Elastomeric pump

Claim 2

An elastomeric pump comprising a base member having an upper surface and an integral resilient upper member overlying and secured generally about its periphery to said upper surface to define a fluid-tight chamber between the base and upper members, said upper member having an enlarged section and a lip-like section extending outwardly from an edge of said enlarged section with the periphery of said lip-like section secured to said upper surface, the interior portion of said lip-like section being spaced from said upper surface, an inlet port entering said chamber, a movable flap overlying said inlet port in said chamber, an exit port extending through said base member under the interior portion of said lip-like section and means causing said lip-like section when in its unflexed position to seal said exit port.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said movable flap is integral with the interior surface of said upper section.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means is an annular projection disposed about said outlet port and extending from said upper surface of said base member into said chamber and into contact with a region of said lip-like section in its unflexed position.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said enlarged section is generally a semisphere.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lip-like section has projections extending from its interior portion toward said upper surface of said base member to maintain said interior portion spaced from said upper surface.

Claim 7

A single-chambered elastomeric pump comprising: a base member having an upper surface; an integral elastomeric member secured to said upper surface of said base member in fluid-tight relation to define a single dome-shaped pump chamber between said elastomeric member and said upper surface of said base member; said upper surface of said base member having an inlet flow passage defined therethrough and terminating in an inlet opening To said pump chamber; a flap valve member disposed within said pump chamber and positioned to block said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is substantially equal to and greater than the pressure in said inlet passage, said flap valve member being adapted to unblock said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is substantially below the pressure in said inlet passage; and wherein said elastomeric member includes a flexible lip-like projection extending radially outward from said dome-shaped chamber and overlying said upper surface of said base member and defining an outflow region between said projection and said upper surface, said dome-shaped chamber and said projection intersecting at a junction which is raised from said upper surface such that said outflow region is in constant flow communication with said chamber, said projection being adhesively secured at least along its sides to said upper surface and arranged to block flow communication between said outflow region and ambient when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and less than ambient pressure, said projection being adapted to be flexed away from said upper surface of said base member to expand said outflow region and unblock flow communication between said outflow region and ambient when the pressure in said pump chamber substantially exceeds ambient pressure.

Claim 8

A single-chambered elastomeric pump comprising: a base member having an upper surface; an integral elastomeric member secured to said upper surface of said base member in fluid-tight relation to define a single dome-shaped pump chamber between said elastomeric member and said upper surface of said base member; said upper surface of said base member having an inlet flow passage defined therethrough and terminating in an inlet opening To said pump chamber; a flap valve member disposed within said pump chamber and positioned to block said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is substantially equal to and greater than the pressure in said inlet passage, said flap valve member being adapted to unblock said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is substantially below the pressure in said inlet passage; and wherein said elastomeric member includes a flexible lip-like projection extending radially outward from said dome-shaped chamber and overlying said upper surface of said base member and defining an outflow region between said projection and said upper surface, said dome-shaped chamber and said projection intersecting at a junction which is raised from said upper surface such that said outflow region is in constant flow communication with said chamber, said projection being adhesively secured at least along its sides to said upper surface and arranged to block flow communication between said outflow region and ambient when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and less than ambient pressure, said projection being adapted to be flexed away from said upper surface of said base member to expand said outflow region and unblock flow communication between said outflow region and ambient when the pressure in said pump chamber substantially exceeds ambient pressure.

Claim 9

The pump according to claim 6 wherein said lip-like projection includes a tip at its end remote from said junction, said tip being resiliently biased to abut said upper surface when the pressure in said chamber is less than and substantially equal to ambient pressure, said tip being otherwise unconstrained to permit flexure of said tip away from said upper surface when the pressure in said chamber substantially exceeds ambient pressure to thereby permit outflow of pump liquid between said tip and said upper surface.

Claim 10

The pump according to claim 7 wherein said upper surface is contoured to provide an apex located beneath said projection, said upper surface being sloped downward from said apex toward both said tip and said chamber.

Claim 11

The pump according to claim 8 wherein the interior portion of said projection is resiliently biased to abut said upper surface along a substantial portion but not all of its length when the pressure in said chamber is less than and substantially equal to ambient pressure.

Claim 12

A single-chambered elastomeric pump comprising: a rigid base member having an inlet passage defined therethrough and including an upper surface at which said inlet passage terminates in an inlet opening; an elastomeric member secured to said upper surface above said inlet opening to define a single chamber between said elastomeric member and said upper surface, said elastomeric member comprising: a dome portion; a resilient flap valve member disposed within said dome portion and positioned to flexibly block said inlet opening when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and greater than the pressure in said inlet passage, said flap valve member being sufficiently resilient to unblock said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is below the pressure in said inlet passage; an elongated projection extending substantially radially outward from the periphery of said dome portion along said upper surface; said dome portion and said projection intersecting at a junction which is maintained raised above said upper surface to permit liquid flow along said upper surface from said dome portion to said projection; said projection being fixedly secured to said upper surface along its radially extending edges, and having a tip at its radially outermost end which is resiliently biased to abut said upper surface in liquid sealing relation when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and less than ambient pressure, said tip being sufficiently resilient to be flexed away from said upper surface when the pressure in said Chamber exceeds ambient pressure to thereby permit liquid to egress from said chamber along said upper surface and beneath said tip.

Claim 13

A single-chambered elastomeric pump comprising: a rigid base member having an inlet passage defined therethrough and including an upper surface at which said inlet passage terminates in an inlet opening; an elastomeric member secured to said upper surface above said inlet opening to define a single chamber between said elastomeric member and said upper surface, said elastomeric member comprising: a dome portion; a resilient flap valve member disposed within said dome portion and positioned to flexibly block said inlet opening when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and greater than the pressure in said inlet passage, said flap valve member being sufficiently resilient to unblock said inlet opening when the pressure in said pump chamber is below the pressure in said inlet passage; an elongated projection extending substantially radially outward from the periphery of said dome portion along said upper surface; said dome portion and said projection intersecting at a junction which is maintained raised above said upper surface to permit liquid flow along said upper surface from said dome portion to said projection; said projection being fixedly secured to said upper surface along its radially extending edges, and having a tip at its radially outermost end which is resiliently biased to abut said upper surface in liquid sealing relation when the pressure in said chamber is substantially equal to and less than ambient pressure, said tip being sufficiently resilient to be flexed away from said upper surface when the pressure in said Chamber exceeds ambient pressure to thereby permit liquid to egress from said chamber along said upper surface and beneath said tip.

Claim 14

The pump according to claim 10 wherein said upper surface is contoured to provide an apex located beneath said projection, said upper surface being sloped downward from said apex toward both said tip and said chamber.

Claim 15

The pump according to claim 10 wherein the interior portion of said projection is resiliently biased to abut said upper surface along a substantial portion but not all of its length when the pressure in said chamber is less than and substantially equal to ambient pressure.