Pump and a method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a pump including a housing having a first part and a second part, a first bracket, and a second bracket. The first part has a first flange positioned on a first circumference and the second part has a second flange positioned on a second circumference. The first bracket is positioned adjacent to the first flange. The second bracket is positioned adjacent to the second flange. The first bracket and the second bracket are coupled to one another to press the first part of the housing against the second part of the housing. The first bracket and the second bracket are substantially parallel to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump, comprising:
 a housing having a first part and a second part, the first part having a first flange defining a first circumference and the second part having a second flange defining a second circumference;   a first bracket positioned adjacent to the first flange; and   a second bracket positioned adjacent to the second flange,   the first bracket and the second bracket are coupled to one another to press the first part of the housing against the second part of the housing, and   the first bracket and the second bracket are substantially parallel to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange defines a first flange surface and the second flange defines a second flange surface, the first flange surface being substantially parallel to the second flange surface. 
     
     
         3 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first bracket defines a first bracket surface and the second bracket defines a second bracket surface, the first bracket surface being substantially parallel to the second bracket surface. 
     
     
         4 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange defines a first flange surface, the second flange defines a second flange surface, the first bracket defines a first bracket surface, and the second bracket defines a second bracket surface, and
 the first flange surface, the second flange surface, the first bracket surface, and the second bracket surface are all substantially parallel.   
     
     
         5 . The pump of  claim 4 , wherein the first bracket surface is arranged to abut the first flange surface and the second bracket surface is arranged to abut the second flange surface. 
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange and the second flange each include one or more flange through-holes for fastening the first part of the housing to the second part of the housing, and
 the first bracket and the second bracket each include one or more bracket through-holes corresponding to the one or more flange through-holes for fastening the first bracket to the first flange and the second bracket to the second flange.   
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the first bracket and the second bracket each include a protrusion, and a width of the protrusion is greater than a first width of the first bracket and a second width of the second bracket. 
     
     
         8 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the first bracket and the second bracket define a notch in the respective protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first bracket and the second bracket are formed of a plurality of arcuate bracket segments. 
     
     
         10 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of arcuate bracket segments circumferentially abut and overlap one another. 
     
     
         11 . A pump comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion of a housing, the first portion and the second portion being pressed against one another by a first bracket and a second bracket; and   a fastener inserted through and securing the first portion, the second portion, the first bracket, and the second bracket together.   
     
     
         12 . The pump of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion includes a body and a plurality of bosses that are spaced circumferentially about the body, and
 the second portion includes an end plate having a plurality of protrusions that are spaced circumferentially about the end plate.   
     
     
         13 . The pump of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of bosses each include a boss surface and the boss surfaces define a first plane, and
 the plurality of protrusions each include a protrusion surface and the protrusion surfaces define a second plane, the first plane and the second plane being substantially parallel to one another.   
     
     
         14 . The pump of  claim 13 , wherein a first inward face of the first bracket, a second inward face of the second bracket, the first plane, and the second plane are all substantially parallel. 
     
     
         15 . The pump of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of bosses includes a boss through-hole, each of the plurality of protrusions includes a protrusion through-hole, the first bracket includes a plurality of first bracket through-holes and the second bracket includes a plurality of second bracket through-holes. 
     
     
         16 . The pump of  claim 15 , wherein the fastener is one of a plurality of fasteners inserted through and securing the first portion, the second portion, the first bracket, and the second bracket together. 
     
     
         17 . The pump of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of fasteners extends through one of the boss through-holes, one of the protrusion through-holes, one of the first bracket through-holes, and one of the second bracket through-holes. 
     
     
         18 . The pump of  claim 16 , wherein
 a first subset of the plurality of fasteners are inserted in a first direction and a second subset of the plurality of fasteners are inserted in a second direction, and   the first direction is opposite the second direction.   
     
     
         19 . A method of assembling a pump, the method comprising,
 fitting a first portion and a second portion of a housing together;   aligning a first through-hole of the first portion with a second through-hole of the second portion;   placing a first bracket against the first portion;   placing a second bracket against the second portion;   aligning a first bracket through-hole of the first bracket with the first through-hole and the second through-hole;   aligning a second bracket through-hole of the second bracket with the first through-hole, the second through-hole, and the first bracket through-hole;   inserting a fastener through the first bracket through-hole, the first through-hole, the second through-hole, and the second bracket through-hole; and   tightening the fastener against the first bracket and the second bracket.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein when the fastener is tightened against the first bracket and the second bracket, the first bracket and the second bracket are substantially parallel.