U.S. patent application number 15/423816 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for reciprocating pump having a combination check valve and relief valve.
This patent application is currently assigned to PEOPLEFLO MANUFACTURING, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is PEOPLEFLO MANUFACTURING, INC.. Invention is credited to William R. Blankemeier, Daniel T. Turner.
Application Number | 20180223817 15/423816 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63039189 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180223817 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Turner; Daniel T. ; et
al. |
August 9, 2018 |
Reciprocating Pump Having a Combination Check Valve and Relief
Valve
Abstract
A reciprocating pump having a combination check valve and relief
valve is disclosed. The pump includes a pump body having an inlet,
an outlet and a pumping chamber. A biasing element provides a force
that biases a movable seat toward sealing engagement between a
first region of the movable seat and a fixed seat at the inlet. A
movable checking element is movable away from a second region of
the movable seat when fluid flows in one direction through a
passageway in the movable seat. The movable seat also acts as a
relief valve wherein the first region of the movable seat
disengages the fixed seat if the movable checking element is being
forced into engagement with the second region of the movable seat
by a force that exceeds the force of the biasing element against a
third region of the movable seat.
Inventors: |
Turner; Daniel T.; (Villa
Park, IL) ; Blankemeier; William R.; (Oak Park,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PEOPLEFLO MANUFACTURING, INC. |
Franklin Park |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
PEOPLEFLO MANUFACTURING,
INC.
Franklin Park
IL
|
Family ID: |
63039189 |
Appl. No.: |
15/423816 |
Filed: |
February 3, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 43/02 20130101;
F04B 39/08 20130101; F04B 19/22 20130101; F04B 53/1085 20130101;
F04B 45/04 20130101; F04B 7/0266 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F04B 7/02 20060101
F04B007/02; F04B 19/22 20060101 F04B019/22; F04B 39/08 20060101
F04B039/08; F04B 43/02 20060101 F04B043/02; F04B 45/04 20060101
F04B045/04; F04B 53/10 20060101 F04B053/10 |
Claims
1. A reciprocating pump having a combination check valve and relief
valve, comprising: a pump body further comprising an inlet, an
outlet and a pumping chamber in fluid communication between the
inlet and the outlet; a fixed seat at the inlet; a biasing element
seat at the inlet; a biasing element that engages the biasing
element seat; a movable checking element; a movable seat having a
passageway therethrough and a first region that engages the fixed
seat, a second region that engages the movable checking element,
and a third region that engages the biasing element; wherein the
biasing element provides a force that biases the movable seat
toward sealing engagement between the first region of the movable
seat and the fixed seat, the movable checking element is movable
away from the second region of the movable seat when fluid flows in
one direction through the passageway in the movable seat, and the
movable seat acts as a relief valve wherein the first region of the
movable seat disengages the fixed seat if the movable checking
element is being forced into engagement with the second region of
the movable seat by a force that exceeds the force of the biasing
element against the third region of the movable seat.
2. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the movable seat has
first and second faces.
3. The reciprocating pump of claim 2, wherein the first and second
faces are on opposed sides of the movable seat.
4. The reciprocating pump of claim 2, wherein the first and second
regions of the movable seat are located on the first face of the
movable seat, and the third region of the movable seat is located
on the second face of the movable seat.
5. The reciprocating pump of claim 2, wherein the first, second and
third regions of the movable seat are located on the first face of
the movable seat.
6. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the biasing element
is a compression spring, a tension spring or a torsion spring.
7. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the biasing element
force is adjustable.
8. The reciprocating pump of claim 7, wherein the biasing element
force is adjusted by displacement of the biasing element seat.
9. The reciprocating pump of claim 8, wherein the biasing element
seat is displaceable by a screw or spacer.
10. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the movable checking
element is a ball, a flapper or a poppet.
11. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the movable checking
element is movable axially or rotationally.
12. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the movable seat is
movable axially or rotationally.
13. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the movable checking
element is forced into engagement with the second region of the
movable seat by a second biasing element.
14. The reciprocating pump of claim 13, wherein the second biasing
element has a lower spring force that the first biasing
element.
15. The reciprocating pump of claim 13, wherein the second biasing
element engages a second biasing element seat in the inlet.
16. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating
pump further comprises a piston in communication with the pumping
chamber.
17. The reciprocating pump of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating
pump further comprises a diaphragm in communication with the
pumping chamber.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to reciprocating
pumps, and more specifically to diaphragm or piston pumps. In
either case, the pump generally has two check valves; a first to
allow the material being pumped to enter the pumping chamber, but
not to exit, and a second to allow the material to exit the chamber
but not to reverse flow and reenter the pumping chamber.
[0002] With electrically operated pumps, in the event the discharge
is closed or experiences an obstruction, sometimes referred to as a
deadhead situation, the electrically operated pump must be turned
off immediately to avoid a potentially dangerous or damaging spike
in pressure, or the system must have a relief valve to bleed off
the excess pressure created as the pump continues to run.
[0003] In air operated diaphragm pumps, this is not a problem. An
air operated pump simply will stall if the back pressure of the
pumped material exceeds the air pressure used to move the
diaphragms. This is seen as a desirable feature of air operated
pumps, both for ease of use and for safety. Although this feature
is useful, air operated pumps are very energy inefficient. This
prevents them from being widely used for a range of process
applications. Nevertheless, the improvements disclosed herein would
provide advantages even for installations in air operated
pumps.
[0004] The present invention addresses shortcomings in the prior
art by disclosing an inlet check valve that is used as both a check
valve and a relief valve. This allows reciprocating pumps to
continue to run even in a deadhead situation, by preventing the
pump motor from stalling or from building dangerous pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by examples
of reciprocating pumps having a combination check valve and relief
valve.
[0006] In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a reciprocating
pump having a combination check valve and relief valve. The
reciprocating pump includes a pump body having an inlet, an outlet
and a pumping chamber in fluid communication between the inlet and
the outlet. The reciprocating pump includes a fixed seat at the
inlet, and a biasing element seat at the inlet, with a biasing
element that engages the biasing element seat. The reciprocating
pump also includes a movable checking element, and a movable seat
having a passageway therethrough and a first region that engages
the fixed seat, a second region that engages the movable checking
element, and a third region that engages the biasing element. The
biasing element provides a force that biases the movable seat
toward sealing engagement between the first region of the movable
seat and the fixed seat. The movable checking element is movable
away from the second region of the movable seat when fluid flows in
one direction through the passageway in the movable seat, and the
movable seat acts as a relief valve wherein the first region of the
movable seat disengages the fixed seat if the movable checking
element is being forced into engagement with the second region of
the movable seat by a force that exceeds the force of the biasing
element against the third region of the movable seat.
[0007] It follows that the movable seat ceases to act as a relief
valve when the force created by the biasing element again becomes
greater than the force opposing it.
[0008] In some example embodiments the movable checking element is
a ball. In such embodiments, the biasing element may be a spring
and the movable seat may move axially against the pump body. For
instance, in one embodiment, when the movable seat unseats, it
moves axially downward until the pressure is relieved and then
moves axially back up to seal.
[0009] In another example embodiment the combination check valve
and relief valve is a flapper on a movable seat flapper. This
embodiment uses a flapper checking element that pivots to open and
allows flow to pass. This checking element seals against a movable
seat in the form of a flapper that is biased to a sealing position
against the pump body by a torsion spring. The flapper checking
element would operate as a standard check valve until the force
provided by the working pressure in the pump chamber exceeds the
spring force. In such an event, the movable seat flapper would
pivot to an open position and act as a pressure relief valve. Once
the force due to the pressure drops sufficiently, the movable seat
flapper reseals against the pump body.
[0010] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and provided for the purpose of explanation only, and are not
restrictive of the subject matter claimed. Further features and
objects of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent
in the following description of the preferred embodiments and from
the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In describing the preferred example embodiments, reference
is made to the accompanying drawing figures wherein like parts have
like reference numerals, and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a section view of a first example piston
pump.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a detailed section view of a first example
combination check valve and relief valve shown in FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3 shows a detailed section view of the first example
combination check valve and relief valve shown in FIG. 2, but with
a biasing element spacer.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a detailed section view of the first example
combination check valve and relief valve shown in FIG. 2, but with
a biasing element adjustable spacer.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a section view of a double diaphragm pump with
a second combination check valve and relief valve as a left hand
inlet valve and a third example combination check valve and relief
valve as a right hand inlet valve.
[0017] FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the second combination check
valve and relief valve of the left hand inlet valve shown in FIG.
5.
[0018] FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of the third combination check
valve and relief valve of the right hand inlet valve FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 8 shows a section view of an alternative single
diaphragm pump with a fourth example combination check valve and
relief valve in the form of a flapper valve having a flapper valve
seat.
[0020] It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale.
