Dual diaphragm, single chamber mesopump

A diaphragm pump, comprising:

• pump body means for defining a pump chamber;
• first diaphragm means for movement in said pump chamber, said first diaphragm means having a first set of valve holes in the diaphragm surface thereof:
• second diaphragm means for movement in said pump chamber, said second diaphragm means having a second set of valve holes in the diaphragm surface thereof;
• inlet port means and outlet port means in said pump body means for communication with said pump chamber, said inlet and outlet port means being positioned for sealing contact with one of said first and second diaphragm means at a point nonaligned with said holes in said diaphragm;
• and
• driver means for actuating said first and second diaphragm means to cause diaphragm movement to a plurality of diaphragm positions to control flow of fluid;
• a first of said diaphragm positions being said first and second diaphragm means spaced from one another and from inlet and outlet port means to permit flow of fluid through said pump chamber;
• a second of said diaphragm positions being said first diaphragm and second diaphragm means in diaphragm surface contact, said first and second set of holes being mutually nonaligned to permit said diaphragm surfaces to form a seal when in said diaphragm surface contact;
• and
• a third of said diaphragm positions being at least one of said first and second diaphragm means in diaphragm surface contact with said inlet and outlet port means to form said sealing contact.

A method of pumping fluids using a diaphragm pump, comprising the steps of:

• introducing fluid into a pump body having a pump chamber formed therein through at least one inlet in communication with said pump chamber, said fluid being drawn into said pump chamber by actuating a first diaphragm having a first set of valve holes in the diaphragm surface thereof away from said inlet;
• actuating a second diaphragm having a second set of valve holes in the diaphragm surface thereof to a position to permit said fluid to flow through said second diaphragm surface when said first and second diaphragms are not in diaphragm surface contact;
• and
• withdrawing fluid from said pump chamber through at least one outlet port in said pump body in communication with said pump chamber, said fluid being withdrawn from said pump chamber by moving said first and said second diaphragms separately to diaphragm surface contact proximate said inlet to thereby make sealing contact to prevent fluid from flowing through said diaphragm holes, and thereafter moving said first and second diaphragms together while maintaining said sealing contact to expel said fluid through said outlet port.

A diaphragm pump, comprising:

• a pump body having a pump chamber formed therein;
• at least two diaphragms having holes in the surface thereof;
• an inlet port and an outlet port in said pump body for communication with said pump chamber, said inlet and outlet ports each being positioned for sealing contact with one of said diaphragms at a point nonaligned with said holes in said diaphragm;
• and
• a driver for actuating said diaphragms to control flow of fluid through said pump.