Compact integrated-drive pumps

Abstract

Pump assemblies are disclosed that have a magnetically driven pump-head subassembly and a pump-driver subassembly coupled thereto, wherein the pump-driver subassembly includes a pump-driver enclosure. The pump-head subassembly comprises a rotatable magnet contained in a magnet cup extending into the pump-driver enclosure. The pump-driver subassembly has a printed circuit board (PCB) in the pump-driver enclosure and a stator mounted to the PCB. The stator coaxially surrounds the magnet cup. The magnet cup has a distal-end wall. The printed circuit board includes a stator-driving circuit and at least one signal-processing circuit. The PCB defines a void relative to the distal-end wall that exposes at least half the distal-end wall. The pump-driver enclosure has an aspect ratio of no greater than one (unity).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a magnetically driven pump-head subassembly and a pump-driver subassembly coupled to the pump-head subassembly, the pump-driver subassembly including a pump-driver enclosure;   the pump-head subassembly comprising a rotatable magnet contained in a magnet cup extending into the pump-driver enclosure;   the pump-driver subassembly comprising a printed circuit board contained in the pump-driver enclosure and a stator mounted to the printed circuit board, the stator coaxially surrounding the magnet cup;   the magnet cup comprising a distal-end wall;   the printed circuit board including a stator-driving circuit, and at least one signal-processing circuit; and   the printed circuit board defining a void that is situated relative to the distal-end wall so as to expose at least half the distal-end wall; and   the pump-driver enclosure having an aspect ratio of no greater than one (unity).   
     
     
         2 . The pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further comprises at least one pump-parameter sensor mounted thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The pump assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is placed on, aside, or at least partially in the distal-end wall. 
     
     
         4 . The pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is annular in shape, and the void is a central hole of the annular printed circuit board. 
     
     
         5 . The pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the magnet cup includes a substantially cylindrical side wall; and   the printed circuit board is a flexible printed circuit curved into a cylinder and situated to surround the side wall in a coaxial manner.   
     
     
         6 . The pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the movable pumping member comprises a pump gear. 
     
     
         7 . The pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the movable pumping member comprises a piston. 
     
     
         8 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a pump-head portion including a pump housing defining a pump cavity;   a pump-driver enclosure coupled to the pump-head portion having an axial length and a transverse dimension;   a movable pumping member situated inside the pump cavity;   a driven magnet connected to the pumping member so that induced motion of the driven magnet causes corresponding induced motion of the pumping member;   a magnet cup being a respective portion of the pump cavity and containing the driven magnet so that the induced motion of the driven magnet occurs in the magnet cup as the driven magnet and interior of the magnet cup are being wetted by fluid being pumped by induced motion of the pumping member, the magnet cup including a distal-end wall;   a magnet-driver situated outside the magnet cup but inside the pump-driver enclosure, the magnet driver being magnetically coupled to the driven magnet such that a changing magnetic field produced by the magnet-driver induces motion of the driven magnet and hence of the pumping member in the magnet cup;   a circuit board and at least one sensor being located in the pump-driver enclosure; wherein   the sensor is located on, aside, or at least partially in the distal-end wall; and   the circuit board is electrically connected to the magnet-driver and to the at least one sensor; and   wherein the circuit board comprises a high-current circuit and a low-current circuit, the high-current circuit being connected to and providing controlled electrical power to the magnet-driver, the low-current circuit being connected to and providing controlled electrical power to the at least one sensor; and   the circuit board extends orthogonally to the axial length around the magnet cup while defining a void allowing access through the circuit board to the distal-end wall of the magnet cup.   
     
     
         9 . The pump assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is sealingly mounted with respect to a wall of the magnet cup such that the sensor is not wetted by the fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The pump assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the pump-driver enclosure is substantially cylindrical in shape, with an axial length and a diameter. 
     
     
         11 . The pump assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the circuit board is substantially annular in shape. 
     
     
         12 . The pump assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the axial length of the pump-driver enclosure to the diameter of the pump-driver enclosure is approximately 0.25 to approximately 1. 
     
     
         13 . The pump assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the axial length of the pump-driver enclosure to the diameter of the pump-driver enclosure is between approximately 0.4 and 0.7. 
     
     
         14 . The pump assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the axial length of the pump-driver enclosure to the diameter of the pump-driver enclosure is approximately 0.5. 
     
     
         15 . The pump assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the circuit board and the distal-end wall of the magnet cup are substantially coplanar. 
     
     
         16 . The pump assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor is sealingly mounted to the distal-end wall of the magnet cup. 
     
     
         17 . The pump assembly of  claim 8 , configured as a flow-through pump. 
     
     
         18 . The pump assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the pump assembly comprises a first fitting mounted to the pump cavity and a second fitting mounted to the distal-end wall of the magnet housing. 
     
     
         19 . The pump assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first fitting is an outlet fitting, and the second fitting is an inlet fitting. 
     