While some mechanical details of the example pumps, including
details of fastening means and other plan and section views of the
particular components, may not have been shown, such details are
considered to be within the comprehension of those skilled in the
art in light of the present disclosure. It also should be
understood that the present disclosure and claims are not limited
to the preferred embodiments illustrated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Referring generally to FIGS. 1-8, it will be appreciated
that the combination check valve and relief and valve assemblies of
the present disclosure generally may be embodied within numerous
configurations. Indeed, the teachings within this disclosure may
pertain to a combination check valve and relief valves for use in
various types of reciprocating pumps.
[0022] FIGS. 1-4 show the invention in a first preferred example
embodiment as integrated into a single piston pump 1. In this
example, as seen in FIG. 1, the pump 1 includes a pump body 2 that
may further include an assembly of a central portion 3, an upstream
portion 4 and a downstream portion 5. The example pump 1 also has
an inlet 6 and an outlet 7 in fluid communication with a pumping
chamber 8. A pumping element 8a, in the form of a piston, is in
communication with and displaceable within the pumping chamber 8.
The pump 1 further is shown as including a check valve assembly 9
at the outlet 7.
[0023] At the inlet 6, the pump 1 has a combination check valve and
relief valve 10, which includes a fixed seat 11 at the inlet 6, a
biasing element seat 12 at the inlet 6, a biasing element 13 in the
form of a compression spring that engages the biasing element seat
12, a movable checking element 14, and a movable seat 15 having a
passageway 16 therethrough. The movable seat 15 has a first region
15a that engages the fixed seat 11, a second region 15b that
engages the movable checking element 14, and a third region 15c
that engages the biasing element 13.
[0024] In this first example embodiment, the biasing element 13 is
pre-compressed against the biasing element seat 12 during assembly
of the central portion 3 and upstream portion 4 of the pump body 2.
This forces the first region 15a on a first face 15d of the movable
seat 15 into sealing engagement against the fixed seat 11 in the
inlet 6. The second region 15b is effectively on the first face 15d
of the movable seat 15 and engages the movable checking element 14,
and the third region 15c is on an opposed second face 15e of
movable seat 15 that engages the biasing element 13.
[0025] The pre-compression in FIG. 2 of the biasing element 13 is
set so that under standard pumping conditions the movable seat 15
remains in engagement with the fixed seat 11 at the first region
15a. The movable checking element 14 is movable axially away from
the second region 15b of the movable seat 15 when fluid flows in
one direction through the passageway 16 in movable seat 15, so as
to have fluid flow through the inlet 6 into the pumping chamber 8.
In the event that back pressure on the valve 10 is increased
sufficiently, the material being pumped will push downward on the
movable seat 15 and on the movable checking element 14 with a force
greater than the force that the biasing element 13 is exerting on
the third region 15c of the movable seat 15. This will break the
sealing engagement between the first region 15a of the moveable
seat 15 and the fixed seat 11 and move the movable seat 15 axially
away from the fixed seat 11, and the material being pumped will
leak back to the inlet 6 around movable seat 15, thereby reducing
the pressure. When the pressure lowers to the point where the force
that the biasing element 13 exerts on the movable seat 15 is
greater than the force provided by the pressure above the movable
seat 15, the movable seat 15 will be forced axially upward and into
sealing engagement against the fixed seat 11.
[0026] It will be appreciated that it is contemplated that pumps
could have multiple inlets and/or outlets and the one or more
inlets could have multiple combination check valve and relief
valves. In addition, a combination check valve and relief valve
could include multiple components, as desired, such as with respect
to fixed seats, biasing element seats, biasing elements, checking
elements, and movable seats.
[0027] In FIG. 3, the force generated by the biasing element 13 may
be adjusted. In this example, the force may be adjusted by a fixed
amount by displacing the biasing element 13, such as by adding a
biasing element spacer 17 to effectively displace the biasing
element seat 12. To adjust the pre-compression force, such a
biasing element spacer 17 may be replaced by a spacer having a
different thickness, or a plurality of spacers may be stacked to
gain a different amount of displacement.
[0028] In FIG. 4, the force generated by the biasing element 13 may
be adjusted by moving the biasing element seat 13 via movable
displacement that may be applied by an adjustment screw 18, so as
to effectively displace the biasing element seat 12. Thus, turning
the adjustment screw 18 to advance toward the biasing element 13
effectively displaces the biasing element seat 12 to increase the
compression in the biasing element 13.
