Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4269906?dq=5537618&ei=urENT6-uEoHegQe698i5Bw
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 18:41:27
Document Index: 409937855

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 1', 'arts 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Patent US4269906 - Pump device - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA pump device for intermittently pumping fluid, comprises a pump house having a primary portion and a secondary portion forming a space therebetween. The pump house includes an inlet opening for admitting fluid into the space and an outlet opening. An elastic membrane is disposed in the space between...http://www.google.com/patents/US4269906?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4269906 - Pump deviceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4269906 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 05/941,790Publication dateMay 26, 1981Filing dateSep 12, 1978Priority dateSep 12, 1977Also published asCA1111911A1, DE2840089A1Publication number05941790, 941790, US 4269906 A, US 4269906A, US-A-4269906, US4269906 A, US4269906AInventorsRune SchmechtigOriginal AssigneeAktiebolaget TudorExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (7), Referenced by (18), Classifications (12) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPump deviceUS 4269906 AAbstract A pump device for intermittently pumping fluid, comprises a pump house having a primary portion and a secondary portion forming a space therebetween. The pump house includes an inlet opening for admitting fluid into the space and an outlet opening. An elastic membrane is disposed in the space between the primary and secondary parts and includes a secondary side facing the inlet and outlet openings. Pulsating pressure waves are applied against the membrane for displacing the membrane such that the secondary side thereof initially closes the inlet opening and thereafter expresses fluid from the space through the outlet opening.
What is claimed is: 1. A pump device for intermittently pressurizing a working fluid, comprising:a pump house having a primary portion and a secondary portion forming a space therebetween,said secondary portion being cup-shaped, an upper section of which containing at least one non-valved inlet opening for admitting working fluid to said space, and a bottom section of which containing a non-valved outlet opening for ejecting the admitted working fluid; said primary portion including means for introducing a control pressure fluid into said space; an elastic membrane supported on said primary portion and extending within said space to a level below said inlet opening to form a fluid-tight seal between said primary and secondary portions, said elastic member being cup-shaped and normally in a contracted condition and including:an inner surface facing said primary portion to be acted upon by control pressure fluid from the latter to expand said membrane, and an outer surface facing said secondary portion and being spaced therefrom in said contracted condition of said membrane to define a working space therebetween, the depth of said working space between said outer surface of said membrane and said secondary portion progressively increasing from said inlet opening to said outlet opening so that upon expansion of said membrane, said outer surface closes said inlet opening and progressively closes said working space toward said outlet opening to express working fluid therethrough. 2. A pump device according to claim 1, wherein said elastic membrane comprises a homogenous material having a thickness which is greater adjacent said outlet opening than adjacent said inlet opening.
3. A pump device according to claim 1, wherein said means for introducing control fluid comprises a passage in said primary portion which terminates at said space, and means for supplying regular frequency pressure pulses through said passage to intermittently expand said elastic membrane.
4. A battery system comprising:a jar, electrodes and electrolyte fluid in said jar, pumping means for circulating electrolyte between said electrodes and comprising:a pump house including a primary portion and a secondary portion forming a space therebetween, said secondary portion including a non-valved inlet communicating said space with an area above said electrolyte fluid and a non-valved outlet disposed below said inlet and communicating with said electrolyte below the level of said electrolyte, an elastic membrane extending within said space to a level below said inlet, said membrane including a secondary side facing said inlet and outlet and forming a working space together with said secondary portion when said membrane is in a contracted position,the depth of said working space between said membrane and said secondary portion progressively increasing toward said outlet, and means for expanding said membrane so that said secondary side initially closes said inlet and progressively closes said working space toward said outlet to express working fluid therethrough. 5. A battery system according to claim 4, wherein said displacing means comprises a passage in said primary portion terminating at said space, and means for supplying regular-frequency pressure pulses through said passage to intermittently expand said membrane.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a pump device for obtaining an intermittent pumping or circulation of a fluid.
Pumping devices are known which circulate gas or liquid. In certain cases it is desired to produce simultaneous circulation of fluid in a number of jars, where the fluid in each jar has no connection with that of another jar. One example of such a case is a multicelled accumulator battery, where air is pumped into the electrolyte, and bubbled up through the electrolyte to cause circulation of the electrolyte. One prior proposal of hitherto used devices for this purpose, is described in Swedish Pat. No. 226.673. Accumulator cells are also an example of a case wherein the circulating medium shall not be taken from outside the jar, but only from within the jar.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluid pump.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel battery pump which circulates fluid from within a battery jar.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The pump devices according to the invention have an elastic membrane, which is influenced on its primary side by a variable pressure. When pressure is increased, the secondary side of the membrane initially closes the inlet openings and after that forces the fluid in the pump house out through the outlet openings. The pressure increase is preferably obtained by another pump, a primary one, which generates compressed air in regularly varying pulses. The variations of the pressure can also be transmitted by another medium, for example oil. They can also be obtained by mechanical means. The membrane is suitably designed like a bladder, whereby the inside of the membrane is the primary side and the outside of the membrane is the secondary side. The design of the pump house is preferably worked out in such a way that the distance between its primary and secondary parts is longer at the outlets than at the inlets. It can also be suitable that the membrane, which consists of homogeneous material, is thicker in that part which covers the outlet openings, than in that part which covers the inlet openings.
THE DRAWING The invention shall further be described in and by the following statement in connection with the drawings.
In FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in longitudinal cross-section and in
FIG. 2 an example of an application of the preferred pump is illustrated.
DETAILED DESCRIBED OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The pump device comprises a pump house with two parts, viz., a primary part 2 and a secondary part 1. The housing parts 1, 2 are held together by a connecting element 4 in the form of a sleeve which is threadedly connected to the primary housing part 2. Between the two parts of the pump house, there is disposed a flexible membrane 3 characterized as a bladder, which along its edge 10 is clamped between the two parts of the pump house. A primary side of the membrane faces the primary part and a secondary side of the membrane faces the secondary part. The primary part 2 of the pump house is provided with channels 6 for connection with a device for generating compressed air pulses with a regular frequency, and also possibly with another pump. The secondary part 1 of the pumphouse is of U-shaped cross-section and includes two inlet openings 8 at an upper portion thereof. The membrane 3 is wrapped around the primary part and extends over the terminal end of the channel 6 and above the inlet openings 8. The secondary part has two inlet openings 8 and one outlet opening 9. The figure shows the pump device in a position of rest, i.e., the primary side of the membrane is no longer influenced by an overpressure. Between the two parts of the pump house, there is a space 7, within which the membrane can expand. The depth of the space 7 between the parts of the pump house is largest at the outlet opening 9 and essentially smaller at the inlets 8. That portion of the space 7 between the membrane 3 and the secondary part 2 may be considered as a working space, the depth of which progressively increases from the inlets to the outlet. The location and number of the outlet and inlet openings can of course be varied within the scope of the invention and in the described embodiment, a number of inlet openings may, for example, be placed in a circle around the secondary part of the pump house. Also, the design of the channels in the secondary part may vary, according to different applications and embodiments. These variations do not influence the principal function of the pump device. Preferably, the membrane is formed of a homogenous material whose thickness is greatest at a region thereof across from said outlet opening.
The operation of the pump device is characterized as follows. Through the channel 6 in the primary part 2 of the pump house, pressure pulses are induced with an overpressure of about 0.1 MPa and a regular frequency of the magnitude 0.5-1.0 Hz. A pressure pulse results in an approximately uniform extension of the membrane 3, which causes a rapid obstruction of the inlet openings 8 by the secondary side of the membrane. Further extension of the membrane has the effect that the fluid in the space 7 inside the pump house is forced out through the outlet opening 9. A hose 5 can be connected to this outlet. The total volume of the outlet opening and the hose ought to be essentially less than the volume of the space 7. When the pressure decreases and the membrane reverts to its initial position, i.e., engaged with the primary part of the pump house, there is at first some resuction of the forced-out fluid, which, however, ceases as soon as the inlet openings are reopened. To decrease the return of the fluid, the outlet opening or hose can be provided with a non-return valve.