     
         20 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a pump-head portion including a pump housing defining a pump cavity;   a pump-driver enclosure;   a movable pumping member situated inside the pump housing;   a driven magnet connected to the pumping member so that induced motion of the driven magnet causes corresponding induced motion of the pumping member;   a magnet cup being a respective portion of the pump cavity and containing the driven magnet so that the induced motion of the driven magnet occurs in the magnet cup as the driven magnet and interior of the magnet cup are being wetted by fluid being pumped by induced motion of the pumping member, the magnet cup including a distal-end wall;   a magnet-driver situated outside the magnet cup but inside the pump-driver enclosure, the magnet-driver being magnetically coupled to the driven magnet such that a changing magnetic field produced by the magnet-driver induces motion of the driven magnet and hence of the pumping member in the magnet cup;   a fitting mounted to the distal-end wall of the magnet cup; and   a circuit board and at least one sensor being located in the pump-driver enclosure; wherein   the sensor is located on, aside, or at least partially in the distal-end wall;   the circuit board is electrically connected to the magnet-driver and to the at least one sensor;   the circuit board is substantially annular in shape relative to the magnet cup; and   the circuit board defines a central void allowing access to the distal-end wall of the magnet cup.   
     
     
         21 . The pump assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the circuit board allows access to substantially the entire surface area of the distal-end wall of the magnet cup. 
     
     
         22 . The pump assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the circuit board allows access to between approximately 50% and approximately 100% of the surface area of the distal-end wall of the magnet cup. 
     
     
         23 . The pump assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the circuit board allows access to at least approximately 75% of the surface area of the distal-end wall of the magnet housing. 
     
     
         24 . The pump assembly of  claim 20 , configured as a flow-through pump. 
     
     
         25 . The pump assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the pump assembly comprises a first fitting mounted to the pump-head portion and a second fitting mounted to the distal-end wall of the magnet cup. 
     
     
         26 . The pump assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the aspect ratio of the pump-driver enclosure is from about 0.5 to about 1. 
     
     
         27 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a pump-head portion comprising a pump housing defining a pump cavity;   a pump-driver enclosure coupled to the pump-head portion and having an axial length and a transverse dimension;   a movable pumping member situated inside the pump cavity;   a driven magnet connected to the pumping member so that induced motion of the driven magnet causes corresponding induced motion of the pumping member;   a magnet cup being a respective portion of the pump cavity and containing the driven magnet so that the induced motion of the of the driven magnet occurs in the magnet cup as the driven magnet and the interior of the magnet cup are being wetted by fluid being pumped by induced motion of the pumping member, the magnet cup having a distal-end wall;   a magnet-driver situated outside the magnet cup but inside the pump-driver enclosure, the magnet-driver being magnetically coupled to the driven magnet such that a changing magnetic field produced by the magnet-driver induces motion of the driven magnet and hence of the pumping member in the magnet cup;   an annular circuit board defining a central void;   a first sensor mounted to the distal-end wall and connected to the circuit board;   a second sensor mounted to the circuit board and being situated relative to an outside wall of the magnet cup; and   the distal-end wall of the magnet cup being exposed by the central void of the circuit board.   
     
     
         28 . A pump assembly, comprising:
 a pump-head portion comprising a pump housing defining a pump cavity;   a pump-driver enclosure coupled to the pump-head portion and having an axial length and a transverse dimension;   a movable pumping member situated in the pump cavity;   a driven magnet connected to the pumping member so that induced motion of the driven magnet causes corresponding induced motion of the pumping member;   a magnet cup being a respective portion of the pump cavity and containing the driven magnet so that the induced motion of the of the driven magnet occurs in the magnet cup as the driven magnet and the interior of the magnet cup are being wetted by fluid being pumped by induced motion of the pumping member, the magnet cup having a distal-end wall;   a magnet-driver situated outside the magnet cup but inside the pump-driver enclosure, the magnet-driver being magnetically coupled to the driven magnet such that a changing magnetic field produced by the magnet-driver induces motion of the driven magnet and hence of the pumping member in the magnet cup; and   a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to the magnet-driver and at least one sensor, the flexible printed circuit and the at least one sensor being located in the pump-driver enclosure; wherein   the sensor is located on, aside, or at least partially in the distal-end wall; and   the flexible printed circuit is urged into an arcuate shape and mounted within the pump-driver enclosure such that the flexible printed circuit at least partially surrounds the magnet cup while leaving the distal-end wall exposed.   
     
     
         29 . The pump assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the pumping member comprises at least one pump gear. 
     
     
         30 . The pump assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the pumping member comprises a piston. 
     
     
         32 . A pump-driver assembly for rotatably driving a magnet located in a magnet cup of a pump housing and connected to a pump element located in the pump housing, the assembly comprising:
 a printed circuit sized and configured to surround a portion of the magnet cup, the printed circuit defining a central void through which a distal-end face of the magnet cup is exposed, the printed circuit including a high-current circuit and a low-current circuit;   a stator mounted to the high-current circuit on the printed circuit and configured to surround the magnet cup in a coaxial manner whenever the pump-driver assembly is fitted to the pump housing; and   at least one pump-parameter sensor electrically connected to the low-current circuit on the printed circuit, the sensor being positioned relative to the magnet cup to produce pump-parameter data whenever the pump-driver assembly is fitted to the pump housing.   
     
     
         33 . The pump-driver assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the printed circuit comprises a rigid annular board that is situated coaxially with the magnet cup whenever the pump-driver assembly is fitted to the pump housing. 
     
     
         34 . The pump-driver assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the printed circuit is flexibly configured as a strip looped into a cylinder that is coaxial with the magnet cup whenever the pump-driver assembly is fitted to the pump housing. 
     
     
         35 . The pump-driver assembly of  claim 27 , further comprising a housing enclosing the pump-driver assembly. 
     
     
         36 . The pump-driver assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the housing has an aspect ratio of no greater than unity.