Coupling for high pressure fluid pump assembly

A coupling for transmitting linear motion in an ultrahigh pressure pump, the coupling comprising:

• a first member having first and second opposite ends and having a first engagement portion toward the first end, the first engagement portion having a first engagement surface rounded convexly away from the second end with a portion of the first engagement surface furthest from the second end aligned with a first axis, the first member capable of axial motion along the first axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends and being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the first axis;
• a second member having first and second opposite ends and capable of axial motion along a second axis substantially coaxial with the first axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends of the second member, the second member being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the second axis, the second member having a second engagement portion toward the second end with a substantially flat second engagement surface in contact with the portion of the first engagement surface furthest from the second end of the first member to align motion of the first member along the first axis with motion of the second member along the second axis, one of the first and second members being coupleable to a drive mechanism of the ultra-high pressure pump to impart a reciprocating motion to the other of the first and second members.

A coupling for transmitting linear motion in an ultra-high pressure pump, the coupling comprising:

• a plunger member having first and second opposite ends, elongated along and capable of axial motion along a first longitudinal axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends, the second end being piloted along the first longitudinal axis and extending into a cylinder to generate ultra-high pressures therein when the plunger member is reciprocated along the first longitudinal axis;
• a rod member having first and second opposite ends, elongated along and capable of axial motion along a second longitudinal axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends of the rod member and being substantially coaxial with the first axis, the rod member being piloted toward the second end thereof along the second longitudinal axis, the rod member and plunger member being piloted relative to each other toward the first ends thereof, the second end of the rod member having an aperture extending therein substantially along the second longitudinal axis, the first end of the rod member being coupled to a drive mechanism of the ultra-high pressure pump to impart a reciprocating motion to the plunger member;
• a plunger bearing member coupled to the plunger member toward the first end and having a first bearing surface facing away from the plunger member,
• a rod bearing member positioned at least partially within the aperture of the rod member and having a second bearing surface configured to engage the first bearing surface of the plunger bearing, one of the first and second bearing surfaces being convex and the other of the first and second bearing surfaces being substantially flat to transmit reciprocating linear motion between the rod member and the plunger member.

A high pressure fluid seal assembly for use in an ultra-high pressure pump comprising:

• a seal carrier having a bore therethrough and having a first annular groove concentric with the bore and a second annular groove concentric with the bore and axially spaced from the first annular groove;
• an annular seal positioned in the first annular groove, an end region of the seal being supported by the seal carrier;
• an annular guidance bearing positioned in the second annular groove, an inner diameter of the annular guidance bearing being smaller than an inner diameter of the bore of the seal carrier in a region between the first annular groove and the second annular groove;
• a first member extending through the bore, having first and second opposite ends, elongated along a first longitudinal axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends and having a first engagement portion toward the first end, the first engagement portion having a first engagement surface rounded convexly away from the second end with a portion of the first engagement surface furthest from the second end aligned with the first longitudinal axis, the first member being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the first longitudinal axis;
• a second member having first and second opposite ends, elongated along a second longitudinal axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends of the second member, the second longitudinal axis being substantially coaxial with the first longitudinal axis, the second member being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the second longitudinal axis, the second member having a second engagement portion toward the second end with a substantially flat second engagement surface in contact with the first engagement surface of the first member and substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis to align motion of the first member along the first longitudinal axis with motion of the second member along the second longitudinal axis, wherein at least one of the first and second engagement portions is biased toward the other of the first and second engagement portions with a biasing member.

A coupling for transmitting linear motion in an ultra-high pressure pump, the coupling comprising:

• a first member having first and second opposite ends and having a first engagement portion toward the first end, the first engagement portion having a first engagement surface rounded convexly away from the second end with a portion of the first engagement surface furthest from the second end aligned with a first axis, the first member capable of axial motion along the first axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends and being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the first axis;
• a second member having first and second opposite ends and capable of axial motion along a second axis substantially coaxial with the first axis extending between and beyond the first and second ends of the second member, the second member being piloted toward the first and second ends thereof for motion along the second axis, the second member having a second engagement portion toward the second end with a substantially flat second engagement surface in contact with the first engagement surface of the first member to align motion of the first member along the first axis with motion of the second member along the second axis, one of the first and second members being coupleable to a drive mechanism of the ultra-high pressure pump to impart a reciprocating motion to the other of the first and second members, wherein at least one of the first and second engagement portions is biased toward the other of the first and second engagement portions with a biasing member.