Back to results
US 11,746,781 B2Granted
Serviceable fluid pump
AssigneePitco Frialator, Inc.
InventorsSteven Savage, Steven J. Cyr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A serviceable pump includes a motor disposed at an end of the serviceable pump and connected to a gear portion with a pump shaft. The gear portion receives fluid from and outputs fluid to a system such as a deep fryer cooking system. The gear portion includes at least one channel for receiving fluid, such as oil, to lubricate the gears and a fluid discharge aperture to push fluid into a cooling loop at a first end of the cooling loop. The cooling loop cools the fluid passing through the serviceable pump and is disposed between the motor and the gear portion. The cooling loop is connected to a seal assembly that surrounds the pump input shaft at a second end of the loop. The seal assembly allows the cooled fluid to pass along the pump input shaft.
Claims17
A serviceable pump, comprising:
- a motor disposed at a first end of the serviceable pump;
- a pump shaft disposed between the motor and a gear portion, translating forces from the motor to the gear portion, the gear portion disposed at an end of the pump distal to the motor, the gear portion including a plurality of interlocking gears and a conduit disposed within the gear portion to circulate fluid through the gear portion, the gear portion receiving fluid from a fluid suction line connected to a first side of the gear portion and outputting fluid using a discharge aperture connected to a fluid discharge line, the gear portion including a cooling loop aperture disposed proximate to the discharge aperture, the gear portion further including at least one conduit disposed proximate to the plurality of interlocking gears receiving fluid to lubricate the plurality of interlocking gears when fluid is circulated through the gear portion;
- a drain groove disposed between a pump seal housing and the pump shaft, the drain groove receiving a cooled fluid from an external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump using a pressure created by a movement of the gears;
- the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and surrounding a pump seal assembly and the pump shaft, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump receiving fluid through the cooling loop aperture to be pushed into the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump at a first end of the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump, and to return the cooled fluid to the gear portion through the drain groove;
- the pump seal assembly connected to the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and having a seal cavity that allows the cooled fluid to flow through the seal cavity and along the pump shaft before the cooled fluid returns to the gear portion through the drain groove.
2 more elements
A serviceable pump assembly for circulating a cooking fluid within a controlled cooking system, the serviceable pump assembly comprising:
- a motor;
- a pump shaft disposed between the motor and a gear portion and translating forces from the motor to the gear portion, the gear portion operatively coupled to the motor receiving the cooking fluid from and outputting the cooking fluid to a fryer vat of the controlled cooking system, the gear portion including a drain groove disposed between a pump seal housing and the pump shaft, the drain groove receiving a cooled cooking fluid from an external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump, using a pressure created by a movement of at least one gear of the gear portion ;
- the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump surrounding a pump seal housing and the pump shaft;
- the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump in fluid connection with the gear portion at a first end of the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump adapted to cool the cooking fluid received from the gear portion, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump connected to the pump seal housing;
- and
- a fluid quality sensor disposed in the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and adapted to determine a quality of the cooking fluid circulating within the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump.
3 more elements
A serviceable pump assembly for circulating a cooking fluid within a controlled cooking system, comprising:
- a motor;
- a gear portion operatively coupled to the motor and receiving the cooking fluid from and outputting the cooking fluid to a fluid container of the controlled cooking system;
- an external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and surrounding a seal assembly and at least a portion of the pump shaft, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump in fluid connection with the gear portion at a first end of the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump cooling the received cooking fluid from the gear portion, the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump connected to the seal assembly at a second end of the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump;
- and
- wherein in a first fluid path the cooking fluid is driven from a pressure side of the serviceable pump through a system loop including a cooking vat of the controlled cooking system and back into a suction side of the serviceable pump for flow through the controlled cooking system, and wherein in a second fluid path a portion of the cooking fluid flows from the gear portion through the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and back to the gear portion of the serviceable pump through a drain groove disposed between the second end of the external cooling loop external to all elements of the serviceable pump and the gear portion of the serviceable pump.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.