Pump for vehicle suspension system

• US 9,581,153 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Venton-Walters, Roy, Rositch, Aaron J., Ellifson, Erik, Zuleger, Jason J., Krebs, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamo, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/341,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20140334956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0408 details, e.g. antifreeze for suspension fluid, pumps, retarding means per se
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0054 particularities of the flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/073 the actuating fluid being controlled by at least one valve
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/04 having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms F04B45/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/00 Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/08 Thermoplastics

Abstract

A pump includes a housing defining an interior volume, a diaphragm partitioning the interior volume into a pumping chamber and an actuating chamber, a diaphragm support associated with the actuating chamber and configured to limit movement of the diaphragm, and a dispersion element coupled to the housing. The dispersion element includes a network of channels that is configured to distribute a fluid within the pump.

Claims

1. A pump, comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume;

a diaphragm partitioning the interior volume into a pumping chamber and an actuating chamber;

a diaphragm support associated with the actuating chamber and configured to limit movement of the diaphragm; and

a dispersion element coupled to the housing, the dispersion element defining (a) a plurality of apertures extending through the dispersion element and (b) a network of channels extending through a plurality of protrusions, wherein the network of channels is configured to spread out a fluid within the pump.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm support forms a concave recess adjacent to the diaphragm, and wherein the array of columns is positioned to reinforce the diaphragm support.

3. The pump of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a flow path between an inlet and the actuating chamber, wherein the dispersion element is positioned along the flow path between the diaphragm support and the inlet.

4. The pump of claim 3, wherein the plurality of apertures define a portion of the flow path.

5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the plurality of apertures each have a cross-sectional width between a hundredth and a quarter of an inch.

6. The pump of claim 4, wherein the plurality of apertures are connected to the network of channels.

7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the diaphragm support and the dispersion element are integrally formed as parts of a continuous body of material.

8. The pump of claim 3, further comprising a modulating assembly positioned along the flow path, wherein the housing defines an outlet in fluid communication with the actuating chamber, and wherein the modulating assembly is configured to selectively place the actuating chamber in fluid communication with the inlet or the outlet.

9. The pump of claim 8, wherein the modulating assembly includes an actuator coupled to a valve.

10. The pump of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first shell and a second shell, and wherein the diaphragm, the diaphragm support, and the dispersion element are fastened between the first shell and the second shell.