阅读说明：本技术 流体喷射器泵的活塞杆套筒 (Piston rod sleeve for fluid ejector pump ) 是由 杰里米·D·豪仑英 奥古斯特·F·莱格特 于 2020-01-13 设计创作，主要内容包括：活塞杆包括可移除地附接到活塞杆主体的活塞端部。套筒围绕活塞杆主体延伸并且与布置在泵内的密封件连接。从活塞端部延伸的环限定了在活塞端部中形成的承窝的至少一部分,该承窝用于连接活塞端部和活塞杆主体的。所述环具有圆柱形环外部,并且所述套筒设置在所述圆柱形环外部上,使得所述柄、所述环和所述套筒在径向上彼此重叠。(The piston rod includes a piston end removably attached to a piston rod body. The sleeve extends around the piston rod body and is connected with a seal arranged within the pump. A ring extending from the piston end defines at least a portion of a socket formed in the piston end for connecting the piston end and the piston rod body. The ring has a cylindrical ring exterior and the sleeve is disposed on the cylindrical ring exterior such that the shank, the ring, and the sleeve radially overlap one another.)

1. A piston component of a piston of a paint sprayer, the piston having a sleeve and a shank, the piston component comprising:

a socket for receiving the shank; and

a ring protruding from the piston member and defining at least a portion of the socket, the ring having a cylindrical ring exterior, wherein the shank fits within the socket and the sleeve is disposed on the cylindrical ring exterior such that the shank, the ring, and the sleeve radially overlap one another.

2. The piston component of claim 1, wherein the shank and the socket are complementarily threaded for attachment to one another.

3. The piston component of claim 1, wherein the piston component is a piston end disposed at a distal end of a piston rod.

4. A piston assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the piston end includes a shoulder projecting radially outwardly from the exterior of the cylindrical ring.

5. A piston component according to claim 4, wherein an end of the sleeve engages the shoulder when the sleeve is disposed over the exterior of the cylindrical ring.

6. A piston assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the cylindrical ring exterior forms a first centring control portion which axially aligns the sleeve relative to the piston end.

7. The piston component of claim 3, wherein the piston end is one of a piston head disposed at an upstream end of the piston rod and a piston cap disposed at a downstream end of the piston rod.

8. The piston component of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is retained on the piston rod of the piston by engagement between a first end of the sleeve and a piston head shoulder formed on a piston head disposed at a piston rod body upstream end of the piston rod, and by engagement between a second end of the sleeve and a piston cap shoulder of a piston cap disposed at a piston rod body downstream end, wherein one of the piston cap and the piston head forms the piston component such that the ring extends from one of the piston head shoulder and the piston cap shoulder.

9. A piston of a paint sprayer configured to reciprocate on a piston axis, the piston comprising:

a piston rod body having a first cylindrical outer surface;

a piston end having a second cylindrical outer surface, the piston end being detachable from and reattachable to the piston rod body; and

a sleeve mountable on the piston rod body, the sleeve having a cylindrical inner surface;

wherein the cylindrical inner surface is disposed on and overlaps each of the first and second cylindrical outer surfaces when the sleeve is mounted on the piston rod body and the piston end is attached to the piston rod body.

10. The piston of claim 9, wherein a first one of the piston rod body and the piston end has a shank and a second one of the piston rod body and the piston end has a socket configured to receive the shank to attach the piston rod body to the piston end.

11. The piston of claim 9, wherein the piston end includes a shoulder adjacent to and extending radially relative to the second cylindrical outer surface, and wherein the end of the sleeve engages the shoulder when the sleeve is disposed on the second cylindrical outer surface.

12. The piston of claim 9, wherein the second cylindrical outer surface includes a first centering control portion configured to engage the cylindrical inner surface and align the sleeve relative to the piston axis.

13. The piston of claim 12, wherein the first cylindrical outer surface includes a second centering control portion configured to engage the cylindrical inner surface and align the sleeve relative to the piston axis.

14. The piston of claim 13, wherein the piston rod body includes at least one non-centering portion disposed along the first cylindrical outer surface, wherein the piston rod body has a first diameter at the second centering control portion and the piston rod body has a second diameter at the at least one non-centering portion, and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter such that when the piston rod body is positioned within the piston, the cylindrical inner surface of the sleeve is not in contact with the at least one non-centering portion due to the sleeve being disposed over the second centering control portion.

15. The piston of claim 14, wherein the shank extends from the piston rod body and the piston rod body includes a recess formed adjacent the shank, the piston rod body having a third diameter at the recess, and the third diameter being less than the second diameter.

16. The piston of claim 9, wherein the second cylindrical outer surface is formed on a ring extending from the piston end.

17. The piston of claim 16, wherein the ring defines a socket that receives a shank extending from the piston rod body to connect the piston rod body to the piston end.

18. The piston of claim 17, wherein the shank, the ring, and the sleeve radially overlap one another.

19. A method of assembling a piston, the method comprising:

sliding a sleeve onto a first portion of a piston rod such that a circumferential inner surface of the sleeve contacts and slides over a first centering control portion formed on the first portion of the piston rod; and

inserting a shank formed on one of the first portion of the piston rod and the second portion of the piston rod into a socket formed on the other of the first portion of the piston rod and the second portion of the piston rod to secure the first portion of the piston rod to the second portion of the piston rod, wherein the circumferential inner surface of the sleeve slides over and contacts a second centering control portion formed on the second portion of the piston rod;

wherein the first and second centering control portions support the sleeve on the piston rod and align the sleeve on a longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein securing the first portion of the piston rod to the second portion of the piston rod includes engaging a connecting thread formed on the first portion of the piston rod and the second portion of the piston rod.

Background

The present disclosure relates generally to piston rods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a removable sleeve for a piston rod.

