Universal pump support

Abstract

The invention discloses a universal bracket. The universal bracket comprises through holes of which the diameters are generally consistent. This allows the bracket to accommodate existing sealing arrangements used in these types of pumps while providing the same or better sealing options as existing separate designs. A single through-bore may have multiple cutout features for retaining a pump bushing, with an increased wall thickness to allow appropriate interference fit with the wall of the through-bore, e.g., similar to previous designs. A retaining ring groove may be added in the through hole, and the retaining ring may be used to provide a reliable shoulder for the seal or filler ring to abut within the hole. This may allow for various seal options, such as packing seals, one-piece barrier seals, cartridge seals, BTR seals, component seals, and the like.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 409,463, filed on September 23, 2022, entitled “UNIVERAL PUMPBRACKET,” which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] Rotary shaft pumps can be used to pump fluids in a variety of applications. Rotary shaft pumps typically have a stuffing box in which packing material, a gland, and a follower are used to reduce leakage of the pumped fluid from the pumping chamber along the shaft. Currently, rotary pumps use one yoke design when the sealing feature is provided in the yoke stuffing box, and a different yoke design when the seal is provided directly behind the rotor of the pump rather than in the stuffing box. Summary of the invention

[0004] This summary introduces some concepts in a simplified form for further description in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key factors or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] One or more techniques and systems are described herein for a redesigned universal bracket that includes a single, relatively uniform diameter through hole. This can allow the bracket to accept most current seal arrangements used in these types of pumps while providing the same or better sealing options than current individual designs. This universal bracket design can effectively allow a distributor or end user to stock a common bracket and configure it as needed, which can reduce costs, inventory, and lead times.

[0006] In one embodiment of a universal pump bracket, the bracket has a single through hole with multiple cutout features, rather than a typical stepped hole, for retaining a pump bushing. In this embodiment, the bushing wall thickness can be increased to match the larger diameter of the bracket hole, which can allow for a proper interference fit with the wall of the through hole, for example, similar to previous designs. For example, because there is no longer a shoulder created by the stepped hole, a retaining ring groove can be added in the through hole, and the retaining ring can be used to provide a positive shoulder for a seal or filler ring to rest against within the hole.

[0007] To achieve the aforementioned and related purposes, the following description and accompanying drawings set forth certain illustrative aspects and embodiments. These are merely indicative of a few of the various ways in which one or more aspects may be employed. Other aspects, advantages, and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1A is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of various portions of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0009] Figure 1B is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of portions of an alternative embodiment of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0010] Figure 2A is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of various portions of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0011] Figure 2B is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of portions of an alternative embodiment of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0012] Figure 3A is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of various portions of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0013] Figure 3B is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of portions of an alternative embodiment of an example pump in which the generalized bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0014] Figure 4 is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of various portions of an example pump in which the stepped hole bracket design described herein may be implemented.

[0015] Figure 5A , 5B , 5C, 5D, and 5E are component diagrams showing cross-sectional views of various portions of an exemplary pump in which another stepped hole bracket design described herein may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are generally used to refer to the same elements throughout the text. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it is apparent that the claimed subject matter can be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form for ease of description of the claimed subject matter.

[0017] In one aspect, a universal bracket can be designed for a rotary shaft pump. Existing brackets use a series of stepped shoulders in the inner hole to provide a stop for the shaft filler or seal to position it in the appropriate position. The universal bracket described herein uses a through hole instead of a stepped shoulder design. The through hole size is designed to be suitable for holding the target bushing in the appropriate position by interference fit. In addition, a series of grooves can be provided in the wall of the through hole, and a retaining ring can be provided in these grooves. The grooves for accommodating the retaining ring can be provided in appropriate positions for accommodating various shaft fillers or seals in appropriate positions, thereby keeping the seal in the desired position along the pump shaft. In this regard, in some embodiments, because the hole has a single diameter along its length, the bushing can be pressed into or shrink-fitted to multiple positions or depths from the bracket face to allow the sealing mechanism to be located in various desired arrangements. For example, when the seal is placed behind the rotor, a decompression cut or cut can be added to the bracket hole to reduce the cutting or damage of the mechanical seal seat gasket (e.g., O-ring) during installation. In this manner, the brackets described herein may allow a single bracket to be used for most seal arrangements provided for this type of pump.

