Personal air sampling pump assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492694-B2
Application number	US-202217901455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2022
Priority date	Apr 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An air sampling pump includes a reciprocating piston for operating a diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm includes a valve head including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a fluid chamber defining a fluid path between the inlet and outlet. A diaphragm sealing engages the valve head and encloses the fluid chamber. The diaphragm includes a piston diaphragm membrane portion coupled to the piston for reciprocating with the piston and reciprocation of the piston causes a change in air pressure within the fluid chamber to cause air to move from the fluid inlet toward the fluid outlet. The diaphragm includes a damper membrane portion, which cooperate to reduce an amplitude of pulsation in the airflow at the fluid inlet and fluid outlet.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a housing; a fluid inlet formed in the housing; a fluid outlet formed in the housing; a piston within the housing; a valve head; a first diaphragm operably coupled to a first end of the piston, the first diaphragm at least partially enclosing a first fluid chamber, the first fluid chamber having a first fluid chamber air inlet and a first fluid chamber air outlet, wherein the first diaphragm is coupled to the valve head; a second diaphragm operably coupled to a second end of the piston, the second diaphragm at least partially enclosing a second fluid chamber having a second fluid chamber air outlet, wherein:
while the piston moves in a first direction:
the first diaphragm is configured to cause air to move into the first fluid chamber from outside the housing via the fluid inlet, and
the second diaphragm is configured to cause air to move out of the second fluid chamber via the second fluid chamber air outlet toward the outside of the housing via the fluid outlet; and

while the piston moves in a second direction:
the first diaphragm is configured to cause air to move out of the first fluid chamber via the first fluid chamber air outlet toward the outside of the housing via the fluid outlet, and
the second diaphragm is configured to cause air to move into the second fluid chamber from the outside of the housing via the fluid inlet; and

a damper membrane portion having a damper membrane coupled to the valve head to which the first diaphragm is also coupled, the damper membrane portion at least partially enclosing a damper fluid chamber, wherein the damper fluid chamber is fluidly connected to both of the first fluid chamber air outlet and the second fluid chamber air outlet, wherein air that moves out of both of the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber moves into the damper fluid chamber.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first diaphragm assembly comprising the first diaphragm and the valve head, wherein the valve head defines the first fluid chamber and comprising at least one check valve at the first fluid chamber inlet or the first fluid chamber outlet.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first diaphragm sealingly engages the valve head.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve head is a first valve head, wherein the damper membrane is a first damper membrane, wherein the damper fluid chamber is a first damper fluid chamber, wherein the damper membrane portion is a first damper membrane portion, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second damper membrane portion at least partially enclosing a second damper fluid chamber, the second damper membrane portion comprising a second damper membrane connected to a second valve head, wherein the second diaphragm is also connected to the second valve head.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the damper membrane portion is configured to move corresponding to movement of the first diaphragm based on a change in air pressure in the first fluid chamber.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the damper membrane portion decreases vibration of the apparatus.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the damper membrane portion reduces the amplitude of pulsation in airflow at the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein air is configured to move toward a filter medium as the piston moves in both the first direction and the second direction.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a motor mounted to the piston configured to reciprocally drive the piston.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are integrally formed within the housing.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid outlet is a first fluid outlet, and wherein the air sampling pump further comprises a second fluid outlet configured to bleed air out at least one of the first fluid chamber or the second fluid chamber.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second fluid outlet is coupled to a pressure sensor configured to monitor the pressure within at least one of the first fluid chamber or the second fluid chamber.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to draw air, and not liquid, into the housing via the fluid inlet.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to draw the air toward a filter medium such that particulate material in the air may be collected on the filter medium.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve head to which the damper membrane and the first diaphragm are both coupled comprises a single, integral component.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the damper membrane and the first diaphragm are each directly coupled to the valve head.

17 . An apparatus comprising:
a housing; a fluid inlet formed in the housing; a fluid outlet formed in the housing; a piston within the housing; a valve head; a first diaphragm operably coupled to a first end of the piston, the first diaphragm at least partially enclosing a first fluid chamber, the first fluid chamber having a first fluid chamber air outlet, wherein the first diaphragm is coupled to the valve head; and a second diaphragm operably coupled to a second end of the piston, the second diaphragm at least partially enclosing a second fluid chamber having a second fluid chamber air outlet, wherein:
while the piston moves in a first direction:
the first diaphragm is configured to cause air to move into the first fluid chamber through a first check valve at a first aperture in the first fluid chamber, and
the second diaphragm is configured to cause air to move out of the second fluid chamber via the second fluid chamber air outlet through a second check valve at a first aperture in the second fluid chamber; and

while the piston moves in a second direction:
the first diaphragm is configured to cause air to move out of the first fluid chamber via the first fluid chamber air outlet through a third check valve at a second aperture in the first fluid chamber, and
the second diaphragm is configured to cause air to move into the second fluid chamber through a fourth check valve at a second aperture in the second fluid chamber; and

a damper membrane portion having a damper membrane coupled to the valve head to which the first diaphragm is also coupled, the damper membrane portion at least partially enclosing a damper fluid chamber, wherein air that moves out of both of the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber moves through the third check valve into the damper fluid chamber.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the housing forms a third fluid chamber fluidly connected to the fluid inlet and a fourth fluid chamber fluidly connected to the fluid outlet.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first aperture in the first fluid chamber and the second aperture in the second fluid chamber fluidly connect the third fluid chamber to both the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second aperture in the first fluid chamber and the first aperture in the second fluid chamber fluidly connect the fourth fluid chamber to both the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber.

21 . An apparatus comprising:
a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet; a piston; a valve head; a first diaphragm connected to a first end of the piston, the first diaphragm at l

Assignees

• Ideal Ind
• Casella Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Trainer Brandon
• Tearle Steve
• Qureshi Aamir

Classifications

• F04B53/109

  inlet and outlet valve forming one unit · CPC title

• F04B39/0072

  characterised by assembly or mounting · CPC title

• F04B39/125

  Cylinder heads · CPC title

• F04B39/005

  with direct action on the fluid flow using absorptive materials · CPC title

• F04B39/0027

  Pulsation and noise damping means · CPC title