Fluid pump and outlet check valve assembly thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11499559-B2
Application number	US-202017085318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A fluid pump includes a housing; an inlet passage; an outlet conduit; a pumping element within the housing; and a check valve assembly. The check valve assembly includes a valve stem within the outlet conduit such that a flow path is created radially between the outlet conduit and the valve stem, the valve stem moving along a check valve assembly axis between a closed position and an open position. The flow path includes a first restriction which increases velocity of fluid passing through the flow path; a first expansion, downstream of the first restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through the flow path; a second restriction, downstream of the first expansion, which increases velocity of fluid passing through the flow path; and a second expansion, downstream of the second restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through the flow path.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fluid pump comprising:
a housing;
an inlet passage through which fluid enters said housing;
an outlet conduit through which fluid leaves said housing;
a pumping element within said housing, said pumping element being configured to draw fluid into said inlet passage and pressurize said fluid which is discharged through said outlet conduit; and
a check valve assembly, which allows flow through said outlet conduit in a first direction and prevents flow through said outlet conduit in a second direction which is opposite said first direction, said check valve assembly comprising:
said outlet conduit; and
a valve stem within said outlet conduit such that a flow path is created radially between said outlet conduit and said valve stem, said valve stem moving along a check valve assembly axis between a closed position which prevents fluid flow through said flow path and an open position which permits fluid flow through said flow path;
wherein said flow path includes a first restriction which increases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; a first expansion, downstream of said first restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; a second restriction, downstream of said first expansion, which increases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; and a second expansion, downstream of said second restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path;
wherein said outlet conduit includes an inner wall surface;
wherein said valve stem includes a valve stem seating surface which 1) seats against said inner wall surface when said valve stem is in said closed position, thereby preventing fluid flow through said flow path and 2) is spaced apart from said inner wall surface when said valve stem is in said open position, thereby permitting fluid flow through said flow path;
wherein said first restriction is formed between said valve stem seating surface and said inner wall surface;
wherein said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface diverging section which diverges away from said check valve assembly axis when moving along said check valve assembly axis in said first direction;
wherein said valve stem seating surface seats against said inner wall surface diverging section when said valve stem is in said closed position;
wherein said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface converging section, downstream of said inner wall surface diverging section, which converges toward said check valve assembly axis in said first direction;
wherein said valve stem has a valve stem converging section which converges toward said check valve assembly axis in said first direction; and
wherein said first expansion is located radially between said inner wall surface converging section and said valve stem converging section.

2. A fluid pump as in claim 1 , wherein:
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface downstream section, downstream of said inner wall surface converging section, which is uniform in diameter;
said valve stem includes a valve stem termination section, downstream of said valve stem converging section, which is uniform in diameter; and
said second restriction is located radially between said inner wall surface downstream section and said valve stem termination section.

3. A fluid pump as in claim 2 , wherein said inner wall surface converging section and said inner wall surface downstream section are provided on an insert which is received within a counterbore of said outlet conduit.

4. A fluid pump as in claim 2 , wherein said second expansion is located within said inner wall surface downstream section, downstream of said valve stem.

5. A fluid pump as in claim 4 , wherein:
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface outlet section, downstream of said inner wall surface downstream section, which diverges away from said check valve assembly axis in said first direction; and
said second expansion is also located within said inner wall surface outlet section.

6. A fluid pump as in claim 1 , wherein said valve stem includes an annular groove such that an O-ring is received within said annular groove, said O-ring providing said valve stem seating surface.

7. A check valve assembly which allows flow through a conduit in a first direction and prevents flow through said conduit in a second direction which is opposite said first direction, said check valve assembly comprising:
said conduit; and
a valve stem within said conduit such that a flow path is created radially between said conduit and said valve stem, said valve stem moving along a check valve assembly axis between a closed position which prevents fluid flow through said flow path and an open position which permits fluid flow through said flow path;
wherein said flow path includes a first restriction which increases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; a first expansion, downstream of said first restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; a second restriction, downstream of said first expansion, which increases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path; and a second expansion, downstream of said second restriction, which decreases velocity of fluid passing through said flow path;
said conduit includes an inner wall surface;
said valve stem includes a valve stem seating surface which 1) seats against said inner wall surface when said valve stem is in said closed position, thereby preventing fluid flow through said flow path and 2) is spaced apart from said inner wall surface when said valve stem is in said open position, thereby permitting fluid flow through said flow path;
said first restriction is formed between said valve stem seating surface and said inner wall surface;
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface diverging section which diverges away from said check valve assembly axis when moving along said check valve assembly axis in said first direction;
said valve stem seating surface seats against said inner wall surface diverging section when said valve stem is in said closed position;
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface converging section, downstream of said inner wall surface diverging section, which converges toward said check valve assembly axis in said first direction;
said valve stem has a valve stem converging section which converges toward said check valve assembly axis in said first direction; and
said first expansion is located radially between said inner wall surface converging section and said valve stem converging section.

8. A check valve assembly as in claim 7 , wherein:
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface downstream section, downstream of said inner wall surface converging section, which is uniform in diameter;
said valve stem includes a valve stem termination section, downstream of said valve stem converging section, which is uniform in diameter; and
said second restriction is located radially between said inner wall surface downstream section and said valve stem termination section.

9. A check valve assembly as in claim 8 , wherein said inner wall surface converging section and said inner wall surface downstream section are provided on an insert which is received within a counterbore of said conduit.

10. A check valve assembly as in claim 8 , wherein said second expansion is located within said inner wall surface downstream section, downstream of said valve stem.

11. A check valve assembly as in claim 10 , wherein:
said inner wall surface has an inner wall surface outlet section, downstream of said inner wall surface downstream section, which diverges away from said check valve assembly axis in said fir

Assignees

• Delphi Tech Ip Ltd

Inventors

• Romo Francisco
• Espinoza Sonia

Classifications

• F16K15/026

  the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open · CPC title

• F02M37/0023 Primary

  Valves in the fuel supply and return system · CPC title

• F02M37/04

  Feeding by means of driven pumps · CPC title

• F05B2250/323

  convergent · CPC title

• F04D29/126

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title