[0018] Figure 1A and 1B 1 is a component diagram showing cross-sectional views of different versions of an exemplary rotary shaft pump 100, 195. The pump 100 includes a pump shaft 150 that is operably connected to a prime mover 190, such as a motor, etc., to provide rotational power to the shaft. The prime mover 190 (e.g., the housing of the motor) can be operably and fixedly engaged with a bracket 102, and the bracket 102 can be operably and fixedly engaged with a rotor housing 158. The shaft 150 is coupled to a rotor 152, which rotates to pump fluid into and out of a port 154. A threaded bearing housing 136 is disposed at a proximal end 160 of the bracket 102, in a first portion 180 of the bracket 102. A bearing assembly 184 is disposed in the bearing housing 136 to support the shaft 150 during operation. The opening of the threaded bearing housing 136 can facilitate end clearance adjustment for various applications, such as for mounting various types of sealing mechanisms in the bracket 102. In this example, a pump bracket 102 (e.g., a universal bracket) houses various components of the pump 100 and is coupled to the rotor housing 158 (or to a pump chamber housing that houses the rotor 152 coupled to the shaft 150). In addition, the pump bracket 102 can include feet to stabilize the pump 100 on a surface and / or provide for fastening to a surface for operation.

[0019] As shown, in this embodiment, the pump bracket 102 includes a stuffing box 104 disposed in the second portion 182 of the bracket 102. The stuffing box 104 includes a wall 186 between the proximal side 160 (e.g., a first end near the prime mover or motor in operation) and the distal side 162 (e.g., a second end away from the prime mover) of the bracket 102, and the wall 186 has a through hole. That is, the stuffing box 104 provides a housing for the sealing material around the shaft 150 to reduce leakage of the pumped fluid from the rotor 152 along the shaft. In this embodiment, the through hole of the bracket stuffing box 104 includes a uniform diameter along its length (e.g., without a stepped shoulder as in prior designs). For example, the diameter can be sized larger than the diameter of the shaft 150 so that a bearing or other type of sealing device can be disposed between the wall 186 and the shaft 150.

[0020] In addition, as shown, the bracket stuffing box 104 may include one or more grooves or channels 106 disposed in the wall 186, which are respectively configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to accommodate a retaining ring 108. In some embodiments, one or more of the channels or grooves 106 can accommodate a gasket, such as an O-ring, such as for a one-piece barrier seal. In addition, the bracket stuffing box 104 may include one or more cutouts 110, 176, and the one or more cutouts 110, 176 are configured to facilitate holding the mechanical seal in place and holding the mechanical seal seat gasket (e.g., O-ring) in place and to reduce cutting or damage to the gasket during installation. In addition, one or more channels or grooves 106, 106B may be configured to accommodate a retaining ring to hold one or more components in place in the bracket.

[0021] exist Figure 1A and 1B In this example, the bracket stuffing box 104 is equipped with a bracket bushing 170, which can be interference fit into the through hole of the bracket stuffing box 104. The channels or grooves 106, 106B are set in a position that allows the retaining ring 108 to maintain the filler 172 and the filler gasket 164 in the desired position in the bracket stuffing box 104. The packing material 172 (e.g., or sealing filler, sealing material, etc.) is set on the proximal side of the bushing 170, and the bushing 170 can be set in the stuffing box 104 using an interference fit. The packing gland 174 (e.g., or gland follower) is set behind the packing material 172. In this example, the packing gland 174 can be fastened to the bracket 102 at the flange portion, which provides a compressive force to the packing material 172. In this way, the packing material 172 is compressed and radially expanded to provide a seal between the wall of the bracket stuffing box 104 and the shaft 150. In Figure 1B , a distal passage cutout 176 is disposed at a distal end of the stuffing box 104 , proximate the rotor 152 .

[0022] Figure 2A and 2B Alternative embodiments 200, 295 of pumps 100, 195, respectively, where different types of seals may be used in a universal bracket 102. In the exemplary embodiments 200, 295, the bracket stuffing box 104 includes the same through-hole, corresponding grooves or channels 106 configured to accommodate the retaining ring 108 and the cutout 110. However, in this embodiment, a behind-the-rotor (BTR) seal 220 is provided as a seal and is used to mitigate leakage along the shaft 150. The BTR seal 220 is a mechanical seal that is configured to fit snugly over the cutout 110 of the bracket stuffing box 104 and is located at the bottom of the bracket stuffing box 104. Figure 2A , held in place proximally by a retaining ring 108 disposed in a channel / groove 106 located in place for retaining component seal 220. Figure 2B , the BTR seal 220 is configured to fit right beside the cutout 110 of the stent stuffing box 104 and press against the stent bushing 170 (eg, or against the retaining ring 108) at its proximal end.