Fluid dispensing systems, such as those used for paints and other solutions, typically utilize an axial displacement pump to draw fluid from a source and drive the fluid downstream. An axial displacement pump includes a piston driven in a reciprocating manner along its longitudinal axis to pump fluid. As the piston reciprocates, fluid is drawn into the pump and driven downstream. Displacement pumps include dynamic seals to prevent fluid from leaking around the piston. The piston may be subject to significant wear due to a combination of factors such as the high pressures generated during pumping, the cyclical relative movement of the connected parts such as the piston and dynamic seals, and the abrasive nature of the pumped fluid. Even where the piston is made of high grade hardened steel, the abrasive nature and high pressure of the pumped fluid can cause excessive piston wear. If the piston wears, the entire piston needs to be replaced.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a piston member for a piston of a paint sprayer, wherein the piston has a sleeve and a shank, the piston member comprising: a socket for receiving the shank and a ring projecting from the piston member and defining at least a portion of the socket. The ring has a cylindrical ring exterior, wherein the shank fits within the socket and the sleeve is disposed on the cylindrical ring exterior such that the shank, the ring, and the sleeve radially overlap one another.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a piston of a paint sprayer, wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate on a piston axis, the piston comprising: a piston rod body having a first cylindrical outer surface; a piston end having a second cylindrical outer surface, wherein the piston end is detachable and reattachable from the piston rod body; and a sleeve mountable on the piston rod body, wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical inner surface. The cylindrical inner surface is disposed on and overlaps each of the first and second cylindrical outer surfaces when the sleeve is mounted on the piston rod body and the piston end is attached to the piston rod body.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a piston includes: sliding a sleeve onto a first portion of a piston rod such that a circumferential inner surface of the sleeve contacts and slides over a first centering control portion formed on the first portion of the piston rod; inserting a shank formed on one of the first portion of the piston rod and the second portion of the piston rod into a socket formed on the other of the first portion of the piston rod and the second portion of the piston rod to secure the first portion of the piston rod to the second portion of the piston rod. The circumferential inner surface of the sleeve slides over and contacts a second centering control portion formed on the second portion of the piston rod. The first and second centering control portions support the sleeve on the piston rod and align the sleeve on a longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is an isometric view of a fluid dispensing system.

FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the fluid dispensing system shown in FIG. 1A.

Fig. 2A is an isometric view of the pump.

Fig. 2B is a sectional view taken along line B-B in fig. 2A.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the piston rod assembly.

Fig. 4A is a first exploded view of the piston rod assembly.

Fig. 4B is a second exploded view of the piston rod assembly.

Fig. 4C is an enlarged detail view of detail C in fig. 4B.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the piston.

Fig. 5B is an enlarged detail view of detail B in fig. 5A.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the piston.

Detailed Description

Pumps according to the present disclosure reciprocate within the cylinder to pump various fluids, examples of which include paints, water, oils, stains, finishes, aggregates, coatings, and solvents, among other options. Piston pumps can generate very high fluid pumping pressures, such as 3,000 and 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi) (about 20.7-34.5 megapascals (MPa)) and even higher. Higher fluid pumping pressures may be used to atomize the fluid into a spray to apply the fluid to the surface. Generating high fluid pumping pressures can cause accelerated wear of the components of the pump that reciprocate relative to each other. As discussed further herein, aspects of the present disclosure may reduce the effects of wear in piston pumps.

Fig. 1A is an isometric view of a fluid dispensing system 10. Fig. 1B is an exploded view of fluid dispensing system 10. Fig. 1A and 1B will be discussed together. Fluid dispensing system 10 includes a frame 12, a motor portion 14, a drive housing 16, a displacement pump 18, a reciprocating drive 20 (fig. 1B), a control system 22, an inlet hose 24, a supply hose 26, a dispensing hose 28, a housing cover 30, and a handle 32. As shown in fig. 1B, the motor portion 14 includes a motor housing 34 and a drive gear 36, and the drive gear 36 includes an eccentric drive pin 37. The actuator housing 16 includes an upper portion 38 and a lower portion 40. The upper portion 38 includes a gear aperture 42 and a link aperture 44. Lower portion 40 includes a mounting cavity 46 and a shield 48. As shown in fig. 1B, displacement pump 18 includes a piston 50 (which includes a piston rod 52 and a sleeve 54 (shown in fig. 2B-6)), a cylinder 56, an inlet housing 58, and a clamp 60. The cylinder 56 includes an upstream end 62, a downstream end 64, and an outlet port 66. The inlet housing 58 includes an inlet port 68. The reciprocating drive 20 includes a connecting rod 70 and a drive link 72. The control system 22 includes a control housing 74. The inlet hose 24 includes an inlet fitting 76 and the supply hose 26 includes a supply fitting 78.

The frame 12 supports a motor section 14, and a driver housing 16 is mounted to the motor section 14. Fasteners 80a (fig. 1B) extend through the driver housing 16 and into the motor section 14 to secure the driver housing 16 to the motor section 14. The handle 32 is attached to the driver housing 16 by a fastener 80B (fig. 1B), the fastener 80B extending through the driver housing 16 and into the handle 32. Housing shroud 30 is attached to upper portion 38 of drive housing 16 and encloses upper portion 38 of drive housing 16. The drive gear 36 is disposed within the motor section 14 and extends through a gear aperture 42 into the upper portion 38 of the driver housing 16. The drive gear 36 is driven by a motor (not shown) disposed within the motor housing 34. The eccentric drive pin 37 extends into the upper portion 38 and is configured to engage the connecting rod 70. Any desired motor may be used to power the drive gear 36. For example, the fluid distribution system 10 may be electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically powered.

The upper portion 38 of the actuator housing 16 may be integral with the lower portion 40 of the actuator housing 16. A gear aperture 42 extends through the rear side of the upper portion 38, while a link aperture 44 extends between the upper and lower portions 38, 40 of the driver housing 16. Mounting cavity 46 extends into lower portion 40 and is configured to receive displacement pump 18. A shield 48 is mounted on the lower portion 40 and is configured to cover the mounting cavity 46.

Disposed within the driver housing 16 is a reciprocating driver 20. The drive link 72 is attached to the connecting rod 70. The connecting rod 70 is disposed within the upper portion 38 of the actuator housing, and the drive link 72 extends through the link aperture 44 and into the mounting cavity 46. The connecting rod 70 is attached to and driven by the drive gear 36 that extends through the gear aperture 42 into the upper portion 38. The connecting rod 70 and the eccentric drive pin 37 convert the rotational motion of the drive gear 36 into linear motion of the drive link 72.

Displacement pump 18 is at least partially disposed within mounting cavity 46 and may be secured by clamp 60. Clamp 60 extends around cylinder 56, and clamp 60 secures displacement pump 18 to lower portion 40 of drive housing 16. Although displacement pump 18 is described as being secured to drive housing 16 by clamp 60 disposed on cylinder 56, it should be appreciated that displacement pump 18 may be mounted in any suitable manner. For example, displacement pump 18 may include external threads configured to mate with threads on drive housing 16, or displacement pump 18 may be secured by a clamping mechanism integral with drive housing 16.

