# US 11,306,709 B2 · Diaphragm pump device and diaphragm pump having a diaphragm pump device and an actuation device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,709 B2 - Document ID: US11306709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/470,562 - Filed: 2017-12-19 - Published: 2019-11-14 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-21 - Assignees: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Jens Anderle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306709B2 ## CPC - F04B 43/073: the actuating fluid being controlled by at least one valve - A61M 1/14: Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators (semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00){; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis} - A61M 1/155: {with treatment-fluid pumping means or components thereof} - A61M 1/1565: {Details of valves} - A61M 1/3672: {Means preventing coagulation} - A61M 60/113: in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines - A61M 60/268: the displacement member being flexible, e.g. membranes, diaphragms or bladders - A61M 60/37: Haemodialysis, haemofiltration or diafiltration - A61M 60/43: using vacuum at the blood pump, e.g. to accelerate filling - A61M 60/554: of blood pressure - A61M 60/837: Aspects of flexible displacement members, e.g. shapes or materials - F04B 43/028: {with in- or outlet valve arranged in the plate-like flexible member (valve arranged in the piston F04B53/12)} - F04B 43/06: Pumps having fluid drive - F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers} - F04B 49/22: by means of valves (F04B49/03 takes precedence) - A61M 2205/128: with incorporated valves - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract The invention relates to a membrane pump device 2 for conveying fluids, in particular medical liquids for blood treatment. The invention furthermore relates to a membrane pump with a membrane pump device 2 and an actuating device 1 for the membrane pump device 2. The membrane pump device 2 has a pump chamber body 253 in which a recess, which is closed by an elastic membrane 201 to form a pump chamber 252, is constructed. The membrane pump device 2 moreover comprises an inward flow path 219 which connects an entry connection 204 to an inlet opening 215 of the pump chamber 252, and an outward flow path 223 which connects an outlet opening 216 of the pump chamber 252 to an exit connection 205. An inlet valve 202 is provided in the inward flow path 219 and an outlet valve 203 is provided in the outward flow path 223. The outlet valve 203 is a membrane valve which has a valve body 254A in which a recess is constructed which is closed by an elastic membrane 201 to form a valve chamber 218 in which a valve seat 225 is arranged, the front face of which faces the membrane and in the open position of the outlet valve is arranged at a distance from the valve seat, wherein a valve channel 240 passes through the valve seat. The outward flow path 223 comprises a first outward flow channel 214 which connects the outlet opening 216 of the pump chamber 252 to the outlet valve chamber 218, and a second outward flow channel 214A which connects the outlet valve chamber 240 to the exit connection 205, wherein the cross-section area of the outlet valve channel 240 is smaller than the cross-section area of the region of the valve chamber 218 surrounding the outlet valve seat 225. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A membrane pump device for conveying fluids and comprising: an actuating device; at least one elastic membrane; a pump chamber body in which a recess, that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form a pump chamber, is constructed; an inward flow path that connects an entry connection to an inlet opening of the pump chamber; an outward flow path that connects an outlet opening of the pump chamber to an exit connection; an inlet valve provided in the inward flow path for influencing a flow of liquid in the inward flow path; and an outlet valve provided in the outward flow path for influencing a flow of liquid in the outward flow path, wherein the outlet valve is a membrane valve that has an outlet valve body in which a recess is constructed that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form an outlet valve chamber in which an outlet valve seat is arranged, a front face of the outlet valve seat faces the at least one elastic membrane and, in the open position of the outlet valve, is arranged at a distance from the at least one elastic membrane, an outlet valve channel passes through the outlet valve seat, the outward flow path comprises a first outward flow channel that directly connects the outlet opening of the pump chamber to the outlet valve chamber in a state in which the at least one elastic membrane closes the outlet valve channel and comprises a second outward flow channel that connects the outlet valve channel to the exit connection, the second outward flow channel is closable with the at least one elastic membrane, a cross-sectional area of the outlet valve seat is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a region of the outlet valve chamber surrounding the outlet valve seat, the actuating device is configured to deform the at least one elastic membrane between a suction configuration and a discharge configuration, the actuating device comprising an outlet adjusting device that has an outlet control element for deforming the at least one elastic membrane, the outlet control element comprising a spring-loaded ram that comprises a spring and a ram, the outlet control element being spring-loaded in a rest position wherein the at least one elastic membrane is deformed to sit on the outlet valve seat so that the outlet valve is closed, and the outlet control element is configured to be moved out of the rest position into a functioning position by a force of liquid against the at least one elastic membrane, which overcomes a force of the spring, such that the at least one elastic membrane is arranged at a distance from the outlet valve seat so that the outlet valve is open. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The membrane pump device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet valve seat is an annular valve seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The membrane pump device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet valve is a membrane valve which has an inlet valve body in which a recess is constructed that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form an inlet valve chamber in which an inlet valve seat is arranged, wherein a front face of the inlet valve seat faces the at least one elastic membrane and, in the open position of the inlet valve, is arranged at a distance from the at least one elastic membrane, wherein an inlet valve channel passes through the inlet valve seat, and wherein the inward flow path comprises a first inlet flow channel, that directly connects the entry connection to the inlet valve channel, and comprises a second inlet flow channel that connects the inlet valve chamber to the inlet opening of the pump chamber, and the second inlet flow channel is closable with the at least one elastic membrane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The membrane pump device according to claim 3, wherein the inlet valve seat is an annular valve seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The membrane pump device according to claim 3, wherein the membrane pump device, other than the actuating device, is constructed as a cassette intended for a single use. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The membrane pump device according to claim 5, wherein the pump chamber body and the inlet valve body and the outlet valve body are constituents of a one-component or multi-component housing body of the cassette, wherein the at least one elastic membrane is arranged on a mounting surface that is configured to be coupled to an assembly surface of the actuating device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The membrane pump device according to claim 3, wherein the inlet and outlet valves are capable of being alternately opened and closed so that fluid can be conveyed by the membrane pump device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A blood treatment apparatus comprising a container for providing a medical liquid, and a membrane pump device according to claim 7 for conveying the medical liquid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The blood treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein said blood treatment apparatus is a dialysis apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The blood treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the medical liquid is an anticoagulation solution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The membrane pump device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating device has an inlet adjusting device that has an inlet control element for deforming the at least one elastic membrane, the inlet control element being spring-loaded in a rest position wherein the at least one elastic membrane sits on the inlet valve seat so that the inlet valve is closed, wherein the inlet control element is configured to be moved out of the rest position into a functioning position in which the at least one elastic membrane is arranged at a distance from the inlet valve seat so that the inlet valve is open. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The membrane pump device of claim 1, wherein said fluids are medical liquids for blood treatment. ### Claim 13 A membrane pump device for conveying fluids, comprising: an actuating device; at least one elastic membrane; a pump chamber body in which a recess, that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form a pump chamber, is constructed; an inward flow path that connects an entry connection to an inlet opening of the pump chamber; an outward flow path that connects an outlet opening of the pump chamber to an exit connection; an inlet valve provided in the inward flow path for influencing a flow of liquid in the inward flow path; and an outlet valve provided in the outward flow path for influencing a flow of liquid in the outward flow path, wherein the outlet valve is a membrane valve that has an outlet valve body in which a recess is constructed that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form an outlet valve chamber in which an outlet valve seat is arranged, a front face of the outlet valve seat faces the at least one elastic membrane and, in the open position of the outlet valve, is arranged at a distance from the at least one elastic membrane, an outlet valve channel passes through the outlet valve seat, the outward flow path comprises a first outward flow channel that directly connects the outlet opening of the pump chamber to the outlet valve chamber in a state in which the at least one elastic membrane closes the outlet valve channel and comprises a second outward flow channel that connects the outlet valve channel to the exit connection, the second outward flow channel is closable with the at least one elastic membrane, a cross-sectional area of the outlet valve seat is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a region of the outlet valve chamber surrounding the outlet valve seat, the inlet valve is a membrane valve that has an inlet valve body in which a recess is constructed that is closed by the at least one elastic membrane to form an inlet valve chamber in which an inlet valve seat is arranged, a front face of the inlet valve seat faces the at least one elastic membrane and, in the open position of the inlet valve, is arranged at a distance from the at least one elastic membrane, an inlet valve channel passes through the inlet valve seat, the inward flow path comprises a first inlet flow channel, that directly connects the entry connection to the inlet valve channel, and comprises a second inlet flow channel that connects the inlet valve chamber to the inlet opening of the pump chamber, the second inlet flow channel is closable with the at least one elastic membrane, the actuating device is constructed such that the membrane of the pump chamber is deformed between a suction configuration and a discharge configuration, the inlet and outlet valves are capable of being alternately opened and closed so that fluid can be conveyed by the membrane pump, the actuating device has an outlet adjusting device that has an outlet control element for deforming the at least one elastic membrane, which is spring-loaded in a rest position in which the at least one elastic membrane sits on the outlet valve seat so that the outlet valve is closed, the outlet control element is configured to move out of the rest position into a functioning position in which the at least one elastic membrane is arranged at a distance from the outlet valve seat so that the outlet valve is open, the actuating device has an inlet adjusting device that has an inlet control element for deforming the at least one elastic membrane, the inlet control element is spring-loaded in a rest position wherein the at least one elastic membrane sits on the inlet valve seat so that the inlet valve is closed, the inlet control element is capable of being moved out of the rest position into a functioning position in which the at least one elastic membrane is arranged at a distance from the inlet valve seat so that the inlet valve is open, the actuating device has a first working fluid line for supplying the inlet adjusting device with a working fluid for actuating the inlet control element, and a second working fluid line for supplying the outlet adjusting device with a working fluid for actuating the outlet control element, and the inlet adjusting device has a first working fluid valve for influencing a cross-section of the first working fluid line and the outlet adjusting device has a second working fluid valve for influencing a cross-section of the second working fluid line, wherein the first working fluid valve is constructed as a switching valve and the second working fluid valve is constructed as a proportional valve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The membrane pump device according to claim 13, wherein the actuating device has a control device, with which the first and second working fluid valves are connected electrically, wherein the control device is configured such that an intended pressure value for the second working fluid valve is determined as a function of a fluid mass flow of the membrane pump device such that the fluid mass flow is constant during a discharge phase of the membrane pump device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The membrane pump device according to claim 14, wherein the actuating device has a control chamber and a control fluid line for charging the control chamber with a control fluid, in which a control fluid valve, which is constructed for changing a cross-section of the control fluid line, is arranged, wherein the at least one elastic membrane is deformed into the suction configuration or the discharge configuration by charging the control chamber with the control fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The membrane pump device according to claim 15, wherein a control fluid pressure sensor is connected electrically to the control device and the control device is configured such that a fluid mass flow is generated as a function of a pressure signal of the control fluid pressure sensor.