US 5,533,886 A · Membrane pump and method of operating the same

Abstract

A membrane pump has a housing which includes a pump head provided with an internal recess. The pump head is further provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening which communicate with the recess and are disposed next to one another near an edge of the housing. A membrane extends across the recess and is clamped at its edges by the housing. The membrane and recess together define a pumping chamber. A segment of the membrane is held stationary against the pump head by a clamping finger and forms a seal with the pump head. The seal extends radially between the inlet and outlet openings from the periphery of the pumping chamber to its center. A drive successively urges circumferrentially successive segments of the unconfined part of the membrane into sealing engagement with the pump head to thus direct fluid from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

Claims47

Dependent claims

A method of operating a pump having a pumping chamber bounded in part by a membranous wall having a central axis and a thickened central region, said method comprising the steps of:

admitting a flowable medium into said chamber at a first location;
discharging said medium from said chamber at a second location;
maintaining a seal between said locations and partway across said chamber by holding a first segment of said membranous wall substantially stationary and using said first segment as part of said seal;
and
directing said medium from said first location to said second location by successively displacing successive second segments of said membranous wall, as considered in a direction from said first location towards said second location, by successively deflecting successive Segments of Said thickened central region of said membranous wall along a circumferential path substantially centered about said central axis of said membranous wall.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Membrane pump and method of operating the same

Life of this patent

Membrane pump and method of operating the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims47