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 . An attachable and detachable pump unit wherein said pump unit 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.    
   
   
       23 . The pump unit according to  claim 22 , wherein said fluid outlet in said second compartment is at its lower end.  
   
   
       24 . The pump unit according to  claim 23 , wherein said second compartment further has a gas outlet at its upper end.  
   
   
       25 . The pump unit according to  claim 23 , further comprising a receptacle for accumulating liquids, said receptacle communicating with said fluid outlet at the lower end of said second compartment.  
   
   
       26 . The pump unit according to  claim 22 , wherein said first compartment further includes an outlet connectable to a vacuum gauge for monitoring the vacuum therein.  
   
   
       27 . The pump unit according to  claim 22 , 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.  
   
   
       28 . The pump unit according to  claim 22 , wherein said pump unit is made of materials suitable for its usage as a disposable unit.  
   
   
       29 . The pump unit according to  claim 28 , wherein said pump unit is made of plastic.  
   
   
       30 . The pump unit according to  claim 28 , 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.  
   
   
       31 . An attachable and detachable pump unit, 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.  
   
   
       32 . The pump unit according to  claim 31 , 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.  
   
   
       33 . The pump unit according to  claim 31 , 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.  
   
   
       34 . The pump unit according to  claim 31 , 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.  
   
   
       35 . The pump unit according to  claim 31 , wherein said pump unit is made of materials suitable for its usage as a disposable unit.  
   
   
       36 . The pump unit according to  claim 35 , wherein said pump unit is made of plastic.  
   
   
       37 . The pump unit according to  claim 35 , 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.