Pump mechanism

Abstract

A pump mechanism includes a crankshaft defining a crankshaft longitudinal axis therethrough; three cylinders arranged around the crankshaft, each of the three cylinders defining a cylinder longitudinal axis therethrough, each cylinder longitudinal axis extending away from the crankshaft in a substantially radial direction, adjacent cylinder longitudinal axes enclosing predetermined angles (Wz) about the crankshaft longitudinal axis; and a piston corresponding to each of the three cylinders. Each crank has a predetermined angular offset (W K ) relative to an adjacent crank, and the predetermined angular offset (W K ) is selected in accordance with the predetermined angles (Wz), in such a way that phase shifts between each piston and a sequentially actuated piston during a rotation of the crankshaft are equally large. A sum of the predetermined angles (Wz) between adjacent cylinder longitudinal axes, over all of the cylinder longitudinal axes, is less than or equal to 180 degrees.

1 . A pump mechanism comprising:
 a crankshaft defining a crankshaft longitudinal axis therethrough;   three cylinders arranged around the crankshaft, each of the three cylinders defining a cylinder longitudinal axis therethrough, each cylinder longitudinal axis extending away from the crankshaft in a substantially radial direction relative to the crankshaft longitudinal axis, adjacent cylinder longitudinal axes enclosing predetermined angles (Wz) in a circumferential direction about the crankshaft longitudinal axis; and   a piston corresponding to each of the three cylinders, each piston being functionally connected to the crankshaft via a connecting rod, a first end of each connecting rod having a main bearing mounted on a crank of the crankshaft,   wherein each crank has a predetermined angular offset (W K ) relative to an adjacent crank, and the predetermined angular offset (W K ) is selected in accordance with the predetermined angles (Wz), in such a way that phase shifts between each piston and a sequentially actuated piston during a rotation of the crankshaft are equally large, and   wherein a sum of the predetermined angles (Wz) between adjacent cylinder longitudinal axes, over all of the cylinder longitudinal axes, is less than or equal to 180 degrees, and   wherein the longitudinal axes of the three cylinders are offset in height relative to one another in a direction along the crankshaft longitudinal axis that corresponds to a thickness of the connecting rod.   
     
     
         2 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein each piston is connected to a corresponding connecting rod via a crosshead. 
     
     
         3 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein neighboring connecting rods are mounted sequentially along a direction of the crankshaft longitudinal axis such that the neighboring connecting rods slide on one another without spatial separation along the direction of the crankshaft longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The pump mechanism according  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder longitudinal axes of adjacent cylinders of the three cylinders enclose an angle (Wz) of 45 degrees and the cylinder longitudinal axes of two outer cylinders of the three cylinders along the crankshaft longitudinal axis enclose an angle of 90 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft is coupled to an external drive motor via a worm gear pair. 
     
     
         6 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the worm gear pair drives the crankshaft,   a longitudinal axis of the external drive motor is perpendicular to the crankshaft longitudinal axis, and   a longitudinal axis of the external drive motor encloses an angle of less than or equal to 135 degrees with the cylinder longitudinal axis of a middle cylinder.   
     
     
         7 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the connecting rods is linked to a crosshead outside a crosshead center. 
     
     
         8 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pistons is linked to a crosshead outside a crosshead center. 
     
     
         9 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft is assembled from at least two parts assembled along a longitudinal length of the crankshaft, and the at least two parts are configured for connection to one another in a formfitting way in an area of the cranks. 
     
     
         10 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft has at least two crankshaft main bearings disposed on opposite sides of the cranks along the crankshaft longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump mechanism is installed in a housing, and wherein locations of the three cylinders are fixed with respect to the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing is manufactured in one part and is equipped with a closable opening in each of a floor and a rear wall for mounting. 
     
     
         13 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 11 , wherein crosshead tracks and pump headholders are integrated in the housing and volumes of individual pump head holders are connected to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 13 , wherein the crosshead tracks are located at a same height. 
     
     
         15 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 14 , wherein each connecting rod is connected to different location of the crosshead tracks based on a position of each connecting rod along the crankshaft longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein each piston is functionally connected to a second end of a corresponding connecting rod via a rotatable connection disposed at the second end of the corresponding connecting rod, the second end of the connecting rod being opposite the first end of the connecting rod. 
     
     
         17 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein each piston is functionally connected to the crankshaft via a crosshead, and the crosshead is functionally connected to the second end of the corresponding connecting rod via the rotatable connection. 
     
     
         18 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft is coupled to an external drive motor via an external transmission. 
     
     
         19 . The pump mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising a diaphragm pump head coupled to each cylinder of the three cylinders.