Displacement Pump Mounting Ring for Fast Alignment and Low Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Axial displacement pumps in fluid dispensing systems face challenges with time-intensive mounting and detaching processes, and experience wear due to misaligned driving forces, which affect the pump rod and various components.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a pump rod with a load concentrating feature and a driving link system that includes a U-shaped flange and cavity configuration to secure the pump rod, reducing misalignment and side loading by concentrating forces along the centerline, and a clamping mechanism for secure mounting and alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the pump rod is attached to the reciprocating drive by a pin passing through the pump rod, then the pump rod can be secured to the reciprocating drive, but the attachment process requires loose parts and several tools and is time-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of pump rodVSAvoidtime-intensive mounting and detaching process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The head integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides the attachment interface for the pump rod, incorporates the load concentrating feature to align forces, and includes the retention mechanism. This eliminates the need for separate pins and multiple fastening operations, allowing secure attachment while reducing assembly time and tool requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The retention feature is designed to automatically secure the pump rod to the reciprocating drive through the integrated head structure. The load concentrating feature self-aligns the driving forces with the centerline, and the retention mechanism automatically maintains the connection without requiring additional fastening steps or tools during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the pump rod is pinned to the reciprocating drive, then the pump rod can be secured, but the pump rod experiences driving forces not coincident with the centerline, causing wear on various components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure connection of pump rodVSAvoidwear on pump rod and components due to misaligned forces

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The load concentrating feature is a localized structural element within the head that specifically addresses the force alignment issue. This feature concentrates the driving forces onto a small area that is precisely positioned to align with the centerline of the pump rod, ensuring that the local stress distribution prevents misalignment wear while maintaining the overall secure connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The load concentrating feature acts as an intermediary between the reciprocating drive and the pump rod. It receives the driving forces from the reciprocating drive and redistributes them along the centerline of the pump rod, preventing direct transmission of misaligned forces that would cause wear on the pump rod and surrounding components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If the axial displacement pump is threaded into the drive housing, then concentricity can be provided, but the mounting and detaching process is time-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconcentricity of pump and drive mechanismVSAvoidtime-intensive mounting and detaching process

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting system is segmented into modular components: the integrated head with retention feature on the pump rod, and the corresponding receiving structure on the reciprocating drive. This segmentation allows the pump to be quickly attached and detached as a single unit while maintaining concentricity through the precision-engineered interface between segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The concentricity alignment features are pre-built into the mounting interface during manufacturing. The integrated head and retention feature are preliminarily configured to automatically align with the reciprocating drive when attached, eliminating the need for time-consuming alignment adjustments during installation while ensuring precise concentricity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If a clamping mechanism is used to secure the pump, then mounting and alignment can be improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure mounting and alignmentVSAvoidcomplexity of mounting mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping and alignment functions are merged into the integrated head structure. The retention feature within the head combines the clamping action to secure the pump rod with the alignment features to ensure proper positioning, eliminating the need for separate clamping mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining secure mounting and precise alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11873809B2Displacement pump mounting and retention

Publication Date: 2024.01.16 GRACO MINNESTOA INC

AI summary

A fluid spraying system includes a displacement pump configured to mount to a drive housing. A reciprocating drive is connectable to a pump rod of the displacement pump and includes a connecting rod and a drive link that receives a head of the pump rod. A tightening ring that includes threading is configured to rotate about a cylinder of the pump and shift axially along the cylinder and engage with a bottom side of the drive housing to secure the displacement pump to the drive housing.