[0029] Turning to FIG. 5, a second example embodiment of a
reciprocating pump is shown in an example double diaphragm pump
101. The pump 101 includes a pump body 102 that may further include
an assembly of a central portion 103, an upstream portion 104 and a
downstream portion 105. The second example pump 101 may be seen as
having a left hand side and a right hand side, which in this
example are intended to show two additional versions of a
combination check valve and relief valve that are more closely
shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the left hand side of the pump
101 includes an inlet 106 and an outlet 107 in fluid communication
with a pumping chamber 108. A pumping element 108a, in the form of
a diaphragm, is in communication with and is displaceable within
the pumping chamber 108. The pumping element 108a on the left hand
side is connected by a shaft 119 to a pumping element 108a' on the
right hand side of the pump 101, with the shaft 119 being slidable
within a drive assembly 120. The left hand side of the second
example pump 101 further is shown as including a check valve
assembly 109 at the outlet 107.
[0031] At the inlet 106, the pump 101 has a combination check valve
and relief valve 110, which includes a fixed seat 111 at the inlet
106, a biasing element seat 112 at the inlet 106, a biasing element
113 in the form of a tension spring that engages the biasing
element seat 112 at a shaft 118, a movable checking element 114,
and a movable seat 115 having a passageway 116 therethrough. The
movable seat 115 has a first region 115a on a first face 115d of
the movable seat 115 that engages the fixed seat 111, a second
region 115b is effectively on the first face 115d of the movable
seat 115 and engages the movable checking element 114, and a third
region 115c is on the first face 115d of the movable seat 115 that
engages the biasing element 113, with no engagement of an opposed
second face 115e of the movable seat 115.
[0032] In FIG. 6, the pre-compression is supplied by the tension of
the biasing element 113, which is set so that under standard
pumping conditions the movable seat 115 remains in engagement with
the fixed seat 111 at the first region 115a. The movable checking
element 114 is movable axially away from the second region 115b of
the movable seat 115 when fluid flows in one direction through the
passageway 116 in movable seat 115, so as to have fluid flow
through the inlet 106 into the pumping chamber 108. In the event
that back pressure on the valve 110 is increased sufficiently, the
material being pumped will push downward on the movable seat 115
and on the movable checking element 114 with a force greater than
the force that the biasing element 113 is exerting on the third
region 115c of the movable seat 115. This will break the sealing
engagement between the first region 115a of the moveable seat 115
and the fixed seat 111 and move the movable seat axially away from
the fixed seat 111, and the material being pumped will leak back to
the inlet 106 around movable seat 115, thereby reducing the
pressure. When the pressure lowers to the point where the force
that the biasing element 113 exerts on the movable seat 115 is
greater than the pressure above the movable seat 115, the movable
seat 115 will be forced axially upward and into sealing engagement
against the fixed seat 111.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the right hand side of the pump
101 includes an inlet 106' and an outlet 107' in fluid
communication with a pumping chamber 108'. A pumping element 108a',
in the form of a diaphragm, is in communication with and
displaceable within the pumping chamber 108' and is connected to
the shaft 119. The right hand side of the second example pump 101
further is shown as including a check valve assembly 109' at the at
least one outlet 107'.
[0034] At the inlet 106', the pump 101 has a combination check
valve and relief valve 110', which includes a fixed seat 111' at
the inlet 106', a biasing element seat 112' at the inlet 106', a
first biasing element 113' in the form of a compression spring that
engages the biasing element seat 112', a movable checking element
114' in the form of a poppet, and a movable seat 115' having a
passageway 116' therethrough. The movable seat 115' has a first
region 115a' on a the first face 115d' of the movable seat 115'
that engages the fixed seat 111', a second region 115b' is
effectively on the first face 115d' of the movable seat 115' and
engages the movable checking element 114', and a third region 115c'
is on a second face 115e' of the movable seat that engages the
first biasing element 113'.
[0035] In FIG. 7, the pre-compression is supplied by the
compression of the first biasing element 113', which is set so that
under standard pumping conditions the movable seat 115' remains in
engagement with the fixed seat 111' at the first region 115a'. The
movable checking element 114' is movable axially away from the
second region 115b' of the movable seat 115' when fluid flows in
one direction through the passageway 116' in movable seat 115', so
as to have fluid flow through the inlet 106' into the pumping
chamber 108'. In this example, with the checking element 114' in
the form of a poppet, a second biasing element 121' is provided in
the form of a smaller spring having a lower spring force than the
spring force of the first biasing element 113' and the second
biasing element 121' engages a second biasing element seat 122'. In
this example, In the event that back pressure on the valve 110' is
increased sufficiently, the material being pumped will push
downward on the movable seat 115' and on the movable checking
element 114' with a force greater than the force that the first
biasing element 113' is exerting on the third region 115c' of the
movable seat 115'. This will break the sealing engagement between
the first region 115a' of the moveable seat 115' and the fixed seat
111' and move the movable seat 115' axially away from the fixed
seat 111', and the material being pumped will leak back to the
inlet 106' around movable seat 115', thereby reducing the pressure.
