US3819306A - Valve means for a fluid pump or the like and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid pump construction having a pump body. A valve chamber formed in the pump body with the pump body having an annular valve seat projecting into the chamber and an annular rib means also projecting into the chamber and facing the annular valve seat. A flexible valve member is disposed in the chamber between the valve seat and the rib means in such a manner that the rib means causes the valve member to be biased against the valve seat to close the same as the rib means flexes and tends to hold the valve member in substantially a conical configuration that is adapted to engage the valve seat and be traversed by the plane of the valve seat.

Description

Russell United States Patent 1191 [5 VALVE MEANS FOR A FLUID PUMP OR THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 1 [75] Inventor: -William J. Russell, Malvern, Pa. [73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

I Richmond, Va.

[22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 292,646

[51] Int. Cl..; F04b 39/10 [58] Field of Search 417/566, 569, 570, 571,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,711,803 5/1929 Munday 417/571 2,121,549 6/1938 McNeal 137/496 2,176,691 10/1939 S imons 417/571 2,497,906 2/1950 Peters et al. 137/496 3,297,260 1/1967 .Barlow .1. 137/496 3,354,830 1 11/1967 Mortara 3,401,719 9/1968 Rosser 137/525 Phillips et al. 417/569 June 25, 1974 3,509,907 5/1970 Gannaway 417/571 3,545,897 12/1970 Russell 3,664,770 5/1972 Palmer 417/383 FOREIGN PATENTS OAR APPLlCATlONS 1,013,298 10/1963 Great Britain 417/413 Primary Ex aminerWilliam L. Freeh Assistant Examiner-G. P. La Pointe Attorney, Agent, or Firm -Candor, Candor & Tassone [5 7] ABSTRACT A fluid pump construction having a pump body. A valve chamber formed in the pump body with the pump body having an annular valve seat projecting into the chamber and an annular rib means also projecting into the chamber and facing the annular valve seat. A flexible valve member is disposed in the chamber between the valve seat and the rib means in such a manner that the rib means causes the valve member to be biased against the valve seat to close the same as the rib means flexes and tends to hold the valve member in substantially a conical configuration that is adapted to engage the valve seat and be traversed by y the plane of the valve seat.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 VALVE MEANS FOR A FLUID PUMP OR THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME This invention relates to an improved pump construction as well as to an improved method of making such a pump construction or the like.

It is well known that fluid pumps have been provided wherein during a pumping stroke, fluid is drawn into the expanding pumping chamber thereof through an inlet or intake valve while the outlet or exhaust valve is maintained in a closed position and during the discharge stroke wherein the volume of the pumping chamber is decreased, the intake valve is closed and the fluid is forced out of the exhaust valve.

It is a feature of this invention to provide an improved valve means for such afluid pump or the like wherein a-flexible valve member is provided and the natural 'resiliancy thereof is utilized as thesole spring force in tending to maintain the valve member in closed position against its valve seat.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a fluid pump construction that has'a pump body provided with a valve chamber formed in the pump body. The pump body has an annular valve seat means projecting into the chamber. The pump body also has an annular rib means projecting into the chamber and facing the annular valve seat means. A flexible valve member is dispoed in the chamber between the valve seat means and the rib means. The valve seat means and the rib means are so constructed and arranged that the valve member is biased against the valve seat means to tend to close the same as the rib means flexes and tends to hold the valve member in substantially a conical configuration that is adapted to engage the valve seat means and be traversed by the plane of the valve seat means. Thus, as the valve member is moved away from the valve seat means by a pressure differential acting across the same increasing in a direction to move the valve seat member away from the valve seat means, the valve seat member becomes more conical in its configuration to permit the opening of the valve seat means.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to'provide an improved fluid pump construction having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of making such a pump construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the improved pump construction of this invention mounted to a frame means that provides an electromagnetic drive for the fluid pump,

FIG. 1 being in partial cross section.

means for a fluid pump or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or any combination thereof to provide valve means for other devices as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention. I

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved fluid pump of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and comprises a pump body 11 being carried by a C-shaped frame member 12 having the opposed ends 13 and 14 thereof substantially directed toward each other. An electrical coil 15 is disposed on the end 14 of the C-shaped frame 12 whereby the end 14 of the frame 12. acts as a core element for g the coil 15. A movable armature 16 is carried by a flexible leaf spring 17 on the end 13 of the frame 12 in such a manner that the same is adapted to be oscillated toward and away from substantial alignment with the core 14 of the coil 15 duringthe time the coil 15 is being energized in a manner well known in the art whereby such oscillating movement of the armature 16 will be utilized to drive the pump 10 of this invention.

