Removable Shim Clip for Adjustable Piston Pump Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing piston pumps driven by rotating cams require expensive replacement parts for displacement adjustments, limiting versatility and efficiency in fluid pumping applications.
Innovation Solution
A pump assembly with a shim clip system that allows adjustable displacement by inserting or removing shim clips between the cylinder and base, altering the position of the inlet port relative to the cam, thereby adjusting the pump's displacement without replacing parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cartridge replacement is used to adjust displacement, then displacement adjustment capability is improved, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the displacement adjustment function into separate shim clips that can be independently added or removed. Each shim clip is a discrete component that modifies the pump chamber volume when inserted between the piston cartridge and pump housing, allowing incremental displacement adjustment without replacing entire cartridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the pump displacement dynamically adjustable by allowing users to add or remove shim clips as needed. This creates a variable displacement capability where the pump chamber volume can be modified on-demand, transforming a fixed-displacement pump into an adjustable-displacement system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cartridge replacement is used to adjust displacement, then displacement adjustment capability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive cartridge replacements with inexpensive shim clips made from low-cost materials such as metal, plastic, or composite. These shim clips are simple flat pieces with specific thicknesses that can be manufactured economically and discarded or replaced without significant cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses multiple shim clips with different thicknesses to create various displacement settings. Instead of manufacturing different cartridge designs, the system uses copies of the same basic shim clip design in different thicknesses to achieve multiple displacement configurations.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed displacement design is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes a single pump housing design universal by accommodating multiple displacement configurations through the addition of different shim clips. The same pump cartridge and housing can be used across various applications with different displacement requirements, achieving multi-functionality without redesigning the entire pump system.
Data Source
AI summary
A pump assembly comprises a base, a cam, a cylinder, a piston, and a shim clip. The cam rotates about a rotational axis with respect to the base. The cylinder attaches to the base, and has an inlet port and an outlet for fluid. The piston is reciprocally driven by rotation of the cam to draw fluid into the cylinder through the inlet port during a fill stroke, and to close the inlet port and pump fluid in the cylinder toward the offset during a pump stroke. The shim clip is removably insertable between the cylinder and the base to increase the distance between the inlet port and the rotational axis.