Inlet housing 58 is attached to an upstream end 62 of cylinder 56 to form the body of displacement pump 18. Piston 50 is at least partially disposed within the body of displacement pump 18. The piston rod 52 extends into the cylinder 56 through a downstream end 64 of the cylinder 56. The end of the piston rod 52 that extends out of the cylinder 56 is connected to a drive link 72, and the drive link 72 is configured to drive the piston rod 52 in a reciprocating manner. Piston rod 52 may be connected to drive link 72 in any suitable manner; for example, piston rod 52 may include a head that fits in a slot on drive link 72, or piston rod 52 may be fixed to drive link 72.

Inlet hose 24 extends between the fluid source and displacement pump 18. An inlet fitting 76 is connected to the inlet port 68 to provide fluid to the inlet housing 58. The supply hose 26 extends between the outlet port 66 of the cylinder 56 and the control housing 74 to provide fluid from the displacement pump 18 to the control housing 74. Supply fitting 78 connects to outlet port 66 to attach supply hose 26 to displacement pump 18. The dispensing hose 28 is connected to the control housing 74 and extends between the control housing 74 and a dispenser (not shown), such as a spray gun. The control system 22 includes various components, such as pressure regulators and trigger valves, for setting the flow rate and flow pressure of the fluid, as well as other operating criteria. The dispensing hose 28 provides fluid downstream of the fluid dispensing system 10.

During operation, the motor of the motor section 14 drives the drive gear 36 in a rotating manner, and the connecting rod 70 follows the drive gear 36 due to the connection of the eccentric drive pin 37 and the connecting rod 70. The connecting rod 70 converts the rotational motion of the drive gear 36 into linear motion of the drive link 72 such that the drive link 72 reciprocates through the link aperture 44. Due to the connection of the piston rod 52 and the drive link 72, the drive link 72 thereby drives the piston 50 in a reciprocating manner. Driving piston 50 in a reciprocating manner causes piston 50 to draw fluid into displacement pump 18 through inlet hose 24 and inlet housing 58, and pump the fluid downstream through cylinder 56 and supply hose 26.

Fluid is drawn from an external source (e.g., a bucket) through inlet hose 24 and into displacement pump 18 through inlet port 68. Fluid is driven by piston 50 through displacement pump 18 and fluid exits displacement pump 18 through outlet port 66 in cylinder 56. Fluid flows from the outlet port 66 into the supply hose 26 and to the control housing 74. The fluid exits the control housing 74 through the dispensing hose 28 and flows downstream to a dispenser where it can be dispensed for any desired purpose, such as applying paint on a surface with a spray gun. Accordingly, displacement pump 18 draws fluid from a reservoir through inlet hose 24, drives the fluid downstream through supply hose 26 to control system 22, and drives the fluid through dispensing hose 28 and to a dispenser where the fluid is applied in any desired manner.

Fig. 2A is an isometric view of displacement pump 18. Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of displacement pump 18 taken along line B-B in fig. 2A. Displacement pump 18 includes a piston 50, a cylinder 56, an inlet housing 58, a first check valve 82, a second check valve 84, and first and second dynamic seals 86a, 86b (collectively referred to herein as "dynamic seals 86"). The piston 50 includes a piston rod 52 and a sleeve 54. The piston rod 52 includes a piston cap 88, a piston rod body 90, and a piston head 92. The sleeve 54 includes a sleeve body 94, a first end 96 and a second end 98. The piston cap 88 includes a cap shoulder 102 and a connecting portion 104. The piston rod body 90 includes an upstream end 106, a downstream end 108, a sealing groove 110, and a shank 112. The piston head 92 includes a socket 100, a central bore 114, a flange 116, a head shoulder 118, and a ridge 119.

As shown, the socket 100 receives a shank 112 to connect the piston head 92 to the piston rod body 90. In some examples, the shank 112 and socket 100 include connecting threads to threadedly connect the piston head 92 and piston rod body 90. However, it should be understood that the socket 100 and the shank 112 may be connected in any desired manner to secure the piston head 92 to the piston rod body 90. The piston head 92 also includes a protruding ring 156, the protruding ring 156 extending in a downstream direction from the remainder of the piston head 92.

Piston 50 is coaxial with longitudinal axes L-L-thus, piston rod 52, piston cap 88, piston head 92, and sleeve 50 are coaxial with longitudinal axes L-L-vector R is shown extending orthogonally relative to longitudinal axes L-L-as shown, vector R extends through each of rod 112, protruding ring 156, and sleeve 50-in this manner, rod 112, protruding ring 156, and sleeve 50 radially overlap relative to longitudinal axes L-L.

The cylinder 56 includes an outlet port 66 (shown in fig. 2A) and an inner cylinder portion 124, and at least partially defines a first fluid chamber 120 and a second fluid chamber 122. The inlet housing 58 includes an inlet port 68. The first check valve 82 includes a cage 126, a first ball 128, and a first valve seat 130. The second check valve 84 includes a second ball 132, a second seat 134, and a retainer 136. Dynamic seal 86a includes a packing ring 138a and a gland 140a, and dynamic seal 86b includes a packing ring 138b and a gland 140 b. A generally downstream direction is indicated by a downstream arrow and a generally upstream direction is indicated by an upstream arrow.

Inlet housing 58 is mounted to cylinder 56 to form the body of displacement pump 18, outlet port 66 extends through cylinder 56, piston 50 is at least partially disposed within cylinder 56, piston 50 extends along longitudinal axes L-L, wherein longitudinal axes L-L are oriented coaxially with the generally elongated profile of displacement pump 18, piston rod 52 extends into cylinder 56 through cap 63 and fill nut 65, piston rod 52 is elongated along longitudinal axes L-L piston rod 52 may be made of any suitable durable material to withstand the high pressures associated with pumping.

A first check valve 82 is mounted in the inlet housing 58. A ball retainer 126 is disposed within the inlet housing 58 and a first ball 128 is disposed in the ball retainer 126. In some examples, the ball retainer 126 is molded from a polymer, but it should be appreciated that the ball retainer 126 may be made from any suitable durable material to retain the first ball 128 through repeated oscillation cycles. The first valve seat 130 is disposed between the ball retainer 126 and the inlet port 68 of the inlet housing 58. The second check valve 84 is disposed within the central bore 114 of the piston head 92. The retainer 136 engages the inner surface of the piston head 92, such as by threaded engagement, to secure the second valve seat 134 within the piston head 92. In some examples, the second valve seat 134 is integrally formed on a downstream end of the retainer 136. A second ball 132 is disposed within the piston head 92. The second valve seat 134 and the retainer 136 are fixed relative to the piston head 92. The first and second balls 128, 132 may be formed of stainless steel or any other suitable material to form a seal with the first and second valve seats 130, 134, respectively. The first and second valve seats 130, 134 may be formed from a high strength material such as tungsten carbide.

