Compact vacuum pump

Abstract

A vacuum pump capable of pumping solid, liquid and gas, or any combination thereof, including a drive ( 40 ) and a manually disengageable pumping system connected thereto. The pumping system is composed of a two- or three-chambered canister ( 1, 18, 21 ) within which solids, liquids, and gases can be separated from one another. A highly flexible diaphragm ( 24 ) attached to the canister and sealed against it circumferentially, facilitates this separation, when reciprocating and pumping. The components of the pumping system are designed to be disposable, and the two- or three-chambered canister provides for a highly efficient pumping system that is significantly smaller in size than those previously known. The pump is particularly useful for medical applications.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . Pumping apparatus, comprising a drive unit with a driving element, and a pump unit attachable to and detachable from said drive unit, said pump unit including a pumping chamber and a pump member with a reciprocable drive member, said pump member defining part of said pumping chamber, said pumping chamber being adapted to expand and contract for pumping by two-way forced reciprocation of said pump member under action of said reciprocable drive member; 
 wherein said pump unit and said drive unit are constructed so that attaching said pump unit to said drive unit brings said drive member and said driving element to a position providing, during operation of said drive unit, for their engagement and reciprocation of said drive member by means of said driving element.    
   
   
       23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said drive unit comprises first attachment means and said pump unit comprises second attachment means, the two attachment means allowing said attaching of the pump unit to the drive unit by a simple manipulation without tools.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said pump unit and said drive unit are constructed so that said first and second attachment means provide detachment of said drive unit from said pump unit by a manipulation including at the most manual unfastening without tools and one detaching motion, and the same detaching motion disengages said drive member from said driving element.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said pump unit is made of materials suitable for its usage as a disposable unit.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said pump unit is made of plastic.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said driving element of the drive unit is a reciprocating element adapted for said engagement to said reciprocable drive member by a coupling means.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said drive unit comprises an eccentric rotary shaft with a crank adapted to reciprocate said reciprocating element.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said coupling means include a rod in one of said reciprocating element and drive member, and a receptacle in the other of said reciprocating element and drive member, said rod and said receptacle being adapted for locking to each other by a fastener, thereby providing said engagement.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said fastener is a locking clip.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said rod constitutes a part of said reciprocable drive member, and said receptacle constitutes a part of said reciprocating element.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said rod is adapted to enter said receptacle during said attaching of said pump unit to said drive unit, and is further adapted to be locked by said fastener within one cycle of reciprocation.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said first and second attachment means are formed as a bayonet lock.  
   
   
       34 . An attachable and detachable pump unit for use with the apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said pump unit further includes: 
 a first compartment having a fluid inlet at its lower end, said fluid inlet communicating with said pumping chamber via a first one-way valve permitting fluid flow only into said pumping chamber;    and a second compartment having a fluid outlet, said second compartment communicating at its lower end with said pumping chamber via a second one-way valve permitting fluid flow only out of said pumping chamber.    
   
   
       35 . The pump unit according to  claim 34 , wherein said fluid outlet in said second compartment is at its lower end.  
   
   
       36 . The pump unit according to  claim 35 , wherein said second compartment further has a gas outlet at its upper end.  
   
   
       37 . The pump unit according to  claim 35 , further comprising a receptacle for accumulating liquids, said receptacle communicating with said fluid outlet at the lower end of said second compartment.  
   
   
       38 . The pump unit according to  claim 34 , wherein said first compartment further includes an outlet connectable to a vacuum gauge for monitoring the vacuum therein.  
   
   
       39 . The pump unit according to  claim 34 , wherein said first compartment includes a partition between said inlet and said first one-way valve dividing the first compartment into a first section with said inlet, and a second section communicating with said pumping chamber via said first one-way valve; said partition being formed with openings permitting there through flow of gas or liquid or mixture thereof, but retaining solids in said first section of the first compartment.  
   
   
       40 . The pump unit according to  claim 34 , wherein said pump unit is made of materials suitable for its usage as a disposable unit.  
   
   
       41 . The pump unit according to  claim 40 , wherein said pump unit is made of plastic.  
   
   
       42 . The pump unit according to  claim 40 , wherein said pump unit is further equipped with means for sealing the outlets and the inlet thereof before detaching from said drive unit and disposal.  
   
   
       43 . An attachable and detachable pump unit for use with the apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said pump member is a flexible diaphragm with periphery fixed to said pumping chamber and center connected to said reciprocable drive member, said pumping chamber being expandable to a maximal volume when said drive member moves to a distal position and contractible to a minimal volume when said drive member moves to a proximal position.  
   
   
       44 . The pump unit according to  claim 43 , wherein said flexible diaphragm is stretchable so as to yield and bulge outwards between said periphery and said center in order to accommodate, when said pumping chamber is in its contracted state, a quantity of fluid or solids retained in said pumping chamber in excess of said minimal volume, thereby allowing said drive unit to reciprocate said drive member through said proximal position.  
   
   
       45 . The pump unit according to  claim 43 , wherein said flexible diaphragm is stretchable so as to yield when said drive member approaches said distal position and quantity of fluid filling said pumping chamber is less than said maximal volume, thereby allowing said drive unit to reciprocate said drive member through said distal position.  
   
   
       46 . The pump unit according to  claim 43 , wherein said flexible diaphragm is stretchable so as to yield when said drive member approaches said distal position and quantity of fluid filling said pumping chamber is less than said maximal volume, thereby allowing said drive unit to increase the vacuum level in said pumping chamber, due to a smaller effective diaphragm area, to which drive force is applied.  
   
   
       47 . The pump unit according to  claim 43 , wherein said pump unit is made of materials suitable for its usage as a disposable unit.  
   
   
       48 . The pump unit according to  claim 47 , wherein said pump unit is made of plastic.  
   
   
       49 . The pump unit according to  claim 47 , wherein said pump unit is further equipped with means for sealing the outlets and the inlet thereof before detaching from said drive unit and disposal.