Device and method for pumping flowable masses

• US 9,194,383 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haas-Mondomix B.V.
• Original Assignee: Haas-Mondomix B.V.
• Inventors: Knobel, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): BERTHEAUD, PETER JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/382,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20120189475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 417/53, 417486-488, 417/490, 417/493, 417/494, 417/498, 417/509, 417534-536, 92/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 15/02 the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 15/023 supply of fluid to the pump by gravity through a hopper, e.g. without intake valve
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/026 a pump-side forming a wall of the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 3/00 Machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder, e.g. multi-stage
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 7/045 Two pistons coacting within one cylinder

Abstract

A device for pumping a flowable mass, such as a consumable item, has a main body with a hollow space that is fluidically connected with a mass source through an inlet opening and with a mass destination through an outlet opening in the surroundings of the main body. The inlet opening and the outlet opening are disposed along a direction at a distance from each other on the main body. A first body and a second body can each be moved in the hollow space relative to the main body and relative to each other along the direction. The first and second bodies are sealed against an inside wall and slidable on the inside wall to define a chamber. Moving the first body and/or the second body varies the volume of the chamber and its position relative to be main body.

Claims

1. A device for pumping a flowable mass, comprising:

a main body having a hollow space having an first inlet opening in fluid connection with a first mass source and a second inlet opening in fluid connection with a second mass source, and said main body being in fluid communication with a mass destination in the surroundings of said main body by a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening, said first inlet opening and said second inlet opening being disposed along a direction at a distance from each other on said main body, and wherein the first outlet opening and the second outlet opening being disposed along the direction at a distance from each other on the main body;

a first body;

a second body;

a third body;

said first body, said second body and said third body being movably disposed in the main body hollow space relative to said main body and relative to each other along the direction, and rest in sealed and slidable relation relative to an inside wall of said main body;

said first body, said second body, and said third body being configured for being separately driven and controlled;

said first body and said second body defining a first chamber, and by movement of at least one of said first body and said second body, both the volume of said first chamber and the position thereof relative to, or in, said main body are variable; and

said first body and said third body defining a second chamber, and by movement of at least one of said first body and said third body, both the volume of said second chamber and the position thereof relative to, or in, said main body are variable.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow space of said main body includes a channel with a constant channel cross section;

said first body and said second body are slidable and extend over the entire channel cross section and rest in sealed and slidable relation against said inside wall; and

said first body and said second body are movable independent of each other along a line that extends along the longitudinal direction of the channel, so that at least one of the volume or the position of the first chamber can be altered by independent movement of said first and second bodies relative to said main body along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first body and said third body are movable independent of each other along a line that extends along the longitudinal direction of the channel, such that at least one of the volume or the position of said second chamber can be altered by independent movement of said first and third bodies relative to said main body along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow space of said main body includes a channel with a constant channel cross section, said first body is a first sliding body that has a first longitudinal section that extends over the entire cross section of said main body channel and rests in sealed and slidable relation against said inside wall;

said first sliding body comprises a second longitudinal section that comprises a sliding body channel with a constant channel cross section;

said third body is a third sliding body that has a longitudinal section that extends over the entire cross section of the sliding body channel of said first sliding body and rests in sealed and slidable relation against an inside wall of the sliding body channel, and said first sliding body and said third sliding body are movable independent of each other in the channel along a line that extends along the longitudinal direction of the channel, such that at least one of the volume or the position of the second chamber relative to the main body can be varied by moving said first and said third sliding bodies independent of each other along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow space of said main body includes a channel with a constant channel cross section;

said first body and said second body are sliding bodies that extend over the entire channel cross section and rest in sealed and slidable relation against said inside wall; and

said first sliding body and said second sliding body are movable independent of each other along a line that extends along the longitudinal direction of the channel, such that at least one of the volume or the position of said first chamber relative to said main body can be varied by movement of said first and second sliding bodies independent of each other along the longitudinal direction of the channel; and

said first body is a first sliding body that has a first longitudinal section that extends over the entire cross section of the main body channel and rests in sealed and slidable relation against said inside wall;

said first sliding body comprises a second longitudinal section that has a sliding body channel with a constant channel cross section;

said third body is a third sliding body that has a longitudinal section that extends over the entire cross section of the sliding body channel of said first sliding body and rests in sealed and slidable relation against an inside wall of the sliding body channel, said first sliding body and said third sliding body are movable independent of each other in the channel along a line that extends along the longitudinal direction of the channel such that at least one of the volume or the position of said second chamber relative to said main body can be varied by movement of said first and third sliding bodies independent of each other along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

6. A method of pumping a flowable mass, the method which comprises:

providing a device according to claim 1;

providing a first flowable mass M1 and a second flowable mass M2;

a1) moving the chamber to a position in fluid connection with the first inlet opening and the first mass source, and in which the chamber has a first chamber volume, moving the first sliding body and the second sliding body in the main body;

a2) moving a second chamber to a second inlet opening of the main body to a position in which the second chamber is in fluid connection with the second inlet opening and the second mass source, and in which the chamber has a first chamber volume, by moving the first sliding body and the third sliding body in the main body;

b1) increasing the chamber volume to a second chamber volume of the first chamber, positioned at the first inlet opening while the first chamber is in fluid connection with the first inlet opening, for removing mass M1 from the first mass source to the enlarging first chamber, by moving the first sliding body and the second sliding body away from each other in the main body;

b2) increasing the chamber volume to a second chamber volume of the second chamber, positioned at the second inlet opening while the second chamber is in fluid connection with the second inlet opening, for removing mass M2 from the second mass source to the enlarging second chamber, by moving the first sliding body and the third sliding body away from each other in the main body;

c1) moving away the first chamber, defined by the first sliding body and by the second sliding body, from the first inlet opening to a position in which the first chamber is not in fluid connection with the first inlet opening and the first mass source, and in which the first chamber is in fluid connection with the first outlet opening and the mass destination, and the first chamber has a third chamber volume, by moving the first sliding body and the second sliding body in the main body;

c2) moving away the second chamber, defined by the first sliding body and by the third sliding body, from the second inlet opening of the main body to a position in which the second chamber is not in fluid connection with the second inlet opening and the second mass source, and in which the second chamber is in fluid connection with the second outlet opening and with the mass destination, and the second chamber has a third chamber volume, by moving the first sliding body and the third sliding body in the main body;

d1) reducing the chamber volume to a fourth chamber volume of the first chamber positioned at the first outlet opening while the first chamber is in fluid connection with the first outlet opening, for expelling mass M1 from the size reduced first chamber to the mass destination by moving the first sliding body and the second sliding body towards each other;

d2) reducing the chamber volume to a fourth chamber volume of the second chamber positioned at the second outlet opening while the second chamber is in fluid connection with the second outlet opening, for expelling mass M2 from the size reduced second chamber to the mass destination by moving the first sliding body and the third sliding body towards each other.