The pump body 11 is formed of two body parts 18 and 19 suitably secured together in abutting relation in a manner hereinafter described by suitable fastening means 20 with such fastening means 20 also fastening the assembled body parts 18 and 19 to the frame 12 as illustrated.

The pump body part 18 has an upwardly directed tubular portion 21 provided with an outwardly turned lip 22 and over which is snap fitted an outer peripheral means 23 of a flexible cup-shaped diaphragm 24 having its inner periphery 25 stacked in an annular groove 26 of a diaphragm collar 27 that closes the inner peripheral means 25 of the cup-shaped diaphragm 24. In this manner, the diaphragm 24 and diaphragm collar 27 00- operates with the pump body part 18 to define a pumping chamber 28 therebetween.

A threaded stem member 29 has its lower end 30 threaded in a threaded bore 31 of the diaphragm collar 27 to interconnect the stem 29 thereto as illustrated. The upper end 32 of the stem 29 is fastened to a small leaf spring 33 attached to the armature 16 by a rivet 34 in such a manner that the stem 29 is adapted to pass through an opening 35 in the armature 16 and be suspended therein in a cantilevered manner. In this manner, while the armature 16 is being oscillated up and down in substantially an arcuate path by the energized coil 15 as the center of such arcuate path is the point where the leaf spring 17 is attached to the end 13 of the frame 12, the stem 29, through its leaf spring 33, is adapted to reciprocate up and down in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a substantially straight line motion to cause substantially straight up and down movement of the diaphragm 24 and, thus, increasing and decreasing the volume condition in the pumping chamber 28 for a pump ing action thereof. This straight line flexing of the diaphragm 24 increases the life thereof over the life of the same if the diaphragm were reciprocated with an arcuate motion.

The lower pump body part 19 has an upper substantially flat surface 36 that is provided with an annular valve seat 37 projecting upwardly therefrom, the valve seat 37 being substantially a truncated triangle in cross section with the smaller base thereon projecting'upwardly and being surrounded by an annular groove 38 disposed in an annular shoulder 39 that also projects above the surface 36 but is disposed below the plane 40 of the valve seat 37.

An annular rib means 41 also projects upwardly from the surface 36 of the housing body part 19 with the annular rib means 41 being disposed above an annular shoulder 42 that is disposed within the annular rib means 41 and extends above the surface 36 of the body part 19.

The annular rib means 41 as well as the annular shoulder 39 of the annular valve seat 37 is surrounded by a figure-eight-like groove 43 formed in the surface 36 of the body part 19 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The shoulder 42 and annular rib means 41 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed slots 44 which are adapted to interconnect the central part of the annular rib means 41 with the exterior thereof.

A pair of passage means 45 and 46 are respectively formed in the body part 19 so as to intersect with the central parts of the valve seat 37 and annular rib means 41 as illustrated, the passage means 45 and 46 also passing through suitable nipples 47 and 48 extending from the other side 49 of the housing part 19 as illustrated. Thus, suitable conduit means can be respectively coupled to the nipple means 47 and 48 to thereby fluidly interconnect desired structure to the valve seat 37 and annular rib means 41 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The other pump body part 18 is provided with a lower flat surface 50 and is adapted to mate with the flat surface 36 of the pump body part 19 when the body parts 18 and 19 are assembled together in a manner illustrated in FIG. 2.

A substantially figure-eight-shaped shoulder 51 extends downwardly from the flat surface 50 of the body part 18 and is of an outer configuration adapted to fully mate within the figure-eight-like groove 43 of the pump body part 19 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The shoulder 51 of the body part 18 is interrupted by a recess 52 that forms a substantially frustoconical valve seat 53 that projects into the recess 52 beyond the substantially flat end wall 54 thereof that is also provided with an annular groove 55 therein that surrounds the valve seat 53.

Another recess 56 also interrupts the shoulder 51 of the pump body part 18 and defines an annular rib means 57 therein which projects outwardly from the flat end wall 58 of the recess 56 and beyond an annular shoulder 59 thereof, the shoulder 59 and annular rib means 57 also being interrupted by a plurality of radially disposed slots 60 in the same manner of the slots 44 previously described.

