Self-enclosed filter pumping system
First Claim
1. A fluid pumping system comprising:
- a pump shell including a series of pump passages connecting (a) a first location on the exterior of said shell to a first valve cavity, (b) said first valve cavity to a pumping cavity, (c) said pumping cavity to a second valve cavity and (d) said second valve cavity to a second location on the exterior of said shell, a plurality of pneumatic passages connecting said first and second valve cavities and said pumping cavity to respective pneumatic connectors on the exterior of said shell, and pneumatic isolation means for isolating said first and second pneumatic cavities and said pumping cavity from each other and from the surrounding atmosphere;
a one piece unitary fluid bag assembly for insertion into the pump shell, including a container portion for enclosing fluid and an extension portion, said extension portion including a series of fluid flow passages connecting (a) said container portion to a first valve bubble, (b) said first valve bubble to a pump bubble, (c) said pump bubble to a second valve bubble, and (d) said second valve bubble to an outlet port, said fluid flow passages and said bubbles corresponding to said respective pump passages and said cavities of the pump shell and being adapted to mate therewith; and
pneumatic means for selectively delivering positive and negative pneumatic pressure to said first and second valve cavities so as to selectively occlude and open said first and second valve bubbles to correspondingly prevent and permit fluid flow therethrough, and for delivering positive and negative pneumatic pressure to said pump cavity so as to contract and expand said pump bubble in a controlled manner to pump controlled quantities of fluid therethrough.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self enclosed filter pump system (10) is provided to deliver precise quantities of selected fluids. The system (10) includes a pump assembly (12) of a pneumatically controlled type and a modular filter and fluid bag assembly (14) adapted to mate with the pump assembly (12) during use. The filter and fluid bag assembly (14) is a flexible component which includes a container portion (20) for storing enclosed fluid (16) and an extension portion (22) for mating with the pump assembly (12). A series of fluid flow passages (35) create a fluid flow path from the storage chamber (34) to a first value bubble (36), a pump/filter bubble (46), a second valve bubble (52) and an outlet port (56). A filter membrane (48) may be secured within the pump/filter bubble (46) to filter the fluid (16) to remove particulate matter. The various bubbles (36, 46 and 52) are occluded and opened by pneumatic pressure applied to matching chambers (78, 88 and 94) in the pump housing (62). The filter and fluid bag assemblies (14) are adapted to isolate the fluid (16) from the pump assembly (12), to be constructed to have a variety of storage chamber (34) capacities, to contain any of a wide variety of selected fluids (12) and to be modularly interchangeable such that a wide variety may properly operate with a single pump assembly (12). The primary expected usages of the pump system (10) are in the semiconductor manufacturing, chemical mixing, biomedical and food processing fields.
44 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid pumping system comprising:
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a pump shell including a series of pump passages connecting (a) a first location on the exterior of said shell to a first valve cavity, (b) said first valve cavity to a pumping cavity, (c) said pumping cavity to a second valve cavity and (d) said second valve cavity to a second location on the exterior of said shell, a plurality of pneumatic passages connecting said first and second valve cavities and said pumping cavity to respective pneumatic connectors on the exterior of said shell, and pneumatic isolation means for isolating said first and second pneumatic cavities and said pumping cavity from each other and from the surrounding atmosphere; a one piece unitary fluid bag assembly for insertion into the pump shell, including a container portion for enclosing fluid and an extension portion, said extension portion including a series of fluid flow passages connecting (a) said container portion to a first valve bubble, (b) said first valve bubble to a pump bubble, (c) said pump bubble to a second valve bubble, and (d) said second valve bubble to an outlet port, said fluid flow passages and said bubbles corresponding to said respective pump passages and said cavities of the pump shell and being adapted to mate therewith; and pneumatic means for selectively delivering positive and negative pneumatic pressure to said first and second valve cavities so as to selectively occlude and open said first and second valve bubbles to correspondingly prevent and permit fluid flow therethrough, and for delivering positive and negative pneumatic pressure to said pump cavity so as to contract and expand said pump bubble in a controlled manner to pump controlled quantities of fluid therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In an apparatus for pumping controlled quantities of selected fluids, the improvement comprising:
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forming a plurality of fungible one piece unitary fluid bag assemblies, each including a storage chamber adapted to be filled with one of the selected fluids and a pump mating portion including valve bubble means which may be occluded and closed by application of external pressure thereto, and pump bubble means which may be expanded and contracted in a controlled manner by application of positive and negative external pressure so as to pump the selected fluid therethrough, and a fluid pathway connecting said storage chamber to an exit port through said valve bubble means and said pump bubble means; and providing a pump component which may be opened for inserting and interchanging the fluid bag assemblies and closed for operation, the pump component including receiving cavities for receiving associated ones of said valve bubble means and said pump bubble means, channel means for receiving at least a portion of said fluid pathway and pressure means for selectively applying said external pressure to said valve bubble means and said pump bubble means during operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification