US 6,712,238 B1 · Drywall taping and texture system using bladder pump with pneumatic flip/flop logic remote control

Abstract

A drywall tape and texture system for pumping fluid material from a container to a work surface includes a pump housing, a compressed air supply, a plurality of air release mechanisms, and an inflatable bladder mounted within the pump housing and held between upper and lower valves for controlling the flow of the material. The pump housing may be fully or partially immersed into a container filled with fluid material. An automatic pneumatic pressure relief valve automatically cycles open and closed whenever a control line is held closed by an operator. When the normally closed automatic air release mechanism is closed, the control line may also be closed by the operator, causing the bladder to inflate and pump fluid out of the pump housing. When the control line to the atmosphere is opened, the bladder deflates and a partial vacuum is created, thus refilling the pump through the lower valve.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A drywall taping and texture system for pumping fluid mastic material from a container to a work surface, the system comprising:

a pump housing defining a hollow shell, said housing being immersed in the container filled with the material;
a compressed air supply connected to a pump head of said pump housing;
a tool for applying the material to the work surface;
a material line connected between the pump head and the tool such that there is material flow communication therebetween;
a control line inter-connected between the pump head and the tool such that there is air flow communication therebetween;
an inflatable bladder mounted to a pump head manifold, said manifold being configured to be selectively inserted as a cartridge unit within the hollow shell of the pump housing and said inflatable bladder being held between an upper and a lower valve for controlling the flow of the fluid mastic material;
a two stage air release mechanism controlling a normally closed pneumatic valve sensitive and reactive to maximum pressure disposed within the pump head and also sensitive and reactive to a low pressure condition;
and
an airway connecting the compressed air supply, the pump head, the control line, the tool, the bladder, and the air release mechanism, such that there is air flow communication therebetween,
wherein when the pneumatic valve closes and the control line is sealed by an operator, the bladder inflates and expands radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the pump housing is pumped through displacement through the upper valve, the material line, and the tool to the work surface,
and when the inflating bladder encounters the pump housing walls air pressure increases rapidly until the pneumatic valve pops opens, the bladder suddenly deflates and retracts radially and vertically relative to the housing such that a partial vacuum is produced within the housing sufficient to draw more of the material from the container up through the lower valve into the pump housing.

8 more elements

A drywall taping and texture system for pumping material from a container filled with the material to a work surface, the system comprising:

a pump housing immersed in the container filled with the material;
an air supply connected to the pump housing;
a set of interchangeable tools for applying the material to the work surface;
a material line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is material flow communication therebetween;
a control line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is airflow communication therebetween;
an inflatable rubber like bladder mounted within the pump housing between upper and lower valves for controlling the flow of the fluid material;
a pneumatic air pressure relief valve configured to be in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of the pump head, said pressure relief valve comprising:
a valve chamber providing gaseous communication between the bladder and an exterior of the system;
a valve member slidably disposed within the valve chamber, the valve member alternating crisply back and forth between open and closed positions;
a closing rod at least partially contained within the bladder and attached to the bladder wall;
a closing spring disposed between the closing rod and the valve member;
a spring attachment cable attached to the bladder;
an opening spring attached to the spring attachment cable;
and
a leader attached at a first end to the opening spring and a second end to the valve member, wherein, when the bladder deflates to a minimum inflation level, the pneumatic pressure relief valve automatically flips closed, and when the bladder expands to a maximum inflation level, the pneumatic pressure relief valve automatically flips open,
at least one manifold attached to the housing, the pressure relief valve residing at least partially within the at least one manifold;
and
an airway connecting the air supply, the control line, the bladder, and the pressure relief valve, such that there is airflow communication therebetween,
wherein when the pressure relief valve is normally closed, when the control line is closed by the operator manipulating one of said tools, the bladder inflates and expands radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the pump housing is pumped through the upper valve, the material line, and the tool to the work surface, and when the pressure relief valve opens, the bladder deflates and retracts radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the container is pumped up through the lower valve into the pump housing.

