Diaphragm pump for medical applications

Abstract

An implantable diaphragm pump for use in medical applications comprising a housing having a pump cap, a valve plate, a diaphragm, and a base plate, wherein the pump cap and the valve plate are separated by the diaphragm, and the valve plate and lower surface of the diaphragm serve to form a pump chamber. A permanent magnet is attached to the pump cap within the diaphragm chamber wherein the lower surface of the permanent magnet is adjacent to the upper surface of the diaphragm. The diaphragm having a coil and a corrugated outer periphery, wherein when electrical current flows in a first direction through the coil, the diaphragm engages the lower surface of the permanent magnet, and when electrical current flows in a direction opposite the first direction, said diaphragm engages the upper surface of the valve plate.

1 . An implantable diaphragm pump for use in medical applications comprising: 
 a housing comprising a valve plate and a diaphragm;    a pump chamber between said valve plate and said diaphragm;    a permanent magnet being proximate to said diaphragm; and    said diaphragm comprising a coil, wherein varying the direction of electrical current applied to said coil shall cause the diaphragm to engage either the permanent magnet or the valve plate.    
   
   
       2 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 1 , wherein said housing further comprises a pump cap that supports said permanent magnet and a base plate that supports said valve plate.  
   
   
       3 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 2 , wherein said pump cap and said valve plate are separated by said diaphragm.  
   
   
       4 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said pump cap and said diaphragm form a diaphragm chamber; and    said pump cap further comprises a breather hole to equalize pressure between the diaphragm chamber and the environment.    
   
   
       5 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 4  further comprising a membrane between said breather hole and said diaphragm chamber.  
   
   
       6 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 1 , wherein said diaphragm further comprises a corrugated outer periphery.  
   
   
       7 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 1 , wherein said permanent magnet comprises a textured surface to thereby impede said diaphragm from sticking to said permanent magnet.  
   
   
       8 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 1 , wherein said valve plate comprises a textured surface to thereby impede said diaphragm from sticking to said valve plate.  
   
   
       9 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 8  wherein said valve plate textured surface comprises a raised pattern wherein grooves of said raised pattern run in the direction in which fluid flows in said pump chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 1  further comprising a spacer ring between said diaphragm and said valve plate, wherein varying the thickness of said spacer ring shall vary the volume of the pump chamber.  
   
   
       11 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet and an outlet wherein the pump shall serve to either draw fluid into said pump chamber through said inlet or deliver a metered dose of said fluid through said outlet dependant upon the polarity of the coil.  
   
   
       12 . An implantable diaphragm pump for use in medical applications comprising: 
 a valve plate, a base plate, and a diaphragm:    said diaphragm having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein said diaphragm upper surface comprises a piezoelectric material, and said valve plate and said diaphragm lower surface form a pump chamber;    wherein the presence of a voltage shall cause said diaphragm to displace relative to said valve plate.    
   
   
       13 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  further comprising a spacer ring between said diaphragm lower surface and said valve plate, wherein said spacer ring may serve to vary the volume of the pump chamber.  
   
   
       14 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  further comprising a spacer ring between said diaphragm lower surface and said valve plate, wherein said spacer ring may serve to electrically isolate said diaphragm from said valve plate.  
   
   
       15 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  further comprising a return stop arm, wherein said return stop arm is mounted to said base plate and suspended above said diaphragm upper surface an appropriate distance to limit travel of said diaphragm in the upward direction.  
   
   
       16 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 15  wherein said return stop arm has a lower surface with a first raised pattern and wherein said valve plate upper surface comprises a second raised pattern.  
   
   
       17 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  wherein said valve plate upper surface comprises a raised pattern wherein a plurality of grooves in said raised pattern run in the direction in which fluid flows in said pump chamber.  
   
   
       18 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  further comprising an inlet and an outlet wherein the pump shall serve to either draw a fluid into said pump chamber through said inlet or deliver a metered dose of said fluid through said outlet, dependant upon the voltage applied to the piezoelectric material.  
   
   
       19 . The implantable diaphragm pump of  claim 12  wherein said piezoelectric material further comprises a conductive layer for receiving an electrical lead.