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US 6,935,844 B1Granted
Gas pressure driven fluid pump having magnetic valve control mechanism and method
AssigneeSpirax-Sarco Limited
InventorsJon William Dukes, Rickie Anthony Pendergrass, Drew Leo Platts, Jairo Luiz Soares
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas pressure driven fluid pump comprising a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. A float, carried within the interior of the pump tank, is operable to move between a low level position and a high level position. A snap-acting valve control mechanism uses magnetic interaction to switch between exhaust porting and motive porting. Fluid exiting the pump tank causes the float to fall from the high level position to the low level position due to introduction of motive gas during motive porting. Exhaust porting begins when the float falls to the low level position.
Claims13
A gas pressure driven fluid pump, said pump comprising:
- a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet;
- a float carried within the interior of said pump tank, said float being operable to move between a low level position and a high level position;
- a first magnet portion operatively connected to said float, said first magnet portion moving between a first position and a second position as said float moves between said low level position and said high level position;
- a second magnet portion operatively associated with said first magnet portion so as to move along an approximately parallel axis;
- a valve assembly connected to said second magnet portion, said valve assembly being switchable between exhaust porting and motive porting in a snap over fashion due to magnetic interaction between said first magnet portion and said second magnet portion;
- and
- said valve assembly moving to said exhaust porting when said first magnet portion reaches said first position and to motive porting when said first magnet portion reaches said second position such that liquid will be alternately introduced into and discharged from said pump tank.
4 more elements
A gas pressure driven fluid pump, said pump comprising:
- a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet;
- a float carried within the interior of said pump tank, said float being operable to move between a low level position and a high level position;
- a first magnet portion operatively connected to said float, said first magnet portion moving between a first position and a second position as said float moves between said low level position and said high level position;
- wherein said float has a float arm pivotally connected to said pump tank about a fulcrum and said first magnet portion has a push rod, said float arm being pivotally connected to said push rod at a location offset from said fulcrum;
- a second magnet portion operatively associated with said first magnet portion;
- a valve assembly connected to said second magnet portion, said valve assembly being switchable between exhaust porting and motive porting in a snap over fashion due to magnetic interaction between said first magnet portion and said second magnet portion;
- and
- said valve assembly moving to said exhaust porting when said first magnet portion reaches said first position and to motive porting when said first magnet portion reaches said second position such that liquid will be alternately introduced into and discharged from said pump tank.
5 more elements
A gas pressure driven fluid pump, said pump comprising:
- a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet;
- a float carried within the interior of said pump tank, said float being operable to move between a low level position and a high level position;
- a first magnet portion operatively connected to said float, said first magnet portion moving between a first position and a second position as said float moves between said low level position and said high level position;
- a second magnet portion operatively associated with said first magnet portion;
- a valve assembly connected to said second magnet portion, said valve assembly being switchable between exhaust porting and motive porting in a snap over fashion due to magnetic interaction between said first magnet portion and said second magnet portion;
- said valve assembly moving to said exhaust porting when said first magnet portion reaches said first position and to motive porting when said first magnet portion reaches said second position such that liquid will be alternately introduced into and discharged from said pump tank;
- wherein said valve assembly includes an actuator for switching between said exhaust porting and said motive porting, movement of said actuator being limited by a stop.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.