A dynamic seal 86a is disposed between the cylinder 56 and the piston rod 52. A cap 63 and a packing nut 65 are attached to the downstream end 108 of the cylinder 56 and retain the dynamic seal 86a within the cylinder 56. the dynamic seal 86a may be supported on a shoulder integral with the cylinder 56. a packing ring 138a is retained on the cylinder 56, such as on the shoulder, such that the dynamic seal 86a remains stationary relative to the cylinder 56 as the piston 50 reciprocates relative to the cylinder 56 during operation. the sleeve 54 is positioned along a portion of the piston rod 52 that overlaps the packing ring 138a along the longitudinal axes L-L throughout the entire range of reciprocation of the piston 50. the packing ring 138a surrounds the sleeve 54 and is closely coupled to the sleeve 54 to form a seal around the piston 50, thereby preventing pumped fluid from leaking out of the downstream end 108 of the cylinder 56. the packing ring 138a is retained between the packing rings 140 a. the packing ring 140a may be a metal retaining ring or the like.

The dynamic seal 86b is located on and around the ridge 119 of the piston head 92 and provides a fluid seal between the piston head 92 and the cylinder 56. A seal 138b is mounted on the piston head 92 and is retained by a gland 140 b. A flange 116 extends radially from the piston head 92 and is disposed at a downstream end of the dynamic seal 86 b. The flange 116 prevents the downstream gland 140b and the packing ring 138b from moving in the downstream direction relative to the piston rod 52. The retainer 136 supports the upstream sealing boot 140b to prevent the sealing boot 140b and the packing ring 138b from moving in an upstream direction relative to the piston rod 52. The dynamic seal 86b divides the cylinder 56 into a first fluid chamber 120 and a second fluid chamber 122. In the example shown, the dynamic seal 86b reciprocates with the piston rod 52 relative to the cylinder 56. However, it should be understood that the dynamic seal 86b may be mounted on the cylinder 56 such that the dynamic seal 86b remains stationary relative to the cylinder 56 as the piston rod 52 reciprocates relative to the dynamic seal 86 b. The boot seal 140b may be a metal retaining ring or the like. The filler ring 138b may be formed of leather, polymer, and/or any other suitable sealing material. Although displacement pump 18 is shown as including two dynamic seals 86a, 86b, it should be understood that displacement pump 18 may include any number of dynamic seals 86a, 86 b. Further, while the dynamic seals 86a, 86b are shown as including stacked packing rings 138, it should be understood that the dynamic seals 86a, 86b may have any desired configuration (such as a single polymer ring fitted around the piston rod 52 within the cylinder 56) and include internal and/or external protruding ribs that engage and seal with the outer surface of the piston rod 52 and/or the inner cylinder portion 124 of the cylinder 56.

A piston rod body 90 extends between the piston cap 88 and the piston head 92. The socket 100 extends into the piston head 92. A shank 112 extends from the upstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90. A shank 112 is received in the socket 100 to removably connect the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92. In some examples, the socket 100 includes internal threads and the shank 112 includes external threads configured to mate with the internal threads to threadably connect the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92. However, it should be understood that the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92 may be connected in any desired manner that allows the piston head 92 to be removed from the piston rod body 90. For example, a bore may extend through the piston head 92 and the shank 112, and a pin may be received in the bore to secure the shank 112 within the socket 100. The piston cap 88 is integral with the piston rod body 90 such that the piston cap 88 and the piston rod body 90 are formed from a single component. However, it should be understood that both the piston head 92 and the piston cap 88 may be removably connected to the piston rod body 90 such that the piston rod 52 is formed of three separable components that may be attached via a threaded connection in the same manner as the stem 112 and socket 110. The connecting portion 104 of the piston cap 88 is configured to be connected to a drive mechanism, such as the reciprocating driver 20, to facilitate reciprocating movement of the piston 50. The connection portion 104 may also be referred to as a cap head.

Cap shoulder 102 is a portion of piston cap 88 that extends radially relative to piston rod body 90. The head shoulder is a portion of the piston head 92 that extends radially relative to the piston rod body 90. The cap shoulder 102 and the head shoulder 118 define a cylindrical ridge 142 extending around the piston rod body 90. Although the terms "head shoulder 118" and "cap shoulder 102" are used herein, it should be understood that "cap shoulder 102" and "head shoulder 118" need not be integral with piston cap 88 and piston head 92, respectively. Cap shoulder 102 and head shoulder 118 may refer to any two shoulders that are more adjacent to piston cap 88 and piston head 92, respectively, to retain sleeve 54. Any reference to the cap shoulder 102 may be replaced with the term first shoulder and/or downstream shoulder, and any reference to the head shoulder 118 may be replaced with the term second shoulder and/or upstream shoulder.

The sleeve 54 is tubular and disposed on the piston rod body 90, the sleeve 54 is coaxially aligned with the piston rod 52, and in particular with the piston rod body 90, the sleeve 54 is disposed in the cylindrical ridge 142 and is secured to the piston rod body 90 by a head shoulder 118 and a cap shoulder 102, the first end 96 of the sleeve 54 abuts the head shoulder 118, and the second end 98 of the sleeve 54 abuts the cap shoulder 102, in the illustrated example, the inner surface of the sleeve 54 contacts the radially outer surface of the piston rod body 90 along the entire length of the sleeve body 94. however, it should be understood that the central portion of the piston rod body 90 may have a reduced diameter such that a chamber is formed between the sleeve body 94 and the piston rod body 90. in this example, the downstream end 108 and the upstream end 106 of the piston rod body 90 are sized to maintain contact with the sleeve body 94 while the chamber extends between the upstream end 106 and the downstream end 108. with the sleeve 54 mounted on the piston rod 52, the piston 50 has a consistent outer diameter along the longitudinal axis L-L between the piston cap 88, the sleeve 54 and the piston head 92.

The sleeve 54 may be formed of a different material than the piston rod 52. For example, the sleeve 54 may be formed of metal, ceramic, or the like. The sleeve 54 may also be hardened prior to use. In some examples, the sleeve 54 is formed from any one or more of yttria-stabilized zirconia, alumina, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, and the like. Thus, the sleeve 54 may be formed of a harder material than the metal of the piston rod 52, such that the sleeve 54 is better able to withstand the abrasive forces experienced during pumping. Where sleeve 54 is the only component of piston 50 that contacts dynamic seal 86a, piston rod 52 may be formed of a softer metal and/or may be subjected to less hardening than is typically required to withstand the abrasion caused during pumping.

