Pumps – Motor driven – Fluid motor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-10-16
Tyler, Cheryl J. (Department: 3746)
Pumps
Motor driven
Fluid motor
C417S394000, C417S478000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302660
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube pump that employs a flexible tube diaphragm and is suitable for conveying slurry solution and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tube pump with a flexible tube has been known as a pump suitable for conveying liquid. Such the tube pump has a structure, which defines outside and inside of a flexible tube diaphragm as an actuator fluid space and a pump chamber respectively, and which arranges an intake valve at one end portion of the flexible tube diaphragm and an discharge valve at the other end portion thereof. When an actuator fluid is periodically supplied into the actuator fluid space to expand and contract the flexible tube in the radial direction, an object fluid (a fluid to be conveyed) is conveyed by a repetition of suck and discharge of the object fluid into and from the pump chamber. The tube pump conveys a fluid by expanding and contracting the whole sidewall of the flexible tube in the radial direction. Therefore, it can obtain a larger liquid-conveying ability with a smaller size than a conventional diaphragm pump. In addition, unlike the conventional diaphragm pump, as the pump chamber in the tube pump is cylindrical, the object fluid can be conveyed straight. As a result, the tube pump has no part for causing the object solution to stay, thereby being suitable for conveying a slurry solution.
A conventional driving system has, however, a limitation which limits the liquid-conveying ability of the tube pump. In the conventional tube pump, a crankshaft is driven by a motor so as to move reciprocally a piston that is connected to the crankshaft. This motion allows oil to be introduced into and drawn from an oil hydraulic chamber. The introduction and draw of the oil deforms the diaphragm, which in turn deforms the flexible tube through a pressure transmission medium interposed between the diaphragm and the flexible tube. Therefore, a stroke and speed of motion of the piston would limit the liquid-conveying ability of the tube pump.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a tube pump that is smaller and more excellent in a liquid-conveying ability than those in the art.
The present invention is provided with a tube pump, which comprises a pump head and an electromagnetic driver for driving the pump head. The pump head includes a cylinder having a columnar space formed therein and a cylindrical flexible tube arranged coaxially within the columnar space of the cylinder. The outer space between the tube and the cylinder defining an actuator fluid space to be filled with an actuator fluid, and the inner space within the tube defining a pump chamber for conveying an object fluid. The pump head also includes an intake valve attached to one end portion of the flexible tube and a discharge valve attached to the other end portion of the flexible tube. The electromagnetic driver includes a plunger arranged reciprocally movable in the axial direction, an electromagnet for periodically attracting the plunger to drive it in the axial direction reciprocally, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is mounted on the top portion of the plunger and faces on the actuator fluid space for absorbing and discharging the actuator fluid into and from the actuator fluid space in response to the plunger reciprocally moving.
According to the present invention, the plunger is connected to the diaphragm that faces on the actuator fluid space outside the flexible tube, and the plunger is reciprocally driven by the electromagnet. Accordingly, a drive speed can be greatly increased compared to the oil hydraulic method using the crankshaft and piston. As a result, it is possible to increase a flow speed of the object fluid that passes through the flexible “tube-phragm”, and to improve an effect of preventing the slurry from staying.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder and the flexible tube may be coupled with each other to compose a cylinder unit. The pump head includes a pump head body. The body has a cylindrical space to accommodate the cylinder unit therein, and an actuator fluid chamber connected to the cylindrical space on which one surface of the diaphragm of the electromagnetic driver faces. The cylinder unit is removably mounted onto the pump head body in a liquid-tight state.
According to the above configuration, the cylinder unit can be freely removed from the pump head body. Therefore, maintenance and inspection for the flexible tube and replacement of a damaged flexible tube can be easily performed.
In addition, if at least one of the intake and discharge valves are arranged within the inner spaces in the proximity of both end portions of the flexible tube, a total capacity of the pump chamber can be reduced. Accordingly, the pump chamber capacity against the discharge capacity can be reduced and a compressibility of a pump can be increased. Further, since the intake and discharge valves are arranged within the inner spaces in the proximity of both end portions of the flexible “tube-phragm”, they hardly effect on deformation of the flexible tube.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2345693 (1944-04-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 3551076 (1970-12-01), Wilson
patent: 3902826 (1975-09-01), Nagel et al.
patent: 3990815 (1976-11-01), DeVial
patent: 3999896 (1976-12-01), Sebastiani
patent: 4439112 (1984-03-01), Kitsnik
patent: 4474540 (1984-10-01), Bonastia et al.
patent: 4934906 (1990-06-01), Williams
patent: 5645407 (1997-07-01), Kralick et al.
patent: 08226384 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 09151855 (1997-06-01), None
Kurita Muneyasu
Kuwabara Fukuji
Iwaki Co., LTD
Trexler, Bushnell Giangiorgi, Blackstone & Marr, Ltd.
Tyler Cheryl J.
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