Pressure plunger and associated methods

Abstract

Pressure plunger apparatus for mitigating a clogging in a channel and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a plunger apparatus can include an outer tube, an actuator positioned inside the outer tube, a seal positioned between the outer tube and the actuator, and a fitting attached to the tube component. The seal is operably attached to the outer tube and fixedly attached to the actuator. The actuator is configured to be moved reciprocally so as to generate a pressure difference of a fluid positioned inside the outer tube. The pressure difference can drive at least a portion of the fluid positioned inside the outer tube to be ejected from the outer tube to the channel so as to mitigate the clogging in the channel.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A plunger apparatus, comprising:
 an outer tube having an inner surface;   an actuator positioned inside the outer tube, the actuator having an outer surface;   a seal positioned between the outer tube and the actuator, the seal being operably attached to the inner surface of the outer tube, and the seal being fixedly attached to the outer surface of the actuator; and   a fitting attached to the outer tube, the fitting having a flexible flange and an opening;   wherein the actuator is configured to be moved reciprocally so as to generate a pressure difference of a fluid positioned inside the outer tube; and   wherein the pressure difference ejects at least a portion of the fluid through the opening of the fitting.   
     
     
         2 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator includes a cap configured to stop movement of the actuator with respect to the outer tube in a first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator includes a recess facilitating a user to grasp the actuator during operation. 
     
     
         4 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator includes a hollow actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fitting and the outer tube are integrally formed. 
     
     
         6 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fitting includes an angled portion with an angle of 45 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the fitting includes a curved portion. 
     
     
         8 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the outer tube includes a vent. 
     
     
         9 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the outer tube has a first diameter and the opening has a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. 
     
     
         10 . The plunger apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the flexible flange at least partially deforms when the flexible flange contacts a surface of a fluid channel. 
     
     
         11 . A method of mitigating a clogging in a channel, comprising:
 positioning a fitting coupled to an outer tube in the channel;   fixedly engaging a flexible flange of the fitting with a surface of the channel;   moving an actuator positioned inside the outer tube in a first direction over a first distance so as to generate a first pressure difference of a fluid positioned in the channel;   moving the actuator in a second direction over a second distance so as to generate a second pressure difference of the fluid positioned in the channel, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction, and wherein the second distance is smaller than the first distance; and   moving the actuator in the first direction over a third distance so as to generate a third pressure difference of the fluid positioned in the channel;   wherein the outer tube has an inner surface and the actuator has an outer surface;   wherein a seal is positioned between the outer tube and the actuator; and   wherein the seal is operably attached to the inner surface of the outer tube and the seal is fixedly attached to the outer surface of the actuator.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising stopping the actuator in an event a cap of the actuator contacts the outer tube. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising ejecting at least a portion of the fluid through an opening of the fitting. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein:
 the third distance is substantially the same as the second distance; 
 the third pressure difference is substantially the same as the second pressure difference; and 
 the first pressure difference is greater than the second pressure difference. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the actuator includes a recess facilitating a user to grasp the actuator during operation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the actuator includes a hollow cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the fitting and the outer tube are integrally formed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the fitting includes an angled portion with an angle of 45 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising at least partially deforming the flexible flange when the flexible flange is fixedly attached to the surface of the channel. 
     
     
         20 . A method of mitigating a clogging in a channel, comprising:
 positioning a fitting coupled to a tube component in the channel;   seamlessly engaging a flexible flange of the fitting with a surface of the channel;   positioning an actuator inside the outer tube,   positioning a seal between the outer tube and the actuator, wherein the seal is operably attached to the outer tube, and wherein the seal is fixedly attached to the actuator;   moving the actuator in a first direction over a first distance so as to generate a first pressure difference of a fluid positioned in the channel;   moving the actuator in a second direction over a second distance so as to generate a second pressure difference, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction, and wherein the second distance is smaller than the first distance; and   moving the actuator in the first direction over a third distance so as to generate a third pressure difference of the fluid positioned in the channel.