The sleeve 54 is removable from the piston rod 52. The piston head 92 may be removed from the piston rod body 90 by rotating the piston head 92 to unscrew the shank 112 from the socket 100. With the piston head 92 removed, the sleeve 54 may be withdrawn from the piston rod body 90. The sleeve 54 is mounted on the piston rod 52 by sliding the sleeve 54 onto the piston rod body 90 and screwing the piston head 92 onto the piston rod body 90. In this way, the sleeve 54 may be quickly and efficiently replaced to provide a new wear surface for the piston 50. In embodiments where the piston cap 88 is removable from the piston rod body 90 via a shank (similar to the shank 112) and a socket (similar to the socket 100), a connection between the piston cap 88 and the piston rod body 90 (the piston cap 88 has a shank and the piston rod body 90 has a socket, or the piston cap 88 has a socket and the piston rod body 90 has a shank), the sleeve 54 may be replaced by: unscrewing the piston cap 88 from the piston rod body 90 to remove the piston cap 88; the sliding sleeve 54 is disengaged from the piston rod body 90; sliding the new sleeve 54 onto the piston rod body 90; the piston cap 88 is then re-coupled to the piston rod body 90 by threading the shank into the socket.

The sealing groove 110 extends to the upstream end 106 of the piston rod body 90 adjacent the piston head 92. The seal groove 110 receives a seal 144, the seal 144 being disposed between the piston rod body 90 and the sleeve 54. The seal 144 prevents the pumped fluid from moving into the space between the piston rod body 90 and the sleeve body 94. In some examples, the seal 144 is an O-ring, such as an elastomeric O-ring. However, it should be understood that the seal 144 may have any suitable configuration for preventing pumped fluid from moving between the piston rod body 90 and the sleeve body 94. For example, the seal 144 may be a washer disposed on the head shoulder 118 and captured between the head shoulder 118 and the first end 96 of the sleeve 54. Further, while the seal 144 is described as being disposed within the seal groove 110, it should be appreciated that the seal 144 may be retained in any desired manner. For example, the seal 144 may be disposed on the head shoulder 118, and the first end 96 of the sleeve 54 may include a chamfer to accommodate the seal 144 and maintain a seal on the head shoulder. In other examples, the sleeve 54 may include a groove extending into the sleeve body 94 for receiving the seal 144.

During operation, piston 50 is driven through the up-stroke and down-stroke by a drive mechanism, such as reciprocating driver 20 (FIG. 1B), along longitudinal axis L-L to draw fluid into displacement pump 18 and downstream thereof, during the up-stroke, piston 50 is pulled in a downstream direction along longitudinal axis L-L, as indicated by the downstream arrows in FIG. 2B, as piston 50 moves in the downstream direction, the volume of first fluid chamber 120 increases and the volume of second fluid chamber 122 decreases as piston head 92 and dynamic seal 86B displace in the downstream direction, the expanding first fluid chamber 120 experiences a vacuum condition that displaces first ball 128 to an open position in which first ball 128 disengages first valve seat 130, thus, the flow path through first check valve 82 is opened and fluid is drawn into first fluid chamber 120 through inlet port 68 and first check valve 82, and second ball 132 is forced onto second valve seat 134 and seals with second valve seat 134 to form a seal to prevent fluid flow into second fluid chamber 122 upstream of second fluid chamber 122, during the up-stroke, second ball 132 is forced to flow into second fluid chamber 122 through second fluid chamber 122.

After the completion of the upstroke, the piston 50 reverses stroke and is driven through the downstroke. During the downstroke, the piston 50 is driven in the upstream direction, as indicated by the upstream arrow in fig. 2B. During the downstroke, the volume of the first fluid chamber 120 decreases and the volume of the second fluid chamber 122 increases. When the piston 50 changes from the upstroke to the downstroke, the second ball 132 disengages from the second valve seat 134, thereby providing a flow path between the first fluid chamber 120 and the second fluid chamber 122 through the piston head 92. The first ball 128 engages the first valve seat 130, closing the first check valve 82 and preventing backflow of fluid from the first fluid chamber 120 through the inlet port 68. As the piston 50 moves through the downstroke, fluid within the first fluid chamber 120 flows downstream through the retainer 136, the piston head 92, the second check valve 84, and the piston port 146 to the second fluid chamber 122 (as shown in fig. 3-4B and 5B-6). The outlet port 66 is in unobstructed fluid communication with the second fluid chamber 122, and it will be appreciated that during the upstroke and downstroke of the piston 50, fluid is driven downstream through the outlet port 66.

The dynamic seal 86 prevents fluid and air from flowing between the inner surface of the cylinder 56 and the outer surface of the piston 50 during the upstroke and the downstroke. Both dynamic seals 86 are designed with tight tolerances to create a vacuum state in the first and second fluid chambers 120, 122 and to apply positive pressure during the reciprocation cycle of the piston 50. The sleeve 54 is the only portion of the piston 50 that contacts the dynamic seal 86a during reciprocation of the piston 50. Thus, the sleeve 54 prevents any portion of the dynamic seal 86a from contacting any portion of the piston rod 52 (including the piston cap 88, the piston rod body 90, and the piston head 92). Thus, the sleeve 54 protects the piston rod 52 from wear due to relative movement at the connection of the piston 50 and the dynamic seal 86 a.

The sleeve 54 provides significant advantages. The sleeve 54 is subjected to all of the grinding forces caused by the reciprocating motion of the piston 50 relative to the dynamic seal 86 a. Because the sleeve 54 is the only portion of the piston 50 that is subject to wear generated by the dynamic seal 86a during reciprocation, the piston rod 52 may be formed from a softer metal and/or may be subject to less hardening, thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Further, the sleeve 54 may be easily removed and replaced on the piston rod 52 by unscrewing the piston head 92 from the piston rod body 90, extracting the sleeve 54 from the piston rod body 90, and replacing the sleeve 54 with a new one on the piston rod body 90. The sleeve 54 is removable, which saves cost and reduces the downtime previously required to replace the worn piston 50. In a particularly abrasive environment, the sleeve 54 may be made of a robust but inexpensive material to facilitate multiple replacements throughout a pumping process utilizing a single piston 50.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the piston 50. In this view, dynamic seal 86B (FIG. 2B) has been removed from ridge 119. The piston 50 includes a piston rod 52 and a sleeve 54. The piston rod 52 includes a piston cap 88, a piston rod body 90, and a piston head 92. The connection 104 of the piston cap 88 is shown. The central bore 114, flange 116, ridge 119 and piston port 146 of the piston head 92 are shown. The sleeve body 94, first end 96 and second end 98 of the sleeve 54 are shown.

