Pump having pulsation-reducing engagement surface

Abstract

A pump is disclosed. The pump may have a housing, and a body disposed within the housing and at least partially defining a plurality of barrels. The pump may also have a plurality of plungers associated with the plurality of barrels, and a plunger engagement surface. The plunger engagement surface may have geometry configured to reciprocate the plurality of plungers within the plurality of barrels as the plurality of plungers rotate relative to the plunger engagement surface, and a plurality of undulations configured to reduce a flow pulsation of the pump.

1 . A pump, comprising:
 a housing;   a driveshaft extending through the housing along a central axis of the pump;   a body disposed within the housing and at least partially defining a plurality of barrels arranged radially about the central axis;   a plurality of plungers arranged to reciprocate within the plurality of barrels; and   a stroke ring having a plunger engagement surface for engaging the plurality of plungers, the stroke ring positioned on the driveshaft such that rotation of the driveshaft causes the plunger engagement surface to engage the plurality of plungers and thereby reciprocate the plurality of plungers within the plurality of barrels radially about the central axis,   wherein the plunger engagement surface comprises a plurality of undulations in the form of crests and troughs that introduce changes the reciprocation of the plurality of plungers within the plurality of barrels as the stroke ring rotates and thereby reduce a flow pulsation of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger engagement surface is formed as part of a swashplate. 
     
     
         3 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the plunger engagement surface is integral with the swashplate. 
     
     
         4 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the swashplate includes a base, and a separate wear plate having the plunger engagement surface. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the crests or a number of the troughs is two times the number of the plurality of plungers when the number of the plurality of plungers is odd. 
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the or the number of the troughs is equal to the number of the plurality of plungers when the number of the plurality of plungers is even. 
     
     
         8 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the crests and troughs attenuate harmonics of the flow pulsation. 
     
     
         9 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the plurality of crests and troughs is related to at least one of a number of the plurality of plungers, a displacement of the plurality of plungers, and a speed of the pump. 
     
     
         10 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the stroke ring is axially offset from the driveshaft such that one rotation of the driveshaft causes one full reciprocation of the plurality of plungers while the crests and troughs cause a plurality of changes in the reciprocation of the plurality of plungers within the barrels. 
     
     
         22 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the crests and troughs is smaller than a maximum amplitude of the reciprocation of the plurality of plungers within the barrels.