Product Research and Development, Inc.

Other

Shurflo Pump Manufacturing Company, Inc.

E Dale Hartley

F Scott Hartley

Christopher J Taylor-McCune

Gary F McKee

L Clark Feightner

A delivery system comprising a pump connectable to a source of pumpable material, such as flowable condiment, and a control valve including a valve body and a valve element. The valve body has an inlet coupled to the pump to receive the pumpable material from the pump, a resiliently expandable portion chamber, an inlet passage extending from the inlet to the portion chamber, an outlet and a discharge passage extending from the portion chamber to the outlet. The valve element is movable in the valve body between a charging position in which the valve element blocks the discharge passage and does not block the inlet passage so the pump can supply the pumpable material under pressure to the portion chamber to resiliently expand the portion chamber and a discharge position in which the valve element blocks the inlet passage and does not block the outlet passage so the portion chamber can resiliently contract to move the pumpable material from the portion chamber toward the outlet. The outlet is equipped with a normally closed valve.

Portion control valve and system and method utilizing the same

A reciprocable device comprising a reciprocable member mounted for reciprocating movement within a chamber and a valve system for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to the reciprocable member to bring about reciprocation of the member. The valve system comprises a spool valve, a coupling mechanism for joining the reciprocable member and the spool valve, and a bistable spring, which is actuated by the reciprocable member, for driving the spool valve through the coupling mechanism.

Reciprocable device with switching mechanism

A reverse osmosis system includes a reverse osmosis module with a reverse osmosis membrane and having an inlet port coupled to a source of feed water under predetermined pressure via a feed water inlet conduit, a product water outlet port for filtered outlet product water, and a flush water inlet port. A reciprocating pump is coupled into the feed water inlet conduit between the source of feed water and the inlet port of the module and is driven during both the pumping and return strokes solely by the feed water under pressure. A spool valve controls the flow of feed water to and from the pump during the pumping and return strokes and also controls the flow of feed water and flush water to the module, as well as brine from the module. During the pumping stroke, a check valve in a flush water inlet conduit between the spool valve and the flush water inlet port prevents brine from exiting the module. Then, during the return stroke, flush water is supplied from the pump to the module through the flush water inlet conduit, to flush substantially all of the brine from the module.

Reverse osmosis water system

A fluid pumping system comprises a reciprocable pump having a reciprocable member. A valving system controls the supply of fluid under pressure to the reciprocable member to bring about reciprocation of the member. In order to provide a much more compact unit, the valving system is arranged to be offset radially from the reciprocable member, yet is drivingly connected to the reciprocable member through a unique mechanism so that the valving system may switch states responsive to the stroke travel of the reciprocable member.

Offset reciprocable device

A venting apparatus comprising a housing having a chamber, an inlet through which fluid can be supplied to the chamber, a liquid outlet through which liquid can leave the chamber and a gas vent through which gas can leave the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pivot arm and a valve element for opening and closing the gas vent to control the flow of gas through the gas vent. The valve element is carried by the pivot arm. A pivot device mounts the pivot arm for compound movement relative to the housing to move the valve element to open the gas vent. A first portion of the compound movement is about a first fulcrum and a second portion of a compound movement is bodily away from the gas vent and is different from the first portion of the compound movement. A float is mounted for movement in the chamber and is drivingly coupled to the pivot arm to drive the pivot arm to bring about such compound movement.

Venting apparatus

A pump assembly comprising a housing having a cavity therein, an inlet leading to the cavity and an outlet leading from the cavity and a wobble plate mounted for nutating movement in the cavity. The wobble plate divides the cavity into first and second pumping chambers, and during its nutating movement, liquid entering the inlet into the pumping chambers is pumped by the wobble plate through the outlet. The pump can be driven by a motor. The cavity has opposing wall sections and a resilient member is provided for resiliently urging the wobble plate toward the opposing wall section to improve the priming capability of the pump. Other features improve the priming capability of the pump along the periphery of the wobble plate.

Wobble plate pump

A pump assembly comprising a housing having a cavity therein, an inlet leading to the cavity and an outlet leading from the cavity and a wobble plate mounted for nutating movement in the cavity. The wobble plate divides the cavity into first and second pumping chambers, and during its nutating movement, liquid entering the inlet into the pumping chambers is pumped by the wobble plate through the outlet. The pump can be driven by a motor.

