U.S. patent application number 11/165658 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-12 for process for integrating a ball valve in a pump body.
Invention is credited to Jean-Louis Bougamont.
Application Number | 20060005389 11/165658 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32480200 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060005389 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bougamont; Jean-Louis |
January 12, 2006 |
Process for integrating a ball valve in a pump body
Abstract
A process for integrating a ball valve in a pump body,
comprising the following stages: the pump body is moulded by
arranging radial ribs on its internal surface, in the proximity of
the valve seat, each of which has an end portion which can be bent
towards the inside of the body, a ball is inserted inside the space
enclosed by the ribs, the said end portions are bent with the help
of a tool in order to imprison the ball. Application on pumps
fitted with ball valves.
Inventors: |
Bougamont; Jean-Louis; (Eu,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ST. ONGE STEWARD JOHNSTON & REENS, LLC
986 BEDFORD STREET
STAMFORD
CT
06905-5619
US
|
Family ID: |
32480200 |
Appl. No.: |
11/165658 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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PCT/EP03/14321 |
Dec 16, 2003 |
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11165658 |
Jun 24, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/890.124 ;
29/890.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 53/1002 20130101;
B29C 66/8322 20130101; B05B 11/3067 20130101; Y10T 29/49412
20150115; B29C 65/56 20130101; Y10T 29/49405 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/890.124 ;
029/890.12 |
International
Class: |
B21D 51/16 20060101
B21D051/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 26, 2002 |
FR |
02/16703 |
Claims
1. A process for integrating a ball valve into a pump body
characterised in that: a) the pump body is moulded by arranging
radial ribs on its internal surface, in the proximity of the valve
seat, each of which has a longitudinal edge and an end portion
detached from the internal surface, where the longitudinal edges
define between them a space for inserting the ball, in the
proximity of the said seat; b) a ball is inserted inside the space
defined by the said ribs; and c) the end portions of the said ribs
are plastically deformed towards the inside of the pump body,
leaving the ball imprisoned inside the said space.
2. A process according to claim 1, characterised in that each
longitudinal edge is part of a cylindrical surface with a circular
base that has diameter which is slightly larger than that of the
ball.
3. A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the said
pump body is moulded by injection.
4. A process according to claim 1, characterised in that the said
end portion is deformed using a flat-tipped tool inserted axially
inside the pump body.
5. A process according to claim 1 4, characterised in that the said
end portion is deformed using a heating tool inserted axially
inside the pump body.
6. A moulded pump body, characterised in that it includes radial
ribs on its internal surface, made in the bottom of the body, each
of which has a longitudinal edge and an end portion detached from
the internal surface.
7. A moulded pump body according to claim 6, characterised in that
each end portion has an upper edge which is separated from the said
internal surface forming an acute angle (.alpha.) with it.
8. A pump body according to claim 6, characterised in that each end
portion has a square corner.
9. A unit made up of a pump body and a ball valve, characterised in
that the pump body has radial ribs on its internal surface in the
proximity of the valve seat, each of which has a longitudinal edge
and an end portion detached from the internal surface plastically
deformed towards the inside of the pump body, where the
longitudinal edges define a space where the ball is inserted
between them, in the proximity of the said seat.
10. A unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the said
longitudinal edges make up a cylindrical surface with a diameter
that is slightly larger than that of the ball.
11. A pump characterised, in that it includes a pump body according
to claim 9.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of pending International
Patent Application No. PCT/EP2003/014321 filed Dec. 16, 2003, which
designates the United States and claims priority of French Patent
Application No. 0216703, filed Dec. 26, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The object of the present invention is to integrate a ball
valve in a pump body.
[0003] This type of valve includes a ball that works together with
a seat, which is generally conical in shape, arranged in the bottom
of the pump body. In order to completely fulfil its check valve
function, the ball must be able to rapidly block the seat after
pumping the product, and it must consequently have a restricted
range of movement between an initial position, in which the valve
is open, and a second position, in which the valve is blocked.
[0004] A known solution consists of enclosing the ball in a space
arranged inside the pump body. It is common to form undercuts on
the body of the pump, above the ball, which define a substantially
circular opening with a diameter that is smaller than that of the
ball in order to prevent the ball from coming out of this space.
The movement of the ball is therefore restricted on one side by the
seat of the valve and on the other by the said undercuts.
[0005] The larger the undercuts, the smaller the diameter of the
opening that they define and the better the retention of the ball.
And yet, the moulding procedures generally used to make pump
bodies, such as injection moulding, forbid the direct creation of
excessively large undercuts on the said bodies. Indeed, the latter
are revealed to be considerably cumbersome during the stripping
stage.
[0006] Thus, to avoid creating low-relief undercuts that poorly
retain the ball, or undercuts that are too large and therefore
hamper stripping, it is common to resort to using an additional
part.
[0007] This part, placed above the ball, replaces the undercuts by
sealing the cavity in which the ball is mobile, but imprisoned.
However, manufacturing such a part requires an additional
production cost and inserting it in the bottom of the pump body
could turn out to be delicate.