The piston ports 146 are aligned around the piston head 92 the grooves 147 extend from the piston ports 146 and are aligned around the piston head 92 such that along the axis of the grooves 147 there is both an axial and a radial component relative to the piston axes L-L pumped paint enters the piston head 92 through the central bore 114, passes through the second check valve 84 (FIG. 2B), and then exits the piston head 92 through the piston ports 146 into the second fluid chamber 122 (FIG. 2B). Each piston port 146 extends through the piston head 92 and provides a flow path for fluid to flow downstream from the piston head 92. the flanges 116 extend radially from the piston head 92 and are configured to support seals (such as dynamic seals 86B) mounted around the ridges 119.

Fig. 4A is a first exploded perspective view of the piston 50. Fig. 4B is a second exploded perspective view of the piston 50 taken from another orientation relative to the view of fig. 4A. Fig. 4C is an enlarged view of detail C in fig. 4B. Fig. 4A-4C will be discussed together. In fig. 4A and 4B, the dynamic seal 86B (fig. 2B) has been removed from the ridge 119, while the second check valve 84 (fig. 2B) and the seal 144 (fig. 2B) are not shown. In contrast, the focus of fig. 4A and 4B is on the three main hard components of the piston 50, namely the piston rod body 90, the sleeve 54 and the piston head 92.

The piston 50 includes a piston rod 52 and a sleeve 54. The piston rod 52 includes a piston cap 88, a piston rod body 90, and a piston head 92. The sleeve 54 includes a sleeve body 94, a first end 96, a second end 98, and an inner cylindrical portion 164. The piston cap 88 includes a cap shoulder 102 and a connecting portion 104. The piston rod body 90 includes an upstream end 106, a downstream end 108, a seal groove 110, a shank 112, a cylindrical ridge 142, a second centering control portion 150, a third centering control portion 152, an uncontrolled portion 158, and a recess 166. The piston head 92 includes a socket 100, a central bore 114, a flange 116, a head shoulder 118, ridges 119, a piston port 146, grooves 147, a first centering control portion 154, and a protruding ring 156.

A shank 112 extends from the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90 and is configured to engage the socket 100. A protruding ring 156 extends axially downstream from the head shoulder 118 and at least partially defines the socket 100. A shank 112 is secured within the socket 100 to attach the piston rod body 90 to the piston head 92. In some examples, the shank 112 includes external threads configured to mate with internal threads in the socket 100. In some examples, the external threads are formed at least partially inside the protruding ring 156. In other examples, a bore extends through the shank 112 and the socket 100, and the bore is configured to receive a pin to secure the shank 112 within the socket 100, thereby connecting the piston head 92 and the piston rod body 90.

The cap shoulder 102 and the head shoulder 118 define a cylindrical ridge 142 that surrounds the piston rod body 90. A cylindrical ridge 142 extends axially along the length of the piston rod body 90 between the piston cap 88 and the piston head 92. The sleeve 54 is disposed in a cylindrical ridge 142 on the piston rod body 90 and extends between the piston cap 88 and the piston head 92. The sleeve body 94 is cylindrical and receives the piston rod body 90. With the sleeve 54 disposed on the piston rod body 90, the first end 96 of the sleeve 54 abuts the head shoulder 118 and the second end 98 of the sleeve 54 abuts the cap shoulder 102.

Sleeve 54 is secured to piston rod body 90 by head shoulder 118 and cap shoulder 102. The sleeve 54 covers the piston rod body 90 such that the piston rod body 90 is prevented from contacting abrasive wear surfaces, such as the dynamic seal 86a (shown in fig. 2B) during operation. The sleeve 54 is a replaceable wear component of the piston 50 that increases the life of the piston rod 52 by preventing direct contact between the piston rod 52 and the dynamic seal 86 a. By mounting the sleeve 54 on the piston rod 52, the piston 50 may have a uniform outer diameter between the piston cap 88, the sleeve 54, and the piston head 92. As discussed above, the sleeve 54 may be made of any desired material, such as metal or ceramic. The sleeve 54 may be mechanically fixed to the piston rod 52. The sleeve 54 is fixed to the piston rod 52 without using an adhesive. Mechanically securing the sleeve 54 to the piston rod 52 facilitates removal and replacement of the sleeve 54. The clamping force exerted on the sleeve 54 by the head shoulder 118 and the cap shoulder 102 mechanically secures the sleeve 54 to the piston rod 52.

The ring 156 extends in a downstream direction from the piston head 92. The ring 156 protrudes in the downstream direction such that the ring 156 forms the most downstream portion of the piston head 92. The ring 156 includes a first centering control portion 154. The first centering control portion 154 defines at least a portion of the cylindrical exterior of the ring 156. In some embodiments, the first centering control portion 154 may define the entirety of the cylindrical outer portion of the ring 156. The first centering control portion 154 is configured to engage an inner cylindrical portion 164 of the sleeve 54 when the sleeve 54 is installed in the cylindrical ridge 142. As discussed in more detail below, the first centering control portion 154 aligns the sleeves 54 and provides concentricity during installation.

As shown, the ring 156 is adjacent to and extends further downstream than the head shoulder 118, the outer diameter of the ring 156 is less than the outer diameter of the head shoulder 118 relative to axes L-L the ring 156 is oriented coaxially with the shoulder 118 along the axis L-L of the piston 50. the inner surface of the ring 156 is cylindrical and may be threaded. the ring 156 defines an opening of the socket 100 to receive the shank 112. in some examples, the ring 156 may extend from the head shoulder 118 about 0.20 inches (in) (about 0.50 centimeters (cm)). the length of the ring 156 along the longitudinal axis L-L of the piston 50 may be about 0.25 inches (about 0.64 cm). the length of the ring 156 along the longitudinal axis L-L of the piston 50 may be less than about 0.50 inches (about 1.27 cm). in some examples, the ring 156 may be between about 0.20 inches to 0.50 inches (about 0.50 cm to 1.27cm), including both ends.

The piston rod body 90 includes a second centering control portion 150 and a third centering control portion 152. The second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152 are aligned along the cylindrical ridge 142 and protrude radially from the piston rod body 90. Between the second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152 is a non-centering portion 158 having a reduced diameter relative to the second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152. The third centering control portion 152 may also provide downstream support for the seal 144. Thus, the second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152 have a larger diameter than the non-centering portion 158. The second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152 may provide the widest diameter portion of the piston rod body 90.

