Abstract:
The present invention is an improved vibratory pumping mechanism that increases the efficiency of utilization of the vibratory motion within a mechanism. More specifically, the mechanism includes a central chamber within which a piston is oscillated to draw fluid into the chamber and expel fluid from within the chamber outwardly through a nozzle connected to the chamber. The chamber includes a pressure tube connected to a rearward end of the chamber and to a secondary chamber positioned around and in fluid communication with the chamber. The pressure tube allows the negative pressure generated by the motion of the piston in either direction to be utilized in preventing any fluid from being directed out of the mechanism in a direction other than through the nozzle, thereby increasing the efficiency of the pump.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is related to pumps, and more specifically to a pump capable of using a vibratory or oscillating motion in order to pump a fluid at a desired rate. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   With regard to the pumping of fluids, a wide range of fluid pumping devices have been developed in order to meet this need. However, with regard to certain situations, the prior art pumping mechanisms do not provide the range of pumping flow rates desired with a minimum of expense desired with such devices. 
   Thus, a number of vibratory pump mechanisms have been developed, which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,315,533; 6,364,622; 6,428,289; and 6,604,920, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/863,713, each of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety, in order to provide a pumping mechanism which provides the wide range of pumping rates with a low cost and adaptable mechanism. Nevertheless, it is desirable to further improve upon these vibratory pump mechanisms in order to increase their usefulness and efficiency over a wide range of potential uses. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to a primary aspect of the present invention, an improved vibratory pumping mechanism is disclosed in which the mechanism includes a central chamber enclosing a piston therein. The piston can be oscillated within the chamber to selectively open and close a number of openings in the chamber in a manner in which draws fluid from a fluid reservoir into the chamber. The fluid drawn into the chamber can then be expelled from the chamber by further motion of the piston. In order to increase the efficiency of the mechanism in pumping the selected fluid, the chamber further includes a pipe or tube extending between and in fluid connection with the end of the chamber opposite an outlet end for the chamber, and the portion of the chamber approximately at the location where the openings in the chamber through which the fluid is entering the chamber are located. The tube serves to allow the pressure generated by the piston during motion in each direction to be utilized to more effectively draw fluid into or expel fluid out of the chamber. This is accomplished by allowing the pressure generated by the movement of the piston in both directions to be utilized in a manner which most effectively promotes the fluid being drawn into the chamber and/or the ejection of the fluid from the chamber through the outlet end. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the increased efficiency of the pump enables the improved pumping mechanism to be utilized more effectively in mixing various fluids prior to dispensing the mixed fluids from the chamber. The improved mechanism can be connected separately to reservoirs of each of the fluids to be mixed which can then be drawn into the chamber through the operation of the mechanism. The fluids are subsequently and thoroughly mixed within the chamber and expelled from the chamber by the continuous oscillating motion of the piston within the chamber. 
   According to still another aspect of the present invention, the chamber of the improved pumping mechanism can be formed with two sets of spaced openings through which the fluid can enter the chamber in order to enable the piston to cause fluid to enter the chamber through one of the sets of openings during movement of the piston in each direction. The increased fluid flow into the chamber, in connection with the presence of the tube connected to the spaced sections of the chamber allows for a significant increase in the volume of fluid which can be expelled from the chamber by the operation of the mechanism. 
   Numerous other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a pumping mechanism constructed according to the present invention incorporated within a spray bottle; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the pumping mechanism of  FIG. 1  including a pair of fluid reservoirs connected to the mechanism; and 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the mechanism of  FIG. 1  including a pair of spaced sets of inlet openings within the mechanism. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a pumping mechanism constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally at  2  in  FIG. 1 . The mechanism  2  is contained within a housing  1  that includes a coupling  18  releasably attachable to a fluid reservoir or bottle  19 . The bottle  19  includes an amount of a fluid  20  that is to be dispensed by the mechanism  2 . However, the housing  1  enclosing the mechanism  2  can take various forms, including those not directly connected to the reservoir as shown in the drawing figures. 
   The mechanism  2  includes a motor  3  operatively connected to a power supply  21 , preferably formed by a pair of batteries, but can be any suitable power supply. The connection between the motor  3  and power supply  21  is controllable by a suitable switch, and preferably a manually operated handle  23  in order to enable the power supply  21  to operate the motor  3 . When operated, the motor  3  in turn operates a suitable oscillating mechanism, and preferably a rotatable cam  4 , that is connected opposite the motor  3  to a piston  7 . The piston  7  is connected to one end of a rod  6  that extends opposite the piston  7  towards the oscillating mechanism  4  and that is connected to the mechanism  4  by a suitable mechanism, and preferably a pair of hinges  5  to allow the rod  6  to move in a generally linear manner when the rotating oscillating mechanism is operated. 
   The piston  7  and adjacent portion of the rod  6  are positioned within a cylinder  8  that forms the central body of the mechanism  2  and that has a cross-section complementary to that of the piston  7 , which is preferably circular. The cylinder  8  includes a first end  44  defining an opening  45  therein through which the rod  6  extends. The first end  44  sealingly engages the rod  6  around the periphery of the opening  45  in order to provide a fluid tight seal between the rod  6  and he cylinder  8 . 
