METHOD AND DISPOSABLE LOW-COST PUMP IN CONTAINER FOR LIQUID COLOR DISPENSING

• US 20110200464A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maguire Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Maguire Products Incorporated
• Inventors: MAGUIRE, Paul Sherwood, MAGUIRE, Steven B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/392
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 13/00 Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 15/00 Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/1062 fixed at two or more points at its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/1215 the return stroke being obtained by a spring
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/127 rectilinear movement of the pumping member in the working direction being obtained by a single-acting elastic-fluid motor, e.g. actuated in the other direction by gravity or a spring

Abstract

A pump has a PVC “T” shaped member having an inlet, an outlet and an interior pumping chamber positioned between the inlet and outlet; a piston displaceable into the chamber; an air cylinder for driving the piston into the chamber; a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder; a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit inlet permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit outlet permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber.

Claims

1. ) A pump comprising:

a) a PVC conduit having an inlet, an outlet and an interior pumping chamber positioned between the inlet and outlet;

b) a piston displaceable into the chamber;

c) an air cylinder for driving the piston into the chamber;

d) a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber, in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder;

e) a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit inlet, for permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and

f) a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit outlet, for permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber.

2. ) A pump for liquid color comprising:

a) a T-shaped PVC pipe fitting, an open interior of the fitting defining a pumping chamber, the leg of the “

T”

defining an outlet from the chamber, one arm of the top of the “

T”

defining an inlet to the chamber;

b) a PVC extension conduit extending from the remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

away from the chamber;

c) a piston displaceable through at least a portion of the PVC extension conduit towards the chamber;

d) an air cylinder for driving the piston towards the chamber;

e) a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber;

f) a check valve in the inlet to the chamber, for permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber, comprising;

i) a first polymeric disk having a central portion partially separated from an outer ring portion of the disk, such that the central portion acts as a flap relative to the outer ring portion;

ii) a first washer facingly contacting and located upstream of the first disk relative to the chamber, having an open center of smaller size than the central portion of the first disk, whereby upon fluid flow out of the chamber through the inlet conduit, the central portion of the first disk contacts the first washer and blocks the open center thereof, precluding further fluid flow out of the chamber through the inlet conduit;

g) a check valve at the outlet from the leg of the “

T”

, for permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber, comprising;

i) a second polymeric disk fitting within the leg of the “

T” and

having a central portion partially separated from an outer ring portion of the disk, such that the central portion acts as a flap relative to the outer ring portion;

ii) a second washer facingly contacting the disk and located upstream of the disk within the leg of the “

T”

relative to the chamber, having an open center of smaller size than the central portion of the disk, whereby upon any fluid flow into the chamber through the leg of the “

T”

, the central portion of the disk contacts the washer and blocks the open center thereof, precluding further fluid flow into the chamber through leg of the “

T”

but fluid flowing out of the chamber through the leg of the “

T”

flows through the open center of the second washer and displaces the central portion of the second polymeric disk in the fashion of a flap for fluid flow through the space vacated by the central portion of the second polymeric disk.

3. ) Apparatus for shipping, storing and dispensing liquid color, comprising:

a) a disposable container for receiving and storing liquid color;

b) a pump for dispensing liquid color from the container, comprising;

i) a one piece T-shaped PVC pipe fitting, an open interior of the fitting defining a chamber, the leg of the “

T”

defining an outlet from the chamber, one arm of the top of the “

T”

defining an inlet to the chamber;

ii) a piston displaceable along the remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

towards the chamber;

iii) an air cylinder for driving the piston, within the remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

, towards the chamber;

iv) a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber, in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder;

v) a check valve upstream of the inlet to the chamber, for permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and

vi) a check valve at the outlet from the leg of the “

T”

, for permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber;

c) the spring, the piston, the “

T”

-shaped PVC pipe fitting, and the check valves being within the container; and

d) the air cylinder being outside of the container and removably connected thereto.

4. ) Apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pump further comprises:

a) a pair of magnetic pick-ups, located at the two extremities of piston travel and mounted on a conduit defining at least a part of the remaining top side of the “

T”

, for sensing when the piston is at the respective extremities of its travel and providing signals for respectively actuating and deactivating the air cylinder, for reciprocating motion of the piston in response to the air cylinder and the spring respectively.