FIG. 2 shows a preferred application of the invention for producing electrolyte circulation in a multicell accumulator battery. In FIG. 2 only two cells are shown, but in reality a battery can comprise more than 100 cells. Each cell comprises a jar 11 containing electrodes 12 and electrolyte 13. The pump device 14 according to the invention is located above the electrolyte surface 15 and has, in the example, been shown as installed in the lid of the battery. Thus, the inlet openings of the pump device will be disposed within the space over the electrolyte, while the hose 5, which is connected to the outlet opening 9 terminates near the bottom of the jar. The hose 5 can then be connected to devices for obtaining greatest possible electrolyte circulation. This arrangement avoids the need for sucking-in air from outside the jar to produce electrolyte circulation. Instead, there is only a circulation of the gas present in the respective jars.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS1503279 *Nov 17, 1922Jul 29, 1924Nixon LeroyPulsatorUS3022737 *May 6, 1959Feb 27, 1962Walbro CorpFuel pumpUS3586462 *May 1, 1969Jun 22, 1971Carrier CorpAbsorption refrigeration machine pumpUS3807906 *Mar 24, 1972Apr 30, 1974Pumpenfabrik UrachDiaphragm pumps for delivering liquid or gaseous mediaDE2211096A1 *Mar 8, 1972Sep 13, 1973Erich BeckerMembranpumpeSE226673C * Title not availableSU494534A1 * Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4452572 *Jul 23, 1982Jun 5, 1984Robert EvrardDry vacuum diaphragm pumpUS4693947 *Apr 21, 1986Sep 15, 1987The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of EnergyAir-lift with humidified airUS5011747 *May 4, 1990Apr 30, 1991Alcan International LimitedMetal/air battery with pulsed gas bubblingUS5452993 *Aug 1, 1994Sep 26, 1995National Instrument Co., Inc.Sterilize-in-place diaphragm pumpsUS6214489Apr 11, 1997Apr 10, 2001Olimpio StocchieroMethod and apparatus to obtain the agitation of electrolyte inside a lead-acid storage batteryUS6345962 *May 22, 2000Feb 12, 2002Douglas E. SutterFluid operated pumpUS6406276 *Mar 20, 1992Jun 18, 2002Deka Products Limited PartnershipConstant-pressure fluid supply system with multiple fluid capabilityUS6436564Dec 18, 1998Aug 20, 2002Aer Energy Resources, Inc.Air mover for a battery utilizing a variable volume enclosureUS6475658Dec 18, 1998Nov 5, 2002Aer Energy Resources, Inc.Air manager systems for batteries utilizing a diaphragm or bellowsUS6759159Jun 14, 2000Jul 6, 2004The Gillette CompanySynthetic jet for admitting and expelling reactant airUS6824915Jun 12, 2000Nov 30, 2004The Gillette CompanyAir managing systems and methods for gas depolarized power supplies utilizing a diaphragmUS7839007Sep 29, 2009Nov 23, 2010Pliant Energy Systems LlcPliant mechanisms for extracting power from moving fluidUS7863768Oct 7, 2009Jan 4, 2011Pliant Energy Systems LlcPliant mechanisms for extracting power from moving fluidUS8432057Nov 12, 2009Apr 30, 2013Pliant Energy Systems LlcPliant or compliant elements for harnessing the forces of moving fluid to transport fluid or generate electricityUS8610304Jan 10, 2012Dec 17, 2013Pliant Energy Systems LlcMechanisms for creating undulating motion, such as for propulsion, and for harnessing the energy of moving fluidDE9211814U1 *Sep 2, 1992Dec 3, 1992Accumulatorenwerke Hoppecke Carl Zoellner & Sohn Gmbh & Co Kg, 5790 Brilon, DeTitle not availableEP1947712A1 *Dec 16, 2006Jul 23, 2008HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co. KGDevice for conducting a gas stream into an accumulator cellWO1997041609A1 *Apr 11, 1997Nov 6, 1997Olimpio StocchieroA method to obtain the agitation of electrolyte inside a lead-acid storage battery* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification429/67, 92/90, 417/383, 417/394International ClassificationF04B43/10, H01M2/38Cooperative ClassificationH01M2/38, F04B43/10, H01M2/385European ClassificationH01M2/38G, F04B43/10, H01M2/38RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google