[0023] At the distal end, the BTR seal 220 is held in place by a biasing spring 250 disposed against the rotor 152. In addition, the bracket bushing 170 is assembled (e.g., by an interference fit) into the bracket stuffing box 104 from the proximal side of the BTR seal 220. As shown, the same bracket 102 can be used for two different types of seals (Figures 1 and 2). In some embodiments, the BTR seal 220 is disposed against the bushing 170 for positioning, and the retaining ring 108 (and, for example, the channel of the groove 106) may not be present. In addition, a lip seal 230 is disposed at the proximal end of the stuffing box 104 for maintaining grease lubrication of the shaft 150 and the bushing 170.

[0024] Figure 3A and 3BOther alternative embodiments 300, 395 of pumps 100, 195, respectively, in which different types of seals can be used in a universal bracket 102. In the exemplary embodiments 300, 395, the bracket stuffing box 104 includes the same through hole, with a corresponding groove or channel 106 configured to accommodate a gasket, and a cutout 110. However, in this embodiment, a one-piece barrier seal 320A, 320B is disposed in the bracket stuffing box 104 and is used to mitigate leakage along the shaft 150. The barrier seal 320A, 320B is configured to fit the through hole of the bracket stuffing box 104 and is held in place proximally by fastening the flange portion of the barrier seal 320 to the body 388 of the bracket 102. In this embodiment, the one-piece barrier seal 320A, 320B provides a bearing surface for the shaft 150 and provides a gasket along its body for sealing between the shaft 150 and the wall of the bracket stuffing box 104. That is, for example, the barrier seals 320A, 320B are one-piece barrier seals that include an integrated gland-packing-bushing configuration.

[0025] As shown, the same bracket 102 can be used for three different types of seals ( Figures 1A-3B ).exist Figure 3A In FIG. 1 , a support sleeve 378 is disposed around the barrier seal 320A at the distal end of the stuffing box 104 to provide support for the shaft 150 during operation. Figure 3B In the embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the barrier seal 320B is wider, which eliminates the need for the support sleeve 378. In addition, in Figure 3A , a sealing gasket channel 306 is provided in an outer wall of the barrier seal 320A of the pump 300 and is configured to receive a gasket.

[0026] Figure 44 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pump 400 having a stepped hole bracket 402 design with one quarter cut away. In this exemplary embodiment, a BTR seal 220 is used as a sealing mechanism, and a shaft bushing 470 is disposed proximal to the BTR seal 220 in the bracket stuffing box 404. In addition, in this embodiment, a lip seal 430 is disposed at the proximal end of the bracket stuffing box 404, and a grease / lubricant port 432 is fluidly coupled to the bracket stuffing box 404 to allow lubricant to be operably injected into the space formed between the shaft 450 and the inner wall of the bracket stuffing box 404. For example, lubricant can be introduced through the lubricant port 432 and retained by the lip seal 430 to provide lubrication to the rotating shaft 450 and the bracket bushing 470 during operation. In some embodiments, a lubricant discharge port (not shown) can be fluidly coupled to the lubricant port 432 to provide fluid discharge (e.g., under pressure). In addition, a rigid mounting bracket 434 can be formed as part of (e.g., or fastened to) the bracket 402 and can also be formed with the universal bracket 102; and a threaded bearing housing 436 supports the shaft 450 and can make end clearance adjustment for various applications easier. As an example, the universal bracket design 102 can be used in place of the stepped hole design bracket 402.

[0027] Figures 5A-5E Several exemplary embodiments of a pump 500 and various sealing mechanisms for use with a stepped hole design stent 502 are shown, which stent 502 can be replaced with the general stent design 102 described herein. That is, in this embodiment, the second portion 582 of the stent 502 includes a stuffing box 504 at the second end 562 (e.g., the distal end), the stuffing box 504 having an inner wall 586, the inner wall 586 having a first diameter hole 576 only at the proximal end and a second diameter hole 574 at the distal end. In this example, the first diameter 576 is greater than the second diameter 574. In this embodiment, the pump includes a stent stuffing box 504, which has a through hole of uniform diameter that steps down at the distal end, and the stent stuffing box 504 can accommodate a shaft bushing 570 and various sealing mechanisms, such as Figure 5B-5E As shown, pump 500 includes a bracket 502, which may include a mounting bracket 534, and an attached threaded bearing housing 536, which holds a bearing assembly 584 to support shaft 550. Pumping chamber 558 is fluidly coupled to ports 554 (inlet and outlet) to pump fluid to a coupled conduit (not shown) using rotor 552.