5. ) Apparatus of claim 3 wherein each check valve comprises:

a) a polymeric disk having a center portion partially separated from an outer portion of the disk, such that the center portion acts as a flap relative to the outer portion;

b) a washer contacting the disk and located upstream thereof relative to a desired direction of fluid flow, having an opening smaller than but aligned with the center portion of the disk, whereby upon fluid flow in a first direction the center portion of the disk contacts the washer and blocks the open center thereof, precluding further fluid flow in the first direction but fluid flowing in the desired second direction flows through the open center of the washer and displaces the center portion of the disk for continued fluid flow through the center portion of the disk in the desired second direction.

6. ) Apparatus of claim 5 wherein the disk is urethane.

7. ) A pump comprising:

a) a T-shaped pipe fitting, an open interior of the fitting defining a chamber, the leg of the “

T”

defining an outlet from the chamber, one arm of the top of the “

T”

defining an inlet to the chamber;

b) a piston displaceable through the remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

into the chamber;

c) an air cylinder for driving the piston, along the remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

, towards the chamber;

d) a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber, in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder;

e) an inlet check valve upstream of the inlet to the chamber, for permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and

f) an outlet check valve at the outlet from the leg of the “

T”

, for permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber.

8. ) The pump of claim 7 further comprising a pair of magnetic pick-ups, located at the two extremities of piston travel and mounted on a conduit defining at least a part of the remaining top side of the “

T”

, for sensing when the piston is at the respective extremities of its travel and providing signals for respectively actuating and deactivating the air cylinder, for reciprocating motion of the piston in response to the air cylinder and the spring respectively.

9. ) The pump of claim 7 wherein each check valve comprises:

a) a polymeric disk having a central portion partially separated from an outer portion of the disk, such that the central portion acts as a flap relative to the outer portion; and

b) a washer contacting the disk and located upstream thereof relative to a desired direction of fluid flow, having an opening smaller than but aligned with the central portion of the disk, whereby upon fluid flow in a first direction the central portion of the disk contacts the washer and blocks the open center thereof, precluding further fluid flow in the first direction but fluid flowing in the desired second direction flows through the open center of the washer and displaces the central portion of the disk for continued fluid flow through the central portion of the disk in the desired second direction.

10. ) The pump of claim 9 wherein the disk is urethane.

11. ) The pump of claim 7 wherein the “

T”

-shaped pipe fitting is PVC.

12. ) The pump of claim 10 wherein the “

T”

-shaped pipe fitting is PVC.

13. ) Apparatus for shipping, storing and dispensing liquid color, comprising:

a) a disposable container for receiving, shipping and storing liquid color;

b) a pump for dispensing liquid color from the container, comprising;

i) a “

T”

-shaped PVC fitting conduit having an inlet, an outlet and a chamber positioned between the inlet and outlet;

ii) a piston displaceable into the chamber;

iii) an air cylinder for driving the piston into the chamber;

iv) a coil spring for biasing the piston coaxially outwardly from the chamber, in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder;

v) a check valve at the conduit inlet, for permitting liquid color flow from within the container into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and

vi) a check valve at the conduit outlet, for permitting liquid color fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber;

c) the spring, the piston, the “

T”

-shaped PVC fitting conduit and the check valves being within the container; and

d) the air cylinder being outside of the container and removably connected thereto.

14. ) A pump for liquid color comprising:

a) a T-shaped PVC pipe fitting, an open interior of the fitting defining a pumping chamber, one arm of the top of the “

T”

defining an outlet from the chamber and a remaining arm of the top of the “

T”

defining an inlet to the chamber;

b) a PVC extension conduit extending from leg of the “

T”

away from the chamber;

c) a piston displaceable through at least a portion of the PVC extension conduit towards the chamber;

d) an air cylinder for driving the piston towards the chamber;

e) a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber;

f) a check valve in the first arm inlet to the chamber, for permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and

g) a check valve at the second arm outlet from the chamber, for permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber.

15. ) The pump of claim 14 wherein the check valves each comprise:

a) a polymeric disk having a central portion partially separated from an outer ring portion of the disk, such that the central portion acts as a flap relative to the outer ring portion; and

b) a washer facingly contacting and located upstream of the first disk relative to the chamber, having an open center of smaller size than the central portion of the first disk,

wherein the polymeric disk and washer are in facing contact.

16. ) The pump of claim 15 wherein the disk is urethane.