Pump assembly and fluid metering unit

• US 20060073036A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shurflo LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Shurflo LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Kamboya, Nalin, Pascual, Joseph A., Dinh, Jonathan, DeBrito, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/413.100
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0054 particularities of the flexible members

Abstract

Apparatus for a pump assembly and a fluid metering unit. The pump assembly can include a diaphragm with a portion of a body being molded over a portion of each one of a plurality of pistons. The pump assembly can include a wobble plate, a lower housing, and a spring positioned between the wobble plate and the lower housing. A valve housing can include pumping chambers with side walls that are angled. The fluid metering unit can include a bayonet locking mechanism and/or a seal between a housing and a flow meter. The controller can be calibrated according to the type and/or temperature of the fluid.

Claims

1. A pump diaphragm comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of pistons coupled to the body;

the body being molded over a portion of each one of the plurality of pistons in order to secure the plurality of pistons with respect to the body.

2. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the body includes a plurality of convolutes, one of the plurality of convolutes surrounding each one of the plurality of pistons, each one of the plurality of convolutes lying at an angle with respect to the body.

3. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pistons are positioned with respect to the body so that the body is generally in the shape of a pentagon.

4. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pistons are positioned with respect to the body so that the body is generally in the shape of a triangle.

5. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the body includes at least one flange around each one of the plurality of pistons.

6. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the body is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

7. The pump diaphragm of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pistons are each constructed of a plastic that is more rigid than a material of the body.

8. A pump comprising:

a pump housing;

at least two valves within the pump housing; and

a diaphragm having

a body;

a plurality of pistons coupled to the body; and

the body being molded over a portion of each one of the plurality of pistons in order to secure the plurality of pistons with respect to the body.

9. The pump of claim 8 and further comprising five chambers and five valves, and wherein the plurality of pistons includes five pistons.

10. The pump of claim 9 wherein the plurality of pistons are positioned so that the body is generally in the shape of a pentagon.

11. The pump of claim 8 wherein the plurality of pistons are positioned so that the body is generally in the shape of a triangle.

12. The pump of claim 8 wherein the body includes a plurality of convolutes, one of the plurality of convolutes surrounding each one of the plurality of pistons, each one of the plurality of convolutes lying at an angle with respect to the body.

13. The pump of claim 8 wherein the body includes at least one flange around each one of the plurality of pistons.

14. The pump of claim 8 wherein the body is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

15. The pump of claim 8 wherein the plurality of pistons are each constructed of a plastic that is more rigid than a material of the body.

16. A pump comprising:

a wobble plate;

a lower housing; and

a spring positioned between the wobble plate and the lower housing.

17. The pump of claim 16 wherein the wobble plate includes a plurality of rocker arms.

18. The pump of claim 16 and further comprising a diaphragm and a valve housing.

19. The pump of claim 18 wherein the diaphragm is positioned between the valve housing and a first side of the lower housing, and wherein the spring is positioned between a second side of the lower housing and the wobble plate.

20. The pump of claim 16 wherein the spring biases the wobble plate into abutment with a motor bearing.

21. The pump of claim 16 wherein the lower housing includes a first recessed portion that receives a first end of the spring and the wobble plate includes a second raised portion that engages a second end of the spring.

22. The pump of claim 16 wherein the spring is secured between the wobble plate and the lower housing when the wobble plate is coupled to the lower housing.

23. A pump comprising:

a diaphragm; and

a valve housing coupled to the diaphragm,

the valve housing including a plurality of pumping chambers,

each one of the plurality of pumping chambers including a side wall,

the side wall being angled so that a cross-sectional area of an opening of each one of the plurality of pumping chambers increases as the side wall tapers outwardly.

24. The pump of claim 23 wherein the plurality of pumping chambers includes five pumping chambers and the diaphragm includes five pistons.

25. The pump of claim 23 wherein the valve housing includes an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture in each one of the plurality of pumping chambers.

26. The pump of claim 23 and further comprising a plurality of inlet valves and a plurality of outlet valves coupled to the valve housing.

27. A fluid metering unit for measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a pump, the fluid metering unit comprising:

a flow meter that measures the amount of the fluid and generates a signal;

a housing including a inlet port and an outlet port, the flow meter positioned to receive the fluid from the inlet port, to measure the amount of the fluid, and to emit the fluid to the outlet port, the housing including at least one flange; and

a controller that receives the signal from the flow meter, the controller including at least one extension that engages the at least one flange of the housing.

28. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein the flow meter includes a chamber and a nutating disc.

29. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 and further comprising an O-ring positioned between an outlet port of the flow meter and the outlet port of the housing.

30. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein the flow meter includes a horizontal flange that is positioned on at least one support member of the housing.

31. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein the flow meter is coupled to the housing with a snap-fit connection.

32. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein the housing includes four flanges and the controller includes four extensions that engage the four flanges.

33. The fluid metering unit of claim 32 wherein the controller is attached to the housing by mis-aligning the four extensions with respect to the four flanges and then rotating the controller so that the four extensions engage the four flanges.

34. The fluid metering unit of claim 32 wherein the controller can be coupled to the housing in one of four positions.

35. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein each one of the at least one flanges includes a ramped portion in order to tighten the controller onto the housing as the controller is rotated.

36. The fluid metering unit of claim 27 wherein each one of the at least one extensions includes a stepped portion that moves over each one of the at least one flanges and then falls into a recess to lock the controller with respect to the housing.

37. A fluid metering unit for measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a pump, the fluid metering unit comprising:

a flow meter that measures the amount of the fluid, the flow meter including a first outlet port;

a housing including an inlet port and a second outlet port, the flow meter positioned to receive the fluid from the inlet port, to measure the amount of the fluid, and to emit the fluid through the first outlet port to the second outlet port; and

a seal coupled to the first outlet port of the flow meter and secured between the first outlet port and the second outlet port.

38. The fluid metering unit of claim 37 wherein the seal includes an O-ring.

39. The fluid metering unit of claim 37 wherein the flow meter includes a chamber and a nutating disc.

40. The fluid metering unit of claim 37 wherein the flow meter includes a horizontal flange that is positioned on at least one support member of the housing.

41. The fluid metering unit of claim 37 wherein the flow meter is coupled to the housing with a snap-fit connection.

42. A fluid metering unit for measuring an amount of fluid flowing through a pump, the fluid metering unit comprising:

a flow meter that measures the amount of the fluid and generates a signal; and

a controller that receives the signal from the flow meter, the controller operating according to a calibration mode in order to calibrate for at least one of fluid type and fluid temperature.

43. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the flow meter includes a chamber and a nutating disc.

44. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the calibration mode allows calibration in gallons or liters.

45. The fluid metering unit of claim 44 wherein the controller uses a calibration volume range of approximately 4 to 20 gallons and approximately 15 to 80 liters.

46. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the controller can receive and store a pre-calculated calibration value.

47. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the controller can generate a pre-calculated generation value list for fluid types and fluid temperatures.

48. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein flow meter and the controller perform volumetric tracking to a millionth of a gallon or liter.

49. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the controller uses a Lithium-Ion battery.

50. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the controller can display a cumulative volume or a current volume.

51. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 wherein the controller includes a circuit board, a liquid crystal display, at least one push switch, and at least one indicator.

54. The fluid metering unit of claim 42 and further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor and a viscosity meter connected to the controller.

52. The fluid metering unit of claim 52 wherein the controller includes a mode switch, an increase switch, and a decrease switch.

53. The fluid metering unit of claim 52 wherein the at least one indicator includes at least one of a calibration mode indicator, a count indicator, a gallon indicator, a liter indicator, a cumulative volume indicator, and a current volume indicator.