Pump

Claim 2

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; said shuttle block having a driven surface which confronts said eccentric and which is constructed and arranged to allow said eccentric to drive said shuttle block along a path which forms a loop; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said diaphragm having means to accommodate the loop-like motion of the shuttle block without damaging the diaphragm; first valve means for controlling fluid flow through said inlet; and second valve means for controlling fluid flow through said outlet whereby said variable volume chamber can take in fluid through said inlet and discharge the fluid under pressure through said outlet.

Claim 3

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; and said shuttle block having a driven surface which confronts said eccentric and which is constructed and arranged to allow said eccentric to drive said shuttle block along a path which forms a loop, said diaphragm having means for accommodating the loop-like motion of the shuttle block without damaging the diaphragm.

Claim 4

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; and said shuttle block having a driven surface which confronts said eccentric and which is constructed and arranged to allow said eccentric to drive said shuttle block along a path which forms a loop, said diaphragm having means for accommodating the loop-like motion of the shuttle block without damaging the diaphragm.

Claim 5

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; said housing defining a well adapted to receive fluid, the space between said vanes opening in the axial direction into said well and adapted to receive fluid therefrom, said shuttle block being integrally molded from plastic material and including a projection extending through said diaphragm into said chamber, said passage means extending through said projection of said shuttle block; and said eccentric driving said shuttle block along a path which forms a loop, said diaphragm having means for accommodating the loop-like motion of the shuttle block without damaging the diaphragm.

Claim 6

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; said housing defining a well adapted to receive fluid, the space between said vanes opening in the axial direction into said well and adapted to receive fluid therefrom, said shuttle block being integrally molded from plastic material and including a projection extending through said diaphragm into said chamber, said passage means extending through said projection of said shuttle block; and said eccentric driving said shuttle block along a path which forms a loop, said diaphragm having means for accommodating the loop-like motion of the shuttle block without damaging the diaphragm.

Claim 7

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; and said means for interconnecting including a projection on said shuttle block projecting through said diaphragm and into said chamber, said passage means extending through said projection.

Claim 8

A pump comprising: a housing; means for defining a variable volume chamber in said housing, said variable volume chamber including a movable wall for varying the volume of said chamber, said chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid can be expelled from the chamber; said movable wall including a flexible diaphragm; an eccentric; means for mounting said eccentric for rotation in said housing; a shuttle block substantially circumscribing said eccentric and being driven thereby as the eccentric rotates; means for interconnecting said diaphragm and said shuttle block whereby at least a portion of the diaphragm is moved by said shuttle block; said eccentric having a plurality of vanes and defining an impeller; means for introducing fluid to said vanes; passage means for receiving fluid discharged by said impeller, said passage means being defined at least in part by said shuttle block, said passage means leading to said inlet; the outer periphery of said eccentric opening and closing said passage means as the eccentric rotates whereby the vanes provide a centrifugal pumping action for supplying fluid under pressure to said variable volume chamber and said variable volume chamber provides diaphragm pumping action for further increasing the pressure of the fluid supplied thereto; and said means for interconnecting including a projection on said shuttle block projecting through said diaphragm and into said chamber, said passage means extending through said projection.

Claim 9

A pump as defined in claim 4 wherein said shuttle block is integrally molded from plastic material and completely surrounds said eccentric.

Claim 10

A pump as defined in claim 4 wherein said housing includes a pair of spaced projections, a resilient flexible member positioned between the projections and retained thereby, said resilient flexible member controlling the discharge of fluid from said outlet.