Improved pulse-free metering pump and methods relating thereto

Abstract

A method of dispensing a continuous fluid flow is described, the method includes: (i) filling a first cylinder chamber, having a first predefined volume, with fluid received through a first manifold from a first fluid inlet; (ii) dispensing the first predefined amount of the fluid present inside the first cylinder chamber through the first manifold to a fluid outlet; (iii) filling a second cylinder chamber, having a second predefined volume, with fluid received through a second manifold from a second fluid inlet, and wherein filling is carried out contemporaneously with dispensing; (iv) exerting, during dispensing, a deflection-causing force on a first housing that is disposed adjacent to the first cylinder chamber; and (v) preventing, using the deflection-prevention feature, transfer of the deflection-causing force from the first housing to a second housing, which is disposed adjacent to the second cylinder chamber and is disposed adjacent to the first housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump comprising:
 a pump frame comprising:
 two or more housings disposed inside pump frame; 
 one or more deflection-prevention features that, during an operative state of said pump, prevents transfer of a deflection force received at one of said housings to another of said housings; and 
   two or more motors, each disposed inside one of said housings and configured to drive a corresponding piston;   two or more cylinders, each disposed adjacent to a corresponding one of said housings and each of said cylinder having defined therein a cylinder chamber and wherein one end of one of said corresponding pistons capable of protruding into a corresponding one of said cylinder chambers by a corresponding predefined extent;   two or more manifolds, each includes or is communicatively coupled to a fluid inlet, and wherein each of said manifold introduces an amount of fluid received from one of said fluid inlets into said corresponding one of said cylinder chambers;   a fluid outlet for dispensing fluid in a substantially pulse-free manner; and   wherein said deflection-prevention feature prevents deformation of one of said housings and/or another of said housings by preventing, during an operative state of said pump over a period of time, transfer of said deflection force received at one of said housings to another of said housings, and thereby allowing each of said corresponding pistons to protrude into said corresponding cylinder chamber by said corresponding predefined extent such that said fluid outlet dispenses said fluid in a substantially pulse-free manner.   
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said deflection-prevention features are communicatively coupled to one of said chambers and is not communicatively coupled to another of said chambers, and one or more of said deflection-prevention features at least partially surrounds one of said housings to prevent coupling of one of said housings with another of said housings or to effectively isolate, at or near a location of said deflection-prevention feature, one of said housings from another of said housings. 
     
     
         3 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said deflection-prevention features comprises a structural boundary having defined therein a cavity that is filled with air and/or material. 
     
     
         4 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein said two or more housings include:
 (i) a first housing having defined therein a first chamber;   (ii) a second housing having defined therein a second chamber;   
       wherein said two or more motors include:
 (i) a first motor disposed inside said first housing and configured to drive a first piston; 
 (ii) a second motor disposed inside said second housing and configured to drive a second piston; 
 
       wherein said two or more cylinders include:
 (i) a first cylinder disposed adjacent to said first housing and said first cylinder having defined therein a first cylinder chamber and wherein one end of said first piston is capable of protruding into said first cylinder chamber by a first predefined extent; 
 (ii) a second cylinder disposed adjacent to said second housing and said second cylinder having defined therein a second cylinder chamber and wherein one end of said second piston is capable of protruding into said second cylinder chamber by a second predefined extent; 
 
       wherein said two or more manifold include:
 (i) a first manifold includes or is communicatively coupled to a first fluid inlet, and wherein said first manifold introduces a first amount of fluid received from said first fluid inlet into said first cylinder chamber; 
 (ii) a second manifold includes or is communicatively coupled to a second fluid inlet, and wherein said second manifold introduces a second amount of fluid received from said second fluid inlet into said second cylinder chamber; and 
 
       wherein said deflection-prevention feature allows said first piston to continue to protrude into said first cylinder chamber by said first predefined extent and allows said second piston to continue to protrude into said second cylinder chamber by said second predefined extent. 
     
     
         5 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein said first cylinder chamber is designed to store a first predefined volume of said fluid and said second cylinder chamber is designed to store a second predefined volume of said fluid, and wherein said deflection-prevention feature prevents change in amounts of said first predefined volume of fluid stored inside said first cylinder chamber and/or prevents change in amounts of second predefined volume of fluid inside said second cylinder chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 5 , wherein each of said first predefined volume and said second predefined volume is a value that ranges from about 1 ml and about 1,000 ml. 
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1 , further comprising two or more screws, each of which is coupled to said corresponding piston and said corresponding motor such that, during an operative state of said pump, each of said corresponding motor drives said corresponding screw. 
     
