Duplex Pump Drive Head With Central Support to Eliminate Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive heads for positive displacement pumps, such as the Gardner-Denver and Wheatley drive heads, are heavy, costly, and require external supports at opposing ends, leading to interference and complex repairs.
Innovation Solution
A drive head design featuring a central support structure that eliminates external supports, using off-the-shelf gear components and a central support member to prevent interference and simplify repairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If external supports at opposing ends are used in drive heads, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external supports at opposing ends from the drive head structure, extracting only the necessary support function and concentrating it in a single central support member. This eliminates the complexity of multiple external support structures while maintaining structural stability through the centralized support design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple support functions into a single central support member located at the center of the drive head. This merging of support functions reduces the number of components and eliminates interference between multiple external supports, while still providing the necessary structural stability for the drive mechanism.
2Reliability
If traditional drive head designs are used, then reliability is maintained, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive head into modular components including a central support member, drive mechanism, and connection elements. This segmentation allows for optimized material usage and weight reduction while maintaining reliability through proven modular design principles that can be independently tested and validated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the drive head by transitioning from distributed external supports to a centralized support structure. This parameter change reduces the overall weight and cost while maintaining reliability through the strategic positioning and design of the central support member to handle all necessary loads.
3Strength
If external supports are used at opposing ends, then structural support is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support function from multiple external locations and concentrates it in a single central support member. This simplification makes repair easier by reducing the number of components that need to be accessed and replaced, while the central location provides easy access for maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The central support member serves multiple functions including structural support, drive mechanism mounting, and maintenance access point. This multi-functionality improves ease of repair by consolidating all critical functions in one accessible location, eliminating the need to access multiple external support points for maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are embodiments of a drive head for use with positive displacement pumps. In one embodiment, a drive head for use with a pump comprises a central shaft having a first end and a second end; first and second drive rod connection points coupled to the central shaft proximate the first and second ends, the first and second drive rod connection points being located radially outside of a centerline of the central shaft; first and second drive rods coupled to the first and second drive rod connection points; and a central support member coupled to the central shaft between the first and second drive rod connection points.