The housing part 18 is also provided with a pair of passages 61 and 62 which interconnect the central parts of the valve seat means 53 and annular rib means 57 with the interior of the tubular portion 21 thereof and, thus, to the pumping chamber 28 when the tubular part 21 is closed by the diaphragm 24 and collar 27 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2.

A pair of annular sealing gaskets 63 and 64 can be respectively disposed around the rib means 41 and valve seat 37 of the pump body part 19 to be received in the eight-shaped recess 43 thereof to cooperate with the eight-shaped shoulder 51 of the pump body part 18 when the two are assembled together with their faces 36 and facing each other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 so that the faces 50 and 36 are sealed together completely around the respective valve seats 37 and 53 at the juncture between the body parts 18 and 19.

Before the pump body parts 18 and 19 are assembled together, flat circular flexible valve members or discs 65 and 66, formed of rubber or other resilient material, are respectively disposed in the recesses 52 and 56 of the body part 18 so that when the body parts 18 and 19 are assembled together, the annular rib means 41 and valve seat 37 of the body part 19 are respectively received in the recesses 52 and 56 of the body part 19 to cooperate therewith and provide valve chambers in the pump body 11 having the valve members 65 and 66 therein. The annular rib means 41 and 57 are so constructed and arranged relative to the valve seats 53 and 37 that when the surfaces 50 and 36 of the housing parts 18 and 19 are brought together, each valve member 65 and 66 is caused to substantially wrap around the respective valve seat 53 or 37 by the rib means 41 or 57 to assume a substantially conical shape which tends to want to flatten out and, thus, seal against the respective valve seat 53 or 37 as illustrated in FIG. 2 solely by the natural bias of the valve member 65 or 66.

Thus, it can be seen that the annular rib means 41 and 57 cause each valve member 65 and 66 to assume a substantially conical shape and thereby through the natural resiliency of the valve member 65 and 66 itself, to engage against the valve seat 53 or 37 with the conical configuration thereof being completely traversed by the plane 40 or 67 of the valve seat 37 or 53.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the pump 10 of this invention can be formed from a relatively few parts that can be assembled together in a simple and effective manner according to the teachings of the method of 4 this invention to provide the pump 10 with valve means 65 and 66 which are adapted to normally close the respective seats 53 and 37 through the natural resiliency of the valve members 65 and 66 that are held in a substantially conical shape by the annular rib means 41 and 57 to function in a manner now to be described.

When the coil 15 is energized, the same causes arcuate oscillating movement of the armature 16 toward and away from the axis of the core 14 whereby such oscillating movement of the armature 16 causes the stem 29 to cause an up and down pumping action of the flexible diaphragm 24 relative to the stationary pump body 11. As the diaphragm 24 is being pulled upwardly by the stem 29, the volume of the chamber 28 increases and thereby causes an increase in the pressure differential across the valve member 66 so that fluid in the passage 45 tends to force the valve member 66 off of the valve seat 37 by forming the valve means 66 into a more angular conical configuration and thereby permitting the fluid in the passage 45 to enter through the now open valve seat 37 and openings 66' in the valve member 66 and radial slots to the passage 62 that leads to the pumping chamber 28. During such upward movement of the diaphragm 24 to increase the volume of the chamber 28, it can be seen that the resulting pressure differential acting across the valve member causes the valve member 65 to increase its closing pressure against the valve seat 53.

However, when the diaphragm 24 has been pulled upwardly by the armature 16 to its fullest extent, and

the armature 1,6 is being thereafter driven downwardly by the coil to cause the volume in the pumping chamber 28 to decrease, the increase pressure of the fluid in the chamber 28 causes the fluid to force itself out through the valve member 65 by movingv the valve member 65 away from the valve seat 53 in the manner previously described for the valve seat 37 and, thus, pass through the open valve seat 53, openings 65' in the valve member 65 and slots 44 in the rib means 41 to the passage means 46 leading away from the pump 10. During such exhaust stroke of the pump 10, the force of the fluid in the pumping chamber 28 maintains the valve member 56in full engagement with the intake valve seat 37.

Therefore, it can be seen that valve member 66 acts as an intake valve member upon an upstroke of the armature l6 and the valve'member 65 acts as an exhaust valve member on the downstroke of the armature 16.