The sleeve 54 includes an inner cylindrical portion 164 along an inner surface of the sleeve 54. The inner cylindrical portion 164 may extend the entire length of the sleeve 54 or may extend only a portion of the length of the sleeve 50. As discussed further herein, the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 164 of the sleeve 54 is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first centering control portion 154. The inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 164 and the outer diameter of the first centering control portion 154 are designed relative to each other such that the sleeve 50 can move over the first centering control portion 154, but fits snugly. For example, the diameter of the first centering control portion 154 may be about 0.001 to 0.005 inches (about 0.025 to 0.127 millimeters (mm)) smaller than the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 164, but it should be understood that other larger or smaller size differences are possible. When the piston 50 is assembled, the first end 96 of the sleeve 54 fits over the ring 156 and abuts the head shoulder 118. In this manner, the head shoulder 118 may be a radially extending annular shoulder on which the end of the sleeve 54 may be disposed. The ring 156 may be a cylindrical shoulder extending axially downstream from the piston head 92, and the end of the sleeve 54 may be disposed on the shoulder. Likewise, the first centering control portion 154 may form a cylindrical surface of a shoulder formed by a ring 156 that extends downstream relative to the head shoulder 118 and on which an inner surface at the end of the sleeve 54 may be disposed. The shoulder formed by the ring 156 may extend orthogonally relative to the shoulder formed by the head shoulder 118. As such, the first end 96 of the sleeve 54 may be coupled to each of the head shoulder 118 and the first centering control portion 154 on the ring 156.

The centering control portions 150, 152, 154 are arranged along the cylindrical ridge 142. When the piston 50 is assembled, the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 are each disposed below the sleeve 54. Between the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 are non-centering portions, such as non-centering portion 158. The centering control portions 150, 152, 154 and the non-centering portion 158 are each cylindrical; however, the outer diameter of the non-centering portion 158 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154. Each of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 may have the same diameter, while the non-centering portions (including the non-centering portion 158) may have a smaller diameter relative to the centering control portions 150, 152, 154. The smaller diameter of the non-centering portions than the diameter of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 results in the sleeve 54 engaging and being disposed on each of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 (e.g., via circumferential contact between the outer cylindrical surface formed by the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 and the cylindrical inner surface 164 of the sleeve 54). In this manner, the sleeve 54 may not contact or be disposed on the non-centering portion (including the non-centering portion 158).

To support the span of the sleeve 54, two of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 are located at the upstream and downstream ends of the ribs 142. In the example shown, the first centering control portion 154 is located at an upstream end and the second centering control portion 150 is located at a downstream end. In some examples, the piston rod 52 may not include a centering control portion disposed between the upstream centering control portion and the downstream centering control portion. For example, some embodiments of the piston rod 50 include only the first centering control portion 154 and the second centering control portion 150.

The use of centering control portions 150, 152, 154 may reduce manufacturing costs by being machined to have a higher concentricity along the centering control portions 150, 152, 154, while being machined to have a lower concentricity along the non-centering portion 158. As shown, the amount of outer cylindrical surface area of the ribs 142 formed by the non-centering portions 158 is greater along the length of the ribs 142 than by the centering control portions 150, 152, 154. For example, the non-centering portions 158 may be formed to double the surface area of the ribs 142 of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154. Only on the piston rod body 90, the non-centering portion 158 may form 158 a larger cylindrical outer surface area below the sleeve 54 than the centering control portions 150, 152 formed on the piston rod body 90. For example, the non-centering portion 158 on the piston rod body 90 may form more than twice the surface area as compared to the centering control portions 150, 152 on the piston rod body 90.

With the piston 50 assembled, the inner cylindrical portion 164 of the sleeve is configured to connect with the centering control portions 150, 152, 154. In some examples, the inner cylindrical portion 164 extends the entire length of the sleeve 54. In other examples, the inner cylindrical portion 164 extends only a portion of the length of the sleeve 54 and/or a plurality of inner cylindrical portions 164 are formed along the length of the sleeve 54 to connect with the plurality of centering control portions 150, 152, 154. The inner cylindrical portion 164 has an inner diameter equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 so that the sleeve 54 can slide over the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 with a tight fit. With the piston 50 assembled, the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 engage the inner cylindrical portion 164 to support the sleeve 54 on the piston rod 52. In this way, the sleeve 54 may be connected to and supported by a surface of the piston rod 52 that is formed to be less than the entire axial length of the cylindrical ridge 142.

The piston 50 provides significant advantages. The sleeve 54 is mounted on the piston rod 52 and protects the piston rod 52 from wear due to movement relative to the dynamic seal 86 a. In the event that the sleeve 54 experiences all of the wear caused by the dynamic seal 86a, the piston rod 52 may be made of a softer metal and/or may experience less hardening, thereby saving manufacturing costs. Additionally, the sleeve 54 is replaceable, thereby extending the useful life of the piston rod 52 by allowing a user to replace the sleeve 54 and continue to use the same piston rod 52, thereby saving replacement costs. The sleeve 54 is retained on the piston rod body 90 by the head shoulder 118 and the cap shoulder 102 without the use of adhesives, which facilitates quick and efficient removal and replacement of the sleeve 54. The use of centering control portions 150, 152, 154 may reduce manufacturing costs by being machined to have a higher concentricity along the centering control portions 150, 152, 154, while being machined to have a lower concentricity along the non-centering portion 158. The centering control portions 150, 152, 154 are connected with an inner cylindrical portion 164 of the sleeve 54 to maintain the sleeve 54 in alignment on the piston rod 52. Maintaining concentricity prevents undesirable wear on the sleeve 54 and dynamic seal 86a as the piston 50 reciprocates during operation. The piston head 92 can be removed from the piston rod body 90, which allows a user to quickly and efficiently replace the individual components forming the piston rod 52 and replace the sleeve 54, which avoids the user having to replace the entire piston 50, thereby saving cost and material.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the piston 50 (without the dynamic seal 86b and the second check valve 84). Fig. 5B is an enlarged detail view of detail B in fig. 5A, showing the connection between the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92. Fig. 5A and 5B will be discussed together. The piston 50 includes a piston rod 52 and a sleeve 54. The piston rod 52 includes a piston cap 88, a piston rod body 90, and a piston head 92. The sleeve 54 includes a sleeve body 94, a first end 96 and a second end 98. The piston cap 88 includes a cap shoulder 102 and a connecting portion 104. The piston rod body 90 includes an upstream end 106, a downstream end 108, a seal groove 110, a shank 112, a cylindrical ridge 142, a second centering control portion 150, a third centering control portion 152, an uncontrolled portion 158, and a recess 166. The piston head 92 includes a socket 100, a central bore 114, a flange 116, a head shoulder 118, ridges 119, a piston port 146, grooves 147, a first centering control portion 154, and a protruding ring 156.