16 more elements

A drywall taping and texture system for pumping material from a container filled with the material to a work surface, the system comprising:

a pump housing immersed in the container filled with the material;
an air supply connected to the pump housing;
a set of interchangeable tools for applying the material to the work surface;
a material line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is material flow communication therebetween;
a control line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is airflow communication therebetween;
an inflatable rubber like bladder mounted within the pump housing between upper and lower valves for controlling the flow of the fluid material;
a pneumatic air pressure relief valve configured to be in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of the pump head, said pressure relief valve comprising:
a flexible or spring loaded clip with an upper groove and a lower groove;
and
a matching circumferential ring disposed about the valve member,
wherein the circumferential ring interlocks with the upper groove when the pneumatic pressure relief valve is closed, and the circumferential ring interlocks with the lower groove when the pneumatic pressure relief valve is open with said clip shaped to favor either a fully open or fully closed position;
at least one manifold attached to the housing, the pressure relief valve residing at least partially within the at least one manifold;
and
an airway connecting the air compressor, the control line, the bladder, and the pressure relief valve, such that there is airflow communication therebetween,
wherein when the pressure relief valve is normally closed, when the control line is closed by the operator manipulating a tool, the bladder inflates and expands radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the pump housing is pumped through the upper valve, the material line, and a tool to surge upon the work surface, and when the pressure relief valve opens, the bladder deflates and retracts radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the container is pumped up through the lower valve into the pump housing.

12 more elements

A drywall taping and texture system for pumping material from a container filled with the material to a work surface, the system comprising:

a pump housing immersed in the container filled with the material;
an air supply connected to the pump housing;
a set of interchangeable tools for applying the material to the work surface;
a material line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is material flow communication therebetween;
a control line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is airflow communication therebetween;
an inflatable rubber like bladder mounted within the pump housing between upper and lower valves for controlling the flow of the fluid material;
an air pressure relief valve configured to be in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of the pump head;
at least one manifold attached to the housing, the pressure relief valve residing at least partially within the at least one manifold;
and
an airway connecting the air supply, the control line, the bladder, and the pressure relief valve, such that there is airflow communication therebetween,
wherein, at least one of the upper and lower valves includes a beveled ridge about its circumference to facilitate the proper sealing of the valve with a flat surface of a plug member, said flat surface being selectively covered with a layer of resilient material so as to ensure complete valve closure even when the fluid material has particulate matter in suspension, and wherein, when the pressure relief valve is normally closed, when the control line is closed by the operator manipulating one of said tools, the bladder inflates and expands radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the pump housing is pumped through the upper valve, the material line, and the tool to the work surface, and when the pressure relief valve opens, the bladder deflates and retracts radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the container is pumped up through the lower valve into the pump housing.

8 more elements

A drywall taping and texture system for pumping material from a container filled with the material to a work surface, the system comprising:

a pump housing immersed in the container filled with the material;
an air supply connected to the pump housing;
a set of interchangeable tools for applying the material to the work surface;
a material line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is material flow communication therebetween;
a control line connected between the pump housing and the tool such that there is airflow communication therebetween;
an inflatable rubber like bladder mounted within the pump housing between upper and lower valves for controlling the flow of the fluid material;
an air pressure relief valve configured to be in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of the pump head, said valve including a valve core;
at least one manifold attached to the housing, the pressure relief valve residing at least partially within the at least one manifold;
and
an airway connecting the air supply, the control line, the bladder, and the pressure relief valve, such that there is airflow communication therebetween,
wherein, a pneumatic flip flop valve function is provided by way of a magnetically attractive member attached to the valve core which is closely trapped between two sets of strong magnets such that the lower set of magnets holds the valve open and the upper set of magnets holds the valve closed, and wherein, when the pressure relief valve is normally closed, when the control line is closed by the operator manipulating one of said tools, the bladder inflates and expands radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the pump housing is pumped through the upper valve, the material line, and the tool to the work surface, and when the pressure relief valve opens, the bladder deflates and retracts radially and vertically relative to the housing such that the material in the container is pumped up through the lower valve into the pump housing.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drywall taping and texture system using bladder pump with pneumatic flip/flop logic remote control

Life of this patent

Drywall taping and texture system using bladder pump with pneumatic flip/flop logic remote control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26