[0028] like Figure 5BAs shown, in the bracket stuffing box 504, the packing material 562 can be held in place by the packing gland 566, abutting against the packing washer 564, which abuts against the shoulder formed between the first diameter 576 and the second diameter 574. Figure 5C As shown, a one-piece barrier seal 520 is disposed in the bracket stuffing box 504 to reduce leakage along the shaft 550. As described above, the one-piece barrier seal 520 includes a sealing element (e.g., a gasket, an O-ring) disposed along its length, and also includes a bushing and a flange portion to be fastened to the bracket 502. Figure 5D As shown, a component mechanical seal 522 is disposed in the bracket stuffing box 504 and is used to reduce leakage along the shaft 550. The component seal 522 includes various sealing elements to reduce fluid leakage, and a packing gland 566 can be fixed to the bracket 502 to hold the component seal 522 in place. In addition, a bracket bushing 570 can be disposed in the bracket stuffing box 504 away from the component seal 522. Figure 5E As shown, a cartridge mechanical seal 568 is disposed in the bracket stuffing box 504 to reduce leakage along the shaft 550. The cartridge seal 568 includes various sealing elements to mitigate fluid leakage, as well as a flange secured to the bracket 502. In addition, a bracket bushing 570 may be disposed in the bracket stuffing box away from the cartridge seal 568. As described above, these various seal options, such as the BTR seal 220, the packing seal 562, the one-piece barrier seal 520, the component mechanical seal 522, and the cartridge seal 576, may all be used in the universal bore bracket design 102 described herein, rather than requiring a separate bracket for each different seal.

[0029] The word "exemplary" as used herein means used as an example, instance or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior to other aspects or designs. On the contrary, the word "exemplary" is used to present the concept in a concrete way. As used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, "X adopts A or B" is intended to mean any natural inclusive arrangement. That is, if X adopts A; X adopts B; or X adopts A and B at the same time, then "X adopts A or B" is satisfied in any of the foregoing cases. In addition, at least one of A and B and / or the like generally means A or B or both A and B. In addition, the articles "a" and "an" used in this application and the appended claims can generally be interpreted as meaning "one or more", unless otherwise specified or clearly pointed to the singular form from the context.

[0030] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

[0031] In addition, although the present disclosure has been shown and described for one or more embodiments, other technicians in the field will think of equivalent changes and modifications based on the reading and understanding of this specification and the drawings. The present disclosure includes all such modifications and changes and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the above-mentioned components (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), unless otherwise specified, the terms used to describe these components are intended to correspond to any component (e.g., functionally equivalent) that performs the specified functions of the components, even if the structure is not equivalent to the disclosed structure that performs the functions in the exemplary embodiments shown herein of the present disclosure. In addition, although the specific features of the present disclosure may be disclosed only for one of several embodiments, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, which may be desirable and advantageous for any given or specific application. In addition, with respect to the terms "including", "having", "containing", "with" or their variants used in the detailed description or claims, these terms are intended to be included in a manner similar to the term "including".

[0032] These embodiments have been described above. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and devices may be combined with changes and modifications without departing from the overall scope of the present invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and changes as long as they are within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

Claims

1. A universal bracket for use with a variety of seal configurations for rotary axis fluid pumps, the bracket comprising: a first end operably disposed proximal to a prime mover to which it is coupled, the prime mover providing power; a second end operably disposed distal to the prime mover to which the second end is coupled; a first portion at the first end, the first portion being sized and shaped to fixedly hold the bearing assembly in place at the proximal end during operation; and a second portion at the second end, the second portion comprising a stuffing box having an inner wall, the inner wall having a through hole, the through hole having a diameter that is substantially consistent from the first portion to the second end of the bracket, wherein the diameter is larger than the rotating shaft to operably retain the bearing between the wall and the rotating shaft, the wall of the stuffing box including one or more annular channels around the periphery.

2. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein: The bracket is configured to be in operable fixed engagement with the pumping chamber at a distal end. 3 . The bracket of claim 1 , the wall of the stuffing box comprising a mechanical seal cutout configured to retain a mechanical seal.

4. The stent of claim 3, comprising a mechanical seal operably retained at a distal end of the stuffing box by the mechanical seal cutout.