When the pressure lowers to the point where the force that the
first biasing element 113' exerts on the movable seat 115' is
greater than the force provided by the pressure above the movable
seat 115', the movable seat 115' will be forced axially upward and
into sealing engagement against the fixed seat 111'.
[0036] Turning to FIG. 8, third example embodiment of a
reciprocating pump is shown in an example single diaphragm pump
201. The pump 201 includes a pump body 202 that may further include
an assembly of a central portion 203, an upstream portion 204 and a
downstream portion 205. The third example pump 201 utilizes flapper
valve elements. The pump 201 includes an inlet 206 and an outlet
207 in fluid communication with a pumping chamber 208. A pumping
element 208a, in the form of a diaphragm, is in communication with
and displaceable within the pumping chamber 208. The pumping
element 208a is connected to a shaft 219 which is slidable within a
drive assembly 220. The third example pump 201 further is shown as
including a check valve assembly 209 at the outlet 207.
[0037] At the inlet 206, the pump 201 has a combination check valve
and relief valve 210, which includes a fixed seat 211 at the inlet
206, a biasing element seat 212 at the inlet 206, a biasing element
213 in the form of a torsion spring that acts rotationally and
engages the biasing element seat 212, a movable checking element
214 in the form of a flapper, and a movable seat 215 in the form of
a flapper that is movable rotationally and has a passageway 216
therethrough. The movable seat 215 has a first region 215a that
engages the fixed seat 211, a second region 215b that engages the
movable checking element 214, and a third region 215c that engages
the biasing element 213.
[0038] In this third example embodiment, the biasing element 213 is
pre-compressed against the biasing element seat 212 during assembly
within the upstream portion 204 of the pump body 202. This forces
the first region 215a on a first face 215d of the movable seat 215
into sealing engagement against the fixed seat 211 in the inlet
206. The second region 215b on the first face 215d of the movable
seat 215 engages the movable checking element 214, and the third
region 215c on an opposed second face 215e of movable seat 215
engages the biasing element 213.
[0039] The pre-compression in FIG. 8 of the biasing element 213 is
chosen and so that under standard pumping conditions the movable
seat 215 remains in engagement with the fixed seat 211 at the first
region 215a. The movable checking element 214 in the form of a
flapper is movable rotationally away from the second region 215b of
the movable seat 215 by pivoting when fluid flows in one direction
through the passageway 216 in movable seat 215, so as to have fluid
flow through the inlet 206 into the pumping chamber 208. In the
event that back pressure on the valve 210 is increased
sufficiently, the material being pumped will push rotationally on
the movable seat 215 and on the movable checking element 214 with a
force greater than the force that the biasing element 213 is
exerting on the third region 215c of the movable seat 215. This
will break the sealing engagement between the first region 215a of
the moveable seat 215 and the fixed seat 211, and the material
being pumped will leak back to the inlet 206 around movable seat
215, thereby reducing the pressure. When the pressure lowers to the
point where the force that the biasing element 213 exerts on the
movable seat 215 is greater than the force provided by the pressure
above the movable seat 215, the movable seat 215 will be forced
rotationally forward into sealing engagement against the fixed seat
211.
[0040] Once again, regardless of the particular example embodiment,
it will be appreciated that pumps could have multiple inlets and/or
outlets and the one or more inlets could have multiple combination
check valve and relief valves, and that a combination check valve
and relief valve could include multiple components, as desired,
such as with respect to fixed seats, biasing element seats, biasing
elements, checking elements, and movable seats.
[0041] From the above disclosure, it will be apparent that pumps
constructed in accordance with this disclosure may include a number
of structural aspects that provide advantages over conventional
constructions, depending upon the specific design chosen.
[0042] It will be appreciated that reciprocating pumps having a
combination check valve and relief valve may be embodied in various
configurations with respect to the type of pump, as well as various
configurations of a combination check valve and relief valve. Any
variety of suitable materials of construction, configurations,
shapes and sizes for the components and methods of connecting the
components may be utilized to meet the particular needs and
requirements of an end user. It will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that various modifications can be made in the design and
construction of such reciprocating pumps having a combination check
valve and relief valve without departing from the scope or spirit
of the claimed subject matter, and that the claims are not limited
to the preferred embodiment illustrated herein.
* * * * *