Pump assembly including fluid cylinder and tapered valve seats

Abstract

According to one aspect, a pump assembly includes a fluid cylinder, the fluid cylinder including a fluid passage, the fluid passage defining a tapered internal shoulder of the fluid cylinder, the tapered internal shoulder defining a first angle. A valve controls flow of fluid through the fluid passage. The valve includes a valve seat, which is disposed in the fluid passage and includes a tapered external shoulder, the tapered external shoulder defining a second angle. In one embodiment, the first tapered external shoulder engages the first tapered internal shoulder to distribute and transfer loading.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A valve seat adapted to be disposed within a fluid cylinder of a pump assembly, the valve seat comprising:
 a seat body defining an axis, the seat body comprising an enlarged-diameter portion defining a tapered external shoulder extending at a first acute angle from the axis and a tapered surface extending at a second acute angle from the axis;
 wherein the tapered external shoulder is adapted to engage the fluid cylinder of the pump assembly; and 
 wherein the first and second acute angles are measured from the axis in a same angular direction, the first acute angle being less than the second acute angle; 
   and   a bore extending through the seat body along the axis;   wherein the tapered surface is adapted to be reciprocably engaged by a valve member of the pump assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The valve seat of  claim 1 , wherein the seat body further defines a first outside surface having a first outside diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The valve seat of  claim 2 , wherein the first outside surface is adapted to engage the fluid cylinder of the valve seat. 
     
     
         4 . The valve seat of  claim 2 , wherein the enlarged-diameter portion further defines a second outside surface extending axially from the tapered external shoulder, the second outside surface having a second outside diameter that is greater than the first outside diameter. 
     
     
         5 . The valve seat of  claim 4 , wherein the tapered external shoulder is axially disposed between the first outside surface and the second outside surface. 
     
     
         6 . The valve seat of  claim 2 , wherein the bore defines an inside surface having an inside diameter that is less than the first outside diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The valve seat of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an annular groove formed in the first outside surface and having a groove diameter that is less than the first outside diameter and greater than the inside diameter; and   a sealing element disposed within the annular groove.   
     
     
         8 . The valve seat of  claim 2 , wherein the first outside surface is tapered at a third acute angle measured in the same angular direction from the axis, the third acute angle being less than both the first and second acute angles. 
     
     
         9 . The valve seat of  claim 2 , further comprising an annular notch formed in the seat body adjacent each of the first outside surface and the tapered external shoulder. 
     
     
         10 . The valve seat of  claim 1 , wherein the tapered external shoulder defines a frusto-conical surface. 
     
     
         11 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a fluid cylinder;   a valve seat disposed within the fluid cylinder, the valve seat comprising:
 a seat body defining an axis, the seat body comprising an enlarged-diameter portion defining a tapered external shoulder extending at a first acute angle from the axis and a tapered surface extending at a second acute angle from the axis;
 wherein the tapered external shoulder engages the fluid cylinder of the pump assembly; and 
 wherein the first and second acute angles are measured from the axis in a same angular direction, the first acute angle being less than the second acute angle; 
 
 and 
 a bore extending through the seat body along the axis; 
   and   a valve member reciprocable to sealingly engage the tapered surface.   
     
     
         12 . The pump assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the seat body further defines a first outside surface having a first outside diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first outside surface engages the fluid cylinder of the pump assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the enlarged-diameter portion further defines a second outside surface extending axially from the tapered external shoulder, the second outside surface having a second outside diameter that is greater than the first outside diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The pump assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the tapered external shoulder is axially disposed between the first outside surface and the second outside surface. 
     
     
         16 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the bore defines an inside surface having an inside diameter that is less than the first outside diameter. 
     
     
         17 . The pump assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an annular groove formed in the first outside surface and having a groove diameter that is less than the first outside diameter and greater than the inside diameter; and   a sealing element disposed within the annular groove.   
     
     
         18 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first outside surface is tapered at a third acute angle measured in the same angular direction from the axis, the third acute angle being less than both the first and second acute angles. 
     
     
         19 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising an annular notch formed in the seat body adjacent each of the first outside surface and the tapered external shoulder. 
     
     
         20 . The pump assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the tapered external shoulder defines a frusto-conical surface.