As shown, a shank 112 extends from the piston rod body 90 into the socket 110 of the piston head 92. Dashed lines are used to indicate the threaded portion 162, where the external threads of the shank 112 connect with the internal threads of the socket 100 to couple the piston rod body 90 to the piston head 92. A portion of the internal threads of the socket 100 may be formed on the inner surface of the ring 156.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the vector R projects radially, normal to the longitudinal axis L-L, and extends through the stem 112. the stem 112, projecting ring 156, and sleeve 50 radially overlap with respect to the longitudinal axis L-L. the sleeve 50 radially overlaps at least a portion of the threaded portion 162 connecting the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92. specifically, the stem 112 is located at the core with the ring 156 radially outward from the stem 112, and the sleeve 54 radially outward about the ring 156 and the stem 112.

The piston rod body 90 includes a recess 166. The diameter of the recess 166 is smaller than the centering control portions 150, 152 of the piston rod body 90 and the non-control portion 158 of the piston rod body 90. The recess 166 has a smaller diameter which facilitates the fitting of the ring 156 on the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90.

The first centering control portion 154 is formed on the ring 156 and is connected to the sleeve 54 such that the sleeve 54 is aligned with the piston head 92 and aligned on the axis L-L the additional centering control portions 150, 152 are connected to the sleeve 54 to align the sleeve on the piston rod body 90. thus, the centering control portions (e.g., the first centering control portion 154) on the piston head 92 and the centering control portions (e.g., the second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152) on the piston rod body 90 concentrically align the sleeve 54 within the recess 142.

Without the ring 156, the sleeve 54 would only be mounted on the piston rod body 90 and would be aligned with the piston rod body 90, the piston rod body 90 may be slightly offset from the piston head 92 due to the difficulty of aligning the threads between the piston head 92 and the piston rod body 90 by having the sleeve 54 disposed on the cylindrical centering control surfaces of each of the piston head 92 (e.g., the first centering control portion 154) and the piston rod body 90 (e.g., the second centering control portion 150 and the third centering control portion 152), the sleeve 54 bridging between the cylindrical surfaces to limit misalignment of the piston head 92 and the piston rod body 90. proper concentricity of the sleeve 54 along the longitudinal axis L-L relative to the axis of reciprocation of the piston 50 is particularly important because of the tight fit and tolerances between the exterior of the sleeve 54 and the sealing surface (e.g., the first dynamic seal 86 a).

While the illustrated embodiment shows the shank 112 extending from the upstream end 106 of the piston rod body 90 and being received by the socket 100 of the piston head 92, different configurations may be employed while still using the centering control portions 150, 152, 154 to support both ends of the sleeve 54. For example, the shank 112 may be formed as part of the piston head 92 and may extend downstream from the centering control portion 154 to be received within a socket 100 formed in the upstream end 106 of the piston rod body 90.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 6, the piston rod body 90 may be part of the piston head 92 (e.g., the piston rod body 90 and the piston head 92 are permanently fixed together and may be formed from a single piece of metal) while the piston cap 88 is removable from the piston rod body 90. In this example, a stem 112 may extend from the upstream end of the piston cap 88 to be received in a socket 100 formed in the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90. In this case, the first centering control portion 154 would be located on the piston cap 88 adjacent the cap shoulder 102 and the handle 112 and between the cap shoulder 102 and the handle 112. The first centering control portion 154 is formed as part of the piston cap 88, which also aids in the alignment and concentricity of the sleeve 54 on the piston 50 during assembly and operation. In another embodiment, where the piston cap 88 is removable from the piston rod body 90, the stem 112 may extend in a downstream direction from the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90 and may be received by a socket 100 formed in the upstream end of the piston cap 88. In this embodiment, the ring 156 with the first centering control portion 154 may extend from the cap shoulder 102 and may be the most upstream portion of the piston cap 88.

In another embodiment involving two stems 112, the stems may extend from the upstream end 106 and the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90 to be received in respective sockets 100 formed in the piston cap 88 and the piston head 92. As shown, the piston head 92 may include a first ring (similar to ring 156) having a centering control portion (similar to centering control portion 154), while the piston cap 88 may include a second similar ring having a second centering control portion, the ring extending in an upstream direction from the cap shoulder 102 and may be the most upstream portion of the piston cap 88. Alternatively, a first stem 112 may extend from the downstream end of the centering control portion 154 of the piston head 92 to be received within the socket 100 in the upstream end 106 of the piston rod body 90, while another stem may extend from the upstream end of the piston cap 88 to be received within the socket 100 in the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90. In this case, the centering control portion may be positioned adjacent to and between cap shoulder 102 and the respective shank extending from cap shoulder 102, and adjacent to and between head shoulder 118 and the respective shank extending from head shoulder 118, and between cap shoulder 102 and the respective shank extending from cap shoulder 102.

The piston head 92 and piston cap 88 may be referred to herein as the piston end, which is connected to the piston rod body 90. The piston head 92 may also be referred to as the upstream piston end. The piston end may have a centering control portion similar to centering control portion 154. The piston cap 88, which can be detached and reattached from the piston rod body 90, may be referred to as a piston end. Such a piston end may also be referred to as a downstream piston end. As described above, the piston end, whether an attachable and reattachable piston head or an attachable and reattachable piston, may include a centering control portion. The piston end may also include a shank or socket for connection to the piston rod body. Unless otherwise noted, the centering control portion of the piston end may be similar to the first centering portion 154 of the ring 156 (such as extending from the shoulder), or may be similar to any of the centering control portions mentioned herein, however, and not all versions may be so defined.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the piston 50'. As shown in fig. 6, a shank 112 extends from the downstream end 108 of the piston rod body 90, and a socket 100 is formed in the piston cap 88. In this manner, the piston cap 88 can be removed from the piston rod 52 to facilitate installation and removal of the sleeve 54 from the piston rod 52. 156 extend in an upstream direction from the cap shoulder 102. The centering control portion 154 is formed on the outer surface of the ring 156. With the piston 50 assembled, the shank 112, the ring 156 and the sleeve 54 radially overlap, as indicated by arrow R in fig. 6.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.