Double diaphragm pump

Abstract

A diaphragm pump, in which a fluid moves at least a first piston of a first piston/cylinder system back and forth, the first piston being mechanically connected to at least one other hydraulic piston and the hydraulic piston driving at least one diaphragm by a hydraulic medium.

1 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A diaphragm pump, in which a fluid moves at least a first piston of a first piston/cylinder system back and forth, the first piston being mechanically connected to at least one other hydraulic piston and the hydraulic piston driving at least one diaphragm of the diaphragm pump by means of a hydraulic medium,
 wherein the diaphragm pump is a dual-diaphragm pump having at least two diaphragms, a hydraulic medium moving or driving the diaphragms, at least one hydraulic piston moving the hydraulic medium, and in that the at least two diaphragms are mechanically connected to each other by a connection element.   
     
     
         31 . A diaphragm pump, in which a fluid moves at least a first hydraulic piston of a first piston/cylinder system back and forth, the first hydraulic piston being mechanically connected to at least one other hydraulic piston, and the hydraulic piston driving at least one diaphragm by means of a hydraulic medium. 
     
     
         32 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 31 , wherein the diaphragm pump is a dual-diaphragm pump having at least two diaphragms, a hydraulic medium moving or driving the diaphragms, and the at least one hydraulic piston moving the hydraulic medium. 
     
     
         33 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least two diaphragms are mechanically connected to each other by a connection element. 
     
     
         34 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 33 , wherein the connection element is connected to the diaphragms with each of the ends of the connection element being either screwed or pressed to one of the diaphragms. 
     
     
         35 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the diaphragms is arranged in a diaphragm space of a housing and divides the diaphragm space into a conveying space and a hydraulic space. 
     
     
         36 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 35 , wherein the hydraulic space is connected to a first operating space of the piston/cylinder system of the other hydraulic piston by a channel or a line, and either forms an integral component of the operating space or is the operating space itself. 
     
     
         37 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 36 , wherein compressed air moves the first piston of the first piston/cylinder system back and forth, and a main valve which is controlled by movement of the first piston directs the compressed air alternately into the first operating space or a second operating space of the first piston/cylinder system. 
     
     
         38 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 33 , wherein the first piston/cylinder system is arranged between two hydraulically acting piston/cylinder systems, the first piston being connected to the other hydraulic piston by at least one piston rod which engages(s) through the first piston and/or which is/are secured thereto. 
     
     
         39 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 38 , wherein the connection element is supported so as to be freely displaceable with respect to the first piston and with respect to the other hydraulic piston, and the connection element is displaceably supported in the piston rod and engages through said other hydraulic pistons of the piston/cylinder systems. 
     
     
         40 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 39 , wherein sealing elements are arranged between the connection element and said other hydraulic pistons and/or the piston rod in such a manner that no hydraulic medium can travel along the connection element from one hydraulic space into another hydraulic space. 
     
     
         41 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 38 , wherein the hydraulically acting piston/cylinder systems each have a first and a second operating space, and, in each case, the first operating space is an integral component of a hydraulic space, forms the hydraulic space, and is connected to the hydraulic space by means of a channel, and the second operating spaces are connected to each other by a connection line. 
     
     
         42 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 41 , wherein the second operating spaces and the connection line are filled with a hydraulic medium. 
     
     
         43 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 41 , wherein the diaphragm pump has at least one device for monitoring a quantity of the hydraulic medium in one and/or more operating space(s) of the hydraulically acting piston/cylinder systems and/or in the connection line. 
     
     
         44 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 43 , wherein the second operating spaces and the connection line which connects the second operating spaces to each other are connected by an additional connection line to a storage container containing a hydraulic medium, the monitoring device detecting a discharge and/or an influx of hydraulic medium through the additional connecting connection line. 
     
     
         45 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 44 , wherein at least the hydraulic medium located in the hydraulic spaces is inert with respect to the conveyed medium. 
     
     
         46 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 35 , wherein each conveying space is connected, in each case, to a common supply line by a supply channel and/or a common pressure line by an outlet channel, the supply line and/or the pressure line being supported in a floating manner on at least one connection region of a housing of the pump. 
     
     
         47 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 46 , wherein a valve is arranged in the supply channel and in the outlet channel, respectively. 
     
     
         48 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 47 , wherein each valve is a non-return valve. 
     
     
         49 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 31 , wherein a ratio of the piston face of the first piston to the piston face of the other hydraulic piston is from 1:1 to 1:40. 
     
     
         50 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 38 , wherein an exchange of hydraulic medium from one operating space into the other operating space of a hydraulically acting piston/cylinder system is carried out by a valve when falling below or exceeding a specific pressure difference between the operating spaces. 
     
     
         51 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 31 , wherein there is arranged in the other hydraulic piston a reduced pressure valve or an excess pressure valve which normally blocks a connection channel which extends axially through the other hydraulic piston. 
     
     
         52 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 31 , wherein axial cylinder walls of operating spaces of the first piston/cylinder system are adapted to the shape of the axial walls of the first piston and are constructed in a planar manner such that a remaining operating space in dead centre points of the first piston is minimal. 
     
     
         53 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 52 , wherein there is arranged in the walls of the first piston/cylinder system that delimit the operating spaces axially or at the end face a switching valve which is mechanically actuated by the first piston before or when the respective dead centre point or switching point is reached, the switching valves controlling compressed air which switches a main valve. 
     
     
         54 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 53 , wherein the first piston mechanically actuates valve adjustment members of the switching valves, the switching valves being constructed so as to be able to be inserted from an outer side into a wall of the first piston/cylinder system that delimits at the end face. 
     
     
         55 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 54 , wherein the main valve is a 5/2 way valve or a 4/2 way valve which connects in the switching phase the two operating spaces of the first piston/cylinder system and consequently prefills a receiving operating space with the compressed air from a transferring operating space. 
     
     
         56 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 53 , wherein the main valve has an inlet for uncontrolled compressed air from an external compressed air source, the main valve itself having a pressure control device for producing controlled compressed air of a specific pressure. 
     
     
         57 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 53 , wherein the main valve has a valve control member which is adjusted by the compressed air controlled by the switching valves. 
     
     
         58 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 57  wherein the valve control member controls the compressed air controlled by the valve control device and directs it into operating spaces of the first piston/cylinder system in order to adjust the first piston. 
     
     
         59 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 53 , wherein the switching valves have throttles. 
     
     
         60 . The diaphragm pump according to  claim 33 , wherein the connection element is a rod or a pipe.