Pump and diaphragm for use therein

A diaphragm for use in a pump, the diaphragm comprising:

• a central portion having a central axis and adapted for movement relative to a housing of a pump to pump fluid through the housing;
• a peripheral portion joined to the central portion and adapted to be secured directly to the housing;
• and
• first and second projections extending generally axially outwardly from the central portion, each of the first and second projections including a sealing region adapted to be secured to the housing.

A pump comprising:

• a housing defining an inlet port, an outlet port and a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet port and the outlet port;
• a diaphragm secured within the chamber and cooperating with the housing to define a fluid passageway between the inlet port and the outlet port, the diaphragm being movable between a discharge position in which fluid in the fluid passageway is discharged to the outlet port and an intake position in which fluid from the inlet port is passed to the fluid passageway, the diaphragm including a central blind aperture opening on a first side of the diaphragm;
• a rod slidingly received within the central aperture and being movable between a first position corresponding to the discharge position, and a second position corresponding to the intake position;
• an electromagnetic assembly secured to the housing and engaging the rod, the electromagnetic assembly operable to move the rod in a direction of movement toward one of the discharge position and the intake position;
• and
• a spring engaging the diaphragm and biasing the diaphragm against the rod, the spring also providing a biasing force substantially opposing the direction of movement of the electromagnetic assembly to move the diaphragm toward the other of the discharge position and the intake position.

A diaphragm for use in a pump, the diaphragm comprising:

• a peripheral region adapted to be secured to a housing of a pump;
• an intermediate region joined to the peripheral region;
• and
• a central region joined to the intermediate region and including an insert providing increased rigidity to the central region with respect to the intermediate region, the insert defining a recess having a substantially smooth inner wall for slidingly receiving a plunger of the pump, and the central region being movable with respect to the housing to pump fluid through the housing.