Magnetically actuated fluid pump and pulse reducing apparatus

Abstract

An integrated fluid management system is provided with capability to deliver precise flow rate and fluid dosing capability over a wide range of operator set parameters. A magnetically actuated pump head is low cost, affords simple installation, and is potentially disposable. Multiple pump heads may be docked to a single drive module or control module to provide concurrent metering of multiple fluids and to maintain precise volume ratio of the multiple fluids to one another. The magnetic pump head may be integrated with radio frequency Identification devices (RFID) and Hall Effect Sensors to provide customized control and fail safe operation. A pressure pulse reducing apparatus improves pump delivery accuracy and may employ a sensor to monitor pump operation and send an error message to indicate a malfunction has occurred.

1 . A fluid pumping apparatus comprising:
 a) a shaft which is operative to rotate at least one drive magnet;   b) at least one pump head including a driven magnet carried by a carriage, said carriage reciprocally, linearly movable in a pump head housing, said housing provided with an inlet port, an outlet port and associated inlet and outlet check valves; and   c) a drive module housing, including structure for receiving said pump head and arranged such that said driven magnet is located in proximity to the drive magnet so as to create alternating attracting and repelling forces between the drive and driven magnets as the drive magnet is rotated about the axis of said shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is operatively connected to an electric motor. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is operatively coupled to a fluid driven turbine. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein only one pump head is associated with said drive magnet. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said shaft comprises an axle of said fluid driven turbine. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said drive magnet and said axle are integrally mounted and fully enclosed by said drive module housing. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including an air-bleed accumulator in fluid communication with said inlet port to said pump head, including a membrane operative to discharge air accumulated in an accumulator chamber forming part of said accumulator. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The pump apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said pump assembly functions as a ratio pump and forms part of a system for proportionally mixing at least two fluids. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a) a shaft which is operative to rotate at least one drive magnet;   b) an actuating piston head including a driven magnet carried by a carriage, a portion of said carriage forming a piston that is reciprocally, linearly movable in a piston housing, said piston movable between two positions; and   c) a drive module housing, including structure for receiving said piston head and arranged such that said driven magnet is located in proximity to the drive magnet so as to create alternating attracting and repelling forces between the drive and driven magnets as the drive magnet is rotated about the axis of said shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said piston head forms part of a pump assembly and said piston is operative to pump fluid from an inlet port to an outlet port that forms part of said pump assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said piston head forms part of a control valve assembly and said piston is operative to control the flow of fluid through a passage forming part of said valve assembly. 
     
     
         19 . A fluid pumping apparatus comprising:
 a) at least one pump head including a piston carriage, said carriage reciprocally, linearly movable in a pump head housing, said housing provided with an inlet port, an outlet port and associated inlet and outlet check valves; and   b) said pump head provided with flexible diaphragm elements positioned upstream of the inlet check valve and downstream of the outlet check valve so as to alternatively expand and contract to maintain uniform fluid pressure at the completion of the intake stroke and discharge stroke of said carriage, thereby mitigating hydraulic shock that would otherwise occur upon completion of said intake and discharge strokes and provide precise volumetric flow that is predictable by the geometric stroke volume of said carriage.   
     
     
         20 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 19  wherein a pressure sensing element is mounted in proximity to at least one of said diaphragm elements so as to sense pressure caused by movement of said diaphragm element pushing against said sensing element. 
     
     
         21 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said carriage carries a driven magnet. 
     
     
         22 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said driven magnet is located in proximity to a drive magnet so as to create alternating attracting and repelling forces between the drive and driven magnets as the drive magnet is rotated. 
     
     
         23 . The fluid pumping apparatus of  claim 22  wherein a pressure sensing element is mounted in proximity to said diaphragm element so as to sense pressure caused by movement of said diaphragm element pushing against said pressure sensing element. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said air bleed accumulator includes a check valve operative along with said membrane to discharge air accumulated in said accumulator chamber and to prevent back flow of air into said chamber when pressure in the chamber is less than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         25 . A liquid pumping apparatus including a liquid pump, an air bleed accumulator in fluid communication with an inlet or suction port of said pump, said air bleed accumulator including a membrane and check valve operative to discharge air accumulated in an accumulator chamber forming part of said accumulator and to prevent back flow of air into said chamber when pressure in the chamber is less than atmospheric pressure.