BELLOWS PLUNGERS HAVING ONE OR MORE HELICALLY EXTENDING FEATURES, PUMPS INCLUDING SUCH BELLOWS PLUNGERS, AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
1. A bellows plunger, comprising a tubular body having a first closed end and an opposite, second open end, the tubular body comprising a side wall having a shape defining at least one ridge extending continuously and helically about a longitudinal axis of the tubular body from a location proximate the first closed end to a location proximate the second open end.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pump system includes at least one pressure chamber at least partially defined by a helical bellows plunger comprised of a tubular body, a closed front portion, an open rear portion, and at least one contour extending continuously as a helix, longitudinally from proximate the front portion to proximate the rear portion. Methods for forming a helical bellows plunger include molding the helical bellows plunger using a mold core comprising a helically extending exterior contour and a cooperatively associated mold cavity comprising a helically extending interior contour of substantially a same pitch and configured to align with the helically extending exterior contour of the mold core, introducing a molding material therebetween, curing the molding material, and unscrewing the cured molding material from the mold core. Various configurations of helical bellows plungers are also disclosed.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A bellows plunger, comprising a tubular body having a first closed end and an opposite, second open end, the tubular body comprising a side wall having a shape defining at least one ridge extending continuously and helically about a longitudinal axis of the tubular body from a location proximate the first closed end to a location proximate the second open end.
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13. A reciprocating fluid pump for pumping a subject fluid, comprising:
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a pump body; at least one subject fluid chamber within the pump body; and at least one bellows plunger located at least partially within the pump body and having a surface defining a surface of the at least one subject fluid chamber, the at least one bellows plunger comprising a tubular body having a first closed end and an opposite, second open end, the tubular body comprising a side wall having a shape defining at least one ridge extending continuously and helically about a longitudinal axis of the tubular body from a location proximate the first closed end to a location proximate the second open end. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of forming a bellows plunger, comprising:
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filling a space between an outer surface of a mold core and an inner surface of a mold with a molding material, the outer surface of the mold core comprising at least one helically extending ridge, the inner surface of the mold comprising a helically extending recess complementary to and aligned with the helically extending ridge of the outer surface of the mold core; solidifying the molding material within the space to form a bellows plunger having a tubular body having a side wall extending between a first end and an opposite, second end of the tubular body, the side wall having a shape defining at least one ridge extending continuously and helically about a longitudinal axis of the tubular body from a location proximate the first end to a location proximate the second end; and separating the bellows plunger from the mold and the mold core. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification