Single piston foundation bag-in-box (bib) pump

Abstract

A pump includes a liquid housing having a liquid chamber with a piston/diaphragm assembly arranged therein that responds to a suction stroke and draws liquid into the liquid chamber, and responds to a pressure stroke and provides liquid from the liquid chamber; and a gas housing having a slide valve assembly separating first and second gas chambers. The slide valve assembly responds to a suction-to-pressure-force at the suction stroke conclusion, changes from a suction-to-pressure stroke state, provides gas from the first to second gas chamber through the slide valve assembly, and provides the pressure stroke so liquid passes from the liquid chamber; and responds to a pressure-to-suction-force at the pressure stroke conclusion, changes from the pressure-to-suction stroke state, provides gas from the second chamber through the slide valve assembly, and provides the suction stroke so liquid is drawn into the liquid chamber.

1 . A pump comprising:
 a liquid housing configured with a liquid chamber having a single piston/diaphragm assembly arranged therein to respond to a suction stroke and draw liquid into the liquid chamber, and configured to respond to a pressure stroke and provide the liquid from the liquid chamber; and   a gas housing having a slide valve assembly that fluidicly communicates with a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber, the slide valve assembly configured to respond to a suction-to-pressure stroke force at a conclusion of the suction stroke, change from a suction stroke state to a pressure stroke state, provide gas from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber through the slide valve assembly, and provide the pressure stroke so the liquid passes from the liquid chamber, and the slide valve assembly also configured to respond to a pressure-to-suction stroke force at a corresponding conclusion of the pressure stroke, change from the pressure stroke state to the suction stroke state, provide gas from the second gas chamber to atmosphere through the slide valve assembly, and provide the suction stroke so the liquid is drawn into the liquid chamber.   
     
     
         2 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the slide valve assembly comprises a block or housing assembly and an actuator assembly;   the block or housing assembly comprises a slide valve housing configured with a cavity;   the actuator assembly comprises a slide block configured to slide in the cavity of the slide valve housing, an actuator combination having a slide spring arranged between a lower retainer and an upper retainer, and a yoke configured with an opening to contain the actuator combination under compression and also configured to couple to the slide valve housing allowing the slide valve assembly to change between the pressure stroke state and the suction stroke state in response to the suction-to-pressure force and the pressure-to-suction force.   
     
     
         3 . A pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuator assembly is configured to slide, rotate or translate in relation to the block or housing assembly in response to the suction-to-pressure force and the pressure-to-suction force. 
     
     
         4 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gas chamber is configured to receive the gas via a gas-in fitting in response to the suction-to-pressure force at the conclusion of the suction stroke. 
     
     
         5 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve slide assembly is configured to provide the gas via a gas exhaust fitting to atmosphere in response to the pressure-suction force at the conclusion of the pressure stroke. 
     
     
         6 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein, during the pressure stroke, the valve slide assembly is positioned so that gas is routed from the first gas chamber thru the slide valve assembly to the second gas chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein, during the suction stroke, the valve slide assembly is positioned so that gas is routed from the second gas chamber thru the slide valve assembly to a gas exhaust fitting. 
     
     
         8 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the single piston/diaphragm assembly is configured to respond to the gas filling the second gas chamber, provide the pressure stroke causing a displacement of the liquid from the liquid chamber through an outlet fitting, and cause the slide valve assembly to change from the pressure stroke state to the suction stroke state at the conclusion of the pressure stroke. 
     
     
         9 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the single piston/diaphragm assembly is configured to respond to the gas being exhausted from the second chamber, provide the suction stroke, draw the liquid through a liquid inlet fitting and into the liquid chamber, and cause the slide valve assembly to change from the suction stroke state to the pressure stroke state at the conclusion of the suction stroke. 
     
     
         10 . A pump according to  claim 9 , wherein the single piston/diaphragm assembly comprises a spring configured to respond to the pressure stroke, compress storing energy for the suction stroke, and provide the suction stroke at the corresponding conclusion of the pressure stroke. 
     
     
         11 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the single piston/diaphragm assembly is configured between the second gas chamber and the liquid chamber, to respond to the suction stroke and move so as to expand the volume of the liquid chamber drawing fluid into the liquid chamber. 
     
     
         12 . A pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the slide valve assembly comprises at least one component made of ceramic. 
     
     
         13 . A pump according to  claim 12 , wherein the slide block is made of ceramic. 
     
     
         14 . A pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the single piston/diaphragm assembly comprises a piston and a diaphragm, the piston being coupled to the slide valve assembly via a piston shaft/actuator slide assembly, and the diaphragm being coupled between the gas housing and the liquid housing.