Macerator pump apparatus with an integral waste valve assembly and a quick disconnect discharge assembly
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B02C-023/36
F04C-013/00
B02C-018/00
F04C-005/00
출원번호
US-0169158
(2014-01-31)
등록번호
US-9617993
(2017-04-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Mehta, Vinod K
출원인 / 주소
RARITAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
대리인 / 주소
Tankha, Ash
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
A macerator pump apparatus (MPA) includes a waste valve assembly (WVA), a macerator assembly, a pumping assembly, and a quick disconnect discharge assembly (QDDA). An inlet port of the WVA receives waste matter from a waste holding tank (WHT). A valve member positioned within the WVA directs flow of
A macerator pump apparatus (MPA) includes a waste valve assembly (WVA), a macerator assembly, a pumping assembly, and a quick disconnect discharge assembly (QDDA). An inlet port of the WVA receives waste matter from a waste holding tank (WHT). A valve member positioned within the WVA directs flow of the waste matter to the macerator assembly and isolates the waste matter within the WHT by closing the valve member before the MPA is disassembled for maintenance. The macerator assembly macerates the waste matter and transfers the macerated waste matter to the pumping assembly and to a discharge port of the QDDA. A quick disconnect member detachably connects an outlet plumbing pipe to the discharge port via a quick disconnect valve (QDV) for discharging the macerated waste matter. The QDV isolates the macerated waste matter within the outlet plumbing pipe by closing the QDV before the MPA is disassembled for maintenance.
대표청구항▼
1. A macerator pump apparatus, comprising: a waste valve assembly, comprising: an inlet port detachably connected to a waste holding tank, said inlet port configured to receive waste matter from said waste holding tank;a valve body defining a valve cavity, said valve cavity in fluid communication wi
1. A macerator pump apparatus, comprising: a waste valve assembly, comprising: an inlet port detachably connected to a waste holding tank, said inlet port configured to receive waste matter from said waste holding tank;a valve body defining a valve cavity, said valve cavity in fluid communication with said inlet port; anda valve member positioned within said valve cavity of said valve body, said valve member configured to direct flow of said waste matter from said valve cavity to a macerator cavity of a macerator assembly in fluid communication with said valve cavity via a macerator adaptor, said valve member further configured to isolate said waste matter within said waste holding tank by closing said valve member before said macerator pump apparatus is disassembled for a maintenance operation;said macerator assembly removably fastened to said waste valve assembly, said macerator assembly comprising a macerator housing defining said macerator cavity configured to receive said waste matter from said valve cavity of said waste valve assembly, said macerator assembly configured to macerate said waste matter in said macerator cavity and transfer said macerated waste matter to a pump cavity of a pumping assembly in fluid communication with said macerator cavity;said pumping assembly fixedly connected to said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly comprising a pump housing defining said pump cavity configured to receive said macerated waste matter from said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly configured to pump said macerated waste matter to a discharge port of a quick disconnect discharge assembly in fluid communication with said pump cavity; andsaid quick disconnect discharge assembly operably connected to said pumping assembly, said quick disconnect discharge assembly comprising: said discharge port extending from said pump housing of said pumping assembly, said discharge port configured to receive said macerated waste matter from said pump cavity of said pumping assembly;a quick disconnect member operably connected to said discharge port, said quick disconnect member configured to detachably connect an outlet plumbing pipe to said discharge port via a quick disconnect valve for discharging said macerated waste matter; andsaid quick disconnect valve configured to detachably connect said quick disconnect member to said outlet plumbing pipe, said quick disconnect valve further configured to open and close said outlet plumbing pipe to direct flow of said macerated waste matter through said outlet plumbing pipe, said quick disconnect valve further configured to isolate said macerated waste matter within said outlet plumbing pipe by closing said quick disconnect valve before said macerator pump apparatus is disassembled for said maintenance operation. 2. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said macerator assembly further comprises a macerator blade positioned within said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly, wherein said macerator blade is rotated by an electric motor via a shaft of said electric motor, wherein said shaft of said electric motor is fixedly connected to a hub of said macerator blade, and wherein said macerator blade is configured to macerate said waste matter and direct said macerated waste matter to said pump cavity of said pumping assembly in fluid communication with said macerator cavity. 3. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pumping assembly further comprises an impeller positioned within said pump cavity of said pumping assembly, wherein said impeller is connected to and rotated by an electric motor via a shaft of said electric motor, wherein said shaft of said electric motor is fixedly connected to said impeller, wherein said impeller is configured to pump said macerated waste matter to said discharge port of said quick disconnect discharge assembly in fluid communication with said pump cavity. 4. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 3, wherein said impeller of said pumping assembly is made of an elastomeric material. 5. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said quick disconnect discharge assembly further comprises a discharge seal member positioned between said quick disconnect member and said discharge port of said quick disconnect discharge assembly, wherein said discharge seal member is configured to provide a seal between said quick disconnect member and said discharge port to prevent leakage of said macerated waste matter. 6. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 5, wherein said discharge seal member is an O-ring type seal. 7. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly further comprises a quarter turn knob operably connected to said valve member and said valve body of said waste valve assembly, wherein said quarter turn knob is configured to induce an angular movement in said valve member to open and close said valve member within a one quarter turn range of said quarter turn knob. 8. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 7, wherein said waste valve assembly further comprises an open and close indicator operably connected to said quarter turn knob, wherein said open and close indicator, in communication with said quarter turn knob, is configured to indicate an open position and a closed position of said valve member. 9. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said valve member of said waste valve assembly is a sliding gate valve. 10. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inlet port of said waste valve assembly is configured as one of a threaded fit adaptor, a barb fit adaptor, and a slip fit adaptor to detachably connect to said waste holding tank in one of a threaded fit configuration, a barb fit configuration, and a slip fit configuration respectively. 11. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said quick disconnect member of said quick disconnect discharge assembly is configured as one of a threaded fit adaptor, a barb fit adaptor, and a slip fit adaptor to detachably connect to one of said quick disconnect valve and said outlet plumbing pipe in one of a threaded fit configuration, a barb fit configuration, and a slip fit configuration respectively. 12. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly is made of an inert material. 13. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly further comprises a first valve sealing element sandwiched between said inlet port and said valve member of said waste valve assembly, and a second valve sealing element sandwiched between said valve member of said waste valve assembly and said macerator housing of said macerator assembly, wherein said first valve sealing element and said second valve sealing element are configured to block leakage of said waste matter at points of contact between said inlet port, said valve member, and said macerator cavity. 14. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clip member operably inserted between said discharge port and said quick disconnect member of said quick disconnect discharge assembly, wherein said clip member is configured to detachably connect said quick disconnect member to said discharge port. 15. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly is removably fastened directly to a combination of said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly, and said quick disconnect discharge assembly with minimal space requirements. 16. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly is one of operated manually and operated using a tool member within a quarter turn of said tool member. 17. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly further comprises replaceable valve seal components. 18. The macerator pump apparatus of claim 1, wherein said waste valve assembly is configured to fit in a limited space. 19. A method for macerating and discharging waste matter, said method comprising: providing a macerator pump apparatus comprising: a waste valve assembly, comprising: an inlet port detachably connected to a waste holding tank;a valve body defining a valve cavity, said valve cavity in fluid communication with said inlet port; anda valve member positioned within said valve cavity of said valve body;a macerator assembly removably fastened to said waste valve assembly, said macerator assembly comprising a macerator housing defining a macerator cavity, and a macerator blade, wherein said macerator cavity is in fluid communication with said valve cavity of said waste valve assembly via a macerator adaptor;a pumping assembly fixedly connected to said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly comprising a pump housing defining a pump cavity, and an impeller; anda quick disconnect discharge assembly operably connected to said pumping assembly, said quick disconnect discharge assembly comprising: a discharge port extending from said pump housing of said pumping assembly;a quick disconnect member operably connected to said discharge port, said quick disconnect member configured to detachably connect an outlet plumbing pipe to said discharge port via a quick disconnect valve; andsaid quick disconnect valve configured to detachably connect said quick disconnect member to said outlet plumbing pipe;receiving said waste matter from said waste holding tank into said valve cavity of said valve body of said waste valve assembly by said inlet port;directing flow of said received waste matter from said valve cavity to said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly by said valve member of said waste valve assembly;macerating said received waste matter in said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly by said macerator blade positioned within said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly;suctioning said macerated waste matter to said pump cavity of said pumping assembly in fluid communication with said macerator cavity by a suction force generated by said impeller positioned within said pump cavity;pumping said macerated waste matter from said pump cavity to said discharge port of said quick disconnect discharge assembly in fluid communication with said pump cavity by said impeller; anddirecting said macerated waste matter from said discharge port to said outlet plumbing pipe via said quick disconnect member of said quick disconnect discharge assembly by opening and closing said quick disconnect valve of said quick disconnect discharge assembly. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising rotating said macerator blade of said macerator assembly by an electric motor via a shaft of said electric motor to macerate said received waste matter and direct said macerated waste matter to said pump cavity of said pumping assembly in fluid communication with said macerator cavity, wherein said shaft of said electric motor is fixedly connected to a hub of said macerator blade. 21. The method of claim 19, further comprising rotating said impeller of said pumping assembly by an electric motor via a shaft of said electric motor to pump said macerated waste matter to said discharge port of said quick disconnect discharge assembly in fluid communication with said pump cavity of said pumping assembly, wherein said shaft of said electric motor is fixedly connected to said impeller. 22. The method of claim 19, further comprising inducing an angular movement in said valve member of said waste valve assembly to open and close said valve member by a quarter turn knob operably connected to said valve member and said valve body of said waste valve assembly, wherein said quarter turn knob is configured to open and close said valve member within a one quarter turn range of said quarter turn knob. 23. The method of claim 19, further comprising detachably connecting said quick disconnect member of said quick disconnect discharge assembly to said discharge port of said quick disconnect discharge assembly by a clip member operably inserted between said discharge port and said quick disconnect member. 24. A method for isolating waste matter within a waste holding tank, and isolating macerated waste matter within an outlet plumbing pipe during a maintenance operation of a macerator pump apparatus, said method comprising: providing said macerator pump apparatus comprising: a waste valve assembly, comprising: an inlet port detachably connected to said waste holding tank, said inlet port configured to receive said waste matter from said waste holding tank;a valve body defining a valve cavity, said valve cavity in fluid communication with said inlet port; anda valve member positioned within said valve cavity of said valve body, said valve member configured to direct flow of said waste matter from said valve cavity to a macerator cavity of a macerator assembly in fluid communication with said valve cavity via a macerator adaptor;said macerator assembly removably fastened to said waste valve assembly, said macerator assembly comprising a macerator housing defining said macerator cavity configured to receive said waste matter from said valve cavity of said waste valve assembly, said macerator assembly configured to macerate said waste matter in said macerator cavity and transfer said macerated waste matter to a pump cavity of a pumping assembly in fluid communication with said macerator cavity;said pumping assembly fixedly connected to said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly comprising a pump housing defining said pump cavity configured to receive said macerated waste matter from said macerator cavity of said macerator assembly, said pumping assembly configured to pump said macerated waste matter to a discharge port of a quick disconnect discharge assembly in fluid communication with said pump cavity; andsaid quick disconnect discharge assembly operably connected to said pumping assembly, said quick disconnect discharge assembly comprising: said discharge port extending from said pump housing of said pumping assembly, said discharge port configured to receive said macerated waste matter from said pump cavity of said pumping assembly;a quick disconnect member operably connected to said discharge port, said quick disconnect member configured to detachably connect said outlet plumbing pipe to said discharge port via a quick disconnect valve for discharging said macerated waste matter; andsaid quick disconnect valve configured to detachably connect said quick disconnect member to said outlet plumbing pipe, said quick disconnect valve further configured to open and close said outlet plumbing pipe to direct flow of said macerated waste matter through said outlet plumbing pipe;isolating said waste matter within said waste holding tank by closing said valve member of said waste valve assembly before said macerator pump apparatus is disassembled for said maintenance operation; andisolating said macerated waste matter within said outlet plumbing pipe by closing said quick disconnect valve of said quick disconnect discharge assembly before said macerator pump apparatus is disassembled for said maintenance operation.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Phillips,David L.; Caldwell,Gerard K.; Naval, Jr.,Rufino, Apparatus for adapting waste disposal pump to waste discharge ports of RV's, RV park systems, trains, airplanes, buses, boats and portable toilet applications, for easy and sanitary disposal of waste.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.