5. The stent of claim 1, comprising a retaining ring disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the retaining ring operable to retain a filler gasket and filler material at a proximal end of the stuffing box.

6. The stent of claim 1, comprising a retaining ring disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the retaining ring operable to retain a mechanical seal at a distal end of the stuffing box.

7. The stent of claim 1, comprising a gasket disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the gasket operably engaging directly with the one-piece barrier seal to mitigate fluid migration.

8. The stent of claim 1, comprising a lip seal located at a proximal end of the stuffing box.

9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stuffing box is configured to operably employ the following sealing configuration: Packing gland-filling material-bushing retaining configuration; Mechanical seal configuration; and A one-piece barrier seal includes an integrated gland-packing-bushing configuration.

10. The stent of claim 1, comprising a bearing assembly disposed at a proximal end of the first portion, the bearing assembly operably supporting a rotating shaft of the fluid pump.

11. An assembly comprising a pump chamber at a distal end, the pump chamber having a pump rotor engaged with a rotating shaft, and a prime mover applying rotational power to the shaft at a proximal end, the assembly comprising: A universal bracket, the universal bracket being selectively engaged between the prime mover and the pump chamber, and having the shaft, the shaft being arranged to pass through the bracket, the bracket comprising: a first end engaged with the prime mover; a second end engaged with the pump chamber; a first portion at the first end, the first portion configured to operably retain the bearing assembly in place at the proximal end during operation; and a second portion at the second end, the second portion comprising a stuffing box, the stuffing box having an inner wall, the inner wall having a through hole, the through hole having a diameter that is substantially the same from the first portion to the second end of the bracket, wherein the diameter is larger than the rotating shaft; a bearing assembly disposed at a proximal end of the first portion, the bearing assembly operable to retain the rotating shaft; and A shaft seal is disposed in the stuffing box between the rotating shaft and the inner wall to mitigate migration of fluid along the shaft.

12. The assembly of claim 11, said wall of said stuffing box including one or more annular channels around the periphery.

13. The assembly of claim 12, comprising a retaining ring disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the retaining ring operable to retain a packing gasket and packing material at a proximal end of the stuffing box.

14. The assembly of claim 12, comprising a retaining ring disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the retaining ring operable to retain a mechanical seal at a distal end of the stuffing box.

15. The assembly of claim 12, including a gasket disposed in one of the one or more annular channels, the gasket operably engaging directly with the one-piece barrier seal to mitigate fluid migration.

16. The assembly of claim 11, said wall of said stuffing box including a mechanical seal cutout configured to retain a mechanical seal.

17. The assembly of claim 16, including a mechanical seal operably retained at the stuffing box distal end by the mechanical seal cutout.

18. The stent of claim 11, wherein the stuffing box is configured to operably employ the following sealing configuration: Packing gland-filling material-bushing retaining configuration; Behind-the-rotor (BTR) mechanical seal configuration; and A one-piece barrier seal includes an integrated gland-packing-bushing configuration.

19. A rotary shaft pump comprising: a pump chamber located at a distal end of the pump, the pump chamber including a pump rotor engaged with a rotating shaft; a prime mover engaged with the shaft at a proximal end of the pump to operatively apply rotational power to the pump rotor in the pump chamber; A universal bracket, the universal bracket can be selectively engaged between the prime mover and the pump chamber, the universal bracket has the shaft, the shaft is arranged to pass through the bracket, and the bracket includes: a first end engaged with the prime mover; a second end engaged with the pump chamber; a first portion located at the first end; and a second portion at the second end, the second portion comprising a stuffing box having an inner wall having a through hole of a first diameter only at a proximal end and a through hole of a second diameter at a distal end, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the inner wall comprising one or more annular channels around a periphery; one or more gaskets and / or retaining rings disposed in the one or more annular channels; a bearing assembly fixedly engaged with the first portion at the proximal end, the bearing assembly operably supporting the rotatable shaft; and A shaft seal is disposed in the stuffing box between the rotating shaft and the inner wall to mitigate migration of fluid along the shaft, wherein the shaft seal includes a bearing disposed in the second diameter.

20. The pump of claim 19, the stuffing box configured to operably use the following sealing configuration: a packing gland-filling material-bushing retention configuration; Component mechanical seal configuration; Cartridge-type mechanical seal configuration; and A one-piece barrier seal includes an integrated gland-packing-bushing configuration.

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