Vacuum pump
AssigneeStakpac, LLC
InventorPatrick Kenneth Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum pump includes a hollow container that has a vacuum port and internal chamber walls. The vacuum port opens to an exterior of the container and the chamber walls define chambers that are in fluid communication with the vacuum port. There are flexible bladders disposed in the chambers. The flexible bladders include vents that open through the container to the exterior. A plunger in the container includes arms that extend into the chambers such that each of the flexible bladders is situated between one of the arms and one of the chamber walls. The plunger is moveable between a home position and an upstroke position to compress and deflate the flexible bladders via the vents and thereby change the volume of the flexible bladders. The change in the volume draws a vacuum through the vacuum port.
Claims21
A vacuum pump comprising:
- a hollow container having a vacuum port and internal chamber walls, the vacuum port opening to an exterior of the hollow container and internal chamber walls defining chambers that are in fluid communication with the vacuum port;
- flexible bladders disposed, respectively, in the chambers, each of the flexible bladders including a vent that opens through the hollow container to the exterior of the hollow container;
- a plunger disposed in the hollow container, the plunger including arms that, respectively, extend into the chambers such that each of the flexible bladders is situated between one of the arms and one of the internal chamber walls, the plunger being moveable between a home position and an upstroke position to compress and deflate the flexible bladders via the vents and thereby change the volume of the flexible bladders, the change in the volume drawing a vacuum through the vacuum port.
A vacuum pump system comprising:
- a plurality of vacuum pumps, each vacuum pump including,
- a hollow container having a vacuum port and internal chamber walls, the vacuum port opening to an exterior of the hollow container and internal chamber walls defining chambers that are in fluid communication with the vacuum port,
- flexible bladders disposed, respectively, in the chambers, each of the flexible bladders including a vent that opens through the hollow container to the exterior of the hollow container, and
- a plunger disposed in the hollow container, the plunger including arms that, respectively, extend into the chambers such that each of the flexible bladders is situated between one of the arms and one of the internal chamber walls, the plunger being moveable between a home position and an upstroke position to compress and deflate the flexible bladders via the vents and thereby change the volume of the flexible bladders, the change in the volume drawing a vacuum through the vacuum port;
- and
- wherein the plungers of the vacuum pumps are linked for co-actuation.
A vacuum pump comprising:
- a pump body having at least one internal cavity and a vacuum port fluidly connecting the at least one internal cavity with an exterior of the pump body;
- flexible bladders disposed in the at least one internal cavity, the flexible bladders having at least one vent to the exterior of the pump body;
- a common plunger disposed in the pump body, the common plunger being moveable to compress and deflate the flexible bladders in unison via the at least one vent, thereby changing the volume of the flexible bladders, the change in the volume drawing a vacuum through the vacuum port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.