Pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pumps and methods

• US 10,066,611 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Parsons, Matthew C., Pinkowski, Robert J., Righetti, Nicholas E., Schiesser, Ricardo N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Plakkoottam, Dominick L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jariwala, Chirag
• Application Number:
  US15/687,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20170356429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 417375, 137 99, 2221292, 2221293, 222133
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4418 in the form of liquids A47L15/4409, A47L15/4436, A47L15/4445 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 13/02 of two or more fluids at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/22 of reciprocating-piston type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/10 Valves; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/12 arranged in or on pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/123 Flexible valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/14 Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/143 Sealing provided on the piston
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/107 rectilinear movement of the pumping member in the working direction being obtained by a single-acting liquid motor, e.g. actuated in the other direction by gravity or a spring
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/1076 with fluid-actuated inlet or outlet valve mechanically controlled F04B7/00

Abstract

A pressure-driven metered treating chemistry dispensing pump for a laundry treating appliance having a housing having first, second and third chambers, with the first and second chambers each in fluid communication with the third chamber; a fluid inlet fluidly coupling a first fluid to the first chamber; an outlet fluidly coupled to the third chamber; a piston disposed in the housing; wherein, when the piston moves in a first direction in response to the first fluid entering the first chamber via the fluid inlet, the second chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the second fluid from the second chamber into the third chamber, and when the piston moves in a second direction, different from the first direction, the first chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber to mix the at least some of the first fluid and the at least some of the second fluid to form a mixture in the third chamber, which can be emitted through the outlet.

Claims

1. A pressure-driven metered treating chemistry dispensing pump for a laundry treating appliance, comprising:

a housing having first, second and third chambers, with the first and second chambers each in fluid communication with the third chamber;

a fluid inlet fluidly coupling a first fluid to the first chamber;

an outlet fluidly coupled to the third chamber;

a piston disposed in the housing; and

a one-way valve carried by the piston and controlling a flow of a second fluid, different from the first fluid, from the second chamber to the third chamber;

wherein;

when the piston moves in a first direction in response to the first fluid entering the first chamber via the fluid inlet, the second chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the second fluid from the second chamber into the third chamber via the one-way valve; and

when the piston moves in a second direction, different from the first direction, the first chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber to mix the at least some of the first fluid and the at least some of the second fluid to form a mixture in the third chamber, which is emitted through the outlet.

2. The pressure-driven metered dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve at least partially defines the second chamber.

3. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve is at least partially disposed within the piston.

4. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, further comprising a spring biasing the piston in the second direction.

5. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein an additional amount of the first fluid is ejected from the first chamber into the third chamber while the first fluid enters the first chamber.

6. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the piston has at least one orifice defined therethrough to eject the at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber.

7. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an internal flow line, an external flow line, a piston seal and/or a diaphragm-type seal configured to have a non-zero predetermined bleeding flow rate to eject the at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber.

8. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the ejection of the at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber causes all of the second fluid in the third chamber to be removed from the third chamber.

9. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, further comprising the one-way valve disposed between the second and third chambers.

10. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, further comprising a retainer for the one-way valve, wherein at least one of the retainer and/or the one-way valve provides a momentary or temporary higher pressure and/or shear force to the second fluid.

11. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump as defined in claim 1, wherein additional second fluid is drawn into the second chamber via the one-way valve when the piston moves in the second direction.

12. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet is disposed between a first fluid source and the first chamber, the first fluid enters the first chamber via the fluid inlet;

and further comprising;

a flow control device disposed in the fluid inlet.

13. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor to sense a position of the piston, wherein an amount of the second fluid ejected into the third chamber is controlled based on the sensed position.

14. The pressure-driven metered dispensing pump of claim 1, wherein the first fluid is supplied by a domestic water source, and the second fluid comprises a laundry treating chemistry.

15. A pressure-driven metered dispensing pump for a home appliance, comprising:

a housing having first, second and third chambers, with the first and second chambers each in fluid communication with the third chamber;

a fluid inlet fluidly coupling a first fluid to the first chamber;

an outlet fluidly coupled to the third chamber;

a piston disposed in the housing;

a first one-way valve carried by the piston and controlling a flow of a second fluid, different from the first fluid, from the second chamber to the third chamber; and

a second one-way valve fluidly coupled with a reservoir;

wherein;

when the piston moves in a first direction in response to the first fluid entering the first chamber via the fluid inlet, the second chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the second fluid from the second chamber into the third chamber via the first one-way valve; and

when the piston moves in a second direction, different from the first direction, the first chamber decreases in volume thereby ejecting at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber to mix the at least some of the first fluid and the at least some of the second fluid to form a mixture in the third chamber, which is emitted through the outlet.

16. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump as defined in claim 15, wherein an additional amount of the first fluid is ejected from the first chamber into the third chamber while the first fluid enters the first chamber.

17. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the piston has at least one orifice defined therethrough to eject the at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber.

18. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump as defined in claim 15, wherein the piston has an orifice defined therethrough to spray the at least some of the first fluid into the third chamber.

19. The pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump as defined in claim 15, further comprising the first one-way valve disposed between the second and third chambers.

20. A pressure-driven metered mixing dispensing pump for home appliances, comprising:

a housing;

a fluid inlet;

a piston disposed in the housing at least partially defining first, second and third chambers within the housing, the first and second chambers each in fluid communication with the third chamber;

a one-way valve disposed within the piston, the piston configured to, in response to a first fluid entering the first chamber via the fluid inlet, move in a first direction to decrease the volume of the second chamber thereby ejecting a second fluid, different from the first fluid, from the second chamber into the third chamber via the one-way valve;

a spring configured to move the piston in a second direction to decrease the volume of the first chamber thereby ejecting at least some of the first fluid from the first chamber into the third chamber to mix the at least some of the first fluid and the second fluid to form a mixture in the third chamber; and

an outlet to discharge the mixture from the third chamber.