   The cylinder  8  also includes a second end  46  to which is attached an outlet  9 . The outlet  9  includes an inner member  48  secured to the second end  46  of the cylinder  8  and having an aperture  10  extending completely therethrough. The aperture  10  has a wide, and preferably conical inner end  50  and a narrow outer end  52  connected to a number of outlet holes  53 . However, the particular shape of the aperture  10  can vary as desired. An outer member or nozzle  11  is secured around the inner member  48  to define a space  54  between the inner member  48  and nozzle  11 . The space  54  is designed to receive an amount of fluid  20  exiting the inner member  48  through the outlet holes  53  for subsequent dispensing from the nozzle  11  through a number of apertures  22  located approximately in alignment with the aperture  10  and the inner member  48 . 
   The spaces on each side of the piston  7  define a pair of portions within the cylinder  8 , namely a rearward portion  43 , and a forward portion  16 . At the juncture of the respective portions  16  and  43 , the cylinder  8  includes a number of apertures  12  that enable the interior of the cylinder  8  to be in fluid communication with the interior  15  of a chamber  13  positioned concentrically around the cylinder  8 . The chamber  13  and cylinder  8  are each preferably formed of a fluid-impervious material, such as a plastic metal. A plastic material is preferred due to the ability to resist corrosion from the fluid  20 . Also, the cylinder  8  and chamber  13  can be formed separately or integrally with one another. The chamber  13  includes a pipe  14  that extends radially outwardly from there from and that is positioned within the fluid  20  held within the bottle  19  for dispensing by the mechanism  2  and defines an interior  15  around the cylinder  8 . The pipe  14  is also formed of a fluid-impervious material and can be formed integrally with or separately from the chamber  13 . 
   The mechanism  2  also includes a pressure tube  17  connected between the rearward portion  43  adjacent the first end  44 , and the chamber  13 . The pressure tube  17  allows fluid communication between the rearward portion  43  and the interior  15  of the chamber  13 . 
   In operation, when the switch  23  is depressed to actuate the mechanism  2 , the motor  3  operates the oscillating mechanism  4  which serves to move the rod  6  and piston  7  in an oscillating manner within the cylinder  8 . Movement of the piston  7  in a direction towards the rearward portion  43  exposes the apertures  12  and creates a negative fluid pressure within the forward portion  16 . This negative fluid pressure results in the fluid  20  being drawn upwardly through the pipe  14 , into the chamber  13  and subsequently into the cylinder  8  through the aperture  12 . The presence of the pressure tube  17  enhances this flow of the fluid  20  into the chamber  8  by causing the high pressure generated in the rearward portion  43  by the rearward movement of the piston  7  to be directed through the pressure tube  17  into the chamber  13  thereby forcing additional fluid  20  through the apertures  12 . 
   Conversely, when the piston  7  is moved toward the forward portion  16 , the fluid  20  contained within the cylinder  8  is urged through the aperture  10  in the inner member  48  of outlet  9 , thereby causing fluid  20  from the inner member  48  and from within the space  54  between the inner member  48  and the nozzle  11  to be dispensed through the apertures  22 . Additionally, some of the fluid  20  is urged out of the cylinder  8  through the apertures  12  and into the chamber  13 . Instead of flowing back through the tube  14  into the reservoir  19 , the majority of this portion of the fluid  20  can is directed from the forward portion  16  of the cylinder  8  or chamber  13  through the pressure tube  17  into the rearward portion  43  due to the negative fluid pressure that is created in the rearward portion  43  by the forward movement of the piston  7 . 
   Thus, during the oscillating movement of the piston  7 , the use of the pressure tube  17  allows the negative fluid pressure created by the movement of the piston  7  in each direction to direct a portion of the fluid  20  between the rearward portion  43  and forward portion  16  of the cylinder  8 , greatly reducing the amount of fluid  20  that is urged back into the reservoir  19  through the tube  14 . This in turn results in a much more efficient pumping mechanism. 
   Looking now at  FIG. 2 , in a second embodiment the pumping mechanism  2  of the present invention is modified to include a second pipe  42  that is connected between the chamber  13  and a second reservoir  41  holding a second fluid  40 . During the operation of this embodiment of the mechanism  2 , the fluids  20  and  40  held within the respective reservoirs  19  and  41  are simultaneously drawn into the chamber  13  and mixed within the chamber  13  and cylinder  8  prior to being dispensed from the mechanism  2  by the nozzle  11 . Thus, the second embodiment of the mechanism  2  provides a simple and efficient way to mix a number of fluids with one another immediately prior to dispensing the fluids, in contrast to other more complicated systems in which the fluids must be mixed together prior to introduction into the respective pumping mechanism. 
   Looking now at  FIG. 3 , a third embodiment of the pumping mechanism  2  is illustrated in which the cylinder  8  includes a second set of apertures  56  that are spaced towards the first end  44  of the cylinder  8  from the first set of apertures  12 . The second set of apertures  56  functions identically to the first set of apertures  12  such that when the piston  7  is oscillating within the chamber  8 , the fluid  20  is continually being drawn into the chamber  8  via either the apertures  12  or apertures  56 . Also similarly to the previous embodiments, the pressure tube  17  allows for fluid contained within the rearward portion  43  or within the chamber  13  to move between the rearward portion  43  and chamber  13  in response to the negative fluid pressure caused by the oscillation of the piston  7  in order to maximize the volume of fluid  20  that can be drawn into and dispensed from the pumping mechanism  2 . 
   Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.