.
Several embodiments in which the invention can be practiced are illustrated and described in detail, wherein like reference characters represent like components throughout the several views. The drawings are presented for exemplary purposes and may not be to scale unless otherwise indicated.
An artisan of ordinary skill need not view, within isolated figure(s), the near infinite number of distinct permutations of features described in the following detailed description to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
The present disclosure is not to be limited to that described herein. Mechanical, electrical, chemical, procedural, and/or other changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. No features shown or described are essential to permit basic operation of the invention unless otherwise indicated.
Referring now to the figures,
The pump 100 includes a pump section 102 and a motor section 104. The pump section acts as the main pump housing and includes an inlet 106 and outlet 108. Chemical product(s) enter the pump section 102 by way of an inlet 106 and exit by way of an outlet 108, thereby causing their transfer from locations positioned fluidly upstream of said inlet 106 to locations positioned fluidly downstream of said outlet 108. Examples of upstream locations of the pump include drums, intermediate bulk containers and mini bulk systems, as well as other containers. Typical direction of fluid flow is represented by the arrows shown in
A portion of the pump section 102 comprising the inlet 106 can include a radially recessed groove 107 and another portion of the pump section 102 comprising the outlet 108 can includes a radially recessed groove 109 for receiving a cam of a camlock fitting (not shown), also known as a cam and groove coupling. The cam and groove coupling is a reliable means of connecting and disconnecting hoses quickly and without tools. In function, the cams at the end of each lever of the camlock fitting on the female end align with a circumferential groove 107, 109 on the male end. When the levers are rotated to the locked position, they pull the male end into the female socket, creating a tight seal against a gasket within the female socket. The arms lock into position using over-center geometry, preventing accidental decoupling. Further, lever safety pins are common features for additional security, and female-end “self-locking” levers can also be used. Because the groove 107, 109 is cut all the way around the male end, there no specific rotational alignment is required to couple, as there would be with threaded connectors, and there is no opportunity for cross-threading. This results in a fast, error-resistant coupling operation. Because the compression between the two fittings is limited by the size of the cams on the end of the levers and the rotation of the levers themselves, there is also no possibility of over-or under-tightening the fitting; the pressure against the sealing gasket is effectively constant from one coupling operation to the next, reducing possibility of leaks. Cam and groove fittings are commonly available in several materials, including stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and polypropylene.
The primary purpose of the motor section 104 is to house pump motor 110 and to allow said pump motor 110 to interface with the pump section 102. The pump motor 110 can be a standard 12-volt motor engineered to produce flow rate up to 13 gallons per minute (gpm) at 70 (seventy) degrees Fahrenheit (° F.) with a 30 (thirty) minute duty cycle.
Inclusion of a lightweight frame and/or the handle 112 can make the pump 100 highly portable. For application flexibility, the pump 100 may be vertically mounted, horizontally mounted, or otherwise mounted in any orientation or fixed position.
It is thus to be appreciated that there exists alternative embodiments wherein the pump motor 110 is a heavy duty motor, such as a 115V motor. Use of such a motor may still be implemented with advantages of portability, though at a certain point handheld portability may no longer be possible due to the increased weight of the pump motor 110. In said embodiments, the handle 112 may be omitted, the pump motor 110 may require a grounded connection (e.g., to a ground-fault circuit interrupter (“GFCI”) outlet), the housing for the pump motor 110 can comprise a cage, and if portability is still desired, wheels and/or other means for easy transport of heavier objects can be provided.
For purposes of durability, the pump 100 is preferably chemically resistant. Polypropylene pump housings and peroxide-cured EPDM valves and seals can be included. Optionally, thermoplastic vulcanizers can be used in valves with thermoplastic vulcanizer (e.g., Santoprene™) and/or fluorocarbon-based fluoroclastomer (e.g., Viton™) scal configurations. Moreover, it is to be appreciated safe operation of the pump 100 should always be a top priority. Caution labels 114 and/or other instructions can be placed on the motor section 104. Similarly, to even further protect operators of the pump 100, indicators 116 indicating source of origin assure operators quality standards typical to the source of origin have first been met, and prior to operation, as exemplified in
A motor cover 118 can allow/prevent access to internal components of the pump motor 110. The motor cover 118 and/or integrated lower housing of the pump motor 110 can include a built-in rocker switch 120 to turn the pump 100 on/off.
Referring to the handheld portable version of the pump 100 with handle 112, a major advantage described in the present disclosure is a unique configuration of the motor mounting plate 122 of the motor section 104, especially with regard to how the motor mounting plate 122 connects to the pump section 102. For example, corresponding, reinforcing brackets 124, 126 can be included and/or symmetrically arrayed on the pump section 102 and motor section 104, respectively. As shown in
The relief valve cover 128 of the pump section 102 is perhaps best shown in
Turning now to
Where screws S, bolts B, nuts N, and washers W, are shown and/or described with reference to
An O-ring 142 and relief valve 144 (also called a by-pass valve) are internally positioned within the pump section 102, as shown in
The valve plate 146 includes valves 148, the pistons of which protrude through openings of the same. The shape of the openings corresponds with the pistons so as to create an interference fit. For example, the shape of the openings can comprise almost any known two-dimensional shape but are preferably ovals (selected from ellipses, circles, etc.). The valves 148 can be flexible discs secured within a valve seat by interference fit, wherein each valve 148 has a headed extension and a central aperture in a corresponding valve seat.