     
         8 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein when said fluid outlet dispenses said fluid in a substantially pulse-free manner, said flow rate does not vary more than 0.1% from an average fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         9 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein during operation of said pump, at least two of said pistons operate in a complementary manner, and thereby allowing said pump to continuously dispense said fluid from said fluid outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein said deflection-prevention feature includes two or more compartments, each of which is isolated from the other, and one of said housings being disposed inside one of said compartments and another of said housings being disposed inside another of said compartments and in an assembled configuration of said pump, said deflection-prevention feature at least partially surrounds at least two of said housings to prevent coupling of and/or contact between said at least two of said housings. 
     
     
         11 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein said pump is a dual-piston reciprocating pump or metering pump. 
     
     
         12 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said housings includes a floating member that is: (i) part of one of said housings; (ii) designed to receive said deflection force from one of said motors and/or said pistons; and (iii) isolated from said another of said housings. 
     
     
         13 . A pump frame comprising:
 a first housing having defined therein a first chamber;   a second housing including a floating member and said second housing having defined therein a second chamber, and said second housing is disposed adjacent to said first housing inside said pump frame; and   a deflection-prevention feature communicatively coupled to said first chamber, and not communicatively coupled to said second chamber, and said deflection-prevention feature at least partially surrounds said floating member to prevent coupling, at or near a location of said deflection-prevention feature, of said second housing with said first housing or to effectively isolate, at or near a location of said deflection-prevention feature, said second housing from said first housing.   
     
     
         14 . The pump frame of  claim 14 , wherein said floating member defines a partial boundary of said second chamber and during operation of said pump, said floating member receives a deflection-causing force. 
     
     
         15 . The pump frame of  claim 14 , wherein said deflection-prevention feature surrounds at least one corner of said second housing that is proximate a corner of said first housing. 
     
     
         16 . The pump frame of  claim 14 , wherein a distance between said first housing and a boundary defining said floating member that is closest to said first housing is a value that exceeds about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A pump frame comprising:
 a first housing having defined therein a first chamber;   a second housing having defined therein a second chamber, and said second housing is disposed adjacent to said first housing inside said pump frame; and   deflection-prevention feature includes two or more compartments, each of which is isolated from the other by an isolating component, and said first housing is disposed inside one of said compartments and said second housing is disposed inside another of said compartments and in an assembled configuration of said pump, said deflection-prevention feature at least partially surrounds said first housing and said second housing to prevent coupling of said first housing with said second housing.   
     
     
         18 . The pump of  claim 18 , wherein said isolating component includes a structural boundary having defined therein a cavity that is filled with air and/or material. 
     
     
         19 . A method of dispensing a continuous fluid flow, said method comprising:
 filling a first cylinder chamber, having a first predefined volume, with said fluid received through a first manifold from a first fluid inlet;   dispensing said first predefined amount of said fluid present inside said first cylinder chamber through said first manifold to a fluid outlet;   filling a second cylinder chamber, having a second predefined volume, with said fluid received through a second manifold from a second fluid inlet, and wherein said filling is carried out contemporaneously with said dispensing;   exerting, during said dispensing, a deflection-causing force on a first housing that is disposed adjacent to said first cylinder chamber; and   preventing, using said deflection-prevention feature, transfer of said deflection-causing force from said first housing to a second housing, which is disposed adjacent to said second cylinder chamber and is disposed adjacent to said first housing.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising pressurizing said fluid inside said first cylinder chamber to a first predefined pressure value, and wherein said pressurizing is carried out prior to said dispensing from said first cylinder chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 dispensing said predefined amount of said fluid inside said second cylinder chamber through said second manifold to said fluid outlet;   filling a first cylinder chamber having said predefined volume with said fluid received through a first manifold from said first fluid inlet, and wherein said filling is carried out contemporaneously with said dispensing;   exerting, during said dispensing from said second cylinder chamber, a deflection-causing force on said second housing;   preventing, using said deflection-prevention feature, transfer of said deflection-causing force from said second housing to a first housing.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising pressurizing said fluid inside said second cylinder to a second predefined pressure value. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said first predefined pressure value and said second predefined pressure value is a high pressure that ranges from about 500 psi to about 50,000 psi. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said fluid flow to said fluid outlet has a flow rate that ranges from about 0.00001 ml/min to about 1000 ml/min.