[0008] The present invention proposes to resolve the inconveniences
of the current procedures and has the object of integrating a ball
valve in a pump body, characterised in that: [0009] a) the pump
body is moulded by arranging radial ribs on its internal surface,
in the proximity of a valve seat, each of which has a longitudinal
edge and an end portion detached from the internal surface, where
the longitudinal edges define between them a space for inserting
the ball, in the proximity of the said seat; [0010] b) a ball is
inserted inside the space defined by the said ribs; and [0011] c)
the end portions of the said ribs are plastically deformed towards
the inside of the pump body, leaving the ball imprisoned inside the
said space.
[0012] Such a procedure makes it possible easily to carry out
moulding and stripping of the pump body. The pump body shall
preferably be moulded by injection. In addition, it is no longer
necessary to have to resort to using an additional part, which
makes it easier to assemble the valve and reduces production
costs.
[0013] Advantageously, the longitudinal edges of the said radial
ribs make up a cylindrical surface with a circular base that has a
diameter which is slightly larger than that of the ball. The range
of radial movement of the ball inside the defined revolution
cylinder is thus restricted in order to favour the axial movement
of the ball, and therefore to optimise the operation of the
valve.
[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tool
is inserted axially in the inside of the pump body for stage c) of
the process. This tool may have a flat tip, since this simple shape
makes it possible to easily bend the end portions of the ribs.
Moreover, a heating tool can be used, in which case the heat
emitted would favour the bending of the said portions.
[0015] A second object of the invention is a moulded pump body,
mainly during application of the procedure defined above.
[0016] Such a pump body has radial ribs on its internal surface,
made in the bottom of the body, each of which has a longitudinal
edge and an end portion that is detached from the internal
surface.
[0017] Preferably, the said end portion has an upper edge which is
separated from the said internal surface forming an acute angle
with it. The aforementioned angle is measured between the internal
surface of the pump body and the middle plane of the upper edge of
the end portions.
[0018] Advantageously, each end portion forms a square corner
between its longitudinal edge and its upper edge.
[0019] Such a shape is used during the stage in which the end
portions are bent c), described above. Indeed, due to the
inclination of the upper edge, when a tool inserted axially in the
pump body comes into contact with the said edge, the pressure
exerted by the tool contributes to bending the said end portions
towards the inside of the pump body.
[0020] Once the ball is inserted in the body of the pump and once
the said end portions have been bent, the grooves define a kind of
cage in which the ball is mobile yet imprisoned. A unit made up of
a pump body and a ball valve is thus obtained, in which the pump
body includes radial ribs on its internal surface in the proximity
of the valve seat, each of which has a longitudinal edge and an end
portion detached from the internal surface, bent towards the inside
of the pump body, where the said longitudinal edges define a space
for inserting the ball between them in the proximity of the said
seat; preferably, this space should be substantially cylindrical
with a circular base with a diameter that is slightly larger than
that of the ball.
[0021] Yet another object of the invention is a pump comprising a
pump body as defined previously after moulding and after plastic
deformation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022] The invention and its advantages will be better understood
from a reading of the detailed description of a preferred
embodiment of the invention. The description which follows refers
to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a transverse section of a moulded pump body
according to the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2A is a transverse section of the pump body in FIG. 1
in which a ball has been placed and in which a flat-tipped tool is
inserted;
[0025] FIG. 2B is a cross-section along plane A-A of FIG. 2a.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a transverse section of the same pump body after
plastic deformation of the end portions of the said groove; and
[0027] FIG. 4 is a transverse section of a unit made up of a
moulded pump body and a ball valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] The moulded pump body 1 as depicted in FIG. 1 includes
radial ribs 7 on its internal surface 3 and above the seat of the
valve 5 intended to be blocked by the ball.
[0029] Each of these ribs 7 has a longitudinal edge 9 and an end
portion 11 which is detached from the internal surface 3, with the
flat upper edge 12 of the end portion 11 separated from the
internal surface 3 forming an acute angle .alpha. with it.
[0030] In addition, on the opposite side of the internal surface 3,
the said end portion 11 has a square corner. This angle is defined
by its longitudinal edge 9 and its upper edge 12. In the depicted
example, the aforementioned square corner is complementary to the
angle .alpha..
[0031] As regards FIG. 2A, a ball 13 is inserted inside the pump
body 1. This ball 13 is therefore housed inside the insertion space
defined by the longitudinal edges 9 of the ribs 11 in the proximity
of the valve seat. These edges preferably make up a cylindrical
surface with a circular base that has a diameter which is slightly
larger than that of the ball 13, such as depicted in FIG. 2B. A
flat-tipped tool 15 is then inserted axially inside the pump body
1.
[0032] As regards FIG. 3, the flat-tipped tool 15 comes into
contact with the end portions 11 detached from the internal surface
3 and exerts a pressure on them that forces them to bend towards
the inside of the pump body 1. The end portions 11 are bent in this
way due to the inclination of their upper edges 12, on which the
pressure of the tool 15 is exerted.
[0033] Once plastically deformed, the end portions enclose the ball
13 inside the space defined by the longitudinal edges 9 of the ribs
7. FIG. 4 depicts the obtained unit, made up of the pump body with
the thus-formed ball valve integrated.
* * * * *