Reciprocating diaphragm pump with degassing valves

• US 6,846,166 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carol Paul, Russ Bruner, Tacmina Corporation, Todd Larson
• Original Assignee: Tacmina Corporation
• Inventors: Kinugawa, Shigehisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Solak, Timothy P.
• Application Number:
  US10/278,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 417/390, 417/379, 417/385, 417/389, 417/395, 417/435, 417/439, 417/440, 605/92
• US Class Current: 417/395
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/067 the fluid being actuated directly by a piston
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/1002 Ball valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7929 Spring coaxial with valve

Abstract

In a reciprocating pump, drive power of a drive-power supply member is transmitted to a diaphragm within a diaphragm drive chamber via operating fluid. An operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber for regulating the flow of operating fluid is located between the drive-power supply member and the diaphragm drive chamber. A first gas discharge member and a second gas discharge member are respectively located in an upper part of the inside of the operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber and an upper part of the inside of the diaphragm drive chamber. The first gas discharge member is held in fluid communication with the second gas discharge member so as to constitute a single gas discharge mechanism. This single gas discharge mechanism is provided with a reverse-flow prevention member for preventing a reverse flow of fluid from the first gas discharge member to the second gas discharge member.

Claims

1. A reciprocating pump for delivering fluid comprising:

a diaphragm that is reciprocated so as to deliver fluid;

a diaphragm drive chamber provided therein with said diaphragm;

a drive-power supply member for supplying drive power for reciprocating said diaphragm;

wherein

drive power of said drive-power supply member is transmitted to said diaphragm within said diaphragm chamber via operating fluid and an operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber for regulating the flow of operating fluid is located between said drive-power supply member and said diaphragm drive chamber;

a first gas discharge member and a second gas discharge member are respectively located in an upper part of the inside of said operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber and an upper part of the inside of said diaphragm drive chamber;

said first gas discharge member is held in fluid communication with said second gas discharge member so as to constitute a single gas discharge mechanism, said single gas discharge mechanism being provided with a reverse-flow prevention member for preventing a reverse flow of fluid from said first gas discharge member to said second gas discharge member;

said single gas discharge mechanism is made up by using said first gas discharge member, said second gas discharge member, said reverse-flow prevention member and a fluid-discharge adjusting member; and

said fluid-discharge-adjusting member is made up by using a ball member provided above said reverse-flow prevention member, and an adjustment valve for adjusting a lift amount of said ball member.

2. A reciprocating pump according to claim 1, wherein the lift amount of said reverse-flow prevention member and the lift amount of said ball member are set at given amounts so that gas is automatically discharged from said first gas discharge member and said second gas discharge member.

3. A reciprocating pump according to claim 2, wherein said lift amount of said reverse-flow prevention member is set at about 0.5 mm-2.0 mm, and said lift amount of said ball member is set at about 0.5 mm-2.0 mm.

4. A reciprocating pump according to claim 2, wherein said reverse-flow prevention member is a ball member, which is made of a material having a specific gravity being approximate to a specific gravity of operating fluid.

5. A reciprocating pump for delivering fluid comprising:

a diaphragm that is reciprocated so as to deliver fluid;

a diaphragm drive chamber provided therein with said diaphragm;

a drive-power supply member for supplying drive power for reciprocating said diaphragm;

wherein

drive power of said drive-power supply member is transmitted to said diaphragm within said diaphragm drive chamber via operating fluid, and an operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber for regulating the flow of operating fluid is located between said drive-power supply member and said diaphragm drive chamber;

said operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber is provided with a valve element that is provided adjacent to said diaphragm to be driven along with said diaphragm, and a valve seat that is brought into engagement with said valve element so as to regulate operating fluid supplied into said diaphragm drive chamber;

a first gas discharge passage and a second gas discharge passage are respectively located above said operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber and above said diaphragm drive chamber;

said first gas discharge passage is held in fluid communication with said second gas discharge passage so as to constitute a single gas discharge mechanism,

said first gas discharge passage having a first end in fluid communication with said operating-fluid-flow regulation chamber via an upper part of the inside thereof between said drive-power supply member and said valve seat;

said second gas discharge passage having a first end in fluid communication with said diaphragm drive chamber via an upper part of the inside thereof between said valve seat and said diaphragm; and

said single gas discharge mechanism is provided with a first ball member that rests on a second end of said first gas discharge passage so as to prevent operating fluid from reversely flowing from said second gas discharge passage into said first gas discharge passage, and a second ball member that rests on a second end of said second gas discharge passage so as to prevent operating fluid from reversely flowing from said first gas discharge passage into said second gas discharge passage.

6. A reciprocating pump according to claim 5, wherein:

said second ends of said first gas discharge passage and said second gas discharge passage are located close to each other;

said first ball member is provided on said second end of said first gas discharge passage so that when fluid is discharged from said second gas discharge passage, said first ball member is pressed against said second end of said first gas discharge passage, and when fluid is discharged from said first gas discharge passage, said first ball member is lifted up from said second end of said first gas discharge passage; and

said second ball member is provided on said second end of said second gas discharge passage so that when fluid is discharged from said first gas discharge passage, said second ball member is pressed against said second end of said second discharge passage upon receiving the pressure of said fluid so as to close said second end of said second gas discharge passage, and when fluid is discharged from said second gas discharge member passage, said second ball member is lifted up from said second end of said second gas discharge passage so as to open said second end of said second gas discharge passage.

7. A reciprocating pump according to claim 5, wherein an operating-fluid replenishing means is provided so as to replenish the amount of operating fluid discharged from at least one of said first gas discharge member and said second gas discharge member.