Accordingly, itican be seen that this invention provides an improved fluid pump construction as well as an improved method for making such a fluid pump construction or the like. i V

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed and described as required by the Patent Statutes, it is to be understood that other forms'can be utilized and all come within the scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is: j

1. In a fluid pump construction having a pump body, the improvement comprising a valve chamber formed in said pump body, said pump body having an annular said annular rib means having a larger diameter than the diameter of said annular valve seat means, said pump body having a passage formed therein and interconnecting to said chamber at a point substantially centrally of said annular rib means and said shoulder, said annular rib means and said shoulder being interrupted by a plurality of radially disposed slots formed therein and facing toward said annular valve seat, said slots crossing with each other at said point where said pas sage interconnects to said chamber whereby the interconnecting end ofsaid passage is recessed below said shoulder. i

2. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said pump body is formed of two body parts disposed'and secured together in abutting relation to define said valve chamber .therebetween, one bodypart carrying said annular valve seat and the other body part carrying said annular rib means.

3. Ina fluid pump construction as setforth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said body parts define another valve chamber therebetween, said one body part having another annular rib means thereon projecting into said other chamber, said other body part having another valve seat means thereon projecting into said other chamber, and another flexible valve member being disposed in said other chamber between said other valve means and said other rib means in the same manner as the first-named valve member.

valve seat means projecting into said chamber, said pump body having an annular rib means projecting into said chamber and facing said annular valve seat means,

' and a flexible valve member disposed in said chamber between said valve seat means and said rib means, said valve seat means and said rib means being so constructed and arranged that said valve member is biased against said valve seat means to close the same as said rib means flexes and tends to hold said valve member in substantially a conical configuration that is adapted to engage said valve seat means and that is traversed by the plane of said valve seat means, said annular rib means being disposed substantially concentrically-with said annular valve seat means and surrounding a shoulder of said pump body that also projects into said chamber but is recessed below said annular rib means,

4. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein one of said body parts has means defmg a pumping chamber and passage means respectively leading to the central part of its respective rib means and valve seat means.

5. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein the body part that does not have said pumping chamber has passage means therein respectively leading from the central part of its respective rib means and valve seat means to the exterior thereof.

6. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 5, the further improvement wherein said body parts have mating grooves and tongues surrounding said valve chambers, and sealing means compressed between said body parts at said tongue and grooves thereof to seal said chambers at the juncture between said two abutting body parts.

Claims (6)

1. In a fluid pump construction having a pump body, the improvement comprising a valve chamber formed in said pump body, said pump body having an annular valve seat means projecting into said chamber, said pump body having an annular rib means projecting into said chamber and facing said annular valve seat means, and a flexible valve member disposed in said chamber between said valve seat means and said rib means, said valve seat means and said rib means being so constructed and arranged that said valve member is biased against said valve seat means to close the same as said rib means flexes and tends to hold said valve member in substantially a conical configuration that is adapted to engage said valve seat means and that is traversed by the plane of said valve seat means, said annular rib means being disposed substantially concentrically with said annular valve seat means and surrounding a shoulder of said pump body that also projects into said chamber but is recessed below said annular rib means, said annular rib means having a larger diameter than the diameter of said annular valve seat means, said pump body having a passage formed therein and interconnecting to said chamber at a point substantially centrally of said annular rib means and said shoulder, said annular rib means and said shoulder being interrupted by a plurality of radially disposed slots formed therein and facing toward said annular valve seat, said slots crossing with each other at said point where said passage interconnects to said chamber whereby the interconnecting end of said passage is recessed below said shoulder.

2. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said pump body is formed of two body parts disposed and secured together in abutting relation to define said valve chamber therebetween, one body part carrying said annular valve seat and the other body part carrying said annular rib means.

3. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said body parts define another valve chamber therebetween, said one body part having another annular rib means thereon projecting into said other chamber, said other body part having another valve seat means thereon projecting into said other chamber, and another flexible valve member being disposed in said other chamber between said other valve means and said other rib means in the same manner as the first-named valve member.

4. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein one of said body parts has means defing a pumping chamber and passage means respectively leading to the central part of its respective rib means and valve seat means.

5. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein the body part that does not have said pumping chamber has passage means therein respectively leading from the central part of its respective rib means and valve seat means to the exterior thereof.

6. In a fluid pump construction as set forth in claim 5, the further improvement wherein said body parts have mating grooves and tongues surrounding said valve chambers, and sealing means compressed between said body parts at said tongue and grooves thereof to seal said chambers at the juncture between said two abutting body parts.

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