Portable fluid exchange system for concurrently pumping liquid from a source container to a destination container and pumping vapor from the destination container to the source container

• US 8,578,974 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuel Transfer Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fuel Transfer Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Bonner, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): NIESZ, JASON KAROL
• Application Number:
  US13/475,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20120227863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 141/59, 141/198, 141/206, 141/231, 141/285, 141/286, 141/291, 141/292, 141/301, 141/302, 141/382, 141/389, 222/318, 222/401, 222/424, 417/528, 417534-537
• US Class Current: 141/59
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/023 Forks; Forks with ejectors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/048 Vapour flow control means, e.g. valves, pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/06 Mobile combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/028 the pump being mounted on top of the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 33/00 Pumps actuated by muscle power, e.g. for inflating
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/06 Combinations of two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/14 Pumps characterised by muscle-power operation hand-held spraying or dispensing apparatus using pumps or bulbs B05B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2931 Diverse fluid containing pressure systems

Abstract

A portable fluid exchange system comprises a source container, a liquid and vapor pump for pumping liquid from the source container to the destination container and for pumping vapor from the destination container to the source container. The liquid inlet and vapor outlets of the liquid and vapor pump are connected in fluid communication with the source container. A liquid delivery hose delivers liquid from the pump to the destination container. A vapor delivery hose delivers vapor from the destination container to the pump. A selectively controllable actuation mechanism actuates the liquid and vapor pump to thereby concurrently pump liquid from the liquid and vapor pump through the liquid outlet and vapor into the liquid and vapor pump through the vapor inlet, and concurrently pump vapor from the liquid and vapor pump through the vapor outlet and liquid into the liquid and vapor pump through the liquid inlet.

Claims

1. A portable fluid exchange system for concurrently pumping liquid from a source container to a destination container and pumping vapor from said destination container to said source container, said portable fluid exchange system comprising:

a source container having a substantially hollow interior for retaining liquid and vapor therein;

a liquid and vapor pumping means for pumping liquid from said source container to said destination container and for pumping vapor from said destination container to said source container, and having a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet;

wherein said liquid inlet and said vapor outlet of said liquid and vapor pumping means are connected in fluid communication with said substantially hollow interior of said source container;

liquid delivery means for delivering liquid from said liquid and vapor pumping means to said destination container;

vapor delivery means for delivering vapor from said destination container to said liquid and vapor pumping means; and

,

a selectively controllable actuation mechanism for actuating said liquid and vapor pumping means to thereby concurrently pump liquid from said liquid and vapor pumping means through said liquid outlet and vapor into said liquid and vapor pumping means through said vapor inlet, and concurrently pump vapor from said liquid and vapor pumping means through said vapor outlet and liquid into said liquid and vapor pumping means through said liquid inlet.

2. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 1, wherein said liquid and vapor pumping means comprises a liquid pumping portion and a vapor pumping portion fluidically isolated one from the other.

3. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 2, wherein said selectively controllable actuation mechanism concurrently pumps vapor from said vapor pumping portion through said vapor outlet and liquid into said liquid pumping portion through said liquid inlet, and alternatingly concurrently pumps liquid from said liquid pumping portion through said liquid outlet and vapor into said vapor pumping portion through said vapor inlet.

4. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 3, wherein said liquid pumping portion and said vapor pumping portion are fluidically isolated one from the other by a pumping mechanism movable to vary the internal volume of each of said liquid pumping portion and said vapor pumping portion.

5. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 4, wherein the internal volume of said liquid pumping portion is variable, via pumping movement of said pumping mechanism, between a full configuration and a reduced configuration wherein the internal volume of said liquid pumping portion is less than in the full configuration.

6. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 5, wherein the internal volume of said vapor pumping portion is variable, via pumping movement of said pumping mechanism, between a full configuration and a reduced configuration wherein the internal volume of said vapor pumping portion is less than in the full configuration.

7. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 4, wherein said liquid and vapor pumping means comprises a main body having a substantially hollow chamber.

8. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 7, wherein said pumping mechanism comprises a movable pumping member disposed within said substantially hollow chamber so as to divide said substantially hollow chamber into said variable volume liquid pumping portion and said variable volume vapor pumping portion.

9. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 8, wherein said movable pumping member comprises a piston.

10. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 9, wherein said selectively controllable actuation mechanism comprises a piston rod member operatively connected to said piston.

11. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 10, wherein said piston rod member includes a throughpassage that permits said variable volume liquid pumping portion to be in fluid communication with one of said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet.

12. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 10, wherein said piston rod member includes a throughpassage that permits said variable volume vapor pumping portion to be in fluid communication with one of said vapor inlet and said vapor outlet.

13. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 4, wherein said pumping mechanism comprises a resiliently deformable pumping member disposed within said substantially hollow chamber so as to divide said substantially hollow chamber into said variable volume liquid pumping portion and said variable volume vapor pumping portion.

14. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 13, wherein said selectively controllable actuation mechanism comprises a rod member operatively connected to said resiliently deformable pumping member.

15. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 14, wherein said rod includes a throughpassage that permits said variable volume liquid pumping portion to be in fluid communication with one of said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet.

16. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 14, wherein said rod includes a throughpassage that permits said variable volume vapor pumping portion to be in fluid communication with one of said vapor inlet and said vapor outlet.

17. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 14, further comprising a plate member secured to said resiliently deformable pumping member for movement therewith and wherein said rod member is operatively connected to said plate member for movement therewith.

18. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 13, wherein said resiliently deformable pumping member comprises a bellows member.

19. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 1, wherein said liquid and vapor pumping means comprises a liquid pumping means having said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet, and a vapor pumping means having said vapor inlet and said vapor outlet.

20. The portable fluid exchange system of claim 19, wherein said selectively controllable actuation mechanism concurrently pumps vapor from said vapor pumping means through said vapor outlet and liquid into said liquid pumping means through said liquid inlet, and alternatingly concurrently pumps liquid from said liquid pumping means through said liquid outlet and vapor into said vapor pumping means through said vapor inlet.