A reciprocating device comprising a housing having a chamber and a reciprocable member reciprocable in the chamber. First and second pressure valves are connectible to a source of fluid under pressure to drive the reciprocable member and first and second passages lead from the first and second pressure valves to the chamber on opposite sides of the reciprocable member, respectively. First and second exhaust valves are coupled, respectively, to the first and second passages at locations intermediate the associated pressure valve and the chamber and communicating with the first and second vents, respectively. Actuators are drivable by the piston for switching the valves between first and second positions, and the fluid under pressure retains the valves in whichever of the positions they are placed.

Reciprocating device and switching mechanism therefor

A reciprocable device comprising a reciprocable member mounted for reciprocating movement within a chamber and a valve system for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to the reciprocable member to bring about reciprocation of such member. A motor is enabled by the reciprocable member to operate the valve system whereby at least some of the force for driving the valve system is obtained from the motor and not from the reciprocable member.

Valve system for a reciprocating device

An apparatus for moving a fluid medium comprising a positive displacement member movable to move the fluid medium and a drive mechanism adapted to be driven by a motor for driving the positive displacement member to move the fluid medium. The drive mechanism includes a driving member, a driven member, a resilient coupling and a wobble plate for driving the positive displacement member. The angle of the wobble plate is adjustable by varying the relative angular position of a driving member and a driven member.

Pump with variable angle wobble plate

A ratio pump for delivering first and second liquid beverage components in a desired ratio comprising a motor and a pump driven by the motor. The first beverage component is pressurized and is used as the driving fluid for the motor. The second beverage component is pumped by the pump. The first beverage component is exhausted from the motor and delivered along with a second beverage component delivered by the pump. The motor, which may include a piston, requires a predetermined amount of the first beverage component in order to drive the pump to deliver a known volume of the second beverage component.

Ratio pump and method

A pump operable in response to the level of the liquid to be pumped comprising an impeller, a motor for rotating the impeller, a discharge passage for receiving the liquid pumped by the impeller, and a sensing chamber communicating with the discharge passage between the impeller and the pump outlet so that liquid in the discharge passage can trap gas in the sensing chamber. A pump controller is responsive to the pressure of the trapped gas in the sensing chamber for energizing and di-energizing the motor. Energizing of the motor to cause the impeller to pump liquid into the discharge passage substantially increases the pressure of the trapped gas to thereby assure that the pump remains on.

Bilge pump

A reciprocable device comprising a reciprocable member mounted for reciprocating movement within a chamber and a valve system for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to the reciprocable member to bring about reciprocation of such member. The valve system includes first and second valve elements, a connector joining the valve elements and a bistable spring, which is actuated by the reciprocable member, for driving the connector.

Reciprocable device

A pump comprising a housing and a flexible diaphragm mounted in the housing. A first region of the diaphragm partially defines a first pumping chamber, and the pumping chamber has an inlet and an outlet. A wobble plate drive is coupled to the first region of the diaphragm to provide a pumping action in the pumping chamber. The wobble plate drive has a nutating axis, and the first region of the diaphragm lies radially outwardly of the nutating axis. The first region of the diaphragm has a generally annular ramp section which flexes when driven by the wobble plate drive to provide the pumping action, and the ramp section is wider radially at a location remote from the nutating axis than at a location nearer the nutating axis. The pump also has a single outlet valve arranged to serve multiple pumping chambers.

Triple discharge pump

A dispensing system comprising first and second collapsible storage containers, a pump and a pressure responsive selector coupled to both of the storage containers and to the intake side of the pump. The selector includes a valve movable between a first position in which the selector provides communication between the first storage container and the pump and blocks communication between the second storage container and the pump and a second position in which the selector provides communication between the second collapsible container and the pump and blocks communication between the first collapsible container and the pump. An actuator is responsive to the pressure drop at the selector resulting from the collapse of one of the collapsible containers for moving the valve from one of its positions to the other of its positions.

Growing community of inventors

Malibu, CA, United States of America

E Dale Hartley