Vent valve

A lubricant pump comprising:

• a pump base comprising a wet section and a dry section;
• a housing extending from the pump base and defining a lubricant reservoir, wherein the lubricant reservoir provides lubricant to the wet section;
• an actuator disposed within the housing and dividing the reservoir into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the actuator is movable within the housing to alter a first volume of the upper portion and a second volume of the lower portion, wherein the actuator includes a top side, a bottom side, and a bore extending through the actuator between the top side and the bottom side;
• and
• a vent valve disposed within the bore and moveable with the actuator;
• wherein the vent valve is normally open to allow air to pass between the lower portion and the upper portion and is actuated to a closed state by a rising level of lubricant in the lower portion to seal the bore such that lubricant cannot pass from the lower portion to the upper portion through the bore;
• and
• wherein the vent valve being in the closed state prevents the lubricant from flowing from the lower portion to the upper portion and causes the lubricant to exert a biasing force on the actuator to displace the actuator within the housing.

An actuator configured to be disposed in a lubricant reservoir and divide an interior of the lubricant reservoir into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber configured to store lubricant, the actuator further configured to move within the lubricant reservoir relative a housing of the lubricant reservoir, the actuator comprising:

• a top side configured to be oriented towards the upper chamber;
• a bottom side disposed opposite the top side and configured to be oriented towards the lower chamber;
• a bore extending through the actuator between the top side and the bottom side;
• a seal disposed within the bore proximate the top side;
• a retaining member extending about the bore proximate the bottom side;
• and
• a ball disposed at least partially within the bore between the retaining member and the seal, wherein the ball is movable between a first position, where the ball abuts the retaining member, and a second position, where the ball abuts the seal;
• wherein when the ball is in the first position a flowpath through the bore is open such that air can pass around the ball and through the bore from the bottom side to the top side as the lubricant reservoir is filled with lubricant, and air can pass through the bore around the ball from the top side to the bottom side when lubricant is dispensed from the lubricant reservoir;
• and
• wherein when the ball is in the second position the ball forms a leaktight seal within the bore such that lubricant cannot flow through the bore.

An actuator configured to be disposed in a lubricant reservoir and divide an interior of the lubricant reservoir into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber configured to store lubricant, the actuator further configured to move within the lubricant reservoir relative a housing of the lubricant reservoir, the actuator comprising:

• a top side;
• a bottom side;
• a bore extending through the actuator between the top side and the bottom side, wherein the bore includes an upper opening having a first diameter and a lower opening having a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter;
• a seal disposed within the bore proximate the top side;
• a retaining member extending about the bore proximate the bottom side;
• and
• a ball disposed at least partially within the bore between the retaining member and the seal, wherein the ball is movable between a first position, where the ball abuts the retaining member, and a second position, where the ball abuts the seal;
• wherein when the ball is in the first position a flowpath through the bore is open such that air can pass through the bore from the bottom side to the top side as the lubricant reservoir is filled with lubricant, and air can pass through the bore from the top side to the bottom side when lubricant is dispensed from the lubricant reservoir;
• and
• wherein when the ball is in the second position the ball forms a leaktight seal within the bore such that lubricant cannot flow through the bore.