Valveless pump

Claim 2

A valveless pump comprising a housing, said housing including means for defining first and second chambers separated from one another, each of said chambers having a closed end and an open end, the open end of each chamber extending adjacent the closed end of the other, said second chamber being of annular extent and surrounding said first chamber, magnetic means for generating a magnetic field extending in said second chamber, a fluid ejecting magnetically-responsive hollow piston freely disposed in said first chamber for axial displacement in the latter, means for defining a fluid inlet channel communicating with both said first chamber and internally with said hollow piston, means defining a fluid outlet channel communicating with said first chamber for receiving fluid ejected by said piston, said piston including opposite open-ended portions, one of said open-ended portions being of lesser open extent than that of the other and most proximate said outlet channel, said inlet channel being of annular extent and surrounding said outlet channel, said open end of said first chamber being annularly spaced from said outlet channel and tapering outwardly axially relative to the latter in a direction of fluid ejection by said piston.

Claim 3

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for defining said first and second chambers is constituted as a singular seamless body sealing said first and second chambers from fluid-leakage communication with one another.

Claim 4

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein said seamless body is constituted of non-metallic material of low heat conductivity.

Claim 5

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outlet channel and said open end of said first chamber are operatively associated with one another in press-fit relation.

Claim 6

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said open end of said first chamber includes an axially raised extent relative to said second chamber, said raised extent including an externally threaded surface, said pump further including an internally threaded collar operatively associated with the externally threaded surface of said first chamber for connecting said pump to an external water-carrying source such that the latter is interpositioned between said collar and said second chamber.

Claim 7

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic means includes both an electromagnet and a permanent magnet in operative association with one another.

Claim 8

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet is more proximate said closed end of said second chamber than that of said electromagnet.

Claim 9

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second chamber includes a metallic casing in which said magnetic means extends.

Claim 10

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 1 including means for closing said open end of said second chamber and concealing said magnetic means therein.

Claim 11

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second chamber includes a metallic casing in which said permanent magnet and said electromagnet are disposed, said metallic casing including a first portion engaging said permanent magnet proximate said closed end of said second chamber to define a first magnetic pole disposed on one side of said electromagnet, a second portion of said metallic casing extending to an opposite side of said electromagnet to define a second magnetic pole, said first and second magnetic poles being of the same polarity.

Claim 12

A valveless pump as claimed in claim 10, wherein a metal washer is disposed in said metallic casing between said permanent magnet and said electro-magnet, said metal washer engaging said permanent magnet to define a third magnetic pole disposed between said first and second magnetic poles, said third magnetic pole being of a different polarity than said first and second magnetic poles.

Claim 13

A valveless pump comprising a housing, said housing including means for defining first and second chambers separated from one another, each of said chambers having a closed end and an open end, the open end of each chamber extending adjacent the closed end of the other, said second chamber being of annular extent and surrounding said first chamber, magnetic means for generating a magnetic field extending in said second chamber, a fluid ejecting magnetically-responsive hollow piston freely disposed in said first chamber for axial displacement in the latter, means for defining a fluid inlet channel communicating with both said first chamber and internally with said hollow piston, means defining a fluid outlet channel communicating with said first chamber for receiving fluid ejected by said piston, said magnetic means including both an electromagnet and a permanent magnet in operative association with one another, said second chamber including a metallic casing in which said magnetic means extends, said permanent magnet being more proximate said closed end of said second chamber than that of said electromagnet,said electromagnet including a pair of axially opposite ends and a mid-section equidistant from the latter said opposite ends, said electromagnet including terminals initiating at said mid-section for operative association with an electric power source, said permanent magnet having an extreme pole extending away from said electromagnet and proximate to said closed end of said second chamber, said piston including a metallic body including axially opposite open ends and having an axial extent substantially equal to that distance separating said mid-section from said extreme pole, said piston including a pair of plastic annular members connected respectively to the open ends of said metallic body, one of said plastic annular members having a lesser open extent than the other, the plastic annular member of lesser open extent including an inwardly tapered peripheral portion extending from said metallic body in a direction of fluid ejection of said pistion.

Claim 14

A valveless pump comprising a housing, said housing including means for defining first and second chambers separated from one another, each of said chambers having a closed end and an open end, the open end of each chamber extending adjacent the closed end of the other, said second chamber being of annular extent and surrounding said first chamber, magnetic means for generating a magnetic field extending in said second chamber, a fluid ejecting magnetically-responsive hollow piston freely disposed in said first chamber for axial displacement in the latter, means for defining a fluid inlet channel communicating with both said first chamber and internally with said hollow piston, means defining a fluid outlet channel communicating with said first chamber for receiving fluid ejected by said piston, said magnetic means including both an electromagnet and a permanent magnet in operative association with one another, said second chamber including a metallic casing in which said magnetic means extends, said permanent magnet being more proximate said closed end of said second chamber than that of said electromagnet,said electromagnet including a pair of axially opposite ends and a mid-section equidistant from the latter said opposite ends, said electromagnet including terminals initiating at said mid-section for operative association with an electric power source, said permanent magnet having an extreme pole extending away from said electromagnet and proximate to said closed end of said second chamber, said piston including a metallic body including axially opposite open ends and having an axial extent substantially equal to that distance separating said mid-section from said extreme pole, said piston including a pair of plastic annular members connected respectively to the open ends of said metallic body, one of said plastic annular members having a lesser open extent than the other, the plastic annular member of lesser open extent including an inwardly tapered peripheral portion extending from said metallic body in a direction of fluid ejection of said pistion.