Pump Rod Mounting With Load-Concentrating Retention Against Side Loading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Axial displacement pumps in fluid dispensing systems face challenges with time-intensive pinning and detaching processes, and experience wear due to non-coincident driving forces, leading to reduced efficiency and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A pump rod with a load concentrating feature and a driving link configuration that secures the pump rod within a drive link, minimizing misalignment of forces and reducing side loading through a clamping mechanism with an axial ring and tightening ring, ensuring concentricity and easy installation/uninstallation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump rod is attached to the reciprocating drive by a pin, then the pump rod can be secured to the driving mechanism, but the attachment and detachment process becomes time-intensive and requires loose parts and multiple tools
Solution Approach 1:
The pump rod head is integrated directly with the shaft, eliminating the need for separate pins or fasteners. The driving link incorporates a cavity that receives the integrated head, creating a unified attachment system that reduces assembly steps and time while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving link cavity is designed to receive and nest the pump rod head, with the U-shaped flange providing internal retention. This nested configuration allows the components to fit together seamlessly, reducing the need for external fasteners and simplifying the attachment process.
2Ease of manufacture
If the pump rod is pinned to the reciprocating drive, then the connection can be made with simple components, but the process requires loose parts and several tools making it complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pump rod head and shaft are merged into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate pins, washers, or fasteners. The driving link incorporates all necessary retention features internally, reducing the overall number of parts and tools needed for assembly and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped flange with clamp features provides self-retention by clamping onto the pump rod shaft, eliminating the need for external fasteners or complex assembly tools. The design allows for tool-free or minimal-tool attachment and detachment operations.
3Ease of operation
If the pump rod experiences driving forces not coincident with the centerline, then the pump can operate, but the pump rod experiences wear on various components reducing efficiency and lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The load concentrating feature is positioned asymmetrically on the pump rod head to align precisely with the driving link's force application point. This asymmetric positioning ensures that driving forces are transmitted coincident with the pump rod centerline, preventing side loads and wear while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A load concentrating feature is added to the pump rod head at the specific location where forces are applied by the driving link. This localized feature concentrates the driving forces onto a small area aligned with the centerline, preventing distributed side loads that cause wear on surrounding components.
Data Source
AI summary
A pump rod has a head extending from a neck, and the head is received within a drive slot of a drive link. The head includes a projection, and has an area smaller than an area of the head. The projection contacts an inner surface of the drive slot. The drive link may include a projection aligned with a centerline of the drive link. The drive link projection contacts a head of the pump rod. The projections provide a reduced contact area between the pump rod and the drive link, thereby reducing any side-loading on the pump rod and increasing a lifespan of the wear parts.