A central screw CS, washer support 150, and rubber washer 152, and another O-ring 142 further secure the valve plate 146 in position during operation. The valves 148 can be shown in greater detail in
The pistons of the diaphragm 154 can be coupled to the wobble plate 158 so that the pistons are actuated by movement of the wobble plate 158. Rocker arms 160 engage the pistons in a reciprocating rotational manner, thereby transmitting force from the center of the wobble plate 158 to locations adjacent to the pistons. The material of the diaphragm 154 can be a thermoplastic elastomer. The diaphragm 154 may warp or deform less over time if the pistons are constructed of a material that is more rigid than the material of the diaphragm 154 and/or clamp plate 156.
The protrusions 168 shown in the figures include a ramp 168A at one end and a tooth 168B at the other. After the pump section 102 is initially aligned with the motor section 104 and pushed together, the pump section 102 can be rotated at an angle corresponding with the structure of the protrusions 168 and the notches 166 such that the edges of the motor mounting plate 122 are forced upward via the ramp 168A until they pass the tooth 168B at the other end and “drop” into the operable position. A radial distance from the center of the pump section 102 to the outermost portion of the protrusions 168 can, for example, be approximately 2.98 inches, wherein “approximately”, in the context of a radial distance being specified to two decimal points, means said distance can be within a tolerance of ±0.005 inches. When dropping into the operable position, a taper can be employed in the notches 166 so that a strong, fiction/interference fit is established, thereby initially locking the pump section 102 into position with respect to the motor section 104. The taper can, for example, comprise a taper substantially between one and two degrees) (1.0°-2.0°.
Other suitable systems of toolless connections can be used in addition or lieu of the protrusions 168 and notches 166. For example, toolless connection mechanisms can comprise, threads, clamp(s), bracket(s), ties, buckles, straps, springs and other resilient members, and the like. Suction forces can also be established between the pump section 102 and motor section 104 to facilitate the toolless connection, such as those caused by magnetic, pneumatic, and/or compressive forces. In such embodiments, the suction side may be designed to be larger than the discharge side so as to increase pressure and avoid starving the pump 100 of fluid.
In essence, the assembly is shown in
In greater particularity, and as is shown in
As shown in
Because the components of the motor section 104 are intended to be more permanent and are not as easily replaced as the components of the pump section 102, components on the pump section 102 are designed to fail before components on the motor section 104. For example, the motor section housing can be formed from a die cast plate having more than ten times the tensile strength of components on the pump side formed of some types of plastic.
As shown in
Assembly of the pump is facilitated by the many components of the improved pump section 102 and the improved locking mechanism 130 that are shown in
With regard to
Before operation of the pump 100, hoses and fittings should be tightly connected, the rocker switch 120 should be turned off before making the electrical connection via the snap in cord grip 134.
For example, the pump 200 similarly includes a motor mounting plate 202, a pump lock 204, a panel screw 206, a bolt B, nut N, and washer W, a caution label 208, and a source/manufacturer identifier 210.
Also shown in
For motors 216 that are a 12V version, battery clips 222 are preferably secured to the power source (battery or power supply) via wires 218. While the rocker switch 120 can still be employed in such an embodiment, a push button switch 220 is shown to be included in lieu of the rocker switch 120 as a reasonable equivalent for providing the operator with means to turn the pump on and off.
As shown in
It is to be appreciated aspects of the pumps 100, 200 can be used in combination with electronic flow meters known in the art.
From the foregoing, it can be understood that the invention accomplishes at least all of the stated objectives.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used above have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain.
The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include both singular and plural referents.
The term “or” is synonymous with “and/or” and means any one member or combination of members of a particular list.
The terms “invention” or “present invention” are not intended to refer to any single embodiment of the particular invention but encompass all possible embodiments as described in the specification and the claims.
The term “about” as used herein refer to slight variations in numerical quantities with respect to any quantifiable variable. Inadvertent error can occur, for example, through use of typical measuring techniques or equipment or from differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of components.
The term “substantially” refers to a great or significant extent. “Substantially” can thus refer to a plurality, majority, and/or a supermajority of said quantifiable variable, given proper context.
The term “generally” encompasses both “about” and “substantially.”
The term “configured” describes structure capable of performing a task or adopting a particular configuration. The term “configured” can be used interchangeably with other similar phrases, such as constructed, arranged, adapted, manufactured, and the like.
Terms characterizing sequential order, a position, and/or an orientation are not limiting and are only referenced according to the views presented.
The “scope” of the invention is defined by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The scope of the invention is further qualified as including any possible modification to any of the aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein which would result in other embodiments, combinations, subcombinations, or the like that would be obvious to those skilled in the art.
This is a continuation patent application which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. Ser. No. 17/655,871, filed Mar. 22, 2022, which claimed priority under under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 63/200,719, filed Mar. 24, 2021. These patent applications are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, including without limitation, the specification, claims, and abstract, as well as any figures, tables, appendices, or drawings thereof.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63200719 | Mar 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17655871 | Mar 2022 | US |
Child | 19042677 | US |